What were three key areas in which axial age thinkers put forward new religious concepts? Give two specific examples of thought that surrounded each key area
What will be an ideal response?
A. Three key areas of religious concepts
1. Creation
a. idea of nothing enabled thinkers to understand nature in a new way
b. key to a tradition of thought that is crucial to most modern people's religions
c. Ancient Egyptian creation myths tell of a creator transforming chaos into a world endowed with time
d. Jews believed in the idea of a creator who always existed but who made everything else out of nothing
2. Monotheism
a. earlier religions believed in a multitude of invisible Gods that controlled nature
1. in India a multiplicity of gods collectively represented divine unity
2. Greeks arrayed them in order, according to their importance and their various ascribed responsibilities
b. Jews brought the idea of monotheism
1. God's sole right to worship was part of the Covenant in which God's favor was exchanged for obedience and veneration
2. monotheism seemed unappealing to other cultures
a.Buddhism dispensed with the need for a creator by holding that the universe was itself infinite and everlasting
b. In India, China, and Greece, the idea of a unique creator left options for polytheism with the idea that uniqueness could be divided
3. Divine Love
a. discussion of God's interest in the world of creation
b. thinking surrounding role and rank of the human soul
1. Aristotle developed a hierarchy of living souls where humans were above plants and animals
2. Buddhism ranked humans as higher creatures than others for purposes of reincarnation
3. Jews began to use the image of divine love to express arelationship between God and humans
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