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A. Christianity
- Rooted from the life, teachings and death of Jesus of Nazareth
- Largest of the world’s religions
- Christology: Doctrine of Jesus Christ’s nature and significance
- Groups: Roman Catholic (largest), Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, Oriental Orthodox
- Belief and practices:
a. Monotheistic
b. Holy Bible
c. Salvation: Christians through their faith will be redeemed through Christ or God, depending on their
teachings.
B. Hinduism
- A religion with several Gods and Goddesses.
- 3 gods rule the world: Vishnu (the preserver), Shiva (the destroyer), Brahma (the creator)
- Not all Gods are worshipped by Hindus and some of their Gods may have many other names.
- Though these Hindus worship different idols, there are many Hindus who believe in one God and perceive in
these different Gods and Goddesses as different images of the same one God.
- Karma affects one’s future life or reincarnation. The soul or the Atman is eternal and is in a cycle of life,
death and rebirth called the samsara. The freedom from this cycle is the achievement of moksha and is
considered the ultimate goal in the following of the religion.
- Caste: It is referred frequently in the ancient Indian texts. There are four classes: the Brahmins (priestly
people), the Kshatriyas (rulers, administrators and warriors; also called Rajanyas), the Vaishyas (artisans,
merchants, tradesmen and farmers), and the Shudras (laboring classes).
- The main Hindu books are the four Vedas. They are Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda. The
concluding portions of the Vedas are called Upanishads. There are also other holy books like Puranas,
Ramayana, Mahabharata etc. The different Gods and Goddesses in the Hindu mythology are derived from
these books. Ramayana and Mahabharata are the most popular Hindu books. The Mahabharata being a long
epic poem that tells the story about a warring group of cousins. Those chapters in the Mahabharata which
are Krishna's discourses on religious philosophy are called Bhagvad Gita. Because of it's importance the
Bhagvad Gita is considered as a separate holy book. Another Hindu holy book that deals with religious duties
is 'Law of Manu' or the 'Dharma Shastra'.
- Swami refers to a religious teacher
- Hindus strive to achieve dharma, which is a code of living that emphasizes good conduct and morality.
- Hindus revere all living creatures (ahimsa) and consider the cow a sacred animal.
- Hindu worship, which is known as “puja,” typically takes place in the Mandir (temple). Followers of Hinduism
can visit the Mandir any time they please. Hindus can also worship at home, and many have a special shrine
dedicated to certain gods and goddesses.
- Hindus observe numerous sacred days, holidays and festivals.
- Some of the most well-known include:
o Diwali: the festival of lights
o Navaratri: a celebration of fertility and harvest
o Holi: a spring festival/festival of colors
o Krishna Janmashtami: a tribute to Krishna’s birthday
o Raksha Bandhan: a celebration of the bond between brother and sister
o Maha Shivaratri: the great festival of Shiva
C. Taoism
- Taoism (also spelled as Daoism) is a religion and a Philosophy connected to the philosopher Lao Tzu or Laozi
meaning old master.
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- The Tao(the way). Ultimately this is the concern of Taoism which roughly equates to the principle of the
universe. That is all things are unified and connected to the Tao.
- It is a religion of unity and opposites; Yin and Yang. The principle of Yin Yang sees the world as filled with
complementary forces - action and non-action, light and dark, hot and cold, and so on
- The Tao is not God and is not worshipped. Taoism includes many deities, that are worshipped in Taoist
temples, they are part of the universe and depend, like everything, on the Tao
- Taoism promotes:
o achieving harmony or union with nature
o the pursuit of spiritual immortality
o being 'virtuous' (but not ostentatiously so)
o self-development
- Taoist practices include:
o meditation
o feng shui
o fortune telling
- The most useful words to stimulate an idea of the Tao are found in the Tao Te Ching (written by Laozi) and
Chuang Tzu
- Wu Wei is sometimes translated as non-action, but this wrongly implies that nothing at all gets done. The
Tao Te Ching says: When nothing is done, nothing is left undone.
- Ch'i or qi is the cosmic vital energy that enables beings to survive and links them to the universe as a whole.
- he five most important virtues are benevolence (ren 仁), righteousness (yi 義), propriety (li 禮), wisdom (zhi
智), and trustworthiness (xin 信).
D. Judaism
- It is the oldest of the monotheistic faiths in the Abrahamic tradition which include Christianity and Islam. The
central principle of the monotheistic faiths is the belief in the one God: the all-knowing, all-powerful and
ever-present creator of the universe.
- Abraham established a covenant with God that was confirmed with the reception of the Torah (the Law
including the Ten Commandments) from God through Moses to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai
approximately 3,320 years ago. As part of the agreement was that the lineage of Abraham will be under
God’s protection so long as they follow the pat of God. God then commanded Abraham to perform the ritual
of circumcision (brit milah) to represent the covenant.
- Tanakh, an acronym derived from the names of the three divisions of the Hebrew Bible: Torah (Instruction,
or Law, also called the Pentateuch), Neviʾim (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings).
