Abraham lived around 2000BC Abraham’s name means father of many Abraham believed in one God Abraham’s two sons were Ishmael and Isaac God tells Abraham to sacrifice his son Jews and Christians believe the son Abraham was to sacrifice was Isaac Muslims believe the son Abraham was to sacrifice was Ishmael Isaac is regarded as… Read More Knowledge list
c2000BC Abraham lived; Isaac and Ishmael are born c1300BC Moses leads the Exodus from Egypt c1260BC The Israelites enter the Promised Land 957BC Solomon’s temple built in Jerusalem 586BC Babylonians destroy the temple in Jerusalem 63BC Roman conquest of Jerusalem 38BC Rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem 4BC Birth of Jesus c33AD Execution of Jesus… Read More Timeline of Western Religion
Many ancient societies in what we now call the Middle East were polytheistic, meaning they believed in many gods. These many gods were closely linked to particular aspects of life, for example, the weather. In Egypt, rituals were developed to help guarantee the flooding of the River Nile; essential for crops to grow so the… Read More Abraham: The father of many
After Abraham, the story continues with a focus on Isaac’s youngest son, Jacob. Jacob was also given the name Israel. This name means ‘he who strives with God’. This was because of a story in which Jacob wrestled all night with an angel of God. Jacob had 12 sons. The second youngest was Joseph, who… Read More Moses, the Exodus and the 10 Commandments
Some 300 hundred years after the Exodus from Egypt, the Israelites (the nation of Israel) decided that they wanted to be ruled by a King. The first of these was King Saul. Later on the throne was seized by a shepherd boy who had risen through society – David. In King David, Israel had its… Read More Israel: kingdom and conquests
After a brief period of Jewish self-rule, the Romans arrived as conquerors in 63BC. Unlike previous conquering powers, the Romans were generally tolerant and respectful of Jewish traditions and beliefs. They even assisted with the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem from 38BC. Though some Jews resisted the Roman occupation, many accepted the new reality… Read More The Romans, the Jews, and Jesus
In the centuries after Jesus, Christianity grew rapidly. Christians continued to be persecuted from the outside and was a community struggling to agree on the inside. One of the major disagreements entered on exactly who Jesus was – God or human? However, a major change occurred in AD312. The Roman Emperor Constantine 1 was locked… Read More The establishment of Christianity
To understand the origins of Islam, it is worth going all the way back to Abraham (Ibrahim in Arabic) and his two sons, Ishmael (Ismail) and Isaac (Ishaq). Abraham was not a Jew nor yet a Christian; but he was true in Faith, and bowed his will to God’s (Which is Islam). (sura 3:67) Both… Read More Muhammad and the rise of Islam
Following the death of Muhammad, Islam spread quickly through the Middle East and North Africa and into southern Europe. It wasn’t long before Jerusalem came under Islamic control through armies led by Omar. Omar was one of Muhammad’s converts and closest friends. As the leader of the Muslims he had the title of Commander of… Read More Jerusalem and the Crusades
The East-West Schism The Council of Nicaea in 425 debated the nature of God the Son. Who exactly was Jesus in relation to God the Father? (see previous post for more details) The Nicene Creed gave an answer to this question, but the debate did not end there. Over the coming centuries, the debates grew. One… Read More Schism and division: the East-West Schism and the Reformation
As with Christianity and other religions, Islam is divided into different. The main two groups are Sunni Muslims and Shia Muslims. Even these groups are sub-divided and there are other smaller groups such as Sufi Muslims and Ahmadiyya Muslims. Sunni Muslims make up about 85% of the world’s Muslims. Shia Muslims are mostly found in Iran… Read More Schism and division: Sunni and Shia Islam
The State of Israel Ever since the Jewish diaspora after the destruction of the temple in AD70, many Jews have wanted to return to Israel. This longing for home has been an important part of Jewish identity since the time of Moses and the Exodus. Throughout the Middle Ages, Jews were persecuted and threatened. This meant… Read More The 20th century: the state of Israel and the Iranian revolution
Haslingden High Religious Studies 