...World Religions World Religions There are many different types of religions in this world. Some of them are monotheistic, meaning that they only believe in one God, and some are polytheistic. Some examples of world religions are Judaism, Islam, Christianity, and Confucianism. Most of these religions have been practiced for years and they are still practiced today. Judaism is oldest known monotheistic religion still practiced in the world today. Its fundamental teachings have been influential and are the basis for more recently developed religious such as Christianity and Islam. Abraham is generally recognized as the founder of Judaism due to his covenant with God. However, Moses is also considered a founder due to his role in the liberation of the Hebrews from Egypt, and his delivery of the Ten Commandments from Mount sometime around 2000 BC. Judaism was developed in the Middle East in and around the area that is currently Israel. The Holy Scriptures in the Jewish religion are the Torah and the Talmud. Jews worship in temples called Synagogues and mass is conducted by Rabbis. Islam, which when translated from Arabic, means "to submit to the will of Allah," is the youngest of the world's major religions. Worshippers of this monotheistic religion are know as Muslims, which means "one who submits to the will of Allah." Islam is currently the second most practiced religion in the world, and experts predict that it will overtake Christianity as the most popular religion...
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...The world we live in is surrounded by many faces of different colors, separate beliefs and values that makes the essence of one’s life. Throughout our day to day life it is impossible to not come in contact with someone that does not believe and share the same practice and religion base as you do. There are several different religion but the main three are Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. In the beginning Christianity, Judaism, and Islam was somehow connected, unfortunately due to disobedience what was first one end up becoming three, in which caused different beliefs followed by different gods. Along with these beliefs came may struggles to obtain and carry out the very thing that they were proven to be right, pure and true. The Islamic religion believes that Allah “was the creator and sustainer of life” (Molly, M., 1999, Page 425.) Christianity believes that God is the creator and sustainer of life. Judaism also believes that God is the creator and sustainer of life. All three religion believes there is a higher power. Islam describes Jesus as a prophet as described here, “He encountered angels and the great prophets of the past, including Abraham and Jesus,” (Molly, M., 1999, Page 428) Judaism also describes Jesus as a prophet as well because Jesus, in their opinion, did not save the Jews. They believed that the real Messiah was going to become their military leader on earth and create an Eden in Jerusalem. They had expected the real Messiah to expel the Romans and rule...
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...There are many different types of religions in this world. Some of them are monotheistic, meaning that they only believe in one God, and some are polytheistic. Some examples of world religions are Judaism, Islam, Christianity, and Confucianism. Most of these religions have been practiced for years and they are still practiced today. Judaism is oldest known monotheistic religion still practiced in the world today. Its fundamental teachings have been influential and are the basis for more recently developed religious such as Christianity and Islam. Abraham is generally recognized as the founder of Judaism due to his covenant with God. However, Moses is also considered a founder due to his role in the liberation of the Hebrews from Egypt, and his delivery of the Ten Commandments from Mount sometime around 2000 BC. Judaism was developed in the Middle East in and around the area that is currently Israel. The Holy Scriptures in the Jewish religion are the Torah and the Talmud. Jews worship in temples called Synagogues and mass is conducted by Rabbis. Islam, which when translated from Arabic, means "to submit to the will of Allah," is the youngest of the world's major religions. Worshippers of this monotheistic religion are know as Muslims, which means "one who submits to the will of Allah." Islam is currently the second most practiced religion in the world, and experts predict that it will overtake Christianity as the most popular religion in the world sometime in the future. Islam...
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...| Monotheistic Religions | | | Linda Vance | University of Phoenix | | Monotheistic Religions Monotheistic religions practice the worship to one God. Three of the oldest surviving religions to practice monotheism are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Although Judaism, Christianity and Islam have distinguishing worship practices and philosophies, their histories parallel one another. Within this paper one will see both the similarities that tie these religions together and the distinctions that separate them. The comparison of each religion and the core figures associated with the religion; and what roles they play. The question this paper will attempt to reveal is, is, the God of Muhammad, the God of Israel, and the God of Jesus, one and the same? One of the key figures in all three religions is Abraham. To the Jews, Abraham was the first of their people to make a covenant with God. It is said that the agreement between God and Abraham would give special favor for the Israelites obedience to God (Fisher, 2005, p.230). To Islam God told Abraham and his son Ishmael to build the first Ka’bah in Mecca for the tribes of Arabia to worship (Fisher, 2005, p.362). And to Christians the genealogy of Jesus is traced back to Abraham, through David (Fisher, 2005, p.288). We can see that in Monotheistic religions all share the same general lineage and God. Even though each separate religion’s interpretation of Gods plan varies may be attributed to the creation of...
