Study of Religions Exam 3
Do scholars today think that Jesus intended to found a new religion distinct from Judaism?
No. Scholars did not think that Jesus intended to found a new religion distinct from Judaism
Do all Jews accept this designation?
No. not all Jewish people accept this designation
Were the early Christian writers conscious of composing "sacred scripture" in addition to the texts that make up the Hebew scriptures (ex: the old testament)
No. the writers were not conscious that they were composing "sacred Scriptures"
Do any actual copies of exist? If not, why do scholars presume its existence?
No. there are not actual copies of the Q-document. Scholars presume its existence because they are references in the Luke and Matthew's chapters in the gospels
Are they factual, objective reports about the life and ministry of Jesus? if not, what is the best way to describe them?
No. they are not objective reports about the life and ministry of Jesus
Does it imply that Jews are better than other people?
No. this does not imply that Jews are better than other people, it is just a simple way of describing their history and feeling on what has happen to them throughout the years
What are the main divisions of modern Judaism?
Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform Judaism.
What event is celebrated by the Jewish feast of Passover?
Passover = The festival recalling the Jewish liberation from Egyptian bondage
What person, after Jesus, was most influential in turning the Christian movement into a world religion distinct from Judaism?
St. Paul was the most influential person in turning the Christian movement into a world religion
What was his attitude to Jesus?
St.Paul was a disciple of Jesus
How does the prayer "Shema Isreal," based on a verse of scripture, sum up the core belief of Judaism?
"Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One" this Scripture sums up the fact that Judaism is a monotheistic religion
What is "history interpreted by faith"?
"History interpreted by faith" refers to history written that is based in faith related topics. For example, the story of Jesus and his part in the creation of Chrisianity
Who began the Protestant Reformation, and when?
1517 Protestantism began in Germany in 1517 when Martin Luther published his Ninety-five Theses as a reaction against abuses in the sale of indulgences by the Roman Catholic Church, which purported to offer the remission of the temporal punishment of sins to their purchasers.
What is a Bar or Bat Mitvah?
A Bar or Bat Mitvah = The a boy becomes a son the commandment and assumes all adult religious duties
What is meant by the term "covenant"?
A covenant refers to an agreement. It can be an agreement to action or to a deed, or other legal contract
How is a prophet in Judaism different from a sage or wise man like Confusius of Buddha?
A prophet in Judaism is different from a sage or wise man like Confucius or the Buddha because the prophet is working for a higher power. A prophet also focuses more on the future and how a person can work towards opportunities of righteousness and goodness.
What is the literal meaning of the word "prophet"?
A prophet is a person regarded as an inspired teacher or proclaimer of the will of God
What happened to the nation of Israel after Solomon?
After Solomon's death, his sons divided the kingdom into two parts the north called Israel and the South named Judah.
What ritual are all Jewish males obligated to undergo?
All Jewish males are obligated to be circumcised
When were Christians "legalized" by the Roman Empire?
By 391, under the reign of Theodosius I, Christianity had become the state religion of Rome. When Christianity was legalized the Church took the same provinces for administration as the imperial government and called them dioceses.
What does it mean to say he had a charismatic personality?
By saying that Jesus has a charismatic personality it means that he was a man of the people. He helped everyone without judgment and lived a life full of good deeds and spiritual presence
What religion besides Judaism believes in revelation
Christianity and Islam
How did Christianity begin?
Christianity began after Jesus was crucified and his followers, specifically St.Paul converted his teachings and began to preach them
How did his fellow-Jews generally regard Jesus during his lifetime?
During his lifetime, Jesus was regarded as a good-doer. He was constantly helping others and socializing with members of society that were deemed low-lives or unworthy (prostitutes etc.)
What does the term "ethical monotheism" mean?
Ethical Monotheism means: Ethical monotheism is a form of exclusive monotheism in which God is the source for one standard of morality, who guides humanity through ethical principles.
What Jewish practice is attributed to him?
Getting Circumcised is the Jewish practice attributed to him
What happened to him to give him his leadership role?
God gave him his leadership role by appearing as a burning bush (that did not burn) and commissioned him to liberate Yahweh's people form slavery and lead them to the Promised Land
What promise did he receive from God
God promised Abraham land that would stay in his families name for generation
What is characteristic about Jesus' speaking style?
