STUDIES OF RELIGION

STUDIES OF RELIGION II

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RELIGION AND BELIEF SYSTEMS IN AUSTRALIA POST –

1945
1. Contemporary Aboriginal Spiritualities
1.1 Discuss how Aboriginal spirituality is determined by the Dreaming
– Kinship
– Ceremonial life
– Obligations to the land and people

 Discuss how Aboriginal spirituality is determined by the Dreaming

kinship
Aboriginal spirituality is determined by the Dreaming kinship because
kinship is the ‘fabric’ of traditional Aboriginal society. Tribes are made
up of clans descended from a spirit ancestor denoted by a totem. The
natural totem is from the clan’s region. It unifies the clan under the
leadership of the spirit ancestor, creating a Dreaming kinship with other
clans bearing the same totem. Individuals have their own totem as
traditional Aboriginal society believes that procreation was a dreaming
event. This creates a bond between a human and his/her totem and a
Dreaming kinship with others bearing the same totem. A son adopts his
dead father’s totem and Dreaming kin. Members of kinship groups are
expected to meet obligations such as obeying tribal laws and
subordinating individual interests to the greater community good.
Aboriginal kinship groups have a network of giving and receiving, of
rights and obligations. The spirits require the kinship group to act as
custodians of their territory and totem.

 Discuss how Aboriginal spirituality is determined by the Dreaming

ceremonial life
Aboriginal spirituality is determined by the Dreaming ceremonial life
because all ceremonies re-affirm the Dreaming. They are vital because
Dreaming events that happened in the remote past are believed to be
also happening in the present via the ceremonial activity. Ceremonies
allow the participants to spiritually transform and ‘ascend’ towards the
spirit ancestors. Aboriginal people are positively obliged to take part in
such ceremonies. Death and burial ceremonies vary but all emphasise
the ongoing reality of the Dreaming. On death, a person’s spirit
reintegrates into the world of the Dreaming and merges with their
totemic being. Songs are such to hasten his/her journey and the coffin
is painted with messages asking the spirits to guide the deceased back
to the clan

 Discuss how Aboriginal Spirituality is determined by the Dreaming

obligations of the land and people
Aboriginal spirituality is determined by the Dreaming obligations of the
land and people because Aboriginal people consider land, the

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people and the Dreaming all part of one mutually dependent

relationships. One element cannot function properly without the other
two. One element cannot function properly without the other two. As
with the kinship system, the land, people and the Dreaming comprise a
complex system of reciprocal obligations and rights, all of which
contributes to the ongoing physical and spiritual well-being of each
other. The land if not there to be mercilessly exploited and is more likely
to provide for human beings if its life-essence (kurunba) is respected.
Tribal law forbids any act that disrespects or exploits nature and
totemic taboos and restrictions must always be observed. Humans
must also assist the land in ‘living’ via the performance of ceremonies
and rituals. If the ceremonies are not observed, then the power of the
land to renew itself will fail and natural disasters will occur.

 Discuss how Aboriginal Spirituality is determined by the Dreaming.

(Kinship, Ceremonial life and Obligations to land and people)
- The Dreaming is a fundamental element of Aboriginal spirituality.
- Kinship is the fabric of traditional Aboriginal society. Kinship ties identify
an individual’s belonging and responsibilities within a clan creating a
dreaming kinship. Individuals have their own totems as traditional
aboriginal society believes it represents a person or groups connection
to ancestor beings with the land. Kinship also governs the day to day
life of aboriginal people by determining issues eg whom to talk to and
marry.
- Ceremonial life maintains the dreaming. Ceremonial performances
are seen as the core of cultural life as it brings together all aspects of
the Indigenous culture. They are also vital as the they carry events
which happened in the distant past into the present through activity
such as music, dance, song, ceremony and performance.
- The Dreaming connects Aboriginals with the land. The land is
considered to be “impregnated with the power of the ancestoral
spirits”. A key feature of Aboriginal Spirituality is to look after the land as
“we don’t own the land, the land owns us”. Aboriginal spirituality is the
belief that all objects are living and share the same soul and spirit that
Aboriginals share.

1.2 Discuss the continuing effect of dispossession on Aboriginal spiritualities in

relation to:
– Separation from the land
– Separation from kinship groups
– The Stolen Generations

 Discuss the continuing effect of dispossession on Aboriginal spiritualities

in relation to separation from the land
The continuing effect of dispossession on Aboriginal spiritualities in
relation to separation from the land is one of the immense stresses to
the spirituality. This began with the initial dispossession of European

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settlement and Aboriginal spiritualities remain, for the most part, a long
way from recovering. The arrival of the Europeans and the forces
dispossession of Aboriginal people from the land meant access to
sacred sites was denied. Separated from their dreaming lands meant
they had, in effect, lost their spirituality and totemic identity and
become ‘non-beings’. The sustaining ceremonies could not be held.

 Discuss the continuing effect of dispossession on Aboriginal spiritualities

in relation to the separation from kinship groups
The continuing effect of dispossession on Aboriginal spiritualities in
relation to separation from kinship groups has meant the inevitable
breakdown of the kinship system as tribes and individuals were isolated
from their ancestral territory. Forced to forfeit their places of totemic
identity they also lost their extended spiritual family. Without these
bonds, Aborigines effectively lost both their individual and collective
sense of self. Kinship breakdown adversely affected Aboriginal
spirituality through the decline of indigenous languages. With the
breakdown of kinship groups, the 500 plus distinct languages began to
die out and their replacements often lacked the range and
sophistication to fully convey the meaning of the stories. The
breakdown in the authority of the elders rapidly hastened the
separation of kinship groups. Their authority, vested in knowledge of the
land and law, has lost its meaning and use. Without it, the elders were
at a loss to stop their societies from disintegrating. Without access to
their Dreaming kin, one of the main purposes within an Aboriginal
person’s life – to fulfil their spiritual obligations – was gone. No longer
could they unite with their Dreaming family, continue with the system of
obligations and expectations or being always able to pass on tribal
lore. Today though, we are witnessing a resurgence of Aboriginal
culture with groups helping to preserve and share Aboriginal lore. A
language revival movement is also occurring. The teaching of
indigenous language may help foster the sense of cultural and spiritual
identity so dramatically damaged by the breakdown of the kinship
system.

 Discuss the continuing effect of dispossession on Aboriginal spiritualities

in relation to the Stolen Generations
The continuing effect of dispossession on Aboriginal spiritualities in
relation to the Stolen Generations is far-reaching and pervasive. The
government’s policy of forcibly removing children from their parents,
now referred to as the stolen generation, was said to be for the
children’s own welfare. However, it is now understood that the
government was attempting to solve the indigenous ‘problem’ by
having the children raised to think and act like ‘white’ with the aim of
eventually ‘breeding them out’ altogether. Children were taken great
distances away, had their names changes and backgrounds erased.
Brothers and sisters were usually separated and parents actively

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discouraged from tracing their children. The number of children

removed Is believed to be as many as 100000. The long-term effect has
been devastating for aboriginal spirituality in general, as well as from
the psyches of the individuals concerned. The violation of kinship ties
and of attachment to land has been profounds. Some commentators
have called the policies a form of ‘cultural genocide’ and statistics
attest to the ongoing reality of spiritual disconnectedness with rates for
infant mortality, diseases such as alcoholism and diabetes,
unemployment and percentage of prison populations all considerably
higher than the national average. It has been found that the policies
have resulted in a continuing sense of grief and trauma, as well as a
loss of identity among aboriginal people.

 Discuss the continuing effects of dispossession on Aboriginal spiritualities

(Separation from kinship groups, separation from land and the stolen
generations)
- Dispossession is viewed as the destruction of spiritual ties between
aboriginals and the land due to European colonisation
- An effect included separation from the land – settlers took over vast
areas of land, no respect for indigenous culture. It removed the sense
of belonging to life as belonging to life involves belonging to a land. It
also removed the sense of identity and purpose of each individual
aborigine.
- Another effect was the separation from kinship groups – this removed
the sense of belonging to humanity as belonging to a kinship group
gives purpose and responsibility to one’s daily actions. REMOVAL FROM
KINSHIP = LOSS OF HUMAN IDENTITY, PLACE IN LIFE, DIRECTION WITHIN
LIFE, PURPOSE, LOST PLACE IN DREAMING.
- Lastly, the stolen generations had a major impact on Aboriginal
Spirituality. – separation from family removes sense of belonging to
oneself, loss of self identity in life. Aboriginal culture was weakened and
lost forever for future generations. Language was also lost when its use
was forbidden by institutions. Some families left aboriginal community
to avoid having their children taken away

1.3 Outline the importance of the following for the Land Rights movement:
– Native Title
– Mabo
– Wik
 Spirituality is based on land, it provides assurance needed for the
continuation of rituals and ceremonies- without Dreaming would die
Land rights movement:
 A religo-political movement that seeks to secure the inherent rights of
Aboriginals to their land, and to ensure their religious, spiritual and
cultural integrity is persevered
 Frontier wars- resistance of land being taken

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 During assimilation- Aboriginals often reacted by non co-operation and

passive resistance- through basic initiatives of the community and
strikes
 National and international action challenged the legal and legislative
basis of “Terra Nullius”
Referring to importance of Aboriginal spirituality
 Inextricably linked/ connected to the land
 Life and protection
 Scared sites
 Rituals
 Identity and belonging
 Roles and responsibilities
Yirrkala Bark petition:
 Yolngu leaders made plain their objection to the lack of consultation
and secrecy of the government’s agreement with Nabalco, and their
concern about the impact of mining on the land unless their voices
were heard
 Were the first traditional documents recognised by the Commonwealth
Parliament and are thus the documentary recognition of Indigenous
people in Australian law
Impact:
 Although petitions were unsuccessful in institutional change, they were
invaluable in raising awareness in Australian law/ policies, about the
inextricable connection to Aboriginal spirituality and the land.
 The documents enable greater understanding of the cultural and
spiritual connectedness of Aboriginal people as original custodians of
the land
Gurindji Strike- The Wave Hill Walk Off- 1966
 Aboriginal tribe owners led 200 Aboriginal workers off their jobs at the
Wave Hill Cattle Station. The strike lasted 7 years
 Complaints included low wages and poor conditions but the focus of
the campaign moved from workers’ rights to land rights
Impact:
 The media allowed for an open discussion on land rights and
significance to Aboriginal Dreaming
 Allowed for the anti-land rights voice/ fear to be expressed at a
National level- compelled political parties to take action/ provide for
the Aboriginal people
Mabo:
 The 1992 Australian High Court judgement
 A group of Murray Island people led by Eddie Mabo sought title to their
traditional lands
 Court decided that the land title of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
were recognised under Common Law
Impact:

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 If Indigenous people could show continues occupancy of and

connection wish their traditional lands in accordance with their
traditions, they could claim Native title
 The ruling rejected the concept of “terra nullius”
 Stated that Aboriginal people have right of ownership of their land and
recognised their traditional legal rights
Quotes:
 “It is my fathers land, my grandfathers land, my grandmothers land. I
am related to it, it gives me identity. If I don’t fight for it, then I will be
moved out of it and (it) will be the loss of my identity” Fr. Dave Passi,
plaintiff in Mabo case
 “The fiction by which the rights; interests of indigenous inhabitants in
land where treated as non-existent was justified by a policy which has
no place in the contemporary law of this country…” “The common law
of this country would perpetuate injustice if it were to continue to
embrace… terra nullius” Justice Brennan, High Court Mabo decision,
1992
Native title act- 1993:
 Came out of the Mabo decision
 Validated the existence of non-indigenous Australia’s interest in land
 It accepted that indigenous Australians had continuing interest and
connection with the land
 The Act provided an appropriate forum to deal with this
 States the guidelines and structures by which indigenous people could
pursue Native Title
 To make a claim a community must show they have maintained a
traditional connection with the land and that their title has not been
legally extinguished
 Even with Native title, pre-existing rights granted to others were
maintained
Impact:
 A federal law was created
 Recognised the rights of Aboriginal people Ensured funds for
indigenous people to purchase land
 National Native title tribunal
 Regional negotiation
 Only effected 3-4% of indigenous people who still had direct and
ongoing connections with their country
The Wik Decision- 1996:
 This decision concerned land that was subject to pastoral leases (40%
of Australian land)
 The high court of Australia decided that native title rights could exist
side-by-side with the rights of pastoralists. But when pastoralists and
Aboriginal rights were in conflict the pastoralists rights would prevail.
 Must negotiate if what to do anything beyond the scope of the
agreement.

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 Outline the importance of the land right movement (Wik, Native Title
and Mabo)
- Land rights are of critical importance in relation to aboriginal spirituality,
because of the Dreaming being closely connected to the land.
- On the 21st of December, 1993, The native title became a legal
recognition stating that some ATSI people have rights to and interest in
certain land because of traditional law and custom. Also sets out rules
for dealing with land where Native Title may/does exist. Native title has
assisted some Aboriginal groups to gain economic and social
independence, enabling them to preserve their culture in a way that is
deemed appropriate by them
- Mabo believed Australian laws and ownership were wrong and fought
for them. This case was a fight for recognition of ATSI as the traditional
owners of the land. Mabo and Other v Queensland 1992 decided that
terra Nullius should not have been applied to Australia as ATSI people
have rights to the land. The legal decision was made by the High Court
in 1992.
- In December 1996, Wik people claimed Native title over land covers by
pastoral leases declaring that Native Title could coexist with the
interests of pastoral holders. This reason for this movement was because
pastoral leases were interfering with Native Title. The original decision
claimed that pastoral leases could not coexist with native title.

2. Religious expression in Australia – 1945 to the present

2.1 Outline changing patterns of religious adherence from 1945 to the present
using census data
 Since 1945, Australia’s religious landscape has seen great change, due
to immigration, denominational switching, new age religions and
secularism
 This can be seen through census data
Religious traditions in Australia 2011:
 Christianity- 61.14%
 No religion- 22.30%
 Religious affiliation not stated- 8.55%
 Buddhism- 2.46%
 Islam- 2.21%
 Other- 1.59%
 Hinduism- 1.28%
 Judaism- 0.45%
Changes in Christian denominations from 1947-2011:
 Anglican- 39% -17.1%
o Consistently decreased from 1947 to 2011
o Average drop of 2% every 5 years
o Still the second largest Christian denomination in Australia
 Baptist- 1.5%-1.6%
o Remained constant throughout all years, only increasing/
decreasing by 0.1%

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Catholics- 20.9%-25.3%
o Increased in 1971 to 27%
o Has stayed steady throughout the years, averaging around
25/26
o Largest Christian denomination in Australia
 Methodist- 11.5%-3.4% (1981)
o 1981 was the last census data recorded for Methodist as they
joined with Presbyterian and reformed church to form the uniting
church
o Decreased
 Orthodox- 0.2%-2.6%
o Increased to 3% in 1981
o Continuously decreased slightly
 Pentecostal- 0.3% (1976)- 1.1
o Denomination was either not present in Australia or number of
people was too small to be included in census
o Increased
 Presbyterian and reformed- 9.8%-2.8%
o Continually decreased- bigger decreases occurred when uniting
church was formed (6.6 in 1976 to 4.4 in 1981)
 Salvation army- 0.6%-0.3%
o Continuous decrease
 Uniting- 4.9% (1981)- 5.0%
o Formed in 1977, did not exist for the previous census
o Increased in 1986 (7.6) and 1991 (8.2) but then continuously
decreased
o 3rd largest Christian denomination
 General statements:
o Anglican, churches of Christ, Methodist, Presbyterian and
reformed, and salvation army decreased from 1947-2011
o Catholics, Orthodox, Pentecostal, Uniting and other Christian
denominations increased from 1947-2011
o Baptist and Lutherans generally stayed the same
Changes in non-Christian denominations from 1947-2011:
 Buddhism- 0.2% (1986)- 2.5%
o No census data presented for dates earlier than 1986
o Increased
o Largest non-Christian denomination in Australia
 Hinduism- 0.1% (1991)- 1.3
o No census data presented for dates earlier than 1991
o Increased
o 3rd largest non-Christian denomination
o Fastest growth since 2006
 Islam- 0.2% (1976)- 2.2%
o No census data present before 1976
o Increased
o 2nd largest non-Christian denomination

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 Judaism- 0.4%-0.5%
o No significant changes, remained constant
o Highest precent that wasn’t 0.4/0.5, was 0.7 in 1971
o Increased
 No religion- 0.3%-22.3%
o Significantly increased
o More Australians than ever are identifying as no religion

2.2 Account for the present religious landscape in Australia in relation to:
– Christianity as the major religious tradition
– Immigration
– Denominational switching
– Rise of New Age religions
– Secularism
 Account for the present religious landscape in Australia in relation to
Christianity as the major religious tradition
Christianity as the major religious tradition in the present religious
landscape stems largely from historical and migration factors. The
majority of First Fleet convicts and settlers were Church of England
(now known as Anglican). There were also a small number of Catholic
and Jews. The number of Christians in Australia were bolstered with
further migration from Britain and the commencement of the Assisted
Passage Scheme. Predominantly Christian people also arrived as the
result of migration agreements with other countries such as Italy and
Greece. The institutionalisation of Christianity has reinforced and
perpetuated its position as the predominant religion in Australia. The
early settlers brought with them many reflections of their Christian
heritage such as systems of common law and government. Public
holidays celebrate important events in the Christian calendar. Census
data for the past 50-60 years, particularly since the 1970s, indicates
some significant trends with a proportional decline (24.1%) in adherents
overall since the 1947 census. This is largely due to the downturn in
memberships of more traditional churches.

