Understanding Faith

People can express faith in different ways: monotheism and polytheism. Outline an example of how one of these can be seen in a major world religion that you have studied.

• In Judaism, Jews are monotheistic.
• This means that they believe in one God only.
• God revealed himself for the first time to Abraham and this is known as revelation.
• He revealed that he was good, fair and just.
• Abraham changed his views as a polytheist to a monotheist.
• He began to gain many followers.
• The Shema is the Jewish creed which is recited twice in a day and this reminds Jews that there is only one God.
• The first commandment also reminds Jews to worship the one and only God.

Name one major world religion that is associated with monotheism. Judaism.

Explain one reason why monotheism is associated with the major world religion that you have named above.

• Monotheism refers to the belief in one God.
• Members of the Jewish community of faith believe in one God, Yahweh.
• The basic moral code of Judaism is the 10 Commandments.
• The First Commandment states that there is only one God and Jews must always put God first in their lives
• Jews recite the Shema twice daily as a daily ritual to remind themselves that they must always put God first.
• The Shema is "The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might".

In religious traditions the term polytheism refers to the belief in many Gods.

Outline one example of how polytheism can be seen in a world religion that you have studied.

• The religion of Hinduism is one that believes in multiple Gods.
• Hinduism is the only polytheistic religion.
• It comes from the Greek language.
• Poly meaning many and "theos" meaning God.
• Examples of gods and goddesses are Ramu, Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma.
• Abraham believed in many Gods until it came to him that there is one God above all gods.