 | Term | Definition |
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Mesopotamia |
an ancient region of southwest Asia between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in modern-day Iraq |
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Sumerians |
of or relating to ancient Sumer or its people, language, or culture |
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Cuneiform |
writing typified by the use of characters formed by the arrangement of small wedge-shaped elements |
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Hammurabi’s Code |
a comprehensive set of laws, considered by many scholars to be the oldest established, that were handed down four thousand years ago by King Hammurabi of Babylon |
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Persian Empire |
A vast empire of southwest Asia founded by Cyrus II |
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Zoroastrianism |
an Iranian religion, the principal beliefs are a cosmic struggle between a spirit of good and a spirit of evil |
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Phoenicians |
A native or inhabitant of ancient Phoenicia. |
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Egypt |
an ancient kingdom in NE Africa: divided into the Nile Delta and the area from Cairo S to the Sudan. |
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Monotheism |
the doctrine of or belief in one god |
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Yahweh |
the name of the God of the Jews or the people of Israel, as preserved in the original consonantal Hebrew Bible text |
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Abraham |
three world religions honor Abraham as their ancient patriarch and a model of faith in one God |
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Covenant |
an agreement between God and his people in which God makes certain promises and requires certain behavior from them in return |
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Moses |
the Hebrew prophet who led the Israelites from Egypt across the Red sea on a journey known as the Exodus |
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Torah |
the scroll of parchment on which the first five books of the Hebrew Scripture is written |
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The Western Wall |
a place of prayer which is sacred to Jewish people, located in Jerusalem |
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Babylonian Captivity |
the period of the exile of the Jews in Babylonia, 597–538 b.c. |
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Synagogue |
(Judaism) the place of worship for a Jewish congregation |
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Diaspora |
the body of Jews (or Jewish communities) outside Palestine or modern Israel |
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Prophet |
a person who others believe speaks or writes without a divine message |
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Rabbi |
a Hebrew title of respect for a Jewish scholar or teacher |
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Talmud |
the collection of ancient rabbinic writings on Jewish law and tradition (the Mishna and the Gemara) that constitute the basis of religious authority in Orthodox Judaism |
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Apocalyptic Thought |
View based on the idea that important matters are hidden in nature and will be revealed in a huge confrontation that will change history. It can be religious, positive, negative. |
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Messiah |
a person who could come and cure all |
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Sadducees |
sect of Jews in Judea consisting of priests and wealthy business people; conservatives |
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Pharisees |
sect of Jews from Judea consisting of citizens of all classes; liberal and sought to study the applications of Torah to everyday life |
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Essenes |
Religious group which believed the temple of worship was impure |
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Zealots |
Jews that rose up in armed rebellion against Rome in 66ce; unsuccessful, and Jewish Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed |
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Jesus of Nazareth |
a teacher and prophet born in bethlehem and active in nazareth; his life and sermons form the basis for christianity |
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Baptism |
a Christian sacrament signifying spiritual cleansing and rebirth. the dunking in the water represent death, and being pulled out of the water represents life. |
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Apostles |
A passionate adherent; a strong supporter. |
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Paul of Tarsus |
hichly educated Jewish Roman citizen and founded Christian commmunities throughout Asia Minor |
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Peter |
Apostle that stated Jesus was the messiah but did not understand what a messiah was |
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Martyr |
one who voluntarily suffers death as the penalty for refusing to renounce their religion |
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New Testament |
the second part of the bible; it tells you about the life and teachings of Jesus and about his followers |
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Clergy |
A body of officials who perform religious services, such as priests, ministers or rabbis. |
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Bishop |
a high-ranking member of the church (usually Catholic or Anglican) |
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Archbishop |
a bishop of highest rank |
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Dogma |
a doctrine or code of beliefs accepted as authoritative |
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Heresy |
a belief that rejects the orthodox tenets of a religion |
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Trinity |
the union of the Father and Son and Holy Ghost in one Godhead |
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Augustine of Hippo |
One of the great Fathers of the early Christian church, St. Augustine emphasized man’s need for grace. |
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Muslim |
a believer or follower of Islam |
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Allah |
Muslim name for the one and only God |
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Arabs |
settled along the coast of East Africa, recently many settled in West Africa |
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Bedouins |
Nomadic herders who used camels to cross the desert; Raids for grazing land frequent warfare |
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Muhammad |
the Arab prophet who founded Islam (570-632) |
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Mecca |
an Arabian trading center & Muhammad’s birthplace |
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Medina |
City in western Arabia to which the Prophet Muhammad and his followers emigrated in 622 to escape persecution in Mecca. (p. 231) |
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Hijra |
The Migration of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in A.D. 622, marking the founding of Islam |
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Kaaba |
ancient shrine that Muslims today believe was built by the prophet Abraham in Mecca |
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Umma |
community of faithful in Islam |
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Quran |
the sacred writings of Islam revealed by God to the prophet Muhammad during his life at Mecca and Medina |
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Surah |
core teachings of Islam, chapter of Muslim's holy book |
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Mosque |
the Islamic building for collective worship |
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Jihad |
a holy struggle or striving by a Muslim for a moral or spiritual or political goal |
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Sharia |
immense body of law interpreting the Quran and applying it’s teachings to daily life regulates moral conduct, family life, business affairs, government, and other aspects of m Muslim community; |
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Ulama |
the influential leaders in traditional Muslim society, including spiritual leaders, immars, teachers, state scribes, market inspectors, and judges |
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Sunna |
A traditional Islamic law observed by orthodox Muslims and based on the teaching of Muhammad |
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Hadith |
accounts of Muhammads words or actions that are accepted as having authority for Muslims |
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Six Pillars of Faith |
Belief in one God, belief in angels, belief in divine books, belief in the last judgment, belief in Divine destiny. |
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Five Pillars of Practice |
Shahada(statemnet of faith), Salat(five prayers a day), Zakat(charity), Sawn(fasting during Ramadan), Hajj(pilgramage to Mecca) |
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Abu Bakr |
Sunnis: 1st Caliph (majority). Shi'ahs: traitor. |
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Caliphate |
the rulership of Islam, the spiritual head and temporal ruler of the Islamic state. |
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Sunni |
a follower of the majority branch of Islam, which feels that successors to Muhammad are to be chosen by the Muslim community |
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Shiite |
A group of Islamic religion that believes that its religious leader should be chosen based on heredity. |
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Sufis |
mystical Muslim group that believed they could draw closer to God through prayer, fasting, & simple life |
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Umayyad |
member of the Sunni dynasty of caliphs that ruled a Muslim empire from 661 to 750 |
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Abbasid |
The dynasty that came after the Umayyads. Devoted their energy to trade, scholorship, and the arts. |
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Seljuk |
any one of the Turkish dynasties that ruled Asia Minor from the 11th to the 13th centuries |
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Ottoman Empire |
a Muslim empire that lasted from the early 1400s until after WWI |
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Suleiman the Magnificent |
Leader of the Ottoman Turks |
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Janissaries |
Christian boys taken from families, converted to Islam, and then rigorously trained to serve the sultan |
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Safavid Empire |
Iranian kingdom (1502-1722) established by Ismail Safavi, who declared Iran a Shi'ite state. |
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Shah |
title for the former hereditary monarch of Iran |
| |
Shah Abbas |
Created the Safavid culture and led it into the golden age |
| Add or remove terms from this set |
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