Chapter 10 Beliefs

Why to have religion?

Religions

Offer a way to rejoice, to give thanks Provide comfort, a community, a moral code, t

raditions Give to the needy

Religions

The Golden Rule: to treat the others the way you want to be treated

Believe in a supreme power: monotheism, polytheism, spirits, ghosts, goddesses, nature

Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?Paul Gauguin, 1897–1898

The UK population: by religion, April 2001

Religious composition of ethnic groups, April 2001, England & Wales

The Knowledge Contest!

The Catholic Faith in Jesus

Half of the world’s Christians Infants are baptised shortly after birth Coming-of-age ceremony at ages 13-15 Priests and bishop officiate Christ’s teachings in the Bible’s New Testame

nt

The Catholic Faith in Jesus

“Sign of the Cross”—the Holy Trinity Father—God, Son—Jesus, Holy Spirit—prese

nce of God Eucharist—sacred ritual of Holy Communicati

on — Lord’s Supper Visual churches

The Catholic Faith in Jesus To worship Jesus with all 5 of their senses Music for the ears, Incense for the nose, Statues and art for the eyes, Little old ladies reach out and touch something; th

e beads To worship Jesus through the taste in communion

Protestant

Each denomination (church group) worships differently

Some—confirmations at ages 13-15 Some baptise infants to wash away old sin Roger Williams—Baptist Church, 1638

The Protestant Reformation Nearly 16 centuries of unbroken Catholic do

mination of Christianity, the then wealthiest and most powerful institution on earth

1302, a formal decree—no salvation outside the Roman Catholic Church

The Pope—ultimate truth and power, religious or political

Background Serious problems Turmoil within the Church Moving from Rome to Avignon, France New papal tower constructed—symbol of the

enormous power of papacy Fondness of richness and treasure—corrupti

on of the papal core

Background Serious problems

People being disturbed Violent war between France & England (over a

century) 1347, a massive outbreak of the black plague

—25 million Europeans, 4 years

Background Serious problems

In Rome, a second Pope elected 31 years of battle for control of the church A third Pope—1409-1415 The situation eventually resolved

Background Damage

Who to believe? Arrogance & corruption instead of truth & good

ness Need of reform Risks of “heresy”: being put on trial or burned

at a stake, eg. Johaness Hus: Czechoslovakia

The Reformer

Martin Luther: Germany Strong religious and political belief The discovery of Christopher Columbus The mass production of books

The Reformer

October 31st, 1517, to post a list of 95 criticisms, protesting the sale of indulgences

An indulgence: a spiritual favor granted by the church to sinners

By making difficult spiritual sacrifices Important source of income for the church

The Reformer

Faith in Bible alone Refusal to yield to the Pope 3 revolutionary books sold in Germany January 3rd, 1521, banished from Church Translation of the Bible into German

The Reformer

John Calvin: predestination (Switzerland) A terrible example of the majesty of God To work hard and be thrifty Capitalism flourished A special police force to maintain public moralit

y Burning heretics

The Reformer

Henry VIII: divorce (England) The Pope’s refusal to grant him annulment The enraged king—Act of Supremacy, supreme

head of the Church of England Six wives The Roman Church’s control of land and dema

nd of more money from Henry VIII Dissolution of monasteries

The Reformer

After his death The Common Prayer, Sacraments 42 articles Mary I Elizabeth I

Orthodox Orthos: "right“; doxa: "belief" Different in the way of life and worship Maintaining the correct form of worshiping Go

d, passed on from the very beginnings of Christianity

Ancient Jewish translation into Greek called the Septuagint  

Hinduism

It does not have a single founder, a specific theological system, a single system of morality, or a central religious organization. 

Hinduism

It consists of "thousands of different religious groups that have evolved in India since 1500 BCE."

Henotheistic: a single deity, & other Gods and Goddesses as manifestations or aspects of that supreme God

Judaism

4000 years ago, Abraham (Iraq) Abraham’s great-grandson: Yehuda, or Juda

h (Hebrew: priest) Rabbi & cantor: coming of age ceremony The Torah (the Hebrew scriptures) scrolls The Exodus from Egypt

Judaism

Holidays Rosh Hashana—Jewish New Year Yom Kippur—Day of Atonement Hanukkah—Festival of Lights

Judaism

Jewish Golden Rule: “What is hateful to you, do not do to your fello

wman.” Torah, Shabbat, 3id

Islam

Prophets: Abraham, Moses, Noah, Jesus, Muhammed

(the final messenger of God) Islam: submission to God Muslims, Christians, Jews: same God Islam & terrorism—Jihad

Islam Salaama: Arabic for peace Qur’an—Koran (the exact word of God) Various cultural practices Women and the head scarf Friday: the religious day Praying 5 times a day, facing Mecca (Saudi A

rabia)

Islam

Coming of age: Boys: 15, praying Girls: 9, scarf and long sleeves? Allah/God Ramadan (fasting) Imam (supreme leader, prayer leader)

The Five Pillars of Islam

Shahadah: pledge of faith Salah: daily prayers Sawm: fasting Zakah: giving Hajj: pilgrimage (millions of Muslims)

Muslim Golden Rule

“Love for others what you love for yourself and dislike for others what you dislike for yourself.”

