World's Major Religions
Judaism
Where it was founded
Canan
Jerusalem
“Holy Land”
Diety Names
God
Teachers / Leaders
Rabbi
Abraham
Sacred Writings
Torah
Talmud
Torah- 1st part of Jewish bible
Talmud-Comprehensive written version of Jewish oral law
Sacred Places
Temple of Soloman
Israel
Jerusalem
Holy Days
Hanukkah
Sabbath
Sukkot
Passover
Hanukkah- Commemorating the re-dedication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem
Sabbat- Celebrated every week beginning on sundown on Friday and ends Saturday evening (Celebrates creation / resting on the 7th day)
Sukkot- Festival of the "Boots" giving thanks for fall harvest
Passover- Celebrates freedom and family in remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt
Sects
Orthodox Judaism
Reform
Conservative
Orthodox- Traditional
Reform- Challenging the binding rule of ritual
Conservative- Believe Jewish laws and traditions, laws and traditions come from past generations, not divine intervention
Basic Practices
Sabbath
Tefillin
Eruvus
Kippah
Sabbath- Resting on the 7th day commemorating creation
Tefillin- Daily Jewish Prayer
Eruv- Place where Jewish people can go and do things not allowed on the Sabbath
Kippah- Worn by men as a sign of reverence while praying to God or talking about him. Also known as a yarmulke.
Other Important Info
70 CE - Revolted against the Romans (Romans destroyed temple of Saloman, kicked Jewish people out)
Diaspora - 70-300 CE
Anti-Semitism
Holocaust 1938-1945
Subtopic
Buddhism
Where it was founded
Ancient India, in and around the ancient Kingdom of Magadha (Bihar, India)
Diety Names
Buddha Shakyamuni
Buddha Maitreya
Avalokiteshvara
Shakyamuni- Historical Buddha
Maitreya- The future
Avalokiteshvara- Bodhisattva of compassion
Teachers / Leaders
Dalai Lama
Thich Nhat Hanh
Sacred Writings
Tripitaka (Pali Canon)
Mahayana Sutras
Tibetan Book of
the Dead
Sacred Places
Buddhist temple
Vihara
Chaitya
Holy Days
Dharma Day
Losar
Sangha Day
Kathina
Parinirvana (Nirvana Day)
Vesak
Dharma Day- Celebrates Buddha's first teaching
Losar- New Year's festival
Sangha Day- A chance to re-commit themselves to Buddism and practices
Kathina- Robe offering ceremony for ordained monks
Parinirvana- Death of somone who has achieved Nirvana in their life
Vesak- Buddha's Birthday
Subtopic
Sects
Theravada (Hinayana)
Mahayana
Vajrayana
Basic Practices
Meditation
Sacred Mandala
Pilgrimage
Ordination
Other Important Info
Siddhartha Gautama - The Buddha
Discovering cruel reality
A life of self-denial
Christianity
Where it was founded
Canan
Judea
Israel
“Holy Land”
Diety Names
God
Jesus Christ
Teachers / Leaders
Jesus Christ
Sacred Writings
Bible
Revelation
Didache (Possible 1st Christian Doc)
Sacred Places
Jerusalem
Bethlehem
Sephoria
Nazareth
Sea of Galilee
Holy Days
Christmas
Easter
Corpus Christi
Holy Week
Holy Week- Week commemorating the death of Jesus
Corpus Christi- Commemorates the Last Supper on the day before Jesus' crucifixion
Sects
Orthodox
Catholic
Protestant
Basic Practices
Baptism
Prayer
Confession
Confirmation
Burial Rites
Other Important Info
313 CE - Most Romans are Christians (Emperor Constantine converts Roman Empire to Christianity)
Protestant Reformation - 1517
Islam
Where it was founded
Canan
Meccah
Middle East
Diety Names
God
Allah
"99 Names of God"
Teachers / Leaders
Abraham
Muhammed (Caliph / Khalifa)
Abu Bakr
Sacred Writings
Quran / Koran
The Hadith (Things Muhammed said but not in Quran)
Sacred Places
The Sacred Mosque
The Prophet’s Mosque
Al-Masjid Al-Aqṣā
Imam Ali
Quba Mosque
Holy Days
Ashura
Ramadan
Al-Hijura
Ashura- The date Moses parted the Red Sea (10th Day of Muharram, 1st month in Islamic Calendar)
Ramadan- The ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed as a month of fasting, prayer, and reflection
Al-Hijra- This is known as the Arabic New Year
Sects
Sunni Islam
Shia Islam
(orthodox) (80%) (Abu Bakar 1st Muslim
(Muhammed’s son-in-law, Ali to be Caliph) (Minorities to Sunni) (20%)
Basic Practices
Profession of Faith (shahada)
Prayer (salat)
Alms (zakat)
Fasting (sawm)
Other Important Info
622 CE - Hijra (Year 1 in Islamic Calendar)
Prophet Muhammed 570-632
Muslim Spain 711-1492
Ottoman Empire 1301-1922
Safavid Emipre 1501- 1722
Hinduism
Where it was founded
Indus Valley
Diety Names
Brahma.
Devi (goddess)
Shiva.
Vishnu.
Shakti.
Ganesha.
Shiva.
Brahma
Teachers / Leaders
No Single Teacher or Prophets
Sacred Writings
Vedas
Upanishads
Puranas
Ramayana
Mahabharata
Sacred Places
Varanasi
Tirupati Temple
Lake Manasarovar
Holy Days
Diwali
Dussehra
Ganesha Chaturthi
Diwali- "Festival of Lights"
Dussehra- Celebrates the triumph of good over evil
Ganesha Chaturthi- Celebrating the arrival of Ganesh to Earth
Sects
Brahma
Shiva
Shaivites
Basic Practices
conducting one's life in accordance with the faith's philosophies through compassion, honesty, prayer, and self-restraint
Other Important Info
Vedic Period 1500 BCE - 500 BCE
Medieval Period 500 CE - 1500 CE
British Period 1757 CE - 1947 CE