Download Six Trait Model for Understanding World Religions

Six Trait Model for Understanding World Religions
HINDUISM
Religious Experience:
- Gods and goddesses that symbolize
an abstract being or Brahman.
- The cycle of karma
-reincarnation and liberation.
- Belief of one god to thousands
- trinity (Brahman, Vishnu and Shiva)
- Vaishnavites (Vishnu), Shaivites
(Shiva)
- Reformers-Buddha.
- Path to salvation – varies by
personality.
Sacred Stories:
-most central, oldest text = Vedas and
Upanishads – many gods are broken
down to one (Brahman)
-many sacred stories (Ramayana,
Baghavad-Gita) about Hindu patheon
- Smiriti – purpose to explore dharma.
- Shruti – includes original text i.e. the
Vedas (directly the words of God).
Symbols and Rituals:
Community of Faith:
- Ohm
-Swastika
- Puja
-festivals are varied and depend on
geography and sect
-sacred thread ceremony
- main sects based on devotion to a
particular god
- Swami
- Part of a larger community.
- Women are equal with different roles
-Home worship often practiced
-Temple worship not necessary
Teaching and Doctrine:
Ethics:
- Tolerance, does not proselytize or
convert others
- Karma
- Dharma (responsibility and place in
life)
- Moksha/liberation (complete release
of never ending rebirth)- Union of
Atman and Brahman, union of soul
with God
- Samsara
- Karma (the sum of all actions in a
lifetime, good or bad)
- Reincarnation ( soul lives on after
and is reborn.)
- Non-violence (sacredness of life,
ahimsa).
-animal rights, vegetarianism
-importance of family, adherence to
particular role/stage of life
Six Trait Model for Understanding World Religions
BUDDHISM
Religious Experience:
- Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) –
founder – Buddha was a Hindu
reformer
- Their main focus is moderation.
They don’t worship a god.
- Samsara – the endless cycle of
uncontrolled births
- Buddha means “The Awakened
One”
- More concerned with morality
Symbols and Rituals:
- Buddha images: focus of
devotion
- Mudras – symbolize different
states of the mind
- Stupa – built to house the relics
of the Buddha
- Lotus Flower – symbolizes all
people have the ability to
develop their potential and rise
from the undesirable life
- They celebrate the Buddha,
Dharma + Sangha (3 refuges)
Teaching and Doctrine:
- 5 precepts:
o Abstain from wrong speech
o “ from improper sexual
conducts
o “ from killing
o “ from stealing
o “ from drinking alcohol
- the ultimate goal is to reach
enlightenment (Nirvana) and end
human suffering
Sacred Stories:
- The Jatakas are one of the most
often translated elements of the
Sutta-Pitaka. It is a collection of
the 347 birth stories about
previous lives of the Buddha.
The purpose is to illustrate
morality.
- Dhammapada + Tripitaka –
words of Buddha
Community of Faith:
- Theravada + Mahayana are the
main sects of Buddhism
- Monks are the leaders of
Buddhism. Lay people, nuns,
and Buddhists are the
believers/followers
- House of worship is Temple
Ethics:
- Compassion and non
violence(ahimsa)
- 4 noble truths:
o Noble truth of suffering
o “ “ of origin of suffering (i.e.
attachment/desire)
o “ “ of the extinction of
suffering
o “ “ of the path leading to
the extinction of suffering
- The eightfold path – Buddhists
need to follow each step of the
path to reach the end of
suffering.
