Unit: The Mystery of God

Activity 2A: World Religions

Resources: Background information for students

Aboriginal Spirituality

Aboriginal spirituality is characterised by having a god or gods who created people and the surrounding environment during a particular creation period at the beginning of time. Aboriginal people are very religious and spiritual, but rather than praying to a single god they cannot see, each group generally believes in a number of different deities, whose image is

often depicted in some tangible, recognisable form. This form may be that of a particular landscape feature, an image in a rock art shelter, or in a plant or animal form.Landscape features may be the embodiment of the deity itself, such as a particular rock representing a specific figure, or they may be the result of something the deity did or that happened to the deity in the Creation Period, such as a river having formed when the Rainbow Serpent passed through the area in the Creation Period, or a depression in a rock or in the ground representing the footprint or sitting place of an Ancestral Being.

Aboriginal people do not believe in animism. This is the belief that all natural objects possess a soul.

They do not believe that a rock possesses a soul, but they might believe that a particular rock outcrop was created by a particular deity in the creation period, or that it represents a deity from the Creation Period. They believe that many animals and plants are interchangeable with human life through re-incarnation of the spirit or soul, and that this relates back to the Creation Period when these animals and plants were once people.

Aboriginal deities have many roles and no single description or term can describe all of these. Based on their primary role, they fall into three main

Year 10 Religious Education 1

categories, and any one deity may belong to one, two, or all three of these categories:

(a) Creation Beings (also: Creation Figure). Many are involved with the creation of people, the landscape, and aspects of the environment, such as the creation of red, yellow or white pigments, so can be called “Creation Figures” or “Creation Beings”.

(b) Ancestral Beings. In many examples, these deities are regarded as the direct ancestors of the people living today and so they are “Ancestral Figures”, “Ancestral Beings”, “Ancestral Heroes”, or “Dreamtime Ancestors”. Here, the one term “Ancestral Being” is used to describe these deities.

Even though regarded as ancestors of the people, such deities may not appear in a human form, but may be plant or animal, for example. In Aboriginal religious belief, a person’s spirit may return in human, animal or plant form after death. So an Ancestral Being may have the appearance of a plant or animal, but have done deeds similar to a human in the past.

(c) Totemic Beings. / Totemic ancestors. A Totemic Being represents the original form of an animal, plant or other object (totem), as it was in the Creation Period. The concept of a Totemic Being overlaps with that of a Creation Being and an Ancestral Being because the Totemic Being may create the abundance of species, and people see themselves as being derived from the different Totemic Beings.

Society is divided into two groups, called moieties, each with specific Totemic Beings belonging to it. Every person belongs to one or the other moiety. These moieties are further divided into sections or subsections, sometimes based on totemic beings. Every individual has come from at least one Totemic Being, and these help define a person’s origins and connections with the world, their relationships with the past, present and future.

The Creation Period – The DreamtimeSimilar to other religions, there was a time in Aboriginal belief when things were created. This “Creation Period” was the time when the Ancestral Beings created landforms, such as certain animals digging, creating lagoons or pushing up mountain ranges, or the first animals or plants being made. The Aboriginal word for this Creation Period varies throughout Australia and each linguistic region has its own beliefs pertaining to that particular area.

Year 10 Religious Education 2

For example, it is known as Alcheringa (Aldjuringa) amongst the Aranda of Central Australia, as Lalai in the Kimberley, and as Nayuhyungki amongst the Kunwinjku (Gunwinggu) east of Kakadu National Park.

Aboriginal Gods 1st :  DARANA  

2nd :  WANDJINA  

3rd :  RAINBOW-SNAKE  

4th :  DREAMTIME  

5th :  YARA-MA-YHA-WHO  

6th :  ADNOARTINA  

7th :  BAIAME  

8th :  LUNGKATA  

9th :  ALTJIRA  

10th :  DJANGGAWUL  

Introduction:Like most 'discovered' countries, Australia had already been discovered by its original inhabitants - the Aborigines. Small nomadic tribes with many languages and ideas roamed the vast plains. 

Much of Oz mythology is to do with Dreaming and the DREAMTIME, a wonderful Golden Age in the remote past when Gods were real Gods and anything was possible. 

Relying on memory and scratched images, Australian mythology is seemingly fragile, but in many instances in this very dry atmosphere it's amazingly durable. Many of the dreams were trampled on by European invasion, but fortunately there has always been a strong oral tradition, and the legends of the Outback may be making a Comeback. 

The Ancient EgyptiansThe ancient Egyptians believed in many different gods and goddesses. Each one with their own role to play in maintaining peace and harmony across the land.