 Account for the present religious landscape in Australia in relation to

immigration
Immigration has impacted on the present religious landscapes in
Australia via waves of migrants from Europe initially, and later,
southwest Asia and the Middle East. In the years following World War II,
the Assisted Passage Scheme helped citizens from Europe migrate,
giving a huge boost to the number of Roman Catholics and Eastern
Orthodox adherents. There was also a relatively small influx of Jews
arriving in Australia at the end of WWII. Many Jews emigrated from
Poland and other European nations as refugees from the Holocaust
and there have also been more recent waves of Jewish migrations to
Australia, particularly from South Africa. Almost 117% of the current
Jewish population arrived in Australia after 1980. With the abolition of

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the White Australian Policy in 1973, a significant new direction began to

emerge. While still mostly Christian, Australia embraced multiculturalism,
something which shapes Australia’s society today. The Vietnam War
displaced more than two million Indo-Chinese people, approximately
120,000 of whom arrived in Australia leading to the first representation
of Buddhists. Immigration is a key reason why Buddhism is Australia’s
second fastest growing faiths. Changes to immigration laws heralded a
dramatic increase in the numbers of Hindus and Muslims living in
Australia. Figures were low until the early 1970s when Hindus began
arriving from India, Sri Lanka, Fiji and NZ. The 2011 census recorded the
growth rate of Hinduism since 1996 at 189%.

 Account for the present religious landscape in Australia in relation to

denomination switching.
Denominational switching has impacted on the present religious
landscape in Australia by providing people with an opportunity to
worship where and how they feel most comfortable and well catered
for. This is in contrast to historic patterns of individuals and families
remaining affiliated with one denomination for generations.
Denominational switching is in many ways a reflections of modern
consumer society. Lifetime loyalty and accountability to a particular
church has diminished in proportion to growing anonymity and
individualisation in our lives. The right to choose has proven stronger
than the sense of obligation. The past two decades has seen a
dramatic swing from more liberal churches towards the more
conservative. People under 40 years of age are less likely to view
lifetime loyalty to a particular type of church as important as people
over 60. People with active Christian faiths are most likely to switch
denominations, seeking what they perceive to be stronger Christian
community. The greater demands placed upon members, the stronger
commitment required and absolutist attitudes towards beliefs/morals
provide some with a notion of solidarity. Another factor contributing to
denominational switching is family breakdown. Recent surveys have
found that children of divorced parents are 64% more likely to crease
identifying with the family faith than those of non-divorced parents and
seek a stronger religious community.

 Account for the present religious landscape in Australia in relation to

the rise of New Age religions
New age religions have impacted on the present religious landscape
in Australia in recent years as among the fastest growing faiths,
increasing by 140% between 1996 – 2001. New religions differ from
other faiths in that they lack any single unifying creed or doctrine – no
key holy text or no formal leadership. Adherents do however tent to
share some similar beliefs and practices. Basic beliefs held by
adherents of many New Age religions include: Monism, Pantheism,

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Reincarnation, Karma, Aura and the Age of Aquarius. New age

practices include meditation, astrology, divination, holistic health,
crystals, channelling and Feng Shui. New age religions started
becoming popular in the 1960s and 1970s and have sine been
extremely widespread. Explanations for the movement’s growth
include disillusionment in government and the rise of movements eg
Feminism. Christianity also began to be viewed as having failed to
provide adequate spiritual and ethical guidance. There is also less
emphasis in society on community obligations and more on self
fulfilment and satisfaction. Another explanation is people are seeking
spiritual insight because of the turbulent times we live in.

 Account for the present religious landscape in Australia in relation to

the rise of secularism
Secularism has impacted on the present religious landscape in
Australia as the number of people claiming ‘no religion’ has risen from
0.3% to 22.3%. This phenomenon has occurred alongside the consistent
drop in the number recording membership of traditional churches.
When ‘no religion’ is claimed because of the deliberate stance on
religious matters it is known as ‘secularism’ which in its simplest sense
means being free from religion or spirituality. Secular systems are based
on reason, fact and scientific analysis. Secularism is a key feature of
democracy and champions the dual notion of freedom of
religion/freedom from religion, believing governments should be
completely separate from religious influence. Theories from secularism’s
rise in popularity include a resurgence of the rationalist ideals of the
seventeenth century enlightenment, and the major social changes
that began after the Vietnam War. A developing undercurrent of
suspicion towards institutions deemed to be patriarchal in nature led to
some viewing traditional churches as part of an ‘unholy trinity’ of
economics, politics and religion. There has also been a growing
perception that religious intolerance has been the potential to lead to
social estrangement. This has been heightened by the many instances
of global conflict being perpetrated in the name of religion and
brought home via the mass media. Another reason for the growth of
secularism may be tired to the increasing emphasis on the rights of the
individual in our society over a sense of obligation to the community.
Today there is generally less emphasis on conforming and more
emphasis on the autonomy of the individual to determine what feels
spiritually right for them. This increased freedom has seen the rise of
secularism and the understanding that religion is essentially a private
concern.

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2.3 Describe the impact of Christian ecumenical movements in Australia

– The National Council of Churches
– NSW Ecumenical Council
 Ecumenism is the principle or aim of promoting unity among the world
Christian churches
 Took place in Australia at the end of the 19th century
 Formation of the uniting church- 1977
 Ecumenism is the movement for unity among Christianity and has its
basis in the scriptures (Jn 17:22-23)
 Since the 1970’s Christian groups have been dealing with doctrine
matters and areas of cooperation

 Describe the impact of Christian ecumenical movements in Australia –

The National Council of Churches
- Movement towards religious unity amongst Christian denominations as
to counteract the previous sectarian rivalries between Christian
denominations acknowledges their unity in Christ outweighs their
diversity in practice and beliefs
- Divisions between denominations fail to be witnesses of Christ’s
message of love to the world
- Ecumenism is found in the bible “That they may all be one…so that the
world may believe” –John 17:21
- Tried to improve relationship between Christian denominations through
mutual respect, dialogue and working together on common projects
- Ecumenical council which seeks to voice common concerns to gov on
issues that directly affect Christian life
- Formerly known as the Australian Council of Churches, the Catholic
Church joined in 1994 forming the NCCA
- Member churches share resources, meet for prayer, discuss common
beliefs and put out statements on issues of social justice.
- In 1994, NCCA put out a statement titled “Australian Churches
Covenanting together” It had five areas of commitment:
- Commitment to common prayer, sharing resources, common ministry
and mission, common sacraments, shared ordained ministries

 Describe the impact of Christian ecumenical movements in Australia –

NSW Ecumenical Council
- Movement towards religious unity amongst Christian denominations as
to counteract the previous sectarian rivalries between Christian
denominations acknowledges their unity in Christ outweighs their
diversity in practice and beliefs
- Divisions between denominations fail to be witnesses of Christ’s
message of love to the world
- Ecumenism is found in the bible “That they may all be one…so that the
world may believe” –John 17:21
- Tried to improve relationship between Christian denominations through
mutual respect, dialogue and working together on common projects

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- Ecumenical council which seeks to voice common concerns to gov on

issues that directly affect Christian life
- NSW EC began in 1982
- Encourages social justice and operates on an ecumenical level to
achieve this
- Its central bond is that they are all followers of Christ, so there is a unity
amongst adherents
- Rather than competing with one another, they come together as their
Christian duty insists
- A fellowship of 16 Churches and is affiliated with the NCCA. It works
by three principles:
1 To maintain the unity of the spirit in the bonds of peace
2 To be committed to the gospel and to proclaiming it together
3 To live out the implications of the gospel for service in the world

2.4 Evaluate the importance of interfaith dialogue in multifaith Australia

 Promote better understanding; mutual respect between religious
traditions
 People from different faiths meet together peacefully to talk and
exchange information about their respective faiths and to clear up
misunderstandings or points of connection
 Multicultural country containing a wide variety of ethnically and
religiously diverse people
 At times this can potentially challenge social harmony and cohesion-
disagreements over ones faith, e.g. Jesus Christ in different religions
 Needed because of the diversity of religious adherents/ expression in a
multifaith Australia
 Multicultural policy  encourages religious plurality; diversity
 Knowing/ engaging with the other does not diminish personal faith, but
gives and opportunity or reconciliation over past misconceptions
 Allow for effective collaboration on moral issues of today
 Reconcile past misconceptions, promotes tolerance among religious
traditions, authentically live out the universal principles of love, peace
and compassion, provides a religious response to matters of social
justice and morality
 Joint statements- act with a united voice on matters that concern
them
o The need for peace in the Middle East- 2002, Jewish and Islamic
communities in Sydney
o Late term abortion and practical support for women who
proceed with pregnancy- 2005, Anglican, catholic, Baptists,
Presbyterians, Buddhists, Hindus, Lutherans, the Salvation Army,
Wesleyans, Seventh-day Adventists and Sikhs
 Themes:
o Dialogue
o Reconciliation
o Common understanding

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o Promote peace and unity

o Effective collaboration
o Joint projects or statements
 Australian National Dialogue of Christians, Muslims and Jews- March
2003
o Provides opportunities for these faiths to build understanding and
harmony and to clarify contentious issues within their respective
faiths
 Principles of dialogue
o Begins when people meet each other
o Depends upon mutual understanding and trust
o Makes it possible to share on service to the community
o Becomes the medium of authentic witness

2.5 Examine the relationship between Aboriginal spiritualties and religious

traditions in the process of Reconciliation
Reconciliation:
 Reconciliation is the term given to the process whereby Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander peoples and the non-indigenous citizens of
Australia can move into the future with a new relationship based on
mutual recognition, understanding, and respect
 Past injustices such as the dispossession of land and the stolen
generation must be fully acknowledged and accepted
 Encompasses issues such as land rights and Native Title, as well as
initiatives designed to help heal the trauma of the governments
protection and assimilation policies
 Aims to heal Aboriginal spirituality and condition

 Examine the relationship between Aboriginal spiritualities and religious

traditions in the process of Reconciliation
In recent years, there has been strong support regarding Aboriginal
Spiritualities and religious traditions in regards to the process of
reconciliation. This has been evident through the traditional churches
taking and non-indigenous Australians building a mutual understanding
with the Indigenous which has, in turn, been embraced by most of
Australia’s religious organisations. This is shown through the works of
organisations such as The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Ecumenical Commission (NATSIEC) which works for acknowledgement
of all Christian churches of their role in Aboriginal dispossession and
promotes indigenous rights as well as empowering indigenous women
through telling their stories of loss. The Anglican Church of Australia
expressed it support for Reconciliation by providing funding and
support for NATESIC. They have also been gestures of support through
other religions, for example, Jews were asked to participate in the
Week of Prayer for Reconciliation, which began in 1993, alongside
Buddhism, Islam and Hinduism. Through the involvement of religious

pg. 15
 STUDIES OF RELIGION

tradition, it has encouraged the notion of acceptance between

Christians and Aboriginals as many Aboriginal symbols and rituals are
intergrated within Christian concepts.

pg. 16
 STUDIES OF RELIGION

CHRISIANITY
1. Significant people and ideas – Paul of Tarsus
1.1 Explain the contribution to the development and expression of
Christianity of ONE significant person OR school of thought, other than
Jesus, drawn from:
 Paul was a significant figure in Christianity as on the road to Damascus
he was a witness to the Risen Christ and was instrumental in establishing
Christianity as a religion in its own right
 Paul was ‘converted’ on the road to Damascus  a light from heaven
flashed around him and he dell to the ground, hearing a voice: “Saul,
Saul, why do you persecute me?”
Development:
 Expansion of Christianity through spreading to the Gentiles and to other
communities
o Gentiles: took the message of the Risen Christ to the Gentiles-
learnt from his spiritual conversion that salvation was not just a
Jewish privilege
o Missionary activity to other communities: Paul ventured on three
major missionary journeys
o Paul’s practice would be to enter a town, find work, gradually
get to know people, then being to talk about the Christ
experience
o Once the community was established he would move on and
start again
o Paul’s missionary activity provided a model for future Christian
missions
 Developed a new Christian theology through his writing- defined key
beliefs
o Introduced Trinitarian theology without ever using that phrase
o Paul was exposed to many theological questions that no one
had ever witnessed before  defined key beliefs of the early
Church that were then taken up by members of the community
o These beliefs remain foundational to Christian practices and
ethics today
 Divinity and humanity of Christ: Christ was like God, but
also emptied himself to become a servant, human in all
likeness
 Christ crucified and risen
 One body, one church- church as the body of Christ
 Developed a Christian literature
o Paul is the first author of Christian written material
o All of his authentic letters predate the Gospels  contain the
oldest accounts of the resurrection and the Last Supper as well
as the earliest evidence of how the faith communities were
organised and functioned
o Paul’s letters comprise almost 25% of the New Testament

pg. 17
 STUDIES OF RELIGION

o Next to Jesus, Paul is the most prominent figure in the New

Testament
Expression:
 Defined key rituals (sacraments) and formed the basis of liturgical
elements
o The Eucharist
 Pauls First letter to the Corinthians contains the earliest
description the Church has of the Last Supper
 It has therefore provided a formula for the Church to
remember and ritualise this central event in the centuries
since
o Baptism (informed significance behind the practice)
 “It is no longer I who live, nut it is Christ who lives in me”
 “Just as Christ was rained from the dead through the glory
of the Father, we too may live a new life”
o Readings
 For Catholics and others who use a lectionary, Paul’s
letters feature heavily
 Informed Christian ethics
o Laid out how to live so one is faithful to the message and
teachings of Christ
o Creation is God’s and has therefore, dignity in its own right
o “Ever since the creation of the world, God’s eternal power and
divine nature, invisible though they are, have been seen through
the things God has made”
 Structured the missionary activity of the Church
o Missionary activity to other communities: teacher and preacher
Paul ventured on three major missionary journeys
o Paul’s practice would be to enter a town, teach about Christ,
and once the community was established he would move on
and start again
o Paul’s missionary activity provided a model for future Christian
missions

1.2 Analyse the impact of this person OR school of thought on Christianity

 Paul’s contribution to both the development and expression of
Christianity has been so valuable that his impact on the belief system
as a living religious tradition has been exceptionally significant
 Articulated an understanding of Christ as Risen Lord and Saviour
 Structured the practice of Christian rituals
Theological impact:
 Paul’s literature defined key beliefs of the Christian faith (Divinity and
humanity- Phil 2:6-7)
 Theological virtues (faith, hope and love -1 Cor 13:13)
 The understanding of Church as the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:12 -30)
 Christian ethics

pg. 18
 STUDIES OF RELIGION

 Paul’s letters have provided linguistic materials in the construction of

doctrine e.g. Catholic Catechism and papal Encyclicals
Informed the structure and practice of Christian rituals
 His letters remain in central use within the Christian (and especially
Catholic) liturgy
 The Eucharist- earliest description of the Last Supper, which has
ritualised this central event. Direct verses from this letter are used today
during the Communion Rite (1 Cor 11:23-26- “This is my body, which is
for you; do this in remembrance of me”
 Baptism: Greatly informed the significance behind the practice of
baptism- “just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of
the Father, we too may live a new life”
Structure of Christianity- Reformation
 Paul’s letters (which become scared texts) expressed such basic
elements to Christian faith that no theological system thereafter could
afford to ignore him (Luther, Wesley)

