The evolution of religious history dates back to the Ancient Mediterranean and Middle East. Although these civilizations are long gone, the ideas expressed by the ancient Mesopotamian and Egyptian cultures have greatly influenced modern philosophies - and has impacted the development of contemporary Western religions. .
Christianity is the largest and most influential religion in the Western world, and it's roots are grounded in the teachings of Judaism. These faiths share a very close relationship each building on the prophecies and teachings of the last. Christianity and Judaism are closely related, tied together by an ethical monotheism, each evolving from the Torah, which is evident in the scriptural accounts of Abraham, Moses and the Ten Commandments, and the ancient philosophies of the Mesopotamian and Egyptian Era. .
The Torah is Judaism's most important text and it was written, followed and protected by the Hebrews (Jews). This book is so important because it wholly defines Judaism and is the basis for Jewish laws, practices and morality. The Torah is the most descriptive text to define who the Hebrew people were at the time it was written and where the foundation of ethical monotheism began. The Hebrew people were (and still are) known as God's "Chosen People," held responsible for maintaining a standard of moral behavior, sacrificing to God for forgiveness of sin, and loving and trusting Him above all else. (Backman, 74).
The writings of the Torah are part of the Hebrew bible the Tankah, which consists of two parts, the New Testament and the Old Testament. The Five Books of Moses in the Tankah begins with the Creation of the World and ends with the death of Moses. These include the Genesis, Exodus Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy and also comprise of prophets, writings, mosaic origins and the documentary thesis. There were not exact dates around this time period, so people used religion as a starting point to understand mankind.