Year 10 Religious Education 3

Some gods and goddesses took part in creation, some brought the flood every year, some offered protection, and some took care of people after they died. Others were either local gods who represented towns, or minor gods who represented plants or animals.The ancient Egyptians believed that it was important to recognise and worship these gods and goddesses so that life continued smoothly.

Ancient Egyptian religion was a complex system of beliefs and rituals which were an integral part of ancient Egyptian society. It centered on the Egyptians' interaction with a multitude of deities who were believed to be present in, and in control of, the forces and elements of nature. The myths about these gods were meant to explain the origins and behaviour of the forces they represented, and the practices of Egyptian religion were efforts to provide for the gods and gain their favour.

Formal religious practice centered on the pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Although he was a human, the pharaoh was believed to be descended from the gods. He acted as the intermediary between his people and the gods, and was obligated to sustain the gods through rituals and offerings so that they could maintain order in the universe. Therefore, the state dedicated enormous resources to the performance of these rituals and to the construction of the temples where they were carried out. Individuals could also interact with the gods for their own purposes, appealing for their help through prayer or compelling them to act through magic. These popular religious practices were distinct from, but closely linked with, the formal rituals and institutions. The popular religious tradition grew more prominent in the course of Egyptian history as the status of the pharaoh declined. Another important aspect of the religion was the belief in the afterlife and funerary practices. The Egyptians made great efforts to ensure the survival of their souls after death, providing tombs, grave goods, and offerings to preserve the bodies and spirits of the deceased.

Year 10 Religious Education 4

The religion had its roots in Egypt's prehistory, and lasted for more than 3,000 years. The details of religious belief changed over time as the importance of particular gods rose and declined, and their intricate relationships shifted. At various times certain gods became preeminent over the others, including the sun god Ra, the creator god Amun, and the mother goddess Isis. For a brief period, in the aberrant theology promulgated by the pharaoh Akhenaten, a single god, the Aten, replaced the traditional pantheon. Yet the overall system endured, even through several periods of foreign rule, until the coming of Christianity in the early centuries AD. It left behind numerous religious writings and monuments, along with significant influences on cultures both ancient and modern.

As in the rest of Africa, the people of ancient Egypt were polytheistic throughout the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, and the New Kingdom. That means that they believed in many gods. Some of these gods were Ra, Anubis, Seth, Osiris, Isis, and Horus. Egyptians worshipped these gods with animal sacrifices and with incense and many processions where people carried the image of the god from one place to another. People believed that all of Egypt belonged to the gods, and that the Pharaoh was the representative on earth of the gods, or maybe a kind of god himself, and so everything in Egypt sort of belonged to the Pharaoh. They thought that when you died, Anubis would weigh your soul against a feather, and if your soul was heavier than the feather (with bad deeds), you would be punished. They thought that after you died you went to a new world, just like this one, and so they put into your grave everything you would need in the next world.

But, as in Mesopotamia, there was also a little monotheism in Egypt. During the New Kingdom, the Pharaoh Akhenaten started a new worship of the god Aten, and he seems to have wanted people to believe that Aten was the only real god, or maybe the only god worth worshipping. After Akhenaten died, people went back to worshipping Anubis, Isis, Amon, and Osiris again, as they had before.

Year 10 Religious Education 5

The Gods Of EgyptEgyptian MythologyThe current top ten:

1st :  ANUBIS  

2nd :  BAST  

3rd :  THOTH  

4th :  RA  

5th :  ISIS  

6th :  IAH  

7th :  SET  

8th :  OSIRIS  

9th :  AMUN  

10th :  HATHOR  

The Holy Hit Parade is powered by GodRank™ Technology. More Info

IntroductionMade popular with the Book of the Dead and a thousand cheesy Curse of the Mummy films, Ancient Egypt still holds its fascination in the modern world. In this electronic internet age, the Egyptian government should really consider renaming the place E-gypt. 

The language barrier can be a little tricky. As with most hieroglyphic translations, the old Egyptian names have many variant spellings in English. Seth is SET in his ways, and RA is also the eye of Re. 

There was also a mysterious plague of missing hieroglyphs at the time of the New Kingdom (1550-1070 B.C.), when foreign influence made certain letters vanish from the language. Egyptian scribes valiantly tried to reinstate them by adding extra letters to the ends of words, which led to much confusion. And still does. 

More confusion arises from the Egyptian tendency to join deities together at different periods. With all the permutations, one God can have an enormous number of names. Amon, Amen, Ammon-Ra, Amen-Re, Amun, Amon-Re.. You get the idea. 

