MOST ESSENTIAL TOPIC # 1 : Belief System, Worldview, Religion and Spirituality

Lesson 1 : Differences among Belief System, Worldview, Religion and Spirituality

Lesson 2 : Historical and Geographical Context of Different Religions

Lesson 3 : Positive and Negative Effects of Religion to Society

Pre-Requisite Content Knowledge :

a. Understand the different religious beliefs that individuals possess

Pre-Requisite Skills :

a. Compare and contrast various beliefs

Learning Competencies:

a. Differentiate the concept, element and characteristics of belief systems, worldview, religion and
spirituality
b. Analyze the interconnectedness of geography, culture and religions
c. Analyze the influence of religion to culture and society

Discussion :

Lesson 1 : Differences among Belief System, Worldview, Religion and Spirituality

Formative Question 1 : Do you believe in God? Why?

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Belief System and World View

A belief system is an ideology or set of principles that helps us in interpreting our everyday reality. This
could be in the form of philosophy, political ideology, spirituality, or religion, among many other things.

Belief systems are structures of what we see as norms that are interconnected, or we think to be
consistent. Belief systems help us to make sense of the world around us and to define our role within it
(“What are Belief Systems,” n.d.).

Belief systems are formed and influenced by a number of various factors. Belief systems are underpinned
by one’s culture, religion, experiences, and training as to how the world works. Our knowledge on some
topics, the way we were raised, societal traditional and modern values, stereotypes, political viewpoints,
and others can impact us to form or change our belief systems.

As humans, we use different belief systems to varying degrees to cope with events in our lives. A belief
system is like ‘stories’ we tell ourselves to outline our personal sense of reality. Everyone has a belief

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system that he uses, and it is through this mechanism that we individually ‘make sense’ of the world
around us.

As explained by Prof Jens Micah De Guzman, belief systems are often deemed as convictions, often in
the form of supernatural or religious beliefs, though they may also take the form of scientific views, or any
philosophical belief relating to the sphere of daily life.

Belief system is very much similar to ‘worldview.’ Generally speaking, a worldview is how one sees life
and the world at large.

A worldview is a theory of the world used for living in it, serving as a mental model of reality, a framework
of ideas and attitudes about ourselves, the world, and life.

Worldview can be compared metaphorically to eyeglasses. How a person makes sense of the world
depends upon his or her ‘vision,’ so to speak. The interpretive ‘lens’ in eye glasses help us in making
sense of life and comprehend the world around us. Some lens bring clarity, while others may distort
reality—and this is also true with worldviews.

More than just an explanatory ‘lens,’ one’s worldview also functions as his or her life’s road map or
compass. A worldview provides a perspective that shapes, influences, and even directs an individual’s
entire life. As we behave as we believe, our worldviews guide the formation of the values that influence
our decisions and actions. A worldview thus acts as a map that provides directions guiding our life
decisions.

A person’s worldview is fashioned by many factors, such as his or her inherited characteristics, life
situations and background experiences, the values, attitudes, and habits he or she has developed, and
more — and these vary from one individual to another. Thus, even if some parts of a particular worldview
are shared by many people in a community, other parts may differ for individuals.

One’s worldview forms a mental structure that organizes his or her basic or ultimate beliefs. And this
cognitive structure provides a comprehensive view of what one deems as real, true, rational, good,
valuable, and beautiful.

In a worldview, the cluster of interrelated beliefs responds to the big questions of life, focusing on issues
central to human concern. These issues especially include thoughts about the human predicament and
explore how human beings derive meaning, purpose, and significance.

Thus, a worldview is a comprehensive system of beliefs with answers for a wide range of questions
including the following:

What are humans, why are we here, and what is our purpose in life?
What are our reasons for being and goals for life?
Why are we the way we are?
Why do we face the challenges we do?
What can we know, how, and with how much certainty?
Does reality include only matter, energy, and physical stuffs, or is there more?

Consciously and otherwise, worldviews impact decisions and actions in everyday life, for individuals and
societies. They are dominant factors influencing and shaping our decisions and actions while we are living
in the world.

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(Source : https://myinfobasket.com/the-concept-elements-and-characteristics-of-belief-system-world-view-
religion-and-spirituality/)

Religion and Spirituality

You may have heard—or even used—the terms religion and spirituality interchangeably. But while they
aren’t diametric opposites, neither are they the same. Learn how to tell the difference between religion
and spirituality.

For thousands of years, humanity has passionately pursued the Truth with a capital T—the ultimate
answers to life and the universe. This perennial knowledge constitutes the answers to what are often
called the soul questions:

● Who am I?

● What do I want?

● What is my purpose?

● What is the meaning of life?

Historically, from the perspective of the soul, there have been two foundational routes to discover these
truths: religion and spirituality. Although they have many similarities and there is a relationship between
the two, there are differences between religion and spirituality.

Religion : By definition, religion is a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs,
and practices; the service and worship of God or the supernatural.

Spirituality : Spirituality, on the other hand, connotes an experience of connection to something larger
than you; living everyday life in a reverent and sacred manner. Or as Christina Puchalski, MD (leader in
trying to incorporate spirituality into healthcare), puts it, “Spirituality is the aspect of humanity that refers to
the way individuals seek and express meaning and purpose and the way they experience their
connectedness to the moment, to self, to others, to nature, and to the significant or sacred."

(Source : https://chopra.com/articles/religion-vs-spirituality-the-difference-between-them)

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(Source : https://divineintelligenceinstitute.com/2017/11/15/the-difference-between-spirituality-and-
religion/)

Activity 1 :

Directions : Give the similarities and differences of the given concepts using the table below. List down
as many as you can.

1. Belief System vs. Worldview

Similarities Differences

2. Religion vs. Spirituality

Similarities Differences

Lesson 2 : Historical and Geographical Context of Different Religions

Discussion :

Formative Question : What is the role of geography and culture in the formation of religious principles?

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Interconnectedness of Geography, Culture and Religion

It is a common knowledge that civilizations ordinarily develop in and around river systems where there are
easy access to water, food sources, and irrigation systems. This geographical state permits people to
grow crops and thus shift from the hunter gatherer lifestyle to becoming agriculturist—farming and
domesticating livestock.

The Ganges, Indus Valley, the Nile, and Amazon River are geographical regions where various kinds of
people have developed over time. Dissimilarities in culture result in diverse religious inclinations which
incorporate their environments into their rituals, mythologies, and iconography. This partially explains the
rise of various religions in these places.

The origin of some features within a religion can also be explained by geography. For instance, shrines in
Shintoism have been built for reasons that include geography (e.g. mountain shrines). Every shrine
typically has a “kami” (god), which may be a natural or topographical feature. The “kami” is said to
normally reside in an object, such as a stone.

Many examples also prove that the physical environment of a place or geography elucidates many
aspects of the religions in it:

“Across many of the world’s religions, mountains have been associated with talking to God or as the
abode of a god. Mount Sinai was the place where God talked to Moses and the Jews. The Mount of
Olives was where Jesus ascended into heaven and where he is supposed to return. Mt. Athos in Greece
as an ancient monastery where monks dedicate their lives to living in seclusion devoted to God.’

“Olympus was the home of the ancient Greek pantheon and Mt. Fuji was the dwelling place of gods in
Japan. Man even built artificial mountains in an attempt to reach the divine in the form of pyramids,
ziggarats, and mounds.” (“Geography and Religion,” n.d.)

Aside from mountains, trees and rocks also had religious significance. The Stonehenge and Easter Island
serve as examples from ethnic religions of the past. The “Wailing Wall” in Jerusalem called the ‘Kotel,’
being the last vestiges of the Second Temple, is a modern example.

On the other hand, tress were used to produce totems, that is, objects (such as an animal or plant) that
are believed by a particular culture to have spiritual significance and that are adopted by it as emblems. In
fact, it is said that the Catholic and other Protestant sects’ ‘Christmas tree’ has its origin from that
paganistic treatment of trees.

Likewise, geographical properties such as rivers, water, and desert were given religious meaning. The
Ganges Rivers is seen as sacred until today by the Hindus while the Nile River was deemed sacred in
ancient Egyptian religion.

We can also see that water is employed as a means of purification in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam,
such as in the practice of baptism. The desert, on the other hand, is customarily regarded as a means of
spiritual refinement, such as in the practice of meditation and ascetism.

(Source : https://myinfobasket.com/the-interconnectedness-of-geography-culture-and-religions/)

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Lesson 3 : Positive and Negative Effects of Religion to Society

Discussion :

Formative Question : How does religion affect society?

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Positive Effects of Religion

1. Religion often helps people believe that their lives have a purpose.
2. Religion supplies people with direction and meaning, which benefit one’s mental health.
3. Some people attest that their religious beliefs are the source of the courage they need to keep going in
life (“The Lord is my strength”).
4. Most people want to believe that there is more to reality than just the physical, scientific universe, and
religion teaches us that indeed, there is.
5. The religious view that “everything happens for a reason” can be comforting during difficult times.
6. The religious view that “God has a plan for you” makes life seem less chaotic.
7. Religion allows people to believe they’ve been forgiven when they feel regret and remorse over things
they’ve done wrong.
8. Religion allows people to believe that someone (God) understands them and loves them.
9. Religion teaches us to be kind to others.
10. Religion teaches us to serve others.
11. Religion teaches us to forgive others.
12. Religion promotes humility.
13. Religion promotes gratitude.
14. Religion makes the concepts of right and wrong seem more palpable.
15. Religion can help people accept painful things about the world.
16. Religion reminds us that some things can never be known (“God only knows”), which can help to
relieve anxiety.
17. Religion can help people come to terms with their own faults and shortcomings.
18. Religion teaches us to focus on what really matters, rather than worldly success.
19. The hope for the afterlife can be a source of comfort for people who are unhappy in life.
20. The hope for the afterlife can also be a source of comfort for people who have recently lost a loved
one.
21. In general, the hope for an afterlife makes death seem less frightening.
22. Religion provides us with role models (e. g. the saints).
23. Religion builds community. The deep sense of community that one finds in religion is difficult to find
anywhere else.
24. Religion provides a structure to time (e. g. the Sabbath).
25. Some people find religious rituals to be very meaningful (e. g. reciting the Takbir).
26. Religion is the origin of most of the world’s holidays, and holidays are fun.
27. Religion has been the inspiration for much art and music over the centuries.
28. There is evidence that religious people have a lower suicide rate than nonreligious people.
29. Religious groups have been a driving force behind some progressive movements in history, including
the abolitionist movement and the Civil Rights Movement.

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30. Early Christianity was much more supportive of women than were most other societies at that time.
Christianity (arguably) played a role in the long-term development of women’s rights in the Western
World.
31. Many religious institutions and organizations provide medical care (and other necessary services) for
people all over the world.

