Salvation
Religion is an intangible, subjective, and inward culture that binds people of the same faith together. The unsystematic organization allows members to express and experience spirituality using specific but unique approaches to worship supernatural creatures and personal gods. Doctrines might differ from one religion to the other, but the sole purpose of such unions incorporates the fulfillment of meditation, faith, and rituals.
The theme of salvation (how is salvation achieved?) addresses the deliverance of people and the elimination of disabling conditions among believers. Issues like suffering, death, and restoration of natural words formulate the basis of salvation across different religions. The topic’s sensitivity prompted its selection for the discussion because it explores the reward of living a righteous lifestyle. In addition, the choice of the theme is significant in tracking the relationship between man and God while on earth and after death. Religions have various connections and differences regarding their teachings; as a result, the selection of how salvation is achieved creates the foundation for critiquing the relationships between Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism against Catholicism.
World Religions on Salvation
Catholicism
The concept of salvation is a primary issue in Catholicism because it reminds faithful followers of the church about the promises of Jesus Christ. Unlike other religions, Catholicism views salvation in various dimensions. Firstly, the church’s cultures prioritize faith in attaining salvation. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, believing in Jesus Christ and God who sent Him for our salvation is a consideration in the culture. “I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.”
Faith in God brings people closer to His Kingdom; Romans 3:23-25 stresses that everyone deprived of God’s glory through their sins is justified freely through their faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, Catholics gain salvation through unwavering faith in Jesus Christ and God. “You are great, O, Lord […] You have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”
Secondly, the culture of Catholicism bound salvation to the death of Jesus Christ. The obedience of God’s son to accept and endure the pains of the sins of human beings makes the death of Jesus Christ a crucial pillar in achieving salvation in Catholicism.
Judaism
Judaism views salvation through God’s relationship with the nation; all circumstances that destroy the connectivity of man and God separate believers from gaining salvation. In other words, a blessed nation enjoys the fruits of salvation, while a cursed region filled with God’s rebels distances itself from success and peace due to the lack of salvation. Judaism believes in God as the universal spirit of the world. “We should respect all religions and believe in peace, harmony, and kindness.” As a result, Judaism views salvation as God’s blessing and reward to his faithful followers.
Secondly, God’s honor guides Judaism in attaining salvation for humanity. The good things that happened to the Israelites began with the nation’s choices to observe God’s Precepts. “The ethics of religion started with the rise of Judaism in the second century BCE.”
Islam
Islam views salvation through God’s Mercy, unlike other religions that depend on the virtue of their deeds and faith. Righteous life in Islam is not guaranteed based on people’s good deeds and motives. However, God’s love for His people brings Muslims closer to salvation.
Secondly, Islam does not recognize the doctrine of original sin in attaining salvation. “All religions in the world proclaim that nothing lives in this world but the truth.” Instead, the doctrines educate their followers that the original sin was not a direct disobedience of God.
Henceforth, God promised to guide them throughout the forest, provided they followed the rules and regulations of the supernatural creature: “My religion is truth, love, and service to God and humanity.” Furthermore, Islamic cultures and virtues do not believe in the death of Jesus as the gate to salvation because there was no need for a savior for non-sinful individuals.
Hinduism
Compared to Islam and Catholicism, Hinduism has many paths to salvation. Hinduism refers to salvation through Yoga, an ultimate goal of freedom from the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. In other words, salvation is a crucial aspect of life in Hinduism because it distinguishes the people’s gift to humanity and unity. Hindus can get salvation through Bhakti Yoga, where anyone seeking salvation uses a pure heart to surrender to God’s will. Bhakti Yoga, otherwise known as the Yoga of Love and Path of Devotion, assists people in getting salvation.
Secondly, Karma Yoga differs from Bhakti since it is a path of spiritual liberation. Dedicating one’s duty to individual gods can provide salvation in Hinduism after reaching “moksha.” Thirdly, Jnana Yoga stresses that everyone is an intellect and everything in the world is an expression of “Brahman.” Individuals’ universal consciousness leads them to salvation through Jnana Yoga. Finally, Raja Yoga is a significant path to salvation in Hinduism because it involves the mind reaching freedom from the cycle of birth and death.
Buddhism
The Buddha’s Dharma is the path to redemption for people of this faith based on the promises in the holy book. The first step to attaining salvation in Buddhism is understanding the teachings of Buddha, and thus can only occur through enlightenment. “Religion is the course of all problems in the world, and it separates people.”
Salvation in Buddhism is achieved when people reach the end of suffering in their lives. The doctrines of Buddhists and the teachings of Dharma suggest that redemption occurs after successfully meeting the noble eightfold path. “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” Right concentration, actions, thoughts, livelihood, and speech can lead people to salvation, as per the writings of the Dharma. Buddhism works towards salvation by striving to reach Nirvana to get saved.
Similarities of Salvation of Other Religions to Catholicism
Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam have common features regarding the theme of salvation. Judaism is similar to Catholicism in the theme of redemption because both faiths believe in the existence of one mighty God responsible for uplifting sinners. Both religions see God as the source of salvation because He is the superior creator of heaven and earth. Every blessing human beings enjoy originates from God according to the doctrines of Judaism and Catholicism.
