HSC Cross Religion Study 1: Religious Rites
The focus of this study is religious rites.
In the context of this study, ‘rite’ refers to a formal act in a religious observance.
For the purpose of this study, religious rites are divided into three categories:
Passage,
Personal Devotion and
Public Worship.
Students learn about:
the nature, role and significance of religious rites:
– religious rites as significant acts performed/undertaken by believers in celebrating, symbolising and making present the central beliefs of the religious tradition
– three categories of religious rites:
- rites of passage, eg initiation, funerals
- rites of personal devotion, eg prayer, fasting, penance
- rites of public worship, eg temple ceremonies, liturgies, communion services, feast days, seasons, religious cycles
religious rites and their effect on the everyday lives of believers:
For this section, students are to study TWO specific religious rites from TWO of the categories for TWO religious traditions.
Note: The rites chosen must be the same across each study.
Buddhism
– rites of passage, eg introduction to Sangha/ordination
– rites of personal devotion, eg meditation, nembutsu
– rites of public Worship, eg temple ceremonies, Wesak
Christianity
– rites of passage, eg baptism, marriage
– rites of personal devotion, eg retreats, rosary, daily devotions, Bible reading, meditation and prayer
– rites of public worship, eg Divine Office, Communion service, Lent, Christmas, Evensong
Hinduism
– rites of passage, eg naming and incorporation, upanayana and female puberty ritual, marriage and death
– rites of personal devotion, eg puja, bhakti, meditation, renunciation, arati
– rites of public worship, eg puja, darshan, pilgrimages, hymn singing, Ganeshe Chathurthi, Divali
Islam
– rites of passage, eg Adhan, Aqiqah, Adq Nikah, Janazah
– rites of personal devotion, eg prayer, pilgrimage
– rites of public worship, eg worship at the mosque and at Mecca, Ramadan, Eid-al Fitr, Eid-al-adha
Judaism
– rites of passage, eg Brit-milah, Pidyon HaBen, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, marriage and divorce, death and bereavement
– rites of personal devotion, eg Sabbath
– rites of public worship, eg synagogue.
Students learn to:NOTE- MARKS COME MAINLY FROM THIS SECTION
compare and contrast examples from the same religious rites within TWO religious traditions in relation to TWO of the following:
– the nature, role and function of officiating celebrants
– significance of sacred writings
– use of symbolism
– social structure
– human experiences.
