Monotheism: Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam

Faravahar

"Divine glory," winged symbol of Zoroastrianism stressing morality

heresy

(n.) an opinion different from accepted belief; the denial of an idea that is generally held sacred

struggle will end in a victory for Ahura Mazda, arrival of a savior will create a new world and resurrect the dead

2 main beliefs of Zoroastrianism

Sunni

90% of Muslims, supported leadership of caliphs, male from Muhammad's tribe, NOT a prophet, no person is needed to interpret Quran

Kaaba

A black stone building in Mecca that is shaped like a cube and that is the most sacred Muslim pilgrim shrine

Jihad

A holy struggle or striving by a Muslim for a moral or spiritual or political goal, whole community must agree, just holy war

basilica

A huge marble government building in ancient Rome

qadi

A judge in Islamic law

Parish

A local church community

Hittites

A people from central Anatolia who established an empire in Anatolia and Syria in the Late Bronze Age. With wealth from the trade in metals and military power based on chariot forces, they vied with New Kingdom Egypt over Syria.

hajj

A pilgrimage to Mecca, performed as a duty by Muslims

Rightly Guided Caliphs

Abu-Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali.. all knew Muhammad. used the Qur'an and Muhammad's actions as guides to their leadership which is why they are called this

B

According to Islamic tradition, the Quran was compiled from A) Many different sources, including the writings of polytheistic religions B) Revelations from Allah to Muhammad C) The writings of Muhammad's early followers D) The Jewish Old Testament E) The Christian New Testament

Judah and Israel

After Solomon's death, the kingdom of Israel was split into

E

After the 11th century BCE, the Israelites experienced A) The division of the kingdom of Israel into Israel and Judea B) Conquest by the Assyrians C) The destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple by the New Babylonians or Chaldeans D) The return of deportees to Judea where they had become known as Jews E) All of the above

Palestine

Also called Holy Land. Biblical name, Canaan. an ancient country in SW Asia, on the E coast of the Mediterranean.

C

Aspects of eastern practices can best be seen in Western Christianity c. 300-700 C.E. through A) Practices of baptism and communion as daily duties for devout believers B) Refusal of Christians to worship the emperor or pay taxes to Rome C) A belief hat asceticism and withdrawal from society were ideal for the practice of Christianity D) World of eastern merchants to spread Christianity along the silk road trade routes E) The diaspora of the Jews and their strict reliance on dietary and marriage laws

monotheism

Belief in one God

Avesta

Book that contains the holy writings of Zoroastrianism.

Medina

City in western Arabia to which the Prophet Muhammad and his followers emigrated in 622 to escape persecution in Mecca.

Mecca

City in western Arabia; birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad, and ritual center of the Islamic religion.

Caesaropapism

Concept relating to the mixing of political and religious authority, as with the Roman emperors, that was central to the church versus state controversy in medieval Europe.

Solomon

David's son, established an empire, built a great temple in Jerusalem

Five Pillars of Islam

Declaration of faith, prayer 5 times facing Mecca, alms, fasting, and pilgrimage

Alexander the Great destroyed temples and killed priests, religion was revived but weakened Muslim forces rejected Zoroastrianism as a valid religion when they moved into the Middle East Only about 100,000-250,000 practitioners left

Decline of Zoroastrianism

Israelites

Descendants of Abraham who left Mesopotamia and settled in Canaan after being enslaved by Egyptians

Constantine

Emperor of Rome who adopted the Christian faith and stopped the persecution of Christians

Theodosius

Emperor of the Roman Empire who made Christianity the official religion of the empire, outlawed worship of Greco-Roman gods

St. Augustine of Hippo

Father and Doctor of the Church; one of the most influential men in the history of the Church; converted after a life of sinful habits; wrote Confessions philosophical

Towers of silence

Fearing that a dead corpse would infect water, air, earth, or fire, the Zoroastrians built towers where they could expose the corpses to vultures that would eat the bodies.

