HI 101: Making of the Modern World

The Rise of Christianity

"The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch" (Acts 11:26). • foundations -in Jesus Christ's ministry -in his disciples' ministries (Paul, Peter, James, John, etc.) -in the context of the Jewish rebellions • destruction of Jerusalem, AD 70

How are Islam's origins similar to Judaism's?

Both trace their roots back to Abraham

Context: Traditional Church Teachings

• sacraments • indulgences -excusing the temporal payment for sins -granted in exchange for gifts • treasury of merit -storehouse of good works

How do the authors treat the nature of the biblical account of Jewish history?

"Though the biblical account cannot be accepted as it stands, it should be treated with respect as our only evidence for much of Jewish history."

Indian Religion: Buddhism Four Noble Truths

1. Life is suffering, pain. 2. Pain is caused by desire, by craving. 3. The end of pain comes with the end of desire. 4. The eightfold path leads to the end of pain.

1. For what innovative ideas do the Jewish people get credit?

Abstract notion of God, forbidding his representation by images.

Describe the expansion of Islam - what direction did it take and where did it stop?

At first it was slower, and spread by conquering tribes. It spread in all directions, throughout North Africa. It started to spread into Europe, but was stopped near France (by the Franks).

How are Hinduism and Buddhism connected?

Buddhism was an offshoot of Hinduism and therefore borrowed a lot of the same concepts and deities. Specifically, in the connection between man's individual soul (atman) and the world's soul (Brahman).

What idea forced Christianity out of Judaism?

Christ as the Messiah

How was Lutheranism both political and religious?

Church and state were one and the same in that time. When a country converted to Protestantism, it became politically opposed to Roman Catholic countries.

What did the council at Jerusalem decide? (Acts 15)

Gentile believers were not obligated to keep OT law.

What are the characteristics of the physical environment where Islam began?

Harsh, dry, nomadic peoples roaming.

What evidence exists for the conclusion that the Chinese population was growing by the 6th Century BC?

Increases in agricultural productivity

Why did the Romans see Christianity as harmful?

It did not honor the emperor and the traditional gods.

What was not new about the Reformation? What was new?

It didn't change any doctrine, it just recovered it. The foundations were still true, but Catholicism had added stuff.

Why did the Indus civilization decline

It slowly decayed due to natural causes

What group first persecuted Christians?

Jews

What developments within Christianity were potentially more dangerous than persecution?

Mysterious cultish developments.

1. What is your authors' opinion of the Gospels as a source?

Not super stonks

What developments in the late third/early fourth century changed conditions for Christians?

Persecution ended and Christianity became legal.

According to the text, what group of Jewish people left the most significant legacy?

Prophets

What kinds of questions did the scholars in the Hundred Schools pursue? Why were they concerned about these questions?

Questions about the foundations of government and ethics. They were concerned because at that time there was a profound and prolonged sense of social and political crisis.

Where did the Jewish people come from?

The Semitic, nomadic peoples of Arabia (Fertile Crescent).

How does the geography help us understand the development of India?

The civilizations started in the north because of the fertile plains there surrounded by mountains made for really good spots.

What activity particularly disturbed Luther?

The selling of indulgences.

How did the Aryan people change as they moved into the Indus Valley?

They assimilated their culture with the Indus peoples

What goal did Confucius pursue?

To return to a mythical past where each man knew his place and did his duty.

The Rise of Islam

from the Arabian Peninsula through the Mediterranean Basin to Asia

five virtues

humanity, justice, etiquette, knowledge, truthfulness

five Confucian relationships

ruler/subject, father/son, husband/wife, older brother/younger brother, friend/friend

Hinduism

• "what is common to the Indian/Hindu culture" • earliest religious traditions from − Rig Veda − Upanishads • the connection between the atman and the Brahman • samsara—the cycle of death and rebirth (reincarnation) • karma—the rule that governs samsara − karma = "work" or "action" − every action has an effect • dharma—moral law, duty − acceptance of one's place and one's responsibilities • moksha—liberation from samsara − to rejoin the Brahman − end of existence • Mahabharata, Bhagavad Gita • Ramayana • Vishnu, Shiva

Luther 's Protest

• 95 Theses (1517) -for debate among the clergy -resulted in his excommunication (1520) • preached sola fide —salvation by faith alone (not by works) • recognized only two sacraments • disputed the primacy of the pope • Diet of Worms, 1521 • consequences -Luther taken into protective custody -division of princes into Protestant and Catholic camps -Peasants' Revolt (1524-1525)

Indian Beginnings: Aryans

• Aryan migration (ca. 1500 BC) from Central Asia • settled in the Indus Valley and across the Ganges Plain • pushed other people southward Indian Beginnings: Society • four varnas—the social orders • jati, "birth" − refers to the kinship group − an endogamous group with similar occupation, religious customs, and dietary practices − communities within a town or village • little to no social mobility

Confucianism: Context

• Confucius (d. ca. 479 BC) • late part of the Zhou dynasty — Spring and Autumn period — civil warfare among powerful landholders — weak emperor and court • Hundred Schools • Legalism — Humans are evil and selfish. — Laws must contain human selfishness for the good of the state. — Anything not for the good of the state must be destroyed.

