COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS: JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY, AND ISLAM

RELIGION JUDAISM CHRISTIANITY ISLAM

Ancient Monotheistic Religion that trades its Considered the world’s largest religion. Based Began with the Arabian desert people around
origin during Bronze Age in West Asia. The on the teaching of Jesus Christ who is early seventh century C.E. Native religion
Description
religion of the Jewish people “People of the considered son of God and the Messiah or practiced by the Arabs. “submit” or “surrender to
Book” Savior God”
Founder/Primary Prophet Abraham/Moses Jesus Christ Muhammad
Name of God Yahweh & Elohim God, The Trinity Allah
Followers Jew Christians Muslims
Number of Followers 14 million (ranks 12th) 2 billion (ranks 1st) 1.3 billion (ranks 2nd)
Five Books of the Hebrew Bible/Moses
“Pentateuch” Palestine 100 CE – the land promised to them
3 Notable Founding Figures: Abraham, Isaac, by God Pre-islamic people worshipped a variety of
Historical Background
and Jacob Offshoot of Judaism Gods.
Moses received the 10 commandments at Judea – Home of Christianity
Mount Sinai
Pope, bishop, pastor, ministers, priest nuns,
Clergy called Rabbis Imams
deacons
House of Worship Synagogue or Temple Church, chapel, cathedral Mosque
Day of Worship Saturday Sunday Friday
Holy Places Canaan/Israel Jerusalem/Vatican Mecca
Original Language Hebrew Aramaic or Greek Arabic
Sacred Scriptures “People of the Book” Hebrew Bible (Tanakh or
Mikra) Bible
3 parts: Torah (Teaching), Nevi’im (Prophets) 2 parts: Old Testaments (Hebrew Bible) and Qur’an and Hadith
and Ketuvim (Writings) New Testaments
Talmud (Oral Torah)
Beliefs and Doctrines Five Pillars of Islam (Arkan al-din)
10 Commandments (Decalogue)
Action are more significant than beliefs. Creed (Shahada)
7 Sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy
Practiced of one god, focuses on the worship of Obligatory Prayer (Salat)
Communion, Confession, Matrimony, Holy
one god, the practice of good deeds, loved of Poor Tax (Zakat)
Orders, and Annointing of the Sick
learning Fasting (Sawm)
8 Beatitudes
13 Articles of Faith Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj)
Apostles’ Creed
Ten Commandments Islamic Religious laws cover the daily life of
Story of Creation & Big Bang Theory
Muslims
Worship and Observances Sabbath Advent Islamic Calendar (12 lunar calendar/29 & 30
The Days of Awe (Tishri) Lent days) Dhu al-Hijja
Pilgrimage Festivals: Pesach (Barley), Shavout Pentecost Ramadan
(Wheat) and Sukkot (Autumn) Id al-Adha or Feast of Sacrifice
 Islamic Law (Shari’a Law)
Islamic Jurisprudence
Subdivisions Conservative Judaism
Orthodox Judaism Roman Catholic Church Sunni Muslims (Sunni)
Reform Judaism Greek Orthodox Church Shi’a Muslims (Shi’ites)
Hasidic Judaism (Hasidism) Protestantism Sufi
Kabbalah
Selected Issues Women in Judaism Women in Christians
Women in Islam
Jewish Diaspora Ecunemism
Holy War (Jihad)
Zionist Movement Sexuality
Militancy & Terrorism
Holocaust Family and Divorce
Migration
Anti-Semitism Capital Punishment and Euthanasia
Major Locations Today Europe, Israel, North America Europe, North and South America Africa, Middle East, & Southeast Asia
Symbols

Cross and Fish (Ichtys/Ichthus) Crescent Moon and Star

Hexagram or Star of David
Divine Revelation
Through prophets and Jesus as recorded in the Through God’s final prophet Muhammad
How do we know about Through prophets recorded in the Hebrew Bible
Old and New Testament recorded in the Qur’an
God?
Means of Salvation Correct belief, good deeds; by faith accept Belief in one God; good deeds and follow Five
Belief in one God; good deeds
Christ as Savior (Protestants) Pillars of Faith
Afterlife Eternal heaven and eternal hell, no afterlife Eternal heaven and eternal hell Eternal paradise (heaven), and eternal hell

