The beliefs of Judaism and Christianity

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The Beliefs of Judaism and Christianity Throughout this paper we will be looking at two very different beliefs. What they believe and how they came to be. However, though they are very different, they are two beliefs that also have a lot to do with each other. Christianity, which came after Judaism, stemmed from Judaism and therefore looks fairly similar. “Judaism is the oldest of the monotheistic faiths.” It has survived more than four thousand years. The trials and tribulations of the Hebrews, the founders of Judaism, can be found in the first five books of the bible. There are four unique aspects of Judaism that separates it from all other religions of that time. They are: monotheism, a covenant, prohibition of graven images, and the name of God was not to be spoken. Judaism is a monotheism which means that they believe in a single, all-powerful God. This God was the creator of Heaven and Earth, which is different from being the Lord of Heaven and Earth. “The first people to insist upon monotheism, the Jews, throughout their history, found this to be their greatest source of strength.” “It is often suggested that Akhenaten’s religion and Zoroastrianism have influenced the development of monotheism in Judaism.” The second unique aspect of Judaism is the covenant. The covenant was a pact between the Jews and God. The Jews vowed to worship only God and to obey his laws. In return, God would reward them by having them as his “chosen people”. This meant that he would show favoritism to the Jews over all other nations. This covenant was first made between Abraham and God when Abraham showed that he would follow God’s laws without question. He was willing to give up his one and only son at God’s request. God saw his faithfulness and provided a lamb for sacrifice in the place of his son. The covenant was renewed several times throughout the bible.
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