Religion Grade 11 Exam Review PDF

Terms and People Cult Abraham Jacob Moses David Aaron Islam Pentecost Christmas Holy Thursday Lent Kosher Passover Shruti Smi...

Terms and People Cult Abraham Jacob Moses David Aaron Islam Pentecost Christmas Holy Thursday Lent Kosher Passover Shruti Smirti Bindi Dharma Martyr Monotheistic Polytheistic Moksha Zionism Samsara Imam Muslim Jihad The book of Atman Hinduism Baptism Genesis St. Paul Christ Sabbath Diaspora Pesach Nirvana Buddha/ Siddhartha Muhammad Guru Nanak Eid Sudras Vaisyas Brahmins Untouchables Kshatriyas Key Areas ​ Symbols, ideas, rituals and events of each of the major religions and their significance ​ Differences within Christianity ​ Festivals within Judaism ​ Why major figures (Buddha, Muhammad, Jesus, Hindu Gods etc) are important or significant to their respective religions ​ 5 K’s of Sikhism ​ 5 Pillars of Islam ​ Hindu Caste System EXTRAS Cult - Martyr - a person who dies for their faith Monotheistic - the belief in only one god Polytheistic - belief in many gods  Hinduism Basic Beliefs ⚬ non-dogmatic ⚬ do not impose religious beliefs on other and do not believe in conversion ⚬ open to other religious influences and practices ⚬ complex web of diverse beliefs and practices ⚬ held together by mutual tolerance and respect Brahman ⚬ in hinduism, ultimate reality is absolute and unknowable, not a person God but ‘that’ or ‘it’ ​ → less of a God and more of a force ⚬ All things arise and return to Brahman, it is everything and everywhere ⚬ all the different deities Hindus worship are manifestations or expressions of Brahman ​ Maya: the world we live in and all material reality, human life is temporary ​ Atman: deep core or soul, everyone's soul is part of the divine Law of Karma ⚬ the idea that the life you will live today is affected by their actions in their past life ​ → the better your deeds, more meditation, etc. the better your next life will be ​ Dharma: the key to Karma, one's duty, individual to each caste level Reincarnation ⚬ Hindus believe they are in a ‘wheel of life’ ⚬ you keep reincarnating until you end the cycle and be with Brahman ​ Samsara: cycle of rebirth ​ Moksha: liberation from the cycle of rebirth Hindu Deities ⚬ Hinduism is a polytheistic religion with many different gods representing different things ⚬ typically Hindus choose one deity and devote themselves to them Trimurti: Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva 1.​ Brahma ⚬ the creator of the universe ⚬ four faces, seated on a lotus ⚬ considered above worship so not many temples are dedicated to him 2.​ Vishnu ⚬ preserver of the universe ⚬ a loving and forgiving figure who brings salvation to salvation ⚬ four arms with a conch, discus, lotus, and a mace 3.​ Shiva ⚬ destroyer and restorer of the universe ⚬ associated with creative energy and cares little for worldly matters ⚬ considered a great yogi, or spiritually involved individual Caste System ⚬ a very strict social structure used to designate social classes ⚬ everyone is born into a caste which they cannot leave until death ⚬ if you follow your dharma you can rebirth into a higher caste ⚬ you cannot marry someone outside of your caste 1.​ Brahmins → Priests, teachers, judges, landowners ⚬ should study the Vedas and perform rituals ⚬ expected to live godly lives and help others achieve their dharma 2.​ Kshatriyas → warriors and rulers ⚬ must protect their people, offer sacrifices, give gifts to Brahmins, study Vedas, and protect/enforce the Caste system 3.​ Vaisyas → Traders, shopkeepers, moneylenders, farmers, and artisans ⚬ merchant and peasant classes, study the Vedas, can still perform certain Vedic rituals 4.​ Sudras → servants ⚬ only duty is to serve those in higher castes ⚬ not allowed to study Vedas or hear the sacred chants ⚬ cannot eat food in the company of higher castes or marry their women Harijan - untouchables ⚬ outside of the caste system because of their religious practices, rites, and unclean habits ⚬ they used to not be allowed to enter cities during the day time ⚬ shadow was considered impure and seeing an untouchable was bad luck ⚬ typically worked in graveyards, as hunters, butchers, or cleaners of human waste Paths to Salvation ⚬ Hindus follow 4 yogas to try and reach Moksha 1.​ Jnana Yoga - wisdom ⚬ a difficult path that requires teaching and guidance from a guru ⚬ realisation of the true Self rather than with the body 2.​ Bhakti Yoga - devotion ⚬ a spiritual path involving love, faith, and surrender to god ⚬ prayer, worship, rituals, and chanting praises of god are important 3.