...Contemporary Issues in Western Religions Religious beliefs have been the center of many conflicts across the entire world since the beginning of time. Christianity, Islam, and Judaism the major monotheist religious traditions have been at the heart of many of those religious conflicts. Historical connections and theological similarities are prevalent between the three. In parallel to the similarities exists the contemporary struggles affecting these western religious traditions. From the internal struggles within Christianity such as abortion, to its struggles with Islam and Muslim extremists, finally to the contempt against Christianity from actions of the Holocaust, each tradition faces contemporary struggles within their own right. Gaining a better understanding and insight into the historical, theological, and contemporary struggles between Christianity, Islam, and Judaism will enhance appreciation for each belief. Historical Connections and Theological Similarities: One main pillar of similar theology between Christianity, Islam, and Judaism is the belief in one god. However, each has different perspectives in relation to God. For example, Christians believe in [pic]the Trinity[pic] of [pic]God; God the Father, the Son (Jesus[pic] Christ), [pic]and the Holy Spirit[pic] ("Judaism, Islam, Christianity-Comparison", 2002-2011). Also Christians consider Jesus [pic]the son of God, born to the Virgin Mary, and[pic] had [pic]come to earth to offer redemption for...
Words: 2531 - Pages: 11
...the various crimes committed to destruct and harm human life, abortion is the cruelest criminal offense in the whole human population of the world. The Church’s essential duty is to serve as the Mother and Teacher/Guide of humanity and “is called upon to manifest anew to everyone, with clear and stronger conviction, her will to promote human life by every means and defend it against all attacks, in whatever condition or state of development it is found.” Catholic Churches strongly condemn the act and idea of abortion. They hold a particular view about it and interpret it as something that does not correspond with God, basically meaning an act of sin. Through abortion, the tragic destruction of human life occurs, which obstructs God’s purpose and plan particularly for the new life. This essay focuses on the origin of Christianity, abortion, the proof of abortion, and how Christianity is combating abortion. The Origin of Christianity: Christianity asserts adherence among any other religion and is the second most ancient religion in the world with 2,000 years of history. The religion itself is complex in its inner development and...
Words: 1684 - Pages: 7
...medical to the patients. The medical personnel should take into the consideration the religious belief of the patient in the course of offering medical care to the patient. The Christianity and Buddhism belief systems are reviewed to determine the similarities and differences in the provision of health. It is important to note that healing occurs while there is a balance between the body, mind, physical connections, spirit and emotions. Through out the interviews; I found similarities in belief system between the Buddhism and the Christianity in the provision of healthcare; in both religions, there is a great emphasis on the religion practices for one to attain healing. Both religions believe in power of prayers and meditation for one to get well. The patients in both religions have faith that through prayers and meditation they can change their suffering they are facing currently. According to Buddhism religion, a patient who practices meditation undergoes less suffering and thus meditation create confidence in patient which is important component of healing. On the other hand, meditation and prayers among the Christians create confidence among the patients that God would heal them (Ashcroft & Dawson & Draper, 2007). In addition; it was noted there was a another similarity between the Christianity and Buddhism...
Words: 1062 - Pages: 5
...Dr. Chan Thrs 231 Jannie Or Paper1 I disagree that the best way to study religion is learning from a page from the World Almanac. The information is not accurate and not adequate when comparing the world non-Christian on a few paragraph. First, Among all those ambiguous religion questions, one of them is very difficult to answer- who is the founder of the religion? According to the informative paper: "Founder of Hinduism--The Aryan invaders" which actually in the modern history people consider that there is no single founder. However, the religion is originally established by God Himself (dharman tu sakshad bhagavat pranitam) which claimed by the ancient scriptures of India; as well, "Islam's founder is Muhammad" who is known as rasul Allah, or God's Messenger to the Arabs, and to all of humanity. In my opinion, it is very difficult to specified the founder of religion into a particular person. The sacred text is difficult to conclude in some religion. For example, Buddhism's "sacred text is the Tripitaka" however, Buddhism's sacred text might include not only The Tripitaka, the Mahayana Sutras, and the Tibetan Book of the Dead. I need to think the reason why only list The Tripitaka as Buddhism's sacred text might be it is because The Tripitaka is the most important one. Another problem is how to classified the most influential sacred text, the information is not very precisely stated. For example, the sacred text of Hinduism can...
