Final exam Practice Essay RST 1450
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School
Madonna University *
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Course
1450
Subject
Religion
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
docx
Pages
3
Uploaded by PrivateHeronMaster961
Question 31: Essay
Given
Answer:
The Catholic Church has respect for other world religions, and recognizes that
they all contain elements of Divine truth, although none of them are regarded
to be the one true Church established by Christ. In
Nostra Aetate,
Carl Rahner
advocated for cooperation with and understanding of other religions, even if
they had historically conflicted with Christianity (for example, Islam). He also
emphasized that discrimination, violence, or hatred against other religions (as
seen against the Jews during the Holocaust) were contrary to the teachings and
principles of Christ and should not be tolerated or endorsed. These concepts
are echoed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, but it also appends that,
despite the similarities of other religions with Catholicism, the differences
originate from the Evil One and distort the true nature of God and religious
belief. For this reason, the famous concept that "outside the Church there is no
salvation" is stated, with the exception of those who are not exposed to the
Gospel through no fault of their own. Therefore, the Catholic Church still
views itself as the one true religion established by Christ, but respects other
religions and the elements of universal truth that they contain, and does not
exclude the possibility of salvation from all non-Catholics.
Question 32: Essay
Given
Answer:
Christianity relates to the five family resemblances of a religion in the
following ways:
Transcendance is seen in Christianity through the nature of God and the
Trinity. God is said to be the Creator of all things, who always existed and
always will exist. He is one God composed of three distinct persons: the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. In Christianity, God the Son is believed to
have become human in the person of Jesus Christ, and his death redeemed
mankind from its fallen and sinful nature. This is seen as the ultimate
transcendental expression of God's love for humanity, which was created
especially in his image and likeness.
Rituals are seen in Christianity primarily through the Sacraments. Although the
Sacraments vary among Christian denominations, there are several which are
common; notably, Baptism, the Eucharist, and Matrimony. Baptism is a ritual
in which an infant (or adult, depending on the circumstances) is symbolically
cleansed with water, representing the cleansing of their soul and entry into the
Christian religion. The Eucharist is a representation (or, as Catholics believe,
an actual re-enactment) of the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, under the
appearances of bread and wine. It is a continuation of the Last Supper feast,
which was said to be the first Eucharist. Lastly, while not unique to
Christianity, Matrimony is regarded as a sacrament across all Christian
denominations.
Sacred Stories in Christianity are primarily found in the Bible. The Christian
Bible is composed of two Testaments: the Old and the New. The Old
Testament contains the Jewish Torah, describing the status of mankind before
the coming of Jesus Christ. The New Testament contains the four Gospels,
which are distinct accounts of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of
Christ. It also contains various letters and epistles written by the apostles or
disciples after the ascension of Christ, most notably Paul.
An important institution in Christianity is the Catholic Church, regarded to be
the original church founded by Christ through his apostle Paul. It has survived
through apostolic succession, meaning that the apostles appointed bishops as
successors, who have continued the line through the present day. In
Catholicism, the office of the papacy is regarded with special reverence, since
the Pope is the direct successor of Peter, the "rock" chosen by Jesus upon
which to build his church. In other Christian denominations, there are various
forms of church government and clergy which regulate teachings and minister
to the faithful.
Ethical teachings in Christianity are derived from both the Bible and Christian
tradition. Biblically derived ethical teachings include the Ten Commandments
from the Old Testament, and the Beatitudes from the New Testament. In the
Catholic Church, the Catechism provides more specific situational guidelines
as to how Christians are expected to practice their religion. Other Christian
denominations have developed their own unique traditions and guidelines
regarding the principles to be observed in a Christian lifestyle.
Question 33: Essay
Given
Answer:
Islam relates to the five family resemblances of a religion in the following ways:
Transcendance is seen in Islam through belief in Allah and Muhammad. Allah is the
one true God, who created the universe and sends prophets to humanity to educate
and enlighten them. Of these prophets, Muslims regard Muhammad as the last and
greatest of the prophets. Through the Qur'an and the Five Pillars of worship,
Muhammad is believed to have brought the word and will of God to humanity.
Rituals are seen in Islam through the Five Pillars: Shahdah, Salat, Zacat, Sawm, and
Hajj. Shahdah, while not technically a ritual, serves as the basis for other rituals by
declaring belief in Allah, and Muhammad as his prophet. Salat is the recitation of
daily prayer, which must be performed five times facing the holy city of Mecca.
Zakat is a form of almsgiving, with specific percentages of a person's earnings
determined. Sawm is fasting during Ramadan, the month of the Islamic calendar
during which Muhammad received the Qur'an from Allah. Lastly, Hajj refers to a
pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca, which ever Muslim is required to do at least
once in a lifetime.
The sacred stories of Islam are most impostantly found in the Qur'an, which was
revealed by God to Muhammad and is regarded as the primary sacred text of Islam.
The Sunnah is another source of sacred stories, containing details about
Muhammad's way of life to be emulated by his followers. The hadith is another
form of Islamic literature containing brief reports about the words and deeds of
Muhammad, describing his interactions with his family members and the religious
community.
The institution of Islam can best be divided into two primary religious groups: the
Sunni and the Shi'a. These groups emerged after the death of Muhammad, which
resulted in a leadership vacuum. The Sunni was a majority group, led by Abu Bakr,
while the Shi'a were a minority group led by Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law
'Ali. These successors of Muhammad, and their successors in turn, are known as
caliphs, who possess both religious and political authority and act as representatives
of Allah and Muhammad.
The ethical teachings of Islam are found through the practice of jihad and the
Shari'ah. Jihad, which means "strive" or "struggle" in Arabic, refers to the
individual struggle to become a better person and follower of Allah, and can also
refer to the willingness to die for one's religion in a military context. Shari'ah, which
means "road" or "way" in Arabic, is a series of laws and principles that governs
both religious and non-religious aspects of daily life for Muslims. Aside from
regulating individual conduct, Shari'ah also contains teachings on political,
community, and family matters.
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