This includes many of the wellknown faiths including christianity, judaism, and islam. Ap world history comparing and contrasting the five major. Meivazhi is a syncretic monotheistic minority religion based in tamil nadu, india. Hinduism is a compilation of many traditions and philosophies and is considered by many scholars to be the worlds oldest religion, dating back more than 4,000 years. Certain elements of islamic belief, such as its radical monotheism and. Moreover, its doctrines are less fixed and more flexible. The book is divided into three parts, the first of which forms an. Can monotheism be taught further considerations on the. Monotheistic religions their similarities and differences. Derived from the greek mono single and theos god, the term monotheism refers to the religious experience and the philosophical perception that emphasize god as one, perfect, immutable, creator of the world from nothing, distinct from the world, allpowerfully involved in the world, personal, and worthy of being worshiped by all creatures. It should be noted at the outset, however, that this is chiefly a western difficulty. Is christianity mutually exclusive of islam, hinduism, and. They are referred to as abrahamic religions because all three trace their origins to a common prophet, abraham.
Jan 08, 2009 judaism and islam have traditionally attempted to interpret scripture as exclusively monotheistic whilst christianity diverted to a more complex form of monotheism, as a result of considering the holy spirit to be god, and attributing divinity to jesus, a judean jew, in the first century ad, defining him as the son of god. However, its language is very archaic sanskrit and most people cant make sense of it, to be honest. Shiva, vishnu, and brahma judaism, islam, and, christianity are all abrahamic religions which make them similar in stories and philosophies. Exploring sikhisms cultural and thematic connections to hinduism and islam. Muhammadanism, muslimism, islam, islamism the monotheistic religious system of muslims founded in arabia in the 7th century and based on the teachings of. The intricate question of the relation of hindu and islamic mystical. Continuitysikhism connections to hinduism and islam. Different traditions of hinduism have different theistic views, and these views have been described by scholars as polytheism, monotheism, henotheism, panentheism, pantheism, monism, agnostic, humanism, atheism or nontheism. Those who follow a monotheistic religion believe in the existence of a single god. In the major religion of hinduism, syncretism is very apparent. Islam and paganism, was expanded with five new religions, one of them the. The god of monotheism, as exemplified by the great monotheistic religionsjudaism, christianity, and islamis a personal god. Hinduism has given much freedom to people in worship. Kabir, guru nanak, dadu, and other founders of syncretic sects are included in the first.
To get a better idea about hinduism, read some good translations of bhagavad gita. Cultural diversity, religious syncretism and people of india. Religious syncretism and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. Living in permanent contact with hinduism and islam, he was neither.
Hinduism is frequently described as a polytheistic religion due to the vast array of gods and deities, often based on needs or regions, and worship that almost always focuses on sculptures and images. The first great hindi mystic poet was kabir, who was said to be the child of a muslim and was strongly influenced by islam, particularly by sufism. As all religion, sikhism has its own sacred book called adi granth. Sikhism shares similarities between hinduism, islam, judaism and christianity, but not because of some sort of dependency on their religious texts or thought, but because of the universal oneness of the divine god. In hinduism human diversity is expressed by this vast pantheon of deities. The muslims in calimantan, for example, still perform many animist rituals. Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the fifteenth century in the punjab region, by guru nanak dev. Shinto by definition cannot be consider as a religion in a a way, and is syncretic. It has more in common with traditions regarded but as pagan and polytheistic. The great hindu god shiva, who gained prominence later, may also relate to a figure present. From hindu human rights there has been a considerable debate extending from recent centuries to current interfaith dialogues as to whether hinduism is a monotheistic religion, and if so whether hinduism can perhaps be included among the great monotheistic traditions of the world. Different traditions of hinduism have different theistic views, and these views have been described by scholars as polytheism, monotheism, henotheism, panentheism, pantheism, monism, agnostic, humanism, atheism or nontheism monotheism is the belief in a single creator god and the lack of belief in any other creator. Have students brainstorm with a partner and then generate a possible list with the class. And further sikhism, a relatively modern religion often perceived as a syncretic religion and shinto, a.
This is the book most read as the holy book of our religion. As the gita says the one who seems me everywhere and everything in me is wise. Many say it is polytheistic while some say it is really monotheistic. Islam is a monotheistic, abrahamic religion founded during the seventh century. Let us learn more about the various religions across the world which are based on this system of thought. Hinduism in my view is a pretty broad spectrum of beliefs from ancient to more recent developements and there are some elements in hinduism that are very close to monotheism such as the bhakti parts of the bhagavad gita and what is called dualism or dvaita. Monotheism is the message that all of the prophets came with. Many groupssikhs, lowcaste people, those who followed syncretic. Sikhism is a type of religion that had its origins in india and developed between the doctrines and teachings of hinduism and islam. In modernised indonesian hinduism, there is no discussion of mediumship, spiritual healing, or sakti as an independent female power.