2. Environmental Ethics
2.1 Describe and explain Christian ethical teachings on
environmental ethics
Teaching Explanation
Stewardship  Guides adherents on the correct
way to live with and act towards
environment
 Adherents have a responsibility to
work in partnership with God
 Need to protect and sustain all of
creation
 Environment is recognised as a gift
from God
 Taught to appreciate creation as
God’s gift and to look on it with
wonder and awe
 Fundamental responsibility to care
for creation
 Must ensure nature is nurtured and
cared for in a sustainable manner
 Guards against selfish or careless
exploitation of the world’s resources
 Bible calls upon Christians to act as
stewards/ carers of the environment
 Called to create the reign of God
Justice  The core teaching is that the goods
of the earth are to be shared by all
with justice and equality
Scripture
 God created the heavens and
earth and “took the man and
out him in the Garden of Eden
to work it and take care of it”
 “Act with care and
compassion, striving to
become what [they] are
created to be’ Bartholomew
 “The earth is the Lord’s” Ps
 “Human beings are appointed
by God as stewards of the
earth to cultivate and protect
it” Pope John Paul
 “Love your neighbour as
yourself”
 “The environment is God’s gift
to everyone, and in our use of

pg. 19
 STUDIES OF RELIGION
 Creation belongs not to the few, but
to the entire human family
 Creation exist in itself to all species
 Earth’s resources are for the good of
all
 Global justice and equality- equal
share of resources
 Intergenerational justice and
equality- environment must be
sustained for future generations
 Solidarity with the poor- looking out
for others
 Must act in a just manner in order to
be worthy of salvation
Co-creation  Recognises the interdependence
and interconnectedness of all life on
earth
 Requires adherent to exhibit values
such as respect, consideration,
harmony, and balance
 Must work to maintain the diversity
present within it
 Requires just and equitable share of
the created world’s resources
 Also includes inherent respect for
and harmony with Creation
Mission  Disciples of Jesus- creating right
relationships with others and the
environment
 Spreading a message of love and
kindness is vital in an adherents
mission to care for the environment
 Follow the words and actions of
Jesus to love in a right manner
Teaching Application
Stewardship  Climate change
 Affects temperatures and weather
patterns
 Impacts Pacific Islands/ the
sustainability of the environments
 Destroys food and water supply-
making it less sustainable for living
 Must act in the correct way/ adopt
environmental practices to ensure
that they are caring for the
pg. 20
it we have a responsibility
towards the poor, towards
future generations and
towards humanity as a whole”
St Benedict
 “Blessed are those who hunger
and thirst for righteousness”
 Creation of God’s kingdom
“On earth as it is in heaven”
 “Creation and incarnation are
interconnected in one great
movement of God’s self-giving
love” Denis Edward
 “god is intimately present to
each being without imprinting
on the autonomy of the
creature” Pope Francis
 “Ecological vocation has
become more urgent than
ever” Pope John Paul
 “Do unto others, what you
would have them unto you”
 “On earth as it is in heaven”
Scripture/ organisations/
individual
 Edmund Rice Centre
 Advocate and education
about impacts of climate
change “Pacific Calling
Partnership
 Reduce carbon footprint-
energy efficient technology,
using natural light and
renewable energy
 STUDIES OF RELIGION
environment and acting to sustain it
for all of humanities use
Justice  Over consumption- excess use of
something goes against justice
 20% of the worlds population live on
80% of the resources
 Environmental and social
implications- declining resources,
destruction of social-ecosystems
and species, and people not having
basic needs
Co-creation  Deforestation- clearing of forestland
and trees
 Results from fires, clearing for
agricultural purposes, logging and
degradation
 Forests help maintain
interdependence and diversity
Mission  Animals are an element of creation
are therefore valued by God
 Animal rights/ treatment of animals-
issues such as physical and
physiological abuse, destruction of
habitats, animal testing and hunting
3. Significant practices in the life of adherents
3.1 Describe ONE significant practice within Christianity drawn
from:
– Baptism
Definition:
 Baptism predates Christianity- in Judaism it meant purification,
commitment and conversion (re-orientate oneself to God)
pg. 21
 “Rights of nature and the rights
of future generations”
statement but Uniting Justice
 Future generations have the
right to healthy air, clean
drinking water, and a rich
animal/ plant life
 Nature has the right to eco-
systems and species
protected, restored when
damaged
 Individual- ethical consumers,
renewable materials, support
organisations e.g. Caritas
 Adherents must advocate
about the effects of
deforestation
 Planting stress, recycling and
using FSC certified wood
 “Do unto others, what you
would have them unto you”
 “God requires that we assist
the animals, when they need
our help, [as] each being
(human or creature) has the
same right of protection”
 Purchase cruelty free products,
advocating against unjust
treatment, purchasing free-
range eggs or dairy free
products and not participating
in animal exploitive activities
such as the circus or animal
racing
 STUDIES OF RELIGION

 Is the (ordinary) rite of initiation by which most Christian Churches

welcome new members into their community
 Not all denominations will baptise, such as Salvation Army and Quakers
 It is characterised by the use of water (reflecting the death and
resurrection of Jesus) and the Trinitarian formula (although not used by
all churches)
 Because of this baptism is intimately linked to the Christian belief of
Salvation
 For catholic or orthodox churches baptism washes away original sin
and is essential for salvation
 Protestant and Pentecostal churches generally recognise that baptism
is a symbolic expression of the salvation already given by God
 Rite of passage that signifies initiation into the beliefs and practices of
the Christian faith
Forms of baptism:
 Child baptism (Catholics, Anglicans, Presbyterians):
o Symbolic sign of child’s entry into the Christian community
 Adult baptism (Baptists, Pentecostals)
o Represents rebirth and a new life directed by Christ- death and
resurrection
 Whilst there are many variations of baptism, all involve water as a
symbol of new birth:”
o Aspersion: the sprinkling of water on the head
o Immersion: submersion of the entire body in water (only
practiced by Baptists and Pentecostals
o Affusion: the pouring of water on the head
Symbols:
 Water
o Cleaning- sign that sins and original sin are washed away
 Oils
o Oil of Catechumens rubbed on the baby for symbolic strength
and healing
o Oil of Chrism symbolising the joy and thanksgiving linked to being
born to a new life in Christ by water and the Holy Spirit
 Sign of the cross
o Signifies redemption won by Christ on the cross
o Makes the baptised with the imprint of Christ
 White garment
o Symbolises that the baptised person has “put on Christ”
o Sign of purity, newness and innocence
o Outward sign of new life
 Baptismal candle
o Light that darkness cannot overcome- receiving the light of
Christ

Stages:
 Reception

pg. 22
 STUDIES OF RELIGION

o Welcome rite
 Word
o Reading from the bible that encompass all principle beliefs
 Sacrament
 Conclusion:
o Conclusion with the Lord’s Prayer
 Final blessing- parents are blessed

3.2 Demonstrate how the chosen practice expresses the beliefs of

Christianity
Belief Meaning
Divinity and  Jesus is both fully human and
Humanity of fully divine
Jesus Christ  Fully human in order to
redeem humanity, cannot
save that which you are not
 Fully divine, Jesus is the only
one who can make the divine
apology to God for the
sinfulness of humanity
Death and  Death (humanity) and
resurrection resurrection (divinity)
of Jesus  Resurrection is everything
Christ Christianity is hinged upon
 Salvific act humanity freed
Nature of  God  Father, Son, Holy Sprit;
God and the Triune God
Trinity  “Separate but inseparable”
 God is all powerful, all present
and all knowing
 Incorporeal and eternal (no
body)
Revelation  Revelation is the transmission
of knowledge from the divine
to the human
 God being known in the
world: scripture, Jesus and
sacraments
In Baptism…
 Word and Scripture e.g. Mark 1:9-11
 Jesus’ own baptism read during
the ceremony (catholics)
 Baptist church: public baptisms like
Jesus’
 Reciting the Nicene/ apostles creed:
“He came down from the heavens;
and by the power of the Holy Spirit he
become incarnated by the virgin
Mary and become man”
 In being blessed by oil and the water
that washes away one’s sins, the
baptised is reborn into a new way of
living and reborn into Christ
 Candle symbolises risen Christ
 “This water symbolises baptism that…
saves you be the resurrection of Jesus
Christ” (1 Pet 3:21)
 All variants use the water for baptism
thrice
 Greek Orthodox Baptism  infant’s
body placed into the font three times
and a circular movement around the
font completed three times
 Sign of the cross and blessing
 Nicene creed: “One God, the Father
almighty”, “One Lord Jesus Christ, the
only Son of God”, “the Holy Spirit, the
Lord, the giver of life”
 Word and scripture e.g. mark 1:9-11
 Jesus’ own baptism read during
ceremony
 Baptismal candle light of Christ
 Being reborn into the church and its
teachings  becoming to know God

pg. 23
 STUDIES OF RELIGION

Salvation  Christians believe that  Baptism essential for salvation

salvation is offered as a gift
from God through the death
and resurrection of Jesus
Christ
 Central elements of salvation;
God is one who saves, God’s
saving action is liberating,
Jesus in his life and ministry
embodies the saving action
of God
(Catholic)
 Symbolic action of salvation for other
variants
 Nicene creed: “affirm one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins”. “We look
forward… to life in the world to
come”
 Water is symbolic of salvation,
washing away sins
 “This water symbolises baptism that
saves you by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ

3.3 Analyse the significance of this practice for both the individual
and the Christian community
Significance to the individual
Identity and  Rite of passage that is instrumental in the individual identity and sense of
belonging belonging
 Expression of beliefs in the ceremony and in joining the Church- affirms
individual identity and fosters belonging to God and to the rest of the
Christian community through mutual faith
 Initiation into the Church allows participation in the life and mission of the
Church
 Spiritual renewal and rebirth
 “Purification from sins and new birth in the Holy Spirit (CCC 1262);
removed from original sin (East Orthodox and Catholic)
 Child/ infant: paves the lifestyle they will live; service of God
 Adult: transforms them to modify their lifestyle in accordance with God’s
will
 History connection: the individual walks the same path and shares the
same rite that has been practiced among Christians since the earliest
days of the church
Expression of  Divinity and humanity:
beliefs  Scripture e.g. Mark 1:9-11 (Jesus’ baptism)
 Baptist church: public baptism like Jesus’
 Death and resurrection
 In being blessed by oil and the water that washed away one’s sins, the
baptised is reborn into a new way of living and reborn into Christ
 Candle symbolises risen Christ
 God and trinity
 Greek orthodox baptism: infant’s body placed into the font three times
and a circular movement around the font completed three times
 Blessing of trinity, sign of the cross
 Revelation

pg. 24
 STUDIES OF RELIGION

 Scripture
 Baptismal candle  light of Christ
 Salvation
 Baptism essential for salvation (catholic)
 Symbolic of salvation given by Jesus for other variants
 Water is symbolic of salvation- washing away sins
 Scriptures
Enduring  Opportunity for individual to reflect on and find answers to the enduring
questions questions of human existence
 Origins: Child of God, original sin, belonging to the church community,
new life
 Purpose and meaning: motivation to live a holy and obedient life,
becoming more like Christ, to live according to Christian teachings,
actively participating in the life of the community and as a Christian
adherent
 Destiny: salvation (Cath and Orth), Ethics  need to live justly and
according to purpose and meaning

Significance to the community

Identity and  Baptism is a marker in the life of Church community
belonging  Community is enriched by presence of new members who
participate in the life and mission of the Church
 Baptism allows the community to define its membership and
contribute to the collective identity and shared sense of belonging
within each person
 The parents and godparents of the baptised find a new sense of
identity as they are given the role to raise the child in the Christian
faith
 Therefore, baptism serves as a means of strengthening the liturgical
life of the Church community and ensuring that all members of the
Christian community are bound by a common set of values
Social cohesion  “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of
and you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourself with
transformation Church. There is neither Jew not Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is
there male and female, for you are all one in Jesus Christ” Gal 3:26-
28
 Maintains stability and cohesion within each variant, but also in the
global community and between different variations and
denominations; unifies all Christians all around the world
 Communally perpetuating the ancient tradition and honouring the
intention of Jesus as have many church communities before
 CCC1271: Baptism is the “foundation of communion among all
Christians”
 Christians all over the world are united by the fact that baptism is
rooted in a set of common beliefs about sin, redemption, salvations
and belonging to the family of God

pg. 25
 STUDIES OF RELIGION

Expression of  Communal professions of faith (creeds)

beliefs  Baptismal ceremony through rituals and symbols reflecting beliefs of
Christianity

pg. 26
 STUDIES OF RELIGION

Islam

1. Significant people and ideas – Imam Al-Shafi

1.1 Explain the contribution to the development and

expression of Islam of ONE significant person OR school of
thought, other than Muhammad and the Four Rightly
Guided Caliphs, drawn from:
– Imam Al-Shafi
 A descendent from the Quraish tribe and and a relative of the Prophet,
Imam Al-Shafi’i is the third of the four great Imams in Sunni Islam “his
knowledge, different to the other Imams was almost in every area and
every subject that you can know about”. Shafi’i’s legacy remains towering
and majestic in the consciousness of Islam and beyond. It was in the area
of jurisprudence, Fiqh, that Shafi’i made his greatest contributions. Al-
Shafi’i’s time was full of confusion and disorder over the Islamic law and
was creating social instability and corruption within society. Midst this time,
there were two conflicting schools of thought, the traditionalist such as
Malik and the Rationalists such as Hanifa. Therefore, Shafi’I sought to settle
the jurisic dispute by serving as a link between the two schools of through,
because he believed that the purity of the faith of Islam needed to be
maintained and protected as he based his theory on the Quanic
injunction to obey. Through this, he was able to unite the two conflicting
schools. Soon after, Shafi’i also focused on the codification, also known as
the Usul, of Fiqh. The Usul focused on the legal derivations and was seen
through Shafi’i’s ground breaking seminal work, otherwise known as The
Risalah, as it cited the four sources of Fiqh. These sources include the
Qu’ran, which Shafi’i used to interpret it’s outward meaning, the Sunnah,
which was brought into the field of Islamic law and can be used as a
source of law, Ijma, which can be used after the reference of the Qur’an
and Sunnah, and lastly, the Qiyas, which Shafi’i used to established a
balance between those who used analogy extensively as a source of law
verse those who completely rejected it.
 Contribution of expression
o Fatwas- defining how Muslims should live, clarified the faith
o Modelled the faith e.g. gave to the poor (zakat) and attended
Hajj
o Taught the faith e.g. at Hajj

pg. 27
 STUDIES OF RELIGION

1.2 Analyse the impact of this person OR school of thought on

Islam
 Al-Shafi has a special and enduring role in Islamic history
 He revolutionised the study of fiqh by systemising the science of usul al-
fiqh and putting it in written form, thus ensuring that specialists would
not commit mistakes in deriving rulings
 He is considered the mujadud, or the reviver, of the second century
 He prevented the fraying of the study of fiqh into hundreds of different,
competing schools by providing a general philosophy to be adhered
to
 he provided for legal reasoning, with his book, the Risalah, becoming a
textbook for students of Muslim jurisprudence
 He was accepted by all subsequent scholars of Islamic law, even the
Hanafi and Maliki schools were adapted to work within the framework
that Shafi provided
 Through initiating a trend toward the systematic use of the sources, set
in motion the movement to limit disagreement between the jurists. He
limited these disagreements to only those on matter on which the
scholars may exercise personal reasoning

2. Ethics

2.1 Describe and explain Islamic ethical teachings on bioethics OR

environmental ethics OR sexual ethics
Sources:
 Environmental ethics are in all the major sources of Islam
 The Qur’an has a number of specific references to ecology and
important principles which are applied to the environment
 Hadiths have a number of other important statements
 Shari’ah low includes many teaching which explain the application of
Qur’anic
principles to areas not specifically addressed in the Qur’an

Teachings:

 Environmental ethics are in all major sources of Islam

1. The Qu’ran has over 650 references to ecology and important

principles which are applied to the environment.
2. Hadiths have a number of other important statements which
provide guidelines on how to interact with the environment
3. Shari'ah law includes many teachings which explain the
application of Qur'anic principles to areas not specifically
addressed in the Qur'an.
4. Collectively the sources of authority in Islam provide clear
teaching and direction in relation to the environment.

pg. 28
 STUDIES OF RELIGION

Tawhid (unity of oneness of Allah)

 Centre of environmental ethics in Islam
 Belief in the unity and oneness of Allah - The creator of everything

‘To God belongs all that is in the heavens and on the earth’ [Q 4:126]

 The Qur’an says that everything in the heavens and the earth praises
Allah:
‘…bow in adoration’ [Q 55:6]

‘There is not a thing but glorifies His praise.’[Q 17:44]

 By extension, this principle includes the unity and oneness of all that
which is created by Allah.
 Human beings reflect on God’s oneness through viewing the natural
environment – ultimately reinforcing the belief of Tawhid
 Demands that the integrity of the created world is maintained and
respected.

