Universalizing Religions

Universalizing,Religions
Wednesday,% November% 5,%2014

7:55%AM

Christianity
Origin,of,Christianity
• Jesus%is%born%around%4bce.
• Paul%most%influential%in%spreading%the%word%after%Jesus's%crucifixion.
• Christianity%grows%slowly,%then%takes%off%in%the%3rd%century.
• Great,Schism,of,1054
○ State%church%of%Roman%empire%divided%into:
! Eastern%Orthodox%C Greek%in%the%East.
! Roman%Catholic%C Latin%in%the%West.
• Protestant,Reformation,1530s
○ Martin%Luther%C A%German%monk%that%felt%the%Bible%should%be%the%ultimate% authority. ! Printing%press%was%a%major%factor%in%spreading%Luther's%ideas.
Diffusion,of,Christianity
1. Spread%by%Relocation%Diffusion
○ Missionaries%helped%spread%the%word%throughout%the%Roman%empire.
○ Excellent% road%network%helped.
2. Contagious%Diffusion
○ Believers%converted%pagans.
3. Hierarchical% Diffusion
○ Leaders%(Constantine)%adopted%it%and%encouraged%it.
○ Colonization
! Ex:%Latin%America%is%catholic%due%to%Spanish/Portuguese% colonization. Branches,of,Christianity
• 51%%Roman%Catholic%(Over%a%billion%Catholic)
• 26%%Protestant
○ Baptist
! Southern%Baptist
! First%Baptists
! Second%Baptists
! Third%Baptists

• 26%%Protestant
○ Baptist
! Southern%Baptist
! First%Baptists
! Second%Baptists
! Third%Baptists
○ Methodist
○ Presbyterian
○ Lutheran
• 11%%Eastern%Orthodox
• Jehovah's%Witnesses
• Mormons%(Church%of%Latter%Day%Saints)
• 7th%Day%Adventists
Islam
Origin,of,Islam
• Muhammad%born%around%570ad
○ Muhammad%received%messages%from%Allah,%which%are%recited%into%the%
Quran%after%his%death.
• Hegira
○ In%622,%Muhammad%leaves%from%Mecca%to%Medina%(Yathrib)
○ This%journey%marks%year%1%on%the%Muslim%calendar.
○ Islam%becomes%popular%in%Medina.
• Muhammad%returns%to%Mecca%and%takes%over.
○ Destroys%all% idols%except%for%a%black%stone.
○ Muhammad%dies%just%as%Islam%is%beginning%to%spread.
Branches,of,Islam
Sunni/Shia,(Shiite),Spilt
• Problem…%Muhammad%left%no%successor.
• Dispute%is%over%who%is%the%true%caliph:
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