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1. According to Cicero derived from relegere "go through again" (in reading or in thought), from re- "again" (see re-) + legere "read" However, popular etymology among the later ancients (Servius, Lactantius, Augustine) and the interpretation of many modern writers connects it with religare "to bind fast" or "place an obligation on," or "bond between humans and gods." Another possible origin is religiens "careful," opposite of negligens. In English, meaning "particular system of faith" is recorded from c.1300; sense of "recognition of and allegiance in manner of life (perceived as justly due) to a higher, unseen power or powers" is from 1530s. What is Religion?
2. The BlInd Men and the Elephant Analogy
3. Overview

   The Three Major Monotheistic Religions

4. Judaism is a religious tradition centered on the idea of a covenant between God and the Jewish people that can be traced back to the prophets Abraham and Moses. The Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) and an extensive interpretative literature (Mishnah and Talmud) outline the laws and practices that provide a basis for the different kinds of Judaism, including Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform. Judaism
5. The World’s Oldest Monotheistic Faith Judaism is the oldest of the Abrahamic faiths and the smallest of the world’s major religions, with around 15 million adherents. The US and Israel have the largest Jewish populations, together accounting for about 75 percent of the worldwide total. Israel, the world’s only Jewish-majority state, has been in conflict with Palestinians and the Arab states that surround it for most of its history since its founding in 1948
6. Hebrew Scriptures The Hebrew scriptures (Tanakh) describe narratives (stories) including God’s covenant with Abraham and his descendants, the exodus from Egypt and revelation of God’s law under Moses, the construction of the First Temple in Jerusalem under King Solomon, and the reign of King David. The memory of political unity and the laws of the Torah sustained Jewish communities in other areas they fled to (diaspora) after the Roman destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE.
7. The Talmud: Jewish Law & Rabbinic Commentaries Rabbis debated and applied the law and its core values of peace and justice to evolving cultural, social, and political contexts; the most influential rabbinic commentaries were set down in the Talmud (ca. 200-500 CE). As a small minority in Christian Europe and the Islamic world, Jews suffered discrimination and periods of outright persecution, which reached a terrible climax in the Holocaust (1941-1945), which took six million Jewish lives.
8. Israel is founded as a parlimentary democracy Israel was founded in 1948 as a parliamentary democracy and the first Jewish state in almost two millennia(2000 years). Israel has since found itself in political, territorial, and military conflict with most of its Arab neighbors.
9. “A Light to the Nations” Jewish belief begins with the existence of a single God, unitary in nature and utterly distinct from humanity, who created and holds power over all things. It further asserts a special covenant between God and the Jewish people beginning with Abraham, in which Jews are called to be a “light to the nations.” Moses is considered the chief of all the Prophets, and his Torah—the first five books of the Hebrew scriptures—is believed to be God's revelation (“the word of God”) Michelangelo’s Moses
10. Theological Beliefs Specific theological beliefs vary widely within Judaism. As a rule, Jews believe in free will and divine reward and punishment, but the afterlife is a much less prominent theme than in Christianity and Islam. Practice is critical in order to have a relationship with God through obedience to the divine law, Belief in a coming messiah varies, ranging from the Orthodox expectation of a king from the House of David who will rule the Jewish people according to Jewish law to the Reformed Judaism which rejects of the idea of a messiah altogether. From Michelangelo’s God and the Creation of Adam
11. Christianity Christianity is a religious tradition based on the spiritual and ethical teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, whom Christians believe to be the Messiah, the Son of God, and God incarnate. As an Abrahamic faith, Christianity shares the Old Testament with Judaism, from which it split in the first century CE (When the Roman empire was at the height of its’ power). The New Testament is distinctly Christian, recounting the life of Jesus and the ministries of his apostles.
12. Scriptures: The Old & New Testament Interpretations of these scriptures differ between the tradition's three main branches: Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy & Protestantism. Christianity is the world's largest religion, with about 2.3 billion adherents. Christianity has played a major role in shaping Western civilization and continues to influence politics in diverse ways across the globe.
13. Jesus of Nazareth Christianity centers on the person of Jesus of Nazareth (ca. 4 BCE – 30 CE). The New Testament recounts his life and teachings, along with those of his early followers. Christianity began as a Jewish sect, and is indebted to Judaism’s ethical monotheism. For Christians, Jesus is the awaited Jewish messiah (the Christ) and the savior of all humanity. Salvation cannot be achieved by an individual's actions alone; it depends on God’s revelation and initiative. Jesus’ preaching and practice of peace and service to the disadvantaged have served as a model that has influenced subsequent Christian approaches to culture, society, and politics. The Bible is the book of Christian scripture, comprised of the Old Testament, which is shared with Judaism, and the New Testament, which is unique to Christianity.