Negative Effects of Religion

1. Many religions teach that some people will go to hell after they die. That’s a pretty dark thing to believe.
It’s pretty harsh to say that someone deserves to suffer for all eternity.
2. Some religious groups go even further and claim that you have be in their religion to earn salvation,
which would imply that anyone outside their religion would automatically go to hell. That is an appalling
thing to believe.
3. Also, some religious people worry that they themselves might go to hell, which is a source of
unnecessary anxiety in their lives (since, after all, hell is probably not real).
4. Some religions, especially the Catholic Church, have a long history of trying to suppress human
sexuality, even when it’s completely normal and healthy sexuality. And when it gets suppressed, people
don’t learn how use it.
5. Many religions teach (or previously taught) that homosexuality is immoral. By doing so, they have
ostracized the gay community.
6. Some religions have a long history of silencing and oppressing women.
7. Some religions have a culture that turns a blind eye towards physical and/or sexual abuse.
8. Religion has played a role in many wars throughout world history. (But please note: if people didn’t
have religion, I’m sure they would’ve found something else to start a war over.)
9. Many holy books, including both the Bible and the Qur’an, contain some passages which are bizarre
and violent and which have inspired some fundamentalists to commit bizarre and violent actions.
10. In the past, religious beliefs were used as a reason for executing or sacrificing people. (In some parts
of the world, that still happens.)
11. Religion sometimes encourages people to be ascetic and delay happiness until the afterlife, rather
than enjoying this life while we have it.
12. Religion sometimes teaches people to accept injustice as God’s will, rather than to fight against it.
(This was Karl Marx’s criticism.)
13. Religion sometimes displays a patronizing attitude towards poor people in the Third World.
14. In Christianity, some of Jesus’ teachings are rather extreme (e. g. “sell all that you have”).
15. In some countries, religion has too much influence on the government.
16. Some religious groups encourage people to vote for political candidates who are opposed to any sort
of progress, just because they are socially conservative.
17. Religion teaches people not to question things.
18. Religion has a history of resisting the development of science.
19. Some religious people, inspired by their beliefs, refuse to listen to good medical advice, and refuse
medical treatment.
20. Religion fosters a belief in superstitions (e. g. the idea that if you pray for something, God will make it
happen).
21. Related to this, religion teaches people to believe in some doctrines which are very unlikely to be true
and which an intelligent person should not otherwise believe. An example would be the Catholic doctrine
of the Virgin Birth of Christ, which — let’s be honest — is probably not true.
22. Some religious groups place too much emphasis on following the letter of the law with regard to their
rules, dress, rituals, etc.
23. Religion fosters an attitude of contempt towards people who are less religious.
24. Some religious communities are very insular and fear the outside world.
25. Some (very extreme) religious groups believe that the end of the world is imminent and that we need
to prepare for the end-times. That is a very irrational and self-destructive thing to believe.

(Source : https://medium.com/illumination/positive-and-negative-effects-of-religion-7ec841feef07)

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Activity 2 :

Directions : On Youtube, watch “Ayoko sa Relihiyon by Jericho Arceo”. Write a reflection paper
(minimum of 3 stanzas) about it. For your guide, check the rubrics below.

(Source : https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/706150416583578311/)

MOST ESSENTIAL TOPIC # 1 : Judaism

Lesson 1 : History, Core Teachings, Beliefs and Practices of Judaism

Pre-Requisite Content Knowledge :

a. Understand the concepts of belief systems and religion

Pre-Requisite Skills :

a. Relate the concepts of belief systems and religion to daily life

Learning Competencies:

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 a. Examine the brief history, core teachings and fundamental beliefs , practices , and related issues
of Judaism

Discussion :

Lesson 1: History, Core Teachings, Beliefs and Practices of Judaism

Formative Question: What is your name? What is the meaning of your name?

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Judaism, being one of the oldest religions, is commonly the origin of various names. Listed below are
some examples:

Aaron – exalted one Abel – breath Amos – carried by God

Abraham – father of many Adam – humankind David – beloved
Benjamin – favorite son Daniel – God is my judge Isaac – laughter
Deborah – bee Eve – life Joel – Lord is God
Jacob – seizing by the heel Jared – descent Malachi – my messenger
Jonathan – the Lord has Joshua – Lord’s help Naomi – my delight
given Miriam – rebellion Oprah – back of the neck
Michael – who is like God Noah – rest Sarah - princess
Nathan – gift Samuel – name of God
Reuben – behold, a son Abigail – father is rejoicing

(Source : Cornelio, et al, 2016)

History of Judaism

Judaism is the world’s oldest monotheistic religion, dating back nearly 4,000 years. Followers of Judaism
believe in one God who revealed himself through ancient prophets. The history of Judaism is essential to
understanding the Jewish faith, which has a rich heritage of law, culture and tradition.

Jewish people believe there’s only one God who has established a covenant—or special agreement—
with them. Their God communicates to believers through prophets and rewards good deeds while also
punishing evil.

Most Jews (with the exception of a few groups) believe that their Messiah hasn’t yet come—but will one
day.

Jewish people worship in holy places known as synagogues, and their spiritual leaders are called rabbis.
The six-pointed Star of David is the symbol of Judaism.

Today, there are about 14 million Jews worldwide. Most of them live in the United States and Israel.
Traditionally, a person is considered Jewish if his or her mother is Jewish.

(Source : https://www.history.com/topics/religion/judaism#:~:text=Judaism%20is%20the%20world's
%20oldest,of%20law%2C%20culture%20and%20tradition.)

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Timeline of the history of Judaism

2000-1250 BCE

● Nomadic tribesmen (ancestors of Jews) migrate from Mesopotamia to settle the land of Canaan
(later called Israel) where they formed a patriarchal society of tribal lineages. According to the
Bible, this migration and settlement was based on a divine call and promise to Abraham—a
promise of national blessing and bounty for Abraham and his descendants if they remain faithful
to the One God (the first moment that God enters human history). With this call, the first covenant
was established between God and the descendants of Abraham.

1250-1050 BCE

● Exodus from bondage in Egypt. As the displaced Israelites are wandering in the desert, Moses is
called to ascend Mount Sinai, where God reveals to him the Torah (first five books of the Bible).
This is the second moment that God enters human history, thus Jews consider themselves
doubly chosen. With the revelation of the Torah, the covenant between God and the people of
Israel is reaffirmed and extended.

1050-587/6 BCE

● Rise and establishment of monarchy under David (ca. 1013-973); First Temple built by Solomon,
son of David. Institutionalization of ancient Israelite religion. In 587/6 the Jerusalem Temple and
Judea are destroyed by the Babylonians.

539-70 CE

● Restoration of ancient institutions and leadership; Temple rebuilt (515). Emergence of classical
Judaism centered on the law (revelation) and its interpretation (traditions).
● Rise of Greek power and dominance of Palestine and Syria (Alexander of Macedon conquers
Persian Empire in 332). Development of different groups of Jews (Essenes around the Dead Sea)
and beginning of Hellenized Jewish philosophy.
● Emergence of Pharisees as dominant religious movement and its consolidation of the ideals of
scholarship and piety.
● Rise of Roman rule; conquest of Palestine in 63 BCE.

70-700 CE

● Development of rabbinic Judaism

● Fall of second Temple to Romans in 70 CE.

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 ● Bible canonized (ca. 622)

● Compilation of Mishnah (Rabbi Judah the Price)

● Development of Talmud

700-1750 CE

● Jewish life spreads from Middle East to Europe and US

● Persecutions of Jews, as in Rhineland (1040) and England (1190), and exile from England
(1291), France (1309), Spain (1492), Portugal (1496).
1759-present

● Development of new patterns of Jewish life in response to Enlightenment and modernity

● New reform movements develop such

as Hasidism (18th century), Reform and Conservative Schools.
● Revival of Jewish nationalism in the Zionist movement (founded 1897) and first resettlements in
Palestine.
● Murder of six million Jews in Nazi death camps of World War II

● State of Israel founded in 1948

(Source : https://womrel.sitehost.iu.edu/Historical%20Timeline_Jud.htm)

Sacred Texts

The Torah

The Hebrew word torah means “law,” or “regulations.” And if you’re at all familiar with these books, that’s
almost all the explanation you need. This is where the prophet Moses introduces the people of Israel to
the Ten Commandments, along with a host of other “thou shalts” and “thou shalt nots.” If you’re reading
the Bible in English, you won’t find the word “Torah” used—instead, you’ll mostly just see the phrase, “the
law.”

But this isn’t the kind of law that we’re used to thinking of today. When the writers of the Bible mention
“the law,” they’re usually referring to one of two things:

1. The partnership between God and Israel

Humans make modern laws to maintain social order. But the Torah isn’t about legislation; it’s about
allegiance. The second book of the Torah, Exodus, tells the story of how God made a pact between the
nation of Israel and himself: he would be their god, and they would be his people. This type of pact was
known in those days as a covenant, which was a common kind of agreement in the ancient Near East.

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A covenant is similar to a contract or a treaty. In ancient times, some kingdoms would become powerful
enough to exert their authority beyond their own borders. These kings would come across smaller, lesser
nations or city-states and strike up alliances with them. The lesser kings, called vassals, would swear
allegiance to the greater king, called the suzerain. The vassals would maintain their own national identity
and a degree of autonomy, and would depend on the economic opportunities and military protection
provided by the suzerain. The mighty suzerain got tribute and taxes from the vassal—not to mention the
bragging rights of another kingdom under their authority.

These covenants usually included rules for the vassal to follow. If the vassal kept the rules, then they
could enjoy being in the suzerain’s good graces. If the vassal broke the rules—and especially if the vassal
betrayed the suzerain and helped the suzerain’s enemies—they would be punished and cursed.

In a similar fashion, God himself assumes the role of the suzerain in the Torah. He rescues the nation of
Israel from Egypt, and offers to partner with them in a covenant. If Israel keeps God’s rules (his law), they
will enjoy his guidance and protection in a land of their own. If they don’t, God will remove his protection,
and Israel won’t be able to keep their land. Israel agrees to these terms, and the covenant of the law is
enacted.

When Moses went and told the people all the LORD’s words and laws, they responded with one voice,
“Everything the LORD has said we will do.” Moses then wrote down everything the LORD had said.
(Exodus 24:3–4)

That covenant agreement is known throughout the rest of the Bible as “the law.”

2. The specific terms of that covenant

These are the decrees, the laws and the regulations that the Lord established at Mount Sinai between
himself and the Israelites through Moses. (Leviticus 26:46)

“The law” can refer to the covenant in general, but you’ll also find references to “laws” within the law.
These are the “thou shalts” and the “thou shalt nots.” They’re the rituals for observing feasts and offering
sacrifices. They’re the rules about food, sex, clothing, and justice. They’re the directions for setting up an
acceptable place of worship. That kind of stuff.

You’ll find these throughout the last half of Exodus, and Leviticus is almost entirely these lists of
regulations. They’re interspersed throughout Numbers, and Deuteronomy groups them in the middle.
There are hundreds of individual laws, but they all boil down to two overarching principles:

● Love and devotion for God. Israelites couldn’t worship other deities, and because God’s temple
was in their midst, the people maintained a degree of ritualistic purity.
● Love and respect for other humans. Israelites were expected to show generosity toward
marginalized people, execute justice for both the rich and the poor, and not bring shame on each
other.

The specific reasons why certain laws exist can be nebulous. Scholars have made all kinds of arguments
for why the ancient Jews believed pork and mixed fabrics were off-limits. The important thing to
remember is that they believed that these practices separated them from the surrounding nations of the
ancient Near East and reflected how their God is separate from the gods of the other nations.

3. The part of Scripture that records that covenant

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Not only does “the law” refer to the stipulations of the covenant and the covenant itself, but it’s also used
to refer to the work of the Bible that tells the story of the covenant. While the first five books of the Bible
were individual scrolls themselves, they still constitute one general work—which the Jews and Christians
call “the Torah.”

Summary of the Pentateuch

The Torah is a five-book work, each book serving its purpose to make the whole. Here’s the primary
contents of each book, and how each contributes to the overall work of the Law of Moses.

1. Genesis

Genesis gives the general backstory of the Torah, setting up a few key dynamics in the cosmos. The
ancient Israelites believed that their God called the world out of chaos, and filled it with plants, animals,
and people. This God was in charge of both the physical and the metaphysical realms (earth and heaven)
and their inhabitants. At the start of the Bible, God, the humans, and the rest of the spiritual beings are at
peace with one another.

