Studies of Special People

Religion at South Island School

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Religious Studies at KS 3 - an Outline

Y7 - 9  Information and Assignments

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Read this carefully before you go on.......

In all religions of the world there are special people who have a very important place in the history and belief of the religion. These special people can be prophets (people who speak the word of God), priests, or unique leaders who were responsible for beginning the religion in the first place.  These religious leaders are seen as being "very special indeed".   Religions often try to show in words and pictures that these people are HOLY or SACRED.   The best meaning of HOLY is "set apart".   So these people are special because they were "set apart" for a special purpose.  

Occasionally these leaders are called "founders" which means they laid the foundations for the religion.  The most well known of these founders are in order of history

Abraham :  Patriarch (father) of the Jewish people

Lord Buddha : Founder of Buddhism

Lord Jesus Christ : Founder of Christianity

Muhammad (pbuh):  Founder of Islam

Guru Nanak :  The first Guru and founder of Sikhism.

In the next few week you will focus on the lives of these people and find out why they are regarded as so special by their followers.

There are some important things to remember here:-

1.      Although every single leader lived as a historical person for which there is lots of historical 
         evidence,  the religious followers are not really interested in just the historical detail but 
         WHO THESE PEOPLE REALLY ARE.  So they focus on certain things about them.

2.      They followers of each of these leaders write down their lives in the light of their beliefs 
         therefore they are written as much more than "biographies"

3.      Often the leaders are believed to have had powers given to them or be simply unique (i.,e 
         One alone)  and they might seem strange or difficult to believe for people outside the 
         religion.

4.      Often birth stories were given special meaning and writing because the followers were 
         trying to show the their leaders was exceptional.

So.....

a.   You have to be able to find out some of the historical details of the lives of the"founders"

b.   You have to find out what the religious followers believe about them

c.   You have to be sensitive in your work

d.   You have to try to understand what makes a person like this so important by thinking of of 
      important people in your own life

To go to your assignments you can click on the following:-

Prince Siddhatha Gotama - The Buddha