The contemporary framework of religion, social behavior and global governmental structure are often traced to the inception of the three central belief systems of Judaism, Christianity and Islam (Grayson, 2006, p.40). Whilst there are numerous alternative religious organizations in the world, arguably these three monotheistic faiths have had the most significant influence in contemporary civilization. Moreover, these three religions have distinct parallels in terms of the underlying belief system of monotheism and Busse (1998) in his discussion of the interrelationship between the three faiths asserts that:
[...] The above analysis demonstrates that whilst the roots of Judaism, Christianity and Islam can be traced back to Abraham and the evocation of monotheism, the Laws of Moses and the Pentateuch catalyzed Judaism as a separate belief system asserting the primacy of the one God beyond the concept of a savior in favor of a focus on individual redemption. Additionally, the Pentateuch moved the previous belief system into a regulated organized religion. Nevertheless, whilst the Pentateuch introduced a regulatory code for the Jewish belief system and remains the core basis for the contemporary practice of Judaism, the relatively recent development of factions highlights the interrelationship of historical events and the socio- political framework in influencing religious practice as it was the persecution of Jews throughout Europe that fuelled the Orthodox movement. [...]
[...] This passage highlights the monotheistic roots of Judaism and the emphasis of the omnipresent creator, which in turn has shaped the development of Judaism into an organized religion Holy Texts of Judaism The contemporary practice of Judaism is rooted in the Pentateuch, which comprises the five books written by Moses and is the primary religious scripture of Judaism. The Torah is regarded as the holiest writings of Judaism and is the first section in the Hebrew Bible (which is the Tanakh). [...]
[...] For example, synagogues were institutionalized during Babylonian exile and terminated the previous sacrificial system and Levitical priesthood was replaced with law and applied to everyday life with creation of Sabbath, food preparation rules, holy days and dietary requirements. Additionally, with regard to the Messiah prophecy, many practicing Jews believe that this may not refer to an individual Messiah and may indeed refer metaphorically to a messianic age (Schoeman, 2003: 81). Moreover, a central underlying belief in Judaism is the requirement for humans to seek redemption as a pre-requisite for God's acceptance. [...]
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