Buddhism and Catholicism are similar in how salvation is attained because they encourage meditation. Both cultures accept human suffering as a punishment for people who have not gained salvation. The spiritual meditation observed among Buddhists and Catholics circulates the mental and physical torture pegged on sinners and wrongdoers. According to the Holy Bible and Dharma teachings among Catholics and Buddhists, salvation is the only savior from suffering.
Islam and Hinduism are similar to Catholicism in that they preach and practice salvation. For instance, both religions use sacred bread in various celebrations to accord members signs of salvation. Hindus offer sacred bread to the gods during the ritual of Aarti, while Catholics use it during the Lent season to remember Jesus Christ and his sacrifice to save the world from sin.
The similarity in how activities are done to appease supernatural creatures and personal gods through incest burning showcases the similarities between the two religions in the theme of salvation. Finally, Islam and Catholicism see salvation as a tool of righteousness whose reward is in heaven. Although Islam does not concentrate on the deeds of the people, the doctrines of the religion stress the return of Isa, in the same way Christians preserve salvation until the return of Jesus Christ.
Differences in Salvation of Other Religions to Catholicism
Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism differ in their understanding of salvation compared to Catholicism. The cultures and doctrines of Catholicism are divergent from Judaism because it sees the death of Jesus Christ as the onset of modern salvation. At the same time, Judaism views salvation as an issue of the nation. In Judaism, the connection between God and man depends on the goodwill of the people and their righteousness. Israel was the only nation that enjoyed salvation before the death of Jesus Christ, the enslaved person according to Judaism.
Hinduism sees salvation as the path to freedom from humanity’s problems, while Catholicism perceives salvation as the tool that binds man and God. In other words, Hinduism practices salvation through Yoga to gain freedom from the life cycle, while Catholics believe in eternal life after acquiring salvation. In Hinduism, the reincarnation of people after death works best for people who have received salvation through Yoga. On the contrary, the culture of Catholicism focuses on salvation as the savior of people for the acquisition of eternal life in heaven.
The concept of salvation in Islam differs from the biblical teachings of Catholicism. Catholicism depends on people’s good deeds and actions to differentiate people who have gained salvation from those living in dark times. Sinners in Catholicism cannot see the kingdom of God until they receive redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ. The Islam Quran does not blame the original sin on man as it appears in Catholicism. Therefore, salvation in Islam is unique because it depends on God’s mercy and not the deeds of the people. Catholicism shares the body of Christ through salvation to enjoy the blessings that await them in heaven.
Reflection
The knowledge gained regarding religions and the perception of salvation has changed my perspective and outlook on dialogue with people of other faiths. Firstly, I have learned the significance of inclusivity and diversity of religious doctrines. I can freely debate with people from otherfaiths based on the comparative outcomes of the analysis of Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, and Hinduism. For instance, the doctrines of Hinduism have taught me something about Yoga and its essence in the spiritual world. I have particularly gained knowledge about Bhakti Yoga, and I am aware that it is the primary path Hindus use to acquire salvation through pure hearts.
I have had a personal experience with an Islam follower and realized that Muslims’ faith was stronger during Ramadan. The fasting ceremony was challenging, but its ending was interesting because they held a major celebration known as Eid al-Fitr. Future interactions with the Islamic community will increase my understanding of their faith and paths to salvation.
Bibliography
Gottlieb, Michah. Does Judaism Have Dogma? Moses Mendelssohn and a Pivotal Nineteenth-Century Debate. (Berlin: De Gruyter Press, 2020): 107-167.
Lang, Peter. Catechism of the Catholic Church. Extraordinary Synod of Bishops, 2005.
Mishra, Ruchi. “Spiritual Pilgrimage Towards Salvation: A Critical Study of Basavaraj Naikar’s Religious Play the Pilgrim of Life.” Dialogue: A Journal Devoted to Literary Appreciation 15, no. 1–2 (2019): 30–42. Web.
Münz-Manor, Ophir, and Thomas Arentzen. “Soundscapes of Salvation.” Studies in Late Antiquity 3, no. 1 (2019): 36–55. Web.
Pathak, Hari. “Hinduism and Women Religious Beliefs and Practices.” SSRN Electronic Journal 5, no. 2 (2019): 45–59. Web.
Pruneri, Fabio. “The Catechism Will Save Society, without the Catechism there is No Salvation’: Secularization and Catholic Educational Practice in an Italian Diocese, 1905–14.” Studies in Church History 55, no. 10 (2019): 511–29. Web.
Ratzinger, Joseph. Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2005.
Smith, Daniel. “An Ecological Theology of Liberation: Salvation, Political Ecology, and Justice.” Dialog 61, no. 2 (2022): 180–81. Web.
Strathern, Alan. Unearthly Powers: Religious and Political Change in World History. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2019): 76-93.
Van, Vu-Hong. “Comparative Buddhism in India, China, Vietnam and the spirit of localization in Vietnamese Buddhism.” International Journal of Recent Scientific Research 10, no. 6 (2019): 1-7. Web.
Voorst, Robert. World RELG4: Introduction to World Religions. Cengage Learning, 2018.