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...Student’s Name Instructor Name Class Monotheistic Religions Over the years religion and political issues have coincided, one influencing the whole result of the other as it is evident presently. In line with this pattern, every day political decisions run parallel to the people's religious convictions. The results of the interaction between religion and politics can be seen reflected through the news and different media outlets. It should be noted that no nation has been spared of the effects of religious politics because religious legislative issues inside of a nation might significantly influence issues in another nation with a totally diverse point of view toward religion, governmental issues, and the issues being referred to. Thus, there is an ever-increasing need to make a global "analytic map of faith," with the capacity to adequately explain the location and influence of these religions on human behavior. Such map proves to be a significant tool to explain why a particular religion is associated with specific behaviors or actions. Religious beliefs are diverse across the globe. Although majority of people are of the belief in the presence of one supreme God (Monotheism) others believe that there are multiple gods. Another sect believes in no God at all (atheism). Owing to this diversity, setting up a global analytical map of faith proves to be a challenging task. Nevertheless, the three popular monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) are a superb benchmark...
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...Yoruba and Judaism There are a vast amount of religions recognized today. Originating in different parts of the world, and developing through different time periods, these religions revolve around distinct characteristics built upon years of tradition. One of the world’s primal religions is the Yoruba religion. Practised for more than one thousand years, this ancient religion has been the key form of worship for the people of the western regions of central Africa. Through the use of rituals, ancestors and special leaders, members of the Yoruba religion aim to establish the balance between human beings and gods. In contrast, Judaism, a religion established many years later, highlights the covenant between God and the people. Through the use of the Torah, festivals and a unique history, Jews fulfill their belief as the chosen people. While both religions possess similar aspects, significant differences exist between the two. Religions of the world are unique in the sense that every religion has a different understanding of what they believe is god. When closely examined, the Yoruba religion in comparison to Judaism, hold different beliefs on theism. Back in the earlier days, polytheistic religions (the worship of many gods) were the only religions that were known. The Yoruba faith has developed over the worship of many gods, using these different deities to communicate with the supernatural. Followers of the faith can agree that Yoruba’s early polytheistic developments are...
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...Judaism is considered to be a monotheistic religion, yet the Hebrew Bible shows unmistakable traces of polytheism (e.g., Genesis 35:2, Exod. 15:11, Psalm 95:3). (1) How can it be explained that Judaism is a monotheistic religion but clearly acknowledges other gods? Judaism is an "ethical monotheistic" religion - meaning that its conception of what counts as moral and ethical behavior is derived from a single deity. (2) What relation does Abraham play in understanding the nature of morality within Judaism? Monotheism means the study of one God. However, there are different interpretations of what that means. Each religion interprets monotheism in a different way. For example, Christianity is monotheistic. It is stated throughout the Old and New Testament that thou shalt not worship any god before me (God/Jesus). In Judaism, the Torah, first 5 books of the bible, specifically states that no other god shall be worshipped other than Abraham’s God. It is also considered an ethical monotheistic religion because all of the ethical and moral behavior is defined by God in the Torah. Just like how Christians read in the Bible that thou shalt not worship any god before me, the first 5 books of the Hebrew Bible state the same thing. However, Jews do believe in prophets and messiahs. A prophet is a living person such as Moses. Prophets are not divine so they are not worshipped. Same with messiahs. While Christians call Jesus the messiah, Jews acknowledge Jesus and his teachings but...
