Faith Curricula Library: Tapestry of Faith: Building Bridges: A World Religions Program for 8th-9th Grades

Leader Resource 1: 600-500 BCE, Eastern Religions History Game

A	B	C	D	E
Zoroastrianism	Jainism	Taoism	Buddhism	Confucianism
Founded: 600 BCE	Founded: 556 BCE	Founded: 550 BCE	Founded: 531 BCE	Founded: 500 BCE
Iran	India	China	India	China
Founder: Zoroaster (Zarathustra)	Founder: Mahavira	Founder: Lao Tzu	Founder: Siddhartha Gautama	Founder: K’ung-fu-tzu (Confucius)
2.6 million followers	4.2 million followers	20 million followers	360 million followers	6 million followers
Teaches ahimsa	Teaches ahimsa	Teaches ahimsa	Teaches ahimsa	Teaches ahimsa
Monotheistic	Nontheistic	Nontheistic	Nontheistic	Nontheistic
Does not teach karma	Teaches karma	Does not mention karma	Teaches karma	Does not teach karma
Does not teach reincarnation	Teaches reincarnation	Silent on reincarnation	Teaches reincarnation	Does not teach reincarnation
Gender equality	Gender equality	Gender equality	Gender equality	Reflected much of the patriarchal thinking of the time
Never called a philosophy	Sometimes called a philosophy	Often called a philosophy	Sometimes called a philosophy	Very often called a philosophy

Tapestry is Sunsetting