expressing beliefs through prayer
Prayer in Judaism
"Keep holy the Sabbath day" is one of the ten commandments and is a reference to the creation story found in the old Testament, where God rested on the seventh day
Within Judaism, Moses emphasised the importance of prayer.
where can people pray?
Christianity - church
Judaism - synagogue
Islam - mosque
Buddhism - temple
Hinduism - temple/mandir
Members of a community of faith can pray anywhere, at home or at a place of worship such as:
Prayer in Buddhism
this form of prayer is practised in Buddhist Temples and other paces of religious significance for Buddhists
He taught this method to his Followers.
in Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama practised meditation as a way to reach Nirvana.
who do people pray to?
People can also pray to their deceased loved ones
for example:
the founders or the saints
Some people pray to people associated with their religion
people pray to their God/Gods
why do people pray?
prayer of praise and thanksgiving - praising and thanking God
prayer of penitence: - asking God for forgiveness
prayer of petition - asking God for help
people pray to God for many reasons:
Prayer in Islam
Prayer is an important part of everyday life of a Muslim, as they must pray five times a day in the direction of Mecca.
in Islam, one example of prayer that you are already familiar with is the fifth Pillar of Salat, or formal prayer.
Important people of prayer in the five major world religions
Christianity: Mother Teresa
Islam: Muhammad Ali
Buddhism: The Dalai Lama
Judaism: Rabbi Zalman
Hinduism: Mahatma Gandhi
Prayer in Hinduism
One of the main points in Sri Ramakrishna's teaching was the importance of harmony between religions.
Contemplation is to focus on or to think about something, e.g. meditation.
The Hindu religious guru, Sri Ramakrishna, spent his life in contemplation.
when do people pray?
for example:
Christianity - Sunday
Judaism - Saturday
Islam - Friday
However, people can attend their place of worship to celebrate their faith.
members of a community of faith can pray at anytime.
what is prayer?
Members of a community of faith listen and talk to God
prayer is a form of communication with God
how do people pray?
communal prayer: communal prayer is public. people gather in a place of worship and pray to God.
informal prayers are private prayers that they make up. these prayers are personal. for example: Dear God please help me in my Christmas exams
• This prayer is a form of communication without using words or thoughts of any kind.
• It is a deep prayer from the heart. It is more of an advanced type of silent prayer
• A person calmly thinks about God(s). He or she would use a statue/icon to help them communicate with God • Silent prayer
• Silent prayer
meditation contemplation
types Personal prayers:
Formal prayers are prayers that members of the world religion would know. for example: Our Father
people say formal + informal prayers
communal prayer (formal prayers)
silent prayer (personal prayers)
Prayer in Christianity
There are many important symbols in Christian prayer.
Christians traditionally pray together on Sunday but individual prayer is also important.
Jesus taught the first Christians how to pray.