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...Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: Can One Exist Without the Other? “Human beings must be known to be loved; but Divine beings must be loved to be known. One will find religions have similarities despite individual practices.” Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all relate to each other, yet all have distinct differences. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are three monotheistic religions that share many beliefs. Jews and Muslims stress the singularity and unity of God, addressing one all-powerful God and through him all things are made. Christians share this belief, however, difficulty arises when identifying Christianity as monotheistic when trying to understand or decipher God as the Holy Trinity and Jesus as the Son of God. According to all three religions, God is the origin of existence and He alone provides basic rules for guidance. Universally, God is merciful and through God one is given strength to be more like what one ought to be (Christ, Muhammad, etc.). All three religions believe humans are superior creatures on Earth and were made in God’s vision, created with mystery, allowing for growth and discovery. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam claim to have received the final revelation; through a scholarly standpoint one can see the three are intertwined; sharing origins, history, beliefs, and future. Judaism and Christianity both acknowledge the Bible, Prophets, and Jesus; despite the conflicting views of Jesus as the Son of God and Jesus being a “false Prophet...
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...Each of the various texts referring to the five main religions throughout the world have their own view of God. All of the religions are monotheistic, meaning they only believe in one God. However, one of the religions is not monotheistic and describes “the one” in terms of ‘suchness’ or ‘ultimate truth’. Three of these religions are anthropological. The anthropological aspect is the human shape and how the people picture God. The three anthropological religions include Judaism, Islam and Christianity. In Judaism, it is said that the Lord is their God and the Lord is one. The people of Islam, known as Muslims, believe that no one is to be compared to their God, Allah, inferring that Allah is their ruler and the humans are his slaves. Christians believe that God...
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...Religion, Culture, and Death The five religions discussed during this week’s seminar have many similarities, and just as many differences, in relation to their specific views on death, dying, bereavement and grieving. Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism all contain their own system of beliefs and traditions that members use in order to deal with impending death. Judaism is the oldest of the three monotheistic religions that stems from the Middle East and follows the teachings of Abraham and Moses. Judaism believes that death was a direct consequence of Adam and Eve eating from the forbidden “Tree of Conscience” (Leming, 2011). There are several branches of Judaism throughout the world: Orthodox Judaism, Hasidism, Neo-Orthodox Judaism, Reform Judaism, Conservative Judaism, and Reconstructionist (Wilkinson, 2008). All of these sects of Judaism can have very different traditions in regard to the treatment of the deceased’s body. Under the old Jewish tradition, the body of the deceased must be buried as soon as possible after death, within twenty-four hours if possible, although the burial cannot happen on the Sabbath. Before burial, the body is washed, anointed with oils and spices, and dressed in a white linen sheet after which it is buried in Jewish consecrated ground. More contemporary Jews are more likely to choose cremation over burial. Jews have a multi-tiered morning practice. For the first seven days after the death...
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...5 Influences of Christianity in America Christianity is the largest religion in the United States, with around 78% of those polled identifying themselves as Christian, as of 2009. This is down from 86% in 1990 and slightly lower than 78.6% in 2001. Christianity was introduced to the Americas as it was first colonized by Europeans beginning in the 16th and 17th centuries. Today most Christian churches are Mainline Protestant, Evangelical, or Roman Catholic. Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, claiming over a billion members. Its spiritual and administrative head is the Pope. The Church's leadership body in the United States is the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, made up of the hierarchy of bishops and archbishops of the United States and the U.S. Virgin Islands, although each bishop is independent in his own diocese, answerable only to the Pope. Catholic beliefs and worship are detailed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (or CCC) is the official text of the teachings of the Catholic Church. A provisional, "reference text" was issued by Pope John Paul II on October 11, 1992 "the thirtieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council" with his apostolic constitution, Fidei depositum. The new Catechism was first published in 1994 in French and was then translated into many other languages. Catholic tradition and doctrine holds that...
