...An Outside Perspective of Messianic Judaism John W. Stroud HUM/130 November 28, 2010 Terry Barnes An Outside Perspective of Messianic Judaism Many people are born and raised in a religion without ever feeling complete or whole. There are those born and raised Jewish but never felt Judaism provided the answers for which they sought. These unsatisfied Jews have often looked to other religions for their answers. Many of those answers have been found in a form of Judaism that is often looked down upon by the more traditional Jews. This Messianic Judaism combines the core beliefs of Christianity with the traditional Jewish lifestyle. This combination of two distinct religions has shown the world that a religion can allow its members to maintain their traditional lifestyle while providing them with the spiritual nourishment they long for. Messianic Judaism Messianic Judaism is a branch of Judaism that believes Yeshua or Jesus was the Son of God and the Messiah as foretold by the prophets in the Old Testament of the Bible. Messianic Judaism also believes that the Bible, which consists of the Tenach or Holy Scriptures and the B’rit Hadasha or New Covenant, is the only infallible and authoritative word of God (Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations, 2008). This belief includes that the Bible comes from divine inspiration and its teachings are the final authority in matters of faith and how to practice that faith (International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues...
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...society is to understand their religious beliefs and practices. In the western world there are three major religions. These religions are Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Each of these religions is monotheistic and is practiced by more than half the people in the world. Monotheistic religion is the belief in one God. Although Judaism, Christianity and Islam religious practices are each monotheistic, some of the religious traditions are different. Judaism believes there is one God who cannot be made up of parts; Islam embraces an immaterial, invisible God, one to be intensely feared in His omnipotence; Christians hold fast to the trinity of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The differences mentioned are but a few of the differences between the three religions that could very well be reasons for some of the struggles believers faced during the early biblical days. To better the religious traditions of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, one must study the early traditions and struggles of each religion. The writers of this paper will discuss the similarities, differences, theological and historical connections between the three religions. Historical Connections Judaism is historically connected to Christianity through Jesus and the Old Testament. Jesus is considered the Messiah in Christianity and the Son of God. Jesus was actually born and raised Jewish in ancient Palestine. His birth to a virgin mother enforced the belief that he was conceived by the Holy Spirit...
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...Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The primary focus religion that will be discussed is Christianity, the second religion will be Judaism, and the third religion will be Islam. In this paper the historical connections between these three religions will be explored. Questions will be answered such as; what makes these three religions similar? How are they connected? The theological similarities and differences between Christianity, Judaism, and Islam will also be thoughtfully brought up. The contemporary struggles within Christianity today will be explored. It will also be discussed what contemporary struggles Christianity has with Judaism and the contemporary struggles between Christianity and Islam. In this paper it is the expressed hope that the reader will be able to learn about these three religions and gain knowledge. The paper is to help the reader learn something new about Christianity, Judaism, and Islam and with curiosity want to explore these individual religions further. With this hope in mind this paper will start with the historical connections between these religions. When you take a look at the different religions being discussed in this paper you first have to look at how each one is defined. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary Christianity is defined as being a religion derived from Jesus Christ, based on the bible as sacred scripture, and professed by Eastern, Roman Catholic, and Protestant bodies. (Christianity, 2011) Judaism...
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...Running head: A Brief Look into Jainism and Judaism A Brief Look into Jainism and Judaism Tammy Chace Strayer University REL212 Dr. Travien L. Capers July 31, 2013 A Brief Look into Jainism and Judaism While studying different religions I became fascinated with Jainism and I have always been interested in Judaism. In this paper we will take a look at the basic origin of each religion and several of their foundational spiritual beliefs. We will then look at a few spiritual practices of each religion. We will look at an example of how each religion is practiced today. Jainism Jainism dates backs to the 6th century B.C.E. in India. The religion derives its name from the jinas, meaning conquerors, a title given to twenty-four great teachers , through whom their faith was revealed. Mahavira, the last of the tirthankaras, is considered the founder of Jainism. The ultimate goal of Jainism is the liberation of one’s self from rebirth, which is attained through the elimination of accumulated karma. This occurs through both the disciplined cultivation of knowledge and control of bodily passions. When the passions have been utterly conquered and all karma has been removed, one becomes a Jina, or “conqueror", and is no longer subject to rebirth. Jainism conceives of a multi-layered universe containing both heavens and hells. Movement through these levels of the universe requires adherence to the Jainism doctrines emphasizing a peaceful and disciplined life. These principles...
