...developed and expanded at the beginning of the Common Era. In addition, Christian Ethics can be defined as “ moral standard, rules or laws which guide the thought, words and deeds of the Christians” (Messer, 2009:10). This quote further explains that it can be considered as part of a code of conduct between the relationship of Christians and God, the human race and of natures surroundings. Islam developed in the country of Saudi Arabia and this tradition is owned by the monotheistic family of faiths (Sanneth, 1996:6). The philosophy of Islam, being a religion, focused on a prophet by the name of Muhammad who was born in AD 570 (Sanneth, 1996:6). This essay will be explaining the similarities and differences of both the Christian and Islamic traditions as well as highlighting some of the ways in which both traditions advocate religious harmony in contemporary society. The first similarity between Christian and Islamic traditions is that both worship one god making both traditions monotheistic and that God is the most supreme being over anyone else of which both traditions worry about the behaviour as well as the beliefs of human beings (Zahniser, 2008:3). The second similarity is that both believe in a Heaven and Hell and God's future judgment, both have Prophets and prophecy’s, including many of the same characters Adam, Noah, Abraham, David, Jesus (Neusner et al, 2002:54). The third similarity is that both traditions fast. Within the Bible, it is said that Jesus fasted for 40 days...
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...Theology is defined as “the methodical effect to understand and interpret the truth of revelation.” Moral theology is “the field of theology which studies and teaches how Christians (and others) ought to live.” Moral theology is drawn from the Bible, specifically the Sermon on the Mount, the Decalogue, and the parenesis of Paul, philosophical reason, and the experience and teachings of the church. Protestants prefer the term Christian ethics as opposed to moral theology. Studying moral theology helps one to maintain a moral consciousness and have a better understanding of people with different religious backgrounds and appreciate other subjects. The Magisterium is the official teaching authority of the Catholic Church. The popes and bishops of the Magisterium provide the faithful with an authentic interpretation of the Bible and oral tradition of the church. Jesus had given St. Peter a special role, representing the first pope and the twelve original apostles as the first bishops. The rationale for the Magisterium is to provide a reliable means of preservation and transmission of God’s revealed truths. The Magisterium’s principles come from the Bible and Tradition. Catholics believe that the Magesterium is infallible, meaning without error. The sense of the faithful is the belief that faithful can become infallible if they are holy and faithful to the church and are in agreement with the Magesterium. Formal cooperation is when one shares in the principal agent’s evil intent...
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...Mages Understanding Islam The Muslims are a very devout group. They are steeped in tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation. They are devoted to the study and recitation of the Qur’an on a daily basis. They map their lives according to the Five Pillars that are mentioned in the Qur’an as a support for one’s life and faith. They are adamant about Ramadan and use it as a means to gain both self-enlightenment and unity with other Muslims. The Qur’an is the Holy Book of the Muslims. It is the equivalent of the Holy Bible in Christian faith. Its name means recitation. The Qur’an is a compilation of Muhammad’s sermons and revelations. It is in no particular order or chronology. Unlike other religious texts the Qur’an talks about other religions and the people of other religious texts. It consists of 114 suras. The Qur’an is very repetitive which makes the memorizing of scripture easier. They are repeated daily in prayer and sermons. The Qur’an is also very descriptive in nature. Reading the Qur’an, a person can easily visualize what they are reading. Passages from the Qur’an are incorporated into works of art. Because of the beauty of the written Arabic language, it is also used to decorate mosques and religious schools. The Qur’an teaches about the Five Pillars that support one’s faith. All Muslims are expected to practice the Five Pillars. These are: creed, prayer, charity to the poor, fasting during Ramadan, and pilgrimage to Mecca. The creed, or shahadah...