‘the whole earth has been created a place of worship, pure and clean’
(Hadith)

Ayat (signs of Allah)

 Ayat are the signs of Allah in the environment and allows humanity to
learn about Allah’s attributes (99 names of Allah)
 Adherents learn about God through nature, encouraging reflection and
glorification of creation
 Nature helps adherents connect with the creator ∅ the Qur’an
continually reminds Muslims that the natural environmental contains
signs of him to reflect
 ‘Behold, verily in these things there are signs for those who think and
reflect!’ [Q 16:11]

Mizaan (Balance)
 The Qur'an conveys the creation of the universe in perfect balance and
measure, so it should not be altered by human beings.
‘Verily, all things have We created in proportion and measure’ [Q 54:49]
 Human beings have a responsibility to use the world's resources in a way
which does not diminish the diversity of creation or threaten the balance
and harmony that exists.
And the sky has He raised high, and has devised (for all things) a
balance, so that you might never transgress the balance: weigh, therefore
(your deeds) with equity, and do not upset the balance. [Q 55:7-9]
 Muslims must live sustainably to maintain the perfect balance created
by God
 Adherents cannot participate in exploitative industries that upset
balance

pg. 29
 STUDIES OF RELIGION

 Adherents must live in harmony with the environment and only use what
is necessary for survival

Kalifa (Vice-regent)
 The Qur’an says Allah created humans with a particular role or purpose
to be a steward, guardian or custodian for the environment and
creation. The appointment as Khalifa is the sacred duty given by Allah
to the human race.
‘The world is green and beautiful, and Allah has appointed you his
guardian over it" (Hadith). ‘It is he who appointed you caliph on this earth’
(Hadith)
 Humanity depends on the environment but the environment does not
depend on humanity.
 The only value that humanity can add to the environment is by
protecting and preserving it.
 This guardianship (kalifa) involves the appropriate use of the world's
resources for the needs of humankind but in a way which nurtures and
sustains the environment.
 Human beings must feel a sense of responsibility – maintenance and
protection
 No exploitative practices
 Environmental awareness and activism

Amanah (Trust)

 As kalifa, humanity has been entrusted to look after God’s creation, to

protect it, to maintain it and to ensure equal access to it
‘Truly We did offer the trust to the heavens and earth…But the man bore
it… [Q 33:72]
 Human beings should feel honoured at the trust placed in them and
acknowledge that they do not have the right to exploit or destroy these
resources.

 The use of the world’s resources should be in keeping with the nurturing
and sustaining responsibilities of their role as steward.

Akhrah (Accounting for actions)

 All actions are rewarded and punished
 Therefore, Muslims will be called to account for their actions in relation
to the environment on the Day of Judgement.
‘Whoever transgresses the bounds of God has done wrong but to
himself.’ [Q 65:1]
‘So whoever does an atom’s weight of will see it, and whoever does an
atom’s weight of evil will see it.’

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 STUDIES OF RELIGION

Application:
 Environmental concerns are substantially of a modern nature, relating to
issues which are peculiar t an industrialised world
 These include issues such as over population and global warming, which
belong to recent generations
 It is unreasonable to expect the sources to deal specifically with modern
issues
 However, principles of Muslim life provide very clear guidance in relation
to these issues
 Some environmental issues are directly addressed in Muslim sources
 Other teachings are drawn from the application of fundamental principles
to modern concerns
 Treatment of animals:
o Animal rights is very important in Islam
o The rights of animals were introduced at the same time as rights
for humans, over 1400 years ago
o “There is not a moving (living) creature on earth, nor a bird that
flies with its two wings, but are communities like you… then unto
their Lord they (all) shall be gathered” Qur’an
o Laws providing for the most humane way of killing animals are
included in Qur’an and Hadith including teachings about the
welfare of animals which relate to the keeping of animals in
confinement
o Animals should not be tied up or kept in unsuitably small spaces
and must also be kept in clean and sanitary surroundings
o Islamic teachings oppose experimentation on animals other than
those that seek to bring genuinely needed benefits to humanity
and only then after careful consideration of all alternatives
 Waste minimisation:
o Islam teaches that waste and excess leads to ingratitude and
arrogance
o When we limit out use of resources it leads to greater
appreciation of each resource used
o “And do not be wasteful; indeed he does not love the wasteful”
Qur’an
 Water conservation:
o Islam forbids extravagance in using water
o Since everything has value in Islam, Islam rules that protection of
all environmental elements from wastage must be maintained,
even if they are plentiful

Significant practices in the life of adherents – Hajj

3.1 Describe ONE significant practice within Islam drawn from:
Definition:
 An annual sacred journey, the Hajj is a religious obligation
commanded in the Qur’an “and pilgrimages to the House is a duty

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 STUDIES OF RELIGION

unto God or mankind, for him who can find the way thither” (Qur’an
3:97)
 As one of the five pillars, Muslims are required to attend Hajj at least
once in their lifetime
 A spiritual, mental and physical journey it is the most significant
manifestation of Islamic faith and unity with a series of rites, designed
by God and taught to Muhammad, that are performed to symbolise
the essential beliefs of the Islamic faith

Prepatory stage Niyyah (Mental Prep)

– Umrah  Involves placing oneself in an appropriate disposition
needed to undergo Hajj – to do so otherwise would be
to render the experience unless in terms of its spiritual
values
Ihram (Physical preparation)
 Pilgrims clean themselves and wear white garments
 This symbolises the state of holiness that pilgrims have
entered into and serves to imply a sense of harmony
and impartiality by erasing all signs of wealth, culture
and class
Pilgrimage 1. Circumambulation of the Ka’ba – Tawaf
 As the pilgrims arrive in Mecca, they pray the Talbiyah:
‘here I am O Allah. Here I am. Here I am”
 The pilgrims circle the Ka’ba (House of God) 1 times
2. The Running – Sa’y
 During Hajj, the pilgrims walk 7 laps beginning at the hill
Safa and finishes at Marwa.
 It re-enacts the Biblical and Quaranic story of Hagar’s
search for water for Ishmael
3. Day of Arafat – Standing before Allah
 The day of Arafat is the pivotal moment of the Hajj
practice
 Mount Arafat was the place of Prophet Muhammad’s
final sermon
 Pilgrims stand from midday until sunset in a state of
mediation. Known as Wuquf, or standing before Allah –
preview of Day of Judgement
4. Stoning the Devil – Jamrat
 Casting of stones at the pillars representing the three
attempts by the devil at dissuading Abraham from
sacrificing Ishmael to God.
 Pilgrims throw seven consecutive pebbles, reciting
Bismillah with each
Sacrifice 5. The sacrifice of the Lamb – Eid al-Adha
 Celebrated by Muslims to commemorate Abraham’s
willingness to sacrifice Ishmael (Which God substituted

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 STUDIES OF RELIGION

for a ram) after Abraham passed the test of his love for
God
 Testifies Abraham’s willingness to give up worldly desires
 Excess of the lambs sacrificed here are given to the
poor
Concluding 6. Taking off the Ihram, Tawaf and Sa’y
Stage  The ihram is removed. Men shave their heads and
women cut a lock of hair
 Pilgrims then return to Mecca, and Tawaf is completed
7 times again
 Pilgrims repeat sa’y, and drinking from the Zamzam Well
7. Stoning the Devil – Jamrat, again
 Pilgrims return to Mina to complete Jamrat
8. The final Tawaf
 When the pilgrim is ready to return home, they make
Tawaf al’wadaa

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 STUDIES OF RELIGION

SIGNIFICANCE TO THE INDIVIDUAL:

 Reaffirms identity and aids in personal development

 The Hajj allows for a spiritual transformation, rejuvenation and
rebirth of self
 The preparation for Hajj allows the pilgrim to focus on God and
nothing else

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 STUDIES OF RELIGION

 To undertake Hajj without the appropriate disposition is to render

the experience useless in terms of spiritual value
 The physical nature of the Hajj takes individuals away from their
comfort zones
 Individuals learn determination, perseverance, patience and
control of human will.
 A pilgrim seeks to desist from abuse, indecency, dishonesty and
bickering.
 Upon returning from Hajj the pilgrim’s life changes for the better.
Muslims learn to be truthful and to live a life free of sin, to try to
reject and avoid evil. This is seen particularly in the stoning of the
devil.

 Reaffirms belief in Allah and in the Muslim tradition – Jihad and

submission to God, strengthens spiritual virtues – purification of soul.
 Hajj provides individuals with the opportunity for spiritual rebirth
through developing a closer relationship with Allah. It therefore
strengthens the faith of a Muslim:
 ‘Allah has made obligatory upon you…the pilgrimage, for it
consolidates the faith.’ [Hadith]
 Refinement and strengthening of faith and relationship with Allah
 The Hajj involving rituals reflecting the essence and beliefs of Islam
– the recurrent talbiyah, the ihram, jamrat, the sacrifice of the
lamb highlighting commitment and submission
 The lesson learnt in striving and sacrifice before Allah is not
available from any other source
 Hajj reflects the essence of Islam: complete devotion toward
Allah: self-sacrifice; equality; and a lack of discrimination
 The one who performs Hajj has his/her past sins forgiven by Allah –
“accumulated sins expatiated (Hadith).
 At Arafat, not only is this symbolic of submission to God, but this
surrendering to His will allows for peace of mind

 Honour and history

 The pilgrim is honoured in his or her community
 The Hajj rituals have a deep psychological significance for Muslims
– it is a profound experience.
 The pilgrimage helps Muslims to learn the history of Islam and how
it has been held up over the centuries

SIGNIFICANCE TO THE COMMUNITY:

 Reinforcing the universality of the Umma (brotherhood, global Muslim
community); form of collective worship
 Hajj is the ultimate symbol of unity and universality – Muslims are
joined together from all around the world on the basis of belief in
Allah regardless of political, social or economic differences.

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 STUDIES OF RELIGION

Provides the opportunity for social cooperation and

understanding.
 Hajj has long been an opportunity for Muslims to share ideas, pass
on experiences and books when they meet.
 Perpetuated by the ihram which promotes their universality
 The stay in Arafat also symbolises the brotherhood of humanity.
Arafat is the place where Adam and Eve met after being
separated by the ‘fall’.
 Hajj is not just strengthening one’s own identity, but also reaffirming
their community identity and belonging and place within their
Muslim community.
 In reinforcing the universality of the Umma, there is powerful
collective submission to the will of Allah.
 Collective form of worship gives rise to a public consciousness – ie
the ‘spectacle’ of the Hajj contains an important element of
witness to the principles of Islam.

 Affirmation of equality
 During the Hajj, the distinction of rank, race, language, tribe and
caste cease to exist as pilgrims stand shoulder to shoulder in
supplication (prayer) and wear the ihram.
 This witness to the international and interracial harmony is integral
to the Hajj and is testament to the diversity of Muslim community,
and maintaining equality within diversity.

 Source of inspiration and peace

 While the Hajj is undertaken by individuals, it inspires others as it
involves the whole of the community: before, during, and after the
pilgrimage.
 This source of inspiration can assist others in committing themselves
to undertake the Hajj and to collectively be committed to Allah

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 STUDIES OF RELIGION

Judaism
1.1 Explain the contribution to the development and expression of
Judaism of ONE significant person OR school of thought, other
than Abraham or Moses, drawn from:
– Abraham Joshua Heschel
Biography:
 Heschel was born in 1907 and died in 1972.
 His philosophy remains towering over Judaism
Contribution to the development of Judaism:
 Theosophical Development (Reminding Jewish people of the richness of the Jewish
tradition)
o theosophy maintains that a knowledge of God may be
achieved through spiritual ecstasy, direct intuition, or special
individual relations.
o Heschel developed an original philosophy of Judaism, whereby
he believed that although the existence of God cannot be
proved, people could become more aware of God through
nature, divine revelation in the Torah and how one lives.
o Heschel wanted to make a modern access to ancient literature
o God was made more personal and approachable by Heschels
development of
 A God of Pathos:
 Heschel sees God as Anthropopathic (A God that
feels)
 It is written in the scriptures that God cares
 “We don’t pray in order to be saved, we pray in
order to be worthy of saving”
 The Aggadah
 Aggadah investigates and interprets the meaning,
the values, and the ideas which underlie the specific
distinctions which govern religious life
 A collection of rabbinic homilies
 Incorporates folklore, historical anecdotes, moral
exhortations and advice
 For Heschel, the aggadah is the source for the fear
of heaven, the spirit of the law, moral imperatives,
and piety
 Heschel’s unique and most important contribution to
the study of aggadah was to reintroduce people to
the rabbinic texts
o Because of Heschel's Theosophical Contribution, judaism is
impacted in these ways
 Heschel resurrected the living of god, the god who cares
passionately about the equality of human life. He sought
to turn people's focus to God. He taught modern Jewish
people how to speak about God

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 STUDIES OF RELIGION

 He tried to recover the significance of existential questions

to which judaism offers answers
 Heschel also developed a philosophy of time where a
modern technical society that thinks in special categories
is contrasted with the jewish idea of hallowing time. (eg-
Sabbath)

 ‘Irrational’ Development (Reminding Jews of their relationship with God. Ineffability of

God)
o Irrational means to be inconsistent with reason of logic
o ´“In our religious situation, we do not comprehend the
transcendent; we are present at it, we witness it. Whatever we
know is inadequate; whatever we say is an understatement …
Concepts, words must not become screens; they must be
regarded as windows.”
o In two ways Heschel explored this
 Ineffability of God
 Ineffability is the ability and reality of people's
knowledge of God
 People encounter the ineffitable, they don’t create
it.
 Of God Heschel says: “God is not a hypothesis
derived from logical assumptions, but an immediate
insight, self evident as light. He is not something to
be sought in the darkness with the light of
reason. He is the light.”
 Existential Questions
 ´Heschel is known and revered for his message of
hope. He believed that the reality of God gave
meaning and significance to life.
 Heschel once declared that: the ultimate meaning
of existence is to be a religious witness.
 He also said: “It is not enough for me to ask
questions; I want to know how to answer the one
question that seems to encompass everything I
face: What am I here for?”
o Because of Heschel's ‘Irrational’ Contribution, judaism is
impacted in these ways
 Heschel offered a distinctly critical vision of Modernity
 helped people recognise the power of prayer
 He critiqued also the view of religion that God was an
object to be known, proved and validated. The key, said
Heschel, “was not to know God, but to be known by Him.”
 Heschel endorsed Zionism (Jewish nationalist movement
that has had as its goal the creation and support of a
Jewish national state in Palestine, the ancient homeland of
the Jews)

pg. 38
 STUDIES OF RELIGION

 Experimental Development (reminded jews of the whole purpose of being human. To

experience life, to live)
o According to Heschel, the individual learns about God not by
reason and intellect, but through experience, divine revelation,
and sacred deeds.
o ´These enable an individual to form a relationship with God.
o This is what Heschel terms a ‘leap of action’.
o Tikkun Olam
 Repairing the world
 Heschel believed that God needs humanity to do
the work of his creation
 Living the religious life means serving God’s ends.
 Humanity is not an innocent and passive bystander
in the universe.
 ´The core of the Jewish religion is the quest for right
living, right here, right now!

o Because of Heschel's Experimental Contribution, judaism is

impacted in these ways
 Heschel emphasised the public concern of religion,
because religion is inherently concerned with justice.
 He combined inner piety and prophetic activism of which
social justice was an essential action.
 His concern and action have been pivotal on two
particular issues: racism and peace.
 He applied the insights of his religious philosophy to
particular problems confronting people in modern times
such as
 To rabbinic and lay audiences he spoke on prayer
and symbolism
 At two White House Conferences he addressed the
issues of Children and Youth (1960) and Ageing
(1961).
 Your religious perspective allows you to preserve problems
 Heschel offered a vision of Judaism that did not espouse
separation from the larger society , but rather demanded
critical engagement with it:
 His involvement with the civil rights movement
 Participation in the vatican
 His opposition on vietnam war and Soviet Jewry
 His view of Jewish-Christian dialogue
 “Mutual enrichment and enhancement of respect and
appreciation”

Contribution to the expression of Judaism

 Social Activism

pg. 39
 STUDIES OF RELIGION

o In Heschel’s eyes, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah, Jeremiah, and

Habbakkuk are spiritual radicals of ancient Israel who challenge
today’s cynical expectations.
o Heschel roots his ethics in imago dei, the concept that all human
beings – regardless of race or religion – are created in the image
of God.
o ‘Sacred humanism’
o Heschel had an extraordinary commitment and contribution to
social justice.
o He said that ‘the indifference to evil is worse than evil itself’
o He was the key Jewish figure in the American Civil Rights
Movement.
 The 1963 meeting with Luther King came at the first
National Conference of Religion and Race where Heschel
denounced American discrimination against blacks.
 in 1965 Heschel participated in the Selma-to-Montgomery
voting rights march “as though my legs were praying”
 Racism is man’s gravest threat to man – the maximum of
hatred for a minimum of reason.
 Political Activism
o For Heschel, political activism was not just history, but salvation
history, occurring within the realm of God.
o Heschel felt strongly about the vietnam war
 Heschel lectured frequently at anti-war rallies
 Made his opposition to Vietnam an integral part of both his
public lectures and his classes at the Jewish Theological
Seminary.
 With Daniel Berrigan and Richard John Neuhaus, Heschel
cofounded the first and largest group of clergy opposed
to the Vietnam War – ‘Clergy and Laymen Concerned
about Vietnam’
 As a consequence of his vigorous condemnation of the
Vietnam War, Heschel was placed under FBI surveillance.