Abraham

Founder of Judaism who, according to the Bible, led his family from Ur to Canaan in obedience to God's command

Gospels

Four books in the New Testament that tell the story of Christ's life and teachings

A

From the mid 7th century, Zoroastrianism lost its popularity because A) Zoroastrians were converting to Islam B) It was outlawed by the Persian government C) IT was outlawed by Islamic conquerors D) More and more people turned to Christianity E) None of these

Allah

God of Islam

many descendants, land in Canaan

God's promise to Abraham

synoptic Gospels

Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, similar in style and content.

Pope

Head of the Roman Catholic Church

herders

Hebrews were mainly

B

How did Islam expand across the Arabian peninsula? A) By rapid but peaceful means due to its message of peace and brotherhood B) Through violence and warfare as Islam challenged both polytheists and the ruling elite C) A steady growth of follower resulted from the sharing of Muhammad's message by merchants D) Fairly swiftly as converts are attracted to the actions of the Sufi mystics E) It was not successful until the establishment and spread of the madrassas

Gathas

Hymns or poems written by Zarathustra; considered to be the most authoritative expressions of the Zoroastrian religion.

D

In 1054 CE, the Byzantine patriarch and the pope of Rome mutually excommunicated each other because of disagreements of the matters of A) rituals B) the doctrinal dispute about the nature of the Trinity C) the veneration of icons D) who had authority over their jurisdiction E) the appropriateness of the Crusades

Angra Mainyu

In Zoroastrianism, the evil god, engaged in a cosmic struggle with Ahura Mazda.

sharia

Islamic law

Babylonian Captivity

Israelite leaders wrote down history and began bible Persians conquered Babylon, freeing Israelites (now called Jews)50-year period in which the Israelites were exiled from Judah and held in Babylon

carpenter

Jesus' occupation

Peter

Jesus' successor, leader of Christian movement, upon this rock I will build my church

Josephus

Jewish historian

Jews now under Greek rule, moved throughout eastern Meditteranean

Jews and Alexander the Great

Hellenized Jews

Jews who were culturally and intellectually influenced by the Greeks

Ahura Mazda

Main god of Zoroastrianism who represented truth and goodness and was perceived to be in an eternal struggle with the malign spirit Angra Mainyu.

B

Muhammad experienced profound spiritual revelations that led him to believe that A) he was chosen by Allah to found a new religion B) he was the last prophet of Allah C) Judaism and Christianity were major offenses to Allah D) Allah was one of many gods E) None of the above

hijra

Muhammad's move to Medina. Start of the Islamic calendar (632 CE)

seal of the prophets

Muhammad's name for himself, signifying that he was the final prophet of Allah.

the Great Lie

Name for Angra Mainyu

Gentiles

Non-Jewish people

Zoroastrianism

One of the first monotheistic religions, particularly one with a wide following. It was central to the political and religious culture of ancient Persia.

Muslim

One who has submitted

Zealots

People who banded together during the time of Christ to violently resist Roman occupation.

converts must be Jews first, NO!

Peter vs Paul disagreement, opened Christianity to Gentiles

Jizya

Poll tax that non-Muslims had to pay when living within a Muslim empire

Church organization

Pope Cardinals Archbishops Bishops Priests

fravashi

Possibly a guardian spirit, but may also be a spirit which enters this life with a person and continues with him or her beyond death.

Manichaeism

Religion founded by the prophet Mani in the third century C.E., a syncretic version of Zoroastrian, Christian, and Buddhist elements.

active participation, good deeds, choice to follow good over evil, no ascetic practices nor monasticism

Role of the individual in Zoroastrianism

Jews exempt from emperor worship, special coinage, self government

Roman attitude towards Jews

diaspora

Romans forced Jews to leave Jerusalem, Romans didn't understand that there was only one God exile from Palestine

5 patriarchs

Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem leads a Church founded by an apostle

Zend Avesta

Sacred book of Zoroastrianism

sacraments

Sacred rituals of the Roman Catholic Church ex. baptism, communion, confirmation, confession, marriage

Messiah

Savior sent by God

D

St. Cyprian's view of the epidemic of 251 C.E. was that A) it would cause the downfall of the Roman empire. B) Christians would be protected from the ravages of the disease. C) the Jews were responsible for bringing the disease. D) it was a welcome event for servants of God. E) None of these answers is correct.