Christian Beliefs

• God is Creator and Savior. • Jesus Christ fulfilled God's promise to Adam and Eve in the garden. • "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heartthat God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Rom. 10:9)

Confucius

• Human nature is good. • Education improves people. • His emphasis was on — classic texts — practical ethics — but little to nothing about the supernatural • focused on social order

Islam: Founder

• Muhammad, ca. 570-632 • a merchant • believed he received visions — Allah is good, all-powerful. — He will judge all men. — Men should exercise charity. •Qur'an (Koran), scriptures (mid-7th c.

Jewish Origins

• Semitic people/language roots • the Patriarchs -Abraham, Isaac, Jacob • Hebrew -from a verb "to pass over"—as in crossing over a river, for Abram, the Euphrates -from an adjective "dusty/dirty"—used to describe a wanderer, outlaw, disconnected from authority 4 • in patriarchal period -Abram to Canaan -Jacob to Egypt • from Egypt to Canaan —the Exodus and judges • to establishing a kingdom -united under Saul, David, Solomon -divided into Israel and Judah

Islam: Persecuted

• arguments over Muhammad's teachings • Hegira, 622 — from Mecca to Medina — beginning of the Muslim calendar • return to Mecca in 632

Truth Recovered

• authority of scripture -obscured by Church tradition • justification by faith -obscured by teaching about works to pay for physical punishment • individual priesthood of the believer -obscured by a specialized priesthood

Buddha

• founded by Siddhartha Gautama (6th century BC) • Buddha = "enlightened one" • no immediate scriptures − Four Noble Truths − Eightfold Path

Context: Education

• growing literacy • printing press • emphasis on individual capacity for improvement

Indian Religion: Buddhism

• key ideas − shared Hindu concepts —karma, dharma, samsara —with slightly different definitions − the illusion of existence − nirvana—the end of samsara

Context: Medieval Church Reform

• monastic reform • Church reform • investigations of medieval church piety

Jewish beliefs

• monotheism—one God -holy, creator, separate from creation43 -prohibition of image making • covenant with Abraham -renewed with Isaac -renewed with Jacob

Jewish Diaspora

• northern kingdom (Israel) from 722 BC -Assyrian attack and captivity • southern kingdom (Judah) from 587 BC -Nebuchadnezzar, Chaldean emperor from Babylon • scattered people across the Levant • under Persians (Cyrus), rebuilt the Temple (Nehemiah, Ezra) • ruled by Persia, then by Selucids (after the death of Alexander the Great) • Maccabaean revolt (168-164 BC) -against Seleucids and Hellenistic forces • ruled by Rome -Pompey (63 BC) -Herod the Great (37 BC) -Herod the Great (37 BC) • synagogue -replaced the Temple for worship -served as a school for studying Scripture -unified a scattered people -governed the people • factions -Pharisees, Sadducees, Zealots

Islam: Overview

• out of the Bedouin tribes of the Arabian Peninsula • out of an illiterate society • Islam = "submission to God" — made Arabic a literary language — united Arabs politically & culturally • Mecca, ancient pilgrimage site because of the Ka'ba

Persecution

• persecuted by Jews -because of the claim that Jesus is God -because of the threat to those holding power • persecuted by Romans -because of Christian refusal to honor Roman gods -Decius, Diocletian • accepted: Constantine • regulated (know the terms: catholic, orthodox, heretic) -Council of Nicaea, 325 Athanasius/Arius issue: the nature of Jesus -Petrine doctrine: primacy of Rome • dominant: official religion of the empire (395)

Indian Beginnings

• settlements on the Indus River • sophisticated civilization • decayed through environmental change

Five Pillars of Islam

• shahada = proclamation — There is no god but Allah and Mohammad is his prophet. • salat = prayer — 5 times per day facing Mecca • zakat = alms • sawm = fasting — during Ramadan • hajj = pilgrimage

(Five solas)

• sola fide—by faith alone • sola scriptura—by scripture alone • sola gratia—by grace alone • solus Christus—Christ alone • soli deo gloria—glory to God alone

Spread of Confucianism

• survived being repressed by the Qin • adopted by the Han emperors • Mencius (d. 290 BC) — Analects — education uncovers goodness in humanity

Context: Anticlericalism

• the teachings of Wycliffe and Huss • protest against -venality, wealth of Church institutions and people -poor administration of church resources and services, simony, and multiple office-holding -immoral lifestyles

Islam Expanded

• united the Arabian Peninsula; expanded into Palestine and Egypt • division between Shias and Sunnis — political and religious struggle • Umayyad Dynasty, capital Damascus — stopped by Byzantines and Franks • Abbasid Dynasty, capital Baghdad 10

Consequences

• warfare -France, England, the Holy Roman Empire • divided Christianity -Lutheran (Evangelical), Reformed (Calvinism), Anabaptist • (eventually) religious toleration -for pluralist communities