Christianity  Betrayed by disciple Judas

What is Christianity?  Put on trial for being a revolutionary & a

 A diverse, 2000 year old religion
 Followed by almost 1/3 of the world’s
population
– 2.1 billion
 Based on the life, teachings, death and
resurrection of Jesus
– Believed to be the Christ (messiah,
savior) by his followers (thus called
“Christians”)
political threat to Roman and Jewish authorities
 Roman governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate
– condemned and put to death by means
of crucifixion
 The following Sunday, He appeared to his
followers as a triumph over death
– Later ascended into Heaven
List of the Twelve Apostles as identified by the
Bible

– Yehoshua/Joshua/Yosef (Jesus, son of

Joseph) Acts of
Gospel of
Gospel of Matthew the
Mark
The Historical Jesus Apostles
James ("son of
 Born, lived, and died a Jew in the first century in James James
Alphaeus")
Roman occupied Palestine
Thaddaeus (or Judas son
– Nazareth Thaddaeus
"Lebbaeus") of James
 Knowledge of Him based on New Testament Simon
Simon ("the Simon ("the
the
– Little is known of childhood Canaanite") Cananaean")
Zealot
 Baptized at age 30 by John (“the Baptist”) (Judas
Judas replaced
– Blessed by Holy Spirit as He came out of Judas Iscariot
Iscariot by
water Matthias)
12 Disciples
– “thou art my beloved Son, with thee I
am well pleased.” (Mark 1:11) Peter Thomas

Jesus’ History, continued James Philip

 Then began a mission of preaching, teaching, John Judas

and healing as an itinerant teacher
Bartholomew or Nathanael Andrew
 Had a following of 12 primary disciples
James, the Lesser or Younger
– Countless multitudes attracted by his
miracles and words of wisdom Jude or Thaddeus

Jesus’ Death Matthew or Levi

 Jesus claimed that he spoke with the authority Simon the Zealot
of God
Jesus’ Teachings
 Focused on the kingdom of God
– Standards of human conduct
– Merciful God—how people should treat
each otherGolden Rule
– Personal God --“Our Father”
 Used stories and parables to teach
 Known as miracle worker and faith healer
 Religious and social reformer
– Accepted a variety of people
– Go above and beyond the letter of the
law
 Preached forgiveness of sin over punishment
for sin
– Turn the other cheek
History of Christianity
 Jesus’ work was continued after resurrection by
St. Paul and St. Peter
– Established churches throughout
Europe
 Church remained small and persecuted
– Roman Emperors Nero, Domitian,
Diocletian
 Constantine promoted Christianity
– Became official religion of Rome
 Great Schism, 1054
– Split western (Roman Catholic church)
and eastern (Orthodox church)
Major Divisions
 Roman Catholic
– 1.1 billion
– Code of Canon Law
 Eastern Orthodox
– 217 million
 Protestant
– 365 million
Roman Catholicism
 Pope is supreme spiritual leader and Vatican
head of state
– Vatican City is an independent country
surrounded by Rome
– St. Peter’s Basilica, St. Peter’s Square
 First pope was Leo I (officially), or St. Peter
Orthodoxy
 Literally means “right teaching or right worship”
– Derived from two Greek words: orthos
(right) and doxa (teaching or worship)
 Followers believe that there were false
teachings and divisions in early Christian times
– Threatened the identity and purity of
the Church
– Followers believe the Orthodox
Church carefully guards the truth
against all error and schism
 Believe in saint worship, Eucharist, confession
of sins, baptism
Protestantism
 Movement from 16th century “Reformation”
– To reform the (Catholic) church
• Corruption, leadership,
authority, etc.
– Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox
– Brought to America in various forms
  Usually recognize only 2 sacraments of
baptism and communion

– 7 in Catholicism

– No saints, no rosary, no pope, etc.

Scripture

 Old Testament (the Hebrew Bible)

 New Testament (written after Jesus’ death, by

his followers, during the first century; not
canonized until the 4th century)

– Four gospels (“good words”) about the

birth, life, teaching, acts, death, and
resurrection of Jesus. Written by Mark,
Matthew, Luke & John
Beliefs and Customs
– The Book of Acts of the apostles –
 Baptism: outward sign of commitment to Jesus
earliest history of the developing
church  Eucharist (communion): symbolic meal of Jesus’
last meal with disciples; taken in thanks and
– Epistles (“letters”) of Paul addressed to
celebration
the churches they founded and led
throughout the Mediterranean  Trinity: belief in God as the Father, Son, and
Holy Ghost; not 3 different gods
– The Book of Revelation – of John - a
vision of the end of time, or the  Saints: celebrated people who led good lives,
Apocalypse. often associated with miracles