- For those who subscribe to Judaism as a religion, the central text is the Torah - the five books of Moses - the
Law, containing 613 commandments expounded on by the Talmud – the Oral/Rabbinic Law.
- Jewish clerics are addressed with the title Rabbi followed by their family name
- Synagogue refer to their collective place of worship
- Shalom as greeting meaning peace
- Kosher:
o Jewish laws require that only proper ritually slaughtered meat may be eaten.
o Only fish which have both fins and scales are permitted to be eaten; shellfish are prohibited.
o Any food which contains substances extracted from forbidden meats or fish, for example oil and
gelatine, is prohibited.
o Observant Jews do not mix meat and milk (or any dairy product) and keep separate crockery for
each.
- The Sabbath (Shabbat) is the best known religious observance where Orthodox Jews undertake no secular
activities from sunset on Friday to after dark on Saturday
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- The 8 day festival of Passover (Pesach) falls each year in March or April and involves a family or community
gathering known as a Seder to commemorate the Exodus of Jews from Egypt and liberation from slavery in
1476 BCE; the seminal event in the history of the Jewish people. This Jewish festival is celebrated widely as a
cultural tradition as well as a religious observance.
- Chanukah or Hanukkah (also known as the “Festival of Lights”) is an annual Jewish festival celebrated on
eight successive days in December on the Gregorian calendar. This festival of religious freedom and national
survival commemorates the victory of the Jewish Maccabees over the Hellenist Syrians and the rededication
of the Holy Temple of Jerusalem in 165 BCE.
- An important observance is the “Days of Awe” period (falling in September/October) starting with New Year
(Rosh Hashanah) commemorating God’s creation of the world accompanied by individual reflection on the
past year and the need for redemption, and ending with the fast-day of the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)
ten days later.
- When matters of health are involved, and in particular where there is a danger to life, most of Judaism’s
religious laws and rituals are set aside because Jewish laws hold the patient’s wellbeing and the sanctity of
human life in the highest value.
E. Buddhism
- Buddhism is one of the world’s largest religions and originated 2,500 years ago in India. Buddhists believe
that the human life is one of suffering, and that meditation, spiritual and physical labor, and good behavior
are the ways to achieve enlightenment, or nirvana.
- Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha-the enlightened one) has inspired the establishment of Buddhism. He
renounced his wealth and spent time as a poor beggar, meditating and traveling but ultimately, remaining
unsatisfied, settling on something called “the Middle Way.” This idea meant that neither extreme asceticism
nor extreme wealth was the path to enlightenment, but rather, a way of life between the two extremes was.
Eventually, in a state of deep meditation, he achieved enlightenment, or nirvana, underneath the Bodhi tree
(the tree of awakening).
- The Buddha taught about Four Noble Truths. The first truth is called “Suffering (dukkha),” which teaches that
everyone in life is suffering in some way. The second truth is “Origin of suffering (samudāya).” This states that
all suffering comes from desire (tanhā). The third truth is “Cessation of suffering (nirodha),” and it says that it
is possible to stop suffering and achieve enlightenment. The fourth truth, “Path to the cessation of suffering
(magga)” is about the Middle Way, which is the steps to achieve enlightenment.
- Buddhists believe in a wheel of rebirth into different bodies. This is connected to “karma,” which refers to
how a person’s good or bad actions in the past or in their past lives can impact them in the future.
- The law of dependent origination, however, raises the question of how one may escape the continually
renewed cycle of birth, suffering, and death. It is not enough to know that misery pervades all existence and
to know the way in which life evolves; there must also be a means to overcome this process. The means to
this end is found in the Eightfold Path, which is constituted by right views, right aspirations, right speech,
right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right meditational attainment.
- Lotus flower: it blooms in muddy waters. And second, when it blossoms, it simultaneously plants a seed.
From the Buddhist perspective both aspects represent a fundamental truth of life.
F. Confucianism
- The golden rule of Confucianism is “Do not do unto others what you would not want others to do unto you.”
- Was inspired by the teachings of Kongqiu(Master Kong/Confucius)
- The Lunyu (Analects), the most-revered sacred scripture in the Confucian tradition, was probably compiled
by the succeeding generations of Confucius’s disciples. Based primarily on the Master’s sayings, preserved in
both oral and written transmissions, it captures the Confucian spirit in form and content in the same way
that the Platonic dialogues embody Socratic pedagogy.
- The idea of “filial piety,” or devotion to family, is key to Confucius thought. This devotion can take the form of
ancestor worship, submission to parental authority, or the use of family metaphors, such as “son of heaven,”
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to describe the emperor and his government. The family was the most important group for Confucian ethics,
and devotion to family could only strengthen the society surrounding it.
- The five constant relationships” (五伦) refers to the five fundamental relationships in Confucian philosophy:
those between ruler and subject, father and son, elder brother and younger brother, husband and wife, and
friend and friend
- The fellowship of junzi as moral vanguards of society, however, did not seek to establish a radically different
order. Its mission was to redefine and revitalize those institutions that for centuries were believed to have
maintained social solidarity and enabled people to live in harmony and prosperity. An obvious example of
such an institution was the family.
