religion prelim revision Flashcards
(meaning of life, supernatural dimension)
what is religion
religion is a distinctive answer to the human need for meaning of life (generally needs a worldview that recognises a supernatural dimension).
view/understanding
what is a worldview
A view or understanding of life itself
RELIGION =
supernatural factor + purpose to believe in
how does NESA define the supernatural dimension
Nesa states: “belief in divinity or powers beyond the human and/or dwelling within the human”.
beyond, divine
What is a transcendent religous worldview
A Transcendent religos worldview “has a belief in a divine power and/or powers beyond the human”.
Judiasm, Christianity, Islam
dwelling, within
What is a immanent religous worldview
An Immanent religous worldview “has a belief in a divine being or powers dwelling within the individual”
Buddihsm & aspects of Hinduism, Indigenous religions
Are Transcendent & immanent dimensions mutualy exclusive?
No, As seen in christianity God’s is trancendent and divine however God’s immanance recognises his working within the world he has made.
Within Christianity God’s transcendence is Omnipotent:
supreme and all - powerful
Within Christianity God’s transcendence is Incorpeal
Spirit and therefore no physical body
Within Christianity God’s transcendence is Omnipresent
present & everywhere, all the time.
Within Christianity God’s transcendence is Omniscient
all - knowing and all - seeing.
Name the 4 characteristics of Religion
Belief and Belivers, Ethics, Sacred Texts and Writings, Rituals & Ceremonies
What is the importantance of Beliefs & Belivers
all religions believe there is a reality greater than all parts of universe, believers keep the practice alive.
What is the importantance of Sacred Texts & Writings
generally given to humans through revelation from God and therefore are importat and have respect and authority.
What is the importantance of Ethics?
Ethics put the belief into practice and cover how to live and act in all aspects of life.
What is the importantance of Ritual & Ceremonies
A way of reinbforcing the central belief system.
Public Rituals and Ceremonies
Public display of unity with definied structure e.g Church
Private Rituals and Ceremonies
Private engagment of faith e.g praying
What does BESR stand for?
Beliefs & belivers, Ethics, Sacred texts, rituals and cermonies
What happens with all the charactersitics of a religion interect creativley?
A religion can be alive and active in the lives of adherents
What does dynamic mean?
A force that stimulates change or progress within a system of process
What does Living mean?
Alive, relevant and meangingful to the adherent
What is a dynamic living religion?
One that is full of life. It is practical, real and not removed from human existence and evident in society and culture clearly expressed in lives of adherents.
An example of a Living and Dynamic religion
Pope francis, Laudato Si’, A letter which Pope Francis wrote to all of humanity encouraging care for earth and climate change: Encourages christains to care with ethics and immerse in real life.
For a religion to be dynamic and living it has to
encourage belivers to use BESR in thier everyday life and apply thier beliefs in society and actions.
What has Religion contributed to the world & society
m, e, b, s, a, s, l, f
meaning, ethics, belonging, society, art, science, law, food
what is the dreaming
The dreaming represents all knowledge and understanding amoung Aboriginal societies.
What is the dreaming inextricably linked to?
The land
What is a totem
a form of identification and are linked to the ancestral being responsible for one’s existence.
What is a custodian
A custodian is someone who has responsibilty for a sacred site.
What is diasporia in Judaism
“The spreading out of Jewish people from their homeland of Israel”
What is the sacred text of Judaism
The TeNaK & The Torah
who are the first patriarchs of Judaism
Abraham, Isaac & Jacob
Who was the first to worship one true God
Abraham
Who are the 2 important descendents of Abraham
Isaac & Jacob
What are the 2 things God promised Abraham and what did Abraham promise in return.
- A People (children and descendents) 2. A Land (Canaan modern day Israel) In return Abraham would love and follow God.
What is circumsision called
“Brit Milah”
Outline Moses in Exodus
Moses is the reciever of the 10 commandments as God reveals themself to him.
List the 3 kinds of judaism & what are they?
Progressive: radical jews, Orthodox: strict, Conservative: a mix of the 2
List the PRINCIPAL BELIEFS of Judaism
Belief in One God, The concept of Moral Law and Idea of a Covenant
List the 4 central beliefs under Judaims principal belief of “God is one” and provide definition
God is eternal: exsits since beginning of time and will exsist forever
God is omnipresent: god is everywhere all the time
God is omnipotent: god is all powerful
God is pure spirit: god is not a physical being
In which book is Abrahams life outlined in?
Genesis
what 2 covenants did God give to Abraham
Covenant of land & people/children and Covenant of circumsision
outline the life of abraham
abraham (abram before god) was called to by god to “walk before him” and he will be given a land and “as many descendents as stars” this was the first covenant made with a patriarch, abraham has a child with his wife’s handmaid and comes ishmeal and god comes down and gives abraham the covenant of circumsision of brit’millah and in return god will bless abrahams wife sarah with more children and the promised land of cannan (israel), the covenant is then passed down to abrahams son isaac the patriach.