However, rebellion breaks out, and at least one spiritual rebel (called “the serpent”) tempts humans to
rebel against God’s order—instead choosing what’s right and wrong for themselves. Things get violent,
and eventually God divides the human and spiritual worlds into nations. (That’s the story of the Tower of
Babel.) The ancient Israelites believed that each nation was assigned their own pantheon of spiritual
beings (“gods”) to seek protection and provision from. (Deuteronomy 4:19–20; 32:7–9)

“I will make you [Abraham] into a great nation,

and I will bless you […]
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:3–4)

However, the being above all the other gods (“God Most High”), chooses to deal directly with a man we
know as Abraham. He promises to give Abraham’s descendants a land of their own. And eventually, God
plans to bless every nation through Abraham, even the nations he’s not directly working with. The book of
Genesis closes with Abraham’s grandson, named Israel, moving his family to Egypt to escape a famine.

2. Exodus

Exodus tells the story of how Israel exits Egypt (hence the name) and enters a covenant with God. The
descendants of Abraham multiplied in Egypt, and so Pharaoh (part of the Egyptian pantheon) puts them
to work as slaves. God then rescues the Israelites from both the oppressive Egyptian humans and their
oppressive Egyptian gods.

“I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord.” (Exodus 12:12)

God brings the people of Israel to the foot of a mountain in the wilderness, called Mount Sinai. Here, the
people enter that covenant we discussed earlier. Throughout this process, God works with a prophet
named Moses. He becomes the human go-between for both God and Israel, tasked with calling the
people to follow God and also dealing with their complaints and disputes. He represents God to the
people, and mediates on behalf of the nation when the people break God’s laws.

Exodus closes with Moses and the people constructing a portable temple (called the tabernacle). God
then comes down from the mountaintop and fills the tabernacle—and just like that, the most powerful
being in the cosmos moves in to a migrant camp of mortals.

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3. Leviticus

Leviticus explores what the people of Israel can and should do about being in such proximity to such a
powerful being. It’s mostly a book of rules and rituals for the people and priests to follow in order to keep
themselves and the tabernacle acceptable places for such a powerful being.

The first half of this book focuses on expectations for the Israelite priests: the people who maintained the
tabernacle and performed religious rituals to God on behalf of the rest of the people. These priests all
came from a subgroup of Israelites: the tribe of Levi. The book gets its name from the Levitical priesthood.

4. Numbers

Numbers charts the journey from Mount Sinai to the very edge of the promised land of Canaan … twice.
The book gets its name because at the beginning and end of the book, Moses numbers the people in a
census. After the first census, Moses and the people move to the edge of the promised land. However,
when a few scouts report back that the people in the land are too strong to be driven out, the people
revolt against Moses and God—planning to kill Moses and go back to serving Pharaoh and the Egyptians.

With this move, the whole generation of Israelites forfeits the promised land. The people don’t want to
take the land, but God can’t let them undo his work and re-enslave their children in Egypt. So instead God
guides, protects, and disciplines the people in the wilderness for the next 40 years, until the next
generation replaces the population. This generation comes back to the edge of Canaan, almost ready to
possess the land.

Throughout Numbers, we see a tension that builds for the rest of the Old Testament: God finding ways to
keep his end of the deal even though Israel consistently doesn’t keep theirs. When the people rebel
against Moses and God, the Lord punishes them—but there’s a always remnant of people whom God
spares.

5. Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy is both a recap of the Torah and a preview of the rest of the Old Testament. The name itself
comes from the Greek word for “second law,” because in Deuteronomy Moses again presents God’s laws
to the next generation of Israel. Moses reviews all God’s generous and mighty deeds: how he rescued
them from Egypt, thundered from Mount Sinai, and provided for them in the wilderness.

Moses then tells the people that when they enter the land, they will need to choose whether or not they
will serve the God who gave it to them. They can choose to abide by the laws Moses gives them and
enjoy God’s blessings of protection and prosperity. Or, they can abandon the Torah and choose what’s
right and wrong for themselves (like the rebellious humans in Genesis). If they make themselves enemies
of God by breaking the covenant, then God will remove his protection, and Israel won’t be able to keep
their land.

(Source : https://overviewbible.com/torah/)

The Prophets

14
Specifically, the bible describes how these prophetic leaders spoke with their audience about God’s
promises and wills. Whenever God commanded them to speak, the prophets fulfilled this task, making
every statement God directed them to make. It was the role of a prophet in the Bible to speak out to
people God’s words to them.

By proclaiming Yahweh’s message to Israel no matter how he does one, both cultic and canonical
prophet is able to provide Israel with water. The authority of the prophet on this domain and the function
of proclaiming God’s word were linked to the intercessory function of the prophet.

What are the reasons that ombudsmen were important to the Israelites? According to God’s vision, the
Torah pilgrims both men and women were extremely educated and prudish, highly dedicated to God and
his commandments. Authority came at the expense of being humble.

(Source : https://www.chicagojewishnews.com/what-do-prophets-do-in-judaism/)

Who Are The Main Prophets Of Judaism?

As Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Haggai, Malachi, Joel, Obadiah, Nachum, Habbakuk,
Zephaniah, and Judah, they belong to these nine. Other prophetic figures also came into being in the
Bible as well, including literary prophets and prophetic priests.

What Are The Roles Of Prophets In Judaism?

Prophetics are persons who are believed to be in contact with a divine source and who speak on behalf of
that source through their messages or teaching. Prophets may convey supernatural messages from the
spiritual source to followers.

Who Was The First Prophet In Judaism?

A Hebrew man named Abraham, who became known as the founder of Judaism according to the text,
first encountered God.

Was King David A Prophet In Judaism?

If you don’t mind thinking of David as the ultimate Renaissance man, consider this fact: a composer of
many Old Testament books and compositions based on his own famous lyre.

What Was The Job Of The Prophets In The Bible?

Gods communicate messages to Prophets who then communicate with humans on behalf of them.
According to The Old Testament, Israel is warned not to bow down to people who observe signs in the
heavens.

Why Were The Prophets Important To The Israelites?

During that period of time, the Prophets talked doom and judgment as well as about Israel’s complete
destruction. This insights into those matters can be interpreted through the cultic background to liturgical
judgment and salvation, since Yahweh judged and destroyed his enemies as the only source of salvation.

What Was The Importance Of The Prophets?

15
God reveals His true character as He teaches us His will and how to live in order to fulfill His will. A
prophet exemplifies righteousness and denounced sin in prophecy. If inspired by him or her, will follow
future directions. Jesus Christ has been witness to prophets in quite a few ways.

(Source : https://www.chicagojewishnews.com/what-do-prophets-do-in-judaism/)

The Talmud and Mishna

First you need to understand what the Mishnah is. When Moshe received the Torah on Har Sinai he spent
forty days and nights studying it and getting taught the performance and explanations of it. Thus when he
came down he had two things- the written Torah and the explanations and details of its performance. The
written Torah is what is also known as the “Chamishe Sifrei Torah”, commonly translated as “The Five
Books of Moses”. The explanations and details of performance were only passed on orally and are
commonly referred to as the Oral Torah. Before the Bar Kochba revolt which resulted in the massive exile
of the Jews 80 or so years after the destruction of the Second Temple Rabbi Akivah organized the oral
law into a more organized and easier to teach format. After the Bar Kochba revolt with the bulk of the
Jews in exile in different places (the difference to the prior Babylonian exile was that there the bulk of the
Jews were in one place, albeit outside of Israel) there was a fear that the oral Torah would be forgotten or
altered, so Rebbi Yehudah HaNasi, the head of the Sanhedrin at the time, compiled the Oral Torah into
the form we have today and we refer to this written compilation of the Oral Torah as the Mishnah.

However, there was discussion on its application, philosophy, ethics, what to do in different situations, the
trying to grasp the essence of the law so it could be utilized in different, unenvisaged situations, the
mysticism and the practical. These discussions were recorded in the Gemorah. This is how we get to the
Talmud- it consists of two main parts- the Mishnah and then the associated Gemorah to that Mishnah.

(Source : https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-Mishnah-How-is-it-different-from-the-Talmud-Why-are-they-
important)

Doctrines

The Ten Commandments

1. You shall have no other God’s before me.

2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven images.

These laws were very important. The Israelites needed them to become a strong nation amid all the
people around them who worshipped idols. We are pledging in these commandments our allegiance to be
loyal, obedient and respect God.

3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

We don’t like it if people call us bad names do we? They are being disrespectful. God’s name is Holy and
it must be used only in a reverent way.

Some people take God’s name in vain because others are doing it and we find ourselves saying these
words that dishonor God. It can take root in our hearts and mind and begin saying it and don’t realize you
did. Be careful don’t allow it to take root in your heart.

16
4. Remember the Sabbath day and keep it Holy.

Back in the Old Testament, this meant they should not work on the Sabbath but they carried it too far and
wouldn’t let people pick up something heavy. Jesus changed this and said we should keep the Sabbath
day to worship, remember creation, and rest so we could serve God and others.

5. Honor your father and mother.

Honor means to love and respect them. When you honor your parents you love and obey them because
they are wiser. God wanted homes to be happy so he made this an important rule.

6. Thou shalt not kill. — God wants us to protect human life.

7. Thou shalt not commit adultery. — This means husbands and wives should be faithful to one another.

8. Thou shalt not steal.

No one is permitted to take something that belongs to another. Not only is it God’s law but it is the basic
law of the society we live in.

9. Thou shall not bear false witness.

This means do not tell a lie. Do not tell stories that are untrue about people. When you tell a lie, you hurt
yourself as well as others. Soon people will not trust what you say.

10. You shall not covet.

Covet means to want something that belongs to someone else. A person who covets may be led to break
all most all the other commandments.

(Source : https://www.reporter-times.com/story/lifestyle/faith/2021/12/10/understanding-10-
commandments-and-their-relevance-today/6457925001/)

God : Yahweh/Jehovah

‘I Am Who I Am’? The Real Meaning of God’s Name in Exodus

When the people of Israel were enslaved in Egypt, they cried out to God for deliverance. Then God
answered their cry, using the expression “I am who I am” (Exod 3:14) to introduce himself as their
deliverer. In English, that sounds like a philosophical statement about God’s existence. In Hebrew, the
passage uses the verb ehyeh (a form of the word hayah), normally translated “I am” or “I will be.” That
translation is, in most situations, adequate. But for the meaning of God’s name in Exodus 3 and several
other places in the Bible, hayah carries the added weight of representing God himself: Yahweh, “I am.” In
such contexts, more careful attention to the nuance of this verb is important.

Indeed, the Hebrews, languishing under the whips of their oppressors, did not need to know simply that
God exists. They needed to know that he was present with them. And that is precisely what God
announced to Moses and memorialized in his name Yahweh, as defined by the verb ehyeh.

The Meaning of God’s Name at the Burning Bush

God explained the meaning of his name Yahweh (often represented in English Bibles as “Lord” in all
small caps, and sometimes vocalized as “Jehovah” or by its consonantal root “YHWH”) while
commissioning Moses at the burning bush. He instructed the prophet,

17
 Say this to the people of Israel: “I am (ehyeh) has sent me to you.” . . . Say this to the people of Israel:
“The Lord (Yahweh), the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob, has sent me to you.” This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all
generations. (Exod 3:14–15)

God explained the meaning of Yahweh by placing it in parallel with the similar-sounding Hebrew term “I
am” (ehyeh, from the root hayah). Yahweh is God’s personal name, so closely identified with his being
that many orthodox Jews refuse to pronounce it, instead saying HaShem (“the name”) or Adonai (“Lord”),
to guard this name’s sanctity.

