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Religions of AP World

Confucianism

History

founder: K’ung Fu-Tse (Kung the Philosopher)

551-478 BCE

no object of worship

no clergy

Confucius was a government official

no writings of his own

analects: recordings from his students

Mercius (372-289 BCE) helped movement reach its height

Beliefs and principles

ethical code based on secular principles

believed in existence of gods, spirits, heaven

emphasis on physical life, not afterlife

benevolent rulership from above + good behavior below = harmonious society

group before individual

rulers are just because of Mandate of Heaven

family unit is most important institution

Gender roles

Women

subservient

homemakers

mothers

could not own property

could obtain limited education

Men

rule

fight

scholars

ministers

could have more than one wife

Five relationships

Reciprocity - golden rule

Superior

Inferior

ruler - just

ruled - loyal

father - loving

son - respectful

husband - righteous

wife - obedient

older brother - genteel

younger brother - humble

older person - considerate

younger person - deferent

There are no rows in this table

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Daoism

History

founder: Laozi (the Old Master)

born 604 BCE

may have written Tao-Te Ching

Zhuangzi (369-286 BCE) helped people convert

developed “butterfly dream”

Beliefs

dao = the way/the path

the universe is governed by an invisible force that can be sensed

thought is antirational and nonlogical

butterfly dream: always transforming, don’t know everything, think we’ve awakened but haven’t

seek wisdom through nature, poetry, spontaneity

illusory/meaningless: politics, money, material possessions

focus on individual

Rituals

mystical and magical energies

Book of Changes used for reading the future

ying and yang: opposites flow into each other

can coexist with other beliefs

Yin and yang

Yin

white

feminine

feeling

sensory

liberal

Yang

black

masculine

facts

logic

conservative

⁠

Hinduism

no founder

possibly oldest religion

synthesis of Indus River people, ethnic groups, Aryan invaders

Vedism: foundation of Hinduism

Texts

Vedas

“knowledge”

multiple texts (sing. Veda)

oral: 4500-1500 BCE

written: after 1500 BCE

Rig Veda

oldest text

includes 1000 hymns and stories about the gods

Upanishads

900-500 BCE

explains Hinduism’s core values and beliefs

Doctrine

Brahman: world soul

all things are reflections of Brahman’s perfection

Atman: every living creature’s souls

the material world is an illusion that prevents connection with Brahman

goal: rejoin Atman with Brahman = perfection

samsara: cycle of reincarnation

karma: actions in this life have consequences in future lives

dharma: understanding of moral duty

moksha: release from samsara

after moksha, Atman can join with Brahman

Deities

all gods are avatars of Brahman

Brahma: creator, masculine personification of the Brahman

Vishnu: savior figure, friend to humanity

Shiva: destroyer, reflects duality of life and death

Mahadevi Shakti: all female deities are her reincarnations

Buddhism

History

founder: Siddhartha Gautama (563-483 BCE)

born into nobility

left everything he had at 29 to pursue a life of fasting and asceticism (no desire)

achieved enlightenment, changed name to Buddha (Enlightened One) but made no claim to divinity

Doctrine

souls evolve towards spiritual perfection through samsara

attain liberation from caste system by

realizing the

Four Noble Truths⁠

⁠

following the Eightfold Path

nirvana is liberation: to extinguish and achieve superconsciousness

Four Noble Truths

Human existence is inseparable from suffering

The cause of suffering is desire

Suffering is extinguished by extinguishing desire

Desire is extinguished by following the Eightfold Path

Splits

after Buddha’s death

Theravada: closer to actual teachings, Buddha is not a deity

Mahayana: more ritual and symbolism. Buddha is a deity, there are also lesser gods

⁠

Judaism

History and origins

first monotheistic faith

founders:

Abraham

Isaac

Jacob

2000-1850 BCE migrated to Canaan (Israel)

fled to Egypt in 1700 CE due to famine

became slaves in Egypt

1300-1200 BCE: Moses led the exodus from Egypt to Israel

Moses

given Ten Commandments by God

wrote the Torah (Christian Old Testament)

Genesis

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Principles

believed in Messiah - anointed one (who is not Jesus)

Talmud (instruction): code of laws

patriarchal, but women were respected in home

Christianity

Origins

founder: Jesus of Nazareth (4 BCE - 20 CE)

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