​ Raja Yoga - meditation ⚬ Turning mental and physical energy into spiritual energy through prayer and meditation ⚬ intense meditation leads to a trance-like state in which one gains knowledge of Truth and becomes one with Brahman 4.​ Karma Yoga - action ⚬ good deeds and thoughts done not for a reward but because it is morally right ⚬ the intention behind the action is most important Hindu Symbols Hindu swastika ‘Om’ ⚬ good luck ⚬ believed to be the sound of ⚬ well being the universe ⚬ protection against evil ⚬ said during meditation to be enlightened Hinduism Milestones 1.​ Naming a Child ⚬ a child is typically named 10 days after birth by a priest ⚬ this ceremony has become a symbolic gesture for most but Orthodox Hindus still do it 2.​ A childs first outing ⚬ parents and child take a bath and wear new clothes ⚬ soot on the babies forehead protects them from the evil eye 3.​ First solid food ⚬ special prayers are said to ask deities for good health for the child 4.​ First haircut ⚬ the hair of a baby boy is cut by a barber, shaving everything but a small bit in the front 5.​ Upanayana - thread initiation ceremony ⚬ performed by boys of the Brahmin, Kshatriya, and Vaishya castes between ages 8-12 ⚬ marks the boys transition into the student stage of life, when he starts to study the texts ⚬ he wears a sacred thread over his left shoulder 6.​ Marriage ⚬ arranged marriages are common in india, but in the west love matches are more common ⚬ wedding ceremony lasts 3 hours and can be very elaborate, with sometimes 15 rituals ​ Bindi: Hindu women mark their foreheads with a red dot symbolizing they're married 7.​ Death and cremation ⚬ a solemn ceremony involving cremation takes place ⚬ flowers are offered to the spirit of the deceased 8.​ Death anniversary (shraddha) ⚬ this ceremony marks the anniversary of a death ⚬ priest performs religious rites and guest are invited to witness the ceremony and enjoy a meal Hindu scriptures 1.​ Shruti - revealed scriptures ⚬ believed to come directly from gods through the rishis (holy people) ⚬ 4 types Vedas containing: → samhitas - priests commentaries​ ​ → aranyakas - forest stories → brahmanas - priestly writings ​ ​ → upanishads - upanishads 2.​ Smriti - traditional scriptures ⚬ remembered and passed on from generation to generation → laws of manu, bhagavad gita → epics (poetry and stories): ramayana, mahabharata, puranas  Sikhism ⚬ a combination of Hinduism and Islam as a result of the many Muslims migrating to India Guru nanak: founded the Sikh religion around 1500 CE ⚬ sikhs believe in reincarnation, but reject Ahimsa and believe in only one God Baptism of the sword: a ceremony allowing Sikhs to go up to the Kshatriya caste The 5 K’s - items associated with the Sikh religion that must be worn at all times 1.​ The Kesh - long uncut hair 2.​ The Kangha - a comb 3.​ The Kaccha - short pants 4.​ The Kara - steel bracelet 5.​ The Kirpan - dagger Buddhism ⚬ Buddhism is less about belief, but more about a way of life Who was Buddha? ⚬ Siddartha Gautama was a Hindu prince born into the Kshatriya caste ⚬ his birth was miraculous, he descended from heaven and entered his mothers womb in the form of a white elephant (symbol of purity) ⚬ he took 7 steps and then said ‘this is my last birth’ when he was born ​ → remember Hindus believe in reincarnation ⚬ he was the first to ever reach enlightenment and started the Buddhist religion The four sights ⚬ the first time Buddha left the temple, he witnessed 4 sightings: 1.​ An old man - old age is inevitable 2.​ A sick man - how can one enjoy life with so much disease? 3.​ A dead body - how can one enjoy life expecting death? 4.​ An ascetic monk - seeking life's answers The middle way ⚬ throughout Siddarthas spiritual journey, he tried many different ways to find meaning ​ → trance-like meditation wasn't for him ​ → holding his breath or not eating made him ill ⚬ he realized that moderation is key Nirvana ⚬ While he was meditating, he saw moments from all his past lives; he had reach enlightenment ​ → a state of liberation and serenity ⚬ became known as Buddha, meaning ‘enlightened one’ Parinirvana: permanent state of enlightenment after death 4 Noble Truths 1.​ Suffering - To live is to suffer 2.​ Origin of suffering - suffering comes from craving or selfish desires 3.​ Extinction of suffering - achieving nirvana and being free from greed 4.​ Path leading to the extinction of suffering - eightfold path & middle way 5 precepts ⚬ rules for Buddhists to follow ⚬ first and last are most important: ​ → Ahimsa, non violence ​ → if it is disregarded, individuals may lose focus and wont follow other teachings The Noble Eightfold Path ⚬ the center of the wheel is nirvana ⚬ the spokes represent how the wheel must keep turning and the only way to end suffering is if Buddhists follow each step 1.