Comparison
chart of the Abrahamic Religions – 100
pts
Due October 24 (Thursday)
I am
presenting this assignment given the gravity of world circumstances these days,
in order to foster a better understanding (as opposed to ignorance) of the role
of religion in our secular Western civilization. Since these particular
groups form part of the body of study in Western Civilization I thought it
would be a good assignment especially for our future in a world with more than
1.5 billion Muslims.
The
Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) serve as a major portion
of the foundation of Western societal mores and values. At times these
institutions have had a partnership with the prevailing governments. They
have had an impact on the development of the character and image of Western
values today. In recent years, destruction of Christian churches in
Ethiopia, Sudan, Nigeria, Egypt, Syria and Iraq took place because someone
supposedly defamed a Qur’an, or for other questionable justifications. A
recent news item involves an Iranian, turned Christian minister, arrested,
freed, and re-detained. Some suggest that the recent rancor between NATO ally
Turkey and the US revolves around the detention of a Christian minister. Actually,
there are a number of factors! There are even politically correct
arguments which should be considered. Islamophobia is a current buzz
word in the West, and the image of many people is that Muslims are violent,
intolerant terrorists. Can you distinguish between Islam, and Islamism?
This
assignment requires that you compare or contrast these 3 religions using 25
factors (of your choice). You may look at their beliefs, practices,
religious structure, forms of and days of worship, the basis and aspects of
law, gender responsibilities, music, dietary laws, clothing, the number of
divisions within the specific religions is also important. You can look
at aspects of faith that these religions profess and compare them. One
good source for the project is: Lewis Hopfke’s World Religions.
Format:
a typed chart (you can do this by designing a chart with 4 columns, 26
rows. Use 1 column for each religion and I would put the religions in
columns 2-4, according to which appeared first! Use the first column to
identify the item being considered. Use the top row as a
header to repeat from page to page as necessary. The remaining
rows should be numbered 1-25. The cells should expand as you type so that
when reading across, the cell will be your discussion of each religion’s aspect
of the factor you listed in column 1). It would be good for your
descriptions in cells to be more than 1 word in length! Categories/topics
should not be repetitive; they should include enough accurate detail. Do
NOT USE Excel type spreadsheet format! CITATIONS!!!
Solution
Comparison
Chart of the Abrahamic Religions
Name of Institute
Submitted to:
Submitted by:
Comparison Chart of the Abrahamic Religions
|
Aspects
|
Judaism
|
Christianity
|
Islam
|
|
1.
Beliefs
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Monotheism
|
Trinitarian Monotheism
|
Monotheism
|
|
2.
Practices
|
In Judaism, visiting temples and
perform sacrifices of kosher animals.
|
In Christianity, religious practices
involve listening to supplications and wishes.
|
Islam follows the religious practice
of performing Salah in Mosques. Holy recitation and supplications are also
performed.
|
|
3.
Religious
structure
|
The religious structure started with
the prophecy established between God and Abraham in 1812 BC. The primary
document is the Jewish Law.
|
The religious structure comprises
belief in God-The Father, Jesus Christ-the Son and The Holy Spirits.
|
The structure of Islam is based on the
Holy messages revealed to mankind through the Prophet and Holy Book.
|
|
4.
Days of
worship
|
Saturday
|
Sunday
|
Friday
|
|
5.
Rituals
of worship
|
The rituals followed in Judaism
includes Circumcision of the newly born male child and Barmitzvah, ‘coming of
age’ of marking
|
The Sacraments comprising of Baptism
and Communion. However, in Orthodoxy plus Roman, 5 different forms are
included: Confirmation, Penance, Marriage, Holy Orders and Appointing of
Sick.
|
There are five important rituals.
Shahadah, Salat, Zakat, Sawm and Hajj
|
|
6.
Religious
Laws
|
Halakhah
|
Canon
|
Sharia
|
|
7.
Founder
|
Abraham (1800 BC)
|
Jesus Christ (4 BC to 30 AD)
|
Mohamad (570 – 632 AD)
|
|
8.
Music
|
Religion is allowed in Judaism and is
generally used on several occasions.
|
Music is used as a tradition of
declaring Christianity
|
Music is strongly prohibited in Islam.
The use of music is considered an evil deed.
|
|
9.
