Unit 2: How World Religions Began

Lesson 2.1
Religions from West Asia
Contents
Introduction 1

Learning Objectives 2

Explore 2

Discover 5
Common Origin of the Religions from West Asia 5
The Abrahamic Religions 6
Judaism 6
Christianity 8
Islam 9
Influence of Geography in West Asia 10
Influence of Culture in West Asia 11
Comparing and Contrasting Judaism, Islam, and Christianity 12

Wrap-Up 16

Try This! 17

Challenge Yourself 18

Reflect on This 20

Photo Credits 20

Bibliography 21
Unit 2: How World Religions Began

Lesson 2.1

Religions from West Asia

Introduction
West Asia is the cradle of three great monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and
Islam. The region has been a crossroads of many great civilizations. From the rise of the
Egyptian Kingdoms up to the dominance of the Holy Roman Empire, West Asia had been
coveted by the superpowers of the ancient world.

Collectively known as the Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are all
inextricably linked. Christianity was born within the Jewish tradition, and Islam developed
from both Judaism and Christianity. The rich cultural interchange among the Jews,
Christians, and Muslims can still be witnessed until the present time. These religions are
continuously shaping the world's current cultural, social, economic, and political aspects.
Therefore, it is essential to understand West Asia and how its humble beginnings paved the

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Unit 2: How World Religions Began

way for three of the world's major religions.

Learning Objectives DepEd Learning Competencies

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to do
In this lesson, you should be able to do the the following:
following: ● Cite regions or places where specific
religions evolved (HUMSS_WRB12-I/IIIb-2.1).
● Outline the significant historical
● Analyze the culture of the region that gave
events in West Asia. rise to specific religions
(HUMSS_WRB12-I/IIIb-2.2).
● Explain the influences of West
● Explain how geography influences religion
Asia’s geography and culture on and religion affects culture
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. (HUMSS_WRB12-I/IIIb-2.3).

● Compare and contrast Judaism,

Christianity, and Islam.

Explore
Crossword Puzzle 30 minutes

Instructions

1. Complete the crossword puzzle.

2. Each word must be at least four letters.
3. All entries must intersect at least one other entry.
4. Try to solve the crossword puzzle without any reference to any online source or
printed material.

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Across Down

1 The _____ Sea is a body of water between Europe 1 founder of Islam

and Africa. 2 arid land
6 The _____ Empire stretched from Great Britain to 3 movable shelter usually
West Asia and was founded by Julius Cesar. made with cloth
8 scattered population 4 father of all nations
9 Land of _____ and Honey is a term referred to as a 5 religious journey
prosperous and abundant land. 7 fertile area in a dry land
11 _____ River connects the Sea of Galilee and Dead 10 ruler or monarch
Sea.
12 people of Greece

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Guide Questions

1. Which of the words you identified are you familiar with? Enumerate at least three
and explain the meaning of each.
__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

2. What do you notice about the words from the crossword puzzle? Do they have a
common denominator? Explain your answer.
__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Choose one word from the crossword puzzle and relate it to one of these religions:
Judaism, Christianity, or Islam. Explain your answer.
__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

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Unit 2: How World Religions Began

Discover
\

West Asia or Southwest Asia was the setting of

Words to Remember
some of the world’s ancient civilizations and vast
● Eurocentric – centered
empires. Sometimes referred to from the
on Europe or the
Eurocentric perspective as the "Middle East," the
Europeans
region is situated in the middle of three
● forefather – an ancestor;
continents: Asia, Africa, and Europe.
a member of the past
generations of one's
The fact that civilizations and empires did rise in
family
the region made it not surprising that some of the
● topography – refers to
world’s major religions also started there.
the physical features and
Historians believe that having a centralized
characteristics of a
government was complemented by having an
particular area or region,
organized belief system or religion.
including its elevation,
landforms, and surface
features

How did religions that originated in West Asia influence

modern society?

Common Origin of the Religions from West Asia

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam consider Abraham as a common forefather, hence
collectively known as the Abrahamic religions. Abraham's story, life, and faith journey are
mentioned in separate sacred books of these religions. Notably, in the Old Testament,
Abraham was referred to as the "Father of All Nations," a term that religious scholars
attributed to establishing the three religions as his lineage grew. Judaism and Islam follow
the same story about Abraham and his destruction of idolatry, an act of worshiping other
gods apart from Yahweh.