Islam

Submission to the will of Allah

caliph

Successor to Muhammad, must know him personally, rightly guided

B

The Five Pillars are to Muslims as A) The hadith is to Muslims B) the Eightfold Path is to Buddhism C) The Vedas are to the Aryans D) The Book Of Genesis is to Christians E)None of the above

E

The Hebrews were A) Settled agriculturists B) Led out of Palestine by Abraham C) Always monotheists D) The first Indo-Europeans to settle in Southwest Asia E) None of the above

D

The Quran is to Islam as A) Siddhartha is to Buddhism B) the Avesta is to Zoroastrianism C) Yahweh is to Judaism D) the New Testament is to Christianity E) None of the above

holy orders

The Sacrament by which men are ordained to the episcopacy, priesthood, or diaconate.

ethical world view

The belief that people and their rulers should lead moral lives, NO ONE is above God's law

Talmud

The collection of Jewish rabbinic discussion pertaining to law, ethics, and tradition consisting of the Mishnah and the Gemara.

umma

The community of all Muslims

hadith

The compiled work of the life and teachings of Muhammad.

A

The emperor who allowed Christians to practice their religion openly in the Roman Empire was A) Constantine B) Theodosius C) Procopius D) Diocletian E) None of the above

Torah

The first five books of Jewish Scripture, which they believe are by Moses, are called this

A

The flight of Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Medina is called A) the hijra B) the umma C) Yathrib D) the hajj E)None of the above

Old Testament

The forty-six books of the Bible that record the history of salvation from Creation until the time of Christ.

E

The hajj A) Is one of the Five Pillars of Islam B) Helped to unite Muslims from disparate parts of the world C) Ends at Ka'ab in Mecca D) Contributed to the spread of Islamic beliefs and values E) All of the above

Roman province of Palestine

The historical home of the Jews, previously known as Canaan. Allowed to live in relative peace under the Romans as long as they paid taxes, did not disrupt Roman authority, etc.

Paul of Tarsus

The most important figure in the spread of Christianity after Jesus's death Traveled through Mediterranean and Rome, wrote Epistles

A

The most important individual responsible for the conversion of educated Roman intellectuals to Christianity was A) Augustine of Hippo B) Plato C) Constantine the Great D) Emperor Galerius E) Paul of Tarsus

Twelve Tribes

The name for the descendants of the twelve sons of Jacob (Israel).

B

The religious beliefs of the Israelites after Moses included A) The worship of Mesopotamian gods B) Monotheism C) The worship of Allah D) The construction of ziggurats E) Human sacrifice

D

The society into which Muhammad was born is best described as A) an urban based culture with small scale manufacturing B) a pastoral society C) an agricultural society dominated by a warrior class D) a society made up largely of nomads and merchants E) a society based on maritime trade

A

The split in Islam into Shia and Sunni factions was the result of A) Succession problems B) Religious issues C) Economic differences D) Disagreements over the role of women E) Disputes over territorial holdings

Circumcision

The surgical removal of the male foreskin; it was the physical sign of the covenant between God and Abraham.

C

The term "dar al-Islam", the House of Islam, refers to A) The Islamic Empire B) The descendants of Muhammad C) Regions under Islamic rule D) Arabia E) None of these

A

The term caesaropapism refers to the fact that the Byzantine emperors A) claimed divine favor and sanction B) claimed to be divine C) claimed to be half-human half divine D) claimed to be both Roman emperor and pope E) None of the above

ulama

The theologians and legal experts of Islam. Best known as the arbiters of sharia law.

Trinity

The truth that God, although one, is three Divine Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

E

The veiling of women as a social custom was A) Not specifically addressed in the Quran B) Practiced long before Muhammad was born C) Adopted from Byzantine and Sassanid societies by Muslims D) Originally practiced by upper class women E) All of the above

A

The word Islam means A) submission B) one who has submitted C) the God D) Arabia E) None of the above

Petrine Theory

This theory holds that Christ made Peter the first pope and gave him supreme authority over the church on earth.

