World Religions Review Sheet

Name of Religion: Paganism (aka polytheism, tribal religions) Followers are Called: pagans, Wiccans (modern term) Founder: unknown (too old) Place of Origin: native cultures all over the world Rank in #s of Followers: Hard to tellstrong among indigenous peoples Where Members Are Found Today: tribal areas, some renewal in the West Sacred Text(s): Popul Vuh (Mayan), Book of the Dead (Egypt) Sacred Places: Stonehenge, the pyramids, mounds, Delphi, many others Famous Teachers & Followers: Many tribal priests & shamans Subdivisions: native American, Egyptian, Celtic, Germanic, Greek & Roman, Hindu, Asian Connections to Other Religions: Influenced many later religions (eg., the Christmas Tree is a pagan German custom), sometimes mix with Christianity in the Americas Key Terms: sacrifice, shaman, ritual Core Beliefs & Practices: There are many gods, goddesses & spirits who control or influence the natural world & human affairs Calendars importantcycles of nature Keeping the gods happy with you (or at least not mad at you) is important Communicating with the gods and deceased relatives (ancestor veneration, mummification) is usually done through priests & rituals Honoring the gods is often done via sacrificesanimal, vegetable or human Fun Facts You can tell a lot about a people from their godswarrior peoples have war gods (Thor), farming peoples have corn & sun gods, etc.

World Religions Review Sheet

Name of Religion: Judaism Followers are Called: Jews (modern), Hebrews, Israelites (ancient) Founder: Abraham, c. 1200 B.C.E. Place of Origin: Middle East (Palestine) Rank in #s of Followers: Near bottomless than 100 million worldwide Where Members Are Found Today: Israel (majority), urban centers throughout the world Sacred Text(s): Torah--Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), Talmud Sacred Places: Jerusalem, Wailing Wall (remains of Solomons Temple), temples, synagogues (simpler places of worship than temples) Famous Teachers & Followers: Moses, Kings David & Solomon, prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah Subdivisions: Orthodox (stricter), Reform (liberal) Connections to Other Religions: parent religion of Christianity; influenced other religions in ancient Mediterranean & Middle East; influenced by Zoroastrianism during Babylonian Captivity Key Terms: rabbiteacher Kosher Kibbutz Yiddish Diasporascattering of Jews after Judeah destroyed by Romans, 70 CE Zionismmovement of Jews to return to Palestine, begun 1800s by European Jew (Herzl) Core Beliefs & Practices: Monotheismfirst religion to believe in only one God, Creator of all things God wants people to live according to his lawsthe 10 Commandments Fun Facts The 6-pointed star, the Star of David, is the symbol of Judaism

World Religions Review Sheet

Name of Religion: Hinduism Followers are Called: Hindus Founder: unknown (too old) Place of Origin: India, 1500-500 BCE (Vedic Age) worlds oldest living faith Rank in #s of Followers: #3, after Christianity & Islamclose to a billion Where Members Are Found Today: South Asia, SE Asia, scattering worldwide Sacred Text(s): Vedas (Rig Veda), Upanishads, Bhagavad Gitasacred language Sanskrit Sacred Places: Ganges River, many shrines around India & Pakistan, temples Famous Teachers & Followers: Mahatma Gandhi Subdivisions: Many popular cults devoted to various gods: Shiva, Vishnu,others Connections to Other Religions: Many common elements with Buddhism, which grew from a Hindu root; most notably, samsara & karma Key Terms: samsarareincarnation KarmaWhat goes around, comes around MokshaHindu heavendreamless sleep achieved by escaping reincarnation AshramGandhis word for a community Core Beliefs & Practices: Caste system (varna), subcastes (jati) by occupation Satiwidow suicide on husbands funeral pyre Dutiful devotion to ones station in life brings spiritual advancement Respect for all creatures Fun Facts Some Hindus wear a red dot in the middle of their foreheads

World Religions Review Sheet

Name of Religion: Zoroastrianism Followers are Called: Zoroastrians Founder: Zoroaster/Zarathustra, the Persian Prophet Place of Origin: ancient Persia, c. 7th-6th centuries BCE Rank in #s of Followers: Near bottomfew left Where Members Are Found Today: Israel (majority), urban centers throughout the world Sacred Text(s): the Avestas Sacred Places: Famous Teachers & Followers: the magi, Zoroastrian priests Subdivisions: Connections to Other Religions: Influenced Judaism (monotheism, good & evil, stories), Mithraism Key Terms: Core Beliefs & Practices: Life is a struggle between good & evil People should choose goodgood will prevail Ahura Mazdagod of goodness & light Several lesser deities (almost monotheistic) Fun Facts

World Religions Review Sheet

Name of Religion: Jainism Followers are Called: Jains (pronounced Janes Founder: Mahavira Place of Origin: India, c. 500 BCE Rank in #s of Followers: Near bottomprobably a few million Where Members Are Found Today: Mostly India, scattering worldwide Sacred Text(s): Sacred Places: Famous Teachers & Followers: Subdivisions: Connections to Other Religions: Doctrine of ahimsa influenced both ancient (Hindus & Buddhists) and modern (Gandhi, King, Walesa) religious and political thought Key Terms: Ahimsanon-violence Core Beliefs & Practices: Rejected caste system Avoid injuring other beings (including microbes & bugs) Fun Facts Devout Jains wear masks to avoid inhaling tiny organisms

World Religions Review Sheet

Name of Religion: Buddhism Followers are Called: Buddhists Founder: Siddartha Gautama (the Buddha), Place of Origin: northern India, 500s BCE Rank in #s of Followers: Perhaps 4tha few hundred million? Where Members Are Found Today: East & SE Asia; scatterings in Europe & N. America Sacred Text(s): Sacred Places: stupas (shrines), especially monastery of Nalanda (Himalayas), other shrines & monasteries, temples Famous Teachers & Followers: the Dalai Llama, Ashoka, Xuanzang

