Monotheistic Religions By: Brian Lin

Annotations:

• The belief of only one god. Monotheism characterizes the traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and elements of the belief are discernible in numerous other religions.

1. Judaism

   Annotations:

   • The origins of Judaism, as well as its basic teachings and laws, are recorded in its most sacred text, the Torah. The word Torah, which means “teaching,” refers to the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. The Hebrew Bible is also called the Tanakh.
   1. Abraham
      1. "Father of the Hebrews"

         Annotations:

         • Abraham is called the "father of the Hebrews." He introduced the belief in a single god while most people at that time worshiped many gods and goddesses. 
   2. Moses
      1. Greatest leader of the Hebrews

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         • Mose told the Hebrews that God would lead them to Canaan, the "Promised land."
         1. Laws

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            • Moses gave Judaism its fundamental laws. The Torah tells how God gave Moses 10 important laws engraved on two stone tablets. These laws became the foundation of Judaism.
   3. Solomon
      1. David's Son

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         • King Solomon Builds the Great Temple of Jerusalem After David's death. He built a magnificent temple in Jerusalem to house the Ark of the Covenant and to serve as the center of Jewish worship. Solomon was famous for his wisdom. The Book of Proverbs, Song of Songs, and Ecclesiastes in the Writings section of the Hebrew Bible are attributed to him. 
   4. David
      1. Solomon's Dad

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         • King David Expands the Kingdom of Israel. About 1000 BCE, the Israelites were at war with a rival people, the Philistines. The Philistines promised to be the Israelites' slaves if an Israelite could beat their fiercest warrior, the giant Goliath. David was not yet a grown man, but he was outraged at Goliath's mockery of God. Bravely, he stepped forward. His only weapon was a sling. With one mighty toss, he felled Goliath with a single stone.
   5. Torah

      Annotations:

      • The Torah was written history of the Jewish people for historians to understand the development of Judaism.
2. Christianity

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   • Christianity is another monotheistic religion founded after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Christianity came from Judaism.
   1. Jesus

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      • The Christians believed that Jesus is the Messiah that God sent to help them. Jesus was born in around 6 BCE in Bethlehem, Judea. Jesus started spreading his beliefs and eventually gained followers known as disciples. Jesus spread his beliefs by telling stories with morals called parables, but he was eventually crucified. However, Jesus resurrected three days after his death. He died probably around 26 CE.
      1. The Crucifixion and Resurrection

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         • Roman rulers feared that his supporters might create trouble, and they worried that Jesus might lead a revolt. To eliminate this threat, they decided that he must die. In Roman times, a common form of execution was to be crucified, or tied or nailed to a cross until dead. 3 days after Jesus was Crucified, Jesus came back to life, this event is called the Resurrection.
      2. Jesus' Teachings

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         • Jesus' teachings motivatied many people, which causes him to have many followers.
         1. Parables

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            • Jesus spread his beliefs by telling parables, which is short stories with moral lessons.
   2. Judea

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      • Judea is the birthplace of Jesus. Judea came under Roman rule in 63 BCE. Herod became king in 37 BCE. Then Herod died in 4 BCE, 2 years after when Jesus was born in 6 BCE. 
   3. The Gospels

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      • The Gospels are written by four of his followers, called Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They were written about 30~70 years after his death.
   4. People associated with Christianity During Jesus' Time
      1. Paul of Tarsus

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         • Paul became a missionary after he saw a blinding light. He became helping people to promote Christianity. He was beheaded by the Romans in 65 BCE.
      2. Constantine

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         • The Emperor that helped to promote Christianity, he let people practice the religion freely, and finally legalized Christianity.