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Spread of World Religions

Spread of World Religions. From the Axial Age to the end of the First Millennium. Forced Conversion. Islamic World jihad=striving internal struggle versus evil external war against enemies of faith initially against Muhammad’s enemies after death against “apostates”

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Spread of World Religions

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  1. Spread of World Religions From the Axial Age to the end of the First Millennium

  2. Forced Conversion • Islamic World • jihad=striving • internal struggle versus evil • external war against enemies of faith • initially against Muhammad’s enemies • after death against “apostates” • then Byzantium and Sasanid • enemies allowed to convert • or pay tax • or go to war

  3. Islamic Expansion

  4. Forced Conversion cont. • The Christian World – Christendom • Charlemagne 700’s • Saxons given choice of baptism or death • Alfred the Great • Celts convert for peace • Olaf of Norway • torture or conversion • Buddhism • Asoka • Kaniska of Peshawar • Anuruddha took Buddhism to Burma

  5. Charlemagne’s Empire

  6. Charlemagne

  7. Alfred the Great of Wessex

  8. King Olaf of Norway

  9. Spread by Trade • Silk Road for Buddhism (dominate) • Chinese monks built temples • endowed by merchants • Uighurs • steppe people serving as mercenary caravan guards • picked up Manichaeism • derivative of Zoroastrianism • sparked temple building • eventually replaced by Buddhism

  10. Spread by Trade cont. • Christianity • only moderately successful on Silk Road • few Christians engaged in long-range trade • Armenians kept to selves • Nestorians = human Jesus vs. divine Jesus • some patches of temple building • Islam • expanded via sea routes • mosques in merchant communities • China • E. Africa • Saharan trade routes took Islam West

  11. Conversion of Kings • start at top and watch religion trickle down • Early Christianity • social outcasts • Religion of “slaves and women” • initially hostile to wealth • religion grew as women evangelized • husbands • children • minority religion until 4th century

  12. Conversion of Kings cont. • Constantine 312 AD converts to Christianity at battle of Milvian Bridge • converted to gain political backing for bid for Empire • mixed pagan “unconquered sun” with Christian ideas • “Lord of Hosts” not “God of Love” • Christianity no longer persecuted • Eventually Christianity official religion of Roman Empire • Loses traditional pacifism

  13. Conversion of Constantine

  14. Conversion of Kings cont. • King Ezana of Ethiopia converts to Christianity in the 340’s • Believed to be son of Ethiopian war god • At end of his life converted and waged war under the banner of “Lord of Hosts” • built churches • King Trdat of Armenia converts in 314 AD • converted to gain alliance with Rome and Constantine

  15. King Ezana

  16. King Trdat

  17. Diplomatic Conversions • Small kingdoms between Rome and Persia shifted religions with alliances • Christian • Zoroastrian • Muslim

  18. Buddhism and Politics • China • Often used by new monarchs to legitimize rule • Buddhism never wholly dominant • traditional rituals • Confucianism • Chinese distrust of foreigners • periodically persecuted • 820s-840s AD thousands monasteries dissolved

  19. Buddhism and Politics cont. • Korea approximately 500 AD • Buddhism brought to Koguryo by refugees from China • quickly reconciled with traditional Korean religion • Slow to spread beyond • Japan approximately 600 AD • diplomacy with Korea • refugees from China • reconcile with Shintoism • government and religion same word • animism • Japanese Buddhism distinctive mix

  20. Buddhism and Politics cont. • Tibet • slow monastic colonization • chose Theraveda over Mahayana Buddhism • didn’t adopt until late 800’s • India • Buddhism unsuccessful as state religion • Huns seen as proof of Buddhism failure • driven back to traditional gods • Codified with caste system into Hinduism

  21. The Russians and Christianity • Converted on Constantinian model • Vladimir of Kiev • History of paganism • Needed to break power of priesthood to set up kingdom • Searched for religion • Discovers Muslims (no good) • Visits Hagia Sophia and is impressed • Convert to Orthodox Christianity and marries Byzantine princess (Anna Porphyrogenita) • Required services in Slavic language (beginning of Russian orthodoxy)

  22. Vladimir of Kiev

  23. Hagia Sophia

  24. Kiev, capital of modern Ukraine

  25. Islam and the Turks • Turks warlike central Asian people • Karakhanids – first Turks to be Islamic • Brought new manpower and warriors to Islam • Seljuk Turks convert in 985 AD and descendants would come to rule empire

  26. Turkish Warriors

  27. Monasticism and Religion • Christian Monasticism • Upheld Roman tradition of learning • Different types of monks • Benedictine (founded by Benedict 542 AD) • Changed pagan shrines to St. shrines • Sought to instate paradise on earth • Isolation and contemplation • Various other orders

  28. Benedictine Monks

  29. Monasticism in other Religions • Monasticism more important in Buddhism than in Christianity • Withdrawal from world to find religion • Preserver of learning • Islamic Sufism • Muhammad was against asceticism • Christian monastic roots too deeply engraved • Mystics – fasting and meditation

  30. Buddhist Monks

  31. Women in Religions • Guardians of religious tradition • Nuns – prayer and scholarship

  32. What makes a World Religion • FLEXIBILITY • ADAPTABILITY

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