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Fig. 1. The principal symbols of the Abrahamic religions: the cross (Christianity),
the crescent (Islam), and the Star of David (Judaism)

The Abrahamic Religions

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are monotheistic belief systems, meaning these religions
believe in one true and Supreme Being. Monotheistic religions share similar knowledge
about the attributes of God: omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence. Omniscience
means that God is all-knowing, omnipresence means that God is all-present, while
omnipotence means that God is all-powerful. This belief in one divine being is a main
distinctive characteristic that sets these religions apart from other world religions.

Judaism
Judaism traces its roots from the ancient Jews. The Torah, which refers to the first five books
of the Hebrew Bible, is sacred to the Jews. It narrates the creation story, the laws and
customs, and the early history of Judaism. Moreover, the holy books describe the humble
beginnings of Abraham and his covenant with Yahweh. In particular, God promised
Abraham two things: being a father to the multitude of nations and a fertile land for his
people. This land is called Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey. Together with his
wife Sarah, Abraham emigrated to Palestine, where his family settled. Abraham's obedience
to God paved the way for the continuous religious tradition of Judaism.

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Abraham fulfilled his promise to God through his son, Isaac. From him, descendants of
Abraham grew, and they were known as the Jews. Many stories from the Bible's Old
Testament could be linked with the people who descended from Abraham. For example,
Moses, born a Jew but was raised by an Egyptian nobility, led his people from slavery in
Egypt. In the biblical accounts of the story of Moses, God bestowed several miracles across
Egypt to save his people. One of these miracles is when the Holy Spirit passed over the
houses of the Jews who smeared their doors with lamb blood to save their firstborn from
death. The commemoration of the miracle is called the Feast of Passover (Pesach).

Fig. 2. The Torah, also known as Torat Moshe (The Laws of Moses), is written in Hebrew,
the oldest of Jewish languages.

The Jewish people eventually formed into a nation. Through prophets, judges or tribal
leaders, and finally kings, the nation thrived on developing a unique identity different from
other cultures existing in ancient West Asia. However, several empires conquered the land.
The Babylonian Empire invaded the nation and divided it by imposing forced migration of its
intellectuals to Mesopotamia. After several years, the Persian Empire, through King Cyrus
the Great, ordered the nation's restoration. He helped build the ancient temple in
Jerusalem.

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Christianity
In a small town called Bethlehem, Jesus Christ was born by a young Jewish woman named
Mary. He grew up in the tradition of Judaism. By age 30, he started to preach and perform
miracles, attracting both followers and critics. Branded as an impostor posing as the Son of
God, he was persecuted under the rule of Marcus Pontius Pilatus, a Roman prefect. Jesus
Christ was crucified to death.

Early Christian communities scattered all over the Roman Empire. These communities
eventually became territorial divisions called see or diocese. A bishop or archbishop heads
each division. At first, the Roman Empire persecuted the early Christian communities
because the empire felt that Christianity emphasized more cult-like beliefs than religious
beliefs. Emperor Nero was the first Roman Emperor who ordered the execution of the
Christians. He accused them of burning the city of Rome that led to the violent chase of
Christians. Those who were caught were crucified, fed to lions, or forced to partake in
gladiator fights in the Roman Colosseum. The catacombs, an underground burial site,
became the hidden meeting place of early Christians.

In 313 CE, the Roman Emperor Constantine

the Great ordered the Edict of Milan that
recognized Christian practices as "acceptable"
in Roman society. The Council of Nicaea was
established in 325 CE to maintain consensus
in the beliefs of the Christian church. In 380
CE, Roman Emperor Theodosius issued the
Edict of Thessalonica that named Christianity
as the empire's official religion.