A

Ulama and qadis were important in Islamic society because they A) Developed policy and decided legal cases based on the Quran and sharia B) Were learned priests in the roles of magistrates and judges C) Were effective missionaries D) Were part of the military arm of Islam, responsible for expansion E) All of the above

C

What aspect of Zoroastrianism is the most significant with respect to world history? A) It sustained the Persian empire and served as a justification for their role B) It became one of the many foreign religions which found a home in India C) Parts of its tenets were adopted in monotheistic religions D) Its temple complexes served as the backbone of Persian prosperity E) Zoroastrianism served as the founding faith of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

the Wise Lord

What does Ahura Mazda mean

Who should be Muhammad's successor?

What was the disagreement that caused the split of Muslims into the Sunni and Shi'a?

D

Which follower of Jesus was largely responsible for the rapid spread of Christianity through the Roman Empire? A) Mithras B) Constantine C) Augustine of Hippo D) Paul of Tarsus E) Augustus

E

Which of the following are true of the Hebrew sacred text, the Torah? A) Its name means doctrine or teaching B) It described the Hebrew god's role in creating the world and guiding human affairs C) It taught that good behavior would be rewarded and bad behavior punished D) It also warned that the entire community of believers would be rewarded or punished collectively E) All of these

B

Which of the following does NOT describe the Hebrew deity? A) He was an omnipotent creator of the universe who demanded high moral and ethical standards from the people B) He permitted the worship of other gods as long as he was recognized as the supreme deity C) He was not worshipped in a ziggurat because of its association with polytheism but in an elaborate temple dedicated solely to him D) In a set of laws given through Moses he warned the people against destructive and anti-social behaviors E) His law code inspired later Hebrews to add relief and protection of marginalized people: widows, orphans, slaves, the poor

B

Which of the following is NOT true of sharia? A) It offered guidance on proper behavior in almost every aspect of life B) It was created by the prophet Muhammad C) It drew inspiration from the Quran D) It drew inspiration from the hidath E) None of the above

D

Which of the following religions did NOT attract large numbers of converts in the Persian empires? A) Buddhism B) Christianity C) Manichaeism D) Hinduism E) Zoroastrianism

C

Which of the following was NOT a Zoroastrian teaching? A) The cosmic conflict between Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyo B) Individual souls would undergo future judgment C) Ascetic renunciation of the world in favor of a future heavenly existence D) The forces of good would ultimately prevail E) None of these

D

Which of the following was NOT a right of Islamic women? A) They could inherit property and divorce husbands B) They could engage in business C) They were equal to men before Allah and not the property of men D) They could marry up to four husbands just as a man could marry four wives E) None of the above is true

E

Which of the following was true of the early hierarchy of the Christian Church? A) Bishops presided over the religious affairs of dioceses B) The bishop of Rome became known as the pope C) There were five top religious authorities in the Roman Empire D) The church authorities met in councils to resolve theological disputes E) All of the above

did not want to contaminate the sacred fire

Why did Zoroastrians wear face veils inside fire temples

A

Why did the Jews find it so difficult to abide by Roman law? A) The Romans demanded that everyone in the empire worship Roman gods and observe Roman religious practices B) The Jews had never been under foreign rule before and had no experience with religious traditions other than their own C) Jewish religion forbade the worship of any other gods except their own and therefore Jews refused to participate in Roman state cults D) The Jews refused to pay taxes to Rome without representation in the Roman government E) The Jews feared the loss of their military power under Roman occupation and therefore refused to surrender their arms as required by Roman law

B

Zarathustra was A) an emperor. B) a prophet. C) a magi. D) a monotheist. E) None of these answers is correct.

Judaism, Christianity, Islam

Zoroastrianism influenced

battle ground where people fight daily through personal decisions to do good, created to trap the forces of evil

Zoroastrians believe that the world is

protect water, earth, fire, air

Zoroastrians were ecological because they wanted to

Greeks and Islams

_______________ destroyed Zoroastrian scriptures

Diocese

a district under the pastoral care of a bishop in the Christian Church.

church councils

a gathering of the Church's magisterium to decide major beliefs and/or actions for the Church

Jews

a member of the people and cultural community whose traditional religion is Judaism and who trace their origins through the ancient Hebrew people of Israel to Abraham.

