Tengrism and the religious landscape of Central Asia
Answers are for parents and teachers.
1
Name six religions that spread along the Silk Road and one trace of each (monument, text).
Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Christianity, Manichaeism, Judaism, Islam; traces depend on student research.
2
Prepare brief information on the monument of Kul Tegin or Bilge Khagan.
The monument dates to the 8th century, in the Orkhon valley; written in Turkic runic script.
3
Explain the difference between assessing an ancient belief as “cultural heritage” and as a “new religious movement”.
The first concerns preserving history and tradition, the second the formation of a modern organisation and community.
4
List the five Central Asian states and find one fact on the religious make-up of each.
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan; facts should rely on official statistics.
5
Explain the phrase “multi-confessional society” in your own words.
Several religious communities live side by side and have equal rights before the law.