The Holy Trinity Other Beliefs

 Original sin: all humanity is inherently

separated from God

 The sacrifice of Jesus – a sinless representative

of humanity (a “scapegoat”) - as the ultimate
atonement for the sins of humanity

 Heaven and Hell:

– Eternal life for those who are “saved

by the blood of the lamb (Jesus)”

– Eternal damnation for those who are

not so saved

Problem for Humans

 Damnation
 – New covenant based on Christ needed • Easter Sunday (celebrating the
to atone for Adam’s sins resurrection)

– Efforts and good deeds alone cannot  Pentecost: the 50th day (seven weeks) after
save you; you must have faith in Christ Easter (commemorates the coming of the Holy
Spirit upon the apostles)
 Ecumenism
Protestant Groups
– Use of Contraceptives
 Lutheran
– Homosexuality
 Church of England, Anglican, Episcopal
– Same sex marriage
 Presbyterian, Congregational
Christian Holy Days
 Baptist
Two major seasons in the Christian calendar:
 Methodist
 Christmas – celebrating the birth of Jesus
 Latter Day Saints (Mormons)
 Easter – commemorating the resurrection of
Christ  Pentecostal

 Christmas:  Shaker

– Advent (four weeks leading up to  Mennonite

Christmas day)
 Amish
– Christmas Day (December 25 ) th

 Quaker
– Epiphany (the “twelfth day of
 Separatists
Christmas”)

More Christian Holy Days  Brethren (Puritan)

 Easter: (early spring, date varies)  Christian Scientist

– Ash Wednesday and Lent (40 days  Jehovah’s Witness

before Easter, a period of sacrifice and  Seventh Day Adventist
spiritual renewal in preparation for
Easter)  Unification Church

– Holy Week including: Parables

• Palm Sunday (Jesus’  Is a short allegorical story designed to illustrate

triumphant entry into or teach some truth, religious principle, or
Jerusalem) moral lesson.