- Following of these virtues would lead one to develop into a superior man or a gentleman with proper
character and strict admirable ethics. In other words, it emphasizes on patterns of government, education,
society and family in order to be a junzi.
G. Sikhism
- Sikhism is the world’s fifth-largest religion. The word ‘Sikh’ means ‘learner’ or ‘seeker of truth’. Sikhism
advocates equality, social justice, service to humanity, and tolerance for other religions. The essential
message of Sikhism is spiritual devotion and reverence of God at all times while practicing the ideals of
honesty, compassion, humility and generosity in everyday life
- Gurus, known as spiritual guides or teachers, established the religion. Guru Nanak was the first Guru and was
born in the 15th century in the Punjab region of India. Sikhs believe in the oneness of all beings and the
equality of everyone.
- Waheguru sometimes refer to their God which sometimes is thought to mean as “Wonderful Lord” or the
“enlightener”
- There are three core pillars of Sikhism, formalized by Guru Nanak. These are:
o Vaṇḍ Chakkō: Sharing with others, helping those in need, as well as participating as part of a
community. A spirit of giving, sharing, and caring for one another is central to Sikhism.
o Kirat Karō: Earning/making a living honestly, without exploitation or fraud, and speaking the truth at
all times.
o Naam Japna: Meditating on God’s name to live a life of decency and humility.
- 10 gurus
o Guru Nanak
o Guru Angad
o Guru Amar Das
o Guru Ram Das
o Guru Arjan
o Guro Hargobind
o Guru Har Rai
o Guru Hari Krishen
o Guru Tegh Bahadur
o Guru Gobind Singh
- Khalsa 'to be pure' or 'to be clear' or 'to be free from' or 'to be liberated') refers to both a community that
considers Sikhism as its faith
- Five K’s : kes or kesh (uncut hair), kangha (comb), kachha (short trousers), kara (steel bracelet), and kirpan
(ceremonial sword)
- The Sikh wedding ceremony, in which the bride and groom walk around the Guru Granth Sahib
- The names Singh (“Lion”) for Sikh males and Kaur (“Princess”) for Sikh females, formerly adopted upon
initiation into the Khalsa, are now bestowed to all Sikhs in a birth and naming ceremony
- Observant Sikhs do not consume alcohol or smoke.
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- Sikhs who do consume meats prefer meat slaughtered with a single blow and not left to bleed to death (as in
Halal meat).
- In multi-group functions it would be prudent to place beef or other meats in separate locations.
- Some observant Sikhs do not eat meat or eggs.
- Whether living together or not, Sikh family members are expected to look after each other in time of need.
The eldest person in the family is bestowed the appropriate respect and his/her views are strongly
considered when making decisions on family matters.2
- Adultery, by either a male or female Sikh, is taken very seriously. Divorce amongst Sikhs is very uncommon.
- The trend to have arranged marriages for Sikhs is still prevalent and significant in the first generation of
families that originated from India.
- Sikh women have equal status and are regarded as a significant part of the Sikh community. A woman
receives utmost reverence for her role in the family and society. She has an equal right to grow spiritually
and to attend religious congregations and recite divine hymns in the Gurdwara. She is also eligible to
participate and perform all ceremonies including Baptism
- Sikhs believe that one’s form on Earth is only a temporary vessel for the eternal soul. Thus, the death of the
physical body is a natural part of the life cycle, while the soul remains. Sikhs believe in reincarnation,
meaning death is not an end, but merely the progression of the soul on its journey toward God.
H. Islam
- Islam is the second-largest religion in the world after Christianity, with about 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide.
As one of the three Abrahamic religions—the others being Judaism and Christianity—it too is a monotheistic
faith that worships one god, called Allah.
- The word Islam means “submission” or “surrender,” as its faithful surrender to the will of Allah.
- Islam teaches that Allah’s word was revealed to the prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel.
- Muslims believe several prophets were sent to teach Allah’s law. They respect some of the same prophets as
Jews and Christians, including Abraham, Moses, Noah and Jesus. Muslims contend that Muhammad was the
final prophet.
- Mosques are places where Muslims worship.
- The Quran (or Koran) is the major holy text of Islam.
- Followers worship Allah by praying and reciting the Quran. They believe there will be a day of judgment, and
life after death.
- A central idea in Islam is “jihad,” which means “struggle.” While the term has been used negatively in
mainstream culture, Muslims believe it refers to internal and external efforts to defend their faith
- 5 pillars
o Shahada: to declare one’s faith in God and belief in Muhammad
o Salat: to pray five times a day (at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset, and evening)
o Zakat: to give to those in need
o Sawm: to fast during Ramadan
o Hajj: to make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once during a person’s lifetime if the person is able
- Eid al-Adha: celebrates the Prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son for Allah.
- Eid al-Fitr: marks the end of Ramadan—the Islamic holy month of fasting.