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...RE: Poverty "Poverty is defined relative to the standards of living in a society at a specific time. People live in poverty when they are denied an income sufficient for their material needs and when these circumstances exclude them from taking part in activities which are an accepted part of daily life in that society." Scottish Poverty Information Unit. The most commonly used way to measure poverty is based on incomes. A person is considered poor if his or her income level falls below some minimum level necessary to meet basic needs. This minimum level is usually called the "poverty line". What is necessary to satisfy basic needs varies across time and societies. Therefore, poverty lines vary in time and place, and each country uses lines which are appropriate to its level of development, societal norms and values." The World Bank Organisations. These are just a few of the different definitions of poverty from different views. The general definition is ‘the state of being extremely poor’ and/or ‘the state of being inferior in quality or insufficient in amount’. Absolute poverty is defined as the lack of sufficient resources with which to meet basic needs. Relative poverty defines income or resources in relation to the average. At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day. More than 80 percent of the world’s population lives in countries where income differentials are widening. The poorest 40 percent of the world’s population accounts for 5 percent of global income...
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...RE: Poverty "Poverty is defined relative to the standards of living in a society at a specific time. People live in poverty when they are denied an income sufficient for their material needs and when these circumstances exclude them from taking part in activities which are an accepted part of daily life in that society." Scottish Poverty Information Unit. The most commonly used way to measure poverty is based on incomes. A person is considered poor if his or her income level falls below some minimum level necessary to meet basic needs. This minimum level is usually called the "poverty line". What is necessary to satisfy basic needs varies across time and societies. Therefore, poverty lines vary in time and place, and each country uses lines which are appropriate to its level of development, societal norms and values." The World Bank Organisations. These are just a few of the different definitions of poverty from different views. The general definition is ‘the state of being extremely poor’ and/or ‘the state of being inferior in quality or insufficient in amount’. Absolute poverty is defined as the lack of sufficient resources with which to meet basic needs. Relative poverty defines income or resources in relation to the average. At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day. More than 80 percent of the world’s population lives in countries where income differentials are widening. The poorest 40 percent of the world’s population accounts for 5 percent of global income...
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...Religion and Us Stephen A. Brooks REL 134 September 30, 2013 Instructor Earl Griffin Religion and Us What exactly is religion? How do people define and understand it? Some people look at it as a resting day, a day away from work. Religion can have a view as an organization with people who conduct charity work for the community and sometimes globally. This is a place of worship, singing, and building friendship with other people in an area. Religion is faith in a belief, which arrives from ideas and practices. Relationship with the divine for someone new to the faith and practice comes from self-sacrifice and faith. Relationship with the divine involves very personal communication, and following a new path. “Give up your cross, and follow me.” That was said by Jesus of Nazareth pertaining to the personal sacrifice that must come to pass if someone chooses Him. There are many of Christians live after Christ’s example on how to live. This type of relationship involves communion between church members, relying on each other for comfort and support. In Exodus 3:15 – The Old Testament: “When the Lord saw that Moses was coming closer, he called him from the middle of the burning bush and said : “Moses, Moses,” he answered, “Yes, here I am.” God said, “Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals because you are standing on holy ground.” In relationships, as husbands, and wives, they spend every day together. Whether it is sharing the chores or watching the children. Everybody...
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...2.1 List the daily demands of religious commitment in one religious tradition. 3.1 State how one faith tradition would explain the purpose of human life 3.2 Sate how one faith tradition would explain the purpose of death 4.1 List the key elements of practice within religious faith. General RE Note Sheets World Religions- Islam History Key Beliefs Learning Outcomes: Know about world religions, their practices, demands, beliefs and challenges in contemporary society. Assessment Criteria: 2.1 List the daily demands of religious commitment in one religious tradition. 3.1 State how one faith tradition would explain the purpose of human life 3.2 Sate how one faith tradition would explain the purpose of death 4.1 List the key elements of practice within religious faith. Worship Today Additional Notes The Five Pillars of Islam What are the five Pillars of Islam? These are five duties that every Muslim is obliged to perform. The five pillars of Islam help Muslims put their faith into action. 1. Shahadah: declaration of faith "I bear witness that there is no god, but God; I bear witness that Muhammad is the prophet of God." By reciting this, one enters Islamic faith. 2. Salah: prayer Muslims are required to pray five times a day, washing themselves before prayer and facing in the direction of Mecca while praying. 3. Zakat: giving a fixed proportion to charity Muslims are required to give away a percentage of their earnings...
