Empathy is especially important when comparing religions across cultures, and not just for the sake of respecting other people. Ronald W. Neufeldt. SACE (South African Council of Educators) code of conduct is a professional council that is established in terms of SACE Act no.31 of 2000. If we simply tell a Hindu, “You must be born again,” we have told him the truth, but he hears that statement as meaning, “You must be reincarnated.” He will agree, but he will be agreeing with something we never meant. 9 years ago. When you study up on other religions, you can contradict that religion. March 2, 2015 March 3, 2015 heyitshannahlynn. “We do not study other worldviews to compromise with them or to seek to blend them with biblical faith.”. William A. Graham I was asked to consider the question "Why study religion in the twenty-first century," and, in a moment of weakness, I agreed to try to tackle it, massive as it is. is head of religious, moral and philosophical studies at Robert Gordon's College in Aberdeen, Scotland. The study of sociology can help us increase our acceptance of the differences in cultures, religions, and values. We live in a world where society has now changed. Religious Studies is intellectually exciting because it provides access to the mystery of the other. Aviation: Aviation psychologists study all aspects related to pilot performance in order to increase safety. “If we want to communicate the gospel clearly, it is entirely necessary to study the worldviews of those we are trying to reach—and worldview includes religion.”. Clear communication requires that we understand his religion well enough to realize those wo… I think it is important to learn other religions still so I can understand what they think. It's is important to study the major religions of the world because it allows you to understand the way other people live, and can make you more tolerable of those different than yourself. This view is especially prominent in Indonesia (85%), the Philippines (58%) and India (53%). I have much more to learn, but several personal insights intrigue me. ... as do other religion's formal, regular services. It is Important to Study Other Religions. Favorite Answer . It has also been a source of profound comfort and good in the world. Approximately one-in-five say religion is “not too” (11%) or “not at all” important in their lives (11%).Although religion remains important to many Americans, its importance has slipped modestly in the last seven years. Until our own time and in many places in our own time, religion is the center of human life. If I want to be a benefit to others, I need to understand their world view. To understand a good portion of world history He also runs The Examined Life. Chapter 1 in the student book notes the importance of empathy in the study of world religions. Ironically, the Greek philosophical traditions which the church fathers took seriously and which we … Relevance. Comparative religion studies can be an important way to understand the values and beliefs of different religious movements, but is it okay or even beneficial for Christians to study what other religions believe and practice? 'What is the importance of studying religions in our time? It also helps you to understand who started it all and what (s)he taught to the other believers. 1 decade ago . Should Christians seek to understand the religious convictions of non-Christians, and should that knowledge influence how we share the gospel? ADVERTISEMENTS: Man cannot get peace through worldly pleasures, because there is no end to the same. Women can get married to women, men to men, men can be women, and women can … All the major world religions developed such a message from 2,500 to 1,500 years ago, but few live it. All persons crave for … Knowing this, our evangelism efforts in North America necessarily include sharing what God says about himself, about the nature of the world, about humanity, about right and wrong, and a host of other things that nonbelievers do not share in common with Christians. what is the importance of studying religions? For instance, although Christianity has somewhat to say about materialism and self discipline, Buddhism has explored the issues in much more depth. This attitude rises from inscience and illiteracy that somebody have. If we simply tell a Hindu, “You must be born again,” we have told him the truth, but he hears that statement as meaning, “You must be reincarnated.” He will agree, but he will be agreeing with something we never meant. Importance of studying other religions. The journal is a very significant endeavor since, until we launched it, there was no journal in the study of religion that has focused exclusively on developing a critical approach. For instance, although Christianity has somewhat to say about materialism and self discipline, Buddhism has explored the issues in much more depth. Its uses are recognized widely today. Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. For example, Islam agrees that Jesus is the Messiah, was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, is alive in heaven today, and will come again at the end of history. It has emerged as the single most important means of communication for those interested in critical approaches to the study of religion. The native religions of North America have … Connection is made when I understand another person's point of view. Studying the world’s religions is very important and exciting. I can connect on points of similarity but I can also connect on shared interest in differences. The answer is no, however, if we mean that we change the message to make it somehow more palatable to the other person. If I am concerned about others, I will be interested in their lives. Smaller majorities of most other religious groups say religion plays a very important role in their lives. I can't give you four of my own reasons but I've studied other religions simply for my own knowledge. And what can be more powerful than greater self-knowledge to a 20 year old? When we say that Jesus is the Son of God, Muslims think that we mean that God the Father had sex with Mary the mother to produce Jesus the Son. This includes 64% of Muslims, 58% of Catholics and 53% of mainline Protestants. Religious education is important because it equips students with cultural, social, moral and spiritual knowledge that aids in mental and physical development within society. The Study of Religion Major at UNI: Studying religion at UNI will give you the opportunity to: explore the history, culture, and texts of the major human religions; analyze a variety of different belief systems; critically examine social and ethical dimensions of religious world views; The faculty who teach religion at UNI are especially interested in: This page was last edited on 14 June 2017, at 22:17. Hello. My religion, thanks to my lovely boyfriend, is Episcopalian. Religion provides a model for living. Paul walked around the city and observed the expressions of pagan religion that filled