(Source : https://hebraicthought.org/meaning-of-gods-name-i-am-exodus/)

Sects

Orthodox Judaism – This is a strict belief and practice of Jewish law and rituals. It is a diverse type of
Judaism, as there are different subgroups within it. These subgroups include Hasidic Jews (first founded
in Eastern Europe in the 1700s).

Progressive /Reform Judaism – is characterized as having a strong belief in the ethical; traditions of
Judaism rather than a strict adherence to Jewish law.

Conservative Judaism – Places a high value on the Jewish traditions, but has become more modernized
than Othodox Judaism

Re-Constructionist Judaism – The belief that Judaism is an evolving civilization/religion and adjusts
depending on the place and time

Humanistic Judaism – This level celebrates the history of the Jewish people and their culture, rather than
placing an emphasis on the work a divine being

(Source : https://www.twinkl.com.ph/teaching-wiki/judaism#:~:text=The%20main%20three%20branches
%20of%20Judaism%20are%20Orthodox%2C%20Conservative%20and,the%20belief%20in%20the
%20covenant.)

Jewish Beliefs and Practices

Beliefs

The relationship with God

Jews believe that there is a single God who not only created the universe, but with whom every Jew can
have an individual and personal relationship.

They believe that God continues to work in the world, affecting everything that people do.

The Jewish relationship with God is a covenant relationship. In exchange for the many good deeds that
God has done and continues to do for the Jewish People.

● The Jews keep God's laws

18
 ● The Jews seek to bring holiness into every aspect of their lives.

Judaism is the faith of a Community

Jews believe that God appointed the Jews to be his chosen people in order to set an example of holiness
and ethical behaviour to the world.

Jewish life is very much the life of a community and there are many activities that Jews must do as a
community.

● For example, the Jewish prayer book uses WE and OUR in prayers where some other faiths
would use I and MINE.

Jews also feel part of a global community with a close bond Jewish people all over the world. A lot of
Jewish religious life is based around the home and family activities.

Judaism is a family faith

Judaism is very much a family faith and the ceremonies start early, when a Jewish
boy baby is circumcised at eight days old, following the instructions that God gave to Abraham around
4,000 years ago.

Many Jewish religious customs revolve around the home. One example is the Sabbath meal, when
families join together to welcome in the special day.

Who is a Jew?
Jews believe that a Jew is someone who is the child of a Jewish mother; although some groups also
accept children of Jewish fathers as Jewish. A Jew traditionally can't lose the technical 'status' of being a
Jew by adopting another faith, but they do lose the religious element of their Jewish identity.

Someone who isn't born a Jew can convert to Judaism, but it is not easy to do so.

Judaism means living the faith

Almost everything a Jewish person does can become an act of worship.

Because Jews have made a bargain with God to keep his laws, keeping that bargain and doing things in
the way that pleases God is an act of worship.

And Jews don't only seek to obey the letter of the law - the particular details of each of the Jewish laws -
but the spirit of it, too.

A religious Jew tries to bring holiness into everything they do, by doing it as an act that praises God, and
honours everything God has done. For such a person the whole of their life becomes an act of worship.

Being part of a community that follows particular customs and rules helps keep a group of people
together, and it's noticeable that the Jewish groups that have been most successful at avoiding
assimilation are those that obey the rules most strictly - sometimes called ultra-orthodox Jews.

Note: Jews don't like and rarely use the word ultra-orthodox. A preferable adjective is haredi, and the
plural noun is haredim.

19
Judaism is a faith of action and Jews believe people should be judged not so much by the intellectual
content of their beliefs, but by the way they live their faith - by how much they contribute to the overall
holiness of the world.

The Jewish view of God

A summary of what Jews believe about God

● God exists

● There is only one God

● There are no other gods

● God can't be subdivided into different persons (unlike the Christian view of God)

● Jews should worship only the one God

● God is Transcendent:

⮚ God is above and beyond all earthly things.

● God doesn't have a body

⮚ Which means that God is neither female nor male.

● God created the universe without help

● God is omnipresent:

⮚ God is everywhere, all the time.

● God is omnipotent:

⮚ God can do anything at all.

● God is beyond time:

⮚ God has always existed

⮚ God will always exist.

● God is just, but God is also merciful

⮚ God punishes the bad

⮚ God rewards the good

⮚ God is forgiving towards those who mess things up.

● God is personal and accessible.

⮚ God is interested in each individual

⮚ God listens to each individual

⮚ God sometimes speaks to individuals, but in unexpected ways.

The Jews brought new ideas about God

20
The Jewish idea of God is particularly important to the world because it was the Jews who developed two
new ideas about God:

⮚ There is only one God

⮚ God chooses to behave in a way that is both just and fair.

Before Judaism, people believed in lots of gods, and those gods behaved no better than human beings
with supernatural powers.

The Jews found themselves with a God who was ethical and good.

(Source : https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/beliefs/beliefs_1.shtml)

Practices

Dietary Practices

The Jewish community has strict guidelines concerning some aspects of their diet, particularly in relation
to meat and dairy products. Acceptable food is called kosher. Continuing to eat a kosher diet while in
hospital or on a medically restricted diet poses a major problem for Jewish people. Jews will only eat
meat which is killed and prepared by their own religiously trained workers and will not take milk and meat
in the same meal. A kosher household will also keep meat and milk utensils, crockery and cutlery strictly
separate (see the table below for further details on kosher food).

An increasingly common problem for Jews is the availability and use of pre-prepared foods, where it is
impossible to know where the meat has come from or whether it may have been contaminated by non-
kosher items. This includes most 'ready meals' and things like sausages and burgers. Hospitals may buy
the Jewish Food Guide from Beth Din in London (www.kosher.org.uk). Below outlines some of the main
requirements for food to be kosher.

Kosher

● Animals must have cloven hooves and chew the cud e.g. cows, goats and sheep are kosher.

● Fish must haves scales and fins.

● Kosher food must be butchered and prepared in a special way: a single knife blow to the throat
killing the animal; the blood drained out of it afterwards; the cut up the meat soaked in water and
salted to remove the last traces of blood.
● Animals must be in perfect health to be kosher.

● Fruit is kosher.

● Vegetarian dairy products are kosher.

● Meat and milk utensils, crockery and cutlery should be kept strictly separate. Disposable cutlery
and crockery should be used to serve kosher food in the hospital to avoid cross-contamination
with non-kosher utensils.

Non-Kosher

● Examples of non-kosher animals would be horses, pigs and the wild birds.

21
 ● Shellfish and eels are examples of non-kosher fish.

● Any meat – even that from kosher animals – that has not been butchered and prepared in a
specific way is not kosher.
● Animals that are not healthy, or that have some internal disease discovered after death, are not
kosher.
● Fruit damaged by rot or insects is not kosher.

● It is not kosher to mix dairy and meat products together and a three hour wait between eating
these kinds of food is preferred.
● Utensils used in the preparation of non-kosher food are non-kosher.

Fasting

Yom Kippur is probably the most important holy day of the Jewish year. Many Jews who do not observe
any other Jewish custom will fast during Yom Kippur, which is viewed as a major time for fasting. It is a
complete, 25-hour fast beginning before sunset on the evening before Yom Kippur and ending after
nightfall on the day of Yom Kippur. These restrictions can be lifted where a threat to life or health is
involved. Children under the age of nine and women in childbirth (from the time labour begins until three
days after birth) are not permitted to fast, even if they want to. Older children and women from the third to
the seventh day after childbirth are permitted to fast, but are permitted to break the fast if they feel the
need to do so. People with other illnesses would consult a physician and rabbi for advice.

There are also five minor fasts in the Jewish calendar. The minor fasts last from dawn to nightfall, and a
person is permitted to eat breakfast if arising before sunrise to do so. There is a great deal of leniency in
the minor fasts for people who have medical conditions or other difficulties with fasting.

Washing and toilet

On waking, Jews must wash their hands and may not eat or drink before doing so. A brief blessing is
recited before eating any food, and Orthodox Jews will want to wash before eating bread. Some Orthodox
Jews do not bathe or shower during major festivals or Shabbat and some men prefer to be bearded or will
only use an electric razor (a modern circumvention of a ruling against shaving).

Ideas of modesty and dress

Both sexes may wish to keep their hair covered (Orthodox Jewish women may wear a wig and Orthodox
Jewish men a skull cap called a yalmulke). If the examination is to include the head, then discuss the
removal of head coverings sensitively, and where appropriate offer an alternative (a theatre cap, for
example).

Death customs

There are specific Jewish laws and customs for dealing with the dead. It is important to contact the family
and the Hebrew Burial Society as soon as possible. No mutilation of the body is allowed unless there is a
legal requirement for a post mortem. When a Jewish person dies, the following guidelines apply:

● Do not touch the body until 20 minutes after death.

22
 ● Do not wash the body — this will be done ritually before burial.

● Do not remove false teeth or other prostheses.

● Close the eyes.

● Straighten the body out, laying it flat with the feet together and arms by the side.

● Cover the body with a plain white sheet without emblems.

Jewish law forbids Jews to do anything to hasten a person's death and at the same time requires
everything possible to be done to comfort the dying. So the range of what you can or cannot do for a
dying person may vary and you should consult a trusted rabbi. Some Jews would not touch a dying
person for fear that the slightest touch might hasten their death.

From the moment a Jewish patient dies an appointed person (preferably not a relative of the deceased)
keeps a watch over the body. This person should be reciting psalms constantly until the burial service.
People are paid or appointed by the funeral home to carry out this service. Jews are buried and not
cremated.

Immediately after death, mourners sometimes tear their clothes and sit on the floor.

Birth customs

A healthy male boy must be circumcised on the eighth day after birth, although this could be delayed for a
premature or unhealthy baby. The ritual is performed by a trained and medically certified religious
functionary. If the mother and child are still at the hospital a small room may be requested and others of
the family will attend the ritual and name the child.

If a child dies, the body should be treated in the same way as an adult. Jewish law requires the burial of
miscarried foetuses, which should be delivered to the family or burial society.

Family planning

Traditionally Jewish law has discouraged contraception; however, contraception has recently become
more acceptable as long as it is part of a couple's scheme for planned pregnancies and not a total
avoidance of them.

The method of contraception permitted may depend on the type of Judaism practiced Orthodox Jews
prefer to rely on the rhythm method or the oral contraceptive pill, whereas Reform Jews may be more
likely to consider other methods. Condoms are generally not allowed as there is a commandment against
`killing the seed'. However, some liberal Jews may use this method. Discussion about contraception
should involve both husband and wife, who may wish to consult their rabbi.

The issue of abortion within the Jewish community is complex. Jews believe that until the head of a baby
has left the womb of its mother, it does not gain full status as a living person. This means that where the
mother may die if the pregnancy continues, Jewish law permits a therapeutic abortion to save the life of
the mother at the expense of the child. In cases of rape or where the mental health of the mother may be
at risk if the pregnancy continues, opinion is split as to whether abortion is permissible. As with many
issues, the mother may wish to consult her family and rabbi before making a decision.

23
Blood transfusions, transplants and organ donation

Jewish law approves blood transfusion in order to achieve the desired medical outcomes.

Jewish law permits organ donation from dead bodies where there is a high chance of success for the
specific recipient. Relatives of a potential donor will wish to consult an appropriate rabbi before making a
decision, and this should obviously be facilitated.

(Source: http://www.waht.nhs.uk/en-GB/NHS-Mobile/Our-Services/?depth=8&srcid=2006)

Activity 3:

Directions: Using a Venn Diagram, compare and contrast your personal beliefs and practices from
Judaism’s.