Words: 1981 - Pages: 8
...World Religion Report Carolyn Maynard HUM 130 December 7,2010 Byrl E. Shaver II Abstract Christianity is the largest, and one of the oldest world religions. Although it began as one, it currently has various denominations. All of these Christian groups and churches, however, adhere to the central tenets of Christianity. Christians have a distinct understanding of the nature of God, the identity of Jesus Christ, and the role of salvation. While most of the Christian holy sites are in Rome and Jerusalem, two of the earliest centers of the religion, Christian sites can be found in all countries where the religion is present. The early Christian missions, located primarily in Florida and California, are an example of important sites for the religion in the United States. This paper provides an overview of the religion, information regarding St. Augustine Mission in Florida, an interview with a Christian, and a comparison between Christianity and Islam in order to provide a deeper understanding of the Christian faith. Christianity is currently one of the world’s largest religions. Approximately 33% of the world’s population or around 2.1 billion people profess the Christian faith (Major Religions…, 2007). Who are these people? What do they believe in? Where do they come from? Where are they going? These are some of the basic questions many people, unfamiliar with Christianity, could have about the religion. Many Christian symbols, such as the cross, are well known, but...
Words: 3059 - Pages: 13
...Investigate a Social Issue Jacquelyn Wintersteen Don Anderson Introduction to Sociology December 9, 2012 Religion plays a large role in society across the globe, whether it’s being recognized by believers or non-believers. The main religions that have been viewed around the world for most of our developments are Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. There have been new religions forming, such as Mormonism, which have been aiding in the reshaping of our societies and tolerance. For a good part of human existence, religion has been a factor of life, shaping the mind of the Homo sapiens. Hinduism is viewed as the world’s oldest religion, dating back to 2nd century BCE. Hinduism had gone through great change over the centuries, beginning with the change of the Aryan Gods, originally including Indra, Soma, and Agni, with Vishnu and Shiva as minor deities that become the main deities by 300BCE. Mahatma Gandhi has become the ‘face’ of Hinduism since the 1950’s, when he attempted to abolish the caste system within the religion. Hinduism has segregated its followers into ‘castes’, which include the Brahmins, the ritual priests, Kshatriyas, the warriors, Vaishyas, the merchants, and lastly the Shudras, the manual laborers (Kinnard, 2012). The caste system is separated much like the class system of earlier eras where Church was at the top, followed by Nobles, merchants, and the lower class of laborers. Buddhism was created out of dissatisfaction for Hinduism in 5th...
Words: 1579 - Pages: 7
...Contrast Between Catholic and Baptist Religion - Ask most people today if they have heard of Baptist and Catholic religion and most would say yes. In many ways the two are very similar. For instance, both are based on the Christian faith, belief in the trinity, and that God is the one true God. The two religions agree that Jesus died on the cross and rose again to atone for our sins. They share a 27 book New Testament and insist that salvation comes from Christ alone. On the other hand, while the Baptist and Catholic religions do have similarities, they also have differences, such as their services, communion, and views regarding salvation. The Catholic Religion - The world has more than one billion Catholics and with the ever growing population, it will only get larger in number. To be a Catholic means to have complete faith in God and his divine grace. Having God's divine grace means to obey it and keep it holy as it was created by God and given to his people. The religion itself is based on this and the people take it very seriously. Catholics believe that all people are of good nature but when one commits a sin it not only hurts that one person but the people and the Church.... [tags: Catholicism, What Catholics Believe, informative] 1922 words (5.5 pages) $14.95 [preview] Catholic religion - CATHOLIC RELIGION To belong to the church one must accept as factually true the gospel of Jesus as handed down in tradition and as interpreted by the bishops in union with the pope...
