CHRISTIANITY
Christianity is based on the belief
that Jesus Christ is God’s son. The Bible,
Christianity’s sacred book, contains
the story of Jesus’s life and how he
was put to death. Christians believe
his sacrifice means that followers
will have an eternal life with God.BUDDHISM
Unlike most religions, Buddhism
is not based on worshipping a god
or gods. Instead, it is based on
the teachings of the Buddha, who
showed his followers how to live
a good life and avoid sufffering
by controlling their desires.
Buddhists hope to achieve true
wisdom, known as enlightenment.JUDAISM
This is the religion of the Jews, also called
Hebrews. Judaism was the first successful
religion based on the idea that there is
only one God, and it formed the basis
for both Christianity and Islam. Central
to Jewish belief is that God chose the Jews
as a special holy nation, and gave them
a set of laws to follow. The story of the
first Jewish people is told in the Hebrew
Bible (the Christian Old Testament).Chalice In the ritual of
Holy Communion, bread
and wine represent the
body and blood of Jesus.
The wine is often served
in a chalice.Cross Because Jesus
died on a cross, it is
a powerful symbol
of the Christian faith.Icon of Christ Paintings
remind Christians that
God lived as a human
through Jesus.Saint Antony People
who have led especially
holy lives are named as
saints by the Church.Bishop’s mitre This mitre (hat) is worn
by a bishop in the Roman Catholic
Church, the largest Christian body.Prayer wheel and
prayer As this
Buddhist prayer wheel
turns, a mantra (a
blessing or prayer)
written on a scroll
inside “repeats” itself
over and over again.Merit sharing Buddhists
believe that if they live
caring lives, they will build
up merit (good will) and
have a better next life. They
can pass on merit to others
in a merit-sharing ceremony.Buddha The founder
of Buddhism,
Siddhartha Gautama,
was born in what is
now Nepal in 563 bce.Kippas Some Jewish men
wear skullcaps, known as
kippas, when they pray
as a sign of respect to God.Chanukiah This nine-branched candlestick
is used to celebrate Hanukkah, the Jewish
festival of light. The central branch holds
the candle used to light the others.In the temple, water is
poured from one vessel to
pass along merit to othersStatues of Buddha are
often made of gold to
show his importance218
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