The Impact of Judaism and Christianity on the

Development of Democracy

The origins of Judaism

Abraham had this crazy idea…

Abraham had this crazy idea…

One God!

Beliefs of the Hebrews

• God is perfect, all knowing, all powerful, and eternal

• God wants more than for humans to perform rituals and give sacrifices

• God wishes for people to live moral lives• The religion of the Hebrews was called

Judaism

This means that each human being has a divine spark that gives him or her a dignity that can never be taken away. For the Greeks and Romans, the individual had dignity because of his or her ability to reason. For the Hebrews, each person had dignity simply by being a child of God.

Moses13th century B.C.

I. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.II. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.III. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD in vain.IV. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.V. Honour thy father and thy mother.VI. Thou shalt not kill.VII.Thou shalt not commit adultery.VIII.Thou shalt not steal.IX. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy

neighbour.X. Thou shalt not covet any thing that is thy neighbour's.

TEN COMMANDMENTS

The Ten Commandments

• Unlike the laws of other peoples, the Hebrews’ code focused more on morality and ethics and less on political laws.

• While the Hebrew code of justice was strict, it was softened by expressions of God’s mercy

He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Micah, 6:8

Jewish Social Conscience

• The Jews believed that it is the responsibility of every person to oppose injustice and oppression and that the community should assist the unfortunate

• Prophets maintained that life on earth could be improved if people adhered to higher moral standards

Jesus of Nazareth

• Both a Jew and a Roman subject• Began to preach at the age of thirty• Emphasized God’s personal relationship with

each human being• Stressed the importance of love for God,

neighbors, enemies, & oneself in order to regulate behavior

• People should repent their sins

I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that

curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use

you, and persecute you.

According to Jesus’ followers, he rose from the dead three days later and ascended into heaven. His followers believed he was the Messiah, or savior. Jesus came to be referred to as Jesus Christ. Christos is a Greek word meaning “savior.” The word Christianity, the name of the religion founded by Jesus, was derived from the name Christ.

Followers of Christianity began to spread the message that Jesus was the son of God and that he had died for peoples’ sins. They welcomed all converts, Jew and non-Jew.

Rome Spreads Judeo-Christian Ideas

• Diaspora – after the Jews began to rebel against the Romans in the first century, they were exiled from their homeland

• The Jews took their beliefs about justice and dignity with them

• By 380, Christianity had become the official religion of the empire because of the Emperor Constantine

The Muslim Religion

• All humans are of a brotherhood of people• Different groups should tolerate one another• One should offer charity to those in need• Rulers are subject to the same laws as those

they rule

Duccio Maestà Altarpiece (1308-1311)

Detail of The Effects of Good Government by Ambrogio Lorenzetti (1338)

The Tribute Money by Masaccio (1420s)

The Birth of Venus for the Medici by Sandro Botticelli (1482-1486)

The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci (1495-1498)

Two Cherubs, detail from Sistine Madonna, by Raphael (1513-1514)

The Renaissance

• Cultural movement that renewed interest in the classics, including art and restoring old monuments

• Individualism became popular as people obtained responsibility and control of their lives

• People became humanists (focused on human, rather than religious/spiritual, interests)

The Reformation

• A religious reform movement occurring from abuses of power in the Catholic Church

• Stressed individualism and the freedom of beliefs

• Challenged the authority of monarchs and popes

• Places value on liberty