Why study Religion?

Why study Religion?

As a key concept of social science, religion is a key factor that influences the development of civilizations and culture. Religion helps students to identify and understand behaviors. Furthermore, as the map below suggests, the study of religion offers students a global perspective on traditions and cultural expectations.

North America

England Western Europe

Israel

North Africa

Arabian Peninsula

Asia India

South America

Japan

World Religions

Look at the World Religions Map provided to answer questions on a separate piece of paper.

1. List the three types of Christianity on this map. 2. Which type of Christianity is most practiced in Western Europe? 3. Which type of Christianity is practiced in Mexico and South America? 4. List the two major branches (called sects) of Islam. 5. The people of modern Saudi Arabia (The Arabian Peninsula) and North Africa

are mostly which sect of Islam? Sunni or Shiite (also called Shia)? 6. Find India: Which religion is mostly practiced in India? 7. Buddhism is practiced mostly on which continent? 8. In Israel (just north of the Red Sea), you will see red. Which religion does the

red represent? Also, be informed that there are highly concentrated pockets of this religion in major cities on the east coast of the United States. 9. If Catholic Christianity or Catholicism originated in Europe, what might explain why South America and Europe are both majority Catholic? 10. What may explain why England and North America are mostly comprised of Protestant Christians? 11. Provide evidence from the map or pie chart that supports the claim that students should have a basic education about varying religions in order to understand the world from which they live.

World Religions Answer Key

Look at the World Religions Map provided to answer questions.

1. List the three types of Christianity on this map. Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox Christianity

2. Which type of Christianity is most practiced in Western Europe? Catholic

3. Which type of Christianity is practiced in Mexico and South America? Catholic

4. List the two major branches (called sects) of Islam. Shiite/Shia and Sunni

5. The people of modern Saudi Arabia (The Arabian Peninsula) and North Africa are mostly which sect of Islam? Sunni or Shiite (also called Shia)?

6. Find India: Which religion is mostly practiced in India? Hinduism

7. Buddhism is practiced mostly on which continent? Asia

8. In Israel (just north of the Red Sea), you will see red. Which religion does the red represent? Also, be informed that there are highly concentrated pockets of this religion in major cities on the east coast of the United States. Judaism

9. If Catholic Christianity originated in Europe, what might explain why South America and Europe are both majority Catholic? The Spanish conquistadors and missionaries brought Catholicism to this region.

10. What may explain why England and North America are mostly comprised of Protestant Christians? The English immigrated top North America.

11. Provide evidence from the map or pie chart that supports the claim that students should have a basic education about varying religions in order to understand the world from which they live. According to the map, one can see that large parts of the world practice varying religions. One could infer that in order to understand the behaviors of these people, one should know the basics of their religion. Also one can see from the chart that while Christianity is the majority religion, other religions like Islam and Hinduism comprise a higher percentage than Christians.

CommonCoreLiteracy Christianity, Judaism and Islam : A Fact Sheet

Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are all monotheistic (believe in one god) religions. All three religions were broadly

founded on the continent of Asia in the geographic region called the Middle East. These three faiths share common

history and traditions. All three have a respect for the Bible, especially the Hebrew Bible or "Old Testament" as all

three religions believe in many of the same prophets (messengers of God) such as Abraham and Moses. They all

maintain that there is one God and that Jerusalem is a holy city. However, Christianity, Islam and Judaism also differ

significantly in both belief and practice. The belief in Jesus is at the forefront of their differences. While Christians

believe he is a messiah (savior) and the son of God, Muslims acknowledge him as a prophet only. Still, most Jews deny

that he was a prophet or messiah. The following chart is intended to be a brief overview for understanding the basics

of these ancient religions and their shared history.

Christianity

Judaism

Islam

Beliefs about God Monotheistic (believe in one god) Monotheistic

Monotheistic

Holy Trinity (One God in three persons)=God the Father + God the Son + God the Holy Spirit

One God=Yaweh (Hebrew name Allah=Arabic word for God. for God as used in Bible)

Origination

The Middle East - Roman province The Middle East-

of Palestine.

The religion of the Hebrews.

