religion study notes

Principal Beliefs – Judaism:

  • Belief in One God

  • Divinely Inspired Moral Law

  • Importance of the Covenant

Attributes of God:

  • Clan-God of Abraham and his descendants

  • God of the Land of Israel, linked to the covenant

  • Universal God, creator of the universe

The Covenant:

  • Between God + Abraham/Moses (Mt Sinai – Exodus 24)

  • Agreements between God and the Israelites

  • Social responsibility, devotion to God, keeping Torah, acting in God’s image

  • Unites Jewish population and provides identity

Divinely Inspired Moral Law:

  • Torah contains moral law binding Jews to God

  • 613 Mitzvot (248 Positive, 363 Negative)

  • Covers all aspects of life and worship

Sacred Text + Writings:

  • Tanakh (Torah, Nevi’im, Ketuvim)

    • Torah: First 5 books of Bible, foundation of Jewish teachings

    • Nevi’im: Writings of prophets

    • Ketuvim: Collected writings

  • Talmud: Discussions/comments by Rabbis on Tanakh, laws, customs, ethics

    • Mishnah and Gemara.

Core Ethical Teachings:

  • 10 Commandments (Exodus 20): Guidance on relationships with God and others

  • Prophetic Vision: wisdom, righteousness, purity, generosity

Christianity:

Jesus: model for Christian life

  • Birth, Ministry, Teachings, Passion, Death, Resurrection, Ascension

Principal Beliefs of Christianity:

  • Salvation, Revelation

  • Humanity and Divinity of Jesus Christ

  • Death and Resurrection of Jesus

  • Nature of God and the Trinity

Salvation:

  • Delivered from suffering/evil, through God's grace

  • Experienced now, fully realized in afterlife

Revelation:

  • Disclosure by God of previously unknown knowledge

  • Given in the Christian Bible

Ethical Teachings:

  • Beatitudes: Guide life choices, desirable characteristics

  • 10 Commandments: Live in accordance with God's Will

  • Jesus’s Commandment of Love

Prayer:

  • Communication with God

  • Different types: Lord’s Prayer, Extemporary prayers

Islam:

Principal Beliefs of Islam:

  • The Articles of Faith

    • The Oneness of Allah (GOD) – Tawhid

    • Angels – Mala’ika

    • Books of Allah – Kutubullah

    • Prophets – Rusul

    • Life after Death – Al-Akhira

    • Fate/Predestination – Al-Qadar

Five Pillars of Islam:

  • Shahada, Salat, Zakat, Sawm, Hajj

Sacred Texts:

  • Qur’an: Final revelation of Allah

  • Hadith: Customary practice of Muhammad

Core Ethical Teachings

  • Shariah Law: Values/rules by Allah for guidance

Islamic Virtues/Behaviours:

  • Shukr, Taqwa, Sabr, Jihad

Principal Beliefs of Judaism:

  • Belief in One God: "listen, Israel, God is our Lord, God is One" (Deuteronomy 6:4)

  • Divinely Inspired Moral Law: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself’ (Leviticus 19.17)

  • Importance of the Covenant: “See the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.’’ (Exodus 24:8)

Principal Beliefs of Christianity:

  • Salvation: ‘… He will save his people from their sins.’ – (Matthew 1:21)

  • Revelation: ‘For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the spirit without limit’ – (John 3:34)

  • Nature of God + Trinity: ‘May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all’ – (2 Corinthians 13:14)

  • Death + Resurrection: ‘Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and the life; he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall live’ – (John 11:25)

  • Divinity + Humanity: ‘The word became flesh and made his dwelling amongst us, we have seen his glory of the One and Only who came from the Father, full of grace and truth’ – (John 1:14)

Principal Beliefs of Islam:

  • Tawhid: ‘Allah witnesses that there is no deity except him, . . . The Exalted, in Might, the Wise’ – Qur’an 3:18

  • Books of Allah: ‘We have revealed the Book to you explaining clearly everything’ – Qur’an 16:89

  • Prophecy: ‘Muhammad is the messenger of Allah’ – Qur’an 48:29

  • Angels: ‘The angel of death, who is set over you, will take your souls, then you shall be brought to the God – Qur’an 32:11

  • Life after Death: ‘Every soul shall taste death … on the Day of Judgement’

  • Predestination: The stronger the faith, the harder the tests, the greater rewards