Fig. 3. Constantine the Great

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Islam
The word Islam means “submission to the will of God.” Muhammad was the founder of
Islam. He was born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in 570 CE. According to the sacred text called
Quran, he received the first message from Angel Gabriel in the early 7th century. For two
decades, Muhammad continuously visited the angel and received revelations from Allah.
While receiving the news, he started to proclaim the revelation to the people living in the
Arabian Peninsula. From his birthplace of Mecca, Muhammad and his followers migrated to
Medina to escape the turbulence. He continued preaching until his death in 632 CE.

Muhammad united the different Arabic tribes to form a caliphate. Caliphates are religious
and political territories comprising the Muslim communities that emerged in the 7th to 13th
century. It can be viewed as one of his greatest legacies. This unification paved the way for
Islam to be known and be accepted as a people’s religion.

Fig. 4. Mosque of the Prophet in Medina, Saudi Arabia

After Muhammad’s death, caliphs succeeded him in spreading Islam. Abu Bakr was the first
caliph, and during his leadership, Islam had spread to Africa and Asia. Meanwhile, the
Rashidun caliphates expanded the Islamic territory outside the Arabian Peninsula. During
such time, the Byzantine Empire in Asia Minor and the Sassanid Empire in Persia politically
prevailed in West Asia. They continuously fought each other, eventually weakening both
empires. Knowing the military tactics of Byzantines and Persians, Arabs saw an opportunity
to conquer the rest of West Asia.

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Check Your Progress

Aside from the story of Abraham, are there any other linkages that
could be made among Judaism, Christianity, and Islam?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Influence of Geography in West Asia

Geography played an essential role in the proliferation of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
The unique features of West Asia played a crucial role in the development of these three
religions. For example, the Tigris and Euphrates in Mesopotamia were important rivers
that hosted many civilizations such as the Babylonians, Assyrians, and Persians. In
Palestine, the Sea of Galilee and Jordan River irrigated the land. In the Arabian Peninsula,
several oases can be found. The Mediterranean Sea is vital to the region’s economy and
logistics. It connected West Asia to important ports of North Africa and Southern Europe.

In Judaism, it is explicitly mentioned that land is one of

God's most important promises to Abraham. According
to the Jewish tradition, the land is part of the covenant
of God to Abraham. It can be understood in the context
of the ancient people who dwelt in West Asia that land
is an integral part of their daily life. The land is harshly
arid, and agriculture is only possible if there is a
considerable source of water like a body of water or an
oasis. Mesopotamia, a land between two great rivers,
had been heavily populated; hence, diaspora became a
norm to the native land. Abraham emigrated to this
land and looked for a place to settle with his family.
Fig. 5. The rocky terrain of Mount
Sinai, also known as Jebel Mousa
(Mount Moses)

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In Christianity, geography played an essential part in the ministry of Jesus and to his
followers. The many stories of Jesus with his preaching and miracles happened in bodies of
water. Also, constant reference to traveling in the arid land of Judea had been mentioned
in many accounts of Jesus' life. The early Christians used the geographical advantage of
Palestine to the Roman Empire. Hence, the religion quickly spread throughout the empire.

In Islam, the caliphates successfully

dominated North Africa and West Asia
because of their similar geographic
features. The nomadic lifestyle of early
Muslims became an advantage to
spread the words of Muhammad and
the conversion to monotheism. Also,
Muhammad lived in the oasis towns of
Medina and Mecca, important trading
towns in the Arabian Peninsula.
Fig. 6. The Arabian Desert stretches from Yemen
to the Persian Gulf and Oman to Jordan and Iraq.

A salient feature of West Asia is its topography. All of the founders and early followers of
these religions lived in an arid area. The hard desert life had been the main story of
Muhammad's spiritual journey; the Jewish community had many stories in the desert, such
as the journey of Jacob and his family to Egypt because of famine. The Jews' journey
towards Canaan from Egyptian captivity and many early Christian spiritualities happened
in the desert. The land features of West Asia affected the formation of these three
religions.

Influence of Culture in West Asia

Semites are groups of people who lived in ancient West Asia. All of the founders and early
followers of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam belong to this group. Influences of Semitic
culture, such as language, patriarchal society, prophetic orientation, belief in divine
revelation, an ethical norm of good and evil, and the reference to the same creation story,
among many others, can be observed in these religions. These continuously appear at
present as devotional activities and traditions.

