Religious Studies

Jewish people believe that there is only one God. It clearly says in the Shema (the declaration of Jewish faith): 'Hear O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one'. Furthermore, Jewish people believe that God is omnipotent and the creator of everything. The Genesis story shows God creating from nothing. Jews also believe that God has given his people laws (mitzvot) to obey in order to live a good life and that, after death, God will judge the lives they have lived.

There are no official Jewish beliefs about resurrection. The Tenakh does not contain any references to life after death. Many Orthodox Jews however do believe in resurrection and there are clear references to it in the Kaddish. Some believe in the resurrection of the body and so will not allow cremation. Liberal and Reform Jews are more likely to believe in the immortality of the soul, rather than resurrection of the body and are more likely to accept cremation.

Catholics mostly believe in evolution. From science, we can see very strong evidence for evolution and Catholics use this but have the idea that God caused evolution - that there needed to be something to cause evolution and that would have to be an omnipotent being, which would have to be God. Pope John Paul II believed that evolution is worth studying and understanding and that you should take evolution (and other scientific evidence) and believe in it alongside God, linking the two together. He said: "it is important to set proper limits to the understanding of Scripture." This shows that he takes a conservative / liberal approach and sees the Bible as a source of understanding but not necessarily true. He believes that evolution is "more than a hypothesis." Catholic don't attempt to match the Theory of Evolution with the Genesis account of Adam being made from the earth and Eve being made from his rib - they believe in evolution, taking the bible accounts as symbolic stories to tell us that God created people via evolution. According to Pope John Paul II "there is no conflict" between evolution and faith in God.

Catholics generally interpret the creation stories in Genesis in a non-literal way; either conservative or liberal. This means that they don't take the Bible word for word but interpret it as teachings and symbolic stories. Many Catholics use the Bible to say why God created and use science to explain how. They might believe that Genesis says that God created everything and that he did this out of love, giving us choices and opportunities but through the Big Bang. In the first Genesis story, where God creates the universe in six days, Catholics interpret each day as being longer than 24 hours. Even in Psalm 10:4 it says that "a thousand years are a single day". By interpreting the Bible in this way we can see how things are created by God over longer periods of time which may work with the theories from science. Catholics may also use these stories to discover what God is like: that God is transcendent, omnipotent and omnibenevolent; that he gave us all a purpose to fulfil, a special role in life.

Evolution is the process of mutation and natural selection which leads to changes in species over time to suit a particular environment. Many people have the view that the Catholic Church doesn’t agree with this but really their view is the opposite. The Catholic church believe that evolution took place and also that the big bang happened but they believe it was because of God and he was the one who started it all. We know this as Pope Francis said that “God created human beings and let them develop according to the internal laws". Also Pope John Paul said there is no conflict between evolution and the doctrine of faith – meaning that there is no problem between Catholic teaching and evolution. Also he said “some new findings lead us towards the recognition of evolution as more than a hypothesis” – this means he believes evolution should be accepted.

In Judaism men and women have different roles and therefore worship differently. Women are naturally more spiritual and don't need guidance. So Jews believe that only men need to wear the tefillin. In the Shema it says that you have to keep God close to your mind and soul. This is interpreted that male Jews wear the tefillin next to their hearts and heads to help them connect with God and become more spiritually focused.

Another reason and way Jewish men and women worship differently is their position in the synagogue. In the orthodox synagogues women sit at the top in the gallery and men sit at the bottom in the centre of the synagogue. This is done to stop men and women from getting distracted from their worship.

Moses is important in Judaism because God made a covenant with him. Moses was the first in his family to believe in one God. God made a promise to him. God promised him that his followers would be God’s ‘Chosen People’. Moses is important because some Jews believe that they are his descendants and he is the founding father of their religion.

Moses is important in Judaism because he was the greatest of all Jewish prophets. He was chosen by God to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt after God spoke to him in the form of the Burning Bush. He is also the greatest prophet because during the forty year Exodus in the desert, he received the Torah on Mount Sinai which forms the basis of the laws and obligations (mitzvoth) that Jews follow to this day. The Ten Commandments are the ten most well-known laws of Jewish faith and form the basis of laws all around the world e.g. 'Do not murder', 'Do not steal' etc. Furthermore, Moses continued the Covenant that God had already made with Abraham many years before, when he promised the Israelites a land of their own. Moses led them back to this 'promised land' though he died before they finally got there.

One of the most important features in the synagogue is the Aron Hakodesh, as it is where the Torah scrolls are kept and it represents the original Ark of the Covenant. Jews believe that the original Ark was created to hold the stone tablets which contained the Ten Commandments that God gave Moses at Mount Sinai. This Ark was eventually taken to Jerusalem and placed in the Temple, built by King Solomon and was the focus of Jewish worship. In many synagogues Jews are reminded of this because above the Ark there are two stone tablets on which the start of each of the Ten Commandments is written. The Ark is situated at the front of the synagogue and is usually reached by climbing up steps, as a reminder to worshippers that God is above his people and that the sacred Torah is above humanity.

