8.2 The Universal Need for God

Assessment Task Two: Christianity & Judaism Comparative Study

CONTEXT:

Jesus said that he did not come to destroy the old law of Moses but to complete it. He was a Jew, born of a Jewish mother and all of his disciples were Jews.So Christianity has a Jewish beginning and heritage. Many Christian prayers, rituals, sacred places and laws are the same as, or are similar to, those found in Judaism.

TASK:This Assessment Task is in two parts:

PART A: CHRISTIANITY AND JUDAISM

Research and identify some similarities and some differences between the Jewish and

Christian Religions. Wherever possible, explain why they are similar or why they are

different.

There are six areas to investigate:

  1. Sacred symbols
/
  1. Religious rituals

  1. Sacred objects
/
  1. Religious leaders

  1. Sacred sites
/
  1. Religious laws

This could be done by setting out your findings in a table. Put the information about the Jewish Religion in one column and the information about Christianity, side by side, in the column next to it. If you wish to present it differently, check with your teacher first.

PART 2: THE COVENANT

Compare and contrast the Covenantfor the Jews (in the Hebrew Scriptures)with the

Covenant for the Christians (in the Christian Scriptures).

Hint:Compare means find the similarities.

Contrast means find the differences.

To complete this task, answer the following sets of questions.

  1. What is a Covenant ?
  2. What is the Old Covenant and what is the New Covenant ?

What words were used in each case ? Give the Scripture reference for each.

  1. Who made each Covenant ? Where ? When ?
  2. How did each come about ? What actually happened ?
  3. How do followers of each faith commemorate each Covenant ?

As always, you need to include a bibliography.

Assessment Two is due on or beforethe last RE lesson in Week 9