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Ancient West Asian culture was also influenced by the conflicting political powers of Asia
and Europe. Many great empires dominated the land, which resulted in a mixture of local
and foreign cultures. Some of the groups that greatly influenced West Asia's culture were
the Egyptians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans. Their influences could be seen
in philosophy, social class, education, government, and lifestyle. Indeed, the region is a
melting pot of cultures and a crossroads of many civilizations and empires.

Check Your Progress

Explain how the arid lands of West Asia affected the founders and
the first followers of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Comparing and Contrasting Judaism, Islam, and Christianity

The common roots of the Abrahamic religions shaped their respective identities, but their
commonalities are still evident in their traditions, moral codes, worship practices, and
doctrines. Independent growth away from West Asia resulted in divergence. The mix of
cultures, most especially in Christianity, became a catalyst for change to these religions.

Table 1. A comparison of the Abrahamic religions’ main features

Feature Judaism Christianity Islam

Belief in a Deity monotheism monotheism monotheism

Relationship with direct ancestor or spiritual ancestor member of the line

Abraham patriarch of prophets

Founder Abraham Jesus Christ Muhammad

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Feature Judaism Christianity Islam

Origin of the Ur, Mesopotamia Galilee/Judea, Medina, Arabian

Founder(s) Palestine Peninsula

Founding Year The founding year is 1st century CE 7th century CE

unclear. As early as
1,200 BCE, Jewish
people already
existed in
archaeological
records.

Advancement Jewish Diaspora Disciples went out The unified tribes of

allowed the to every part of the the Arabian
proliferation of known world to Peninsula formed a
religion in different spread the caliphate and
parts of the world. teachings of Jesus conquered the lands
Christ and form of North Africa,
Christian Palestine, Persia,
communities in and Asia Minor.
major cities of the
Roman Empire.

Important temples, monuments, and sites are scattered all over West Asia. These places
have varying religious importance to the adherents and share common locations. Conflicting
claims resulted in interesting interactions among them.

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Table 2. Important religious sites in Judaism

Judaism

Western Wall the site of the ancient Jewish Temple

Jerusalem, Israel

Mount Sinai the site where God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses
Sinai Peninsula, Egypt

Temple Mount the holiest place for Judaism

Jerusalem, Israel
This is believed to be where communication between God
and the high priest happened.

Table 3. Important religious sites in Christianity

Christianity

Church of Nativity the site where Jesus was born

Bethlehem, West Bank,
Israel

Sea of Galilee the area where Jesus Christ did the majority of his ministry of
Galilee, Israel preaching and healing

Church of the Holy the site where Jesus was crucified

Sepulchre
Jerusalem, Israel

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Table 4. Important religious sites in Islam

Islam

Masjid al-Haram the holiest site for Muslims where the Kaaba can be found
Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Al-Masjid an-Nabawi the second-holiest site for Muslims

Medina, Saudi Arabia

Al-Masjid Al-Aqṣā “The Farthest Place of Prayer” and is considered a holy site for
Jerusalem, Israel Muslims

In Philippine Context
Unlike Christianity and Islam, there are only a handful of Jews living in the Philippines.
Filipinos have little interaction with the Jewish faith and its people. Though many traditions
in Catholicism can be traced to Judaism, not all Filipinos are fully aware of it. However, the
diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Israel (a Jewish state) is strong.

Fig. 7. Jews celebrated the Feast of Passover in Manila in April 1925.

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Unit 2: How World Religions Began

Jewish presence started during the Spanish colonization when a handful of Spanish Jews
migrated to the Philippines. There were also American Jews who lived in the Philippines
during the American occupation. Therefore, there were already interactions between
Filipinos and Jews back then.

During World War II, Philippine-Israel friendship flourished when President Manuel L.
Quezon allowed the entry of Jews fleeing Europe. The Philippines was among the first
countries to open its doors to Jewish refugees. Around 1,200 refugees moved into the
Philippines.