MOST ESSENTIAL TOPIC # 3: Christianity

Lesson 1: History, Core Teachings, Beliefs and Practices of Christianity

Pre-Requisite Content Knowledge:

a. Relate core teachings and practices of Judaism to student’s religious beliefs

Pre-Requisite Skills:

a. Practice core teachings and

Learning Competencies:

a. Examine the brief history, core teachings, fundamental beliefs and practices, and related issues
of Christianity

Discussion:

24
Lesson 1: History, Core Teachings, Beliefs and Practices of Christianity

Formative Question : What made you a Christian?

____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

Christianity
Christianity is the world's largest religion, with 2.8 billion adherents. It is categorized as one of the three
Abrahamic or monotheistic religions of the Western tradition along with Judaism and Islam. 'Christian' is
derived from the Greek christos for the Hebrew messiah ("anointed one"). Christianoi, "followers of the
Christ," became the name of a group who followed the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth in 1st-
century Israel and proclaimed him the predicted messiah of the prophets.

Christianity merged the beliefs of ancient Judaism with elements from the dominant culture of the Roman
Empire. The sacred texts are combined in the Christian Bible: the Jewish Scriptures (now deemed the Old
Testament) and the New Testament (the gospels, the letters of Paul, and the Book of Revelation).

Background of Ancient Judaism

Ancient Judaism shared many elements with other cultures and their religious views. They believed that
the heavens contained gradients of divine powers that directly affected their daily lives. What
distinguished ancient Jews from their neighbors was the command of their God of Israel to make
sacrifices (offerings) to him only; 'worship' in this sense meant sacrifices. Jews had distinct ethnic identity
markers: circumcision, dietary laws, and the observance of the Sabbath (suspension of all work every
seventh day). An ancient leader, Moses, was believed to have received a law code directly from God to
organize the Jews as a nation under the Law of Moses. They established a kingdom in Canaan under the
auspices of King David and Solomon, who built the Temple in Jerusalem (1000-920 BCE).

The Jews suffered several national disasters over the centuries. The Assyrian Empire conquered and
destroyed the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 722 BCE, which was followed by the destruction
of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Neo-Babylonian Empire in 587 BCE. The prophets of Israel (oracles)
rationalized the disasters by claiming that God had punished the Jews because of their integration of
idolatry in the land. However, they offered a message of hope; in the future, God would intervene one
more time in human history in the final days. At that time, God would raise up a messiah from the lineage
of King David, and some Gentiles (non-Jews) would then turn and worship the God of Israel. There would
be a final battle against the nations, and Israel would be restored to its former glory. Israel would serve as
a model righteous nation for the rest of the world, elevating their God above all others.

Greek and Roman Occupation

In the 1st century BCE, the Jews were ruled by the Seleucid Empire. King Antiochus Epiphanes (r. 175-
164 BCE) forbid Jewish customs and ordered Jews to sacrifice to the gods of the Greek religion. The
Jews, under the leadership of a Hasmonean family, rose up in the Maccabean Revolt and drove them out.
As recorded in 2 Maccabees, their sufferings introduced two new concepts into Judaism:

25
 1. the concept of a martyr ("witness") as someone who died for their beliefs
2. all martyrs would be rewarded with instantly being resurrected to heaven

Rome conquered Judea in 63 BCE. Various Jewish sects, such as the Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes,
and Zealots, responded to the occupation in different ways. These groups shared the basic traditions but
differed in how to respond to the new oppressor and the dominant culture of the Roman Empire.

During the 1st century CE, many messianic contenders attempted to foster rebellion among the crowds at
festivals times. Rome's typical response was killing the leader and as many followers as they could find.
Advocating a kingdom that was not Rome was equivalent to treason, for which the punishment
was crucifixion.

Jesus of Nazareth

An itinerant preacher from Nazareth, Jesus, became the focus of a sect of Jews who had gathered to
listen to his sermons in the Galilee region. In line with the prophets of Israel, he declared that the kingdom
was imminent; God would shortly intervene and provide justice for all. He selected twelve disciples
(students) as a symbol of the twelve tribes of Israel. According to the gospels (stories of Jesus written
between 70-100 CE), he became famous for his miracles. His followers declared him the promised
messiah.

The gospels reported that on a trip to Jerusalem during Passover (c. 30-33 CE) Jesus was put on trial by
the Sanhedrin (the ruling council in Jerusalem) for allegedly preaching against the Temple practices.
Condemned, he was handed over to the Roman procurator, Pontius Pilate, who crucified him for the claim
that he was the King of the Jews. The trial and crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth eventually became part of
Christian liturgy (church rituals) by reenacting these events every year, during Easter Week.

This sect of Jews differed from the others in their messianic claims for Jesus; despite having been killed,
he was resurrected from the dead on the Sunday following his death. According to Luke, he bodily
ascended to heaven. What made this sect of Jews different from others was their teaching that those who
followed Jesus would also share in the resurrection of the dead.

The gospel writers also had to face the problem that when Jesus was on earth, the kingdom had not been
realized. An early follower conceived of the idea known as the parousia ("second appearance"), according
to which Jesus would return to earth sometime in the future, and then all the predictions of the prophets
would be fulfilled. Modern Christians still anticipate the return of Christ.

(Source: https://www.worldhistory.org/christianity/)

Sacred Texts

The Bible

The Bible is the sacred book of Christians. It was the first printed book and has been translated into more
languages than any other written work. Described as the most influential book ever produced, it arguably
addresses most issues that affect human beings and has been referred to in almost every imaginable
situation. To consider oneself to be well read one must first be well versed in the Bible.

The Bible is generally divided into two books: the Old Testament and the New Testaments. Although
version of the New Testament is available, it is unusual to find a Christian Bible with only the Old

26
Testament. The Old Testament has 5,800 different words, compared to 4,800 words in the New
Testament.

According to the BBC: The Bible is not just one book, but an entire library, with stories, songs, poetry,
letters and history, as well as literature that might more obviously qualify as 'religious'. The Christian Bible
has two sections, the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament is the original Hebrew
Bible, the sacred scriptures of the Jewish faith, written at different times between about 1200 and 165 BC.
The New Testament books were written by Christians in the first century AD.

(Source: https://factsanddetails.com/world/cat55/sub391/item1407.html#:~:text=Luke%20Harley
%20Gospels%20The%20Bible,than%20any%20other%20written%20work.)

(Source: https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/361625045078613309/)

The English word "Bible" is from the Greek phrase ta biblia, "the books," an expression Hellenistic Jews
used to describe their sacred books several centuries before the time of Jesus. Christians adopted the
phrase "Old Testament" to refer to these sacred books they shared with Jews. Jews called the same
books Miqra, "Scripture," or the Tanakh, an acronym for the three divisions of the Hebrew Bible: Torah
("instructions" or less accurately "the law"), Neviim ("prophets"), and Kethuvim ("writings," including
Psalms, Proverbs, and several other books). Modern scholars often use the term "Hebrew Bible" to avoid
the confessional terms Old Testament and Tanakh. As for the New Testament, its current twenty-seven
book form derives from the fourth century CE, even though the constituent parts come from the first
century. Christians did not agree on the exact extent of the New Testament for several centuries.

The sheer diversity of literature in the Bible is one of the secrets of its continuing popularity through the
centuries. There is something for all moods and many different cultures. Its message is not buried in
religious jargon only accessible to either believers or scholars, but reflects the issues that people struggle
with in daily life. Despite their different emphases, all its authors shared the conviction that this world and
its affairs are not just a haphazard sequence of random coincidences, but are the forum of God's activity -

27
a God who (unlike the God of the philosophers) is not remote or unknowable, but a personal being who
can be known by ordinary people.

(Source: https://factsanddetails.com/world/cat55/sub391/item1407.html#:~:text=Luke%20Harley
%20Gospels%20The%20Bible,than%20any%20other%20written%20work.)

Doctrines

3. Uniqueness of Jesus

● Jesus Christ is unique as the only begotten Son of God (Psalm 2:7, 11–12; John 1:14; 3:16; Luke
1:35). Jesus is the “one-of-a-kind” Son of God in that He shares the same divine nature as God.

● Jesus Christ is unique in that He is eternal. He existed from eternity past, He exists in the
present, and He will exist for all eternity in the future (John 1:1–3, 14; John 8:58).

● Jesus Christ is unique in that He is sinless. He never committed a sin and, although fully human,
has no sin nature. He is the Holy One of God (Acts 3:14; John 6:69; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5).

● Jesus Christ is unique because He alone is the One who bore our sins. As our Sin-bearer, He
grants us forgiveness and salvation and a right standing with God. No one else could take away
our sin (Isaiah 53; Matthew 1:21; John 1:29; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Corinthians 15:1–3).

● Jesus Christ is unique because He is the only Way to the Father (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy
2:5). There is no other way to salvation. He is the only righteous One, and He exchanged His
perfect righteousness for our sin (2 Corinthians 5:21).

● Jesus Christ is unique in that He alone had power over His own death and the ability take back
His life again (John 2:19; 10:17–18). Note: His resurrection was not a “spiritual” one, but physical
(Luke 24:39). His resurrection from the dead, never to die again, distinguished Him as the unique
Son of God (Romans 1:4).

● Jesus Christ is unique, as seen in the fact that He alone accepted worship as an equal with the
Father (John 20:28–29; Philippians 2:6). Indeed, God the Father states that the Son is to be
honored as He is honored (John 5:23). All others in Scripture, whether Jesus’ disciples or angelic
beings, rightly reject that worship (Acts 10:25–26; 14:14–15; Matthew 4:10; Revelation
19:10; 22:9).

● Jesus Christ is unique in that He has the power to give life to whom He will (John 5:21).

● Jesus Christ is unique because the Father has committed all judgment to Him (John 5:22).
Having lived in this world perfectly, He is the only One qualified to judge the world.

● Jesus Christ is unique because He was with the Father and directly involved in the creation. It is
by the hand of Christ that all things are held together (John 1:1–3; Ephesians 3:9; Hebrews 1:8–
10; Colossians 1:17).

28
 ● Jesus Christ is unique in that He will rule the world at the end of this present age (Hebrews
1:8; Isaiah 9:6–7; Daniel 2:35, 44; Revelation 19:11–16).

● Jesus Christ is unique in that He alone was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a
virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:20–23; Luke 1:30–35).

● Jesus Christ is unique in that He demonstrated the attributes of God. In His ministry, Jesus
showed that He had the power to forgive sins and heal the sick (Matthew 9:1–7); to calm the wind
and waves (Mark 4:37–41; Psalm 89:8–9); to know people inside and out (Psalm 139; John 1:46–
50; 2:23–25); and to raise the dead (John 11; Luke 7:12–15; 8:41–55).

● Jesus Christ is unique because He fulfilled prophecy. There are a great number of prophecies
concerning the Messiah’s birth, life, resurrection, person, and purpose. All were fulfilled by Him
and no other (e.g., Isaiah 7:14; 9:6–7; 53; Micah 5:2; Psalm 16:10; 22; Zechariah 11:12–
13; 13:7).

(Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-unique.html)

4. One God

Christianity has always been monotheistic, meaning that we believe in one God. But our belief in God’s
oneness refers specifically to his nature, or essence. Jesus taught and showed that the Divine Nature
exists in three Divine Persons. Throughout his entire ministry, beginning at his baptism, Jesus
demonstrated his own oneness with the Father while also introducing us to the Holy Spirit.

In other words, God is three distinct persons who are united in one nature. Not simply a divine monad, the
God who exists forever and is unchanging exists as a triad, or Trinity, in a communion of love. Therefore,
the evangelist John can say that "God is love;" that is, he creates out of love, not in order to have
something to love, but because his very existence is love. In this way, Christianity differs from other
monotheistic religions that envision god only as a heavenly monad.

