religions review

Religions and Belief Systems

Animism

Beliefs, Practices, Holy Books Significance

Africa, Latin AmericaNo Founder

No holy book – mostly oral traditionsAll things in nature have a soul (Trees, stones, rivers, etc.)Use of Shaman or Diviners who conducted ceremonies and rituals and used fetishesAncestor Veneration – Your ancestor’s spirits watch over you and can protect you.

Found among many pastoral nomadic tribal villages.Tribal masks inspired Cubist art movement

Hinduism


India3000 B.C.E.

Spread throughout

IndiaStationary Religion

Brahman-supreme force: Gods are manifestations of Brahman (Vishnu-preserver, Shiva-destroyer)Reincarnation. Dharma: rules and obligations. Karma: fate based on how dharma was met.Moshka: highest state of being, release of soulVedas and Upanishads

Caste System: Rigid social structure, born into caste, must perform certain job, or Jati.Ganges is sacred river, performance of ritualsSpawned Buddhism

Caste System

ShudrasShudras

VaishyasVaishyas

Kshatriyas Kshatriyas

Pariahs [Harijan] Untouchables

BrahminsBrahmins

Buddhism


India, Nepal563 B.C.E.

Spread throughout

India, China, Japan, S.E.

AsiaMissionary

Religion

Founded by Siddhartha GuatamaNo Supreme Being– Buddha “Enlightened one”Four Noble Truths – Life is suffering caused by desire, follow Eight Fold PathNirvana, state of perfect peace and harmony path may take several lifetimes: Reincarnation, Dharma, KarmaTheraveda: meditation, harmony, Buddha not a god (Lesser Vehicle)Mahayana: more complex, greater ritual, reliance on priests. Buddha a diety

No Caste system, appealed to lower classes.Not attached to social structure, spread rapidly to other cultures.Ashoka adopted Buddhism. Force of cultural diffusion via trade, Silk Road, missionary Religion

Confucianism


China500

B.C.E.Spread to

Japan, S.E. Asia

Founded by Confucius (Kong Fu Tse)Political-social philosophy, not religionMoral, ethical, also practical – The AnalectsFive Right relationships = right society: Parent to Child (Filial Piety), Ruler to Subject, Older to Younger, Husband to Wife, Friend to Friend.Education is valuable and everyone should be able to get one. Become a gentleman.Put aside personal ambition for good of state

As a ethical, social, political belief system it was compatible with other religions, could practice Buddhism and ConfucianismEmbraced by Han, Tang, Song, Ming Dynasties. Civil Service Exam

Daoism-Taoism


China500

B.C.E.

Founded by Lao-tzu, philosopherDao = “The Way” (of nature/cosmos)Wu wei- non-doing, harmony with natureEternal principles, passive, yielding. Like water, yet strong, shaping.Yin-Yang – symbol of balance in nature

Self-sufficient communitiesCounter to Confucian activismEmphasis on harmony w/ nature leads gains: astronomy, botany, chemistryCo-existed w/Confucianism, Buddhism, LegalismAdded to complexity of Chinese culture

Legalism


China500

B.C.E.

Founded by Han FeiziThe Q’in Dynasty- Shi HuangdiPeace & order through centralized, tightly controlled stateMistrust of human nature; reliance on tough lawsPunish those who break laws, reward those who follow2 most worthy jobs: farmer, soldier

Accomplished swift reunification of China.Completion of projects like the Great Wall.Caused widespread resentment among common people, led to wider acceptance of Confucianism-Daoism.

Shintoism


Japan500BCE

No founder

God in all of us and in all of nature. Our body is the visible temple for the soul.Anaterasu is the Sun Goddess and main god or kami. Emperor is descendant and was seen as divine“Tori” is the symbol of prosperity in Shintoism and the sacred gates that are found in front of all Shinto temples in Japan. People write wishes on the Tori gates wishing for good health, wealth and prosperity. There are no written doctrinesThere are gods in every object in nature (Kami)Animist - Ancestor veneration

Justified power of EmperorDuring Meiji Restoration, Shintoism was used to unite JapaneseDuring WWII, Kamikaze pilots sacrificed themselves for their Emperor

Judaism


Middle East,

Caanan Jerusalem

3000 B.C.E.

Founded by Abraham, MosesHebrews were chosen by God, special statusPersonal relationship with God – a covenantAfterlife, tradition, doctrines, philosophy, personal salvation.To honor, serve God, promote prophets – Wailing WallA religion & culture – Torah, Talmud10 Commandments, waiting for messiah

The First Monotheistic Belief SystemLed to Christianity and IslamForced migration – Exodus, Diaspora, HolocaustLike Hinduism – Stationary faith

Christianity

Beliefs, Practices, Holy Books Significance Middle East,

Jerusalem 30 C.E.Spread

north and west

throughout Europe,

Americas

Founded by Jesus of Nazareth - BibleSplinter group of Jews, quickly spread throughout Roman Empire despite persecutionJesus, son of God, Messiah of Jewish prophecyDevotion to God, love of fellow man - monotheisticJesus sent to redeem man from sinSalvation by faith in divinity, death, and resurrection of Jesus.Crucified by Roman gov’t 30 CE

Emphasis on salvation, eternal life after death appealed to lower classes, womenCombo of religion & empire = huge impact on political, social development of Europe Missionary Religion

Islam


Middle East, Mecca, Medina,

Jerusalem622 C.E.

Spread North Africa,

S.E.Asia, U.S.

Founded by Muhammad- Prophet – KoranFive Pillars of Faith:Allah is one true God, Prophet is MuhammadPray Five times a day facing MeccaAlmsgiving – give to the poorRamadan – FastingHajj – Pilgrimage to MeccaCan not eat pork, gamble, drink alcohol, smokeJihad – Struggle in God’s service

Led to Islamic Empires Umayyad Caliphate, Abbasids, Ottoman, MughalShiite-Sunni SplitCrusades – Holy warsMissionary religion

Big Picture Themes!

Nomads are major outside threat to sedentary peoples and impact Civs.

Golden Age of Religion – Power in government - Rise and Spread of Islam

Foundations and Classical eras of civilization

Classical Era – achievements in arts, architecture, science, Math, weapons, metals, literature

Religion and goods spread over the Silk Road

Period 1 & 2

Extensive land routes and regional water routes

World Religions of Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism are established

Period 3

Land and sea routes expand! Indian Ocean, Trans-Saharan, River networks in Russia and Africa

Religion and goods spread over Silk Road

Golden Age of Nomads! Continue to be biggest outside threat to civilization and Empire

Classical Civs collapse – Rise of Post Classical Civs - continue to achieve in different ways.

Development of Empire and spread of civilizations

religions review

Education

holy books significance

harmony w nature

nepal563 b

harmony path

political belief system

rigid social structure

belief systemsanimismbeliefs

upanishadscaste system