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...are in some instances matters of faith rather than fact. However, what is undeniable is the impact that both of these men have had on modern society. The words, actions and teachings of these men are so important that wars for the true ideology have been waged over their names for centuries. Who they were and their true nature though, is perhaps what is forgotten in this modern world. The history of Jesus of Nazareth is a case of conjecture and faith, however there does exist the commonly accepted history of his life. According to most scholars, Jesus was born sometime between 6 and 4 BCE. Most scholars accept this figure as it is reflected in the Christian scripture that Jesus was born during the reign of Herod the Great. Although there is no exact date known as to determine when Jesus was born, it is celebrated in most Christian faiths on December 25th on the holiday of Christmas. The ministry of Jesus is largely documented in what is known as the new testament. Comprised of the four canonical gospels as written by Jesus' followers, this is the most accepted account of Jesus' life. Although multiple gospels have been written by those mentioned in the canon stories, only the writings of the apostles Matthew, Mark, Luke & John are accepted as the true version of Jesus' life. It is commonly accepted that Jesus began his ministry at the age of...
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...Christmas Traditions In Beijing, about two weeks before Christmas, all the big shopping malls decorating both their insides and outsides with beautiful Christmas trees, colored ribbons and glaring illuminations, set Christmas discounting information on posters on the gates. Crazy customers with large alacrity rush into their shopping heavens to choose on-sales goods as Christmas presents for themselves, their families and friends. The scene is spectacle. It seems that Christmas is merely a shopping season and entertaining festival for Chinese. But what is the true meaning of Christmas? What are the roots of those Christmas traditions? Christmas is the abbreviation of Christ’s mass. It is the commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ for Christians. No exception, millions of people around the world celebrate Christmas on the widely accepted day, December 25th every year. They bought their Christmas presents a couple weeks before Christmas Eve, put green Christmas trees with decorations in the houses, and prepare pleasant hearts to welcome the Christ’s birth, one of the most important festivals in the year. Christmas traditions accompanying them to have great holidays during Christmas provide them a sense of warmth and satisfy. As an evergreen conifer decorated with pinecones, candy coated angels, colorful Christmas balls and fake icicles, a Christmas tree is the essential compose of the celebration of Christmas. The origination of Christmas trees can be traced to...
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...from Christ in the New Testament. Peace is at the heart of Jesus’ life and ministry and accordingly it is a foundational element of the the Christian communities that seek to follow him. The New Testament extols peace as a virtue and identifies it as a key element of the reign of God. Jesus himself is known as the “prince of peace” and is regarded as the source of peace, meaning that by adherents living in a close relationship with him, they are allowing themselves to experience the peace in which he brings. The New Testament proclaims “Guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:79), which emphasises that following in the footsteps of Jesus, is the way to achieving inner peace. Peace is understood as more than merely an absence of violence and conflict. It refers more fully to an overall sense of wellbeing. Ultimately peace is found in union with God. Christians are taught to live at peace with others, both within their own communities and in the wider human family.Throughout the first three centuries of the common era Christians adopted a pacifist position and refused to engage in military service or warfare, leaving a distinctive response to the achievement of world peace. This was a position that contributed to them being marginalised in the wider community and persecuted by the Roman authorities. Yet despite the hardships, Christians as a whole refused to engage in warfare, believing that to do so would be contrary to their faith. The conversion of the Emperor Constantine...
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...the functions over which I preside.” The rising popularity of Saturnalia led to growing concerns of the Church about the dominance of pagan religions. When Emperor Aurelian declared December 25th a public festival in honor of the Invincible Sun in 274 CE, the Church responded by creating a Christian holiday, also on December 25th. Many people think the Church intentionally specified the Nativity Feast on December 25th to help spread Christmas and Christianity, as there was no evidence in the Gospels about when Jesus was born. The idea was if Christmas appeared a pagan holiday, more pagans would be opened to adopting it as their own and since people were already celebrating on that day, they’d be more likely to join in the celebration of Jesus’ birth. The Christian Church challenged people celebrating Saturnalia, to transition from celebrating just the agricultural god to celebrating the all powerful god - Jesus. Since pagans did not want to give up their beloved Saturnalia traditions, by declaring December 25th the date of the Nativity Feast, the Church gave up the ability to decide for themselves how the birth of Jesus was celebrated. Thus, Christmas inherited many Saturnalia traditions. On Christmas, people would first attend church, then celebrate in a manner similar to the Mardi Gras we know today. The poor would make demands to the upper class and if the receiver of the demand did not give in to the request, they would be terrorized. A beggar or student would be given...