ABRAHAMIC RELIGION FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM

 Judaism  Creed (Shahada)
 Christianity  Obligatory Prayer (Salat)
 Islam  Poor Tax (Zakat)
 Fasting (Sawm)
 Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj)
SEVEN SACRAMENTS FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES/HEBREW BIBLE
 Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Communion, Confession, Matrimony, Holy  Genesis, Leviticus, Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy
Orders, and Annointing of the Sick
 COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF DHARMIC RELIGIONS: HINDUISM, THERAVADA & MAHAYANA BUDDHISM
BUDDHISM
Buddhism is one of the most practical among the world’s great religions because its belief system
RELIGION HINDUISM intends to meet basic human needs and solve humankind’s spiritual problem without depending on
supernatural forces (Brown 1975). The two main divisions of the religion are Mahayana Buddhism
and Theravada Buddhism.
THERAVADA MAHAYANA
The world’s third largest religion with around
Description 15% of the entire population practicing the Buddhism is the religion of around 500 million people or about 7% to 8% of the world’s population.
Hindu faith.
Founder/Primary Prophet No specific founder Siddhartha Gautama Buddha
Name of God/s Brahma/n, Vishnu and Shiva
Followers Hindu Theravada Buddhists Mahayana Buddhists
Meanwhile, Theravada Buddhism, with 150 With around 360 million followers, Mahayana
Number of Followers 900 million million adherents, is followed in Myanmar, Buddhism is practiced in China, Japan, and
Thailand, and Sri Lanka. Mongolia.
Hinduism is oftentimes considered as the oldest Buddhism has been in existence for over 2,500
and most complex of all world religions. years and has never experienced any drastic or
Mahayana Buddhism has diverged into
The term Hindu originated from the Persian radical schisms in its evolution (Toula-Breysse
numerous schools with each developing its own
word hindu (in Sanskrit sindhu) which means 2001). A major branch of the religion,
canon and rituals since its founding more than
“river.” It also refers to the people of the Indus Theravada Buddhism (“school of elder monks”
Historical Background two thousand years ago. Also known as the
Valley— the Indians (Bowker 1997). The name or “school of the ancients”) or the “Southern
“Great Vehicle,” Mahayana Buddhism emerged
Hinduism was given in the nineteenth century to School of Buddhism” draws on the collected
out of monastic rule and doctrinal differences
describe the wide array of belief systems in teachings of the oldest recorded texts of
within the original form of Buddhism.
India. Hinduism was originally known as “Arya Buddhist texts to become its central precept, the
Dharma” or the “Aryan Way.” Pali Canon.
Clergy called Guru
House of Worship Temple/Mandira Temple/Pagoda Temple/Centers
Day of Worship Required Daily Observances: Hindu is expected
to pray three times daily.
Required Weekly Observances: Hindus are
expected to come together regularly to worship.
Holy Places Varanasi on the Ganges River Lumbini, Nepal, and Bodhgaya, India
Original Language Vedic Sanskrit/Sankrit Pali Language/Pali Canon
Sacred Scriptures The sacred writings of the Hindus are
categorized into two classes, the SHRUTI and The early schools of Buddhism developed their own unique body of sacred texts. Of these,
SMRITI. however, only the Pali Canon or the Tipitaka/Tripitaka (“three baskets”) of Theravada Buddhism
Shruti, “what was heard (from the Gods).” survives (Coogan 2005).
VEDAS The Four Vedas: Rig-veda, Sama-veda,
 Yajur-veda, and Atharva-veda. The Lotus Sutra contains the most definitive teachings of the Buddha.
Brahmanas and Upanishads
Smriti, “what was remembered.” One of the most popular and prominent Mahayana Buddhist texts (or sutra) is the Lotus Sutra, or
The Epics: Ramayana and Mahabharata the Saddharmapundarika-sutra that literally means "correct dharma white lotus sutra" or “Sutra of
Puranas, Sutras, Laws of Manu the Lotus of the Wonderful Law” in Sanskrit.
The concept of trikaya (“three bodies”) pertains
to the teaching of Mahayana Buddhism about
His teachings are focused primarily on ethics
the nature of the Buddha and reality. Mahayana
and self-understanding as people work for their