Trinity

There is one God, with possible subordinate divas, gods or spiritual powers. “Man all over the world is
seeking for God. All that exists is God; but the Reality of Divinity is holy above all understanding. The
pictures of Divinity that come to our mind are the product of our fancy; they exist in the realm of our
imagination” (Abdu’l-Baha). This insight warns us that in attempting to know the unknowable God, our
imagination may conceive realities that lead us astray from the Truth of one Creator.

Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the Baha’i Faith teach monotheism. “We believe in that which hath
been revealed unto us and revealed unto you; our God and your God is One ...” (Quran 29:46). “Bear
thou witness in thine inmost heart unto this testimony which God hath Himself and for Himself
pronounced, that there is none other God but Him …” (Baha’u’llah).

Oneness

Within Christianity, the term "Trinity" is used to describe the belief of God existing in three Persons.
This theological framework for understanding can be difficult to comprehend, yet not any less true.

29
 For the Jewish authors of the Bible there was little angst over the singular and plural nature of God. In
Genesis 1:1, God is the singular creator of all. However, in Genesis 1:26 God said, “Let us make man
in our image” (emphasis mine). Although mysterious, the Jewish authors never specifically addressed
the workings of the plural nature of God.

There is one God in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit. All
three are separate, distinct and possessing specific roles while at the same time one God. This
moves the sacrifice of Jesus away from a criminal dying on a cross to God sacrificing himself for
humanity. What a powerful act of love.

(Source: https://www.rgj.com/story/life/2017/08/17/faith-forum-one-god-many-gods-none-all/
576866001/)

5. Necessity of the Cross

Humans, in spite of their downfall into sin, have not totally lost their consciences. This small power which
remains in us can discern right from wrong and understand punishment and reward. This power is an
echo of the grace of God, who created our consciences. However, this power, important as it is, cannot
save us from judgment. It can influence our leanings toward or away from sin, but it cannot justify us or
loose us from sins bondage.

The Law cannot justify the sinner either. According to Paul, the Law leads us to Christ Jesus, because
there is no other way to salvation. But with all the importance of this truth, most people attempt to solve
the problem of conscience by doing works of self-righteousness. Seemingly, many think that good works
are comparable with earning the mercy of God. But the Old Testament says that our good works are
nothing more than filthy, dirty rags. In the New Testament, we are challenged to recognize that salvation
is by grace, not by works, lest any man should be proud or boastful (Ephesians 2:8-9).

God loves us with a wonderful love which is full of mercy. This love became incarnate in Jesus Christ,
who expressed it to the fullest by dying for our redemption on the cross. Jesus declared, "And I, if I am
lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself" (John 12:32). John the Baptist announced,
"Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29).

The cross, a symbol of shame, became through Christ the symbol of challenge. The cross, a symbol of
death, became through Christ the symbol of life. The crucifixion of Christ was not a tragedy it was the
triumph of the ages. It was the reconciliation of love and truth. The empty tomb is a guarantee that we
will triumph over death also and spend eternity with the risen Redeemer, Christ Jesus.

(Source: https://luk.staff.ugm.ac.id/kmi/off/XIslam/Books/Crucifixion/crucif8.html#:~:text=THE
%20NECESSITY%20OF%20THE%20CROSS&text=All%20men%20are%20in%20desperate,found%20in
%20every%20human%20heart.)

6. Resurrection and Second Coming

The Return, Second Coming, or Second Advent of Christ refers to the future return of Christ to earth at
the end of the age. This return will be visible and physical as he comes from heaven on the clouds to
bring final judgment and salvation.

The doctrine of the Second Coming or Advent of Christ refers to the future return of Christ to earth at the
end of the age. This return will be visible and physical as he comes down from heaven on the clouds to
bring final judgment and salvation. It is often associated with the great day of the Lord in the Old

30
Testament and corresponds to the messianic prophecies anticipating the Messiah coming as King of
kings in victory and glory to triumph over all the enemies of God and his people. The New Testament
focuses primarily on the messiah’s first advent with the ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of
Jesus who came as a sinless sacrificial lamb to make atonement for sin and provide salvation through
faith in him by inaugurating the New Covenant. The New Testament also contains numerous references
to the second advent of Christ who will come again to bring all things and all history to its proper
conclusion. This essay will discuss some of the key passages and terms in the New Testament
associated with the Second Coming, then seek to draw some conclusions about the nature of Christ
return and highlight some implications of this doctrine.

(Source: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/the-return-of-christ/)

7. Inspiration of Scripture

When we talk about the inspiration of Scripture, we’re not using the word in quite the same way that you
and I usually speak of inspiration.

I might say (for example) that I felt “inspired” as I wrote a book or composed a piece of music. And all I
would be saying is simply that I felt particularly animated or motivated or fired up as I worked.

But when we say that the writers of Scripture were “inspired,” we’re saying much more than that. The King
James Bible translates 2 Timothy 3:16 like this:

All scripture is given by inspiration of God.

This is what theologians are referring to when they talk about the “inspiration” of Scripture: the idea that
God “breathed into” the biblical writers. He did this by His Spirit: “Spirit” being the Greek
word pneuma, meaning “breath.” So when God “breathed into” the writers of Scripture in this way, God
was ensuring that what they wrote was what He wanted to say—and nothing else.

In other words, if we really wanted to hear God speaking, we should open our Bibles. The English
Standard Version gets even closer to the original Greek when it says that:

All Scripture is breathed out by God.

That translation nicely captures the reality that what we have on the page has come directly from God,
and therefore each word carries the weight of His authority.

That phrase “all Scripture” is also significant. Because all Scripture is breathed out by God, it means that
all of it is completely trustworthy. This is what theologians mean when they talk about the “plenary”
inspiration of Scripture—plenary meaning “full” or “complete.” There are no particular bits of Scripture that
are more or less God-breathed than other bits. Red-letter Bibles, when they put Jesus’ words in red, can
imply that Christ’s words are more authoritative than the surrounding ones, that they carry particular
weight—but that is not the case at all. All Scripture is God-breathed. All of it has the authority of God and
of His Christ.

That’s because every word was inspired by the Spirit. Second Peter chapter 1, verse 21, puts it like this:
No prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along
by the Holy Spirit.
And this is true for the New Testament as well as the Old.

By the way, the inspiration of Scripture needn’t imply some kind of mechanical “dictation” from God, as if
the minds and personalities of the biblical authors were somehow hijacked and overridden by God. On

31
the contrary, the varying personalities and writing styles of the biblical authors do come through in
Scripture.

At the same time, the concept of the inspiration of Scripture extends to what theologians call “verbal”
inspiration. It’s not that God gave the biblical writers a general impression of the kind of concepts He
wanted them to include and then told them to run with it. God’s inspiration actually extends to the very
words they chose.

The teaching of Jesus shows this principle in action. Think about the way He debated His opponents.
Often, Jesus’ argument depends on a single word—or even on the tense of a particular word—in
Scripture. If God’s inspiration of Scripture did not extend to the specifics of individual words and tenses,
then Jesus’ appeal to them would have been meaningless.

You see the principle of verbal inspiration again when the Apostle Paul argues in Galatians:

The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning
many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.

Again, if the Holy Spirit had not inspired the biblical writers to the extent of ensuring the use of
a singular word rather than a plural, then Paul’s argument in Galatians would be meaningless.

So that is the inspiration of Scripture. When we open God’s Word, we can be sure that what we’re reading
was breathed out by God. Not just in general, but right down to the specifics.

(Source: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/simply-put/the-inspiration-of-scripture|)

Sects

Types of Christianity
Christianity is broadly split into three branches: Catholic, Protestant and (Eastern) Orthodox.

The Catholic branch is governed by the Pope and Catholic bishops around the world. The Orthodox (or
Eastern Orthodox) is split into independent units each governed by a Holy Synod; there is no central
governing structure akin to the Pope.

There are numerous denominations within Protestant Christianity, many of which differ in their
interpretation of the Bible and understanding of the church.

Some of the many denominations that fall under the category of Protestant Christianity include:

● Baptist

● Episcopalian

● Evangelist

● Methodist

● Presbyterian

● Pentecostal/Charismatic

● Lutheran

32
 ● Anglican

● Evangelical

● Assemblies of God

● Christian Reform/Dutch Reform

● Church of the Nazarene

● Disciples of Christ

● United Church of Christ

● Mennonite

● Christian Science

● Quaker

● Seventh-Day Adventist

Although the many sects of Christianity have differing views, uphold separate traditions and worship in
distinct ways, the core of their faith is centered around the life and teachings of Jesus.

(Source: https://www.history.com/topics/religion/history-of-christianity)

Issues Related to Christianity

Prayer is not inaction, but our greatest action. Simultaneously, it is incumbent on us to not check the Bible
and Christian worldview at the door when we live life and participate in the political processes afforded to
us in America.

We are to live out our faith and the principles of the Bible through dating, marriage, family, workplace,
recreation, church, government, and all of our relationships. A faith built on Jesus Christ is a faith that is
strong and balanced enough to be lived out in all areas of our life. It is not intimidated by intellect nor does
it retreat when attacked.

Even though there are many things that genuine evangelical Christians must consider, I want to highlight
five issues in this political season:

1. The Sanctity and Dignity of Human Life

The sanctity and dignity of human life from the womb to the tomb should be a major concern for all Christ-
followers. The de-valuing of human life in the way we treat one another is not without great consequence.
This includes the racial crisis that is real and big. The divine imprint of our God is on each human being.
He places value on each of us; therefore, we should mimic His treatment of all people.

We need to remember that regardless of who becomes the next leader in our nation, one day we will
stand in the presence of God and give an account of ourselves to Him. The sanctity and dignity of human
life should be non-negotiable for all evangelical Christians.

2. Marriage and Family Concerns

33
Biblical marriage is between a man and a woman. The brazen attack against this most important
fundamental truth is outrageous. Evangelical Christians must stand strong for biblical marriage even if the
cultural winds deem us irrelevant.

As you evaluate the words and positions of candidates, what do they believe about family? We believe
that redemption is possible for anyone. A new path toward righteousness is always applauded by any
genuine evangelical.

Yet, will this person have your family on his or her heart in all their decision making? Do they have the
next generation on their heart? What will they do to lift up the family unit in America?

3. Religious Liberty

While the threats and horrific actions against Christians exist globally, will the next Commander in Chief of
our nation sit idly by hoping it will just go away, or rise up and lead toward a solution?

Even though religious liberty was the core belief that led to the creation of our great nation, we know it is
being threatened more today than any of us remember in our generation. This is unacceptable and defies
not only the dignity of each human life, but also the history of our nation.

4. Competent Executive

Evangelical Christians should desire that our president be competent in leading our nation. He or she may
not be able to state theological positions and quote Bible verses to your satisfaction, but he or she must
be a leader that understands the history of our nation and the Constitution of the United States.

He or she needs to be a competent executive and an effective leader of people. He or she needs to be
able to gather other competent leaders around them who can assist in charting a robust future for our
nation that honors our history and Constitution in every way.

5. Appointments

Leadership matters. The president of our nation makes appointments to various places of influence all
over our nation and world. Have you ever considered the power of his influence in these appointments?
Some of these appointments are not for a term, but for life.

(Source: https://www.christianpost.com/news/primary-election-evangelicals-bible-politics-candidates-5-
major-issues-facing-christians.html)

MOST ESSENTIAL TOPIC # 4: Islam

Lesson 1: History, Core Teachings, Beliefs and Practices of Islam

Lesson 2 : Comparison of Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Pre-Requisite Content Knowledge:

a. Relate core teachings and practices of Judaism to student’s religious beliefs

Pre-Requisite Skills:

34
 a. Practice core teachings and

Learning Competencies:

a. Examine the brief history, core teachings, fundamental beliefs and practices, and related issues
of Islam
b. Compare and contrast the uniqueness and similarities of Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Discussion:

Lesson 1: History, Core Teachings, Beliefs and Practices of Islam

Formative Question: Why are Muslims considered our brothers/sisters?

