Christianity and Harmony - a presentation about religious acceptance

Harmony and peace

1. Christianity By Ishaan Kumar, 6F

2. Introduction I represent ‘ Religions for Peace’ - an organization which works towards promoting peace and harmony among people of different faiths. Recently we have noticed instances of religious tension in schools and residential areas. We would like to address this issue and try to remove these tensions. In this presentation, I will first highlight the shared beliefs across all religions and then give detailed insights into Christianity. My goal is to help you think about religion in a way that fosters the acceptance of all religions.

3. Religion and Harmony What is Religion? Religion is an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, practices, and ways of worship that are centered around one supreme God, or deity. While the customs and traditions of each religion are different, their teachings have the certain common teachings. To recognize all human beings as equal and not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity , faith, gender. To treat others equally and treat them the way you expect to be treated. To love and show compassion for others irrespective of their backgrounds. So as you can see, these common religious teachings promote peace, harmony and co-operation with people of all faiths.

4. Christianity Christianity  is the largest   religion in the world, with 2.8 billion followers (around 30% of world population). Christianity began over 2,000 years ago in Palestine with the birth of a Jew named Jesus Christ. Jesus was a charismatic leader and believed by Christians to be the son of God, who taught his followers to treat others as one would like to be treated . It is categorized as one of the three Monotheistic religions (belief in one God) along with  Judaism  and  Islam .  

5. Christianity - B eliefs The Christian faith centers on beliefs regarding the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christians are monotheistic – which means that they believe there’s only one God, and he created the heavens and the earth.  They also believe that God sent his son Jesus (the messiah) to save the world. They believe that Jesus allowed himself to be crucified on a cross to seek forgiveness for the sins of others. They also believe that Jesus was resurrected three days later.

6. Christianity - Beliefs The Holy Trinity The doctrine of Trinity is foundational to the Christian faith. It is the belief that there is one God but he exists as three different persons—The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit   The Father is the source of all things, the creator of the universe, and he who sustains life.   The Son is the physical form that God took as Jesus Christ. Through the incarnation, Jesus experienced the full range of human emotions, joys, and sufferings, making Him relatable to his disciples.   The Holy Spirit , also known as the advocate, provides wisdom, direction, and understanding to those who seek to follow God's will. The Holy Trinity is known for being complex and tough to understand.

7. Christianity - Symbols The Crucifix (Cross) – The cross is a universal symbol for the Christian faith and a reminder of Christ’s death and resurrection . A Dove – A dove is a small white bird. It can often be found in Catholic churches on stained glass windows. The dove is the symbol of the Holy Spirt. It is also traditionally seen as a sign of peace, especially when carrying an olive branch. It also symbolizes equality and connection Fleur De Lis - The fleur de lis is an age old symbol for the lily, a sign of the resurrection. The whiteness and purity of the lily is said to represent Mary, the mother of Jesus. The three petals also represent the Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

8. Christianity – Teachings of Jesus Some of the values that Jesus Christ taught , which Christians later embraced, include: Love God. Love your neighbor as yourself. Forgive others who have wronged you. Love your enemies. Ask God for forgiveness of your sins. Jesus is the Messiah and was given the authority to forgive others. Repentance of sins is essential.

9. Holy book of Christianity - The Bible The holy scripture of Christianity is The Bible. The Bible is a collection of 66 books written by ancient prophets and historians . The first 39 books are called the Old Testament . It is the first part of the God's story of salvation (long work of saving us from our sins). The second part (27 books) is called the New Testament which tell the story of the life of Jesus Christ. In the Bible, God gave His people ten commandments, or laws, to live by. These commandments require people to love God and treat others with respect. To not lie , steal, harm others, or commit adultery. Most of all, the Bible teaches love for all.  

10. Christianity and Service of Humanity Christianity encourages it’s disciples to spread love by actively participating in acts of kindness and charity. There are many Christian charitable organizations that help the poor and needy by providing food, shelter, medical assistance etc. Churches run many social initiatives and community outreach programs to help alleviate suffering and bring about happiness to others. Christians are motivated to demonstrate the transformative power of their faith through such humanitarian actions.

11. Conclusion As I have demonstrated through this presentation, Christianity and most major religions, have some common teachings which encourage acceptance and co-operation with people of all faiths. People from different religions need to come together and highlight the good aspects of their religion and about how religious harmony can benefit individuals and communities .

12. Promote Religious Harmony You may be a Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Jain, Sikh or belong to any other religion. Whatever your background, you must promote acceptance and respect of all religions in your classroom and school. Speak to students from different religious backgrounds and understand their values and beliefs. Also share your own religious beliefs and discuss what is common. Have inter-faith discussions where students get to know about the teachings of other religions and their contributions to society. Organize charitable activities where students from all religious backgrounds come together and contribute. These steps will definitely help develop respect and appreciation for all religions.

13. Citations History.com Christianity.com Brittanica.com Kids.Brittanica.com Twinkl.co.in Study.com

14. Thank You