Religion for Living
Second Edition
Connie Duffy
Alpha Press Ltd.
Contents
Section A
Communities of Faith.
Syllabus Aims ..............................................................1
Key Concepts ..............................................................2
Part 1 Community
Community................................................ 3
Sharing ...................................................... 5
Co-operation ............................................. 8
Communication ....................................... 10
Roles and Responsibilities ........................ 13
Community Breakdown ........................... 17
Part 2 Communities at Work
Serving Others ......................................... 20
Society of St. Vincent de Paul................... 23
L’Arche .................................................... 27
Hospice Care ........................................... 29
Part 3 Communities of Faith
World Religions........................................ 31
Christianity .............................................. 35
Judaism.................................................... 38
Islam........................................................ 40
Christian Communities of Faith ................ 42
Divisions in Christianity............................ 44
Christian Identity...................................... 47
The Catholic Church ................................ 50
The Orthodox Churches .......................... 53
The Church of Ireland.............................. 56
The Methodist Church ............................. 59
Religious Orders ...................................... 62
Part 4 Relationships between
Communities of Faith
Sectarianism ............................................ 65
Tolerance ................................................. 68
Ecumenism .............................................. 70
Inter-Faith Dialogue ................................. 73
Part 5 Organisation and Leadership in
Communities of Faith
*Leadership ............................................. 76
*Catholic Church Leadership ................... 78
*The Parish Priest .................................... 82
*Protestant Church Leadership ................ 85
* Denotes Higher Level
Section B
Foundations of Religion: Christianity.
Syllabus Aims ............................................................91
Key Concepts ............................................................92
Part 1 The Context
The Bible ................................................. 93
The Holy Land ......................................... 96
The Roman Empire .................................. 98
Homelife in Palestine ............................. 100
Worklife in Palestine .............................. 102
Jewish History ........................................ 104
Jewish Religion....................................... 107
Religious Groups.................................... 109
Awaiting the Messiah ............................. 111
Part 2 Evidence about Jesus
The New Testament .............................. 113
The Evangelists ...................................... 115
Three Gospel Stages .............................. 120
The Synoptic Gospels ............................ 123
Documents of History ........................... 126
Documents of Faith ............................... 128
Part 3 The Person and Preaching of Jesus
The Kingdom of God. ............................ 131
Parables ................................................ 133
The Lost Sheep ..................................... 135
The Sower ............................................. 137
The Good Samaritan ............................. 139
The Prodigal Son ................................... 141
Miracles ................................................ 143
Healing Miracles ................................... 145
Other Miracles ...................................... 147
Table-fellowship .................................... 149
Discipleship .......................................... 152
The Beatitudes ...................................... 154
Discipleship Today ................................ 157
Part 4 The Death and Resurrection of Jesus
Jesus and Outcasts ................................. 159
Jesus Forgives Sins .................................. 161
Jesus and Sabbath Laws ......................... 163
The Last Supper ..................................... 166
Arrest and Trial of Jesus .......................... 169
Death of Jesus........................................ 172
The Resurrection.................................... 176
Resurrection Appearances...................... 179
Part 5 Faith in Christ
Ascension .............................................. 182
Pentecost ............................................... 184
Early Faith Communities......................... 186
St. Paul .................................................. 189
Modern Faith Communities.................... 192
*New Titles for Jesus.............................. 197
Contents page i
Section C
Foundations of Religion: Judaism.
Syllabus Aims ..........................................................201
Key Concepts ..........................................................202
Part 1 The Context
Judaism - Location ................................. 203
Judaism - Culture ................................... 206
Part 2 Sources of Evidence
Abraham................................................ 209
Moses .................................................... 212
Sacred Text ............................................ 216
Oral and Written Tradition ..................... 219
The Dead Sea Scrolls ............................. 222
Part 3 Rites of Passage and other Rituals
Belief and Practice ................................. 225
Prayer .................................................... 227
The Sabbath .......................................... 229
Place of Worship.................................... 232
Worship in the Synagogue...................... 235
Pilgrimage .............................................. 238
The Jewish Calendar .............................. 241
Religious Festivals................................... 243
Pesach - Passover ................................... 246
Rites of Passage ...................................... 249
Part 4 Development of Tradition
Development of Judaism........................ 252
Judaism Worldwide................................ 256
The Holocaust ....................................... 260
Branches of Judaism............................... 263
Part 5 Tradition, Faith and Practice today
*The Jewish Community ........................ 266
*Jewish Identity ..................................... 270
Section C
Foundations of Religion: Islam.
