Leadership Comparison in Shia Islam, Orthodox Judaism and Roman Catholicism - Essay Example

Islam, Judaism and Catholicism Samson Varghese Leadership comparison in Shia Islam, Orthodox Judaism and Roman Catholicism Shia and Sunni are two major groups in Islam. Shia Muslims hold the fundamental beliefs of other Muslims.They believe in the imamate, which is the distinctive tradition of Shia Islam from others. They hold a hereditary view of Muslim leadership. They believe the Prophet Muhammad designated Ali to be his successor as Imam exercising both spiritual and temporal leadership. They believe that only those who have walayat (spiritual guidance) are free from error and sin and have been chosen by God through the Prophet. Each Imam in turn designated his successor--through twelve Imams--each holding the same powers. The imamate history began with Ali, who is also accepted by Sunni Muslims as the fourth of the "rightly guided caliphs" to succeed the Prophet. Shias respect Ali as the First Imam, and his children, beginning with his sons Hassan and Husain, continue the line of the Imams until the twelfth. When Ali was six years old, he was invited by the Prophet to live with him, and Shia believes Ali was the first person to make the declaration of faith in Islam. Ali also slept in the Prophets bed on the night of the hijra, when it was feared that the house would be attacked by unbelievers and the Prophet stabbed to death. He fought in all the battles the Prophet did, except one, and the Prophet chose him to be the husband of one of his favorite daughters, Fatima. Islam, Judaism and Catholicism 2 The Shia Imams represent the picture of both the mysterious and transparent dimensions of Islam. The authority of Imams includes both this worldly and other worldly affairs. One of the most significant doctrines underlying the possibility of the Imam’s comprehensive authority is their infallibility. The Sunnis believe that the Imams are infallible to any sin. For them if the Imams were considered to be the subject to sin and error, then there will not be any difference between the leader and the led which will paralyze the structure and operation of their religion. The followers are well advised to keep the authority of the Imam intact since though the Imam only the God is dispersing duties blessings to the followers as per the Shia’s belief. Only the Imams have the authority to reveal the hidden meanings of Qur’an. Since the Imams provide continuous authoritative interpretations of the Qur’an they are supposed to be free of any sin or error. It is a condition for Imam. The Imams are considered to be the charismatic leaders through their association with Mohammad as messenger of Allah. Jewish People believe in good and evils and they think that goodness and obedience will be rewarded while the sin punished by God’s judgment after death. Then at the end the world, God will send his Messiah to save the Jews and deliver them to their Promised Land. All forms of Judaism come from the Hebrew bible. In Judaism, the Messiah or the Anointed One is the Hebrew name for the promised deliverer of humanity. Christians accept Jesus Christ as the Messiah. However, the Jewish religion Islam, Judaism and Catholicism 3 contends that the Messiah is yet to come and Jesus Christ was just another prophet ( Judaism: Messiah) Sabbath is holy day for Jews just like Sunday for Christians and Friday for Muslims. It is observed by the followers of Judaism on the seventh day of the week, Saturday. They believe that the God has taken rest on the Sabbath day after the Creation. The Sabbath is a day for the family to get together to enjoy each other’s company and to rest up for the upcoming week Synagogues are assembly houses for community prayer, just like the church for Christian and mosque for the Muslims. Modern Jews sometimes use the word temple instead of synagogue. Styles of synagogues vary in design, but they all have these components in common: the ark where the Torah scrolls are held must face the wall facing Jerusalem and the Ner Tamid, the everlasting flame, must be lit in front of the ark.( Judaism: Synagogue) “A rabbi has no more authority to perform rituals than any other adult male member of the Jewish community does. A rabbi is simply a teacher, a person formally educated in halakhah (Jewish law). He instructs the community, answers questions and settles disputes regarding the Jewish law. When a person has completed the necessary course of study, he is given a written document known as a semikhah, which confirms his authority to make such decisions” (Judaism: Rabbi). Islam, Judaism and Catholicism 4 Rabbis are the spiritual leaders of the Jewish community. They don’t have many authorities like the Imams or the priests. They are just like the ministers of a government. Just like ministers are elected by the people, any Jew who is sufficiently educated, selected by the Jew people can perform or lead a religious service. Rabbis lead the Jew community in their religious services and deal with many of the administrative matters related to the synagogue. Status alone does not give him the authority to conduct religious services. Even a common man with education and the religious know how of the rituals can perform the duties of a Rabbi. A service led by such a Jew is just as valid as a service