REL-110 World Religions

The world’s major religions and philosophies have their origins in ancient civilizations – and while much has changed since then, countless millions of people through history have maintained a faith and belief in religious principles and teachings that have remained unchanged for millennia. This charming program on the origins, sacred texts and beliefs of Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam is an ideal introduction to the topic.

Siddhartha Gautama founded Buddhism. The four noble truths include: dukkha, samudaya, nirodha, and magga. Through meditation, one can achieve nirvana.

The Roman emperor saw Jesus Christ as a threat to the empire and crucified him. The Bible is divided into the Old Testament and The New Testament. Emperor Constantine declared Christianity Rome's religion and it spread into Europe, North and South America, parts of Asia, Africa, and Australia.

Confucius witnessed the corruption of values and created Confucianism. Learn the five relationships at the center of the religion that are recorded in "The Analects." Confucianism remains popular in China, Korea, and Vietnam.

What is their message to the world?

The oldest religion traveled to India in 1600 BC. Texts include the Atharva Veda, the Vedas, and the Upanishad. Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva comprise the Trimurti.

Confucianism was the state religion from the Han Dynasty on, but Taoism was the great popular religion of China. Taoism began a school of philosophy developed around the forces yin and yang.

Mohammad preached the religion in Mecca and took believers to Medina to avoid persecution. Muslims believe Mohammed is the last of Allah's prophets and they study the Qur'an. Islam is the second most popular religion in the world and has spread throughout Africa, Europe, and Asia.

The Jews descend from Israel and believe Moses brought the Hebrews to Canaan. The three Abrahamic religions include Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The Torah is most sacred Jewish book.

Spiritual belief has shaped society through the ages and continues to play a vital role in the lives of billions of adherents. Drawing from the sacred texts of each, this series provides an introduction to the seven largest religions practiced today. Historical origins, main tenets, holidays and special ceremonies are all covered, along with important worship locales around the world. The eight-part series also looks at what the seven major religions have in common. 8-part series, 20–25 minutes each.

Organized religion may be influenced by culture as much as by divine inspiration, and yet there are many similarities among the mainstream faiths. This program compares the defining features of the seven largest religions and finds common threads among Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, and the Bahá’í Faith. Using detailed examples, the video looks at structural similarities—a persecuted prophet, the importance of scriptures and prayer—as well as recurrent themes such as compassion, spiritual development, and the moral consequences of one’s actions. A part of the series Let’s Look at World Religions. (20 minutes)