Ethical Monotheism

Ethical Monotheism• Concept of one God-all other gods are

false• God is just and expects humans to be

just in turn• Divides the world between righteous

and unrighteous• Can lead to intolerance towards those

who reject concept and those who practice different types of monotheism

Judaism• Belief in one God who is creator,

lawgiver, and judge of mankind• Righteous must follow Torah, or law

code• Torah defines moral and ethical

behavior• Concept of sin-disobedience to God or

God’s law• Personal relationship with deity

through prayer

Holy Books• The Torah-covenant with God and

law code

–contained in first five books of Christian Old Testament and in the Islamic Koran

• The Talmud- rabbinical commentaries and rulings on the Torah

Three Major Schisms

• Orthodox

• Conservative

• Reform

Christianity• Developed from Judaism during

Roman rule of Palestine• Shares Jewish belief in one God,

creator, lawgiver, and judge of mankind

• Spread by Jews who believed that Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God who died and was resurrected to redeem all mankind of their sins.

Christianity• Believe that Jesus is the Christ

(anointed one) who will return to bring the kingdom of God on earth

• accepted Ten Commandments, but rejected dietary restrictions and other aspects of Jewish law

• Faith in Jesus Christ as the son of God and the savior of mankind united Jews and Gentiles together in a new religious faith

Three Major Schisms

• Catholic

• Orthodox

• Protestant

Holy Book• The Holy Bible–contains The Old Testament

and The New Testament

Islam• Meaning of Islam is submission to the

will of Allah, a Muslim is one who has submitted

• Belief in one God, Allah, who is the one God of Jews and Christians and also of the whole world

• Recognition of Mohammed as the last and greatest of Allah’s prophets which include Abraham, Moses, and Jesus

Islam• Mohammed is revered but not divine.

His messages from the angel Gabriel are the final revelations of Allah

• Muslims must live according to the word of Allah--all human acts have religious connotations

• Separation of state and religion therefore not possible

IslamThe Five Pillars

• There is only one God, Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet

• Must pray five times a day, facing Mecca, with public prayer on Friday at mid-day

• Observe holy month of Ramadan with fasting from dawn to sunset

• Must give alms to the poor• If it is possible, make a pilgrimage (hajj)

to Mecca at once in a lifetime

Modern Islamic Mosque

Holy Book• The Koran–means recitation–contains parts of The Torah and

Old Testament– record of Allah’s word–ethical and legal guide–political instruction

Two Major Schisms• Shi’ite–believe only descendants of

Mohammed’s family may act as religious leaders (Imams)

• Sunni–accepted leadership of the Caliphs

outside Mohammed’s blood family

History of Conflict• Each monotheistic faith had similarities

with one another but also enough differences that conflict was bitter and violent

• Each faith convinced it was the true faith and competed for territory and converts

• Religious tolerance did occur but rare for all three monotheistic faiths to live together without one dominating the others

History of Conflict• Jewish revolt against Rome, 66-70 AD–created bitter and angry break with

Christianity–Jewish temple destroyed by Romans,

Jews slaughtered, or sold into slavery and dispersed throughout the Roman world–From this point on Jews would be

without a state, always be strangers in increasingly Christian and Muslim lands

History of Conflict• After years of persecution by the Roman

government, Christianity becomes state religion of Rome

• By 4th century AD, bishops and Roman emperors establish orthodox doctrine, try to force conformity on all who disagree including Jews and other Christians

• With the breakup of the Roman empire, Christianity becomes a unifying and civilizing force in Europe and the eastern Mediterranean

History of Conflict• Mohammed begins to receive his

revelations around 610 AD• He is forced to flee from Mecca to Medina in

622, beginning of Islamic calendar• Returns to Mecca in 630 and converts the

city• Islam born amidst war, must fight to

defend faith• Very rapid spread of new faith across Asia

Minor, the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean

Expansion of Islam 622-732

History of Conflict• The Crusades (1096-1291)–First major conflict between

Christian Europe and Islamic world–Religious, economic, and cultural

conflict– Islamic world more cosmopolitan,

technologically advanced–Violence radicalized both faiths–Atrocities and massacres of

civilians led to mistrust and hatred

Map of the Crusades

History of Conflict• Christian and Islamic cultures

continued to be in conflict up to the 17th century

• Struggle for territory, ports, trade routes, and hearts and minds

• Ottoman Turkish empire unified Islamic world, would control southeastern Europe until 19th century

The Ottoman Empire

History of Conflict• In the 18th and 19th centuries, Europe

and the United States adopted a more secular outlook

• They developed a culture which valued the individual and individual rights, the separation of church and state, and tolerance towards other faiths

• Discontent could take political form

History of Conflict• Islamic regimes, especially Ottoman

Empire, did not develop the same values• Repressive governments allowed no

political expression of the masses• Political discontent thus often

expressed through religious avenues• Public opinion in the Islamic world

today still expressed through public religious rallies and demonstrations

History of Conflict• WWI–Ottoman empire is defeated and its territory

is divided up among the victorious powers–Clash of cultures, religions, and world

views could not be mended–Democratic institutions would not be

created or encouraged–New states created after WWI would be

Islamic, but economically controlled and in some cases ruled by Western powers