14. According to the Gospels and the letters of the Apostle Paul, that model can be summed up in two commands: to love God with one's whole heart and soul, and to love one's neighbor as one's self. The main branches of Christianity—Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox—share this overall ethical orientation, while differing in their views of Jesus and his mission and of the Church and its role. Christian Message
15. The New Testament contains the late first century Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—the principal written sources about the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth; Acts, an account of the ministries of Jesus’ apostles; epistles attributed to the Apostle Paul and other leaders of early Christianity; and an apocalyptic prophecy in the Book of Revelation.. In addition to scripture, papal encyclicals and other papal pronouncements are also important in Roman Catholicism; this was one of the principal complaints of leaders of the Protestant Reformation, whose various successor denominations hold the Bible alone as the only source of sacred authority. The Books of the New Testament
16. Christian beliefs revolve around Jesus of Nazareth and his relationship with God and humanity. Those beliefs tend to vary widely around a central core. A basic Christian belief is that Jesus was God incarnate in human form, at once fully human and fully divine. He is the Son of God, the Messiah (or Christ) prophesied in the Jewish scriptures. The related doctrine of the Trinity, endorsed by most Christians, posits one God in three persons—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is the savior who suffered and died for humanity and, through his victory over death in the resurrection, assured his followers of eternal life. Christians believe that God is present and active in the world through the work of the Holy Spirit. Most anticipate divine judgment and the prospect of either heaven or hell for each soul, as well as the Second Coming of Jesus”, when humanity will undergo bodily resurrection from the dead and the Last Judgment. Christian Beliefs
17. Christians are called to embody the teachings of Jesus and spread the Gospel (“Good News”) of God’s love for humanity through their efforts. This may take a wide variety of forms, including evangelization and service to one’s community. Sacraments are important religious elements of life, mediating grace from God to the believer. Different denominations vary on what constitutes a sacrament, but the most widely held are baptism, through which individuals are welcomed into the Christian community, and the Eucharist, the sharing of bread and wine in memory of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Catholics, Orthodox Christians, and some Protestants believe that the Eucharist is truly the body and blood of Christ, while most Protestants believe it is symbolic. Other sacraments include the confession of sins for the sake of repentance and absolution and the anointing of the sick for those suffering from serious illness. Mass or other forms of weekly church worship generally occur on Sundays The Last Supper by Leonardo DaVinci Christian Practices
18. Islam Islam is a religious tradition stressing submission to God according to the revelations to the prophet Muhammad (570/571-632 CE), whom Muslims hold to be the last in a line of prophets including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. Muhammad's revelations are recorded in the Qur'an, the sacred scripture of Islam, and Muslims also consider hadith—reports of Muhammad's sayings and actions—to be authoritative guides for moral life.
19. Sunni and Shi’A Islam Divergent views on the proper leadership of the Muslim community (ummah) led to a split between Sunni and Shi'a Islam. With around 1.5 billion followers, Islam is the second largest religion in the world, predominating across the Middle East, North Africa, and many parts of Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Political Islam, often known as Islamism, is currently widespread in many Muslim-majority countries; most Islamist groups identify with the ideals of democracy, while a small minority support terrorism. Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey
20. The Prophet Muhammad Islam originated with the life and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (ca. 570-632 CE). A radically monotheistic faith that, like Judaism and Christianity, traces its origins back to Abraham, Islam spread rapidly across the Arabian Peninsula and into Asia, Africa, and Europe in the decades following Muhammad’s death. Islamic law is known as sharia and is based on the teachings of the Qur'an and the Sunnah (the sayings and actions of Muhammad).
21. The Majority practice Shi’ism The major division within Islam, between majority Sunni and the minority Shi'a, can be traced to the power struggles for leadership of the Muslim community (ummah) after Muhammad's death. The majority tradition in Iran and Iraq today, Shi'ism is characterized by more hierarchical clerical structures and traditionally weaker ties with the state.
22. The core beliefs of Islam are: 1) There is only one God—unitary and beyond comprehension—and that Muhammad is his prophet, Muhammad is the last in a series of prophets (starting with Adam and including Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus). 2) The Qur’an is upheld as the eternal, literal word of God, and revelations to earlier prophets, as portrayed in the Jewish and Christian scriptures, are believed to have been distorted by human intervention. 3) Muslims believe that the Qur’an was revealed to Muhammad through theangel Gabriel; angels as God’s servants are part of the Islamic tradition. 4) Belief in the “Day of Judgment,” when all people will undergo bodily resurrection and be judged by God, is another core tenet. While Sunni and Shi’a Muslims adhere to these basic beliefs, Shi’a also believe in the Imamate, the line of infallible spiritual and political leaders who succeeded Muhammad, beginning with his cousin and son-in-law, Ali. Islamic Beliefs
23. Islamic Practices Muslims live their faith by performing the Five Pillars of Islam. The shahada is the Muslim declaration of faith that proclaims the belief in the oneness of Allah and that Muhammad is his prophet. Salatis the performance of ritual prayers each day (usually five times for Sunnis and three times for Shi’a) facing toward Mecca. Zakat is paying an alms tax to benefit the poor. Sawm is the practice of fasting during the month of Ramadan, which is the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. Finally, hajj is the pilgrimage that every able adult Muslim should undertake to Mecca at least once in his or her life.
24. Islamic Scripture The primary scripture of Islam is the Qur’an, a book regarded by Muslims as the eternal, literal word of God as revealed to the prophet Muhammad over a 23-year period in the seventh century CE. The Qur'an sets out core Muslim beliefs about the oneness of God as well as moral and practical guidelines. The original Arabic, considered the final revelation by God to humanity, was fixed in writing shortly after the death of Muhammad in 623 CE. The Qu’ran contains 114 chapters (suras), all but one beginning with the bismillah: “In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful”.
25. The Sunnah The secondary source of scriptural authority is the Sunnah, the sayings and actions of Muhammad, compiled into collections knows as hadith in the centuries following his death. The Qur’an and the Sunnah are the source of the divine law (sharia), which outlines rights owed to God and to others, including norms for family life (marriage, divorce, inheritance), commerce, finance, and war and peace.
26. Take Aways: All religions are valid ways to describe God. Each, in its beliefs and practices, is describing the same thing. Yet each describes the same thing in a radically different way.