Arabia

a peninsula between the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf few resources, limited agriculture, centrally located between Asia, Africa, Europe

equality, compassion, forgiveness, salvation, eternal life

appeal of christianity

Zarathustra (Zoroaster)

aristocratic background, Aryan roots, priest, embarked on a spiritual search for truth after being disillusioned with rituals, had a revelation from a deity and became a prophet, founded Zoroastrianism

Origin of Monotheism

became important in periods of change, assisted the transition from tribalism to nationhood

ethical monotheism

believing in one god that promotes kindness to those around you. Instead of total worship in order to gain a good afterlife, you have to respect others to get the god's approval.

Archbishop

bishop of a province

ethical monotheism, ethical world view, Judaism benefits all, morality, relationship between humans and God, one day everyone will accept God

characteristics of Judaism

The Bible

collection of history, law, poetry, wisdom, not a history, earlier historians disregarded it

David

created a strong kingdom, built Jerusalem, King of Israel

Shia

descendants of Ali (Muhammad's son in law) and Fatima, Muhammad's daughter are the only true successors, imams can interpret the Quran

unifies Persia, first time there is an official religion

effect of Zoroastrianism on Persia

conquered by Assyrians, 10 tribes lost, people were scattered across empire

fate of Israel kingdom

conquered by Babylonians, temple destroyed, held captive in Babylon

fate of Judah

Yathrib

final destination of Muhammad's hijra and the home of the first community of Muslims; later renamed Medina; located in the northwest of present-day Saudi Arabia

slaves, poor, women, conquered people

first Christians

Jacob

grandson of Abraham, changed name to Israel, renewed covenant with God, led tribes to Canaan

Quran beliefs

harsh penalties, people are responsible for actions, final judgment- eternal punishment or happiness

basis for creation of large empires, method to unify diverse peoples and cultures, basis for expansion of culture as well as religion

impact of universal religions

Muhammad

last prophet, Allah's prophet

Epistles

letters found in the New Testament to the early Christian communities about God's Revelation in Jesus Christ

eschatology

linear approach to history, creation moving towards an end

Pinto Christian

male head of a family would convert to Islam in order to avoid tax, would convert back before death

revelation

message from God revealed to a historical figure, given at a known point in time

prophets

messengers of God, reminded people of covenant, encouraged people to choose good over evil

Black Stone

meteorite thought to be the site where Abraham almost sacrificed his son Isaac; was a pilgrimage site prior to the creation of Islam

Israel

northern kingdom, ten tribes, artisans and merchants

fire temples

place of worship for Zoroastrianism Fire remained an important symbol in Zoroastrianism; always had a fire maintained at temples

Pre-Islamic religion

polytheism, idols of gods

refusal to worship emperor, criticism of Roman gods

reason for persecution of Christians

simplicity, military skill, loyalty of warriors, weakness of neighbors

reasons for Islam expansion

St. Cyprian

recorded the suffering of Christians caused by epidemic diseases in his On Morality

universal religion

religion that attempts to appeal to all people, not just those who live in a particular location

Mystery Cults

religious groups whose followers were promised an afterlife if they underwent secret rituals and purification rites

scripture

short and definite, gives decisive statements on law, beliefs, history, mythical poetry ex. psalms, proverbs

Judah

southern kingdom, 2 tribes, farmers and shepherds

ziggurats

temples built by Sumerians to honor the gods and goddesses they worshipped

Moses

the Hebrew prophet who led the Israelites from Egypt across the Red sea on a journey known as the Exodus, received 10 commandments

Judaism

the monotheistic religion of the Jews having its spiritual and ethical principles embodied chiefly in the Torah and in the Talmud

imam

the person who leads prayers in a mosque, interpret Quran, divinely inspired leaders

divination

the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means

Quran

the sacred writings of Islam revealed by God to the prophet Muhammad during his life at Mecca and Medina Direct, unchangeable All Muslims must learn Arabic

Pre-Islamic society

tribal structure, intense rivalry over water, constant violence, few cities, trade centers