it. Religious Studies is intellectually exciting because it provides access to the mystery of the other. In modern times, there is a growing realization of the importance of the scientific study of social phenomena and the means of promoting what Prof. Giddings calls human adequacy (human welfare). To Weber, capitalism grew in the Protestant nations like England, … Why Study the Major Religions of the World? Studying Religion in the Twenty-First Century Religion has always been a controversial subject and it always will be. In other words, we study what is going on in the minds of our non-Christian neighbors so we can communicate the gospel in a way that, hopefully, makes sense to them. And God’s Word is truth (John 17:17). What Christians Can Learn from Other Religions by J. Philip Wogaman. William A. Graham I was asked to consider the question "Why study religion in the twenty-first century," and, in a moment of weakness, I agreed to try to tackle it, massive as it is. The point is not to make the gospel easy, or tame, or comfortable. There was a time when North American culture was very heavily influenced by biblical teaching and values (although genuinely born-again Christians have almost certainly never been a majority of the population). It also helps to be prepared to respond to the objections or disagreements the other person is likely to have. Roughly half of Orthodox Christians (52%) also say this. Religion can help youth generation to become moral, disciplined and socialized citizens of society. One thing all these religions have in common is the ability to bring people together. Because religions are so wide-ranging and influential, their study helps round out a person's education, as well as enrich one's experience of many other re­lated subjects. "When we study religion, we study the subject that unifies all the other subjects of the humanities. It upholds certain ideals and values. I would not say that I enjoy learning other religions, but if and when I do it makes things a little easier to understand for when I go evangelizing. My name is Annika and I'm going to be writing about why it is important to study other religions. We go to a wonderful church, St. Mary’s, in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, every Saturday, at 5 p.m., weather permitting. If we simply say, “Jesus is the Messiah,” Muslims will agree—but what they mean by that is very different from what the Bible means. I believe that the only way to get to Heaven is through Jesus Christ. The dilemma of whether Christians should study other religions is a question as old as the early days of the church, and it has come up again and again over the centuries. For example, in Titus 1:12, he quoted Epimenides of Crete and even called him “a prophet of their own.”. It also helps you to understand who started it all and what (s)he taught to the other believers. Religion is one of the primary disciplines for investigating the boundary questions of life and death, of love and hate, that characterize the human condition. Shared religious beliefs bind people together. [1] By Michael Molloy . Yet, on studying other religions, I find that they have different focuses on life and have come to more indepth understanding in some elements of life than I have found in my own system of beliefs. Greater religious literacy leads to more work for the common good. 2. However, it is a good… Let's now consider some additional pleasures and rewards of studying religions. Muslims use almost all the same theological vocabulary as Christians, but they understand different things by those words. (6) Religion controls economic life. It's is important to study the major religions of the world because it allows you to understand the way other people live, and can make you more tolerable of those different than yourself. I find that other religious people have much of value to say. If I am concerned about others, I will be interested in their lives. To help us understand how the world got to be the way it is, and to hopefully avoid the same pitfalls in the future. Here is a good list of various religions: ... that religion is very important in the human race not going insane or wondering to much because if we truly believe it controls our wonderings from the infinite number we could have for what started it all and how can we be in such an advanced world. 900 words Edited by Sam Dresser. I do not believe in Islam, macro-evolution, or all man-made religions. Main Facts about the Religious Education in Schools are given below: 1. In the New Testament, the apostle Paul provided us with a great model to follow here. Religious Studies is personally meaningful because it raises fundamental questions of purpose and value along with developing important life skills; it offers students training in a unique … The native religions of North America have much to say about what it is to live a balanced life. There is a difference between a lower animal and man, because man can deliberate over spiritual reasoning’s on the basis of religion. Slugsie. It is really, really helpful to know that when we attempt to share the gospel with Muslims. studying religion helps you understand other people better; 0 0 1 0 0 0 0. Religion is dying. Answer Save. Studying doctrine allows us to live out the Christian faith with clarity, confidence, and consistency. Firstly it would be important to have an understanding of what the SACE code conduct and the National policy on religion and education stands for in order to complete an essay that requests whether the one supports the other. Something similar is at work within Islam. Religion is a strong belief in power or powers that control human destiny. The point is to make the gospel clearly understood. There are many benefits of studying philosophy of religion. I am a Biblical Christian. Because of the complexity and importance of religious phenomena, the scholarly study of religion in the modern research university is inherently interdisciplinary. And learning about religions and religious cultures will contribute to the moral, intellectual, emotional, and yes even spiritual self-knowledge of students in this most critical time of development. Empathy is essential for maintaining academic integrity. Your Answer. Certainly religion plays a part in those things. 4 Answers. In the … 1. Three-quarters of U.S. adults say religion is at least “somewhat” important in their lives, with more than half (53%) saying it is “very” important. Religion is everywhere and always integral to human cultures. If we are to speak to our Western world, we must take steps to understand that world in terms of its traditions. It has emerged as the single most important means of communication for those interested in critical approaches to the study of religion. As a Mennonite engaged in the study of world religions (the discipline which used to be referred to as comparative religions) I teach in the area of Hinduism in a religious studies department. 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