CELEBRATING RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY
By Jack Weibgen
Vatican II
The Eucharist
Pope Francis
The Eight Dimension Of Religion
Beliefs-
Different followings of the certain Religion, It is what they chose to believe in.
Sacred Stories-
These are tales to explain where people came from and the significance of their deity in the development of the world e.g the story of creation. These are written by the followers of the chosen religious deity e.g the Apostles wrote the New Testament for Catholicism.
Sacred Texts-
A passage out of the sacred stories, some vary from different religions according to beliefs.
Sacred Symbols-
The images/signs that represent the spiritual and gives the religion its unique objects.
Religious Ritual-
Religious Ritual is something that is practiced on a daily for example: Praying, saying Grace before meals. Weekly like receiving the Eucharist at a Sunday Mass. It can even be yearly thing such as Christmas, The reenactment of the Station of the Cross at Easter time. These ritual may be carried out alone or as a congregation.
Religious Experience-
Your own personal experience with a deity. This can be achieved though prayer, meditation and song.
Religious Ethics-
These are the are the moral teachings of the religions, these are the guidelines to which people endeavour to live there lives by in order to reach spiritual fulfilment.
Social Structure-
This is divided into 3 categories:
PEOPLE- Religious Leaders and the common people, who all worship the duty of their Religion.
EVENTS- Ceremonies on the calendar that signify that a Religious event took place e.g Easter, for Catholics, the Passover for the Jewish and the Buddhist New Year.
STRUCTURES- These are the Buildings such as Churches, Temples and Synagogs where all different Religions go to prayer.
Compare The Contrast Between Catholicism And Buddhism
Here are some of the differences:
Buddhists believe in Buddha and reincarnation after death.
Catholics believe man was created in the image of God as well as The Farther, The Son and The Holy Sprit. They also believe when a Catholic dies it is believed their spirit ascends into Heaven.
Buddhists have the Tripitaka which is a book about the teaching and parables of Buddha, where as Catholics have the Holy Bible which contains passages from The Apostles Matthew, Mark, Luke and John who wrote the New Testament.
The Buddhist's read a passage from the Tripitaka which is one of their sacred texts which is all about morals and teaching. Catholics have a gospel which is a passage from the bible.
The symbols that the Catholics have are the Cross, A Dove and A Fish, Buddhist symbols are the Conch Shell, Zen Circle, Buddha Eyes and The Lotus Flower.
Catholics Rituals are when they receive the Eucharist on a Sunday Mass. They say Grace before a meal and read the Rosary. Buddhist practice meditation as well as chanting and praying to Buddha.
The Buddhists meditate in a quiet room when they have a Religious Experience. Catholics pray quietly at home or a church, they can also say light candles to show that God is around them.
The Buddhist have 5 precepts which are training rules, if they were to break of these rules they are not punished but be aware and examine what they did wrong so in the future they don't do it again. For Catholics there Religious Ethics are the 10 commandments is they way God would of wanted the Catholics to live their life in the image of him.
The Catholics have a Church as there sacred place where they go to pray, they have events like Christmas and Easter which are very big ceremonies on the Church's calendar, Catholics also have a Pope who oversees the reign of the Catholic Church and tries to bring peace to the world. Buddhist have Temples as well as a shrine in their homes were they sit on the floor and chant to an image of Buddha, the events on their calendar are the Buddhist new year, Veska and Magha Puja day.
Here are some of the similarities:
Both believe that the human body is only a vessel in which the spirit lives.
Both Religions have Sacred Events on there Calendar
Ecumencal Movement
VATICAN II
Pope John XXIII called Vatican II in 1952 though to 1959, His reasons for calling together the Vatican II council (made up of the Bishops of the Vatican) was to renew the Church life in ways such as "to renew," "to revitalise" and "to bring up to date." The reason why it was so important was to update institutions, reform structures and bring the Catholic Church into the 20th Century.
Bibliography
www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/budethics.htm
http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/history/world/wh0090.html
8 Aspects of Religion Table
Vatican II Notes
Location: St Mary of the Angels Secondary College, Chapel Street, Nathalia, Victoria, Australia
Phone: 000-213-098