Muhammed (Hadith) Hadith, the report of the sayings, deeds and a

pprovals of the Prophet Muhammad

Mosque

Sikhism

An Indian religion combining Islamic and Hindu elements

Punjab, late 15th century, by Guru Nanak Nanak: the first of the Ten Gurus, of whom Si

khs consider themselves disciples

Harmandir Sahib (The Golden Temple)Gurdwara (Gateway to the Guru)

Sikhism

One God for all people of all religions, full equality of all people, of men and women

Living a virtuous and truthful life Condemnation of blind rituals such as fasting,

visiting places of pilgrimage, superstitions, worship of the dead, idol worship etc.

Atheism

An atheist believes there is no god or gods. An Agnostic believes it cannot be known if a

god or gods exist. Moral code of behavior Life’s meaning

Taoism

Taoism

A more relaxed and natural way of finding happiness

300BC Tao: a silent, pure, all powerful force that exis

ted before there is heaven or earth Living in harmony with nature

Taoism

Secularisation: ornate shrines, brilliantly-colored statues, offering

Chinese folk gods Public rituals Immortality

Lao Tzu Contrastive unification mutually convertible Good Fotune Lieth Within Bad, Bad Fortune Lurk

eth With Good. A small country with a small population Daodejing/Tao Te Ching—Classic of the Way an

d Its Power

Chuang Tzu The all-in-one idea—Tao as the root and basis for all existence and transformation

Spiritual freedom—I’d rather be dragging my tail in the mud.

Zhuang Zi/Chuang Tzu (Nanhuajing)— Neipian (Inner Chapters) Waipian (Outer Chapters) Zapian (Miscellaneous Chapters )

http://www.theodora.com/wfb/china_people.html Fangxian Tao—Alchemy and Immortals

Huanglao Tao—Reigns of Wen and Jing (the Western Han Dynasty)

Huangdi (Yellow Emperor) and Lao Zi Wudoumi Tao (Zhengyi Tao orTianshi Tao) and Taiping

Tao Five Decaliter of Rice Sect & Peace Sect: immortality, sp

ells

http://www.theodora.com/wfb/china_people.html Quanzhen Tao—Baiyun Temple

王嚞 张三丰 马钰、谭处端、刘处玄、丘处机 (The Great Mast

er“ 大宗师” " 活神仙 ") 、王处一、郝大通、孙不二 (The Taoist Holy Man“ 真人” )

Wang Chongyang—the theory of the three religions of the same origin; to cultivate oneself

Buddhism

Buddha Sakyamuni—Siddhartha Gautama, born on April 8,

464BC, a Hindu prince in India, in search of wisdom through poverty and meditation

Buddha (sanscrit: the enlightened one) Buddhism—A religion, a discipline, a practice

Buddhism

Suffering Craving Dharma Karma Reincarnation

Buddhism Mahayana Buddhism and Hinayana Buddhis

m ( 大、小乘 ) social concern and universal salvation (Japan,

Korea, Nepal, Tibet, Mongolia, and China): one for all; heal the world

the non-theistic ideal of self-purification to nirvana (Sri Lanka, Burma, China, and Cambodia): all for one; all by myself

Buddhism Exoteric and Esoteric Buddhism ( 显宗、密宗 ) Exoteric Buddhism educates all beings with sim

ple and easily understood doctrine. Esoteric Buddhism expounds Buddhist dharma

by means of oral transmission. Ppt, Word files, spoken lectures (eg. I Have A D

ream): exoteric or esoteric?

Zen Huineng (638-713), the founder of southern school

of Zen— The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch intuitive insight instead of hard work and the acquis

ition of even more knowledge and scriptures, wisdom and understanding beyond mere logic and reasoning

Zen

Holding a flower 如是我闻 : 世尊在灵山会上 , 拈花示众 , 是时众皆

默然 , 唯迦叶尊者破颜微笑。世尊曰 :“ 吾有正法眼藏 , 涅盘妙心 , 实相无相 , 微妙法门 , 不立文字 ,教外别传 , 付嘱摩诃迦叶。

Neither the wind nor the banner is moving. It is like a man drinking water and knowing whet

her it is cold or warm.

To see a World in a Grain of Sand 　　　 And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, 　　　　 Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand 　 And Eternity in an hour. 　　　　 Auguries of Innocence——William Blake (1757-

1827) British poet The Marriage of Heaven and Hell ： “ If the doors of perception were cleansed, every

thing would appear to man as it is, infinite.” 《六祖坛经》 : “ 即时豁然，还得本心”

The spring flowers, the autumn moon; Summer breezes, winter snow. If useless things do not clutter your mind, You have the best days of your life.

一花一世界， 一沙一天国； 君掌盛无边， 刹那含永劫。 （李叔同）宗白华

Reference http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/nugget.asp?I

D=1086&Pos=2&ColRank=1&Rank=326 http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/nugget.asp?I

D=293&Pos=7&ColRank=1&Rank=176 http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/tools/quizzes/

(BBC quizzes) http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp

/client_ftp/ks1/re/teddys_day_out/index.htm (Teddy bear game)