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...Nick Sanfilippo September 27, 2011 Theo 223-01 Second Assignment This is the Night The first moment that caught my attention in the video was the various reasons that people had for wanting to go through the steps of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults in order to become a member of the Catholic Church, and how their mindset changed over the course of the program. These “inquirers” wanted to join the Church mainly because of other family members. I remember one man was joining the RCIA because he told his wife he would do it with her. Another woman decided to join the Church because she didn’t have an answer for her son when he asked, “What religion are we?” The first man, however, was the one that really caught my attention. He started out the program, just participating in order to please his wife. But in the end, he ended up almost breaking down in tears when he finally received the Eucharist for the first time and becoming fully initiated in the Church. What struck me about this man was the way in which the program had such a profound impact on his faith. He came from having close to no faith in God, to having such an excitement to share in the Body of Christ, which is unlike anything I have ever seen or experienced myself. When I receive the Eucharist, I go through the motions of the ritual, but all I really feel is that I have just consumed a piece of bread. I do not feel or understand any sort of deeper understanding within the ritual. For me, all that exists...
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...apart from the others. Judaism According to tradition, God entered into a special relationship with the Jews when he spoke directly to them at Mt. Sinai: if they would acknowledge Him as their ultimate God and agree to obey His laws, He would acknowledge the Jews as his special people and promised them the land now known as Israel. The Torah, the Holy Book of Judaism, is God's will expressed as commandments. There is no mortal person alone who governs the Jewish faith but each rabbi is the instrument of his own synagogue in order to relay God's oral commandments to the congregation. Jewish tradition dictates that prayers be given three times a day: morning, afternoon, and evening. No work is allowed on the Sabbath so that Jews can spend the day in prayer, study, rest, and family feasting. The Jews believe the Messiah has yet to make himself known to those here on earth. It is their belief that virtue and obedience will be rewarded in the next life and that the suffering and forced exile they have endured will be addressed at the end of time. Christianity Christians believe in one God and that Jesus Christ was sent by him to convey God's love to those here on earth. Though seen as being mortal while He was one earth, Jesus was raised from the dead and returned home to His father in approximately AD 30. Jerusalem was the center of Christianity. The Apostle Paul was considered to be the first Christian theologian and believed he had been chosen to...
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...common wealth, but was interspersed with a few less than benevolent practices. One of the better religious contributions, interestingly enough, came from the idea of predestination, the idea that no matter what an individual does, their fate to either heaven or hell has already been decided. This idea spurred people on to try to prove to their fellow inhabitants that they had been some of the few chosen to go to heaven, and to this end they worked harder and developed ideas of exceptionalism, the thought that one group of people is exceptional compared to the rest. John Winthrop, a devout and influential Puritan leader, said in 1630, “For we must consider that we shall be a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us.” (A Model of Christian...
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...to (Hilgers) “In the Qur’an Allah describes himself as personal and caring, as well as all-knowing, all – seeing, and all powerful. Allah because of this personal nature and the attribute of power is referred to in Islam in “Male” terms, although strictly speaking, Allah has no gender.” (Hilgers). This paper will describe the importance of the three elements for Muslim’s, which are the Qur’an, Five Pillars and Ramadan. Also I will be describing the significant differences and similarities in how Islam practices their traditions. The Quran is defined as “Recitation” and recalls the origins of these sacred writings in the sermons of Muhammad.” (Hilgers) The Qur’an has been translated into many languages but the purest one is considered to be the Arabic version to be fully authentic. The Qur’an is considered to be a divine origin as it is god’s word, which was given to Muhammad while in command. The Qur’an covers a wide variety of topics from the Jewish and Christian bible’s, facts about everyday life what you should do with your money and marriage and life’s and events of Muhammad’s life. It is composed of 114 chapters that are split into phases. Along with the writings there are pictures as well, which are comforting to Muslims as they recite the Qur’an each and every day. Muslims accept and practice the five pillars each and every day as...
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