Newell High School
Name of Teacher:
Subject:
Theme 1:
Unit 1:
Topic:
Name of Student:
Grade:
Week:
Miss T. Clarke
Religious Education
Identity
Introduction to Religious Education
Essentials of Religion
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November 02 – 06, 2020
Why does RE matter?
Religious Education is important for three reasons.
1. Religion is a fact of life
2. Religion inspires many aspects of life
3. Religion encourages some particularly important values.
Today there are many different religions. Religion is important because it binds people closely
together by its practices, beliefs, and festivals. It draws people into a search for a common
meaning and purpose of life. The followers of these religions are widely found in our country
(Jamaica) as their religion embraces their whole life. For the persons who are considered
followers of these various religions, being religious means believing in someone or something
greater than themselves. They usually call this greater power ‘God’. Worshipping God is the
most important religious activity.
The two aspects of religion
Private Worship -
Private worship gives Christians a chance to spend time alone with
God. Prayer, meditation, Bible study and singing hymns may all be
done at home. Hindus have shrines in their own homes to help them to
focus their thoughts and prayers on God.
Public Worship -
Most religions express the need for help and support from other persons
who share similar beliefs. Public worship is one of most important Christian
exercises in which one may engage. Therefore, Christians go to Church,
Jews to a Synagogue and Muslims to a Mosque. Sikhs pray together in a
Gurdwara and Hindus together in a Mandir or temple and Buddhists
meditate in a vihara. The community gathers in these spaces for prayer,
meditation, reading holy books and other religious activities.
Every religion has a special characteristic of its own. However, all religions have the following in
common:
Newell High School
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Each religion has its own form of worship.
Each religion encourages its followers to speak to God through prayer.
Each religion teaches its followers that there must be a close link between what a person
believes and how they live their lives daily.
The Functions of Religion
1. Social Cohesion
- Strengthens bonds between people
- Can lead to conflict between adherents of different religions
2. Social Control
- Encourages conformity to norms
- Provides a divine purpose for conformity
- May inhibit innovation, freedom of thought, and social reform
3. Emotional Support
- Helps people endure disappointment and suffering by providing a comfort in believing that
harsh circumstances have a special purpose
- Attempts to provide answers to the questions concerning life and death
Features of Religion:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Prayer
Place of worship
Belief systems
Rituals
Worship
6. Symbols
7. Sacred writings
8. Deity
9. Festivals
10. Rite of passage
Newell High School
Newell High School
Newell High School
Newell High School
Religious Education
Teacher: Miss T. Clarke
Name:______________________________ Date: ________________________________
Grade: ______________________________
Activity Sheet
Answer questions in the spaces provided.
1. What is the most important religious activity?
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2. What are the two aspects of religion?
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4. Name the correct place of worship for the following religions:
Christians _____________________________ Jews _____________________________
Muslims_______________________________ Hindus ___________________________
4. Name three activities which most religions have in common.
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5. List any six (6) features of religion
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6. Select any one of the roles of religion that are provided and briefly explain what it means.
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7. List 5 dimensions of Religion/faith
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