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...many seculars a reason for wanting to live and a comfort of security, The knowledge or awareness’s is the driving force behind the belief of one God a higher power and for some the sacred. I will include what a religious tradition says including its teachings, texts, doctrine, stories, myths, and others, What a religious tradition does including worship, prayer, pilgrimage, ritual, and so forth, and how a religious tradition organizes including leadership, relationships among members, and so forth. Christianity and its teachings was organized Religious tradition is a custom that people of one religion do because it was done for many years by supernatural beings or idols. These traditions are different for each different religion. In studying each religion, it is noted that each has texts, stories, myths, and other traditional aspects that permits others or bible believers read about the traditions of that religion. The Hindu religion is known to be the hardest religion to study and many other texts that tell the stories of the lives of certain high gods, goddesses, and/or heroes. It also explains why we must celebrate certain holidays and how we should celebrate them. Most of the Hindu literature was composed in Sanskrit. The Islamic religion has the Quran, which is also a book that includes all of the directions that Muslims believe is what they have to follow in order for them to lead a great life. The Buddhist religion had Theravada, Trip taka, Mahayana, Tibetan, and...
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...paper, I have decided to write it on the religion of Judaism. To begin, I will cover the components of their religion such as: their core belief systems, who they consider their deity, how they worship their deity, and how they live their lives. I will conclude my paper by reflecting on what I have learned and how that may impact my life and what changes I may make in the future because of it. I intend to learn about this previously foreign religion to me to develop a better understanding of this major religion. This knowledge can help me better understand how millions of people live their lives to make sure I am as respectful as possible and hopefully learn something new when approached with an open mind. This paper is a learning process for me and I will try to stay as unbiased as possible when searching for references. Judaism is the eleventh most popular religion in the world with over fourteen million followers. This religion dates back over four-thousand years ago to the year 2000 B.C.E. This religion is practiced in over fifty counties and is even increasing in popularity. In 2014 there were half of a million more Jewish people in the world than the previous year which continues the exponential expansion of this religion. Judaism is a very intricate religion with interesting beliefs, morals, and traditions with global impacts and conflicts around the world. Judaism is strictly monotheistic religion with the belief in an absolute one, incomparable, and indivisible being...
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...Assignment 1: Comparison of Two Religions Judaism is a religion which is a set of ideas about the world and how we should live up to it. Jewish belief also centers on the idea of one God and the love that He shares with all his creations through his covenant. Jews do not have a specific set of mandatory beliefs and rituals they have to follow, but one Jewish belief is the Rambam's thirteen principles of faith. The Jews practice their faith in many ways some people go to festivals or Shabbat for prayer services to read the Torah. Others may go to temples or synagogues which are Jewish houses for prayer and studying. Most Jews practice their faith reading the Torah which is known as the Old-Testament or Tanakh.(Judaism, 1968) There are three holy books the Jews study they consist of the: Torah which is the Law, Nevi'im the Prophets and lastly Kethuvim known as the Writings. The Jews also practice their faith by obeying the 613 mitzvot as well as they could, following the Judaism Rabbinic law and rules. One example of Jews practicing their faith is celebrating Hanukkah. (Kaplan, 1932) This is basically a Christmas for Jewish people, they light up a nine-branched candle known as the menorah. They do various activities such as lighting up a candle every night and eight candles would be lit in the last evening, eating oily foods reminding them of the miracle of the oil and play games such as "dreidel" which is a game with spinning tops that includes four Hebrew letters. There are...