 Religious Activism
o Heschel's past experiences and religious views made him speak
out about many Jewish Related Religious issues
 Soviet Jewry
 Heschel was among the first to speak out on behalf
of religious freedom for Soviet Jews, beginning in
1963, from what he termed the “spiritual genocide”
being through a denial of religious freedom and
being persecuted if they chose to live as Jews.
 Heschel reminded American Jewish community of
what they did not do for the Jews of Europe during
the Holocaust and challenged them to not let the

pg. 40
 STUDIES OF RELIGION

last great European Jewish community in the world

be wiped out
 “I do not want future generations to spit on our
graves”
 His and others’ pleas that moral pressure be placed
on the Soviet Union would eventually lead to
hundreds of thousands of Russian Jews being
allowed to emigrate, and the easing of restrictions of
Soviet Jewish life.
 Interfaith Dialogue
 His religious activism also found voice in his
groundbreaking vision of Jewish-Christian relations.
 Heschel’s interfaith experience was with Roman
Catholicism in particular. He described Saint John
XXIII as ‘a great miracle.’
 Heschel played a critical role in the writing of the
Declaration on the Jews (in Nostra Aetate, 1965)
from Vatican Council II (a document which began a
transformation of 2000 years of poor Catholic-Jewish
relations.)
 specifically absolves the Jewish people of guilt over
the crucifixion of Jesus, and condemns anti-Semitism
 In 1972 Pope Paul cited Heschel when he said ‘even
before we have move in search of God, God has
come in search of us’. This was an unprecedented
reference by a Pope to the works of a non-Christian
writer.

IMPACT OF HESCHEL ON JUDAISM :

 Four decades after his death ,Heschel’s legacy remains towering and
majestic in the consciousness of the American Jewish community and
beyond
 Heschel made his impact by the wholeness of his person, by his passion
for social Justice, by his scholarship in the Jewish tradition, and his
religious thinking in the human situation.
 Heschel's articulated a ‘depth theology’ which he describes as the
‘act of believing’, it exists not in books but in the heart.
 Theologians continue to take Heschel's writings to stretch scholars,
demanding them to rethink how people live.

2.1 Describe and explain Jewish ethical teachings on bioethics OR

environmental ethics OR sexual ethics
Environmental ethics:
 Biblical views on nature, the environment and human responsibility are
quite diverse
 All agree that the job of humanity is to be stewards of Gods creation

pg. 41
 STUDIES OF RELIGION

 Nature is observed in two ways:

o For its benefits to human beings
o Its intrinsic value, independent of humans
Liturgical Sources:
 Most evident through the prayer-life of a Jew- the Aleinu prayer gives
thanks for “Adonei’s creation” while acknowledging at the same time
Repair the world, your holy empire”
 Links directly to the teaching of Tikkun Olam (repair the world)- calls
believers into a state of action and healing, holding obvious implications
for a world which is so damaged
 Actions which reflect this are re-forestation, animal breeding programs,
repair of damaged and polluted landscapes
Mystical sources:
 Mystical streams of Judaism is known as Kabbalah; presents significant
opportunity from immersion in ethical ways of thinking in a post-
industrialised world
 Awareness that “All is one. All is self”- recognises the unity and oneness of
all creation
 Provides a direct spiritual/ moral link back to ancient sources e.g, Talmud
and Torah
 Prominent thinkers like Abraham Joshua Heschel provide important
contribution to the debate, especially in his desire for peace and equality
world wide
Halachah and Aggadah:
 Halachah is concerned entirely with legal matters, it refers to the body
of Jewish religious law
 Contained in the first five books of the Tenak and takes the form of a
series of obligations prescribed by the 613 mitzvot. Many of these
mitzvot have an impact on Jewish environmental ethics
 Aggadah is the non-legal tradition. In the context of Jewish
environmental ethics, Aggadah includes discussions on environmental
issues, such as cutting down trees; anecdotes and folklore
The Tenak:
 Is the principal and most authoritative source for Jewish environmental
ethics
 It provides principles to determine the ethics of current as well as
emerging environmental issues, such as nuclear pollution and global
warming
 Contains the Halachah and Aggadah
The Talmud:
 The oral tradition, recorded in the Talmud by Jewish religious scholars
between the second and fifth centuries CE, is a second source of
Jewish environmental ethics.
 Talmudic literature employs both Halachah and Aggadah which have
implications for Jewish environmental ethics

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 STUDIES OF RELIGION

 Over the centuries, rabbinic scholars have been concerned about

preserving the environment and preventing pollution. The Jerusalem
Talmud contains Halachah that reflects this concern.
 Aggadah is employed in the Babylonian Talmud and illustrates the
environmental ethic prohibiting waste.
 Humankind has an obligation to preserve the environment and prevent
pollution.
 Humankind has an obligation to take from the environment only what is
needed so as to prevent unnecessary waste - the principle of bal
tashchit.

Principle teachings/ guidelines:

Teaching Explanation Scripture Application
God is  God created  “Now all that I  The Jerusalem
the everything in the have created, I Talmud specifically
creator universe- all is good created for your prohibits humankind
and has a purpose benefit. Think from disrupting the
 Interconnectedness upon this and do natural law. Natural
of the world not corrupt and law helps to protect
represents God’s unity destroy My world, the environment/
For if you destroy Gods creation
it, there is no one  Halachah prohibits
to restore it after any action that
you." causes unnecessary
pain to animals.
Animals should be
treated with kindness.
 Torah required the
Israelites to rest the
land every seven
years.

Human  Creation belongs to  The land and the  All people should
beings God but is given to fullness thereof have access to the
are humans to care and are the Lord's; worlds resources
Gods protect the world and especially the poor-
stewards  They are to use the those who dwell do not take all of
earth according to therein. what is there, ensure
Gods plan that there is some for
all people and also
enough for the
resource to grow or
replace itself
 Shabbat- reminder
that God owns and
has ultimate control
over the earth

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 STUDIES OF RELIGION

 Resting the earth

every 7 years
reinforces the same
message
 By following these
mitzvot sustainability
is increased-
demonstration of
stewardship
 Not to cause
extinction to animals-
caring for God’s
creatures- links to the
covenant made with
Noah- God will not
wipe out the
creatures of the Earth
again, humans must
abide by this as well

The law  Is a mitzvah  As soon as you  It prohibits the current

of bal prohibiting the use them global waste of food,
tashchit needless and wasteful unwisely, be it which amounts to
destruction of all the greatest or more than one billion
aspects of creation the smallest, you tons each year with
 Based on commit devastating
Deuteronomy 20:19- treachery against environmental
20 My world, you consequences.
 Mitzvah has come to commit murder  Advocating modest
apply to all forms of and robbery consumption
destruction and against My  Irrigation, mining and
wasteful consumption property, you sin landscaping
against Me!  Violated when
industrial production
results in needless
and wasteful
formation of
pollutants and when
these wastes are
disposed of
inappropriately.
 How best resources
can be used

Tikkun  Refers to the repair  When God  Minimising excessive

Olam and restoration of the created the first and wasteful
world human beings, consumption and

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 STUDIES OF RELIGION

 Acknowledges that God led them recycling and reusing

the world has been around the resources are ways of
destroyed by human Garden of Eden practicing bal
greed and said: "Look tashchit. They are
 Tikkun Olam occurs as at my works! See ways of repairing and
a result of the law of how beautiful restoring the world.
bal tashchit they are - how  It aims to build a
excellent! For sustainable world
your sake I and reduce the
created them all. unequal distribution
See to it that you of wealth and
do not spoil and resources.
destroy My world;
for if you do,
there will be no
one else to repair
it."

Teaching Explanation
Brit  Covenantal Relationship= Humanity is in covenant with itself, god
Covenantal and creation
relationship  God as “commander” and Jews as the “commanded by God”
 Stewardship- “to use it and protect it” Caretakers of creation
o Sources:
 Genesis
 Maimonides- “forbidden to destroy the tree but take
the fruit”
 Auot Di Rebbe Natan B31 “Plant the sapling and then
go to the Messiah
 Eccle Rubban 2:28/ Midrash “See how beautiful … No
body to repair it”
 Isaiah 11:1-9 and Joel 2:21-26 show a flourishing
environment and a state of harmony between
humankind and the rest of creation
Tikkun Olam  From an environmental perspective, Tikkum Olam is founded on
Repair of the Midrash (oral law written down)
world  Tikkum Olam acknowledges that the worlds has been damaged
through human greed and selfishness- in need of repair
 Tikkun Olam minimises excessive and wasteful consumption
through reusing resources
 Aims to build a sustainable world and reduce unequal distributions
of resources
o ‘Nobody to repair it’ Eccles
 Kobelet Rabbah 7:17 “it is only us who can make a
difference”
Tzedek  Righteousness comes from the subjugation of human desire to
higher, spiritual discipline

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 STUDIES OF RELIGION

Righteous/  Spiritual disciple to use our resources wisely- moral responsibility

Justice  Tries to correct the imbalance that occurs in society and the
natural world
 Concepts of Tzedek demands we create a worldwide economy
that is sustainable and equitable in the distribution of resources
o Righteousness, justice and equality
o These teachings extend to the natural environment
o Abraham Joshua Heschel:
 Create an economy of sustainability and equality
 Control over power and greed/ materialism
 Reconcile with the earth and take responsibility for
human part in the destruction of relationships
Bal Tashcit  The mitzvah prohibits the needless and wasteful destruction of all
Do not Destroy aspects of creation
 Applies to irrigation, mining and landscape, wasting energy, water,
clothing
 This teaching is not violated when destroying an object is of more
benefit than preserving it
 Fundamental law of bal tashkhit underpins the teaching of the
Jewish tradition on the environment
 It has been used to prohibit any form of needless or careless
destruction, waste or excessive use of resources
 In its original form, bal tashkhit prohibits the destruction of fruit trees
 Others may be cut down but fruit trees must be preserved for the
food they provide
 Talmud extends this specific teaching to a range of applications.
"Whoever breaks vessels, or tears garments, or destroys a building,
or clogs a well, or does away with food in a destructive manner
violates the negative mitzvah of bal tashkhit" (Kiddushin 32a)

Issue- deforestation
Tu-Bishvat  Occurs on the 4th of February- when new things are blossoming
Year of the  Trees occupy a special place in Jewish thought which closely
Trees relates to man’s relationship with the environment- our life support
system
o Religious observance that celebrates creation and
human stewardship as an act of Prayer and reverence to
G-d
o Sources:
 Presents an image of bounty and beauty with trust
 In G-d and Messiah shown through the
environment
 I.e. The environment shows signs of the work of G-d
and expectation for the time of the coming of the
Messiah
Tza’ar Ba’alei  Judaism has always recognised the link between the way a person
Chayim treats animals and the way a person treats human beings

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 STUDIES OF RELIGION

Prevention of  In the Talmud, Rabbis say that a person may not purchase an
Cruelty to animal unless he has made provisions to feed it
Animals o Valuing animals lives
o Sources:
 Leviticus: many law pertaining to care for animals
 613 mitvot- many relate to care of animals and
right relationships with animals
 Sefer Chassidin 530- “They become sorrowful and
upset at the pain of animals”
 Deuteronomy 22:6-7 & Leviticus 22:28
B’Tzekem  Humans are created in the image of God, therefore we have a
Elohim special place in the order of creation
Created in  Humans take responsibility for any wrong-doing; we are placed
God’s image here to act as God’s agents and to actualise God’s presence;
only species to take control
Kashrut  Goes beyond Kosher- has the animal been killed with dignity?
Ethical eating  Not only eating; poly-styrene cups take years to decompose, fair-
trade chocolate
 “Eco- Kashrut” demands extensive and appropriate assessment of
food/ possessions
Shemitta  Shabbat acknowledges that humans have no ownership or
Shabbat and authority over the world, that everything belongs to God (6 days
Sabbatical year humans can rule the world, not 7th)
 Acknowledging the creator for our consumption of Divine
products (environment)
 Shemitta is the Sabbatical Year- Reflects the Shabbat of humans
every 7th day
 Every 7th year, the land should by left unfertilised to let the earth
recover
o Source:
 Texts provide for animals to be given the same
Sabbath rest as humans enjoy. (Exodus 20:11,
Exodus 23:12, Deuteronomy 5:14)
 Issue- Excessive consumption- over fishing, materialism, mining
Balance  Looks specifically at what a person needs rather than what they
Take only what want or think
you need  Prohibits gluttony and greed- mortality and self-control comes into
play here
 Balance refers to the struggle that modern day people face in a
selfish-world

Describe ONE significant practice within Judaism drawn from:

– Death and mourning
 Death is perceived as part of life’s cycle in Judaism
 Living on Earth is one type of life, and living after death is another type of
life, “For you are dust and to dust shall you return” – Genesis 3:19

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 STUDIES OF RELIGION

 In Judaism, death is the reward for life well lived and is seen as part of
God’s plan
 Death and mourning rituals are a part of a rite of passage that transports
the deceased from one life to another and supports the family and
community left behind
 Rite of passage defined as: ritual that transports an individual from one life
stage to another

GOSSES – the dying

Stage Details
Bikkur Holim  Visiting the sick, while this is part of the pastoral
(Visiting) duties of pulput Rabbis
 Sacred responsibility, Mitzvah of being present
 Not just sitting or standing in the same room as the
sick -> it is about being attentive to the whole
person
 This kind of presence is no small thing, since a lonely
death is a fearful prospect on earth
 “In the end, being present is both the only thing
and the greatest thing we have to give one
another”
Viddui  Verbal acknowledgement of sin
(Confession)  Jewish deathbed confessional prayer
 During the Yom Kippur Viddui -> whole
congregation rises and symbolically beats its cheat
while confessing to an alphabetical series of sin
 Viddui recited at the end of life is very different;
personal rather than communal
 Acknowledges the imperfections of a dying person
and seeks a final reconciliation with God
 Has nothing to do with insuring the soul’s place in
the “world-to-come”, nor does it, in any way,
tempt fate
 If someone feels death approaching them, they
should recite the Viddui
 Many have said the Viddui and not died, many
have not said the Viddui and have died
 If unable to recite aloud, say it in your heart
 If unable to recite -> other can recite for or with
you
B’racha  A blessing that is recited at specific times during
(Blessing) services and rituals
 Can also be said when someone experiences
something that makes them feel like a blesses

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 STUDIES OF RELIGION

 Blessings recognize the special relationship

between God and humanity
 Said by Rabbi and/or family members
Aninut  5 stages in the Jewish mourning process -> 1st stage
(Deep sorrow) is Aninut (from time of death to burial)
 During the period leading up to the funeral, Aninut,
the onenim are exempt from performing positive
Mitzvot
 Period of intense mourning
 During this time, the individual given time to feel
and express shock and sadness and to attend the
burial
 “Someone whose relative has died, if it is a relative
that one is required to mourn over, he must tear his
garment over the deceased”
 Focus on the person dying

