IX. National religions. Judaism

1.Outline of the lecture

1. Origin of Judaism

Judaism originated in Israel around 4000 years ago. It is the oldest and the smallest religion, with only 12 mln followers.

Judaism does not easily fit into common Western categories such as religion, race, ethnicity, or culture. Jews have been in contact and have been influenced by ancient Egyptians, Babylonians, Persian and other cultures and Jewishness is not only national, not

Genealogical, not religious, but all of these. According to religious Jews, the Biblical patriarch Abraham was the first Jew. He proclaimed the folly (глупость, безрассудство) of idolatry. As a result, God promised he would have a child who would carry on his work and inherit the land of Israel (Canaan). According to the Bible, God gave Isaac’s son Jacob the name Israel (he who struggles)

God sent Jacob and his children to Egypt, after they became enslaved, God sent Moses to save them from slavery.

Judaism is a way of life with a system of beliefs. It does not have set doctrines, it is a religion that follows Torah..

*”Jews live in covenant with God not for their own sake, but for the sake of the whole world”

The fundamental beliefs of Judaism are:

*

*God is all powerful (omnipotent) as well as all knowing (omniscient). The different names of God reflect different aspects of God’s presence in the world

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*

*

*

*

**The symbol of Judaism?

2. Religious views

The Jewish place of worship is called a Synagogue. The religious leader of a Jewish community is called a Rabbi.

Daily prayer

There are 3 daily prayers. On the Sabbath and Holidays a fourth prayer is added.

**Sabbath.-

***Hanukkah

Yom-Kippur

Pesakh

2. Questions for test

1. Origin of Judaism

2. History of Israel and Judaism

3. Main beliefs in Judaism

4. Main traditions in Judaism

3. Glossary

Covenant – договор- шарт

Omnipotent-всемогущий- құдіретті

Omniscient- всеведущий- көреген

4. Tasks for IWS- Historical roots of Judaism

5. Task for office hours- Judaism in the contemporary world

6. Reference

Музафарова Н.И. История религий.М.2004.стр. 57-72

http:// www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Judaism

X. Hinduism. Jainism

1.Outline of the lecture

1 History and elements of Hinduism

GOD

Founder?

Hinduism is very different from religious like Christianity, Islam or Judaism. It is the name given to a family of religions and cultures that began and still flourish in India. The word

“ Hindu” comes from the name of the river Indus. Originally the name referred to people

living in a particular region of the world.

Origin of Hinduism.

Relatively little is known about the origins of Hinduism,as its history dates back to prehistoric times. It emerged during Harappans civilization in the 3-2 millennium B.C. Its origin is from Brakhmanism and Jainism.

Hindus do not separate religion from other aspects of life. It does not have central creed. For Hindus in India Hinduism is a part of their existence, a complete approach to life that involves social position, earning a living, family, diet,, politics,etc.

Hinduism includes a very wide range of beliefs and practice- so there aren’t many things that are common to all Hindu groups.

Hinduism has no founder, its concept of the ‘ Good life” is not based on instructions from God.

Hindus believe in supreme God (called Brahman) that is present in everything.

It is very difficult to separate the religious elements of Hinduism from the political, racial, social, and other elements which also make up the Hindu culture. But that is not surprising, as Hindus believe that God is in everything, it would not make sense to separate religious things from everything else.

· The Gods_______________________________________________________________

The things that are common to all Hindus in belief:

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*

*

*

Holy Books

*Vedas (Veda Dharma)-

Brahmanas-

The Upanishads

The Bhagavad-Gita

2. Practice of Hinduism

For many Hindus, religion is a matter of practice rather than of belief. It is more what you do than what you believe.

Behind Hindu practice is the belief that every soul is trapped in a cycle of birth and then death and the rebirth. Every Hindus wants to escape from this cycle. (This liberation is called Moksha)

Hindus aim to live in away that will cause each of their lives to be better than the life before. Living or acting in aright way is known as dharma, so the Indian name for their religion is sanatana dharma (everlasting dharma)

Cycles of lives:

Brahmacharya (grazing in Brahma)- to learn life’s secrets under a Guru, building up body and mind

Grihastka- householder’s stage (samsara) in which one marries and satisfies kama, time of professional carrier

Vanaprastha- gradual detachment from the material world, making holy pilgrimages

Sayasa- seclusion

Karma

There are 4 legitimate goals of life

Dharma

Artha

Kama

Moksha

3. Jainism

Jainism was founded in the 6 century B.C., it is one of the forms of Hinduism. In the 1 century B.C. many religious schools in India rejected Vedas. Jainism adopted many sides of Brahmanist tradition (incarnation, nirvana).

The difference- a common person can not reach nirvana, only ascetics.

Jainism did not differ material and spiritual. Soul is in every plant, in every thing.

They do not agree with hunting, fishery, land cultivation, animal husbandry.

Main principle- ahisma- do not harm to living beings.

2. Questions for test

1. Origin if Hinduism

2. Peculiarity of Hinduism as religion

3. Main beliefs

4. Jainism

3. Glossary

Revere- почитать

4. Task for IWS- Hinduism and Buddhism

5. Task for office hours- Hinduism in India

6. Reference

Музафарова Н.И. История религий. М. 2004. стр. 72-89

Боги, брахманы, люди. Четыре тысячи лет индуизма. М. 1999. стр. 5-45

XI. Taoism

1.Outline of the lecture

1. Essence of Taoism (Dao)

It includes both a religious tradition and a philosophical tradition.

The main concept- one can harmonize with the natural flow of life (Tao) by being receptive and quiet.

The Tao-te Ching

The way that can be followed is not he eternal way

The name that can be named is not the eternal name

There was something containing all,

Before heaven and earth it exists.

Founder-

History-

2. Religious Taoism

An interesting aspect of religious Taoism is the practice of spiritual alchemy. This practice is based on the belief that within the body there exist a spiritual macro- universe of 3 elements necessary for life. By practice one can combine these three to form the Immortal fetus which can leave the body. Then one can draw the element of the universe into the body, unifying and harmonizing the inner and outer worlds.

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