What are the religious jewish books called?
TeNaK
Torah: covenants
Nevi’im: prophets
Ketuvim: pslams & proverbs
Which important story of a person does Exodus cover?
Moses story: born down a river, raised with pharohs, told to release jews from egypt, goes to mt siani and receives the torah from God, smashes the torah written on a stone in rage from jewish people worshipping idols and is then denied from promised land of canaan after leading jews to canaan he dies.
what is Zionism?
the philosphy which is aimed at achieveving a jewish home state.
What is the understanding of moral law in Judaism?
The understanding of moral law is that such a law is embedded in the revelation of God and therefore the responsibility of jews to understand the sources of this reveltaion which is mainly the Torah.
What books are inside the TeNaK
The Torah: the covenenants & decalogue law
The Neviim: Writings of the Prophets: calls jewish people to their obligations of the covenent.
The Ketuvim: Wisdom literature including Pslams (hymns) and Proverbs (wisdom)
What are the 5 books of the Torah:
Genesis: Abraham
Exodus: Moses
Leviticus: Laws of Life
Numbers: Jewish Tribes
Deuternomy: Mosaic Law
Who are the major prophets in the Neviim
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekial, Danial
What is the Talmud?
The Talmud is a reminder of faith and includes stories, traditions, customs and law which develop the Torah bu applying this to everday life
What are the 2 main parts of the Torah
Mishnah & Gemera
What does the Mishnah contain?
contains advice and interpretations on legal/law sections of the book in the torah excluding genesis and covers topics such as divorce, criminal law and marriage.
What does the Gemara contain?
In turn the Mishnah was futher discussed by a group of rabbi’s and their understaning was put into the Gemara, applys the Mishnah to contemporary issues.
Which comes first and which come secondary in importance the Torah or the Talmud?
The Torah is most important whilst the Talmus is secondary and a supporting book.
Name the CORE ETHICAL TEACHINGS of Judaism
- the commandments of the torah
- prophetic vision
- book of proverbs (wisdom, purity, rightousness and genorosity of the heart)
explain the principal teaching of moral law
- Jewish people were given the 613 mitzvot and 10 commandment by God
- jewish people belive that one can turn to the Torah and Talmud to help study ethical questions and find the appropraite response.
- Jewish people believe it is their responsibility to understand the Torah as Judaims is a practices religion.
explain the principal teaching of the covenant
- the covenent is at the heart and cornerstone of the jewish religion
- the covenent’s are a lived expression of the relationship between God and Jewish people
- the covenent displays God’s steadfastness and forgivness to his people.
What is divine moral law known as
Halachah
outline the core ethical teaching of “the commandments of the torah”
- the 613 mitzvot given to humans through God outline how one should treat their relationship with God and how one should treat others
outline the core ethical teaching of “prophetic vision”
- The prophets were people who experinced the call of God
- The prophets had 2 mains jobs 1. to reveal God’s word to the hebrew people and 2. To remind people of the covenenant and importance of social justice.
what does Tikkun Olam translate too?
Tikkin Olam roughly translates to “repair of the world”
What does Tikkun Olam mean?
Tikkun Olam is the partnership with God to bring about social order through the decalogue.
outline the core ethical teaching of “the book of proverbs”
- found within the TeNaK (ketuvim)
- have 4 common themes which the sayings are broke up into: wisdom, purity, rightousness, generousity of spirit
what is the most important ritual observed in Judaism
The shabbat
what is shabbat and the importance?
- shabbat is the weekly day of rest from friday evening to saturday evening
- a day of rest and ethical reflection with many rules attached on how to show respect during.
- it is important as it is a commandment in the Torah and is reflected with in the Torah mustiple times as well as reflected God’s 7th day of rest, therefore should be respected.
the historical and social backround to the start of christianity
- there were high tensions between all the seperate sects of judaims who were waiting for a messaih and politcal saviour.
List key events of Jesus life in order
- born
- Visited by the Magi who knew that something extrodanary had happened
- Visits the temple as a young boy and has mature conversations with smart men
- He was baptised and self proclaimed the messiah
- His first miracle
- chose his 12 discples & last supper, trial and arrest, crucifiction, ressurection
4 reasons why jesus is a model for christain life
- Jesus is an advocate for the poor
- Jesus lived a life of prayer
- Jesus lived a life of service to others
- Jesus loves and forgives others
Who were paul and peter in realtion to the development of Christianity?
paul and peter were 2 of the 12 disiplces, paul preached to the gentiles and peter preached to the jews of christainity.
3 obstacles which christians overcame to concrete their religion.
