Caribbean Secondary Examination Council
School Based Assignment
Religious Education
Rites of Passage
Name of Candidate's: Amyah Kerr
Candidate Number: 2017231
Center: Anglican Cathedral College
Territory: Belize
Name of Teacher: Mr. George Bahadur
Year of Examination: 2021
Table of content
Acknowledgement 3
Statement of Aims 4
Information Collected 5
Summary of Findings 6
Analysis and Interpretation 7
Conclusion 8
Appendix 9-10
Bibliography 11
ACKNOWLEGDGEMENT
Firstly I would like to tank god for sparing me life and giving me
the wisdom for doing the school base . assessment. secondly
I thanks my family for providing the materials and help that I
need to do the assessment . thirdly I would like to thank the
staff members, principal of my school especially DR. Golda
Mejia . For she had strive with me and the patient she endure
with me hopefully the paperwork become a success. Thanks for
all those who had given me strength and advise me along the
way.
Statement of Aims
The Researcher aims is to:
Learn and also educate the reader about rites of passage in
Christianity.
Describe each rites of passage and compare them to those
of Judaism.
Highlight how each rite of passage is important to the
religion.
Information collected
The applicant used the internet to retrieve information on the
rites of passage in Judaism and the website was religion website.
On September 26, 2020 I used the New steps in Religious
Education Book 1 to retrieve information on rites of passage in
Christianity. I also used the text book Religious education for
CSEC study guide to retrieve on importance of rites of passage.
Further on in my research I used Wikipedia to retrieve more
information on rites of passage.
Summary of Findings
Many religious ceremonies are centred around the most
important stages in a person's life such as birth, coming of age,
marriage and death. These ceremonies are often called rites of
passage. Different rituals are practiced to mark important
milestone in a person's life.
In Christianity, the service of infant baptism offer spiritual
cleansing from sin water is sprinkled or poured over the child's
head as a symbol of God's cleansing and forgiveness. In baptism
church a simple dedication service is held to dedicate the future
life of the child of God.
In the Christians religion confirmation ceremony is held
several years later, gives the person the opportunity to show
their commitment to the Christian faith. Confirmation Ceremony
is performed in churches that practice in the infant baptism. In
this Ceremony the child, upon reaching the age of 12 or older
renews and confirms the commitment that was made by Parents
and Godparents at the baptized. This is where a person is totally
immersed in water to symbolized the drowning of their sins and
baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is
said that the person is born again in Christ and are called ''Born
again Christians.''
By the time young Christians is ready to married, he or she
will believe that marriage is the joining of two people in a
faithful and loving relationship. At marriage, conducted by a
priest, in a church, and therefore in the sight of God, the couple
say vows which are binding obligations towards each other.
Rings are exchanged as a sign of the everlasting nature of the
vows and the couple's relationship. In the sacrament Marriage, a
man and woman become a sign of a much deeper inward reality.
Their relationship is strengthened and sanctified by the same
quality of self-giving love which was received by God in Christ.
Their life together becomes a sacrament love.
When a person dies who followed Christianity, the
deceased are dressed in their best clothing to either be cremated
or buried, whichever they have chosen. A funeral is then held
for their family and friends to grieve for the deceased person,
and give thanks in respect for their death. According to
Wikipedia, Christians believe that one someone dies it is simply
just the end of their life on earth and that when someone dies,
they are judge by God. They believe that the righteous go to
Heaven and the sinners go to Hell.
Analysis and Interpretation
In Judaism upon birth of a baby the baby is welcomed into
the Jewish community by the means of a Brit Milah ceremony.
In the Brit Milah ceremony, eight days after birth the baby is
circumcised by a Mohel. The circumcision of the child means of
welcoming the child into the covenant between God and
Abraham. If the child is a girl the father announces the baby
name and reads from the Torah in the Synagogue. In recent
years the circumcision of adult Jews who were not circumcised
as infants has more common than previous thought. In such
cases, the Brit Milah will be done at the earliest date that can be
arrange. The actual circumcision will be private, and other
elements of the ceremony (e.g., the celebratory meal) may be
modified to accommodate the desires of the one being
circumcised. Muslims also believe that upon birth the child
should be welcomed in to the religion and as soon as the baby is
born the Adhan prayer is whisper into the babies ear Muslims
believe that those words mark the beginning to the child's
spiritual learning. After the Adhan prayer is whispered the baby
is fed a small piece of date and prayers are said in hope that the
child will grow up sweet. This is known as the Tahnk ceremony.
At the age of 12, Christians believe that children are
accountable in for their sin. This is usually the age baptism or
confirmation service takes place. Similarly, in the Jewish culture
at the age 13 it is believed that children are accountable for their
sins and seen as adults.
In Christianity, Judaism it is believed that marriage is the
context in which couples may engage in sexual relation and raise
children. In Christianity the couple say recite vows which are
binding obligations towards each other, while in a traditional
Jewish ceremony, the vows are recorded in the ketubah and not
recited out loud by the couple. The ketubah is read to the
congregation by a guest or Jewish clergy. During a Muslims
wedding verse from the Quran are read and the bride and groom
agree three times to the terms of their Nikah. They then sign a
contract which after they are by the congregation.
As death is evitable each religion has prescribe way
preparing for it. Christians when dying may seek to take the
Holy Communion and repent from their sins. Similarly, Jews
recite the Shema while Muslims recite the Shahadah and repent.
Christians believe they either go to heaven or hell base on how
they live on earth. On the other hand Jews believe that after they
die there is judgment, punishment, forgiveness and reward. Both
Muslims and Christians believe that one day the dead will rise
and live in paradise as reward for their good living.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the researcher has done an in depth research
into Christians rites of passage and the researcher has looked at
what each stage in a Christian's life to mark milestones. The
researcher has summarized major milestones which Christians
participate in from birth to death. At birth babies are welcomed
into the Christians family either through a christening or infant
baptism ceremony. Further along these individual believe that
their dedication to God should be confirmed with either a
confirmation ceremony or a believer baptism. Christians also
believe that marriage is the union between a man and a woman,
instituted and ordained by God as the lifelong relationship
between one man a husband, and one woman as wife. However,
upon death of Christians not only is the cross be found in
cemeteries and place of worship alike, but the premise of the
religion is that, by their own action, humans have forfeited
immortality. It is required that the Lord's Prayers, the word of
God and the Holy Communion are all done by the family and a
funeral is held.
In this school based assessment, the researcher was to
describe each rites of passage and compare them to those of
Judaism and Islam. Christians either participate in confirmation
ceremony or believers baptism while in Judaism there is Bat
Mitzvah ceremony boys and girls. Jews conformation is a
Reform originated ceremony for teens that is tied to the Jewish
holiday of Shavuot. In Islam there is no particular ceremony for
this stage in life, but instead allow individuals to decide to
continue their faith. In all religion discuss throughout this school
based assessment, it is believe that marriage is the context in
which children should be brought into the world.
Christians, Jews and Muslims all believe partaking in a
religious declaration of faith and repentance before they die.
Upon death of individuals Christianity and Muslims believe that
one day he dead will rise and live in paradise as a reward for
their good living. In Judaism there is no specific scriptures about
death , so Jews believe in living their lives in a way pleasing to
God until their time comes.
Appendix
Christianity
Judaism
Bibliography
Religious Education for CSEC Study Guide
by Lucy Carman, L.C. (2014) Oxford University Press. (Page
74, 80, 82)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brit_milah
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_and_bat_mitzvah
http://fadeawaydunk07.weebly.com/islam.html https://reritesofpassage-
death.weebly.com/christianity.html
