World Religions - Essay Example

World Religions Q. 5 The key differences between Protestant and Catholic doctrine. As is it known,Protestantism emerged as a backlash against the Catholic Church. Martin Luther made a harsh criticism against the usurpation of religious authority held by the pope and other Catholic priests. Despite the fact that Protestantism and Catholicism relate to the Christian religion and believe in the Christian God in His trinity, one can designate some major differences between them. These differences have ideological and ritual implications. In ideological terms, the differences between Catholicism and Protestantism are manifested in the questions of authority of the Bible, salvation and grace, while the ritual differences occur in the interpretation of the saints and ceremonies such as the Eucharist. The first major difference between Protestantism and Catholicism is that, unlike Catholics Protestants use the principle of Sola Scriptura. According to this principle, the Bible is the only authority that should regulate not only the ideological sphere of Christianity but also the practical life of all believers. Protestants reject the authority of the Catholic tradition which is considered by Catholics no less authoritative than the Bible itself. For Protestants, the Word of God expressed in the Bible is the only sacred source for understanding God and gaining spiritual unity with God. According to various researchers, “the issue of Sola Scriptura ... versus Scripture plus tradition is perhaps the fundamental difference between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism” (qtd. in Rosario). No less important difference between the two Christian denominations is relevant to the question of salvation. Protestants often say that faith is the primary and fundamental way for the salvation of man. Faith is the path that opens the way to the grace of God. Unlike Protestants, Catholics are inclined to say that despite the fact that faith is essential for salvation, it cannot be seen as the only way to salvation. In this respect, faith is not enough. Catholics consider “justification as a process, dependent on the grace you receive by participating in the Church --- which is seen as a repository of saving grace” (Rosario). As noted above, the differences between Catholicism and Protestantism are also manifested in the ritual area. In particular, the ritual of the Eucharist has a different interpretation in the denominations. Catholics insist on the doctrine of transubstantiation. According to this doctrine, the edible ritual elements used during the Eucharist should be seen as the literal embodiment of the body and blood of Christ. In turn, Protestants use the doctrine of consubstantiation, that is, they believe that the body and blood of Christ coexist along with the bread and the wine (Rosario). In comparison with the Protestants, Catholics give special importance to various saints, including the Virgin Mary. “Roman Catholics see veneration, not as praying to the Saints and the Virgin Mary, but as praying through them” (Rosario). Unlike Catholics, Protestants emphasize the direct communication with God, and so they pay less attention to the Christian saints. Thus, the desire for direct communication with God determines the critical attitude of Protestants not only towards priests, but also towards Christian saints. Q. 6. The Five Pillars of Islam in comparison with Judaism and Christianity. Along with Judaism and Christianity, Islam is an Abrahamic religion. Like Judaism and Christianity, Islam believes in a transcendent God. God is regarded as the most perfect creature that created humans and all earthly world. In this regard, human life is seen in close connection with the concept of God. All the three religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam emphasize the fact that God should be regarded as the only source for the whole world. God is Absolute, God is the creator, and finally God is the Supreme Judge (“Judaism, Christianity, and Islam”). All these religions claim that life on earth is given to man so that he/she could prove his/her right for salvation and eternal life in heaven. Mans task is to open the way to God, and as a result to find spiritual salvation and life beyond the earthly world. In this respect, Judaism, Christianity and Islam focus specifically on Gods commandments, which should be considered by believers as mandatory rules for their behavior. On the other hand, Islam has its own distinctive features. In particular, by analyzing the five pillars of Islam, it is possible to see a clear difference between Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Muslims profess the following five pillars of Islam: 1) “Reciting the Islamic creed” (Allah is recognized as the only God and Mohammed is his prophet), 2) “Reciting formal prayers five times every day,” 3) “Observing of Ramadan,” 4) “Giving money to the poor,” and 5) “Making at least one pilgrimage to Mecca” (“Judaism, Christianity, and Islam”). Analyzing the first pillar of Islam, one can see the obvious difference between Islam and Christianity. Similar to Judaism, Islam believes in one God and rejects the idea of God’s Trinity that is presented in Christianity. In turn, the need to pray five times a day distinguishes Islam primarily from Christianity. In fact, in Judaism, there are “prayers 3 times daily, with a fourth prayer added on Shabbat and holidays” (“Islam vs. Judaism”). This rule is a feature of Islam. It can be regarded as a constant confirmation of spiritual closeness between a Muslim and Allah. The third rule (observing of Ramadan) can be considered as a factor in favor of the similarities between the religions, since all the three religions suggest a period of time when believers should limit daily intake of fatty foods directing all their efforts on spiritual purification and intimacy with God. Similar to the third rule, the fourth pillar of Islam can be observed also in Judaism and Christianity. On the other hand, Islam makes greater emphasis on charity considering it as a mandatory rule. Finally, the fifth requirement in Islam can also be considered as a distinctive characteristic of Islam in the sense that unlike Judaism and Christianity, it obliges the Muslim to visit the city that is holy to Muslims around the world. Thus, the distinguishing feature of Islam in comparison with Judaism and Christianity is that it considers prayer, charity, visiting the holy city, fasting in Ramadan, and recognition of Allah as the only God as the cornerstones of their religion, which play a key role in understanding all the other ideas in Islam. Works Cited “Islam vs. Judaism.” Diffen. n.d. Web. 20 May 2015. “Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.” Cliffs Notes. n.d. Web. 20 May 2015. Rosario, Mikel Del. “7 Key Differences between Protestant and Catholic Doctrine.” Dallas Theological Seminary. 2014. Web. 20 May 2015. Read More