- disconinuing circumsision in males to seperate their beliefs from the jews
- emporor constantine of rome made christainity legal
- st paul convincing the gentiles of christainity and the messiah.
List the 5 main denominations of christainity
Catholicism, Anglicanism, Orthodoxy, Prodestantism & Pentecostalism
List the unique features of Anglicaism
- created by King Henry the 8th
- also known as church of england
- regards the bible as sacred
List the unique features of Catholicism
- the 7 sacrements to initiate one to be catholic
- authority structed under the pope
- teachings taken from scriptures
List the unique features of Orthodoxy
- celebration of the eucharist is marjorly important
- heavily worship saints through icond (paintings)
- holy schriptures are highly regarded
- divine liturgy plays a large role in orthodoxy
List the unique features of Pentacostilism
- emphasises direct personal experince of God through baptism
List the unique features of Prodestantism
- authoirty of the bible
- opposes the authoirty of the pope
- strong on faith insetad of earning salvation
What is the significance of the bible to christian adherents
- viewed by all variants as the source of belief and practice
- teaches belivers of God and Jesus
- provides ethics for belivers
- used in masses, liturgys and praying
list all the PRINCIPAL BELIEFS of christianity
- divinity and humanity of jesus christ
- nature of God & the trinity
- life, death and ressurection of jesus christ
- revelation
- salvation
Outline the principal beliefs regarding the divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ
- the understanding that Jesus Christ is both fully Divine: son of God & performed miracles & rose from the dead, however he is also fully Human: born from a human (mary), god in human form, descendent of david
What is the significance of Jesus’ divinity and humanity?
Jesus humanity & divinity allowed him to die for humanity’s sins: atonements
Jesus could be a leader and a relateble human.
Explain the importance of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for Christians
Christians believe that Christ proves he is the incarnation of God through his life, death and ressurection dying to save mankind.
Why is the death and ressurection of Jesus important?
death: proves that God cares for humanity as he sacrifices his son
ressurection: Jesus is confirmed the Messiah, sin was destryoyed
Outline the beliefs about the nature of God and of the Trinity
Jesus is the second ‘person’ of the trinity of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Christians believe the fullness of God’s grace was accessible to man in the coming of Jesus Christ the Saviour, and the Holy Spirit was revealed to the world on the day of the founding of Christ’s Church
Who is included in the christain trinity
Father, Son & Holy Spirit = God
Examine the Christian understanding of revelation
Revelation is God’s gradual self revelation, Abraham was the first to recieve a revelation from God and the understanding of revelation was completed in Jesus Christ, therefore it is up to humanity to discover the “full signicance” of God’s revelation in Jesus Christ.
What are the 2 types of revelation
- General/Indirect: scripture, other people, opinion
- Special/Direct: prophecy, experince, miracle
What is the definition of Salvation?
deliverance from the penalty of sin: redemption & and the means which bring about such deliverance.
Describe the Christian understanding of salvation
sin results in seperation from God, salvation was made possible by Jesus Christs sacrifice and is seen as the basis of salvation from sin
List the CORE ETHICAL TEACHINGS in Christianity (where christains get their ethics from)
- The Ten commandments
- The beatitudes (blessed are the)
- Jesus love commandment
What is the significance of the ethical teachings in Christainity?
- Inspires others to love as Jesus loved
- Provides moral guide to adherents and influrnces moral decisions
- Help keep adhrents work towards getting to heaven
The 2 types of personal prayer in christainity are:
Vocal Prayer e.g. Rosary, Mental Prayer e.g meditation
List the forms of prayer in christainity
- Adoration and blessing (show wonder)
- Intercession and petition (prays for needs)
- Thanksgiving (shows gratefulness)
- Praise (acknowledge gods greatness)
what are the 2 major cities in Islam?
Mecca and Medina both found in Saudi Arabia
List as many facts as possible about the social time pre - Islam and during
- patriacal society
- many people belived polytheistiticaly
- there were tribes amoung the saudi’s the richest being quraysh
Principal events of prophet muhammeds life:
- ordinary person who lost is mother and father young and was married with children
- he had a revelation by angel jibril and God who told him of laws, service to hold and values
- preached and practised till old age in medina and mecca
Why is muhammed the model for Islam life?
- example of the surrender of will to Allah which Muslims are encouraged to follow
- Muhammed proved himself to be a wise and capable leader
- demonstrated trust in Allah multiple times with his tiring journeys
What is a Caliph in Islam
A Caliph in past Islam was the custodian of faith and was responsible for spreading and upholding the religion through acts of faith.
What did Sunni and Shi’a believe in
Sunni: belived that the caliph should be political not spiritual
Shi’a: believed that the caliph should be spiritual and hereditary through muhammeds generations
Who were the 4 rightly guided caliphs
- Abu Bakr
- Omar Ibn Khattab
- Uthman bin Afwan
- Ali ibn Abu Talib
What was the outcome of the 4 rightly guided caliphs in Islam?
