Class notes on Scriptures of Various Religions

(Originally written on February 22, 2007 in Book 14)

Class Notes - Christianity & Religious Pluralism

The "Protestant Fallacy"

The Bible & Other Scriptures

General Revelation --> Natural Theology
(accesible to all human beings)
Romans 1:18-20 - "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."

Special Revelation
- Writings
- Jesus Christ

Protestant Fallacy -- to assume that the scriptures of other religions function in the same way as the Bible in Christianity.

The "protestant view" of Scriptures:
- inspired
- authoritative
- sola scriptura
- sufficient
- only guid to faith and practice
- no deterero -  canon
- theoretically, all of what we believe and do so is based on the bible
- all other users (recitation, symbolisms) are secondary

Religion - "Canonical Scriptures" - Duetero-Canonical

Judaism - Tanakh (Law, Prophets, Writings) - Mishnah, Talmud
Islam - Koran - Sunna/Hadith
Zoroastrianism - Avesta - None
Hinduism - Vedas, Brahmanas, Sutras, Upanishads - Ramayana, Mahabharata

Judaism
-Tanak: Torah, Prophets, Writings
-Mishnah & Talmud - interpretations of the Tanak

The Talmud supersedes the Torah in practice

2 basic thoughts in Jewish belief in pre-Christ/time of Christ

1) Shamai - conservative
2) Hillel - liberal

Jesus' run-ins were more often with the Shamai followers.

Rabbi Gamaliel was another important thinker. The Apostle Paul was a follower of Gamaliel.

The Talmud is the combination of two works: the Mishna & the Gemara

Islam

The Qur'an
-Sunna, Hadith

The primary purpose of the Qur'an is to present the presence of Allah and to substantiate Muhammad's claims. To recite it is more important than to understand it.

Zoroastrianism

Avesta - consists of many parts, spanning centuries

Hinduism

Hindu Scriptures A

-Shruti "heard"
- The four Vedas
- Brahmanas
- Sutras
- Law of Manu
- Upanishads

Smriti
- Mahabharata
- Bhagavad Gita
- Ramayana
-Puranas