Jesus' speaking/style has many characteristics: text usually had intresting word order and generally uses word order to increase the drama in what he is saying. Uses the Contrast of Opposite - he contrasts positives and negative ideas Inverting Phrases - turns a phases words around for emphasis ex: "you agree with me and "I will agree with you"
What are some quality of characteristics of God as Judaism understands God?
Jews believe that their God is a personal God. They believe that all other beings depend utterly on Him and that all good flows from him. They believe he is a God of hope and that the world was created by Him as well.
Between what dates, appropriately, were the Jewish scripture composed?
It is believed that the Jewish scriptures were composed during the Jews time in exile
What are the major events of christian history?
Jesus being born, Jesus Crucifixion on the cross, Jesus' Resurrection, development of Christianity
What literary form did he normally use when teaching?
Jesus used storytelling and the idea of a teachable moment to teach his ideas
Of what nationality and religions was Jesus?
Jesus was a Galilean Jew and practiced Judaism before being baptized.
What distinguished his healing ministry from those of ot her healers of his day?
Jesus was regarded as an exorcist. He did not only heal physical wounds but religions ones as well
What sort of impression did he make on his disciples?
Jesus was very kind to his disciples. He treated them with respect and trusted them.
How original was is message? What is distinctive about it?
Jesus' message reflected the Old Testament, therefore it was not completely original. The idea that made Jesus' message different from the Old Testament was his emphasis on the compassion and love of God for people
What does it mean to call Judaism "a religion of doing"?
Judaism is a "religion of doing" because there are so many actions and rituals that are practiced within the Jewish religion and culture.
What is meant by the word Kerugma?
Kerugma - preaching the gospel of Christ in the manner of the early church; preaching, sermon, discourse - an address of a religious nature (usually delivered during a church service
Beyond the fact that God spoke to, or through Moses, is the individual Jew required to believe any specific doctrines?
No. Individual Jews are not required to believe in any specific doctrines.
Did he make himself the primary focus of his message?
No. Jesus did not make himself the primary focus of his message
Do most scholars today think that Jesus directly taught that he was the Christ during his own lifetime? if not, when did t first begin to be applied to him. and by whom?
No. Scholars believed that Jesus lived among the normal society and practiced goodness. The idea that Jesus was Christ was not applied until after he died and people began to gain interest in his life and sermons
which is usually printed first in editions of the New Testament? What is the "Q Document"?
Mathew is usually printed first The Q-document is mainly a collection of sayings of Jesus. In the Q-document, Jesus is presented as a teacher
Was "Christ" originally part of his name? What does it mean?
No. Christ was not originally part of his name. Christ was a title given to Jesus after he died. "Christ" was a title given to Jesus after the resurrection that is a formulation in words of the original impression he made to the people during his lifetime
What was his principal message?
Paul's principal message was that Jesus was Christ, the son of God, and the Savior
What is Revelation?
Revelation refers to an act in which God conveys a message, teaching, or truth to humanity or to a group of human beings. A person who receives a revelation that he or she is to proclaim to a larger community is known as a prophet, and thus the topics of revelation and prophecy are intertwined, especially in religions that are based on revelation
Who were Saul, David, and Solomon?
Saul is Davids father, and David is Solomon's father. Together they created a united Jewish kingdom. During their reign, a temple to the Lord was built and scholars believe that some of the first parts of the Hebrew bible were written.
Do scholars today think the gospels as we have them were written by eyewitnesses of the events they describe?
Scholars think the gospels are based off of there own ideas of the events that occurred. None of the gospels are believed to be completely based off of eyewitness events.
What was the Assyrian Conquest?
The Assyrian conquest was when Israel was taken over by the Assyrians and the people had to move into Judah
The Babylonian exile? '
The Babylonian exile is when the Babylonian kingdom took over completely in the jews established area and exiled them from their land.
What are the Days of Awe? Yom Kippur? Roshahna?
The Days of Awe = Yom Kippur and Roshahna - a ten day period of repentance, soul-searching and return to God Yom Kippur = The Day of Atonement. Yom Kippur requires a strict 24-hour fast, a thorough weighing of one's past deed and synagogue prater to receive God's mercy Roshahna = The Jewish New Year in September or October
What major stages did prophecy go through (Smith)?
