Religion and Theology Questions - Assignment Example

 Religion and Theology 1. The concepts of dharma and karma are important beliefs in all three of the dharmic traditions: Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. In Hinduism, dharma refers to the duties one must perform in life. Dharma is not consistent for everyone but differs from person to person. Generally, dharma involves worshipping God, performing one’s duties appropriately, staying honest, not hurting animals or even other humans, and so on (Penney, 1995). Karma, literally meaning ‘action’, in Hinduism, refers to the invisible law that defines how the next life will be. Karma depends on the kind of life one has led in the previous life. In Jainism, dharma refers to the eternal law which all of its followers must adopt thereby becoming indifferent of the material senses of the world. It promotes a sense of self-denial and nonviolence. Karma, more than being just a principle, is a way of preventing sins in Jainism (Andrea & Overfield, 2012). Karma in Jainism also acquires a physical and material existence within the soul rather than being the consequence of an action. In Buddhism, dharma refers to the law of righteousness, especially as it was taught by Buddha himself. Dharma in Buddhism characterizes that universal law of nature that spans the mundane and extra-mundane, engendering the duties of Man as realize through meditation as did the Buddha (Andrea & Overfield, 2012). In Buddhism, Karma not merely relies on one’s actions but also on the intention behind any action. As such, Karma explains the causal relationship between the various actions and the kind of next life which it leads to. While the basic concept of dharma is the same in all three traditions, Hindus understand it as a natural law that governs social relations and responsibilities. On the other hand, dharma in Buddhism refers to the teachings of Buddha as well as the mental states experienced by Man. These include all the impulses and conscious thoughts. Further, the concept of karma differs in Hinduism and Jainism whereby karma in Hinduism does not occupy an existential state within the soul whereas it occupies a material state within one’s soul in Jainism. 2. Being monotheistic religions, there is one God in all three Abrahamic religions although the concept of God differs in each of these. As noted by Neusner, Chilton & Graham (2002), Christians and Muslims rely on cumulative knowledge of God as added on by each additional scripture. Jews however rely on a dual knowledge of God through oral and written Torah. The Christian concept of God revolves around a self-revealed God summed up by a three-person Trinity which includes the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Neusner, Chilton & Graham, 2002). The Trinity is considered to be a way of conceiving God and as such, Jesus is the embodiment of God and the Son in the Trinity. In Christianity, the relationship between the Father and the Son is of primary nature with everything else being subsidiary. In Judaism and Islam, unlike in Christianity, God is not represented by an incarnate, human form. However, in Judaism, God (or Yahweh) can have traits characteristic of humans and so God exists in several divine forms including the image of humans. Since people differ, God in Judaism, has different faces. In Islam, God cannot be represented by a human form and is unitary and transcendent. Unlike its other Abrahamic counterparts, it also does not have any human characteristics. Referred to as Allah, the Muslims consider only Him to be worthy of worship. Also, unlike in Christianity, God in Islam does not have a son nor a father or a spouse. Muslims also do not believe in ascribing human qualities to God. Therefore, Christians relate to God in human form. The Trinity in Christianity occupies a central place in defining the human-divine relationship. As such, Christians believe that they are images of God. Muslims relate to God as an Omnipotent being, unitary in nature. On the other hand, Jews do not represent God as incarnate yet ascribe human characteristics to God 3. Scriptures hold a high level of importance in all three Abrahamic religions including Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In Christianity, the scriptures are taken as cumulative. In that sense, the Christian holy book – Bible – combines the two testaments including Torah in the Old Testament and further revelations in the New Testament. The Bible provides guidance for the daily lives of Christians and offers rules and commandments to be followed by Christians. The interpretation of the Bible differs across different religious groups although the basic gist is retained. The Jewish Bible is the Holy Scripture in Judaism with Torah being the main book among the rest. Jews derive learning from more than just scriptures and also rely on oral tradition passed on through Torah. Nevertheless, the scripture provides laws and stories that are meant to guide Jews in their daily lives regarding various domains. In Judaism as well, the scripture is an important and authoritative text that defines laws and the rules for conduct. Among many other religious stories, Torah contains stories regarding the creation of the world, the development of a generation from Abraham and Sarah, the exile, and so on. Other than narrating religious stories, the Torah contains prohibitive laws and define what is prohibited and what is allowed. Hence, the scriptures are regarded as an authoritative text defining religious laws. In Islam, the Quran is the first source of jurisprudence and Islamic law. It is the primary source guiding the lives of Muslims through the various verses and teachings present in the text. Quran is considered to be the ultimate source of knowledge containing guidance for how to lead lives, treat others, and follow the path of submission to Allah. Since the Quran is the source of knowledge and wisdom, Muslims read the Quran to learn about Allah’s teachings. The interpretation of the Quran is usually done by Islamic scholars in ways that guide the actions of Muslims within the bounds of Islam. In short, the Quran is the major source of guidance for Muslims and any issues that are encountered are primarily referred to in the Quran for a solution. References Andrea, A., & Overfield, J. (2012). The human record. Boston: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. Neusner, J., Chilton, B., & Graham, W. (2002). Three faiths, one God. Boston: Brill Academic Publishers. Penney, S. (1995). Hinduism. Oxford: Heinemann Educational Publishers. Read More