KEVOD HA~MET – honouring the body

Stage Details
Shemira  Body to be accompanied at all times – not left
(Guarding) alone until after burial
 Based on the principle of honouring the dead
 Passes time reading Psalms as they watch over the
deceased (the 23rd and 91st Psalms are usually
read)
 Serves as a comfort for the surviving loves ones as
well
Taharah  Speedy burial – body laid out in family home
(Purification)  Removed from sight and refrigerated to prevent
decay, still danger of objectifying the body
 Ceremonial washing, dressing in (white) shrouds
and shawl and placing the body in a coffin
 Ultimate respect for the Jewish person
 Eternal act of kindness – cannot be repaid
 Communal acknowledgment that every individual
is made in the image of God
 One of the most awe-inspiring experiences
 Family members do not participate as they
consider it too painful for them to handle
 Immersion in a body of ‘living water’ – personal
transformation
K’riah  Designed to arouse within the mourner and all
(Rending) those prevent the ability to their grief -> creates an
“opening” for the person to release their feelings

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 STUDIES OF RELIGION

 Performed by mourners prior to the burial

 Signifies it is the outer garment representing the
body which has been torn -> soul of deceased,
along with love between deceased and mourners
will forever remain, growing overtime
Levayah  Accompanying someone to their final resting
(Accompanying) place -> act of love and kindness
 Idea of not leaving them alone until they are
buried
NICHUM AVELIM – comforting the mourners

STAGE DETAILS
Seudat  The first meal eaten by the mourner after the funeral –
Havra’ah “Meal of recuperation”
(Meal of  Eaten on the night of funeral
condolence)  Prepared by neighbours and friends of mourners to
give them strength
 At this meal, mourner is forbidden to eat of his food
 It is a Mitzvah, for friends and neighbours to bring him
food
 Custom is to include round cakes (symbolises cycle of
life) or eggs in the meal of ‘recuperation’
 Usually begins with the blessing over bread, the ‘Motzi’
 At some point during funeral, Rabbi will announce “you
are all invited back to the cohen home for the Seudat
Havra’ah”
 Usually the largest gathering of Shiva house, many
mourners deeply moved
 Can get out of hand as people walk about as if it was
a Jewish wake
Shiva  Beings immediately after the burial and lasts for 7 days,
(Seven) ending after the mourning service on the 7th day
 Time for prayer and reflection
 Shiva is not observed on the Shabbat or holidays
 Where Shiva is only the seven day period, it is common
that some family members/mourners only choose to sit
it for 1-3 days, depending on many factors -> including
level of observance or the deceased’s
instructions/wishes
 Traditionally observed in the home of the
deceased/residence of an immediate family
 Time for community -> help out
 Mourner observances:
 Staying home: Do not work during the week,
generally stay at home, do not participate in
social events, ordered to focus on loss fully in order
to heal

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 STUDIES OF RELIGION

 Sitting on low chair: May sit on low stools/boxes as

a means of expressing grief, symbolises humility
and paid of the mourner being ‘brought low’ by
the passing of a loved one
 Covered mirrors: Mirrors are covered -> mourners
should not be concerned with their appearance
at the time
 Burning candle: Tall candle traditionally burns for 7
days in Shiva home -> sign of memorial
 Mourner attire: Wearing torn black ribbon on their
clothing -> symbolises tear in mourner’s heart (may
be worn near heart)
Shloshim  30 day period -> constitutes on all relatives other than
(Thirty) parents
 The counting of Sheloshim follows the principle using in
counting Shiva
 Shloshim ends after the synagogue service on the
morning of the 30th day
 Period technically commences after interment, not
after death
 Far less intense than Shiva because it is a period of
mourning
 After 30 days, Mourners resume normal social and
professional duties, yet are still restricted in certain
ways
 Cutting hair and wearing new clothes during this period
are considered inappropriate
 Period eases mourners back into routine -> allowing the
resumption of many but not all social behaviours
 Conclusion of 30 day period: memorial service is held;
various Jewish texts are taught in memory of deceases
during this time
Yud Bet  Year of mourning
Chodesh  The mourning period of a parent.
(Twelve  Starts from the day of death, and lasts until a year has
months) passed
 Uncover gravestone after 12 months
Yahrzeit  The anniversary date of the death, according to the
(Anniversary) Hebrew calendar, that is observed as a solemn day of
remembrance
 On the first anniversary -> celebrated on the day of the
funeral
 Every year after -> celebrated on the day of death =
signified end of mourning period
 Yahrzeit candle is lit on the eve of the anniversary in the
home, symbolic of soul and spirit of the deceased ->
burns for 24 hours

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 STUDIES OF RELIGION

 On this day = mourner avoids eating meat and drinking

wine -> as they are symbols of Festivity and Joy
 Customs include:
1. Lighting a 24 hour candle on evening before
Yahrzeit
2. Giving Tzedakah -> a donation to charity in memory
of deceased
3. Studying sections of Torah or Talmud by Orthodox
Jews
4. The halachic obligation to recite Kaddish or have
someone to do it on one’s behalf
5. Fasting from sunrise to sunset

3.2 Demonstrate how this practice expresses the beliefs of Judaism

Single God who is the Creator:
 God is the one and only creator and divine being
 Acceptance and inevitability of death is viewed as an affirmation of
trust in God
 Trust in Gods plan and his words
 Show dignity and respect to those who are dead- they have passed on
as God had planned
Moral law:
 The 613 mitvot of the Torah inform all beliefs in relation to fulfilling the
moral law required by God in accordance with the covenant
 Judaism not only permits by requires a person to violate the
commandments if necessary to save a life
 The preparation and burial of the body are highly valued mitzvoth- an
act of kindness
 Basic religious practises must not be violated to say kaddish
 Men are buried and wrapped in their prayer shawls with their fringes
cut off (as they signifiy the 613 mitzvot that can no longer be
performed
 The family is not required to work, pray, study the Torah or do anything
to keep commandments during this time, but to simply focus on
preparations for the burial
 Accompanying the dead and comforting mourners
Covenant:
 The covenant with moses defines the relationship that was to exists
between God and the people of Isreal
 Jewish law requires that a tombstone be prepared, so that the
deceased will not be forgotton and the grave will not be desecrated
 It is customary on some communities to keep the tombstone veiled, or
to delay in putting it up, until the end of the 12-month mourning period
 The idea underlying this custom is that the dead will not be forgetten
when he is being mourned every day
 The submission to the love of God is evident during life and death

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 STUDIES OF RELIGION

 The time leading up to death is spent preparing to meet God

 The prayer said in the mourning period shows a trust in God
Created in the image of God:
 According to Genesis, human beings are created in the image of God
 The body is to be respected during life and also after death
Belief in the afterlife:
 The body is buried as quickly as possible so that the soul can be
released to the afterlife
 The purpose of mourning is not to heighten the sadness, but to support
one another in the understanding that there is an afterlife
3.3 Analyse the significance of this practice for both the individual
and the Jewish community
Individual (the dying/ dead):
 The deceased individual is shown the respect and is never left
unaccompanied
 The burial and mourning rituals offer an individual an opportunity to say
that the loved ones life had an impact on theirs
 Develop and maintain a sense of belonging and acceptance in a
community with shared experiences of grief and bereavement
 Comfort of knowing they will be cared for and respected in death
 Rituals and practises ensures that an individual does not die alone and
that the bdy is treated with respect and dignity
 Provides individuals with comfort of Jewish faith and death practises-
reassurance of being remembers
 Vidui enables them to make peace with God
Individual (mourner):
 The family and friends spend their time of mourning in prayer and
reflection about the deceased, but also their own faith
 Support the dying person/ say a blessing after death
 Ritual of K’riah- symbol of a broken heart due to the death
 Witnessing and participating in the funeral and burial- enables
individual mourner to do something physical for the deceased
 Provides a grieving framework- directed through stages

Community:
 Fulfil commandments of respecting dead/ console the mourner
 Encouraged to visit the sick to keep them company and give comfort
 When a community member des it is their responsibility to continue
fulfilling the commandments- observe death and mourning practises,
loving, respecting and helping mourners
 Support family, can be the guardians of the body, accompany body
to funeral, fill the grave, provide meal of condolence

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 STUDIES OF RELIGION

Religion and Peace

Islam:
1.1 Investigate the understanding of peace and how it is informed
through significant writings within sacred texts Islam (Qur’an and
Hadith)
The four dimensions of peace in Islam:
 Eternal
o Ultimate goal is to reach eternal life- life is temporary/ death is
not the end
o Accountability- good deeds rewarded and injustices will be
resolved
o If this is their goal it will assist in attaining inner peace
 Inner
o Provides tranquillity of peace and mind
o You can have turmoil outside but peace within
o Manifested in behaviour
o Needs to be achieved by actions and through their true
existence and soul gaining knowledge of love and the divine
 Inter-personal
o Peace with inner self allows one to be at peace/ have peaceful
interactions with others
o Social guidelines lead to world peace
o Belief leads to social activity which leads to communal peace
 Universal/ global
o Events affect people no matter where they are
o Communal peace worldwide leads to world peace
o Responsibility to contribute to world peace
Understanding of peace:
 Islam is derived from the Arabic root salema: peace, purity, submission
and obedience
 Submission to the will of God and obedience to his law
 Peace manifests in the universe- motivation in life is to help one
another, mutual assistance leads to peace and harmony
 Purpose of existence is to recognise and worship God, to reach a level
of personal integrity built on virtue and to express these in good works
to attain the acceptance and approval of God
 Follow laws of God to attain peace and create harmony in the
universe
 One of Allah’s 99 names is As-salam, the source of peace
Qur’an:
 Literal word of Allah, principle source of belief for Muslims
Hadith:
 Secondary source providing authenticated records of Prophet
Muhammad’s life

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 STUDIES OF RELIGION

 Gives greater detail about beliefs and practices

Sacred texts:
 “O mankind! We created you from a single pair of a male and a
female, and made you unto nations and tribes, so that you may know
each other. Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is one
who is the most righteous of you” Qur’an 49:13
o Allah is the one and only creator who made all humankind
o Due to common origin, all people share an inherent unity- which
is to be expressed in harmonious and respectful relationships
 “If anyone harms others, God will harm him, and if anyone shows
hostility to others, God will show hostility to him” Hadith
o God will punish those who don’t act peacefully
 “ And do not make (your oath by) Allah an excuse against being
righteous and fearing Allah and making peace among people. And
Allah is Hearing and Knowing” Qur’an 2:224
 The merciful are shown mercy by the All Merciful. Show mercy to those
on earth and God will show mercy to you- Hadith

1.2 Outline the principal teachings about peace Islam

 Muslims must consistently strive to live in submission to the will of God by
living a ‘rightful and lawful’ life.
 Achieving inner peace by surrendering to the will of Allah
o “O You who believe! Come, all of you, into submission and follow
not n the footsteps of the devil!” Qur’an 2:208
 Jihadun- Nafs: struggle of the individual to live a pure and holy life
o Need to uphold the principles of justice and the rejection of
violence
The five pillars
 Shahada: Profession of faith- constant reminder of the requirements to
honour God’s commands, with respect towards relationships and care
for creation
 Salat: Daily prayers- encourages a sense of personal space and a
commitment to peace with others
 Zakat: tax- 2.5% of earnings to be donated to charity, as a reminder
that it is their responsibility to create just communities- which is an
essential component of peace
 Sawm: fasting- review how faithfully they are living/ if they are fulfilling
the requirements of the faith. To have right relationships with others in
regards to peace
 Hajj: pilgrimage- ultimate symbol of peace. Encourages unity and
equality of all gathered, challenges participants to practice the
inherent qualities of peace in their lives
Dhikr:
 Remembrance and invocation of Allah’s divine names, verses from the
Qur’an, or sayings from the Prophet in order to glorify Allah

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 STUDIES OF RELIGION

Jihad:
 Humans have a tendency towards aggression, violence and greed-
always an internal struggle against evil
 One must struggle to do Allah’s will every day- greater jihad
 The lesser jihad is the struggle against external evils- war is a last resort,
after all peaceful attempts have failed
 Active expression of the Islamic commitment, responsibility and sense
of duty wherever it is required in practical life

1.3 Demonstrate how Islam guides the individual in achieving inner

peace
 Greeting of peace offered regularly to remind adherents of their call to
personal peace
 Live life in submission to the will of God
 Achieved through the 5 pillars
 Pursuit of personal peace is necessary in order to ensure that the order
of God’s creation is maintained
 The six articles of faith are the beliefs, which are the foundations from
which the teachings, including submission and jihad come from.
 These are then expressed through the practice of the five pillars, which
provide adherents with meaning and purpose
 This is modeled by Sufism
Beliefs:
 Tawhid- one God
o To believe in Allah is to be witness to his names and attributes
within nature
o This allows one to become closer to God
o Need to act in a peaceful way to become closer to God
 Angels
 The books of Allah
 The Prophets
 Day of Judgment
 Predestination
Sufism:
 Is a spiritual branch of Islam
o Allows for a closer relationship with God
o Don’t value the material work and don’t see material as being
important
o Focus on finding inner peace- the things that will be taken to the
afterlife

 The word ‘Islam’ comes from the Arabic root ‘salema’ which means
peace, submission and obedience. Therefore, Islam refers to the
submission to the will of God and peace is part of the submission of
humanity to the will of Allah.

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 STUDIES OF RELIGION

 This is expressed within “O you who believe! Come, all of you, into
submission and follow not on the footsteps of the devil” (Q).
 The term jihad refers to the effort made by each Muslim in striving to serve
Allah through devotion, love and compassion for others. Greater jihad
refers to the struggle against the desires and passions of the individual and
the obedience to commands of Allah, therefore it refers to personal
peace. Personal peace is often developed by the adherent’s submission
to Allah, which is expressed in relationships with the individual’s family and
society as a whole. Lesser jihad, on the other hand, is the act of fighting for
the religion, and therefore enforcing the notion of striving for world peace.
Both teachings express the belief in one God and the day of judgement.
 Submission is spiritual state of mind of adherents who recognise God’s
absolute authority and believe God possesses all power. Allows individuals
to achieve inner peace through belief of Tahwid (oneness), as it provides
adherents with meaning and purpose while drawing Allah closer to their
hearts/lives as evident within “ but those who believe and work righteousness,
and humble themselves before their lord- they will be companions of the
gardens, to dwell in therein” – Quran 11:23.
 Jihad refers to effort made by Muslim in striving to serve Allah through
devotion/love/compassion for others. Greater jihad refers to struggle
against desires and passions of individual and obedience to commands of
Allah, therefore it refers to personal peace. Personal peace is often
developed by the adherent’s submission to Allah, which is expressed in
relationships with the individual’s family and society as a whole. Lesser jihad,
on the other hand, is the act of fighting for the religion, and therefore
enforcing the notion of striving for world peace. Guides adherents to
achieve inner peace through belief of Al Qadr -> how human life is test +
endresults are intended by Allah.
 5P encourage for inner peace. Through the profession of faith, Shahdah,
Muslims exposed to peace with themselves and God, as through confessing
that there is no other God, adherents place trust in only God. praying five
times a day, known as Salat, adherents gain closer relationship with God.
Sawm+ Zakat teach adherents to not place importance on material things
and to trust God will always provide for them ->gives them inner peace.
Lastly, inner peace is achieved within Hajj as adherents brought closer to
God through re-enactment of events of Muhammad’s life. Therefore
symbolizing faithfulness to God, as expressed within Abu Hurairah’s Hadith:
“Whoever performs Hajj for the sake of pleasing Allah and therein utters no
word of evil, shall return from it as free from sin as the day on which his mother
gave birth to him”.
 Within Islam, Sufism provides way and means to peace for adherents.
models inner peace as allows for individuals to create intimate relationship
with God. Sufism is also, where purpose of life realised and lived, then
explored within verse the quote “I created the Jinns and humankind only
that they may worship me” – (Q) 51:56 as adherents understand meaning
of Sufism and purpose in life.