____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

Hinduism : Timeline

The start of Islam is marked in the year 610, following the first revelation to the prophet Muhammad at the
age of 40. Muhammad and his followers spread the teachings of Islam throughout the Arabian peninsula.
Soon after the death of the prophet Muhammad, there were military expeditions, called "futuhat," or
literally "openings," into what is now Egypt and other parts of North Africa. In other parts of the world,
Islam spread through trade and commerce. The following is a brief timeline that highlights some of the
major occurrences in Islam's development, as well as the geographical spread of Islam to some of the
countries.

570 C.E. Muhammad is born in Mecca. He comes from a noble family and is well-known for his honesty
and upright character.

610 C.E. According to Muslim belief, at the age of 40, Muhammad is visited by the angel Gabriel while on
retreat in a cave near Mecca. The angel recites to him the first revelations of the Quran and informs him
that he is God's prophet. Later, Muhammad is told to call his people to the worship of the one God, but
they react with hostility and begin to persecute him and his followers.

622 C.E. After enduring persecution in Mecca, Muhammad and his followers migrate to the nearby town
of Yathrib (later to be known as Medina), where the people there accepted Islam. This marks the "hijrah"
or "emigration," and the beginning of the Islamic calendar. In Medina, Muhammad establishes an Islamic
state based on the laws revealed in the Quran and the inspired guidance coming to him from God.
Eventually he begins to invite other tribes and nations to Islam.

630 C.E. Muhammad returns to Mecca with a large number of his followers. He enters the city peacefully,
and eventually all its citizens accept Islam. The prophet clears the idols and images out of the Kaaba and
rededicates it to the worship of God alone.

633 C.E. Muhammad dies after a prolonged illness. The Muslim community elects his father-in-law and
close associate, Abu Bakr, as caliph, or successor.

35
638 C.E. Muslims enter the area north of Arabia, known as "Sham," including Syria, Palestine, Lebanon
and Iraq.

641 C.E. Muslims enter Egypt and rout the Byzantine army. Muslims consider their conquest as the
liberation of subjugated people, since in most instances they were under oppressive rule.

655 C.E. Islam begins to spread throughout North Africa.

661 C.E. Imam Ali is killed, bringing to an end the rule of the four "righteous caliphs": Abu Bakr, Umar,
Uthman, and Ali. This also marks the beginning of the Umayyad rule.

711 C.E. Muslims enter Spain in the west and India in the east. Eventually almost the entire Iberian
Peninsula is under Islamic control.

732 C.E. Muslims are defeated at Potiers in France by Charles Martel.

750 C.E. The Abbasids take over rule from the Umayyads, shifting the seat of power to Baghdad.

1000 C.E. Islam continues to spread through the continent of Africa, including Nigeria, which served as a
trading liaison between the northern and central regions of Africa.

1099 C.E. European Crusaders take Jerusalem from the Muslims. Eventually Muslims defeat the
Crusaders and regain control of the holy land.

1120 C.E. Islam continues to spread throughout Asia. Malaysian traders interact with Muslims who teach
them about Islam.

1299 C.E. The earliest Ottoman state is formed in Anatolia, Turkey.

1453 C.E. Ottomans conquer the Byzantine seat of Constantinople and change its name to Istanbul.

Circa 1800 C.E. Approximately 30 percent of Africans forced into slavery in the United States are Muslim.

1870-1924 C.E. Muslim immigrants from the Arab world voluntarily come to the United States until the
Asian Exclusion Act is passed in 1924.

World War I ends with the defeat and dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, which was the last of the Islamic
empires. Many regions populated by Muslims in Africa and Asia are colonized by Europeans. Traditional
religious ways of life are threatened and, in some cases, destroyed.

1930 C.E. The Nation of Islam is created in the U.S. by W. D. Fard. It is based on some Islamic ideas, but
contains innovations, such as the appointment or declaration of Elijah Muhammad as a prophet.

1948 C.E. The state of Israel is created. Some Palestinian and Lebanese refugees flee to the United
States, among them, Muslims and Christians.

1952 C.E. The McCarren-Walter Act relaxes the U.S. ban on Asian immigration. Muslim students come to
the U.S. from many nations.

1965 C.E. Revisions of immigration law further open the doors for Muslim immigration.

36
1975 C.E. Wallace D. Muhammad, the son of Elijah Muhammad, takes over leadership of the Nation of
Islam after his father's death and brings most of his followers into mainstream Islam. He later creates the
Muslim American Society, which attracts many members, most of whom are African-American.

1979 C.E. The Iranian Revolution results in the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the first
attempt at an Islamic state in the modern era.

(Source: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/teach/muslims/timeline.html)

Sacred Texts

Qur’an

Islam’s main sacred text is the Qur’an. According to Muslim tradition the Qur’an is the actual word of God
revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in the Arabic language through the intermediary of the Archangel
Gabriel. From about 610 until his death in 632, the Prophet Muhammad received the divine revelations
first at Mecca and subsequently at Medina, to where he had emigrated in 622. The Qur’an consists of
114 surahs, or chapters. The text is traditionally read aloud, as Muhammad was instructed in the first
revelation he received: ‘Recite in the name of your Lord’ (Surah 96. 1). The word Qur’an comes from the
Arabic verb meaning ‘to read’.

After Muhammad’s death, his secretary, Zayd ibn Thabit, compiled the revelation into a book, and the text
was later collated and definitively codified by order of Caliph ‘Uthman in 651. This is the text used in all
Qur’an manuscripts, although the styles of calligraphy and illumination depend on the place and date of
production.

(Source: https://www.bl.uk/works/sacred-texts-islam#:~:text=Islam's%20main%20sacred%20text
%20is,intermediary%20of%20the%20Archangel%20Gabriel.)

Five Pillars of Islam

The Five Pillars are the core beliefs and practices of Islam:

1. Profession of Faith (shahada). The belief that "There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the
Messenger of God" is central to Islam. This phrase, written in Arabic, is often prominently
featured in architecture and a range of objects, including the Qur'an, Islam's holy book of divine
revelations. One becomes a Muslim by reciting this phrase with conviction.

(God – Allah : Prophet – Muhammad)

2. Prayer (salat). Muslims pray facing Mecca five times a day: at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon,
sunset, and after dark. Prayer includes a recitation of the opening chapter (sura) of the Qur'an,
and is sometimes performed on a small rug or mat used expressly for this purpose. Muslims can
pray individually at any location or together in a mosque, where a leader in prayer (imam) guides
the congregation. Men gather in the mosque for the noonday prayer on Friday; women are
welcome but not obliged to participate. After the prayer, a sermon focuses on a passage from the
Qur'an, followed by prayers by the imam and a discussion of a particular religious topic.

3. Alms (zakat). In accordance with Islamic law, Muslims donate a fixed portion of their income to
community members in need. Many rulers and wealthy Muslims build mosques, drinking

37
 fountains, hospitals, schools, and other institutions both as a religious duty and to secure the
blessings associated with charity.

4. Fasting (sawm). During the daylight hours of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar,
all healthy adult Muslims are required to abstain from food and drink. Through this temporary
deprivation, they renew their awareness of and gratitude for everything God has provided in their
lives—including the Qur'an, which was first revealed during this month. During Ramadan they
share the hunger and thirst of the needy as a reminder of the religious duty to help those less
fortunate.

5. Pilgrimage (hajj). Every Muslim whose health and finances permit it must make at least one visit
to the holy city of Mecca, in present-day Saudi Arabia. The Ka'ba, a cubical structure covered in
black embroidered hangings, is at the center of the Haram Mosque in Mecca. Muslims believe
that it is the house Abraham (Ibrahim in Arabic) built for God, and face in its direction (qibla) when
they pray. Since the time of the Prophet Muhammad, believers from all over the world have
gathered around the Ka'ba in Mecca on the eighth and twelfth days of the final month of the
Islamic calendar.

(https://www.metmuseum.org/learn/educators/curriculum-resources/art-of-the-islamic-world/unit-
one/the-five-pillars-of-islam)

Issues Related to Islam

Given the intense political scrutiny of Islam and Muslims, which often centers on gendered concerns such
as:

● Marriage and divorce

● Interpretations of the Qur’an and Sunna

● Male and female sexuality and sexual diversity

● Classical Islamic thought on masculinity and femininity

● Gender and hadith

● Polygamy and inheritance

● Adultery and sexual violence

● Veiling, female circumcision and crimes of honor

● Lived religiosities

● Gender justice in Islam.

(Source: https://www.routledge.com/Islam-and-Gender-Major-Issues-and-Debates/Duderija-Alak-
Hissong/p/book/9780815396703#:~:text=Gender%20and%20hadith,circumcision%20and%20crimes
%20of%20honour)

Lesson 2 : Comparison of Judaism, Christianity and Islam

38
(Source: https://studylib.net/doc/17598677/item-judaism-christianity-islam)

Activity 2:

Directions: Supply the needed information about the Abrahamic religions.

Religion Founder God Sacred Text Fundamental

39
 Beliefs/Teachings

Judaism

Christianity

Islam

MOST ESSENTIAL TOPIC # 5: Hinduism

Lesson 1: History, Core Teachings, Beliefs and Practices of Hinduism

Pre-Requisite Content Knowledge:

b. Relate core teachings and practices of Hinduism to student’s religious beliefs

Pre-Requisite Skills:

a. Practice core teachings and

Learning Competencies:

c. Examine the brief history, core teachings, fundamental beliefs and practices, and related issues
of Hinduism

Discussion:

Lesson 1: History, Core Teachings, Beliefs and Practices of Hinduism

Formative Question:

____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

Origin of Hinduism

Most scholars believe Hinduism started somewhere between 2300 B.C. and 1500 B.C. in the Indus
Valley, near modern-day Pakistan. But many Hindus argue that their faith is timeless and has always
existed.

Unlike other religions, Hinduism has no one founder but is instead a fusion of various beliefs.

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Around 1500 B.C., the Indo-Aryan people migrated to the Indus Valley, and their language and culture
blended with that of the indigenous people living in the region. There’s some debate over who influenced
whom more during this time.

The period when the Vedas were composed became known as the “Vedic Period” and lasted from about
1500 B.C. to 500 B.C. Rituals, such as sacrifices and chanting, were common in the Vedic Period.

The Epic, Puranic and Classic Periods took place between 500 B.C. and 500 A.D. Hindus began to
emphasize the worship of deities, especially Vishnu, Shiva and Devi.

The concept of dharma was introduced in new texts, and other faiths, such as Buddhism and Jainism,
spread rapidly.

(Source : https://www.history.com/topics/religion/hinduism#:~:text=Unlike%20other%20religions%2C
%20Hinduism%20has,people%20living%20in%20the%20region.)

The Sanata Dharma

Believers usually refer to the Sanata Dharma or the “Eternal Religion” when they refer to Hinduism, which
is believes to be one of the oldest religions in the world. The beginnings of Hinduism date as far back as
1500 BCE among the Indo-European speaking people of South Asia (present-day India). It has, since that
time, significantly transformed into the religious system complete with theology, philosophical schools,
and devotional practices that we know today. The name “Hinduism” is itself relatively residing near and
beyond the eastern side of the Shindu (or Indus) River. British colonial rulers continued using the term
Hindu to refer to populations in India who were neither Christian nor Muslim (Cornelio, et al, 2016).