The prophecy was proclaimed by after the Babylonian empire exiled the Jewish from their lands. The prophet spoke stories of a coming era of justice and peace where Israel would be reestablished by the Messiah and bring on the Messianic Age
What stages did early Christian faith in Jesus probably go through in discerning his identity?
The Early Christian Faith went through 3 stages: Future Christology - Jesus will be the Christ when he returns at the end of the world Present Christology - Jesus already is the Christ, now, invisibly; he will be manifested as the Christ later, too Jesus was already the Christ during his earthly ministry; he was manifested as such after his death to believers in the resurrection; at the end of time his messiah-ship will be manifested to everyone
What was the exodus?
The Exodus was the Jews being released from slavery and leaving Egypt.
What are the major events of modern Jewish history?
The Holocaust
How do they differ?
The Jewish Diaspora was the dispersion of Jews after the Babylonian exile from Palestine or present-day Isreal
Why are the Jews called "the chosen people"?
The Jewish are called "The Chosen People" because they believe that they we're chosen by God to go through all of these trials and keep his message alive
Who do Jews believe was primarily responsible for their deliverance from Egypt?
The Jewish believe that Moses was primarily responsible for their deliverance from Egypt
How do Jews understand this event as a model or paradigm of all Jewish history?
The Jewish believe that this event was a model of all Jewish history because they would continue to leave places in which they are treated poorly for the rest of their religious journey.
How is the Jewish understanding of history different from that found in Hinduism?
The Jewish history began with a person whom started a revolution whereas, in Hinduism, they believe that there have been Gods present since the beginning of time.
How is the Jewish idea of God different from the Hindu Brahman or the Chinese Tao?
The Jewish idea of God is radically different from that of the Hindu Brahman or the Chinese Tao. The Jewish believe that there is only one God and that this God is responsible for everything.
How do Jews regard the material world? In what way is Judaism "a strongly earth-centered religion"?
The Jewish regard the material world as a stage in life in which they must fulfill God's word in order to attain happiness. Judaism is a not a earth-centered religion due to the fact that they are working towards the afterlife
With what patriarch is the Jewish religion said to originate? How did he get his name?
The Jewish religion originates with the patriarch (father of humanity) Abraham Abraham got his name from God himself after taking his orders and starting a covenant
What obligation are the Jews required to fulfill?
The Jews are required to follow Gods word in order to maintain the covenant with God
How did the concept of the Messiah develop? What is meant by the Messianic age or era?
The concept of the Messiah developed after the Babylonian exile from Judah. The prophets proposed that this new era of the Messiah or the Anointed One was upon them. This would mark when the Jewish would reestablish themselves as a nation
What is distincitve about the Jewish concept of God
The distinctive characteristic of the Jewish concept of God is that he is a personal God. He deals with the man at will - through justice, anger, and love
What preceded the written Scripture? What are its three divisions?
The division of the Jewish people during the Roman reign is what preceded the written scripture. The 3 divisions are: The Sadducees - People who manage the temple servies and collaborate with the Romans The Pharisees - The promoters of the Law, who teach that by strictly observing the 613 commandments of the Mosaic covenant The Followers of Jesus - A Galilean Jew who started his own ministry of teaching and healing, proclaiming that the time has come and that the long-awaited "reign of God" is now at hand
What is meant by the doctrine of Atonemnet?
The doctrine of Atonement states that Jesus died for our sins
What is meant by the doctrine of the incarnation?
The doctrine of incarnation states that God that God assumed a human nature and became a man in the form of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the second person of the Trinity. Christ was truly God and truly man.
What is meant by the doctrine of the "Two natures"
The doctrine of the "Two natures" of Christ" is/was both wholly divine and wholly man simultaneously.
What is meant by the doctrine of the Holy Trinity?
The doctrine of the Holy Trinity states that God has appeared to world in three different forms - the spirit, the son, and the God
What experiences may have convinced Jesus that the kingdom of God foreseen by the prophets was happening in his own lifetime?
The fact that the Jewish were suffering at this point in history was a factor that convinced Jesus that the kingdom of God was occuring in his own lifetime.
When were the first documents of what later became the New Testament written?
The first gospel was first written around 65-75 A.D. about 40 years after the actual life of Jesus.
What historic event(s) does it refer to? What promises does God make?