Based on life and teachings of

Traces of Judaism are dated back

Jesus of Nazareth, c. 30 CE.

as far as c. 1300 BCE in Ancient

Babylonia.

The Middle East - Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Based on teachings of the Prophet (messenger of God) Muhammad; founded 622 CE.

Texts

Bible=Hebrew Bible (referred to Hebrew Bible or Tanakh and the Qur'an or Koran (Scripture) and

as Old Testament) and the New Talmud.

the Hadith (tradition).

Testament.

The Hebrew Bible - Comprised of Qur'an - Believed to be the word

The Old Testament or Hebrew thirty-nine books. Torah (Hebrew: of God as dictated to Muhammad

Bible - Comprised of thirty-nine 'Law'), Nevi'im ('Prophets') and by the angel Gabriel.

books . The texts are about law, history, prophecy, and wisdom of the ancient people of Israel.

For example: The ten

Ketuvim ('Writings'). The texts are about law, history, prophecy, and wisdom of the ancient people of Israel.

Hadith - Collection of traditions containing sayings of the prophet Muhammad that, with accounts of his daily practice (the Sunna),

commandments are laws given to For example: The ten

constitute the major source of

the Ancient Israelites by God.

commandments are laws given to guidance for Muslims apart from

The New Testament -Teachings of the Ancient Israelites by God.

the Qur'an.

Jesus and his earliest followers . Talmud - A body of Jewish civil

and ceremonial law, customs and

culture.

Followers

Called Christians

Called Jews

Called Muslims

Christians practice Christianity Jews practice Judaism

Muslims practice Islam

Beliefs about Jesus

Christians believe he was the son Jews do not believe he is the

of God, as God made in flesh (part Jewish messiah. He in also not

of the holy trinity). They consider considered a prophet.

him to be the Jewish messiah (savior of the world)

Muslims believe he was a messenger of god or, prophet.

Muslims believe he was a messenger of god or, prophet.

Copyright ? 2015 Instructomania Pavlovich

Christianity, Judaism and Islam: A Fact Sheet

Place of Worship Fundamental disagreements Adherents

Major Branches

Common Religious Symbols

Christianity

church or chapel

Judaism

synagogue or temple

Islam

mosque

Christians do not view

Jews do not view Muhammad

Muhammad as a prophet.

as a prophet, nor do they view

Christians believe Jesus was the Jesus as a messiah or son of

messiah (savior) that was

God. Jews are still awaiting a

prophesized about in the

messiah or savior.

Hebrew Bible.

Muslims believe that Muhammad was the last prophet and that Jesus was also a prophet, but not the son of God.

Approximately 2 billion

Approximately 14 million

Approximately 1.3 billion

Catholic -. Approximately 53% of Christians.

Eastern Orthodox ? Approximately 9% of Christians.

Protestant ? Approximately 33% of Christians.

Orthodox - 10% of Jews

Shia - 10 to 13% of population

Reform - Approximately 35% of Sunni - Approximately 90% of

Jews

population.

Conservative JudaismApproximately 20 % of Jews

30 % of Jewish population does not affiliate with a denomination.

Catholic - Original "Roman Catholic" form of Christianity.

Greek Orthodox (1054) - After the Great Schism (a disagreement over the selection of a pope).

Protestant (1500s) - After the Protestant Reformation initiated mostly by Martin Luther.

Orthodox (1800 CE) - Believe The difference between Shia

both the written and oral Torah and Sunni is about the

represent the word of God. leadership of Islam (in its

Reform (approximately 1926) - original boundaries).

Jewish traditions and ancient Shia -Believe God chose Ali

laws were modernized to be (Muhammad's blood relative)

more compatible with

to be Muhammad's successor.

participation in Western

Hence he was the first

Culture (including use of

acceptable caliph (head of

modern technology).

state) of Islam.

Conservative (1850)- In

Sunni (c. 650 CE) - Deny that a

between Orthodox and Reform blood relative of Muhammad

Jews. They seek to conserve needed to be the leader of

the traditional elements of

Islam, hence leaders before Ali

Judaism, while also allowing for were acceptable.

some modernization.

The cross

The star of David

The crescent moon and star

Copyright ? 2015 Instructomania Pavlovich

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