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...Contents Introduction 1 History 1 Evolution of Judaism and Christianity 2 Practices of Judaism and Christian 2 Similarities between Judaism and Christianity 4 Differences between Judaism and Christianity 4 Conclusion 5 References 6 Introduction Religion is a sacred entity in many cultures. Throughout the history and even today we see the practice of religion in all the places of the world. Religion is defined as an organized system of belief, ceremonies, practices and worship that centers on one or more gods. Religion continues to be a dominant force around the world, affecting everything from what people wear to how they behave. There are thousands of religions in the world and from that Judaism is the religion of more than fourteen million Jews throughout the world and it was first major religion to teach the existence of only one god. The basic laws and teachings of Judaism come from Torah, the first five books of Hebrew Bible. Christianity is the largest religion in the world with about two billion followers. It is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Most of the Christians are member of one of the three groups: Roman Catholic, Protestant or Eastern Orthodox. The following pages concentrate on Judaism and Christianity and their history, practices, similarities and differences. History Judaism began about 4,000 years as the religion of small Middle Eastern group of people called Hebrews or Jews. Hebrew or Jews belief they were protected and...
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...Middle East had numerous religions that persisted and changed during the time period of 600 C.E. to 1450. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are some of the main religions that continued during that time period. Many of the Middle Eastern people’s beliefs in religion have not changed since 600 C.E. to 1450. The religion that is still continued and the majority of people practice is Islam. In early 600 C.E. the religion of Islam originated in the city of Mecca. Mecca was chosen as the holy city because of the Ka’ba, which is a holy shrine dedicated to Allah and Muhammad. Islam follows the teachings out of the holy book, called the Qur’an. The followers of Islam include the believed that there was a prophet and he was named was Muhammad. They believed in an afterlife and that angels are real. Islam was and continues to be a monotheistic religion, that worships one god, Allah. There are the Five Pillars of Islam which are rules that the practicing people must follow. The religion is based on the Five Pillars are testimony of faith, praying five times a day, giving a zakat, fasting during the month of Ramadan, and making a pilgrimage to Mecca. The beliefs of the Islamic society did not change drastically between 600 C.E. to 1450. The Islamic world has changed over time as it has expanded beyond its cultural territories. The expanded Islamic world also improved their trade system and education system. The changes and continuities are largely due to its religion, trade system, political...
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...The second module covers Philosophy of Culture. This encompasses the three main world views. These views are theism, transcendentalism, and naturalism. First Week - Introduction The first class covered the introduction ot the Philosophy of Culture course by having us answer seven thought-provoking questions. Each question, though simple, was worded in such a way as to make one think about it in-depth. These questions dealt with our perception of reality and our thoughts concerning life and its meaning. It challenged our religious faith and made us declare not only what we believed, but why we believed it. We read “An Atheist’s Values”, a statement of secular humanism. We then wrote a paragraph describing the views of this type of naturalist. Although brotherly love, courage, cheerfulness, and dignity are promoted in the statement, no basis or foundation upon which these virtues should come is given other than the author’s opinion. We read and discussed in class the three basic world views. By studying these views, we will be able to understand the mindset of those whose world views differs from ours. Second Week – Overview of World Views Theism is the belief in one superior being, a creator or god. This can be broken down even further into monotheistic and polytheistic beliefs. Monotheistic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, believe in one god. Polytheistic religions, such as those practiced by the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians, believe in...
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...Contemporary Issues in Western Religions LaKeisha Davenport Rel/134 University of Phoenix Sammy Frailey July 26, 2010 Contemporary Issues in Western Religions One of the ways to understand people of a diverse society is to understand their religious beliefs and practices. In the western world there are three major religions. These religions are Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Each of these religions is monotheistic and is practiced by more than half the people in the world. Monotheistic religion is the belief in one God. Although Judaism, Christianity and Islam religious practices are each monotheistic, some of the religious traditions are different. Judaism believes there is one God who cannot be made up of parts; Islam embraces an immaterial, invisible God, one to be intensely feared in His omnipotence; Christians hold fast to the trinity of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The differences mentioned are but a few of the differences between the three religions that could very well be reasons for some of the struggles believers faced during the early biblical days. To better the religious traditions of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, one must study the early traditions and struggles of each religion. The writers of this paper will discuss the similarities, differences, theological and historical connections between the three religions. Historical Connections Judaism is historically connected to Christianity through Jesus...
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