​ Right view - guide to life, 4 noble truths 2.​ Right thought - have a mind free of selfish desires or bad intentions. Nurture positive thoughts 3.​ Right speech - no lying, criticizing, gossiping, etc. in order to be respected 4.​ Right action - accomplished through the 5 precepts 5.​ Right livelihood - make money in a way will not harm any living things 6.​ Right effort - conquer evil thoughts, good will to others 7.​ Right mindfulness - do not be led astray by unwholesome thoughts 8.​ Right concentration - focusing on one thing at a time leads to tranquility → deep meditation = enlightenment! Islam Jihad: meaning ‘striving’ to obey the commands of God, often translated as the Holy War Imam: a muslim prayer leader Muslim: means ‘one who submits’ to the will of God Eid: the festival at the end of Ramadan celebrating the end of the fasting period Islam: ⚬ means ‘submission’ to the will of God. ⚬ a world religion believing in one God and that the Word of God was sent by Muhammed Muhammed: ⚬ the founder of the religion of Islam ⚬ the Qur’an was a result of Muhammads revelations from the angel Gabriel 5 pillars of Islam 1.​ Shahadah ⚬ declaration of Faith: “there is no god but God, Muhammad is His messenger” 2.​ Salat ⚬ mandatory prayer 5 times daily ⚬ before dawn, mid-day, late afternoon, after sunset, and after dark ⚬ before these prayers, a person must perform wudu, a cleansing ritual 3.​ Zakat ⚬ mandatory almsgiving, meaning to purify or increase ⚬ islamic law states that muslims should donat 2.5% of their income 4.​ Sawm ⚬ mandatory fasting ⚬ during ramadan, Muslims cannot eat, drink, or have sexual relations from dawn to dusk ⚬ sustaining from pleasure is an act of worship to develop spiritual purity ⚬ ends with a one day festival called Eid al-Fitr 5.​ Hajj ⚬ the mandatory pilgrimage to Mecca ⚬ muslims should visit it at least once in their lifetime is they are able to do so Symbols ⚬ muslims do not believe in symbols as an expression of faith ⚬ Muhammad told people not to worship pictures or sculptures of animals or humans ⚬ this is why muslim art is mostly patterns and designs ​ Star and crescent moon → seen on the flags of Islamic nations such as Pakistan and Turkey → more of a historical symbol rather than a muslim symbol Judaism Abraham ⚬ the ancestor of the Jewish people and the father of Judaism ⚬ the Lord would appear to him, even giving him a son despite his wifes old age ⚬ he made a covenant with God: ​ → God promised Abraham would be a father of many nations, and in turn Abragam and his descendants would follow God. The covenant is honoured through circumcision Jacob ⚬he had 12 sons who became the 12 tribes of Israel ⚬ he favoured Joshua over all his other sons, but his brother sold him into slavery Moses ⚬ he lead the israelites out of slavery from Egypt ⚬ the 10 plagues were brought upon egypt, moses parted the red sea ⚬ he led the Israelites throughout the desert for 40 years in search of the promised land Aaron ⚬ aaron was Moses’ brother, he was also a priest ⚬ when Moses went up to Mount Sinai to receive the 10 commandments from God, Aaron encouraged the worshiping of idols ​ → everyone melted their gold together to create a golden calf to worship David ⚬ he beat Goliath, in the Philistine army, and was named king ⚬ on his shield he had a star, which became known as the star of David Kosher ⚬ a set of Jewish food laws, an example of a way they follow God's commandments Zionism ⚬ a movement that wanted to establish a nation for Jewish people, today they want to develop a Jewish nation in Israel. Genesis ⚬ the first book of the Hebrew Bible in which the creation stories took place Diaspora ⚬ Jewish people get dispersed or spread out ⚬ at this time the Jewish people couldn’y worship in the temple because it was destroyed Sabbath ⚬ the Jewish holy day of the week because God rested from creating the world ⚬ they are supposed to not work and use the day to worship God Festivals 1.​ Passover ⚬ celebrated for 8 days in the spring to remember the Exodus story ⚬ in the 10th plague, the angel of death ‘passed over’ the Hebrew homes ⚬ exodus story is read from the haggadah ​ → the seder plate Lamb bone - the lambs blood on the door (10th plague) Salt water - tears of the slaves Charoset - mortar used to make bricks Karpas (Parsley) - a sign of new life Egg - new life after egypt Bitter herbs - bitterness of slavery + matzah bread - no time to let bread rise during the escape from slavery  2.