Two of the three major world religions is Judaism and Christianity. They are two of the most influential world religions in history. Each religion has its own characteristics. When comparing these two religions, they’re both very different, but also very similar.
Judaism is the oldest religion in the world, as well as the first religion to teach monotheism. It is a religion concentrated in Israel that is based on a concept that there is a single incorporeal God who gives commandments which constitute a moral law for all humanity. Judaism is founded on the law and teachings of the Talmud, the Torah, and the Old Testament. One of the main beliefs is the covenant made with Abraham and God. Important figures in Judaism include Abraham and Moses. Abraham was the founder of Judaism; Jews trace their roots back to Abraham. Moses is a prophet that takes the credit for freeing Jews from Egypt. Rabbi is the spiritual leader. Some major holidays of Judaism is Yom Kippur, Passover, and Shabbat. Yom Kippur is a day of atonement which Jews repent for misdeeds of the past year from sunup to sundown. Passover honors the delivery of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt; the Angel of Death was to kill the firstborn in each household but “pass over” the houses that were marked with lamb’s blood. Shabbat is the day of God’s rest that begins on Friday at sunset and ends at nightfall on Saturday. Branches of Judaism are divided into three major groups which consist of Orthodox Jews, Reform Jews, and Conservative Jews. The Torah is the most important holy book in Judaism; furthermore, its law and teachings come from the Torah. Judaism accepts the moral teachings of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). Jews must follow the dietary laws which are meant to ensure good health and well-being of an individual. The symbol of Judaism is the Star of David.
Christianity is the second oldest monotheistic religion that started about 2,000 years ago when a Jewish prophet began preaching about justice, mercy, and the love of God for all people. It arose from Judaism in Southwest Asia and is based on the teachings of Jesus. Its origin is known to be present-day Israel, but is now most influential in North America. The founder of Christianity is the Lord, Jesus Christ, recognized as the son of God who was born of the Virgin Mary. One of its main belief is how Jesus was crucified in order to save everyone from their sins. Then on the third day, Jesus rose from the grave and lived on Earth for forty days before ascending into heaven. Some basic beliefs that Christians believe in is that Jesus was both God and man, the blood that he shed on the cross covers all sin, and if they believe in Jesus Christ, then they will enter the kingdom of heaven. The holy book is the Bible, which has two main sections, the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament is thought to be the first part of Christian Bibles based primarily on the Hebrew Bible, a collection of religious writings by the Israelites believed by many Christians to be the sacred words of God. The New Testament talks about the teachings of Jesus. Many traditions of Christianity hold that the Ten Commandments have divine authority and continue to be valid. Important holidays of Christianity is Lent, Good Friday, Easter, and Christmas. Lent is the season of repentance and fasting, spiritual preparation for Easter; Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. Good Friday recalls the death of Jesus on the cross. Easter is the day Jesus resurrected and is considered the single most important holiday. Christmas is the feast of nativity and it celebrates the birth of Jesus. Division amongst Christians is divided into three major groups: Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestants. The cross, seen as a representation of the instrument of the crucifixion Jesus, is the symbol of Christianity. Today, Christianity has over 2 billion followers and is the largest religion.
Through various characteristics, Judaism and Christianity have many differences. Both religions view Jesus differently. Christians view Jesus as the Messiah and savior of the world, while Jews view Jesus as a false prophet. Jewish house of worship is a synagogue, whereas Christians’ place of worship is a church. In Judaism, the man who leads the prayers is known as a cantor, but in Christianity, the man is known as a priest. The symbol of Judaism is the Star of David while the symbol of Christianity is the cross. Judaism’s holy day is Saturdays, also known as Sabbath Day, while Christianity’s holy day is Sundays. The differences in the sacred texts of the two religions is that in Christianity, there is only one: the Bible, but in Judaism, there are many texts. The Jewish sacred texts mainly talk about moral laws and what’s right to do, while the Bible contains stories of God, Jesus, and the important people in the running of Christianity. In the Jewish religious text, the Torah, afterlife is not mentioned. Whereas in Christianity, it is said that we will live eternally, which means that after we die, we will go to heaven if we believe in God, because Jesus died on the cross for our sins. In regards to sin, according to Judaism, repentance is done for defiance that was either intentionally or unintentionally after the person is born while for Christianity, repentance is done for an entire person's life since their birth. In Judaism, only the individual can atone for their sins. In Christianity, one's sins are ultimately atoned by Jesus, and faith in Jesus will result in atonement.
Judaism and Christianity contain many similarities; that is because Christianity emerged and protested from Judaism. These two religions are both monotheistic, which means that they both believe in one God. Both religions agree that God shares both transcendent and immanent qualities. They believe in a God who is loving, forgiving, and holy. Judaism and Christianity teach that God has a special plan for the nation of Israel and the Jewish people. The essence of Judaism is the same as the essence of Christianity: the love of God. The two religion requires its followers to adhere to a certain moral code and show devotion to God through prayer. As believed by both religions, Jesus was crucified. These religions follow the ten commandments which are laws given to Moses from God. Both religions define sin as a rebellion and believe that sin has its consequences. In Judaism, as in Christianity, sin is not just moral and faith is not just intellectual; both are spiritual (from the heart). Two similar holidays of Judaism and Christianity is Yom Kippur and Lent. Although the two holidays are different, they’re both holidays which individuals can repent for their misdeeds. Christians and Jews are divided into different branches. These two religions believe in the absolute rejection pagan idol worship. Despite the fact that both religions should not have symbols pertaining to their religion, they both possess a certain symbol that represents their religion.
As much as there are differences between the two religions, there are also similarities between them. Each religion is unique with its own characteristics. Judaism and Christianity are both closer and farther apart than any other two religion.