If you want to get ahead or give yourself a headache then Egypt is the place to be. Egyptian Gods go in for cumbersome and elaborate headgear, and tend to stroll around with animal heads. Usually without the matching body. Along the Nile there are only so many animals to go round. So they do have to share, which causes much confusion. 

Although HORUS had the head of a hawk, he was not alone and hawk-

Year 10 Religious Education 6

heads hawk their wares all over the place. Other very popular heads are serpent, dog, jackal, bull, frog, hippo, crocodile and lion. There are also the odd wobblies like the SPHINX with a human head and lion body. Horns, globes and plumes are almost obligatory accessories and you can have an animal head enhanced with all these embellishments. 

Cats were considered to be sacred creatures. They were mummified, and this was done with the utmost respect. No vivisection was involved, which is probably more than you can say for the humans. 

Having invented mummification, the Egyptians were very much into otherworldly preparations. This is not surprising as the many Gods of Judgment and Death were waiting on the other side and would be most insulted if a soul turned up looking scruffy. 

The messy business of burial was looked after by a whole subset of undertaker Gods. These were in charge of embalming - and handled many bits not normally on public view. 

This obsession with death may seem a bit morbid today, but the Egyptians viewed it all with healthy fascination. The Book of the Dead was a bestseller. At least they waited until you were dead from natural causes. 

The Ancient Greeks

Gods and GoddessesThe ancient Greeks believed there were a great number of gods and goddesses. These gods had control over many different aspects of life on earth. In many ways they were very human. They could be kind or mean, angry or pleasant, cruel or loving. They fell in love with each other, argued with each other and even stole from each other.

King of all the gods and goddesses was Zeus. He could control the weather and was often called 'the thunderer' or 'the cloud-gatherer'. He lived with the other gods on Mount Olympus, a high mountain in northern Greece

Year 10 Religious Education 7

Zeus with the thunderbolt The Hephaisteion, a temple in Athens built for the god Hephaistos and the goddess Athena

The ancient Greeks built great temples and sanctuaries to their gods. They held festivals in their honour, with processions, sports, sacrifices and competitions. Stories of the gods' exploits were told to children by their mothers and to large audiences by professional bards and storytellers. People today still enjoy hearing stories about the Greek gods.

The Ancient Romans

Religion played a very important role in the daily life of Ancient Rome and the Romans. Roman religion was centred around gods and explanations for events usually involved the gods in some way or another. The Romans believed that gods controlled their lives and, as a result, spent a great deal of their time worshipping them.The most important god was Jupiter. He was the king of gods who ruled with his wife Juno, the goddess of the sky. Other gods were:

Mars God of WarMercury The messenger of the godsNepture God of the Sea

Janus God of the DoorwayDiana Goddess of HuntingVesta Goddess of the Hearth

Minerva Goddess of Healing and WisdomVenus Goddess of Love

After the reign of the Emperor Augustus (27 BC to AD 14), the emperor was also considered to be a god and he was worshipped on special occasions. Each god had a special festival day which was usually a public holiday. This holiday

Year 10 Religious Education 8

gave people the opportunity to visit the temple for whichever god was being celebrated. At this temple, priests would sacrifice animals and offer them to the god.

Animals being led to slaughter at a temple sacrifice

Temples to worship the gods were built throughout the Roman Empire. Temples usually always followed the same building pattern. The roof was triangular shaped and supported by great pillars. Steps led up to the main doorway that was usually built behind the pillars. The inside of the temple would have been very well decorated and there would have been a statue of the god in it. There would also have been an altar where a priest would have served the god and made sacrifices. People called augurs could also be found in the temples. These people used the entrails of the dead animals to predict the future. The Romans took these predictions very seriously and few ignored the advice of an augur.

Each family home would also have a small altar and shrine. The Romans had personal household gods or spirits called 'lares' which were worshipped every day at home. The shrine contained statues of the 'lares' and the head of the household led family prayers around the shrine each day. The service was

considered so important that family slaves were also invited. It is believed that most Romans were more keen to please their 'lares' than the public gods such as Jupiter.

Year 10 Religious Education 9

A family shrine at a house in Pompeii

Hinduism at a Glance:Hinduism is the religion of the majority of people in India and Nepal. It also exists among significant populations outside of the sub continent and has over 900 million adherents worldwide.