Hinduism mostly shares common terms with the dharmic religions, including buddhism, jainism, and sikhism the followers of which are considered to be kafirs by muslims due to. Islam is a monotheistic religion in which the deity is allah arabic. Zoroastrianisms influence on judaism, christianity, islam. The book tells the lineage of the prophets of islam. Religious syncretism entails the integration of two religious beliefs into new system. Below is a detailed explanation of monotheism in islam. To call hinduism monotheistic or to try to scale it down into the perimeters of western monotheistic religions is misleading and erroneous.
Jul 09, 2009 hinduism in my view is a pretty broad spectrum of beliefs from ancient to more recent developements and there are some elements in hinduism that are very close to monotheism such as the bhakti parts of the bhagavad gita and what is called dualism or dvaita. The guru granth sahib, which is considered the spiritual book the 11th and final. Monotheistic and polytheistic religions flashcards quizlet. To equate it to whole of dharma would be incorrect and an argument that should be defeated. The interaction of islam and hinduism columbia university.
The hindu universe even though hinduism is mistakenly regarded by many as a religion having many gods namely, polytheism, yet truly speaking hinduism is a monotheistic religion. Similar views of life buddhism according to communication between cultures by larry a. One big set of questions i get especially once we start discussing the reformation is about the similarities and differences between the major monotheistic, or religions. Combining two religions to create a new religion is known as syncretism. An adherent of islam is known as a muslim, meaning one who submits to god. Satpanth is considered as syncretism of ismaili islam and hinduism. Does anyone know of a monotheistic religion with a. Buddhism and hinduism monotheistic interfaith dialogue. Mcdaniel, buddhism was originated in indian by the prince named siddharth guatama in about 563 b. Zoroastrianism is a founding belief system acknowledged to have heavily influenced both abrahamic judaism, christianity, islam and dharmic hinduism, buddhism, jainism. This paper will explain how sikhism originated, its doctrines and practices and how it has grown.
Remind them of the map of the old city of jerusalem that they discussed on the first day of the unit. Hinduism insists on less obedience to texts than the monotheistic script religions do. Hindumuslim syncretism in india has deep cultural roots which has survived political and social upheaval,s. Its focus is spiritual enlightenment and the conquering of death, through the teachings. The book was originated in some syncretistic hinduparsimuslim milieu of the mughal india of xvii century, still imbued with the spirit that led. Islam is a monotheistic religion originating with the teachings of muhammad 570632, an arab religious and political figure.
Monotheism is the belief in a single creator god and the lack of belief in any other creator. In this respect, the one god of monotheism is contrasted with the conception in some nonmonotheistic religions of an impersonal divinity or divine unity that permeates the whole world. The concept of ethical monotheism, which holds that morality stems from god alone and that its laws are unchanging, first occurred in judaism, but is now a core tenet of most modern monotheistic religions, including zoroastrianism, christianity, islam, sikhism, and baha. He just takes on many different forms the 3 main forms are.
There is no such thing as a pure islam syncretism is often associated with negative connotations. Syncretism and the zoroastrian influence on judaism published 4. Judaism, christianity and islam are the three major monotheistic religions, all originated in what is known today as the arab world. Apr 11, 2007 zoroastrianism is a founding belief system acknowledged to have heavily influenced both abrahamic judaism, christianity, islam and dharmic hinduism, buddhism, jainism and sikhism religions. Islam is a monotheistic religion in which the deity is allah, the last prophet being muhammad, whom muslims believe delivered the islamic scripture, the quran. By contrast, in the dualisticmonotheistic religions there is no we, but only i. Syncretism involves the merger and analogizing of several originally discrete traditions, especially in the theology and mythology of religion, thus asserting an underlying unity and allowing for an inclusive approach to other faiths.
However there are many who define hinduism as monotheistic because of. The five major world religions that i will be focusing on in this paper as it directly relates to religious syncretism are hinduism, buddhism, christianity, judaism and islam. Relationship between religions in indonesia persee. A narrower definition of monotheism is the belief in the existence of only one god that created the world, is allpowerful and intervenes in the world a distinction may be made between exclusive monotheism, and both inclusive monotheism and pluriform panentheistic monotheism which, while recognising various distinct gods, postulate some underlying unity. Difference between oral religions and religions of the. The cultural impact of all five should be fairly similar, and the others should be in your shared folder in all of the brochures. Hinduism is a monotheistic religion with polytheistic sects. Aug 12, 2018 those who follow a monotheistic religion believe in the existence of a single god. Hinduism says god has as many forms as there are trees, animals, etc. Difference between oral religions and religions of the book.
Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. It played an important role in helping hinduism to face the challenges posed by the monotheistic islam, with its emphasis on a personal relationship between man and one god, through prayers, surrender, cultivation of virtues, performance of good deeds and obedience to his law. There have been instances of syncretic cooperation on music on islamic and hindu theme. When a person embraces islam or a muslim wants to renew or confirm his or her faith, they profess their belief that there is no god worthy of worship but allah and that muhammad is his final messenger. Continuitysikhism connections to hinduism and islam video. Monotheism and polytheism are often thought of in rather simple termse. Syncretism project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Hinduism is a way of life of the hindu people of india, their diaspora, and some other regions which had hindu influence in the ancient and medieval times.
The final monotheistic religion well discuss in this lesson is islam, which is the second largest religion in the world. Religious syncretism, the fusion of diverse religious beliefs and practices. Syncretism is the combining of different, often seemingly contradictory beliefs, while melding practices of various schools of thought. Monotheism literally means the belief in only one god. It is a doctrine that believes in one god and in the teachings of his gurus which are kept in his sacred book. In contrast, some believe in multiple gods and these are known as polytheistic religions. Hinduism is a religion that defies definite classification, and in practice, it has both monotheistic and polytheistic components. Syncretism and the zoroastrian influence on judaism. Monotheism is one of the beliefs within the framework of dharma. Buddhism, hinduism, christianity, islam, and judaism.
Instances of religious syncretismas, for example, gnosticism a religious dualistic system that incorporated elements from the oriental mystery religions, judaism, christianity, and greek religious philosophical conceptswere particularly prevalent during the hellenistic period c. The rise of fundamentalism in recent years in india has obliterated the deep rooted syncretism in indian culture. There is debate as to whether zoroastrianism is a monotheistic or dualistic religion. Hinduism and islam, a comparison of beliefs and practices. Dec 01, 2011 many say it is polytheistic while some say it is really monotheistic. But the phenomenon simply means that an older culture or religion overlaps with a newer one. Judaism is the oldest of the monotheistic religions. With over a billion adherents, many claim that the religion is monotheistic and helmed by the supreme being, brahma. Hinduism incorporates diverse views on the concept of god. Monotheistic islam and pluralistic islamic traditions of india in n. People generally avoid claims of modern revelation, for in indonesian islam it ended after muhammad, the seal of the prophets. India, the country of origin of both hinduism and buddhism, until that time the.
Monotheism characterizes the traditions of judaism, christianity, and islam, and elements of the belief are discernible in numerous other religions. Then prophet muhammad, may god praise him, came as the final messenger and restored true monotheism to humanity. Religious syncretism exhibits blending of two or more religious belief systems into a new system, or the incorporation into a religious tradition of beliefs from unrelated traditions. It is contrasted by the idea of multiple religious belonging and polytheism, respectively this can occur for many reasons, and the latter scenario happens quite commonly in areas where multiple religious. The word islam means submission, or the total surrender of oneself to god. Syncretism also exists in other parts of the country. The attached except from a book edited by jacob olupona mentions some. Sikhism what is, history, founder, characteristics, beliefs. In preislamic tradition, allah had a female partner, allat, but in a polytheistic. There are numerous syncretic shrines across the country which even today continue to attract people of both faiths. Monotheistic religion synonyms, monotheistic religion pronunciation, monotheistic religion translation, english dictionary definition of monotheistic religion. Ap world history comparing and contrasting the five. Aug 14, 20 syncretism and the zoroastrian influence on judaism published 4. Religious syncretism exhibits blending of two or more religious belief systems into a new.
Judaism and islam have traditionally attempted to interpret scripture as exclusively monotheistic whilst christianity diverted to a more complex form of monotheism, as a result of considering the holy spirit to be god, and attributing divinity to jesus, a judean jew, in the first century ad, defining him as the son of god. Many of its rituals are oral and take different forms in different ethnic groups. Monotheism definition of monotheism by the free dictionary. Zoroastrians consider it monotheistic because ahura mazda is specified as the only and supreme god. His poems challenge the canonical dogmas of both hinduism and islam, praising rama and promising salvation by the chanting of the holy name of rama. In comparing trinity and trimurti, religious scholar, anuradha veeravali indian philosophies, encyclopedia of religion draws parallels between brahma and god, vishnu and the holy spirit, and shiva and jesus, but persists in the common idea that christianity is a. Unlike polytheism, which believes that there is more than one god, or atheism, which does not believe in any sort of supernatural power, monotheism holds the belief that there is only one true god. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. What are the differences between sikhism and islam answers. We are not seeking a syncretism in which each religion. The religion of islam is based on one core belief, that there is no god worthy of worship but allah. Sri swami chidanda taking all of the above into consideration, our fast facts on hinduism page classifies hinduism as pantheism with polytheistic elements. In fact, all of creation and everything in it is a part of god, so it seems to be polytheistic. Himalayas is mainly inhabited by buddhists, and by hindu and muslim communities which.