• Maundy Thursday (communion  a statement or comment that conveys

meal/Last Supper) a meaning indirectly by the use of comparison,
analogy, or the like.
• Good Friday (Jesus’ Passion
and crucifixion) Parables of Jesus
 1. Parable of the Sower - Matthew 13:3-8
2. Parable of the Weeds - Matthew 13:24-30
3. Parable of the Mustard Seed - Matthew 13:31-
32
4. Parable of the Pearl - Matthew 13:45-46
5. Parable of the Fishing Net - Matthew 13:47-50
6. Parable of the Unmerciful Servant - Matthew
18:23-35
7. Wise and Faithful Servants - Matthew 24:45-51
8. Parable of the Wedding Feast -Matthew 22:1-
14
9. Parable of the Growing Seed - Mark 4:26-29
10. Forgiven Debts - Luke 7:36-50
11. Parable of the Good Samaritan - Luke 10:25-37
12. Parable of the Rich Fool - Luke 12:16-21
13. Parable of the Lost Sheep - Luke 15:3-7
14. Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard -
15. Parable of the Lost Son - Luke 15:11-32
16. Parable of the Shrewd Manager - Luke 16:1-12
17. Parable of the Persistent Widow - Luke 18: 1-8
18. Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector -
Luke 18:9-14
19. Parable of the Good Shepherd - John 10: 1-5
and 11
20. Parable of the Talents -Matthew 25:14-25:30
Islam
al-Fatihah (The Opening)
Qur’an 1: 1-7
“In the name of Allah, Most Gracious Most Merciful.
Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the
Worlds. Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Master of the
Day of Judgment. Thee do we worship and Thine aid
we seek: Show us the straight way. The way of those
on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, those whose
portion is not wrath and who go not astray.”
Basic Facts of Islam
 Islam is the third in succession
of the three great monotheistic
faiths born in the Middle East (Judaism,
Christianity, Islam)
 Islam is the second largest religion in world
(1.2 billion adherents)
 There is an estimated 650 000 Muslims living in
Canada
 Islam is the fastest growing religion in the
world
Islam Terms
 Islam: an Arabic word that means “submitting
to God” and “peace”
 Muslim: a person who follows the teachings of
Islam and “submits to God and finds peace in
Him”. All creation is Muslim.
 Shahadah: “There is no god but God and
Muhammad is the Messenger of God”.
 Allah: Arabic name for God. It is preferred
over other names because it has no gender
affiliation and does not have plurality
Beliefs
1. Belief in only One God. He is defined as Eternal,
Absolute, Infinite, Compassionate and Merciful, the
sole Creator and Provider.
2. Engage only in Righteous Actions in all areas:
spiritual, intellectual and physical activity.
3. All God’s creation is “Muslim”. Only humans are
given CHOICE to submit (be Muslim) or reject
submission to God’s will.
4. All children are born without sin and are Muslim.
As they grow older, they make their religious CHOICE.
5. God created human beings with a body and soul.
The body is a temporal host for this life, whereas the
soul is eternal. It is the soul that will survive beyond
death.
6. Universality of the call. All Muslims are brothers
and equals without any distinction of class, race or
tongue. Superiority is only based on the greater fear
of God and greater piety.
Mosque
Qur’an
Practices
Prayer
 worshippers line up in rows and
enact ritual in unison (prostration)
 Friday midday prayers at mosque
Fasting
 month of Ramadan (ninth month of lunar year)
to test the spirit, discipline the will and remind
of the hungry and poor
 Numerous important events took place during
Ramadan (first revelation in 610 CE, flight to
Mecca in 622 CE, victory in 624 CE)
 Ramadan ends with Eid al-Fitr (period of
spiritual and moral renewal)
 Muslim place of worship Muslims come
together in a mosque for prayers at midday on
Friday (Muslim Holy Day)
 MIHRAB= small arch or hole in wall indicates
the direction of the Ka’bah in Mecca
 MINARET= high tower or dome from which a
muezzin calls the faithful to prayer
 WUDU= cleansing process before prayer
(water)
 IMAM= chief officer in the mosque who leads
prayers
 Holy book of Islam which means “recitation”
 Records the revealed word of God that came
through Angel Gabriel to Muhammad over 23
years
 Muhammad dictated revelations to scribes and
companions who memorized passages
 It is the only revealed book that has remained
intact and unchanged since its revelation (oral
tradition)
 Principle source of Muslim faith and practice
 Children learn to memorize the Qur’an as a
child
  Divided into 114 suras (chapters); longest
chapter has 286 verses, the shortest has 3
verses; approximately 78 000 words in length
Ka’bah
 Ka’bah- cube shaped building that was built by
Abraham to honour God
 Viewed as Adam’s original place of worship
 Was filled with idols as people in Arabia
followed polytheism
 Muhammad- received revelations that led to
Islam and monotheism (and removal of idols)
 Site of hajj- pilgrimage to Mecca
Muhammad
 SEAL of the Prophets (last in a line of 28
Prophets who all preached the religion of Islam)
 Born in 570 CE
 Each succeeding Prophet added or improved
upon the cumulative message of Islam
 Through Muhammand (PBUH), the message of
Islam was completed and is preserved intact in
the Qur’an
 In 622 CE, hijrah (migration) where
Muhammad moved from Mecca to Madinah
(marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar)
 Islam spread to Arabia, Spain and as far East as
China
Other Prophets
 These Prophets are regarded as most
significant: Muhammad, Moses, Abraham and
Noah
 Jesus is highly respected and considered as a
great prophet by Muslims
 Qur’an re-affirms the miraculous birth and
abilities of Jesus
 Muslims believe in the Second Coming of Jesus
before the end of time
Islam and War
 Like Christianity, Islam permits
fighting in self defense, in defense
of religion, or on the part of those who have
been expelled forcibly from their homes
 Strict rules for combat, which includes
prohibitions against harming civilians and
against destroying crops, trees and livestock.
Day of Judgment
 All humans will be bodily
resurrected and assembled
for final accounting of deeds
 Soul will move on to afterlife
 Upon the Final Judgment = world will end and
we will stand before God to confront our own
life and actions
 Desire for purified soul= heaven (eternal
abode of beauty and majesty)
 Disbelievers and unpure soul= hell (abode of
great torment and anguish)
Jihad
 Jihad does not mean “holy war”
 Literally, jihad means to strive, struggle and
exert effort.
 Concept includes struggle against evil
inclinations within oneself, struggle to improve
quality of life in society, struggle in the
battlefield for self defense or fighting against
tyranny or oppression
 There is no such thing as “holy war” in Islam,
but it is the frequent repetition in the West
that many people accept it as if it were a fact
Women’s Rights
  According to Qur’an, men and women are
equal before God

 Under Islamic law, women have the right to

own property, receive an education and take
part in community life

 Islamic rules for simple, modest and dignified

dress applies to women and men equally

 In many Muslim countries there are cultural

practices that are inconsistent and contrary to
the authentic teachings of Islam

Islam: Controversial Issues  Founder: Abraham

 Polygamy  Formed: 2000 BCE
 Jihad vs. Holy War  Where: Canaan
 Hijab : liberation or suppression  God: Yahweh
 Muhammad Cartoons: freedom of speech vs Sacred Text
freedom of religion
 Torah
 Appeal of Suicide Bombers
 Poetry
 Afghanistan's Taliban
 Prophets
 War on Islam
 Talmud