Buddhism which states that each Buddha has
salvation on their own without needing the
Devotion to the Trimurti three bodies, namely, dharmakaya,
assistance of any supreme being (Hopfe 1983).
Beliefs and Doctrines Action (Karma), Reincarnation (Samsara), sambhogakaya, and nirmanakaya.
The Four Noble Truths
Moksha (Nirvana), Yoga, Atman (Soul) Bodhisattvas - One distinct feature of Mahayana
Noble Eightfold Path
Buddhism concerns its teaching about an
Law of Dependent Origination
enlightened being or bodhisattva (“enlightened
Impermanence of Things
existence”) which is the ultimate way for any
Buddhist to live in this world.
In Buddhism, stupas are commemorative In Buddhist temples, they pray and chant to pay
monuments that contain sacred relics their respect to the Buddhas and bodhisattvas,
associated with Siddhartha himself, and the such as Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri, and
The Diwali or “Festival of Lights” is India’s
venerable monks and nuns. Amitabha.
Worship and Observances biggest and most important holiday of the year
The Sangha - The Pali word sangha literally Worshippers also recite chants and undertake
held in October or November.
means “sharer” that refer to monks who share in pilgrimages to sites of Buddhist importance.
the general fund of alms provided by a Meditational activities are fundamental in almost
community. all popular forms of Buddhism.
The more philosophical side of Indian
Mahayana Buddhism was developed within the
The subdivisions of Theravada that existed context of the two major schools, namely, the
during the early history of Sri Lanka can be Madhyamika and the Yogachara (Adams 1965).
Subdivisions Shaivism, Shaktism, Vaishavism, and Smartism
traced from the three monasteries of The Pure Land Sect & The Rationalist Sect
Mahavihara, Abhayagiri vihara, and Jetavana. The Socio-political Sect
Tibetan Buddhism
Zen Buddhism
Selected Issues Hinduism and Women - the Manusmriti or the War and Violence - In Buddhism, war is evil or Tibet Invasion - For centuries, both China and
“Laws of Manu” states that women should be akusala and some scholars state that it has no India have been claiming Tibet as part of their
honored in Hindu society, women have always rationalization in Siddhartha’s teachings. territories. Tibet practically enjoyed some
been considered inferior to men in almost all Women in Buddhism - Historically speaking, degree of independence as none of the
aspects of life. Siddhartha allowed women to participate in the claimants pressed their claim.
Caste System - is one major distinguishing sangha although there were some stipulations. Engaged Activism - Ritual suicides led by
feature of Indian culture that still affects modern- Siddhartha’s outlook is very different when one Buddhist monks have transpired in the twentieth
day society. A system of social class composed considers the status of women in ancient India century as a form of protest to governmental
of the Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and as being viewed as inferior to men. actions.
 Shudras, opportunities are based upon family
origin.
Other Asian countries with considerable Hindu
faithfuls include Nepal (23 million), Bangladesh Buddhist followers are mostly found in the Asian continent, with China having the largest population
(15 million), and Indonesia (3.9 million in Bali). at around 244 million or 18% of its total population. Asian countries that have the highest Buddhist
Major Locations Today
There are also substantial number of Hindus in majority in terms of population include Cambodia (97%), Thailand (93%), Myanmar (80%), Bhutan
Mauritius, Guyana, Fiji, Bhutan, Trinidad and (75%), Sri Lanka (69%), and Laos (66%).
Tobago, Suriname, and Sri Lanka.

Symbols
“Om” or “Aum”
Sacred syllables of Hindu Religion. It means
meditation. It usually use as a chant in a yoga
practices.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF DAOIC RELIGIONS: CONFUCIANISM, SHINTOISM, AND TAOISM

 RELIGION CONFUCIANISM SHINTOISM TAOISM
Description
Founder/Primary Prophet
Name of God/s
Followers
Number of Followers
Historical Background
Clergy called
House of Worship
Day of Worship
Holy Places
Original Language
Sacred Scriptures
Beliefs and Doctrines
Worship and Observances
Subdivisions
Selected Issues
Major Locations Today
Symbols