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 STUDIES OF RELIGION

World Peace:
 FG is Turkish Muslim activist who supports interfaith and intercultural
dialogue whilst, promoting cooperation of civilisation towards a peaceful
world. As the mentor of movement ‘Initiatives for peace in the
contemporary world’, has inspired Muslims to be involved in charitable and
educational activities. movement is considered to be 1 of most influential
and effective Muslim peace movements this century as it encourages
intercultural dialogue and understanding to promote harmony and
cooperation between different faiths and cultures. has also guided and
inspired muslim community to call upon peace, as his movement has also
called to greater awareness that Islam teaches need for dialogue “I would like
to stress the fact that Muslims will lose nothing by employing dialogue, love,
and tolerance. Muslims continuously seek the approval of God, this is the
greatest gain of all.”.
 According to Islamic law, 5R that all humans have regardless. These include
L: every person has a right to live in safety and earn his or her livelihood, P:
owning and preserving one’s personal property is a fundamental right, HM:
no one, including the self, society and state, should remove the ability to
think freely, BR: there is no compulsion in religion and every person has a
right to keep and pass their religion to future generations, and F humans
have the right to raise a family.ICNA Council for Social Justice is
organisation which advocates for social justice related issues. organisation
does this through participating in interfaith activities, feature meeting with
religious leaders to learn from each other, participating in public advocacy
such as rallies/meetings/training to bring awareness to issues regarding
injustices in society. Lastly, ICNA publish materials, such as
booklets/CDs/brochures, to bring change into society as materials educate
public.
 ID is meeting of people from different religions in environment of freedom
and openness. involves listening to others+attempting to understand their
views while offering your own. Columbian Centre of Christian-Muslim relations
is an organisation that makes important contribution to interfaith dialogue
in Australia. The Centre promotes positive interaction and collaboration
between Christians, Muslims and members of other religions as means of
building harmony, respect and understanding. mission is to foster respect
and mutual understanding between Christians and Muslims and cooperate
on the many areas that Christians and Muslims share in common as well,
celebrating what both Christians and Muslims hold in common whilst,
respecting their differences.
 E is important for world peace because it to facilitates accepting
differences and provides opportunity to learn about conflict resolution and
skills needed in this process. ISRA, for example, is non-profit community
product of dialogue movement in Australia, which provides Islamic
education from within Islamic tradition. organisation is founded on
principles of ethics, diversity, community and harmony. It is platform for
cooperation between Australian Muslims and schools in Australia. focuses
on community building+cooperation in religious, social, environmental

pg. 58
 STUDIES OF RELIGION

areas of Australia and the global society. organisation aims to be point of

reference for Islamic education and services. They engage and cooperate
with individuals and institutions in Australia and overseas in order to actively
contribute to social harmony, cultural diversity and religious values.

Judaism:
2.1 Investigate the understanding of peace and how it is informed
through significant writings within sacred texts for Judaism (The
Prophetic vision of peace of Earth)
The concept of peace:
 Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace
 Means completeness, harmony, security and fulfillment
 Much of the Tenak is essentially concerned with God’s compassionate
efforts at restoring peace in mankind
 Peace can be symbolised by the key images of the Noah’s ark story- a
dove, an olive branch and a rainbow
 Demonstrates that peace’s very existence is contingent on God’s
goodwill towards humankind
 “Seek peace and pursue it”
The Prophetic vision:
 Messengers to keep Jews in line
 Spoke of consequences and the positive results of following God
 Tried to bring back peace, they were not fortune tellers but they
proclaimed the divine message
 They reminded people of the covenant and commandments
 Spoke during times of exile or rebellion
Three levels of perfections:
 Between man and himself- the achievement of inner peace, a sense
of personal contentment
 Peace between Jew and his Fellow Jew- the destruction of the Second
Temple. It is believed that the Messiah will not arrive until all families are
united in peace
 Peace between Jews and other nations- numerous laws have been
enacted specifically to promote peace between Jews and non-Jews.
Part of the messianic goal is to promote peace amongst all nations

Scriptures:
 “Many peoples shall come and say, ‘come, let us go up to the
mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may
teach us his ways and that we may walk in his path’. Is 2:3-4
 The lord has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the lord
require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk
humbly with your God? Mic 6:8
 There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked. Is 57:21

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 The effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of

righteousness, quietness and trust forever. Is 32:17
 When you draw near to a city to wage war against it, you shall call out
to it for peace- Deut. 20:10
 The reward for keeping the commandments will be peace in the land>
Proverbs 3:17

2.2 Outline the principle teachings about peace in Judaism

Beliefs:
 Belief in one God
o The focus of this belief is the basis of Judaism being a
monotheistic tradition
o God is one, God is eternal, God has spoken through the
prophets
o The Jewish understanding of peace lies in the belief that human
beings are created in the image of God
o “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he
created him; male and female he created them” Gen
o Consequently adherents are committed to enhancing God’s
creation and ensuring its repair
 Moral law
o The Torah contains divinely inspired moral law binding Jews to
God
o The 613 mitzvot cover all aspects of life and worship- act as a
guide for behaviour
o Through this Jews make a connection between God, individuals
and community
o 613 mitzvot inform all beliefs in relation to fulfilling the moral law,
in accordance with the Covenant
o You shall love your neighbour as yourself
o The torah forbids one to bear a grudge or to desire revenge
 Covenant
o Agreement between God and the Jewish people
o Began with Abraham and cemented with Moses
o Agreement was that the Israelites would follow God’s law as
expressed in the Torah
o They would worship one God and in return would be granted the
promised land
o The Covenant is one of reciprocity, where each party is required
to be faithful to their promise in order for its parameters to be
maintained
Shalom:
 The Hebrew word for peace is shalom
 Meaning complete and fulfilled
 Represents heavenly and earthly ideals of perfection, balance and
completion
 Peace is the way things should be

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 Jerusalem means city of peace

 Used as a greeting to others “Peace unto you”
Mitzvot:
 The Torah comes from God
 The more one follows the commandments of the Torah, the more one
submits themselves to God and is able to achieve inner peace
 Peace is achieved through following the commandments- based on
justice and equality
 Make adherents aware of their world and how they treat each other
 The whole of Jewish life is a struggle to follow the commandments of
the Halachah
 A core commandment of this is to do deeds of loving kindness- and the
outcome of such living is peace and justice
Prophetic vision:
 Vision of the Prophets, through whom God communicated with
humanity
 God’s vision was a world governed by righteousness and justice
 Prophetic vision could not contradict what was in the Torah
 The messages came at a time when it was desperately needed, yet
they continue to be true for all of time
 The visions focused on the corruption, injustice, apostasy and rebellion
of the people of God- it was a warning
 Vision also offered words of comfort, redemption and the ingathering
of the exiled

2.3 Demonstrate how Judaism guides the individual in achieving

inner peace
Shabbat:
 Shabbat is an opportunity for the Jewish people to reflect on their
share in and responsibility to care for creation
 Believed that the messianic age will come when all Jewish families
celebrate the same 2 consecutive Shabbats
 Inner world- ideals, morals, principles and spiritual goals
 Outer world- actions in the ‘real world’
 Shabbat provides an opportunity to attain a degree of harmony
between ones inner and outer life
 The holiness and tranquility of Shabbat helps enrich ones life
 It comes to restore purity in the inner life that was suppressed and
eroded by the corrupting influences of day-to-day life
 The spiritual rest of Shabbat enables our outer life to be in harmony with
our inner life, bestowing it a sprit of peace and holiness, joy and grace
 Shabbat offers a chance for peace with nature, society and oneself
 39 prohibited activities based on the building of the tabernacle
 Offers a moment of quiet, serenity, self-transcendence and a moment
that allows one to seek and achieve internal peace

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Yom Kippur:
 It is the Day of Atonement- second High Holy Day in Judaism
 Most holy day of the year and an important time of atonement for sins
against other and against God
 A day of prayer and fasting
 Many will wear white as a sign of spiritual purity
 “The tenth day of the seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall
be a sacred occasion for you: You shall practice self-denial” Lev 23:27
 Fasting is seen as fulfilling this commandment
 Fasting enables one to put aside physical desires to concentrate on
our spiritual needs through prayer, repentance and self-improvement
 It is a moment in Jewish time when one dedicates their mind, body and
soul to reconciliation with God, fellow humans and oneself
 Commanded to turn to those whom we have wronged first and
acknowledge out sins
 One must be willing to forgive and let go of certain offences and the
feeling of resentment
 A journey of seeking and giving pardon
 Only them can one turn to God and ask for forgiveness
Prayer:
 The Jewish tradition promotes frequent prayer as a means for the
individual to achieve inner peace
 Psalms give a clear demonstration of the wide scope of prayer subjects
and styles:
o Sanctuary prayers
o Prayers for pardon
o Protection prayers
o Healing prayers
o Vindication prayers
 Individuals are encouraged to appeal directly to God at all times,
without the requirement of a mediator, especially in times of personal
turmoil
 Prayers concerning peace are recited at the end of each synagogue
service
 Other prayers asking for peace must be recited three times per day
Hillel:
 Hillel the Elder, a contemporary of Jesus and Kind Herod, was born in
Babylon about 60 BCE and died around 10 CE
 He considered love of humankind to be at the core of Judaism
 He was a great lover of peace who urged his followers to ‘be of the
disciples of Aaron; loving thy fellow creatures and drawing them nigh
to Torah”
 The exhortation to love peace emanated from Hillel’s most
characteristic traits

2.4 Discuss how Judaism is contributing to world peace

Modelled by Abraham Joshua Heschel:

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 He believed that focus in behaviour was primary to the spiritual

dimension and that action leads to both knowledge and
understanding
 Indifference to evil is worse than evil itself
 Demonstrates world peace through his involvement in social justice
initiatives such as the civil rights movement, Vietnam War, assisting
soviet Jews
Social Justice:
 Tikkun Olam- to perfect the world
 Jewish understanding that God and humanity are in creative
partnership- a divine partnership
 God has a plan as the creator, therefore every action has significance
 Humanity must work to make the world a better place
 Commitment to social justice and social order
 Jews recognised that true peace is part of a totality which includes
justice and compassion, reflected in the ideas of Tikkun Olam- the
imperative to repair the world
 Reflects Jewish values such as justice, compassion and peace- has
come to symbolise a quest for social justice, freedom, equality, peace
and the restoration of the environment
 It is a call to action- to repair the world through social action
 Recognises that each act of kindness helps to build a new world
Interfaith dialogue:
 Is an instrument to engender understanding and religious respect in
individuals, hence facilitating social harmony in a multi-faith society
 Dialogue is to mutually listen with the intention of understanding
another’s frame of reference, even though one might not have full
agreement
 Jewish Christian Muslim Association of Australia:
o To promote the prevention of emotional and physical abuse
arising from religious intolerance and cultural discrimination
o Create and provide a forum for interfaith dialogue and shared
experience through meeting and discussion in a modern
Australian and internal context
o Jews, Christians and Muslims are able to gain a fuller
understanding of faith
o Help reduce racism, intolerance, bigotry, violence and
emotional harm through fostering relationships between people
of different faiths
o Vision to promote enduring, daily interfaith cooperation, end
religious bias/ discrimination, create cultures of peace, justice
and healing for all
 JCMA Activities:
o Training of those who work in school programs- so they can
combat racism
o Educational programs- primary and secondary, allows students
to witness interfaith dialogue

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o Educational conferences, seminars and forums- learn values of

social cohesion, community wellbeing and harmony
o Collaboration and support, production of resources, partnering
 JCMA Event- annual winter conference:
o Theme of faith and society
o Generally for people who identify as Jewish, Christian or Muslim
o Include joint scripture study, prayer, hearing life experiences,
faith journeys and personal interests
Education:
 Is important as it facilitates knowing the other, accepting differences
and provides an opportunity to learn about conflict resolution and the
skills needed in this process
 Board of Jewish Education:
o Inspires the Jewish identity of our Community’s youth
o Aim is to provide quality education to children in state and non-
Jewish private school systems across NSW
o To ensure the social integration into the Jewish community, BJE
provides enrichment and informational education opportunities
for the children and their families
o Provide professional and curriculum development for teachers
across the whole spectrum of education in areas related to
Judaism, Hebrew language, Jewish History, Israel and other
generic education fields
 BJE programs include:
o Scripture lessons to NSW government primary schools
o Traditions
o Learning Hebrew
o Year 10 Israel program
o Studies of religion and outreach
o Outreach programs
 Sydney Jewish Museum
o Offers guided tours- learn about Jewish history
o Permanent and temporary exhibitions
o School visits and teacher training
Organisations:
 Jewish voice for peace:
o Oppose anti-Jew, Muslim or Arab bigotry
o Seek and end to the Israeli occupations of the west bank, Gaza
strip and East Jerusalem
o Security and self-determinations for Israelis and Palestinians
o A just solution for Palestinian refugees based on principles
established in international law
o An end to violence against civilians
o Peace and justice for all people of the middle east
o Work with diverse communities across the US to achieve lasting
peace for Palestinians and Jewish Israelites based on equality,
human rights and freedom

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 Seeking peace, pursuing justice

o Reform movement’s campaign to educate and mobilise North
American Jewry to support peace efforts and social justice
causes in Israel
o Ended in 2003
o Provided publications, educational material and programs to
use at the local level of engage and educate the American
Jewish community on the critical issues faced during the time
 Jewish Peace Fellowship:
o Committed to active non-violence as a means of resolving
conflict
o Founded in 1941
o Oppose capital punishment, conscription, and the Israeli
occupation
o Work with interfaith communities
o Support and work with groups in social justice activities as well as
peace, reconciliation and non-violence

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Religion and non-religion

1. The religious dimensions in human history:

1.1 Identify the following expressions of the religious dimension in
human history:
Animism:
 The belief in the existence and activity of spirits in various natural forms
e.g. in the streams and mountains
 For example the Japanese beliefs of Shinto- the spirits of the natural
world (kami) exist alongside humans
 The natural world represents the past and is also the future
 The survival of both individuals and groups depends on keeping nature
in balance
 Therefore people responded with ritual offerings to these spirits
 Belief that all natural objects possess a soul
 Every part of creation must treat all of creation with respect
 Engages spiritually with the natural world
 Sacrifices served to control the physical environment
Polytheism:
 The belief in an the worship of many gods
 An understandable concept- how could one god/ supernatural being
control everything?
 Many polytheistic deities resemble human beings and are assigned
jurisdictional powers linked to their particular skill/ talent
 Typically distinguished by particular functions, and often take on
human characteristics or forms/ characteristics of objects found in
nature
Monotheism:
 There is only one supreme supernatural being
 For example the belief in the Creator God of Judaism, Christianity and
Islam
 The God is beyond one’s own experience
 God is usually depicted as an omnipotent, omniscient and
omnipresent being and is credited with the creation of the universe
and human kind

1.2 Evaluate the place of the religious dimension in human history

to provide:
Meaning and purpose for the individual:
 Religion is an expression of a collective consciousness where the
shared norms and values, ritualised and made sacred, that make
social life and co-operation between individuals possible
 Functionalism also maintains that religion performs a psychological
function- helping individuals cope with stress

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 The answer to existential questions, provided through religious

understanding give meaning and coherence to life
 The ritualistic dimensions of religion provides individuals with one of the
most basic needs of humankind, a sense of belonging within a
community
 This is especially important in a modern and post-modern world
 Modernisation has contributed to the development or disintegration of
traditional communities
 In this lost sense of belonging people can find comfort in religion
 Religious groups can help people to adjust modernity and give them a
sense of belonging
 Worldly achievements and material prosperity, for many, has become
the aim of life while inner peace is ignored
 However after attaining material things people can still not feel
happiness and dreams can never feel fulfilled
 Religion can provide these people with a way to inner peace and the
sense of purpose and meaning
 A persons belief in a religious tradition affects all dimensions of the
adherents life
 Religions answer fundamental questions about life and what happens
after death
 Religion gives identity to a person
 It provides a person’s ethical expectations and duties i.e. it corrects
behaviour
 Defines an individuals place within society and gives purpose to ones
life
 Helps celebrate important stages in ones life
 Helps people find a place in the larger world
 Offers a framework of meaning and gives direction
 Source of values and ideas and helps make sense of life and gives
some certainty
Social cohesion:
 Religion has an important role in affirming traditional beliefs and
practices, thus binding a community
 Religion provides communities with a sense of continuity as it serves to
link the rapidly changing, complex modern society with a more
traditional and stable past
 Religion can serve to reinforce the cultural identity of a group, which is
particularly important when the group consists of small ethnic minorities
or people who have been socially marginalised by mainstream society
 Can also be used to reinforce and legitimise values and institutions,
which may be unjust, such as slavery (negative)
 Human beings are highly sociable species with an innate inclination to
strive for social cohesion, which means when a community embraces
shared values and a commitment to mutual obligations
 Religion can provide societies with common goals and a collective
focus