Part 1 The Context
Ancient Civilisations ............................... 273
Islam - the Context................................. 276
Part 2 Sources of Evidence
Prophet Muhammad.............................. 278
Sacred Text ............................................ 281
Part 3 Rites of Passage and other Rituals
Belief and Practice ................................. 284
Prayer .................................................... 287
Place of Worship.................................... 290
Pilgrimage .............................................. 293
Religious Festivals................................... 296
Rites of Passage ...................................... 299
Part 4 Development of Tradition
Islam Worldwide.................................... 302
Division in Islam .................................... 305
Part 5 Tradition, Faith and Practice today
*The Muslim Community ...................... 307
*Muslim Identity.................................... 309
Section C
Foundations of Religion: Hinduism.
Hinduism......................religionforliving.com
Section C
Foundations of Religion: Buddhism.
Buddhism .....................religionforliving.com
* Denotes Higher Level
Contents page ii
Section D
The Question of Faith.
Syllabus Aims ..........................................................313
Key Concepts ..........................................................314
Part 1 The Situation of Faith today
Religion Today ....................................... 315
Religion in the Past................................. 319
Religion in a Changing World................. 322
Religion and Young People..................... 326
Part 2 The Beginnings of Faith
Looking at Life ....................................... 329
Questions about Life .............................. 332
Search for Meaning................................ 336
Part 3 The Growth of Faith
God in Scripture .................................... 340
Our image of God.................................. 344
Stages of Faith........................................ 347
Part 4 The Expression of Faith
Signs of Religious Faith ........................... 352
Faithful People ....................................... 355
Part 5 Challenges to Faith
*Science and Religion............................ 359
*World Views ........................................ 364
Section E
The Celebration of Faith.
Syllabus Aims ..........................................................369
Key Concepts ..........................................................370
Part 1 The World of Ritual
Places of Pilgrimage ............................... 371
Local Pilgrimages.................................... 377
Places of Worship .................................. 382
The Liturgical Year.................................. 390
Part 2 The Experience of Worship
Worship................................................. 397
Ritual ..................................................... 401
Participation........................................... 405
Part 3 Worship as Response to Mystery
*Mystery................................................ 409
*Response to Mystery ............................ 413
Part 4 Sign and Symbol
Sign and Symbol .................................... 417
Religious Symbols .................................. 420
Icons ..................................................... 424
Sacraments ............................................ 427
Sacrament of Baptism ............................ 432
Part 5 Prayer
Prayer ................................................... 437
Jesus and Prayer .................................... 440
Types of Prayer ...................................... 443
Silent Prayer .......................................... 447
Section F
The Moral Challenge.
Syllabus Aims ..........................................................453
Key Concepts ..........................................................454
Part 1 Introduction to Morality
Morality ................................................. 455
Free to Choose....................................... 459
Consequences ....................................... 462
Relationships.......................................... 464
Part 2 Sources of Morality
Sources of Morality ................................ 468
Codes of Behaviour................................ 472
The Ten Commandments ....................... 475
Commandment of Love ......................... 478
Wisdom of Others ................................. 481
Part 3 Growing in Morality
Developing Morality .............................. 485
Conscience ............................................ 490
Part 4 Religious Morality in Action
Moral Values .......................................... 494
Moral Decision-Making.......................... 498
Social Justice.......................................... 501
Respect for Life ...................................... 506
Care for the Earth................................... 510
Moral Failure ......................................... 514
Restoring Relationships .......................... 518
Part 5 Law and Morality
*Law and Morality ................................. 523
*Apartheid............................................. 527
*Religion and Law ................................. 530
Contents page iii