Words: 9141 - Pages: 37
...Reform Judaism Tamara Rice Instructor: Eric Speir REL 212 March 11th, 2012 Background Over a month ago when I selected the topic of Judaism as the subject for my field research paper, I thought that the outcome would be cut and dry. I knew that Judaism served as the foundation for my own faith (Christianity) and that Jews honored the Sabbath from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. I also had in my mind the imagery of the Star of David, the Torah scroll and the male rabbi in the synagogue donning a prayer shawl over his shoulders and a kippah on the crown of his head. I believed that I had the general concepts of the Jewish faith in my mind; I just needed to witness a virtual worship service and fill in some of the minor details while gathering some additional intelligence on some misconceptions. So I decided to go over to the Ustream for “Shir Hadash” and witness a Community Shabbat (Sabbath) Service (Ustream, 2011). What I discovered watching the 2.5 hour Shabbat service followed by some additional research gave me a rude awakening. The impression of Judaism that I’ve carried with me up to this point is what is known as Orthodox Judaism. The Jews that I’ve witnessed in tight-knit communities in places such as Brooklyn, New York and Oak Park, Michigan were towns filled with Orthodox Jews. In addition to Orthodox Judaism, there is also Conservative Judaism. Conservative Judaism reverences traditional Jewish practices in America, but...
Words: 1732 - Pages: 7
...Islamic Teachings around the World Islamic Teachings around the World Islam is a highly misunderstood religion, with regard to Muslim’s beliefs, values, and goals. Many of the Muslim practices are different throughout the world depending on the local culture. Islam is the second largest religion with Christianity being first. In 2000 Islamic followers were 1.2 billion, which was 22 percent of the world population. According to Clark (2003) this percentage makes Islam the fastest growing major religion. This paper will research the teachings of Islam, compare the three major religions of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, and point out similarities and differences in different countries. The history of Islam including the Qur’an will be discussed. The dissimilarity between radical Islamic extremist groups and Islam will be discussed. History of Islam Muhammad, at age 40, was visited by the angel Gabriel in the year 610 A. D. to be God’s prophet. He was given the mission of convincing others who worshiped many gods that they should submit to one God. Although Muhammad had few followers in the beginning he continued to teach his revelations in Mecca. In 622 A.D. Muhammad and his followers moved to Medina where the first Muslim community began, this is considered the first year in the Muslim calendar. In the years that followed the Muslim armies overtook most of Arabia, India, and Spain. Some communities were converted to the Islam faith peacefully while others...
Words: 2716 - Pages: 11
...Abstract A basic knowledge of Islam is becoming essential for Americans today. Presently there are nearly five million Muslims living in America. These Muslims face persecution by Americans as a result of the country’s present state of affairs. In their own communities Muslims are forced to defend themselves against their enemies. To be a Muslim is not just an individual activity it is a community identity and responsibility. Islam is considered a total way of life for the religious community. For many in America who are raised with the idea of the separation of church and state and the sense that religion is a private affair, Islam can seem confusing, especially since Islam does not have a “church” to preserve and promote its beliefs. There is a great diversity among Muslims as there is among other religious communities in America. Because America is predominantly Judeo-Christian it is sometimes easier for Christians and Jews to practice their faith. American schools do not recognize Muslim holidays. Even such a simple task as attending Friday congregational prayer and taking a break to perform the salat during working hours are often difficult. Muslim culture has become prominent in coutries other than Islam. Countries that have a large Muslim following include Australia, Canada, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, United Kingdom and United States. Accepting Cultural Differences in Muslims Since the tragedy of 9-11 a...
Words: 3458 - Pages: 14
...Islam, along with Christianity and Judaism is a major monotheistic religion of the world. It was founded by Prophet Muhammad in Arabia, in the 7th century CE. According to Encyclopedia Britannica Online, “the Arabic term Islam, literally ‘surrender,’ illuminates the fundamental religious idea of Islam—that the believer, called a Muslim, accepts surrender to the will of Allah (God)” (Mahdi, Rahman, Schimmel). In Islam, Allah is considered the only God, and it is believed that humans must submit to his will. The Prophet Muhammad is considered the last Islamic Prophet, and the one to whom Allah had revealed sacred scriptures known as Qur’an. Although Muhammad started with a small group of followers, they quickly grew in number and his teachings started spreading rapidly “through the Middle East to Africa, Europe, the Indian subcontinent, the Malay Peninsula, and China”(Mahdi, Rahman, Schimmel). Today, there are about 1.6 billion Muslims in the world which makes it 2nd largest religion of the world. However, Islam is perceived to be radical and contradictory religion by many non-Muslims. Moreover, due to the terrorist attacks which had been associated with this “religion of peace,” Muslims call it, Islam had been viewed as a “bad” religion. Since America is the “melting pot” of different cultures and religions, non-Muslims should strive to learn about the Islamic religion, its teachings and interpretations, its differences and similarities with Christianity and Judaism, and how to...