Origin of  Mishnah
Judaism
 Torah “The teaching/the Law”
According to most historians, Judaism began around
2000 BC when Abraham made divine covenant with - the most significant text.
God. Because of this, Abraham is considered to be the
Father of the Semitic religions (Judaism, Christianity  First 5 books of Moses
and Islam).
 The whole Jewish Bible (Old
Judaism testament/Tanakh)

 A monotheistic religion.  The whole body of Jewish law

and teachings.
 The religious faith and set of practices shared
by Jewish people. Important Texts

Canaan  Tanakh (called the Old Testament by Christians)

– The Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus,

Numbers and Deuteronomy)

 “Teaching or Instruction”
 – The Nevi’im (Joshua thru Malachilsaiah) The Prophets

– The Ketuvim (Psalms thru Chronicles)  Navi or Niv Sefatayim

– Books of history, - meaning “Fruit of the lips”

prophecy, poetry and
etc.  Refers not just to the ability to see the future
but more than just a person with the gift of
Torah prophecy “spokesman for God”

 Bereishith- Genesis Prophets of Israel in Jewish scripture (55)

 Shemoth- Exodus  Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joshua,

Pinchas, Elkanah, Eli, Samuel, David, Solomon,
 Vayiqra- Leviticus Hosea, Elijah, Isiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel,
 Bamidbar- Numbers Zechariah, Sarah, Meriam, Deborah, Hannah,
Esther.
 Devarim- Deuteronomy
Important Texts
Nevi’im (The Prophets)
 The Talmud -a collection of writings (stories,
 Yehoshua (Joshua) laws, medical knowledge and so on)

 Shoftim (Judges) – “Learning or Study”

 Shmuel (I&II Samuel)  The Mishnah (1st major written ‘Redaction’)

 Melakhim (I&II Kings)  The Gemara (a HUGE collection of sayings from

Rabbis)
 Yeshayah (Isiah)
Talmud (Shas)
 Yirmyah (Jeremiah)
6 parts into which the Mishnah is devided:
 Yechezqel (Ezekiel)
 Zera’im (seeds)
Kethuvim (The Writings)
 Mo’ed (Festivals)
 Tehillim (Psalms)
 Nashim (Women)
 Mishlei (Proverbs)
 Nezikin (Damages)
 Iyov (Job)
 Kodashim (Holy things)
 Shir Ha- Shirim (Song of songs)
 Toharot (Purities)
 Ruth
Basic Jewish Beliefs
 Eikhah (Lamentations)
 God exists.
 Qoheleth (Ecclesiastes)
 God is one and unique.
 Esther
 God is incorporeal.
 Daniel
  God is eternal.
 Prayer is to be directed to God alone and to no
other.
 The words of the prophets are true.
 Moses was the greatest of the prophets and
his prophecies are true.
Basic Jewish Beliefs cont.
 The Torah was given to Moses.
 There will be no other Torah.
 God knows the thoughts and deeds of men.
 God will reward the good and punish the
wicked.
 The Messiah will come.
 The dead will be resurrected.
Synagogues
 Synagogues are led by Rabbis (teachers well
educated in Jewish law and thought)
 Temples…the temple is in Jerusalem.
 The temple was the only place a sacrifice could
be administered.
Kosher Practices
 Specific Dietary Practices
 Blood must be drained from the meat or
broiled out of it before it is eaten .
 Fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables and grains can be
eaten with either meat or dairy.
 Utensils that have come into contact with
meat may not be used with dairy, and vice
versa.
 Anything in the water that has fins and scales
is acceptable. This therefore excludes shellfish
such as lobsters, oysters, shrimp, clams and
crabs, all of which are forbidden.
 Rodents, reptiles, amphibians, and insects are
all forbidden.
The Rabbi
 Earned by passing extensive examinations on
the Torah and Talmud.
 Study at a yeshiva, or holy school, like a
seminary program.
 He is not required to wear a particular uniform,
and he can dress just like any other Jew.
 Permitted to Marry.
 May have children.
 Neighborhood counselor.
 Inspire community members to become better
people.
All people of the Jewish faith worship on Saturday,
follow
strict discipline…the laws set forth in the Torah,
regular attendance at Synagogue.
Passage into Adulthood
 Children are ushered into adulthood with a big
ceremony
– usually around age 13
 Bar Mitzvah for boys
 Bat Mitzvah for girls
Important Jewish Holidays:

 Passover – Celebrates the birth of the Jewish

nation

 Rosh Hashanah – Jewish New Year

 Yom Kippur – Day of Atonaement," is the

holiest day of the Jewish year

 Sukkoth – Harvest festival

 Hanukkah – Rededication of the holy temple in

Jerusalem after a military victory

 Purim – Queen Esther saved the Jews of Persia

from annihilation.

 Shavout – Commemorates the giving of the

Ten Commandments to the Jewish People on
Mount Sinai.