In essence, Hinduism is a religion of the Dharma, which is the timeless order of all life. Dharma, according
to Hindu belief and practice, is what holds the universe together, and means “duty,” “correct practice,” and
truth.” Hindus consider the Dharma to be so central that they consider it a privilege to be able to uphold its
teachings and apply them in their every day life. The Dharma is all-encompassing: It covers cosmic,
personal, and social orders of one’s life. Adherence to the Dharma means that one recognizes different
aptitudes, capabilities, and roles that people play in maintaining the social and cosmic balance of the
universe (Cornelio, et al, 2016).

The emphasis on the Dharma makes Hinduism more of religion of action rather than a religion of belief. A
significant portion of the Hindu scriptures called the Vedas emphasizes the cultivation of virtues according
to the person’s standing in society. There is a lot of emphasis on compassion, non-violence, purity,
restraint, and self-control in one’s dealings with others. Following the Dharma that is suited to one’s state
of life is the epitome of religious practice as a Hindu. Philosophical and theological principles are
important in assisting the person to fulfill one’s duties to the Divine and other living beings, but the most
important thing is adherence to right conduct and practice at all times (Cornelio, et al, 2016).

Hinduism developed with a group of tribes who referred to themselves as Aryans. Disputes surround
where they originated from; some say they were already present in western India, others that they came
from Central Asia, or further west. We do know that they began to assert their presence in the north-west
of the Indian subcontinent at about the beginning of the second millennium BCE, culturally displacing, but
also interacting with, the Indus civilisation that already existed there. The Indus civilisation is so named
because it seems to have spread out from urban settlements on the Indus river. The language the Aryans
used and expressed their religion in was Sanskrit. ‘Sanskrit’ is the anglicised form of saṃskṛta, which
means ‘refined’ or ‘polished’; in time it became highly developed and rich in expression and became the
language of the elite. Ārya means ‘respectable’; as this was the term the Aryans used to describe

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themselves, it was meant to assert their cultural and linguistic superiority. They called the Indus river
‘Sindhu’, and it is from this term that ‘Hindu’ derives. Thus Hinduism signifies the Aryans’ culture and
religious traditions as they developed over time, incorporating elements from other cultures encountered
along the way.

(Source: https://www.bl.uk/sacred-texts/articles/sacred-texts-in-hinduism#:~:text=What%20is%20the
%20Veda%3F,the%20natural%20and%20human%20worlds.)

Sacred Text

Vedas

The Vedas are the oldest Hindu sacred texts, considered by many to be the most authoritative of all the
texts. They are also the oldest known texts that contain yogic teachings. The Vedas are written in Sanskrit
and originated in ancient India. There are four Vedas, or books, which make up the collection of Vedic
literature.
The Vedas were written down thousands of years ago, but it is believed that they contain knowledge and
wisdom that originated even long before then, passed down orally. Very little is known about the writers of
the texts. In fact, Hindus regard the Vedas to be authorless, or not of man. Instead, they believe that they
were originally revealed to ancient sages through divine inspiration.
The Sanskrit word, veda, means "knowledge." The Vedas are also referred to by some as sruti literature,
meaning “what is heard,” as opposed to other sacred smrti texts, meaning “what is remembered." In this
way, they are considered to be the direct word of the Divine.
Orthodox schools of Indian philosophy take the Vedas as their spiritual authority. Other schools may not
accept them as the authority, but still teach ideas that are expressed in the Vedas, such as the concept of
karma.
The four books, or texts, of the Vedas are the "Rig Veda" (which is the oldest), the "Yajur Veda," the
"Sama Veda" and the "Atharva Veda." They contain four types of text:

1. The Samhitas - Mantras and hymns for chanting

2. The Arankayas - Details of rituals and ceremonies for liturgy
3. The Brahmanas - Commentaries on rituals and ceremonies
4. The Upanishads - Discussion of meditation, philosophy and spiritual knowledge

The underlying philosophy, or teaching, of the Vedas is the concept that the individual is not an
independent entity, but, rather, a part of the Universal Conscious.
The texts refer to many gods, including Indra, Agni and Soma. They also present many different creation
stories.
(Source: https://www.yogapedia.com/definition/5007/vedas)

Smitri

The Smitri (meaning “that which is remembered”) are considered “secondary scriptures” and mostly
contain stories and advice from sages. It also gives ordinary people access to the teachings of Vedas, as
the latter are only accessible to males of higher castes and Brahmins. The Smitri scriptures include the
following:

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 1. Mahabharata - an epic poem that is 15 times longer than the Bible, narrates the story of an
ongoing war among family members. It highlights the importance of virtues and devotion to the
gods, particularly to Krishna.

2. Ramayana – a shorter epic poem about kingship and royal virtues, tells the story of the battles
that Rama had to fight in order to save his wife Sita from the demon Ravana. It is one of the epics
that depict the battle between good and evil.

3. Dharma Shastras – legal treatises that emphasize the importance of practicing virtue

4. Bhagavad Gita - meaning “Song of the Lord,” is actually one the books in Mahabrata. It is
considered by many Hindus as an important religious text to that extols of the power and
benevolence of Krishna and his instructions to Arjuna.

5. Puranas – these are stories that depict the sectarian divisions within Hinduism. These are
multiple creation stories, legends, and war stories by the different Hindu sects.

(Source: Cornelio, et al, 2016)

A Permanent Self (Soul): Ᾱtman

Hinduism believes in the Doctrine of the Ᾱtman, which claims that there is a “soul” (called atman) in each
and every living creature. In the conventional sense, it is the atman that assumes a physical body
(through reincarnation) depending on the merits of one’s deeds. It is the atman that transfers (or
“transmigrates”) during death and rebirth so that one’s present life in the earthly realm is connected to all
previous lives until liberation is reached. The atman is thus life principle or the essence of life itself, and
without it nothing can remain in existence. This is the reason why all living beings have an “innermost
self” (which is the atman); it is what makes them alive.

The atman, however, is connected to the Brahman, which, as already mentioned, is the one Divine
Principle that brings unity to the universe. It is more relevant to speak of the Brahman-atman, or the
Absolute Self, which is where the Doctrine of Atman is linked to Hinduism’s view of God. The Brahman-
atman points to the fundamental link that all beings have with the Absolute. Without this connection, the
existence of the individual atman has no meaning because it is cut from its source that gives it life. This is
also the reason why all living beings, including humans, animals, and plants that they believe that hurting
another being ultimately means hurting oneself because the connection between the two beings (and with
the Brahman-atman) is severed, thus causing suffering. This is the reason why Hinduism is against the
killing of any kind of living being (practice of ahimsa, or nonviolence to all beings) (Cornelio, et al, 2016).

Karma, Samsara and Moksha

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Many Gods, One Divine Principle

Hindus worship one Supreme Being called Brahman though by different names. This is because the
peoples of India with many different languages and cultures have understood the one God in their own
distinct way.

Supreme God has uncountable divine powers. When God is formless, He is referred to by the term
Brahman. When God has form, He is referred to by the term Paramatma. This is almighty God, whose
three main forms are Brahma; the creator, Vishnu, the sustainer and Shiva, the destroyer.

Hindus believe in many Gods who perform various functions; like executives in a large corporation. These
should not be confused with the Supreme God.

The unique understanding in Hinduism is that God is not far away, living in a remote heaven, but is inside
each and every soul, in the heart and consciousness, waiting to be discovered. And the goal of Hinduism
is knowing God in this intimate and experiential way.

Hinduism is both monotheistic and henotheistic. Hinduism is not polytheistic. Henotheism (literally “one
God”) better defines the Hindu view. It means the worship of one God without denying the existence of
other Gods. Hindus believe in the one all-pervasive God who energizes the entire universe. It is believed
that God is both in the world and beyond it. That is the highest Hindu view.

Hinduism gives the freedom to approach God in one’s own way, encouraging a multiplicity of paths, not
asking for conformity to just one. It allows people to believe in and pray to their own conceptualizations of
the Divine in whatever form they choose, while at the same time elevating all of them to their ultimate
reality, which is the singular omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient Divinity, who demands no
allegiance, punishes no one for lack of belief, yet provides wisdom, comfort, compassion and freedom to
those who seek it. All they need to do is look within, according to Ramdas Lamb, an associate professor
at the University of Hawaii specializing in religious studies, mysticism, Indic religions, the interface
between religions and society, and field studies.

The unchanging reality is, that God that exists in each individual as the Supreme, Changeless Divinity. In
Sanskrit, this concept is “tattvamasi,” which can be translated as “You are that” or “That you are.”

Hindus believe in the formless Absolute Reality as God and also in God as personal Lord and Creator.
This freedom makes the understanding of God in Hinduism, the oldest monotheistic religion.

Hinduism is also unique in saying that God can be experienced, and, in fact, that is the ultimate goal of
one’s soul.

(Source: https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/life/faith/2014/08/20/hinduism-many-gods/14247795/)

Major Figures in Hinduism

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Hindu mythology is populated by an enormous cast of deities, demons, demigods, humans, and animals.
Some had a central role in one era but remain in the background in later periods, while others have
risen from obscurity to prominence. The attributes and histories of many mythological characters have
changed considerably over the many centuries that Hinduism has existed.

1. deity god or goddess

2. cosmic large or universal in scale; having to do with the universe
3. demigod one who is part human and part god
4. attribute quality, property, or power of a being or thing
5. pantheon all the gods of a particular culture

Brahma, the creator of life on earth, is one of the Trimurti, the three gods at the center of the
Hindu pantheon (along with Shiva and Vishnu). In the early Vedic texts, the creator god was Prajapati,
but over time Brahma took the older god's place in many myths about the creation of the universe.

Vishnu, the second member of the Trimurti, is the preserver or protector of life. His attributes are mercy
and goodness. Some Hindus regard Vishnu as the supreme being and Brahma and Shiva as aspects of
him. Shiva, descended from the old Vedic storm god Rudra, is the third member of the Trimurti. He is the
avenging and destroying god, but his destruction allows new creation to begin. Sometimes Shiva is
portrayed as a dancer who directs the movements of the universe.
Devi, "the goddess," is one of the most ancient deities of the pantheon. Under her name are grouped
various female deities, who represent different aspects of Devi. Among them are Parvati, the wife of
Shiva; Durga, the warrior goddess and fighter of demons; and the even more ferocious Kali, "the dark
one," who also fights demons but sometimes becomes intoxicated with blood and destruction.
The popular elephant-headed, four-handed god Ganesha is Parvati's son. One of the most popular gods
in Hinduism today, he is associated with good luck and wisdom. Indra, god of storm and rain, was one of
the most important deities of the Rig-Veda and may have represented the warrior chieftains of the
ancestral Aryan peoples. Vedic hymns suggest that Indra replaced Varuna, the guardian of justice and
order, as the king of the gods. As the mythology of Hinduism developed, however, Indra in turn moved to
secondary status below the Trimurti. Krishna is one of the incarnations, or avatars, of Vishnu. He
appears in the Mahabharata and the Puranas. Many stories about him focus on his prankish, playful
nature and on his many love affairs.
Manu, sometimes described as a son of Brahma, is both a god and the first man, ancestor of the human
race. According to one myth, a small fish warns Manu that the earth will soon be destroyed by a great

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flood. Manu takes care of the fish, which is really an incarnation of Vishnu, and when it is grown, it saves
him from the flood so that he can repopulate the earth. The heroine Savitri, whose story is told in
the Mahabharata, symbolizes love that defeats even death. She persuades Yama, the lord of death, to
release her husband from death.

(Source: http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Go-Hi/Hinduism-and-Mythology.html)

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