Six Trait Model for Understanding World Religions
JUDAISM
Religious Experience:
- Monotheistic: belief in one God
- Israel: established in 1949 and
known as the promised land
(Jerusalem = site of original
Temple, Western Wall)
- Abraham- first patriarch and
established the basic covenant with
God
- Moses: seen as the founder and
freed the Jews from slavery
- Diaspora: 70 A.D., destruction of
the Temple
Symbols and Rituals:
- Star of David: mark of Jewish
nationality and pride
- Kippah/Yarmulke: Jewish men
wear head covering during
worship or study
- Menorah
- Yom Kippur: day of atonement
- Passover/Pesach: symbolizes
the freeing of Hebrews from
slavery
- Bar/Bat Mitzvah: coming of age
(son/daughter of the commandments)
- Mikvah: ritual bath
- Circumcision
- Rosh Hashanah: New Year
Teaching and Doctrine:
- The Shema: “Hear O Israel, the
Lord is our God, the Lord is one”
- The Chosen People of God: god
chose the decedents of Abraham
to be God’s people
- Golden Rule: “Do unto others as
you’ll have them do unto you”
Sacred Stories:
- Torah: first five books of the
Bible, interpreted by rabbis and
scholars, and contains laws and
commandments
- Talmud: “oral torah” commentary
on the Torah, philosophical
document written in Aramaic
- Other documents: Maimonides13 principles of faith (613
commandments
Community of Faith:
- Rabbi: “teacher”
- Sects: Orthodox (see themselves
as separate), Conservative,
Reform
- Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob
- Prophets: confronts people and
kings, intermediaries with God
- Kings: Saul (1st king), David
(conquered Jerusalem),
Solomon (built temple)
- Synagogue, temple, and schul
Ethics:
- Kosher Laws: observance of the
laws (orthodox)
- Strictness in observance of
Torah depends on sect
- Sabbath: honour Sabbath
(Saturday) – most important
observance for Jews
- Halakha: Jewish Law
Six Trait Model for Understanding World Religions
CHRISTIANITY
Religious Experience:
- One God
- Holy Trinity – Father
- Son
- Holy Spirit
-Connects through bible, saints,
Jesus Christ, the Church, priests.
They see the world as in need of
Jesus Christ and their position is
to be examples of Christ to show
the world who He is.
Sacred Stories:
Symbols and Rituals:
Community of Faith:
-Christmas
-Easter (Lent)
- sacrament (7 in Roman Catholicism,
less in other denominations) – visible
signs of God’s grace in the world
- Eucharist (the Lord’s supper)
-Cross/Crucifixion
-Mass (RC), Divine Liturgy (orthodox),
Service (protestant)
-Orthodox/Roman Catholic/Protestant
-Priest, father, minister, bishop, pope
-Jesus (Abraham, Moses)
-ecumenism- movement to unite all
Christians
-prayer and worship unites the
community
Teaching and Doctrine:
Ethics:
-Do unto others s they would do unto
you – golden rule
-Forgive others and council
-Jesus taught through example
-Apostles Creed
-Nicene Creed
-main mission statement: the
Beatitudes
- Jesus is the fulfillment of Jewish law
and covenant (Jesus reformed Jewish
teachings)
-Gospels- Jesus Christ’s life and
teachings. First 4 books in the new
testament.
Parables- Jesus’ short stories to teach
a moral or lesson.
Bible- sacred text – New and Old
Testament (Hebrew scriptures are the
origin of Jesus’ teachings – many
parallels to the Gospels)
- 10 Commandments
- Golden rule- whatever you wish
that men would do to you, do so
to them.
- Inclusion (radical inclusion, table
fellowship, compassion)
Six Trait Model for Understanding World Religions
ISLAM
Religious Experience:
-God is one
-God is Master of all
-World was God’s creation
-Original goodness
-Submission to God = Islam
Sacred Stories:
Symbols and Rituals:
Community of Faith:
-special celebrations
-naming ceremony
-marriage
-Ramadan
-pray 5 times per day – in a quiet
place, recite from Qur’an, prayer
postures
-Sabbath day is on Friday
-Mandatory congregational prayer
-wudu (ritual washing)
-imam: a person who leads prayer and
delivers a prayer and who delivers a
sermon just before the Friday prayers
-two Muslim sects include:
1. Sunni
2. Shi’ah
-Sufi sect (mystics) could include both
Sunnis and Shi’ites
-part of community
-religion and state aren’t separate
-women equal in rights but not
responsibilities
Teaching and Doctrine:
Ethics:
-there is one god
-beliefs are purely personal affairs
-the central creed is the Shahadah
-strict monotheism
-God speaks to people through
prophets (including Jesus, Noah,
Abraham, Moses, Mohammed)
5 Pillars of Islam
1. Shahadah: belief and profession
that there is one god and Muhammed
is his messenger
2. Prayer: muslims pray 5 times per
day facing mecca
3. fasting during Ramadan
4. giving money to the poor
5. pilgrimage to mecca
-Shariah is Islamic law
-hi jab is modesty
Qur’an
-usually recites or chants it rather than
reading silently
-they believe Mohammed was directly
quoting God
-the book is comprised of God’s actual
words so therefore humanity is
encouraged to learn and understand
the Qur’an
-Hadith – the sayings of Mohammed