In some ways Hinduism is the oldest living religion in the world, or at least elements within it stretch back many thousands of years. Yet Hinduism resists easy definition partly because of the vast array of practices and beliefs found within it. It is also closely associated conceptually

and historically with the other Indian religions Jainism,Buddhism and Sikhism.

Unlike most other religions, Hinduism has no single founder, no single scripture, and no commonly agreed set of teachings. Throughout its extensive history, there have been many key figures teaching different philosophies and writing numerous holy books. For these reasons, writers often refer to Hinduism as 'a way of life' or 'a family of religions' rather than a single religion.

Defining Hinduism

The term 'Hindu' was derived from the river or river complex of the northwest, the Sindhu. Sindhu is a Sanskrit word used by the inhabitants of the region, the Aryans in the second millennium BCE. Later migrants and invaders, the Persians in the sixth century BCE, the Greeks from the 4th century BCE, and the Muslims from the 8th century CE, used the name of this river in their own languages for the land and its people.

The term 'Hindu' itself probably does not go back before the 15th and 16th centuries when it was used by people to differentiate themselves from followers of other traditions, especially the Muslims (Yavannas), in Kashmir and Bengal. At that time the term may have simply indicated groups united by certain cultural practices such as cremation of the dead and styles of cuisine. The 'ism' was added to 'Hindu' only in the 19th century in the context of British colonialism and missionary activity.

Year 10 Religious Education 10

The origins of the term 'hindu' are thus cultural, political and geographical. Now the term is widely accepted although any definition is subject to much debate. In some ways it is true to say that Hinduism is a religion of recent origin yet its roots and formation go back thousands of years.

Some claim that one is 'born a Hindu', but there are now many Hindus of non-Indian descent. Others claim that its core feature is belief in an impersonal Supreme, but important strands have long described and worshipped a personal God. Outsiders often criticise Hindus as being polytheistic, but many adherents claim to be monotheists.

Some Hindus define orthodoxy as compliance with the teachings of the Vedic texts (the four Vedas and their supplements). However, still others identify their tradition with 'Sanatana Dharma', the eternal order of conduct that transcends any specific body of sacred literature. Scholars sometimes draw attention to the caste system as a defining feature, but many Hindus view such practices as merely a social phenomenon or an aberration of their original teachings. Nor can we define Hinduism according to belief in concepts such as karma and samsara (reincarnation) because Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists (in a qualified form) accept this teaching too.

Although it is not easy to define Hinduism, we can say that it is rooted in India, most Hindus revere a body of texts as sacred scripture known as the Veda, and most Hindus draw on a common system of values known as dharma.

Hinduism originated around the Indus Valley near the River Indus in modern day Pakistan.

About 80% of the Indian population regard themselves as Hindu. Most Hindus believe in a Supreme God, whose qualities and forms are

represented by the multitude of deities which emanate from him. Hindus believe that existence is a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth,

governed by Karma. Hindus believe that the soul passes through a cycle of successive lives and its

next incarnation is always dependent on how the previous life was lived. The main Hindu texts are the Vedas and their supplements (books based on

the Vedas). Veda is a Sanskrit word meaning 'knowledge'. These scriptures do not mention the word 'Hindu' but many scriptures discuss dharma, which can be rendered as 'code of conduct', 'law', or 'duty'

Year 10 Religious Education 11

Hindus celebrate many holy days, but the Festival of Lights,Diwali is the best known.

The 2001 census recorded 559,000 Hindus in Britain, around 1% of the population.

Year 10 Religious Education 12

Buddhism at a glance

Buddhism is a spiritual tradition that focuses on personal spiritual development and the attainment of a deep insight into the true nature of life. There are 376 million followers worldwide.Buddhists seek to reach a state of nirvana, following the path of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, who went on a quest for Enlightenment around the sixth century BC.

There is no belief in a personal god. Buddhists believe that nothing is fixed or permanent and that change is always possible. The path to Enlightenment is through the practice and development of morality, meditation and wisdom.

Buddhists believe that life is both endless and subject to impermanence, suffering and uncertainty. These states are called the tilakhana, or the three signs of existence. Existence is endless because individuals are reincarnated over and over again, experiencing suffering throughout many lives.

It is impermanent because no state, good or bad, lasts forever. Our mistaken belief that things can last is a chief cause of suffering.

The history of Buddhism is the story of one man's spiritual journey to enlightenment, and of the teachings and ways of living that developed from it.

The Buddha

Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, was born into a royal family in present-day Nepal over 2500 years ago. He lived a life of privilege and luxury until one day he left the royal enclosure and encountered for the first time, an old man, a sick man, and a corpse. Disturbed by this he became a monk before adopting the harsh poverty of Indian asceticism. Neither path satisfied him and he decided to pursue the ‘Middle Way’ - a life without luxury but also without poverty.

