Final Exam Fall 2016

Final Exam Fall 2016
Identify and describe the three dominant religions of China.
The dominant religions in China are Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Christianity.
Buddhism is a religious practice which follows the teaching of Buddha. It preaches the art of liberation from carnal desires to reach a state of perfection where the soul is elevated to another state.
Taoism is a folk Chinese religion established from the teachings of Lao-tzu and emphasizes on religious piety that is marked by simplicity and humility.
Christianity is a global movement founded from the teachings of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom adherents acclaim as the son of God and is based on Biblical teachings.
It is worth noting that although Confucianism is not a religious movement per se but a philosophical approach to life; it is followed by a religious movement especially among the elite in Chinese society and has the highest following.
Discuss the life story, basic teachings and religious, cultural legacy of Confucius.
Confucianism is the most prominent cultural heritage in China. It was established by the philosopher Confucius from a mixture of heritages from Xia, Zhou and Shang cultures. It emphasizes on knowledge, discipline, humility and following a teacher. These characteristics are the cornerstones of Chinese culture and affect adherence to all religions actively.
Discuss the life story, basic teachings and religious, cultural legacy of Laozi.
Laozi originated from a capital town in China and was the store keeper of royal records.

He was a wise man, and thus many approached him for advice. Witnessing the decay of morality in the town, he left westwards but was recognized by someone in another town where he settled down and wrote down his teachings. Chief of the teaching is the art of silence and completing emptying the noise in mind to unite with nature ultimately. Even today, meditation is a significant aspect of Chinese religion.
Where did the Japanese notion that the Japanese are a holy people come from? How did this develop?
Known as Shinto-ism the belief that Japanese are holy people arose from their perceived superiority in military, elitism, and technological terms over other nations and especially their neighboring Chinese counterparts.
Identify yin and yang
Yin and Yang are two forces that interact with each other to bring harmony in the world. Yin is feminine, negative and dark. Yang is the opposite as it is positive, masculine and bright. The interaction and influence of the two in the world brings out the proper balance and harmony.
Identify the mandate of heaven.
Heaven is an eventual home for religions that believe in a deity where ultimate perfect existence will be obtained.
Describe the influence of Confucianism and Zen Buddhism on the samurai.
Confucianism gave samurai the art of true leadership, sacrifice, and intelligence while Zen Buddhism gave it the nature of self-annihilation, meditation and use of intuition in service.
The story of Judaism goes back 4000 years to what historical figure?
Judaism began with Abraham through his convent with God in which He promised to give him descendants as many as the stars.
How are Abraham, Ishmael, and Isaac-related?
Abraham’s wife Sarah was barren, and thus they made an arrangement to have him bear a son with their waiting-woman Haggai. Through this relationship, Abraham bore a son named Ishmael. Later, Sarah conceived and bore Isaac. Ishmael and Isaac are thus both Abraham’s sons.
What event is celebrated in the Passover festival?
The Passover celebrated the night before Exodus where God killed all the Egyptians firstborns while ‘passing over’ the Israelite and thus definitively convinced Pharaoh to let the Israelites out of captivity.
What is the Torah in Judaism?
Torah is the law of God. It was revealed to Moses and was recorded in the first five books of the biblical Old Testament.
Give three meanings to the word Israel.
Israel was first given to the second son of Isaac Jacob.
It is also the name of a chosen land for the rescued twelve tribes.
It was later the name of the Northern part of Israel after schism into Israel and Judah.
What is the Hebrew word for “anointed one”?
Messiah
What is the Greek word for “anointed one”?
Christ
What is the Talmud?
The Talmud is the Jewish legal body which ascertains observance of the Torah.
What are the Hebrew Scriptures in Christianity?
This is the Old Testament segment off the bible.
What are the Greek Scriptures in Christianity?
This is the New Testament segment of the Bible.
What does BCE stand for? What does CE stand for?
BCE stands for Before Common Era which is before Christ’s existence while CE is Common Era or period after Christ’s existence in Julian and Gregorian calendars.
Why is Hellenization important to Judaism?
Greek influence of Judaism called the Septuagint introduced new scholars and changed the original Jewish language, laws, and organization of State.
Why is Hellenization important to Christianity?
The fusion of Greek culture led to the culmination of omnipotence, omniscient and omnipresent qualities of the Christian God.
What does the term martyr mean?
Martyr is an individual who dies for the sake of their religious beliefs.
Who is the founder of Islam?
Prophet Muhammad.
What event is considered the beginning of Islam?
Hijra which is the Arabic term given to the life of Muhammad with the culmination in Laylat al-qadar in English referred to as the night of power or the night in which Muhammad received the message from God.
How is this event memorialized in Islam each year?
Laylat al-qadar is observed through prayer and study of Quran.
What does the word Islam mean?
Islam is the Arabic name for acceptance and thus means the acceptances of God’s message as given to Muhammad.
What does the word Muslim mean?
A Muslim is an adherent of the Islamic beliefs and therefore is a follower of Prophet Muhammad teachings as received from Allah.
How did the scriptures of Islam come to be?
The Islamic holy scriptures were recorded during the lifetime of Muhammad as the divine revelations of God to Prophet Muhammad and later as the life practices of Muhammad, his family, and friends.
What are the two parts of Muslim scripture? Name these and identify what they are.
The two parts are the Koran and Hadith. Koran is the word of God given to Muhammad while Hadith are narratives concerning the deeds of Muhammad and his close companions.
Identify the term: umma
The term refers to the people in Arabic and more strictly refers to the Muslim community. This is how Allah refers to the people.
Identify the term: caliph
This is a Muslim leader believed to succeed Muhammad.
Identify the term: Shari’ ah
This refers to the sacred law according to Islam. It is derived from the Quran and the Hadith writings.
Identify the term: Sufism
Is a dynamic nature of truth as it exists as unique and particular to an individual? This truth is revealed to every individual by Allah and thus pertains to the innermost nature of every Muslim. It forms the dynamic of a special relationship between any adherent and Allah.
Identify and describe the first pillar of Islam.
The first pillar of Islam is Shahadah which encompasses faithfully studying and reciting Islamic scriptures as a profession of the Islamic faith.
Identify and describe the second pillar of Islam.
Salat is the prayer that the Islam adherents pray five times a day facing the holy city of Mecca.
Identify and describe the third pillar of Islam.
The third pillar is Zakat which is an offering given from one’s earnings for the service of the poor and the need in one’s community.
Identify and describe the fourth pillar of Islam.
Sawm is the fourth pillar which requires adherents to fast during the month of Ramadan.
Identify and describe the fifth pillar of Islam.
The final pillar is the Hajj which required that an adherent visits the holy city of Mecca at least one time in their life. One can also send another person to do Hajj on their behalf.
Describe the event which caused the division of the ummah into Shi‘ites and Sunnis.
The schism of the umma into Shia and Sunni originated immediately after Muhammad’s death as a result of differences in succession. Shia believed that Muhammad under divine guidance left his cousin Ali in charge while Sunni believed in election and consensus through guidance by the Quran. The two segments also differ in observance of the Hadith.
Between the Shi‘ites and Sunnis which one is the majority and which is the minority?
Sunni is the majority accounting for approximately 85% of the entire Muslim community globally. Shia is the minority with about 15% of the Islam adherents globally.