Words: 3021 - Pages: 13
...PREVIEW Table of Content Acknowledgement Introduction Aim of research Research Topic Method of Collection Summary of Findings Interpretation and Analysis of Data Conclusion Bibliography Acknowledgement The researcher would like to thank my teacher Miss Simmons for her help and guidance. Also my parents who supported me in doing this research, a special thanks to the lord almighty God Introduction The research will examine the festivals in Christianity. There are many different types of festivals in Christianity. However my focus is on the following festivals: 1. Christmas 2. Easter 3. Lent 4. Good Friday Aim of Research The researchers hope to find out: 1. The different festival in Christianity 2. The importance of these festival in Christianity Research Topic The Types of Festival in Christianity Method of Collection This research was done between the months of September through to December 2010. The instruments the researcher used to collect these data are: literature, pen, paper, and computer. The researcher used the Spanish town library to complete this data. CXC 28/G/SYLL 09 CARIBBEAN EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate CSEC® RELIGIOUS EDUCATION SYLLABUS Effective for examinations from May/June 2012 Published by the Caribbean Examinations Council © 2010, Caribbean Examinations Council All rights reserved. No...
Words: 35172 - Pages: 141
...CARIBBEAN EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate CSEC® RELIGIOUS EDUCATION SYLLABUS Effective for examinations from May/June 2012 CXC 28/G/SYLL 09 Published by the Caribbean Examinations Council © 2010, Caribbean Examinations Council All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior permission of the author or publisher. Correspondence related to the syllabus should be addressed to: The Pro-Registrar Caribbean Examinations Council Caenwood Centre 37 Arnold Road, Kingston 5, Jamaica, W.I. Telephone: (876) 630-5200 Facsimile Number: (876) 967-4972 E-mail address: cxcwzo@cxc.org Website: www.cxc.org Copyright © 2009, by Caribbean Examinations Council The Garrison, St Michael BB14038, Barbados CXC 28/G/SYLL 09 Contents RATIONALE ................................................................................................................................... 1 AIMS ................................................................................................................................................ 1 CRITERIA FOR CONTENT SELECTION .................................................................................... 2 ORGANISATION OF THE SYLLABUS ....................................................................................... 2 APPROACHES TO TEACHING THE SYLLABUS .......
Words: 35087 - Pages: 141
...Mary Prince Paper: A COMPARISON AND CONTRASTING BETWEEN SLAVE SOCIETY AND SOCIETY WITH SLAVES By Viamonte Lee A Case Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for the Course Humanities in the World since 1300 at The University of Akron. March 5, 2015 Introduction This is an analysis of slavery based on two stories: The History of Mary Prince and Semsigul. In addition, there is comparison and contrast of the two stories along with supporting or dissenting arguments offered in the Overfield readings with regards to slavery in the Spanish colonies. The perspective of this analysis looks at the following aspects of coerced labor: 1. The relationship between the master and the slave 2. The struggle of the slaves against the slavery system 3. The impacts of the slavery system on the health of the slaves The Mary Prince account is autobiographical hence, although in her own voice, there may be some liberties given to the facts and conflicts of interest when delivering details of her story objectively. In addition, there may be some instances where she would have a limited perspective. By contrast, Semsigul’s story is her testimony within a police report –just facts and answers to questions. Alonso Zorita speaks on behalf of the indigenous in his account of Indian forced labor in the Spanish colonies. His accounts will be used to further compare and contrast the two main perspectives. ...
Words: 1706 - Pages: 7
...their own and different religions. Furthermore, it should be remembered that the study of religion is neither a pre-requisite nor requirement for specific training as a teacher or leader in the different religions presented in the syllabus. The examination for Religious Education for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) is grounded in these understandings and the candidates sitting the examination should be aware of the focus of this academic discipline. The CSEC Religious Education examination consists of three components. Paper 01, the MultipleChoice paper, assesses four major world religions (Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism) along with six Caribbean indigenous religions and the Essentials of Religion. Paper 02, the Structured Essay paper, assesses candidates’ in-depth study of one of the major world religions. To date four religions (viz Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and...
Words: 6723 - Pages: 27
