World Religions Judaism & Christianity – A Study in Monotheism

Judaism “Big Sister” – the first monotheistic religions

History Judaism traces its origins to the beginning of man (according to Genesis in the Old Testament). Around 1300 BCE, Abraham was called by God to move from his home in Mesopotamia to Canaan. Famine drove the Hebrews (descendants of Abraham) to Egypt, where they were enslaved. Moses led his people out of slavery in Egypt and back to settle in Canaan.

History Leaders of Judaism during its height: David & Solomon Established a Jewish kingdom in Israel Built the temple of Jerusalem (no longer exists) The Jews have been driven out of their homeland several times in what is known as a “diaspora”

Beliefs Supreme Being: one God who is all powerful over everything in the universe The name of God is never spoken or written fully. The symbol YHWH is used in place of the sacred name. Jews have been called the “chosen people” by God, and are under his special care. History is the center of Jewish tradition – festivals and holidays are meant to remember blessings from God. Ethics (moral behavior) are the foundation of Jewish life.

Beliefs (cont.) 13 Articles of Faith are a summary of Judaism Written by the rabbi Maimonides in the 12 th century CE. 1.God exists. 2.God is one and unique. 3.God is incorporeal. 4.God is eternal. 5.Prayer is to God only. 6.The prophets spoke truth. 7.Moses was the greatest of the prophets. 8.The Written and Oral Torah were given to Moses. 9.There will be no other Torah. 10.God knows the thoughts and deeds of men. 11.God will reward the good and punish the wicked. 12.The Messiah will come. 13.The dead will be resurrected.

Sacred Texts Torah (also known as the Pentateuch) Stories and laws from the beginning of the world through the death of Moses Laws guide all moral behavior – including diet, government, family life, etc. Also the 1 st 5 books of the Christian Bible (Includes the 10 Commandments) Talmud – interpretations of the Torah Ultimate authority of rabbis Applies laws from the Torah to various situations.

The Synagogue Jews gather at synagogues, or local meeting places, for worship. There are 3 traditional functions of a synagogue: House of Prayer (where services are held on the Sabbath and festival days) House of Study (where the Torah and Talmud are studied) House of Assembly (people can meet for any purpose) Synagogues were developed after the destruction of The Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE, when the Jews dispersed all over the Roman Empire. A rabbi, or teacher, runs the synagogue and helps settle disputes regarding Jewish law, although they can be run without one.

Rituals & Symbols Circumcision Male Jewish babies are circumcised 8 days after they are born. Sign of the covenant (promise) between God and the Jews Bar/Bat Mitzvah After they turn 13, Jewish teens can become full adult members of the synagogue Sabbath Jews rest on the last day of the week to honor God Lasts from Friday at sundown to Saturday at sundown. Conservative Jews do no work on the Sabbath Star of David 6 pointed star that is the symbol of Judaism since the 1600’s CE On the flag of Israel today Mezuzah Parchment with religious texts in a decorative case Attached to the doorposts in Jewish homes to remind them of God’s commandments.

Christianity “Little Sister” – more complex monotheism

History Christianity arose in Palestine (modern Israel) after 33 CE. Palestine was the Jewish province of the Roman Empire. Christianity is based on Jewish tradition Jesus of Nazareth was a Jewish carpenter and wandering teacher After his crucifixion, Jesus’ followers split from traditional Judaism and formed their own religious tradition.

History (cont.) Christians were very unpopular in the early days of the religion They refused to support Roman gods, and were persecuted (discriminated against and even killed) because of their religion They were not accepted by Jews either Christians worshipped in secret until 313 CE, when Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire.

Beliefs Supreme Being – Christians believe in one God Jesus = “son of God” – not a different being, just the human image of God. Holy Trinity: Father, Son, & Holy Spirit Jesus sent by God to save humanity from their sins (evil deeds) Jesus died by crucifixion and raised from the dead after 3 days.

Beliefs (cont.) Christians believe that the soul is eternal, but the body does not last after you die. Salvation: There are 2 possible afterlives – Heaven – eternal peace in the presence of God; believers only Hell – eternal torment and separation from God; all non-believers Your afterlife is determined by belief in Jesus as God and his death/resurrection in repayment of sins.

Moral Actions Faith is the only way to salvation according to Christians. All good actions are important, but have no impact on salvation. Christians are instructed to be like Jesus, and all good deeds are evidence of belief, rather than a way to please God. The 10 Commandments and other instructions from the Bible are moral guidelines.

Sacred Texts Only one text all Christians agree on: The Bible Includes Old Testament (Torah and other Jewish books) and New Testament (teachings of Jesus and letters from early church leaders) Christians believe that the Bible was written by God through men and is God’s message to humanity.

Rituals & Symbols Eucharist/communion - commemorates the “Last Supper” Remembers the sacrifice of Jesus for sins Prayer – communication with God May be personal or corporate Baptism Symbolizes the re-birth of Christians into new life Public ceremony – sometimes done for infants, or adults. Cross – visually symbolizes the death and resurrection of Jesus Fish – an early symbol from the days when Christianity was secret Used by Christians to identify other Christians.