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...Judaism Charlotte Cole Hum 130 September 2, 2012 April Casperson Judaism Judaism is one of the oldest religions in existence and has been around even longer than Christianity although Christianity is considered as a branch of from Judaism after Jesus’ death and the resurrection Christians believe in. There are some similarities between the two, but there are also many interesting differences. I will be discussing the history of Judaism, reviewing information from a synagogue visit called Temple Beth Hillel in Valley Village, CA along with an interview with a member from the synagogue Melanie Fine, and finally looking similarities and differences between Judaism and Christianity. During my research for this paper, along with the assignments in class, I have found Judaism that there was much about Judaism I did not know and many misconceptions I have had. I have learned a lot not only from this assignment but from the class in general. Judaism is based from many centuries of tradition and does not have an actual leader who makes decisions on how things are to be run nor does anyone decide if there are changes should be made. It is considered both a religious and ethnic group, which can be confusing for people who do not know very much about Judaism. Judaism was named as an ethnicity in the 1980s by the United States Supreme Court so they could be covered in the anti-discrimination laws that would protect them. Over the years the Jewish people have had many...
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...By: Ralph Caccavale Introduction: Orthodox Judaism is a very interesting topic because it is a religion similar to Christianity but also different in many ways. This religion is not a unified movement with a single governing body, but many different movements adhering to common principles. All of the Orthodox movements are very similar in their observance and beliefs, differing only in the details that are emphasized. They also differ in their attitudes toward modern culture and the state of Israel. They all share one key feature: a dedication to Torah, both Written and Oral. Personally, this religion seems to be the biggest outcast of them all and knowing neighbors around my block are Orthodox Jews really grabs my attention. I hear stories about the family and how some of their beliefs are shocking to us who are not Orthodox Jews. I never really knew much about them but now this is my great opportunity to do so. Background: The largest population of orthodox Jews are in Israel, then followed by USA, and finally in some Eastern European countries. Their population reaches close to One Million and growing. Many orthodox Jews live in together in large communities. For example in the city of Jerusalem, Israel or Brooklyn, NY, there are tens of Thousands of orthodox Jewish families living in a closed tight knit community. Approximately 10 percent of the Jewish population in the US is orthodox. All men will be wearing long black garbs, black hats and long beards. Both men...
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...Project Examining the basic tenets of the following religious traditions: Judaism, Christian and Islam XXXXXXXXXXXXXX HUMN250-1302B-10 Professor XXXXXXXXXX June 19, 2013 Throughout the history of man there has been change and development. As man developed he began to start small tribes, then the tribes begin to organize (Silver, 1974). During this time forms of language developed, and beliefs, which turned into customs. These customs and beliefs started the belief in a higher being, or God. This is what is called religion today. Religion has had many different faces, and the belief structure has had just as many variations. Some of these religions have merged to create new ones, while other just simply faded away (Walter, 2003). Today there are 19 major world religions which are subdivided into a total of 270 large religious groups,(Robison, 2011), and many smaller ones than have no intentions on merging with the larger groups. This report will look at three of these religions, Judaism, Christian and Islam describing the similarities and recurring themes of these major religious traditions. Creation stories (cosmogony) The common thread between the three religions is from Abraham. Abraham is the father of the Jewish nation. He is also fathered an illegitimate son, Ishmael. Mohammed is an Ishmaelite. Christians are also spiritual sons of Abraham because their religion originated in Judaism (Armstrong, 1993). They all rely on the Old Testament in writing laws...
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...Religions Harry Potter REL/134 November 20, 2011 UoP Instructor Contemporary Issues in Western Religions Religious beliefs have been the center of many conflicts across the entire world since the beginning of time. Christianity, Islam, and Judaism the major monotheist religious traditions have been at the heart of many of those religious conflicts. Historical connections and theological similarities are prevalent between the three. In parallel to the similarities exists the contemporary struggles affecting these western religious traditions. From the internal struggles within Christianity such as abortion, to its struggles with Islam and Muslim extremists, finally to the contempt against Christianity from actions of the Holocaust, each tradition faces contemporary struggles within their own right. Gaining a better understanding and insight into the historical, theological, and contemporary struggles between Christianity, Islam, and Judaism will enhance appreciation for each belief. Historical Connections and Theological Similarities: One main pillar of similar theology between Christianity, Islam, and Judaism is the belief in one god. However, each has different perspectives in relation to God. For example, Christians believe in [pic]the Trinity[pic] of [pic]God; God the Father, the Son (Jesus[pic] Christ), [pic]and the Holy Spirit[pic] ("Judaism, Islam, Christianity-Comparison", 2002-2011). Also Christians consider Jesus [pic]the son of God, born to the Virgin...