​ Shavuot ⚬ celebrated in the summer 50 days after passover ⚬ Jews decorate their synagogues with flowers ⚬ remembers the time when God gave Moses the 10 commandments 3.​ Sukkot ⚬ an autumn harvest festival celebrated in the fall ⚬ huts decorated with fruits to thank God for the food he gives us ⚬ commemorates how God took care of the Israelites in the desert 4.​ Hanukkah ⚬ remembers the time when the Greeks destroyed a Jewish temple and the Maccabees ⚬ everything was destroyed but a single menorah ⚬ When they lit the menorah it should’ve burned for only 1 day, but it burned for 8 instead. 5.​ Rosh Hashanah ⚬ the Jewish new year, celebrating the creation of the world ⚬ this is when they sound the shofar 6.​ Yom Kippur ⚬ means day of atonement ⚬ Jews believe that God keeps a book with the names of those he had forgiven ⚬ after Rosh Hashanah, Jews have 10 more days to ask for forgiveness ⚬ they typically fast during this time to prove they are truly sorry Jewish Symbols 1.​ Ner Tamid ⚬ ‘eternal light’ ⚬ represents God's love for us 2.​ Menorah ⚬ the 7 branched became a central ritual object when the temple was destroyed ​ → 7 branched represents 6 days of creation and 1 Sabbath ​ → 9 branched used during hanukkah 3.​ shofar ⚬ rams horn, a jewish instrument used during the celebration of Rosh Hashanah 4.​ Star of David ⚬ two triangles representing the physical and spiritual world, inverted and superimposed ⚬ this was the shape of king david's shield when he beat goliath 5.​ Shema ⚬ jewish creed of faith, declaration of faith in God ⚬ jews say it in the morning and night 6.​ Western wall ⚬ remaining part of the temple was destroyed by the romans in 70 CE, the wall is still standing ⚬ a symbol of the resilience of Jewish people  Christianity Christ ⚬ comes from the greek word ‘Christos’ meaning ‘anointed one’ or ‘messiah’ ⚬ Jesus is called Christ, and the Christian religion was named after Him St. Paul ⚬ he spread the Gospel to many countries ⚬ paul's letters to the gentiles were the first books written in the new testament ⚬ most epistles came from paul or were attributed to him Christian Festivals 1.​ Advent ⚬ preparation for Christmas, christians anticipate the birth of Jesus ⚬ starts 4 sundays before Christmas ⚬ has an wreath with four candles: ​ → 3 purple candles: love, hope, peace ​ → 1 pink: joy​ ​ → optional white: Christ 2.​ Christmas ⚬ birth of Jesus, typically on December 25th, for Eastern Orthodox on January 7th 3.​ Epiphany ⚬ celebrated by most on January 6th, by orthodox churches on January 19th ⚬ means manifestation ⚬ celebrates God the Son in human form, the visit of the Magi, and Jesus’ baptism 4.​ Lent ⚬ begins 2 months after Christmas and lasts 40 days ⚬ starts with Ash Wednesday ​ → christians get a mark on their forehead to remind them of their mortality ⚬ time of fasting and prayer. ⚬ we stop filling our lives with temporary happiness to make more room for God 5.​ Palm sunday ⚬ marks the beginning of Holy Week ⚬ celebrates the day Jesus entered jerusalem and was greeted by crowds holding palm branches 6.​ Holy Thursday ⚬ marks the day of the Last Supper, when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples 7.​ Good Friday ⚬ most solemn Christian holiday remembering Jesus’ trial, crucifixion, and death 8.​ Easter sunday ⚬ most holy Christian celebration, marking the resurrection of Jesus 3 days after crucifixion 9.​ The Ascension ⚬ a holy day marking the passing of Christ from earth to heaven on the 40th day after easter 10.​ The Pentecost ⚬ The Holy Spirit came down to earth 50 days after easter and empowered the apostles with various spiritual gifts so they could proclaim their faith Baptism ⚬ cleanses ones soul and marks the beginning of ones Christian life ⚬ Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist ⚬ removes the stain of original sin ​ → believers and infants baptism Christian denominations 1.​ Orthodox ⚬ ornate and have many religious icons ⚬ long, elaborate, traditional rituals ⚬ only male priests, and have a monastic life for men and women ⚬ Holy spirit from Father only 2.​ Roman Catholic ⚬ has a Poper ⚬ only male priests ⚬ holy spirit from both Father and Son ⚬ believe in saints 3.​ Protestant Churches ⚬ martin luther called for inner faith, salvation by faith alone ⚬ few rituals or displays of devotion ⚬ love and service to others unnecessary for salvation ⚬ married and female clergy → ecumenism ⚬ a movement promoting unity among Christian churches → evangelism ⚬ based on the literal authority of the Bible ⚬ historic ties to the protestant reformation