- Islam spread rapidly accross parts of the world
- people converted willingly
What is inside the Qu’ran
The qur’an is a book which covers the revelation of the principal beliefs to prophet muhammed through arch angel jibril from Allah.
What is the importance of the Quran
- The quran is considered to be the litreal word of God
- The quran covers values and morals which Muslims are expected to abide by and believe in
What is the Hadith and Sunna?
The hadith is a narration of the life of Muhammed and includes sayings of the prophet
The sunna invloves all the details of muhammeds actual life
List all 6 of the Principal beliefs of Islam
Tawhid (God is one)
Malikah (belief in angels)
Rusul (belief in prophets)
Kutub (belief in holy books)
Akhira (belief in day of judgement)
Al - Qadr (belief in fate)
Outline the belief of Tawhid
Tawhid is the faith in Islam in the oness and unity of Allah & Nothing can compare to Allah however he is close in the hearts of every muslim person.
Impications:
the tawhid is incompatible with: Pride & Arrognace, Possesions as ones own they are on loan from God
Outline the implications of the Tawhid
Impications:
the Tawhid is incompatible with:
Pride & Arrognace,
Possesions: on loan from Allah
Impure Motives: device others is decive Allah
False Personal Holiness: offends Allah
Ignorance: Ignoring Allah’s will
the Tawhid is compatiple with:
Purpose: things happen for a reason
Surrender: sumbission to Allah: goal of Islam
What prayer is called which acknowldges Tawhid
Fatiha: decleration of divine oneness
Outline the belief in Malikah In Islam
- Belief in Angels within Islam
- Quran was dictacted to Muhammed by the Angel Jibril
- Angels are the messengers of God
- 4 great angels called Jibril, Izra’il, Mika’il, Israfil
Outline the belief in Rusul In Islam
- Belief in the Holy Prophets
- prophecy through the prophets acts as a vehicle through which the ways of Allah are revealed
- 2 types of prophets 1. Nabi: inspired 2.Rasul: given a particular mission
Outline the belief in Kutub In Islam
4 holy books of revelations: 1. Tawrat (Moses), Zabur (David), Injeel (Jesus), Qur’an (Muhammed).
However Islam ony fully rely on the qur’an as it is unaltered and therefore trustworthy.
Outline the belief in Akirha In Islam
- Belief in the day of Judgement & Afterlife
- mortal life is a test of character
- Only those who submit to the will of life can enjoy the afterlife
- forgiveness is avaliable through prayer to Allah
Outline the belief in Al Qadr In Islam
- Belief in predestination/fate
- the idea that all things happen through design and planning through Allah is called Al Qadr
what is Islamic jurisprudence
ISLAMIC JURISPRUDENCE
1. the qur’an
2. hadith and sunna
3. fiqh
4. qiyas
4. Ijma
5. Ithihad
6. fatwa
What is the CORE ETHICAL TEACHING derived from th sacred texts
- Submission to Allah
- Taqwa (God conscious)
- Striving
- Sacred Texts
- Equality
What virtues can the core ethical teachings be summarised into
- Love of Allah
- Humility
- Modesty
- Naturalness
- Selflessness
Explain the process of Islamic Jurisprudence
Muslims are called to refer to the process of Islamic Jurisprudence when faced with a Dilema
1. The Qur’an (read divine revelation)
2. The Haddith and Sunna (muhammed sayings)
3. Fiqh (shariah law on sacred texts study)
3. Qiyas (analogy and descision)
5. Ijma (judgment of scholars)
6. Itjihad (Personal judgement)
7. Fatwa (high courts of Islam)
What is Halal?
What is Haram?
Halal = legal, allowed, lawful
Haram: illegal, forbidden, unlawful
generally present in food:
haram = pork, gelatin
halal = ritually slaughtered meat & everything not haram
Name each pillar/expression of faith
Sawm: fasting
Shahdah: profession of faith
Zakat: almsgiving
Salat: 5x daily prayer
Hajj: pilgrimige
What is Shahadah
- profession of faith: for converting muslims, praise the one true God, there is no compulsion in islam
What is Salat
- salat: 5 dailt prayers, face towards mecca, increases taqwa
What is Sawm
- Sawm is fasting during ramadan to show compassion for people who are really struggling
What is Zakat
- (almsgiving) A share of personal wealth/charity usually 2.5% to the poor which reflects the virtue of selflessness & acknowlegdes that Allah is teh true owner of wealth
What is Hajj
translated to pilgrimage, Muslims at least once in their lives are expected to pay pilgramige to Mecca, The Hajj moves people to higher levels of human appreciation.
