Belief Systems Religions and Philosophies. Monotheism The belief in one God Ex. Judaism, Christianity, Islam Polytheism The belief in many gods Ex. Ancient.

Belief SystemsBelief Systems

Religions and PhilosophiesReligions and Philosophies

Monotheism• The belief in one God

• Ex. Judaism, Christianity, Islam

Polytheism• The belief in many

gods

• Ex. Ancient Egypt, Hinduism

ReligionsReligions

•The Hebrews founded Judaism , the oldest known monotheistic religion

•Sacred text: Torah (Christian Old Testament)

•Basic teachings: Ten Commandments- the Hebrew code of laws

Holy City: Jerusalem

• Founder: Jesus of Nazareth

• Holy City: Jerusalem• Sacred text: Christian

Bible (Old Testament and New Testament)

• Monotheistic• Practices: Seven

sacraments

• Christian Churches divide numerous times

• Major churches: Roman Catholic (headed by Pope), Eastern Orthodox, Protestant Faiths (Lutheran, Calvinist, Church of England)

•Founder: Prophet Muhammad (6th Century AD)

•Sacred text: Qur’an (Koran)

•Monotheistic: One God (Allah- means God in Arabic)

•Basic teachings: 5 pillars

• Divisions: Sunni and Shiah

Holy Cities: Mecca (Makkah), Medina, Jerusalem

POLYTHEISTIC

No Single Founder

Holy books: Vedas, Bhagavad Gita, Mahabarata

Reincarnation- rebirth of one’s soul

Beliefs: Karma- all the good and bad deeds done in one’s lifeDharma- duties one must fulfill in lifeMoksha- union with Brahman at the end of life cycle

Caste system- rigid social class system based on birth

Founder: Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) 500’s BC

No Single God- believe in universal spirit

Basic teachings:

Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path

Beliefs: Karma

Reincarnation

Ahimsa- nonviolence to all living things

Nirvana- release from the cycle of rebirth

Founder-There is no one person Geographic Origin- Africa

Significant Writings- Animism has an oral tradition of story-telling, rather than a developed writing system.

Places of Worship-Animist rituals tend to take place outdoors in nature.

Teachings and Beliefs- Animists practice nature worship. They believe that everything in the universe has a spirit.

Founder: Confucius 500’s BC

Text: The Analects

Beliefs: Filial Piety- respect for parents and elders

5 relationships: guide conduct in all interactions in family and society

Founder: Laozi 500’s BC

Text: Dao De Jing

Beliefs: harmony with nature

Yin and Yang: must balance 2 opposing forces in nature

The Dao: the force that guides all things