The History of Religion

What is religion?

It has many different defintions but its basics are:

1. the worship of a God or gods
2. guidelines about how to behave
3. answers to life's biggest questions

2. What are beliefs?

 Beliefs are what one follows, they are a set of rules or guidelines followed by person of religion. However it is also and indiviual or groups' values on how they commit to life and what they do.

3. Explain the following terms:

Animism: The earliest kind of religion that was developed while humans were living as hunter-gatherers. It is the belief that humans/animals have spirits.

Polytheism: Belief in many gods. The first human civilisations followed different types of polytheism.

Pantheism: The belief that everything is part of one god. Hinduism is more Pantheism than Polytheism.

Montheism: Belief in only one God.  This was what the Jews started following and is in the Old testament.

Agnosticism: Uncertainty about God or Gods. Some Greek thinkers were moving away from religion and developing ideas in science and philosophy.

Atheism: Belief in no Gods.

     

 

Old Testament Stories

1.       Note each story

Genesis: The story of Creation: the story of original sin

Exodus: The story of the Jews being led to freedom

Samuel: King David and Goliath

Revelations: The Apocalypse, we are all judged by God

2.        Main characters

Genesis: Adam, Eve, God, Snake

Exodus: Israelites, Moses (most important prophet in O.T.), Ancient Egyptians

Samuel: Goliath, King David

Revelations: God, Satan

3.       What happened

Genesis: Adam and Eve were the first humans; Eve and Adam were tempted by the snake to taste the forbidden fruit. They were banished from the Garden of Eden, and started the human species

Exodus: The Israelites are enslaved in Egypt, and Moses asks the Pharaoh to let his people be set free. He refuses and God sends the Egyptians 7 plagues (which don’t work). The Egyptians plan to capture them, but they go through the ocean and escape.

Samuel:  After wandering the desert, the Jews have built a nation. The Jews wanted a king- King David comes along.

Revelations: In the apocalypse, we will all be judged and sorted into either heaven, purgatory or hell according to how we have lived our life and whether or not we sin.

4.       Where it appears in the bible

Genesis: First book of the Old Testament

Exodus: Second book of the bible in the Old Testament

Samuel: In the Old Testament

Revelations: Last Book in the bible, New Testament

5.       Why is it important

Genesis: It is important because it shows creation, how humans were first tempted into sin and since all humans have been born a sinner.

Exodus: The Jews are lead from slavery, and lead them to the ‘Promise Land’; it ties into Abraham’s covenant

Questions

1. What language do the Jewish people speak?

Hebrew

2. How do the Jewish people read Hebrew?

They read it left to right.

3. Why is Israel important to the Jewish People?

Because it is the ‘promise land’ given to Abraham by God in the Old Testament.

4. When was the present state of Israel formed?

In 1948, it declared independence.

5.      What makes it unique in the world?

It was given the Jews as a nation, and piece of land. No colonisation or indigenous people. Only Jewish country, surrounded by Arabic countries.

6.   Who is the chosen prophet if Judaism?

Moses

 

7. What do the Jews believe God thinks of their people?

They believe that they are the ‘chosen people’ who have a special covenant with God.

8.       How do the three main religions differ in their view of Jesus?

The Jews believe that Jesus was a wise man and important prophet but not a Messiah. Islam also believes he was a messenger of God, but that he was not crucified. He, however, is treated with respect. Christians believe Jesus was God’s son and the Messiah sent to redeem humanity.

9.      Why do the Jewish people not celebrate Christmas?

Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus and how he was to save humanity as God’s son- the Jews do not believe he is the Messiah.

10.      What festival do they celebrate instead?

They celebrate Hanukkah

11.      What event is celebrated at this festival and what is the significance of the number 8?

It commemorates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. It observes the kindling of the lights of a candelabrum, the nine branched Menorah with one candle lit every night. The number eight symbolizes new beginnings and is significant as it was the eighth day was the first day after creation and when the week begun.

12. What is the name of the sacred text of the Jewish people?

The Torah

13. How is their text similar to the Christian Bible?

It is similar as their Torah mimics the Old Testament.

14.How many commandments do the Jewish people have to follow?

613

15. What is the name of the leader of a Jewish religion?

Rabbai

16. What is a Talis?

The Jewish ‘prayer shawl’

  

17.      What is a Tefilin?

Small leather prayer boxes bound to the head and arm during prayer.

18.      What is a Kippah?

Jewish ‘skull cap’ worn by males for prayer and special occasions.

19.      What is the word used to describe the food Jewish people can eat?

Kosher

20.     Where is the only Kosher Mc Donalds?

Buenos Aires

21.     Why is a Cheese burger not Kosher?

It combines ground beef and cheese

Judaism Introduction

Judaism

Origins

-          Judaism is one of the three Prophetic Monotheistic religions in the world- the other two are Christianity and Islam

-          It is prophetic as there were numerous prophets who predicted the coming of a messiah, Monotheistic as they believe in one god (mono) and it theology (belief/study of God)

History

-          Jews are an ancient people of around 3000 years old, their history is told in the bible and is traced back to Abraham of around 1900 BC (before common era/BCE)

-          The Jews have been known as Jews, Israelites and Hebrews. Jesus was a Jew, however, Jews accept Jesus as a wise man, but not the chosen messiah as Christians believe, and hence Judaism predates and heavily influences Christianity, but is not part of it.

Abraham:

-          Abraham is one of the first recorded leaders of the Hebrews in the Bible. He was a wealthy man who was called by God to leave his land and move from Ur to Canaan, or Israel as it called today.

-          Abraham heard the call of the Lord to stop believing in the pagan Gods (like God of wind, God of mountain etc.) and he followed God’s request and lead his people Mesopotamia to Canaan. This journey is recorded in the book of Genesis. We can map his journey here:

http://www.biblemap.org/#Haran

Genesis:

Day 1: Day/Night

Day 2: Waters/Earth

Day 3: Plants

Day 4: Light/Dark

Day 5: Fish/Birds/Animals

Day 6: Man

Day 7: Relax

1.       Who is Abraham?

According to Jewish tradition, ‘Abram’ was in Ur, Babylonia 1800 BCE. From a young age, he questioned the beliefs of his people and sought to discover the truth about religion.

2.       What did he believe? How was it different to the people of the time?

He believed that the entire universe was the work of one God and that there was only one God. The people at the time believed there were many Gods that represented places and objects e.g. The God of Water.

3.       What do you think a covenant is, what covenant did God make with Abraham?

A covenant is a pledge, pact, contract and/or agreement, and God made one with Abraham if his people who hearken to God: to make him the father of a great nation and the father of may others, to curse and bless those who did so to him and to give land to his descendants (Israel)

4.       What sacrifice was Abraham requested to make? Why did God ask this of him?

He was asked to sacrifice his son, God asked this so he could test his loyalty to him.

5.       Search the site for the word Patriarchs? What does this mean?....

The Patriarchs are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who are the spiritual and physical founders of Judaism and their descendants are the Jewish people.