Buddhists believe that one day, seated beneath the Bodhi tree (the tree of awakening), Siddhartha became deeply absorbed in meditation and reflected on his experience of life until he became enlightened.

Year 10 Religious Education 13

By finding the path to enlightenment, Siddhartha was led from the pain of suffering and rebirth towards the path of enlightenment and became known as the Buddha or 'awakened one'.

Schools of Buddhism

There are numerous different schools or sects of Buddhism. The two largest are Theravada Buddhism, which is most popular in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Burma (Myanmar), and Mahayana Buddhism, which is strongest in Tibet, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and Mongolia.

The majority of Buddhist sects do not seek to proselytise (preach and convert), with the notable exception of Nichiren Buddhism.

All schools of Buddhism seek to aid followers on a path of enlightenment.

Key facts

Buddhism is 2,500 years old There are currently 376 million followers worldwide There are over 150,000 Buddhists in Britain Buddhism arose as a result of Siddhartha Gautama's quest for

Enlightenment in around the 6th Century BC There is no belief in a personal God. It is not centred on the relationship

between humanity and God Buddhists believe that nothing is fixed or permanent - change is always

possible The two main Buddhist sects are Theravada Buddhism

andMahayana Buddhism, but there are many more Buddhists can worship both at home or at a temple The path to Enlightenment is through the practice and development of

morality, meditation and wisdom.

Judaism at a glanceJudaism is the original of the three Abrahamic faiths, which also includes Christianity andIslam. According to information published by The Jewish People Policy Planning Institute, there were around 13.1 million Jewish people in the world in 2007, most residing in the USA and Israel. According to the 2001 census 267,000 people in the UK said that their religious identity was Jewish, about 0.5% of the population.

Year 10 Religious Education 14

Judaism originated in the Middle East over 3500 years ago

Judaism was founded by Moses, although Jews trace their history back to Abraham.

Jews believe that there is only one God with whom they have a covenant.

In exchange for all the good that God has done for the Jewish people, Jewish people keep God’s laws and try to bring holiness into every aspect of their

lives. Judaism has a rich history of religious text, but the central and most

important religious document is the Torah. Jewish traditional or oral law, the interpretation of the laws of the Torah, is

called halakhah. Spiritual leaders are called Rabbis. Jews worship in Synagogues. 6 million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust in an attempt to wipe out

Judaism.There are many people who identify themselves as Jewish without necessarily believing in, or observing, any Jewish law.

Christianity at a glance

Christianity is the most popular religion in the world with over 2 billion adherents. 42 million Britons see themselves as nominally Christian, and there are 6 million who are actively practising. Christians believe that Jesus was the Messiah promised

in the Old Testament. Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Christians believe that God sent his Son to earth to save

humanity from the consequences of its sins. One of the most important concepts in Christianity is that of Jesus giving his

life on the Cross (the Crucifixion) and rising from the dead on the third day (the Resurrection).

Year 10 Religious Education 15

Christians believe that there is only one God, but that there are three elements to this one God:

God the Father God the Son The Holy Spirit

Christians worship in churches. Their spiritual leaders are called priests or ministers. The Christian holy book is the Bible, and consists of the Old and New

Testaments. Christian holy days such as Easter and Christmas are important milestones

in the Western secular calendarAncient Greek mythology: The minimum you need to know

Islam at a glanceThe word Islam means 'submission to the will of God'.Islam is the second largest religion in the world with over 1 billion followers. The 2001 census recorded 1,591,000 Muslims in the UK, around 2.7% of the population.

Muslims believe that Islam was revealed over 1400 years ago in Mecca, Arabia.

Followers of Islam are called Muslims. Muslims believe that there is only One God. The Arabic word for God is Allah.

According to Muslims, God sent a number of prophets to mankind to teach them how to live according to His law.

Jesus, Moses and Abraham are respected as prophets of God. They believe that the final Prophet was Muhammad. Muslims believe that Islam has always existed, but for practical purposes,

date their religion from the time of the migration of Muhammad. Muslims base their laws on their holy book the Qur'an, and the Sunnah. Muslims believe the Sunnah is the practical example of Prophet Muhammad

and that there are five basic Pillars of Islam. These pillars are the declaration of faith, praying five times a day, giving

money to charity, fasting and a pilgrimage to Mecca (at least once).

Year 10 Religious Education 16

Year 10 Religious Education 17