The historical event that is being referred to the when God spoke to Abraham and told him to start a following or covenant in exchange for the Promise Land.
How does this apply to individual Jews?
The lesson applied to individual Jews because whole reading the Torah and learning their scriptures they are constantly having "arguments" with each other in order to figure out the true meaning behind God's words
What was the main theme of Jesus' own preaching?
The main theme of Jesus' preaching was an emphasis on God's fatherhood
Who are the most famous prophets?
The most famous prophets in Judaism are: Isaiah I, Isaiah II, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel
Who is the most important prophet or religious leader of the Jewish tradition? where was he born and how was he raised?
The most important prophet of the Jewish tradition is - Moses Moses was born in the house of Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt and was raised to be royalty
What does the name Israel mean, according to the video? How does this apply to individual jews?
The name Israel means "To content or fight God"
What is the ecumenical movement?
The term "ecumenism" refers to efforts by Christians of different church traditions to develop closer relationships and better understandings. The term is also often used to refer to efforts towards the visible and organic unity of different Christian denominations in some form
What event or events transformed "the message of Jesus" into the "Message about Jesus"?
The transition between Jesus preaching and how people portrayed Jesus' preaching after he died id what transformed "the message of Jesus" into the "message about Jesus"
What is the "Two-source Theory" of the composition of the gospels of Matthew and Luke? When was the fourth gospel written? What is distinctive about it?
The two-source theory of the composition of the gospels of Matthew and Luke refers to the fact that they are a combination of two different sources. Matthew was written by a Jewish Christian and sayings from the Q-document. Luke was written around the same time as Matthew also with material from the Q-document. John was written at the end of the first century and is different from the first three gospels in every way. It changes the chronology of Jesus's life in significant ways. It presents Jesus as the one who speaks and as an eternal logos or Word of God. (Jesus himself becomes the focus of his own preaching, and he is unmistakably identified as God's Son, one with the Father in everything.
What does the word "Gospel" mean? Which of the four gospels was written first?
The word Gospel means "good news" and refers to the central theme in the preaching of Jesus. The 4 Gospels are called: Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John. The gospel "Mark" was written first, but is actually second in the series
Who are these two messages different, and how are they they the same?
These two messages are different because the "The message of Jesus" is when Jesus himself spoke about his concern for the kingdom of God. "The message about Jesus" is the message in which the church made jesus himself the central idea The two messages are similar in the idea that Jesus was the one who announced that he was the arrival of the God's kingdom and the church's idea that him dying on the cross was the arrival of God's kingdom
How is it different from a completely philological approach to God and Religion
This is a different approach to God and religion because previous religions had no God that spoke to them with words
What did Jews believe today about the Messiah?
Today some Jews accept Jesus as the Messiah, but majority reject the claims and feel the promises of the Messianic age have not been fulfilled
God promised Abraham land that would stay in his families name for generation
When asked to sacrifice his son, Abraham went through with it, but at the last second, God stopped him and said that he showed true loyalty to God in accepting the task and almost going through with it
When did the Orthodox/Catholic schism occur?
While the West was concerned with the Passion of Christ and the sin of man, the East emphasized the Resurrection of Christ and the deification of man (the process of becoming united with God). While the West leaned toward a legalistic view of religion, the East espoused a more mystical theology. Since the Early Church was not monolithic, the two great traditions existed together for more than a thousand years until the Great Schism divided the Church in 1054.
To what event does the name Yahweh especially refer?
Yahweh is the name of the state god of the ancient Kingdom of Israel and, later, the Kingdom of Judah. His name is composed of four Hebrew consonants (YHWH, known as the Tetragrammaton) which the prophet Moses is said to have revealed to his people.
Was he perceived as a wonder-worker?
Yes. Jesus was perceived as a wonder-worker in the fact that he encouraged people and helped them.
According to traditional orthodox teaching, what is most important about Jesus, his person or his message? Why?
believe that traditional orthodox teachings think that Jesus as a person was more important. They believe this because
What titles of respect did they use to address him?
lord
What is the central ethical teaching of Christianity?
obeying the truth. Christians acknowledge not only a duty to announce the gospel, profess the faith, and worship God but also to live their entire lives according to God's will.
How does one become a Jew?
one is born a jew, it is not a group that you just join