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...In the world today there are many religions that any person can choose to worship, some of these are Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, and Islam as well as many more than one can choose to follow. Therefore, people are pushed toward certain religions. Most often people learn religion from what their parents believe in, for example the first religion I ever learned about is Baptist. Religious stories have been inspirational to many children all over the world of every religion; a good example of this is the biblical story of David versus Goliath. Most laws that I know of are close to the Ten Commandments from the Bible. Religion can play a vital role in teaching morals and ethics. The two religions that I chose to compare are Catholicism and Judaism I chose these because they are two religions that are interesting. These religions are extremely similar but in some ways they are polar opposites. The religion I chose to do an interview with a member of is Catholicism I did my interview at “Our Lady of Fatima Church” in Alcoa, Tennessee. The church itself is very beautiful. The location of the church is ideal to people in Alcoa and Maryville Tennessee. Inside the church they have their own baptismal pool. I believe that the church is one of the most beautiful churches I have seen. The church is a very large building with a fewer smaller buildings connected by a covered walkway. I have seen colleges smaller than the church. While inside the church I noticed that some preconceived...
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...Sunday September 15, 2013 by 11:59 pm Content/Outline I Introduction II Messianic Judaism: How It Is Different From Christianity III Apologetic Defense: Saturday Sunday Which? IV Apologetic Defense: Why A Trinity? Why Not A Trinity? V Apologetic Defense: To Keep The Law Or Not? Faith and Grace A. What Was Nailed To The Cross? VI Apologetic Defense: Jesus or Yeshua? No Other Name Whereby Men Might Be Saved VII Conclusion: From There (Messianic Judaism) To Here (Christianity) VIII Bibliography Introduction Messianic Judaism is similar in beliefs to Christianity and it can pose some apologetic difficulties for a defense by Christians. While they (Christianity and Messianic Judaism) are similar in beliefs there are also some vast differences. As stated in Ephesians 4:4-6 “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all”. If we adhere to the Law of Non-Contradiction that would mean that they both (Christianity and Messianic Judaism) cannot be right. In other words, one is false and one is true or they both could be false...
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...Judaism: The Jewish Religion Judaism is one of the world religions that is monotheistic, and was the first major religion to believe in one god. Today we will explain the religion, Judaism, and identify many of its main topics. Such as location and spread of the religion also founder and their life story. The next big idea is beliefs like the major ideas including sacred books, texts, art, music and many other things as well. That's not all, we will also teach you about major historical events attributed to the religion. What this means is we will explain major disasters such as war and disease that affected this religion. So by the time you're done reading this essay you would have learned the most important information about this religion....
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...According to Israel’s Ministry of foreign affairs the Jewish religion is the oldest of the three monotheistic faiths. Judaism is a set of cultural beliefs passed on for around 5,000 years. Judaism is more of a culture religion This is interesting. I’m not sure what you mean by a “culture religion.” I assume this means a religion that also has a strong sense of culture and identity. that is a set of traditions followed by the Jewish community and followers. I had interviewed a person by the name of Brent Leder who is a Reformed Jew. When he was in the fourth grade, Brent had started to learn Hebrew. In order for him to be Bar Mitzvah, he must know the Hebrew language and must read from the Torah at the age of 13. He has inspired me to learn more about the Jewish religion and what it means to be Jewish. That’s great. It’s good to have an open mind and want to learn more about religion. As I sat down and asked Brent questions about his religion, he began to tell me about the meaning and the history of Judaism. Since he practices the reformed sect of the religion there are more lenient rules because it is the least strict of the three sects. When I had asked him about what the Jewish thoughts and beliefs are about Jesus, Brent said, “Jesus was just a carpenter that was sentenced to crucifixion on the cross.” Interesting response. More dismissive of Jesus than many Jews are. As I asked questions, Brent began to get in depth about the religion by telling me everything he knows. I...
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