AQA Religion and Life Issues Dynamic Learning © Hodder Education 2011 Topic Six Religion and young people Religious birth ceremonies

AQA Religion and Life Issues Dynamic Learning © Hodder Education 2011 Topic Six Religion and young people Buddhism There are no set religious practices for Buddhists to follow. Any ceremonies that are held come from the culture of the country itself, rather than the religion. For some families, especially in Theravada Buddhist cultures, they want a monk to come to bless their child. The monk will visit the home, and chant some religious texts as a blessing. To show their thanks, the couple will give gifts of food, money, or other things to the monk and the monastery he belongs to. Many Buddhists take their child to the temple soon after it is born. They want to give thanks to the Buddha for their child, so will pray and make offerings of incense, flowers, food and money to show their thanks.

AQA Religion and Life Issues Dynamic Learning © Hodder Education 2011 Topic Six Religion and young people Buddhism They may want the child to receive its name at the temple. Often, in such ceremonies, water is sprinkled over the child. Water symbolises cleanliness and protection from evil. Again, the parents will make offerings as gifts to the Buddha and temple.

AQA Religion and Life Issues Dynamic Learning © Hodder Education 2011 Topic Six Religion and young people Christianity Christians have infant baptism, and dedication ceremonies. If you are asked about an initiation ceremony in the exam, you could talk about either. Since there is a little bit more detail in the infant baptism ceremony, we’ll look at that. Don’t forget, this ceremony differs between Christian denominations, so you might have experience of a different one. The parents bring their child to the church to have it baptised. This means it is welcomed into the faith, and made a member through its parents’ faith. For Catholics, it also means it is washed clean of sins inherited from its ancestors.

AQA Religion and Life Issues Dynamic Learning © Hodder Education 2011 Topic Six Religion and young people Christianity The baby is usually dressed in white, for purity. Everyone gathers round the font for the ceremony. The priest asks the parents and godparents some questions about their faith, and their intention to bring the baby up in the faith. Then he takes some water from the font and makes the sign of the cross on the baby’s forehead. The cross is the symbol for Christianity, of course.

AQA Religion and Life Issues Dynamic Learning © Hodder Education 2011 Topic Six Religion and young people Christianity Then water is poured over the baby’s forehead three times – once each for God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The baby is being baptised in the name of each of these. In many churches, the family will be given a lighted candle to represent Jesus as the Light of the World. It will be a reminder of their promises to bring up the child in the faith.

AQA Religion and Life Issues Dynamic Learning © Hodder Education 2011 Topic Six Religion and young people Hinduism In Hinduism, there are two very early birth/initiation ceremonies. Hindus in different parts of India will also have cultural ceremonies. There are a number of other ceremonies as well, a little later in the child’s life. The first ceremony is called Jatakarma, and happens as soon after birth as possible. At this time, the father will put a little ghee (butter) mixed with honey on to the baby’s tongue. This is in the hope that the baby will have a good nature. The father will also whisper the name of the Ultimate Reality into the baby’s ear, so that the baby is welcomed into the faith.

AQA Religion and Life Issues Dynamic Learning © Hodder Education 2011 Topic Six Religion and young people Hinduism The second ceremony usually happens on the tenth to twelfth day after birth. It is called Namakarana, and is the name-giving ceremony. The baby is dressed in new clothes, and can be taken to the temple, or a Brahmin priest will come to the home. An astrologer will read out the child’s horoscope, which he has prepared after the child was born, and the name will be announced.

AQA Religion and Life Issues Dynamic Learning © Hodder Education 2011 Topic Six Religion and young people Hinduism Songs and hymns are sung to show happiness and thanksgiving. Many families will make a fire sacrifice (havan). They offer grain and ghee to the deities through the flames of a fire, whilst mantras are being chanted.

AQA Religion and Life Issues Dynamic Learning © Hodder Education 2011 Topic Six Religion and young people Islam There are two main ceremonies – the Tahneek and the Aqiqah. The Tahneek Ceremony happens as soon as possible after birth. The father whispers the Adhan into the right ear, and then the Iqamah into the left. This means the child has been welcomed into the faith, and the first things it has heard have been the call to prayer and the name of Allah. Next, he takes the child and places the soft part of a date on its tongue. This is a hope for the child to be sweet-natured when it gets older.

AQA Religion and Life Issues Dynamic Learning © Hodder Education 2011 Topic Six Religion and young people Islam The Aqiqah Ceremony is the naming ceremony. It will take place a few days after birth. The baby’s head is shaved, and the hair weighed. The family will give at least its equivalent weight in money to charity. This purifies the child. Next, verses from the Qur’an are read out loud, and the child’s name will be announced. Again, the father will whisper the Adhan into its ear.

AQA Religion and Life Issues Dynamic Learning © Hodder Education 2011 Topic Six Religion and young people Islam The family will pay for an animal to be sacrificed and its meat given to the poor to say thanks for the gift of a child. Then everyone will join in a feast to celebrate the birth of the child.

AQA Religion and Life Issues Dynamic Learning © Hodder Education 2011 Topic Six Religion and young people Judaism Boys and girls have different birth ceremonies in Judaism. Eight days after birth, a boy should be circumcised as a mark of the covenant between Abraham and the Israelites. A mohel (man trained to carry out circumcision) goes to the home of the child. A special guest (sandek) will hold the child whilst the circumcision is carried out. This person may be a friend of the family or a relative, but carrying out this role is an honour, hence them being a special guest.

AQA Religion and Life Issues Dynamic Learning © Hodder Education 2011 Topic Six Religion and young people Judaism The father will read a blessing from the Torah. Then the mohel will bless the child himself, and announce his name. The baby is then given to his mother to be fed. The family and their guests will then celebrate with a party.

AQA Religion and Life Issues Dynamic Learning © Hodder Education 2011 Topic Six Religion and young people Judaism For a girl, she will be announced and named on the first Sabbath after her birth. This happens at the synagogue. Many Jews follow the zeved habit ceremony, where a rabbi will come to bless the baby girl. The family then enjoy a meal of celebration. This happens on the seventh day after birth.

AQA Religion and Life Issues Dynamic Learning © Hodder Education 2011 Topic Six Religion and young people Sikhism As soon as possible after birth, the father will whisper the Mool Mantra into the ear of the child. This means it has been welcomed into the faith. He will also put a little honey on to the baby’s lips – hoping for a sweet future. The naming ceremony will take place at the first gurdwara service after birth if possible.

AQA Religion and Life Issues Dynamic Learning © Hodder Education 2011 Topic Six Religion and young people Sikhism The couple take their child to the service, and with them take the ingredients for karah parshad, and a romalla as a gift for the gurdwara. There will be readings of thanksgiving from the Guru Granth Sahib. The granthi will stir the amrit with a kirpan, and then drop some into the mouth of the baby. He or she also says a prayer for long life and sweetness for the baby.

AQA Religion and Life Issues Dynamic Learning © Hodder Education 2011 Topic Six Religion and young people Sikhism The name is chosen next. The granthi opens the Guru Granth Sahib at random, and reads the first word on the left-hand page. The parents use the first letter of this for the first letter of the baby’s name. The granthi then announces that name to the congregation. The karah parshad, which is blessed food from God, will be given out to everyone in the service. The couple arrange for a donation to be given to the poor, as a sign of their thanks to God for their child.