Wrap-Up
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
● The common roots of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam can be traced to the prophet
Abraham. Hence, the three religions are collectively called the Abrahamic religions.
● The origin of Judaism is closely knitted to the beginning of the Jewish people.
● Jesus Christ and his followers preached and performed miracles. His death and
resurrection started the Christian faith.
● Muhammad was the founder of Islam. Through 20 years of divine revelation, the
teachings of Islam were established, and Muslims spread it through the caliphates.
● The geography and culture of West Asia heavily influenced the three monotheistic
religions.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

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Unit 2: How World Religions Began

Try This!
A. Identification. Identify if the term is related to Judaism, Christianity, or Islam.

________________ 1. Torah

________________ 2. caliphate

________________ 3. Medina

________________ 4. apostles and disciples

________________ 5. Mesopotamia

________________ 6. Edict of Milan

________________ 7. Baghdad

________________ 8. promised land

________________ 9. see or diocese

________________ 10. Mecca

B. True or False. Write true if the statement is correct. Otherwise, write false.

________________ 1. From a tribe that came from Abraham, the Jewish people
formed into a nation.

________________ 2. Constantine the Great conquered the Arabian Peninsula and its
nearby regions in the 7th century.

________________ 3. The Lake of Galilee is a body of water in West Asia that links the
region to important port cities in North Africa, Southern
Europe, and Asia.

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Unit 2: How World Religions Began

________________ 4. One of the attributes of God is omnipotence which refers to a

supreme being’s enormous power.

________________ 5. Roman Emperor Nero accused early Christians of burning

Rome, leading to their persecution.

Challenge Yourself
Answer the following questions.

1. Why are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam considered monotheistic religions?

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

2. Choose one religion discussed in the lesson and describe how it was influenced by
the following:

a. Geography
___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

b. Culture
___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

3. Choose two religions that originated from West Asia and make an in-depth
comparison using concrete examples.
__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

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Unit 2: How World Religions Began

Suggested Rubric for Grading

The rubric below is a suggested one. Your teacher may modify it based on your needs.
Consult your teacher for the final rubric.

Performance Levels
Suggested
Criteria 1 2 3 Score
Beginning Proficient Advanced Weight
Proficiency Proficiency

Content The answer is unclear The answer is clear The answer is clear
and insufficient. There but barely sufficient. and sufficient. The
×3
is a major flaw in the There is a minor flaw argument is
argument. in the argument. excellent

Organization The answer does not The answer flows The answer flows
flow logically, and its logically, but its parts logically, and its
×2
parts are not clearly are not clearly parts are clearly
structured. structured. structured.

Mechanics/ There are major There are minor There are virtually
errors in sentence errors in sentence no errors in
Language Use
construction, construction, sentence
×1
grammar, and/or grammar, and/or construction,
spelling. spelling. grammar, and/or
spelling.

Total Possible Score 18

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Unit 2: How World Religions Began

Reflect on This
Answer the question briefly.

How can the common roots of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam become a way to resolve
discrimination and religious conflicts?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Photo Credits
Abrahamic religions by Elperrofeliz345678 is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia
Commons.

Mosque of Prophet Muhammad SAW - panoramio by GusJuned is licensed under CC BY-SA

3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

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Unit 2: How World Religions Began

Bibliography

Baron, Salo. “Judaism.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. Accessed May
11, 2021. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Judaism.

History.com Editors. “Judaism.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, January 5, 2018.

https://www.history.com/topics/religion/judaism.

History.com Editors. “Islam.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, January 5, 2018.

https://www.history.com/topics/religion/islam.

Lipka, Michael. “Muslims and Islam: Key Findings in the U.S. and around the World.” Pew
Research Center. Pew Research Center, December 8, 2020.
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/08/09/muslims-and-islam-key-findings-i
n-the-u-s-and-around-the-world/.

Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. “monotheism.” Accessed May 10, 2021.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monotheism.

“Story of Survival in Philippines During Holocaust.” Atlanta Jewish Time, January 22, 2020.
https://atlantajewishtimes.timesofisrael.com/story-of-survival-in-philippines-during-h
olocaust/.

Wiener, Noah. “The Origin of Christianity.” Biblical Archaeology Society, October 20, 2020.
https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-topics/new-testament/the-origin-of
-christianity/.

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