Another important feature is the Ner Tamid, which is placed in front of, and slightly above the Ark and symbolises God’s eternal presence. It is also a reminder of the menorah that was lit every night in the Temple in Jerusalem as commanded by God, “Command the Israelites to bring clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning...keep the lamps burning before the Lord from evening till morning.” (Exodus 27:20-21)

Catholics view the different aims of punishing criminals, as that deterrence is wrong because you could convict the wrong person and once they are dead, you can't bring them back. Executing people is the same as murdering, which is why deterrence is wrong, as it's meant to put the criminal off the crime, but innocent people can mistakenly be convicted. However, Christians like the aim of protection (protecting criminals from society), reform (teaching the criminals not to do it again) and retribution (they have to pay for the crime), as all of these and human punishments that do not go against Jesus' teaching that 'eye for eye, tooth for tooth' is not how we should live, and to forgive not seven times but seventy times seven', these are New Testament beliefs/teachings.

Shabbat is the day of spiritual renewal and rest. It is important in Judaism because it marks the seventh day of rest required by the Ten Commandments. So keeping Shabbat is one of the key ways that Jews show their commitment to God. In the Ten Commandments it is stated ‘Saturday is the Sabbath to God your Lord. Do not do anything that constitutes work.’ This is clear in its command that this day is a day of rest and must be kept holy as decreed by God to remember the creation of the world in the Book of Genesis.

It is also important because it gives every Jew a day set aside from work for spiritual development, recreation and spending time with family. It is a day that is different to all the other days of the week and requires special preparations. Most Jews will share a Shabbat meal with the family on this day. It is so important to Jews that the spiritual presence of Shabbat is sometimes referred to as ‘the Queen’.

It is also important because it is the day that Jews spend time with the community in the synagogue for Shabbat service. The community is very important for Jews and belonging to the Jewish community is especially celebrated on Shabbat. If Shabbat was not observed, then Jews would not have a day set aside to pray together as a community.

Judaism does permit abortion; however, most Jews would not allow it on demand. If having the baby could harm the Mother or there are other severe circumstances to be considered, then many Jews would allow it. Most Jews believe in pikuash nefesh (saving a life) and the Torah says 'Whoever destroys one life, it is as if he has destroyed the whole world, so Orthodox Jews might still believe that all abortion is wrong.

Catholics believe abortion is wrong in all circumstances, even rape or disability. This is because the Pope says that it is wrong and the Pope's teachings are thought to be infallible.

Catholics would say that all human life is sacred. The reason is because they believe that God created us and that we are 'Made in God's image and likeness'. That makes us special to God and no-one should have the right to destroy a life that God has made. Catholics believe that every human is given its soul at the very moment of conception, so you are killing a full human person. The Bible says that God planned us before we were even born and 'knit us' in the womb. The Pope would also say that abortion is a great sin and is always wrong, so most Catholics would not agree with abortion.

Other Christians, such as liberal Anglicans, would also say that abortion is usually wrong, but they take a less strict view and do allow abortion in some situations. For example, if the baby was not growing in the usual way in the womb and would be disabled, they might agree that abortion was the best option. Same as if the woman had been raped, they might say the same because Jesus said we must love other people and not judge them.

Roman Catholic Christians believe in the “sanctity of life”: There is something special and holy about life. For Christians, human life is different because we share something of the nature of God. Genesis describes how God made Adam, and “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.” (Genesis 2:7). This did not happen with the animals and the plants, but only with the human. Genesis also says that people are made “in the image of God”: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:26-27. This means people are in some way reflections of God. In humans, something of God himself can be seen.

Roman Catholics believe that humans have a soul which lives on after the body has died. The soul will be judged by God, and can join God forever in Heaven. Because people have souls, they must be treated as special; they are different from other species.

Roman Catholics believe that human life is sacred - it is more special than other kinds of life. Other animals do not have souls, and are not made in the image of God, although they deserve to be treated with kindness and respect. Christians believe that God knows and plans every human life.

Christians believe they should always forgive as Jesus said when asked how many times we should forgive, 'not seven times, but seventy times seven times'. This tells Christians they should forgive every time. However, some find this hard; Julie Nicholson a priest whose daughter was killed on the London Underground during the 7/7 bombings found herself not being able to forgive the people who had murdered her daughter. Christians believe that forgiveness is looking past someone's faults, but Julie also believed that the other person had to be there to be forgiven but the people who killed her daughter were dead as they were suicide bombers, and so due to this she stepped down from her role as a priest/vicar because she was telling people to forgive when she couldn't forgive others herself. This shows that Christians don't always forgive.
In conclusion, I believe that Christians should forgive because in the Bible, where most of their beliefs come from, there are many quotes from Jesus and God that Christians should always forgive, so if they don't, they are going against their religion.