Dietary
Law
|
The rule of dietary is based on kosher
food product
|
There are generally no restrictions
regarding any dietary intake for Christians.
|
There is a strong concept of Halal and
Haram. It is an important law in the religion that allows or forbids food
items on the basis of their reactions
|
|
10. Clothing
|
Men and Women generally cover their
heads with hats or scarves.
|
Their religious dress includes a
separate point of views according to their divisions. Men and women have to
cover their bodies.
|
There is a description of dress code
for both men and women. Men have to cover their bodies from the stomach to
knees while women have to cover their whole body.
|
|
11. Number of Divisions
|
There are three main divisions in
Judaism, namely Reform, Conservative and Orthodox.
|
There are three major branches in
Christianity. These are Roman Catholicism, Orthodox and Protestant.
|
There are various divisions but two of
them are the major sects. These are Shia and Sunni, Division.
|
|
12. Gender Equality
|
Women are considered equal to men but
are not same.
|
In Christianity, women are considered
subservient to men.
|
Men and women are considered equal in
terms of gender but are not declared as the same.
|
|
13. Holy Book
|
The Torah is the holiest book in
Judaism. The Torah has been in use through ages and is considered as one of
the five books of Moses.
|
The Bible is considered holiest book.
Old Testament and New Testament are
the two different parts in which it has been divided.
|
Quran is the holiest book in Islam. It
is considered in Islam to be revealed through Angels.
|
|
14. Place of Worship
|
Religious temples in Judaism are
called Synagogue.
|
Churches and Cathedrals are the holy
places to offer worship in Christianity.
|
In Islam, Mosques are the Holy places
to perform worship five times a day.
|
|
15. Holy Person
|
Abraham and Moses: Judaism is greatly
related to their Lives. The religion started from Abraham and lasted till
Moses.
|
Jesus is the holiest person in
Christianity born to Mary, the virgin.
|
Mohammad is the holiest person in
Islam. All the teachings of Islam are channeled through him.
|
|
16. Holy Sites
|
Western Wall, also referred to as
Wailing Wall is the only sacred remain of the Second Temple of Jerusalem.
|
Sepulcher, a place that was built for
Jesus Crucifixion and Burial.
|
Kaaba is sacred place for Muslims
which is situated in Mecca.
In Medina Prophet’s Mosque is situated
which is also holy. Along with this
Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem is also
sacred site in Islam.
|
|
17. Name of God
|
According to Judaism, Yahweh, Elohim,
The Telegrammaton are some words used for God in the Hebrew Bible.
|
The Holy Trinity comprising of The
Father, The Son and The Holy Spirits.
|
Islam describes the name of God as
‘Allah’.
|
|
18. Charter of God
|
The character of God is considered as
a heavenly form which is neither physical nor has any gender.
|
The concept of the character of God
(Jesus) is considered a human body that is physical and male-gendered.
|
Like the concept in Judaism, Islam to
describes the character of God as a genderless non-physical form.
|
|
19. Human Nature
|
There are two impulses of human nature
that are either good or bad
|
The evil tendency is inherited from
Adam named as “Original Sin”. All sins are considers derived from the
incident.
|
Human Nature is considered to have the
ability to choose between good or bad. Human nature is given free will to
choose
|
|
20. Afterlife
|
There is a concept of Heaven, Gahanna,
Reincarnation. However, there is no concept of physical form of Hell. It is
generally considered a feeling of intense shame.
|
Christians believe that afterlife is
related to the resurrection of Jesus. It is considered a divine plan for
humankind. The concept also states the presence of Heaven and Hell.
|
It is considered that humans will
enter Heaven or Hell on the basis of their life on Earth. The concept of the
afterlife is considered eternal.
|
|
21. Prayer
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Three times a day
|
At least a single time daily
|
Five times daily
|
|
22. Charity
|
Giving charity is a commandment
|
Giving charity is encouraged
|
Giving charity is mandatory
|
|
23. Views regarding other Abrahamic Religions
|
Both other religions are considered
false.
|
Judaism is considered true but incomplete.
Islam, however, is considered untrue.
|
Judaism and Christianity are mentioned
in Islam but considered as wrong beliefs.
|
|
24. Means of Salvation
|
Belief in God and the Law and to
perform good deeds
|
Belief in God, follow laws, perform
good deeds and follow Sacraments.
|
Belief in God, the Sharia, do good
deeds, prevent from bad deeds, follow five pillars of the religions.
|
|
25. Estimated Followers
|
14 million
|
2,200 million
|
1,500 million
|
References
Albayrak, T., Herstein, R., Caber, M., Drori, N.,
Bideci, M., & Berger, R. (2018). Exploring religious tourist experiences
in Jerusalem: The intersection of Abrahamic religions. Tourism Management
69 , 285-296.
Anderson, A. (2016). The Spirit of Praise: Music and
Worship in Global Pentecostal-Charismatic Christianity. International
Bulletin of Mission Research 40, no. 2, 190.
Erdal, M. B. (2017). Transnational Islamic charity
as everyday rituals. Global Networks 17, no. 1, 130-146.
Meladze, P., & Brown, J. (2015). Religion,
sexuality, and internalized homonegativity: Confronting cognitive dissonance
in the Abrahamic religions. Journal of religion and health 54, no. 5,
1950-1962.
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