SACreligiousEd

Religions in general are deeply concerned with salvation. Salvation may be understood as freedom or safety from forces that are destructive. It refers to a sense of health or wholeness. Depending on the religion, salvation can refer to this life or to an afterlife and is either an activity initiated by God, or depends entirely on the action of the individual. The question of salvation is related to the question of destiny; where is human life headed? Past Exam Question Compare the understanding of salvation/liberation found in either Christianity or Judaism with that found in one of the following world religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam Judaism Reverence for and holiness of all life is the central value of Judaism. Made in God’s image, human life is sacred, and every area of life, from the exalted to the mundane, has value and is meaningful. This is why the laws of Judaism cover the daily life experiences of working, eating, dressing, relationships and na...

Holy is associated with religion and prayer and with the things of God. Some thing or place or person is made holy by being blessed or touched in some way by the presence of God. One of the characteristics of all religions is holiness. Rudolph Otto, a German historian of religion, wrote that the experience of holiness is central to religion. For Otto, the experience of the holy is mysterious and defies literal description. It is the experience of mystery, the sense of otherness, the acceptance that there is a reality that transcends the level of ordinary experience. Feelings of awe and humility are evoked in the worshipper and, for that time, he or she is transported out of the ordinary. For religious people, the sacred refers to things of God. Holy or sacred people speak on God’s behalf or mediate between the people and God. The profane is all that is not sacred – the things of the world. The distinction between the two is not always clear – in our increasingly secular...

The term primal religion refers to the practices of pre-historic, pre-literate groups, whose rituals and beliefs have been preserved through an oral tradition. These groups are disparate and can be identified in several different parts of the world, including; the Yoruba tribe in west Africa, the Maya in central America, the New Zealand Maori and the Australian aborigines. Though there was no connection between these groups there are striking similarities in their major beliefs and the expression of their religious faith. Primal religion was practiced by agricultural societies, who lived close to nature and sensed its power. They believed in a spiritual world of beings stronger than mankind. These groups shared similar traits, namely; recognition of the all-encompassing power of religion, with no boundaries between sacred and secular, the use of oral rather than written sources, rituals depicting myths or narratives centred on the human-divine relationship. The main chara...

The landscape of faith has changed dramatically in recent decades with prominence and influence of religion clearly on the wane. A number of cultural changes, including scientific and technological advancements, the rise of atheism, and the emergence of humanism, have resulted in challenges to traditional forms of worship and the authority of religious institutions. Exam Question “ Religious belief is ancient, diverse and dynamic .” Describe, using examples two major trends in religion in Ireland. Secularisation Over the past half century Ireland has become increasingly secular – this is evident in census returns where the number of people who identify as non-religious had risen significantly. The secularisation of society is seen in the loss of influence of religious institutions at a national and personal level. In the Irish context there are several reasons for this emerging trend – loss of faith in the Catholic Church following scandals, the reliance on scienti...

Religion is concerned with invisible realities; it is the bridge between the world we see and the unseen. Faith is a phenomenon found in every age and region. Down through the ages, men and women have sensed in the wonders and mysteries of human experience the presence of something greater than themselves. More than four fifths of the world’s population claim to have some sort of religious belief, with societies and nations worldwide reflecting the influence of such belief in all areas of life, ranging from attitudes and values to trends in art, music and literature. Past Exam Question Discuss the general world-wide distribution of members today in each of the following religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism Every civilisation in recorded history has held a system of belief which can be identified as religious. The essential elements of religious devotion are the acknowledgement of a power greater than ourselves, the enactment of ritua...

In an effort to avoid moral conflict a number of moral theories have been developed over the centuries. The three listed above are all linked to the age of Enlightenment and all three seek to devise a decision-making framework that can be applied in all situations. However, each of these theories have drawn criticism – this is evident in the conflict between the approaches suggested by Hedonism, Utilitarianism and Deontology. Past Exam Question Examine the approach taken to making moral decisions in two of the following moral philosophies / theories: Deontological Ethics, Hedonism, Natural Law, Right Relationship, Teleological Ethics, Utilitarianism, Virtue Ethics Hedonism From hedone , the Greek word for pleasure. Psychological hedonism claims that only pleasure or pain motivates us. Ethical hedonism claims that only pleasure has moral worth or value, and only pain is immoral. In An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation, 18th century E...

We live a pluralist society, where different perspectives have contributed to a variety of viewpoints, often resulting in contentious moral debates. Discussion of moral conflicts are often marred by two contrasting ideologies – fundamentalism and relativism. These two positions occupy opposite ends of the spectrum and for this reason they have the potential to obscure rather than illuminate, and can potentially contribute to a moral fog. Exam Question Fundamentalism, Relativism . Explain the understanding of the above terms, giving contemporary examples of both. Fundamentalism expresses itself as a desire to be clear about the essential truths of a faith. It is  characterised by a literal interpretation of scripture and moral laws. Historically fundamentalism is  evident in the example of the Scopes Trial, held in Tennessee in 1925. In this case a teacher was brought  to court for teaching the theory of evolution. This pra...

Past Exam Question Trace the way in which moral failure is evident in one example of structural injustice that you have studied. This question requires you to explain both moral failure and structural injustice, giving a specific example of the latter. Moral failure is a concept common to all religions and particularly evident in monotheistic traditions. It is commonly referred to as sin. Depending on your religious vision it may involve either ‘the breaking of God’s law’ or ‘rejection of God’s love’. In Christianity it represents the damaging of the relationship that exists between the individual and God. Moral failure is often personal sin – any wrong freely chosen by an individual – these have consequences for ourselves (in fracturing our relationship with God) and also for those around us (who the law of God protects). In this manner personal sin can have a social dimension. Social sin can manifest itself as structural injustice. This means that something wrong ...

A person’s understanding of sin is shaped by their religious vision, for example a person who sees God as the maker of laws and the granter of salvation may see sin as ‘the breaking of God's law’. In Christianity it is a rejection of God’s love. For others sin creates a distance and lack of harmony because what they have done is contradictory to their moral vision, and damages their relationship with those they claim to love and have concern for. Past Exam Question Compare the understanding of moral failure in a Christian denomination with the way that it is understood in one of the following world religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism The key Christian response to moral failure is forgiveness and reconciliation. God is full of compassion, rich in mercy and love. The stories of Jesus show how radical his concept of mercy is – for example in John 8:1-11 Jesus encounters a woman caught in adultery, he tells her to ‘ Go your way, and from now on do not sin ag...

Jesus is seen by Christians as the ultimate revelation of God – the most complete and primary source of truth, beauty and wisdom. Through his life and ministry Jesus highlighted the path to salvation for humankind. It consists of a loving relationship with God the Father, respect for the dignity of human life, and a self-giving love of your neighbour. The early Christian Church spread these teachings far and wide, before the Romanisation of the culture turned it into a dogmatic religious institution, which had a transformative effect on Western civilisation.  It’s hard to imagine it now, but Jesus’ original message was seen as counter-cultural. He opposed the religious teachings of the day – which were too focused on wrongdoing and rules and not focused enough on taking a practical approach and changing the world around them for the better. Jesus’ ethical teachings represent a response to, and deepening of, Jewish teaching. He is preaching to an audience familiar with the tena...