Going to the synagogue is very important to most Jews but many would argue that you don’t need to go to the synagogue in order to be a Jew.
Some people might argue that going to the synagogue and taking part in Jewish worship is essential for being a Jew because if you do not keep God’s commandments then you cannot call yourself a Jew. One of the commandments is to keep Shabbat and to attend the synagogue. God says in the Ten Commandments that we are to ‘remember the Sabbath to keep it holy.’ One way of doing this is going to the Synagogue and worshipping God there.
However, this is a weak argument because there are other ways to keep Shabbat and most important is the keeping of Shabbat in the home, not attending the synagogue. Shabbat is known to be a day of rest and this does not mean you need to attend synagogue to follow this command but that you must worship at home and rest with your family.

Others might argue that if Jews do not attend the synagogue then they are cutting themselves off from the Jewish community and are putting the traditions of Judaism at risk, for example the Bar Mitzvah. If you do not follow the traditions, can you say you are truly Jewish? The Synagogue is a vital and focal part of Jewish life and a hub of the community. If you are not attending, then you are not fully participating in all that it means to be a Jew.
However, this is a weak argument because being Jewish is much more basic than what people do – it is who they are. Being Jewish is part of a person’s identity and they do not lose this identity just because they don’t attend the synagogue. Being Jewish can mean following the Jewish dietary laws, the commands of God and keeping their lives in the way God intended.

Attending the synagogue is important for many reasons. It is a way to keep God’s commandment. It is a way to keep close to the Jewish community. It is a way of keeping Jewish traditions alive. These are important but Jewish identity does not depend on any of them. Throughout history, Jews have managed to maintain their identity even when they have been separated from their community and even when there was no synagogue near enough to attend. In my view, you don’t have to go to the synagogue to be a Jew, but if you want to be a good and observant Jew then you should go if you can.

Catholics would strongly disagree with this statement. Catholics believe that God listens to our prayers and petitions (the things we ask for). In fact many Catholics will provide examples of when this has occurred to them. Catholics believe that God is good and merciful and therefore it is very important to pray for the dead. This is particularly true because Catholics believe that God will pass judgement on a person’s soul after death and that most people will first enter purgatory. Therefore it is logical and sensible to argue that the prayers offered up by the faithful here on earth are greatly needed to help those souls in purgatory. This belief is supported by the teachings of the Catholic Church. This is important because the Church was divinely appointed by Jesus and has over 2000 years of tradition making it a valuable source of wisdom and authority. Catholics will therefore offer up the prayer of the dead – ‘eternal rest grant on to them oh Lord and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen’. Therefore Catholics do believe it is important to pray for and offer up Masses for the dead because it clearly does so much good.
Most Protestant Christians though will agree with this statement. They believe that the souls of the dead are judged based on the actions that a person carried out whilst they were alive. The good are rewarded with salvation and the wicked and selfish punished by being sent to hell. Evidence to support this viewpoint can be found in the bible. This after all is the central message in a number of Jesus’ teachings such as the parables of the sheep and the goats, Lazarus and the rich man and the unmerciful servant. This is important because Jesus is God incarnate and therefore the ultimate source of moral authority. Basically what is done is done and no amount of prayers after is going to make the slightest bit of difference. This seems a very valid point particularly given that purgatory is never actually mentioned anywhere in the bible and at no point in the bible are Christians encouraged to pray for the dead.

Jewish people usually go to a synagogue for services, prayers, community events and sometimes to school. They will try and walk there because on Saturdays they are not allowed to do any work and the synagogue might be quite far away and the walk would be tiring and feel like work. Jews like to go to the synagogue because it means you can be with people who believe what you believe and you can all join in the singing and prayers. Also, their holy books are kept there, so they would want to go and see those. I don’t see the point in going to a synagogue because I am not Jewish, but I expect it is important for them.

On the other hand, you could just pray at home where you have peace and quiet to concentrate and be with family. Jewish people think that family life is important especially on a Friday and Saturday when they celebrate Sabbath.

Catholics believe that we should care for the planet for God. This is because they believe that God 'appointed man as ruler over all creation' and that it is their duty to care for the earth (for God).
However, humanists believe that humans should care for the earth for themselves to make us happier. Like Catholics, humanists do believe in preserving the planet, just not for a God but for future generations.
The Pope's 'Laudato Si' says that we should stop treating the earth as we do because we should be stewards to the earth and care for God's creation responsibly. It also says that we should not treat the earth's resources as profit and that we should be grateful of what God left here for us.
Humanists believe that we should preserve the earth and protect it for future generations and to make sure they have a good quality of life and so that they can enjoy their time on the earth as much as possible.