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Conversely, the strong bonds of shared religion may sometimes


threaten the social cohesion of society
Social transformation:
 History has shown that religion can often bring about sweeping social
transformation, change in government or changes within the structure
of society itself
 This transformation may even be negative, or destructive
 Early missionaries very rapidly facilitated social transformations when
trying to convert other societies
 Although it has sometimes brought about benefits, such as education
or technology, past efforts have frequently had a negative, or
disruptive effect- indigenous people
 In today’s world, missionaries are helping to facilitate mostly positive
transformations in disadvantaged societies
 Ideals concerning the transformation of society at large are built into
virtually every religion. Generally they aim to make the world a fairer,
more just place
 Many religions believe in a new world order, or utopia
 Despite this, sometimes religion is often unable to stop negative social
transformation such as Nazi Germany

1.3 Investigate statistical data of the current global distribution of

the five major religious traditions
Religious Statistics Denominations Location
Tradition
Christianity 2.1 billion followers Roman catholic USA
34% of the world Protestants Brazil
Eastern Orthodox Mexico
Anglican China
Other Philippines
Germany
Nigeria
Italy
France
Vatican city
Romania
Greece
Islam 1.3 billion followers Sunni Indonesia
21% of the world Shii Pakistan
Other India
Bangladesh
Turkey
Iran
Egypt
Nigeria
Afghanistan

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Iraq
Iran
Secular/ non- 1.1 billion followers
religion 18% of the world
Hinduism 900 million followers India
15% of the world Nepal
Bangladesh
Indonesia
Sri Lanka
Mauritius
UK
Fiji
Asia/ Pacific
Buddhism 713 million followers Mahayana China
12% of the world Theravada Japan
Thailand
Vietnam
Myanmar
Sri Lanka
Cambodia
South Korea
India
Taiwan
Malaysia
Laos
Nepal
Judaism 14.9 million followers Conservative USA
Less than 1% of the Unaffiliated/ secular Israel
world Reform Russia
1.9% world Orthodox France
population Reconstitutions Canada
UK
Argentina
Brazil
Australia

2.1 Recognise the reasons for the rise of new religious expressions:
New religious expression:
 Some new religious expressions can be described as pseudo-religious
and involve a new interpretation of ancient religious beliefs that are
closely related to the great mystical traditions in world religions
 Others are based on a kind of psychological framework of unlocking
human potential, and yet others on pseudo-scientific approaches to
health and well being
 They focus greatly on holism- the belief in a wholeness at all levels of
existence; that all reality is ultimately derived from one ultimate source

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Characteristics:
 Eclectic rather than particular in sources
 Focus on experience rather than dogma
 Focus on this worldliness rather than life after death
 Is practiced and owned personally rather than collectively
 Is egalitarian in approach rather than dependent on hierarchies in
institutions or in expertise
 Takes a human- centered approach rather than a God-centered
approach to life
Search for personal fulfilment:
 The search for personal fulfilment is almost certainly the most significant
attraction of new religious expressions that offer self improvement, self-
empowerment and positive thinking
 Being individual-based, these expressions offer freedom of practice,
the exercise of imagination, intellectual satisfaction and personal
growth
 This is quite a deviation from traditional religions with their focus on
scriptures and other outside sources of authority and religious truth
 Personal fulfilment is offered in a considerable variety of ways: having a
successful career, having considerable personal wealth, being happy
in relationships, being physically and emotionally well
 People look for activities or events which will nurture their spirituality,
contribute to their wellbeing and assist them to fulfilment in a spiritual
life

Seek ethical guidelines:

 In an increasing secular society, there comes a certain moral relativism-
everything seems to become a matter of personal choice and where
there is an absence of moral certainty
 This comes with a diminished role of traditional religions in providing
moral guidance
 Many people find the responsibility of formulating their own ethical
guidelines to be problematic and onerous
 In this situation some people find support in those new religious
expressions which incorporate either an ethical code to determine
ethical guidelines

Seek to clarify their relationship with society:

 Many new religious expressions do include communal dimensions and
ways of understanding the place of the individual society
 Human beings are essentially social creatures- yet, many aspects of
modern societies work against the development of these relationships
and as a consequence some people feel isolated and alienated from
society
 The emphasis on individualism in western societies and the failure of
religious communities to provide a meaningful and relevant
experience of community has left a void that may be filled for some

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through an involvement with new religious expressions or spiritualities

because they have a social conscience, they desire change in the
world because the world has value and purpose

2.2 Explain how the following have influenced the growth of new
religious expressions and spiritualities:
The rise of materialism:
 Consumerism is a powerful world-view which has deep effects on the
attitude and way of living of people around the world
 Material acquisition has become the goal of life for many
 In this consumerist environment, new religious expressions which purport
to provide personal fulfilment and wellbeing are represented as
commodities which can be bought and sold
 The constant seeking of new ways for instant gratification through
material collection has led to a spiritual emptiness that people have
tried to fill with new religious expression
 This attitude has influenced people’s approach to religion with some
new religious expressions attesting to being a means of gaining wealth
 Money can be seen as the means of spiritual fulfilment
 Spiritual experience is something that can be released, not by practice
or making effort, but by buying, through ‘donation’
 New religious expressions which favour individual spirituality and
personal fulfilment, thrive in a materialistic society with its cult of
individualism
 Traditional religions with their focus on accountability, judgement and
afterlife are at opposite ends of the spectrum to materialism and
individualism
 Characteristics include:
o Focusing on materialistic values
o Using money as the main tool
o Instant and convenient
o Creating more need to ‘consume’ religious services
o Individualistic-orientated
Scientific progress:
 Questions of truth have changed throughout human history:
o The age of reason
o The enlightenment
o The industrial revolution
 Rapid growths in scientific knowledge have raised serious questions for
some religious perspectives
 Many of the new religious expressions claim various degrees of
scientific truth that has not yet been acknowledged or discovered by
the official scientific community
o For example the Church of Scientology- fashioned its spiritual
teachings in the language of modern psychology

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 On the other hand, some new religious expression, such as Neo-

Paganism and Wicca, represent a different, even opposite, response to
the dominance and pervasive influence of science in modern culture,
especially in terms of an alienation from nature that science is seen to
foster
 Many new religious movements thrive on emotional instinct, basic
magical thinking and supernatural beliefs that are anathema to
science

Growth of ecological awareness:

 In the 1960’s environmental movement saw increased interest in and
concern for the environment
 For example, environmentally aware eating and consuming practices
and fostering harmony between humans and the earth into a wider
social conversation
 People concerned with ecological awareness see the planet as a
complete, self-sustaining and self- regulating, living organism,
permeated by a spiritual force. Nature is therefore scared
 Many new religious expressions now sell themselves as representing
‘green religion’
Disenchantment with ‘traditional’ religious practice and guidance:
 New religious expressions develop their own identities which are
different from the conventional ones
 Many people feel that traditional religious practices do not provide a
reluctant and meaningful support for them in the challenges they face
in the modern world
 New religious expressions offer an alternative in terms of theology,
leadership, authority structures, gender roles, family and sexual
relationships, and religious practice
 There has been an ongoing movement against some of the values of
institutionalised religion:
o Advocated freedom in personal expression
o Freedom in sexual expression
o Advocated link with nature
o Focused on wellbeing here rather than after death
 Increasing disillusionment with traditional religions for their patriarchal
nature, hypocrisy, abuse of power and/ or irrelevance means that
religions have lost moral authority and respect
 New religious expressions are popular because there is still a longing for
a spiritual dimension to life and an emphasis on social and ethical
relations between human beings
 They can offer new interpretations of traditional scriptures, such as the
Bible, and often produce their own scriptures

3. Non-religious worldviews

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3.1 Outline the essential features of Atheism and Agnosticism

Atheism:
 Atheism is the acceptance that there is no credible scientific or
factually reliable evidence for the existence of a god, gods or the
supernatural
 The Atheist Foundation of Australia recognises scientific method as the
only rational means towards understanding reality
 To question and critically examine all ideas, testing them in the light of
experiment, leads to the discovery of facts
 As these is no scientific evidence for supernatural phenomena, atheists
reject belief in ‘God’, gods and other supernatural beings
 The universe, the world in which we live, and the evolution of life, are
entirely natural occurrences
 No personality or mind can exist without the process of living matter to
sustain it
 All that remains after a person dies is the memory of their life and
deeds in the minds of those who live
 Atheists reject superstition and prejudice along with the irrational fears
they cause
 We recognise the complexity and interdependence of life on this
planet
 As rational and ethical beings we accept the challenge of making a
creative and responsible contribution to life
Agnosticism:
 Agnosticism was first termed by Sir Thomas Huxley in 1869 and comes
from the Greek a meaning without, and gnosis meaning knowledge
 Hence agnostic means without knowledge
 As applied it means that there is no proof or knowledge to confirm or
deny the existence of a god or gods
 However, such matters could conceivably change in the future
because if at a later date there is sufficient evidence to prove the
existence of God then their views may change

3.2 Outline the positions of:

Humanism:
 Humanism is a worldview based on naturalism- the conviction that the
universe or nature is all the exists or is real
 It is a worldview which affirms that human beings have the right and
responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives
 It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethics
based on human and other natural values in a spirit of reason and free
inquiry through human capabilities
 Humanism serves, for many humanists, some of the psychological and
social functions of a religion, but without belief in deities,
transcendental entities, miracles, life after death, and the supernatural
Rational Humanism:

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 Rational humanism can be defined as believing that all human life

must seek a reason for existence within the bounds of an uncaring
physical world, and it is love coupled with empathy, democracy, and
a commitment to selfless service which underpins a humanist
perspective
Scientific Humanism:
 Scientific humanism is a term commonly used from the 1940’s that
encapsulates the unified study of the physical sciences, in particular
chemistry, physics and thermodynamics
 Hence, it is committed to the scientific method
 At the heart of science are two distinguishing features which make it
uniquely valuable as the foundation of a workable worldview
o The self-correcting mechanism that not only allows for, but
encourages, an unrelenting process of testing propositions
o An essential balance between an openness to new ideas and a
ruthless sceptical scrutiny of all ideas
 A correct understanding of scientific procedure is then extended to
moral and social problems of every kind

3.3 Discuss how Agnosticism, Atheism and Humanism determine

the aspirations and behaviour of individuals
Atheism:
 Atheism argues for self-determination, human freedom and ethical
behaviour as beneficial to the human individual and society
 The sciences can offer appropriate strategies for both achieving
human aspirations and acting ethically
 Access to basic human rights is essential
 Education is essential for humans to realise their aspirations and to learn
appropriate behaviour
 Use of just laws and legitimate government also allow for this
Agnosticism:
 All human aspirations can be achieved through the use of human
reason
 All behaviour that brings about benefit for the individual and society
can be discovered through human reason
 More attention can be given to self-determination- being wholly
responsible for the life of human lives
 Focus on solving the needs and problems of the world based on
modern systems of thought and discovery, rather than obedience and
divine revelation
 It is important for humans to act ethically
 Ethics provide a basis for determining how people relate to one
another, their duties and responsibilities to each other and the world,
and to coexist without violence and war
Humanism:

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 For both rational humanists and scientific humanists the ways by which
atheists and agnostics determine the individual’s aspirations and
behaviours are also legitimate
 It is human reason that enables an individual to find out what is to be
done and how a good life can be achieved
 Investigation, research and study lead people to determine for
themselves what it means to be human
 This leads to an understanding of appropriate ways to live a human life
 Advice, guidance and direction assists one to know what is right and
what is to be avoided
 As human reason has developed the sciences, humanists use these as
ways of bringing about happiness for the person and for society
Rational humanism:
 The Ten rules of living and of social behaviour:
o Proclaim the natural dignity and inherent worth of all human
beings, in all places and in all circumstances
o Respect the life and property of others at all times
o Practice tolerance and open-mindedness towards the choices
and life style of others
o Share with those who are less fortunate and mutually assist those
who are in need of help
o Use neither lies, nor spiritual power, nor temporal power to
dominate and exploit others
o Rely on reason and science to understand the universe and to
solve life’s problems, avoiding religious and supernatural
superstitions which numb the mind and are an obstacle to
thinking by oneself
o Conserve and improve the earth’s natural environment- land,
water, air and space- as humankind’s common heritage
o Resolve differences and conflicts cooperatively without resorting
to violence or to war
o Organise public affairs according to individual freedom and
responsibility, through political and economic democracy
o Develop one’s intelligence and talents through education and
effort, in order to reach fulfilment and happiness, for the
betterment of humanity and of future generations
Scientific humanism:
 Support experimentation aimed at a thorough study of the whole
interrelated complex of modern social problems
 Thus they call for a scientific investigation of the common needs of
humanity, a scientific inventory of the resources available for satisfying
them and a realistic appraisal of how existing institutions contribute to,
or hamper, the realisation of fundamental human welfare

4. The Difference between Religious and Non-Religious

Worldviews

pg. 75
 STUDIES OF RELIGION
4.1 Compare the response of ONE religious and ONE non-religious
belief system to:
The concept of the transcendent:
Christianity
 It is personal and relatable- maker of
covenant- protector
 That God is NOT a human being
 Combination of three persons- Father,
Son and the Holy Spirit- exist co equal
 God is all loving even though man
may sin- through his actions or inaction
 Through faith man is reconciled to
God- sin can be forgiven
 Powerful, all knowing force, a life
force, a creator, a power- it is through
the scriptures Christians understand
the power of God
 All knowing and eternal
 Belief in afterlife determined by God
 Soul that transcends physical matter
The human person:
Christianity
 Created in the image of God
 God was satisfied with his creation
 People are good because they are
made in the likeness of God
 Man has fulfilled his inborn
tendencies
 Original sin- Christian belief one
 God dictates what is good through
the scriptures
 Has natural inclination to do what is
good
 Consists of body/ intellect/ soul/
emotion
 Has a spiritual destiny
 Individual reason requires guidance
of Divine revelation in order to
achieve full understanding
 Ethical living in accordance with
Divinely inspired teachings
pg. 76
Atheism
 Don’t believe in anything that can not be
seen or proven- science is main source of
reflection
 Don’t have to justify why they fail to
believe
 Question God through the suffer they see,
no role for God in conscience
 Religious Traditions are viewed as divisions
between people, communities and
nations
 Don’t believe in a god or transcendent
being- don’t believe in anything beyond
the physical universe- don’t accept
creation story
 Don’t believe in God, afterlife or soul
 As a result there is no need for concept of
the transcendence in terms of divine
beings beyond the material world
Atheism
 Were not created through some divine
being e.g. a god
 There us no afterlife, life just ceases at the
time of death
 Science rather than a divine intervention in
the history of man
 No soul- no immortality, no concept of sin
as people make their own choices
 People make their own choices, behaviour
is a result of choice not the direction of a
God
 Consists of body/ intellect/ emotion
 No spiritual destiny after death
 Self-sufficient in terms of ability to reason-
does not need divine direction
 Ethical living determined by socially
accepted codes and personal values
 STUDIES OF RELIGION
Social responsibility:
Christianity
 God views motivation is important-
people should work from the idea of
building the kingdom of God
 Commandments apply to
monotheistic religions
 What does not proceed from faith is
classed as a sin
 Peace among men- the need to live in
harmony as expressed through the
Gospels
 Called to help one another- Golden
rule of Christianity- do unto others…
 To all man kind as expressed in Pacem
et Terris
 ‘Love of neighbour’ to fulfil Divine
directive of establishing the kingdom
of God
 Ethical responsibility towards others-
charity, advocacy for disadvantaged
 Obligation to contribute to a just and
meaningful society
pg. 77
Atheism
 Not accountable to God for their choices
and actions
 They are responsible for what happens in
society
 Many organisations are supported by non-
religious communities- designed to assist
people in need
 People are guided by conscience derived
from logic not god- guided by logic
 People have to look after themselves and
the plant because there is no other
dimension to assist
 Brain determines responsibility and morality
not God or doctrine- people make choices
 Power of the human person to make
differences, actions, changes not a divine
being- power of the person
 No universal code for responsibility
therefore may be philanthropic
 In contrast may be self-gratifying with no
concern for the needs of others or a sense
of social responsibility