Subdivisions: Mahayana Buddhismless strict, emphasized bodhisattvas (Buddhist saints) Theravada Buddhismstricter form, popular in SE Asia Zen (Chan) Buddhismfirst developed in China, became very popular in Japanbased on a combination of Daoism & Buddhism, more inspirational

Connections to Other Religions: grew out of Hinduism; some common elements (reincarnation, karma); influenced by Jainism (non-violence); Zen influenced by Daoism Key Terms: nirvanaBuddhist heavenfreedom from reincarnation Dharmacore Buddhist teachings, dutiful way of living BodhisattvaBuddhist saint who has attained enlightenment Core Beliefs & Practices: the Four Noble Truths & the Eightfold Path People should overcome desire through right living & meditation Impermanenceyou shouldnt get to attached to physical things

Fun Facts

World Religions Review Sheet

Name of Religion: Daoism (The Way of Harmony) Followers are Called: Daoists Founder: Lao Tze Place of Origin: China, Rank in #s of Followers: not known, not an exclusive faithmillions to hundreds of not the top 4, not the least Where Members Are Found Today: Chiefly East Asiascattering elsewhere Sacred Text(s): I Ching Sacred Places: temples Famous Teachers & Followers: Subdivisions: Connections to Other Religions: often practiced together with Confucianism by Chinese; synthesized with Buddhism to produce Chan (Zen) Buddhism Key Terms: wuweidisengagement from worldly affairs Core Beliefs & Practices: Live in harmony & balance with nature

millions

Fun Facts Yin Yang is the symbol of Daoist harmony

World Religions Review Sheet

Name of Religion: Confucianism Followers are Called: Confucianists Founder: Kung Fu Tze (Master Kung, Confucius), a wandering sage Place of Origin: China, c. 500 BCE during Period of Warring States between Zhou & Qin Rank in #s of Followers: Below major world faithsmainly Chinese Where Members Are Found Today: China and Chinese-influenced areas (Korea, Vietnam) Sacred Text(s): the Analects of Confucius Sacred Places: temples Famous Teachers & Followers: Menciusemphasized ren Xunziemphasized li Subdivisions: Connections to Other Religions: Daoism, neoConfucianism Key Terms: Renkindness, benevolence Lirespect, propriety Xiaofilial pietyrespect for elders Core Beliefs & Practices: Relationships are key in establishing a good society Confucian scholars should lead society Examination system to find the best leaders Fun Facts

World Religions Review Sheet

Name of Religion: Christianity Followers are Called: Christians Founder: Jesus of Nazareth, c. 30 CE Place of Origin: Palestine Rank in #s of Followers: #1over a billion Where Members Are Found Today: Huge in Latin America, Africa, N. America; scattering in Asia; declining in Europe Sacred Text(s): Gospels, Bible (New Testament) Sacred Places: Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jerusalem, churches, cathedrals Famous Teachers & Followers: St. Paul, St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Francis of Assisi, Martin Luther, Martin Luther King, the popes Subdivisions: Orthodox (Greek, Russian), Roman Catholic, Protestant (since 1517about 500 different denominations) Connections to Other Religions: originally a Jewish sectspread throughout Mediterranean by St. Paul during Pax RomanaChristians accept many Jewish teachings, such as the 10 Commandments Second great Abrahamic faithmonotheistic God is a loving father/parentparable of the Good Shepherd, Prodigal Son Key Terms: SacramentssalvationMessiah--crucifixion Lent40 day season of purification & repentance before Easter

Core Beliefs & Practices: People receive salvation from their sins by being reborn and accepting Jesus as Messiah; people should follow Jesus teachings & example Baptism Communionthe Lords Supper ChristmasJesus birth EasterJesus resurrection Fun Facts The cross, representing Jesus crucifixion and sacrifice, is the symbol of Christianity

World Religions Review Sheet

Name of Religion: Islam Followers are Called: Muslims (Moslems) Founder: Mohammed (Muhammad) Place of Origin: Arabia, 600s CE Rank in #s of Followers: Close second to Christianityover a billion, & growing Where Members Are Found Today: Middle East, central Asia (the Stans), Indonesia, north Africa (majorities), scattering elsewhere Sacred Text(s): the Holy Koran (Quran) Sacred Places: Mecca & the Kaaba, Jerusalem (Dome of the Rock) MosqueIslamic church, house of worship Famous Teachers & Followers: ibn Rushd, the Sufis, ibn Khaldun, the Ayatollah Khomeini Subdivisions: Sunni90% globallygenerally more secular Shia (Shiites)split over succession of caliphs in the early days, developed different traditionsdominant in Persia/Iran Connections to Other Religions: Based on both Judaism & Christianity, whom Muslims revere as people of the book History of trouble with Hindus in south Asia Key Terms: Allah (god) The HijraMuhammads flight to Medina, beginning of the Muslim calendar ShariaIslamic law Jihadholy war ImamIslamic religious leader QadiIslamic judge Caliphsuccessor to Muhammad Core Beliefs & Practices: The third great Abrahamic, monotheistic faith The Five Pillars of Islam 1. Confession of Faith There is no god but Allah, & Mohammed is his prophet 2. Prayer five times a day 3. Giving alms to the poor 4. the Hajjpilgrimage to Mecca 5. Observing holy month of Ramadan Fun Facts Muslims sometimes carry prayer rugs so they can pray wherever they are The star & crescent are the symbol of Islam

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