led by a rabbi. It is not unusual for a community to be without a rabbi, or for Jewish services to be conducted without a rabbi. Christians consider Priests as their religious leaders. All the hidden meanings of the Bible is been interpreted by the priest. “The most significant acts reserved to Roman Catholic priests are the administration of the Sacraments, including the celebration of the Mass or Divine Liturgy and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, a ritual of Repentance, also called Confession. Holy Baptism is also normally administered by a priest. Other jobs of priest include the anointing (a ritual of putting some holy oil on the body) of the sick and marriage” (Priest: Encyclopedia II - Priest - In Christianity) The common priests will administer the church activities and the rituals. Most of the priests will have the control of at least one or at times more than one churches. They will look after the religious matters of the Christian people. Most of the Roman Islam, Judaism and Catholicism 5 Catholic churches will have some institutions such as schools, colleges and hospitals associated with it. The priest will have to look after the administration of such institutions associated with the church. Roman Catholic Priest is considered as a normal person though he is prohibited from marriage. Priests from other Christian denominations can engaged in marriage. He is supposed to be a person who has studied theology and should be a role model for the followers. As per the Christian belief human cannot be free from sins as their father Adam committed sins and we are the children of Adam. Through the genes passed from Adam the character of sin spread all over the world. In order to compromise this sin God has send his son Jesus Christ to the world. As per the God’s doctrine the result of a sin is death. Since the sin occurred in the world through one person, Adam that sin can be negotiated with the belief in Jesus Christ, since he has consumed the punishment for the sins committed by Adam. As per the Christian belief those who confess their sins and eat the body and the blood of Jesus Christ (another ritual in which bread and grape juice will be supplied to the followers who consider it as the flesh and blood of Jesus) will get salvation. The priest has the entire authority in this ritual and he is the person who makes the prayers for converting the bread and grape juice into the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ. Priests are appointed and controlled by bishops and the bishops are controlled by the Pope from Vatican. Though all the rituals performed by the priest can be done by bishops and the Pope, the only sacrament which is always reserved to a bishop is that Islam, Judaism and Catholicism 6 of ordination. The presence and ministry of a priest is required for a parish to function fully. This activity is known in Roman Catholicism as the cure of souls. In these traditions, only men who meet certain requirements may become priests. In Catholicism the canonical minimum age is twenty-five. A Catholic priest must be incardinated by his bishop or his major religious superior in order to engage in public ministry. In Orthodoxy the normal minimum age is thirty, but a bishop may dispense with this at need. In neither tradition may priests marry after ordination. In the Latin rite of the Roman church, they must be celibate and there are special rules for married clergy converting from certain other Christian confessions. Married men may become priests in Eastern Orthodoxy and the Eastern Rites of the Roman church but in neither case may they marry after ordination even if they become widowed. But in some Protestant communities the marriage is allowed even after the ordination. Some Catholic churches, not in communion with the Roman Church, do ordain women as well as men as priests; such churches include some Old Catholic communities, as well as some Independent Catholic Churches. These churches also generally permit the ordination of married people. Some of the similarities and dissimilarities between the Imams, Rabbis and Priests are listed below 1. The Imams and Rabbis can marry and lead a normal family life whereas most of the Priest cannot marry and lead a family life. Islam, Judaism and Catholicism 7 2. Imams are considered as sinless people. Rabbis are considered as normal Jew people with some education and knowledge of the rituals. Priests are also normal people with the special knowledge of theology and Christian rituals. 3. Imams are supposed to be the only one who has more authority on Shia Muslim people morally and politically. Rabbis don’t have much authority on their people. Priests have only the religious authority on people. 4. Imams and Rabbis never can be women. In some Christian communities even women can be a priest. Islam, Judaism and Catholicism 8 Sources 1. Judaism: Rabbi. Retrieved on 7/12/08 http://library.thinkquest.org/28505/judaism/rabbi.htm 2. Judaism: Rabbi. Retrieved on 7/12/08 http://library.thinkquest.org/28505/judaism/synag.htm 3. Judaism: Messiah. Retrieved on 7/12/08 http://library.thinkquest.org/28505/judaism/messi.htm 4. Priest: Encyclopedia II - Priest - In Christianity Retrieved on 7/12/08 http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Priest_-_In_Christianity/id/597937 Read More