Running head: RELIGIONS OF THE SILK ROAD

Religions of the Silk Road Name Professor Course Date

RELIGIONS OF THE SILK ROAD Introduction The Silk Road was a known trade route for numerous goods. Ideas were also crucial

commodities for trading during this period. Religious ideas pervaded all aspects of the road. The religious concerns dominated philosophical thinking and helped in deciding the perspectives in life. This guided people in exchanging and spending their material wealth. Along the Silk Road, Buddhism was a common religion (Foltz, 2000). Other religions began spreading after the introduction of Christian and Islam traders and users of the roads. Buddhist beliefs began transmitting along the roads after the forces of the Buddhist missionaries in the region. Christian missionaries began travelling along these regions, but they met an already entrenched Buddhism religion. Around 432 A.D, Christianity began to make appearances. The Roman Catholic Church during this time forbids the Nestorian sect in Europe. As a result, the Nestorian sects and beliefs moved towards the east. Nestorian emerged as a breakout of Christianity following differences with the Roman Catholic. The Nestorians believed in duo natures of Christ. Their distinguished their nature and affirmed their union. Conclusion According to Foltz, opposition to Christianity thoughts began following the representatives of Antioch and Byzantium, which resulted to the emergence of schisms. The rejection of the Greek language and schisms awakened nationalism. The Syrian spirit began asserting against Greek dominance. The Syrian people became alienated because of their ideological and religious differences. The Christian Byzantines increased their autocracy and oppressed the people with heavy taxations (Foltz, 2000). They expanded to Eastern Central Asia

RELIGIONS OF THE SILK ROAD and Sogdiana because of the sporadic exiling and persecutions of Christians. The emergence of Islam in the region inhibited their progressive expansion.

RELIGIONS OF THE SILK ROAD Reference Foltz, R. (2000). Religions of the Silk Road: Overland Trade and Cultural Exchange from Antiquity to the Fifteenth Century. Palgrave Macmillan.