WORLD RELIGIONS

1. WORLD RELIGIONS Lauren Rickman

2. CONTENT AREA: Social Studies GRADE LEVEL: 6 • SUMMARY: Using the website http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/Homework/religion/ the students will research five major religions of the world. • LEARNING OBJECTIVE: The students will learn about different religions, their beliefs and the development of each religion. • COMMON CORE STANDARDS: • 6.1.02. Recognize the role of major religions. • ACCOMPLISHMENT: • 6.1.02.a. Define religion. 39 Suggested Titles for Tennessee Social Studies State Standard 6.1.02.a. • 6.1.02.b. Describe the beliefs of the world major religions. 39 Suggested Titles for Tennessee Social Studies State Standard 6.1.02.b. • 6.1.02.c. Identify the founders of the world's major religions. 40 Suggested Titles for Tennessee Social Studies State Standard 6.1.02.c.

4. CHRISTIANITY • Origin: Israel • Founder: Jesus of Nazareth • Sacred Text: Holy Bible • Sacred Building: Church, Chapel, Cathedral • Holy Places: Jerusalem, Nazareth, Rome • Major Festival: Easter, Christmas • Major Branches: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Baptist, Methodist, Orthodox, Anglican • Christians are people who believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and who follow his teachings and those of the Christian churches that grew up after his death.

5. CHRISTIANITY • Christianity is the world's biggest religion, with about 2.2 billion followers worldwide. It is based on the teachings of Jesus Christwho lived in the Holy Land 2,000 years ago. • Through its missionary activity Christianity has spread to most parts of the globe. • Christians believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and that: • God sent his Son to earth to save humanity from the consequences of its sins • Jesus was fully human, and experienced this world in the same way as other human beings of his time • Jesus was tortured and gave his life on the Cross (At the Crucifixion) • Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his Crucifixion (the Resurrection) • Christians believe that Jesus was the Messiah promised in the Old Testament • Christians believe that there is only one God, but that this one God consists of 3 "persons" • God the Father • God the Son • The Holy Spirit • Christians believe that God made the world.

6. JUDAISM • Origin: Israel • Founder: Abraham • Sacred Text: Torah • Sacred Buliding: Synagogue • Holy Place: Jerusalem • Major Festivals: Rosh Hassanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shavout • Main Branches: Orthodox, Reform, Conservative

7. JUDAISM • Judaism is the oldest of the world's four biggest monotheistic religions (religions with only one god). It's also the smallest, with only about 12 million followers around the world. • Jewish history begins with the covenant established between God and Abraham around 1812 BC (over 3,800 years ago), during the Bronze Age, in the Middle East. • The Torah (Jewish Law), the primary document of Judaism, was given to the Jews by the Prophet Moses (Moshe) about 3,300years ago. • The Jewish calendar starts with the day when Adam and Eve were created (the Sixth Day of Creation). This year (2010) is 5770on the Jewish Calendar. It starts with Rosh HaShanah, the two day Jewish New Year. From September 2010, the Jewish Calendar will be 5771. • Abraham is the father of the Jewish people. Jews see Abraham as a symbol of trusting and obeying God. Abraham is also important to followers of Christianity and of Islam. • The story of Abraham is told in the Book of Genesis (the first book of the Hebrew and Christian Bibles) in chapters 12-25.

8. ISLAM • Origin: Saudi Arabia • Founder: Muslims believe in a chain of prophets starting with Adam • Sacred Text: Qu’ran • Sacred Building: Mosque • Holy Places: Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem • Major Festivals: Ramadan, Eid-ul-fitr, Eid-ul-Adha

9. ISLAM • Islam is the second most popular religion in the world with over a thousand million followers. It is more often thought of as a complete way of life rather than a religion. • Islam began in Arabia and was revealed to humanity by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Those who follow Islam are called Muslims. Muslims believe that there is only one God, called Allah. • Islam is mainly followed in the Middle East, Asia, and the north of Africa. • The prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him ), who was born in A.D. 570 at Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, is often regarded as the founder of Islam. He was the last prophet to be sent by Allah. However the first prophet was Adam. • The Arabic word 'Islam' means submission and obedience, and derives from a word meaning 'peace'. • Muslims have 6 main beliefs • Belief in Allah as the one and only God. • Belief in angels. • Belief in the holy books. • Belief in the Prophets (special messengers).e.g. Adam, Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), Dawud (David), Isa (Jesus).Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the final prophet. • Belief in the Day of Judgement...The day when the life of every human being will be assessed to decide whether they go to heaven or hell. • Belief in Predestination...That Allah has already decided what will happen.Muslims believe that this doesn't stop human beings making free choices

10. BUDDHISM • Origin: North East India • Founder: Buddha (Siddhartha Guatama) • Sacred Text: Tripitaka • Sacred Building: Stupa • Major Festivals: Wesak • Main Branches: Theravada, Mahayana, Tibetan, Soto, Zen

11. BUDDHISM • The religion is 2,500 years old and is followed by 350 million Buddhists worldwide. • Buddhism is the main religion in many Asian countries. It is a religion about suffering and the need to get rid of it. A key concept of Buddhism is Nirvana, the most enlightened, and blissful state that one can achieve. A state without suffering.  • Buddhism is different from many other faiths because it is not centred on the relationship between humanity and God. Buddhists do not believe in a personal creator God. • Buddhist worship is called puja. People chant to show their love for the Buddha. They make offerings of flowers, candles, incense and pure water at a shrine. People thank Buddha for his teachings. • The Three Signs of Being are the ways that the Buddha used to describe life.Nothing in life is perfect. ( dukkha) It includes things like being bored and uncomfortable, and everything which is not satisfactory. • Everything in life - even solid things such as mountains - is changing, all the time. (anicca) • There is no soul. (anatta) Instead, the Buddha taught, what does carry on to the next life is a person's life force (Karma). The Karma can be good or bad, depending on how the person lives in this life.

12. HINDUISM • Origin: India • Founder: developed out of Brahminism • Sacred Text: Vedas, Upanishads • Sacred Building: Mandir • Major Festivals: Divali • Holy Place: Ganges River is one of many

13. HINDUISM • Hinduism has no founder, it developed out of Brahminism. • Hinduism is the oldest religion, it may date to prehistoric times. • Aum is the main symbol of Hinduism. It is the sound heard in deepest meditation and is said to be the name most suited for God. • For many Hindus there are four goals in human life (purusharthas); • 1 Moksha - the release of the soul (Atman) from the cycle of rebirth. The individual soul (Atman) unites with Brahman the universal soul. There are different ways to Moksha. spiritual - involves acquiring spiritual knowledge through yoga and meditation. devotion to god working selflessly for the good of society. How a person is reincarnated is determined by karma. • 2 Dharma - the code for leading one's life. Respect for elders is considered important and many consider marriage as a son's religious duty. • 3Artha - the pursuit of material gain by lawful means. • 4 Karma- through pure acts, knowledge and devotion, you can reincarnate to a higher level. The opposite achieves the contrary result.

14. CONCLUSION • The students will have learned about five major religions in the world: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism • The students will have learned the differences and similarities among the religions. • The students will have learned about the origin of each religion and whom they pray to.