Rites of Passage – RevisionA rite of passage is a ritual event that marks a

person's progress from one status to another. Remember to print this off as a

Handout - Make sure you also look in your Exercise book and Church visit

sheet for further information

Levels / revision • Levels 5 • Explain the impact of beliefs on individuals and communities • Demonstrate an awareness of similarities and differences of beliefs• Level 6• Give informed accounts of religious beliefs, explaining the reasons for

diversity within and between them • Express insight into others’ views on questions of identity and belonging• Level 7• Show a coherent understanding by interpreting a range of religious beliefs • Evaluate the significance of religious views for understanding human

relationships, belonging, and commitment, using appropriate evidence and examples

• Revision - print off the revision Power point read it and then re read it this time highlighting key points make sure you know the similarities and differences between the rites of passage Also the symbols which are used - remember to look in your book and church leaflet

• There is a lot of information here to provide you with ideas don’t worry you don’t have to learn it all off by heart!

Birth• Buddhist• When a baby is born into a Buddhist family, monks are

invited to the house to bless the baby and chant from the holy texts. Based on the exact time and date of the birth, an astrologer will draw a horoscope and inform the parents about the initial that the name should begin with; the parents will then choose a name accordingly. Within one month of birth, the baby is brought to a temple for blessing and placed in front of the statue of the Buddha.  Offerings of flowers, candles and incense are made and the monk blesses the child, announcing his or her name. In some forms of Buddhism, sacred threads are tied around the baby’s wrists to welcome ‘Khwan’, a spirit that looks after babies

• Make sure you look in your exercise books to get more detail about this ceremony and other customs / symbols used

Jewish - Brit Milah means covenant of circumcision Brit Milah is usually carried out in the home, hospital or synagogue, and takes

place early on the eighth day of a Jewish boy's life, . the child is taken from his mother and is carried on a cushion into the room

where the men are gathered. the mohel, a man with medical and religious training who will perform the

circumcision on behalf of the father. The child is placed on the Chair of Elijah, before ending up on the lap of the

Sandek (the spiritual mentor of the child / godfather) where the circumcision takes place. 

The foreskin of the boys penis is removed, to be buried later, and the father recites a blessing acknowledging his son's entry into the covenant:"Blessed are you Lord our God, King of the Universe, who sanctified us with his Mitzvah and commanded us to enter my son into the covenant of Abraham."Those present,, respond with a prayer:

The mohel will say a kiddush (blessing):"Blessed are you Lord our God, king of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine."

Wine is drunk and a few drops are put on the lips of the boy. He is given his Hebrew name and then returned to his mother for feeding. 

Brit Milah • This ancient ceremony dates back to Abraham, who was

commanded by God to circumcise every male (Genesis 12:9-11 "...every male among you shall be circumcised. And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be the sign of the covenant between me and you.") Circumcision is a sign of the covenant between Abraham and God, which was later re-established with the entire Jewish people. The foreskin is a barrier between the baby and God, and the baby becomes 'religiously' clean as the foreskin is removed.

• The child is given a Hebrew name which has special religious significance, just as Abram was renamed Abraham after his circumcision.It is also traditional to plant a cedar tree for a boy and a pine tree for a girl.  Later, when the child is old enough to marry, the birth tree may be cut down to make a ‘huppah’, a cover on four poles under which the couple will marry.

Baptism – A sacrament which allows you to become a member of the Church

• Usually the baby is named and blessed after a few weeks or months following the birth. 

• For a christening, the family gathers in the morning at a church and the baby is dressed in a white christening gown, often passed from one generation to the next.

• The parents have to choose godparents who will help the child to live as a Christian and will act as guardians in the absence of the parents. 

• The priest asks the parents to give the ‘Christian’ name they have chosen for the child.

• The priest then says a prayer of blessing over the water in the font and then pours it on the baby’s head, making the sign of the cross.  This symbolises purification and the fresh start of a life. Some churches use Oil is also used to remind the Child it has been specially chosen by God ( Kings were anointed with Oil) and also to ward off evil

• Then the priest calls the baby by name and welcomes him or her into the Christian Church and the community.

• A record of the christening or baptism is recorded in the church’s register,. There is usually a celebration at home or in a hired venue, where gifts are given to the baby.  Objects made out of silver, such as spoons and rattles, are considered particularly lucky.

Symbols• They are as follows

1. Cross- When we are baptized we receive the sign of the cross on our foreheads. The Cross is the badge of the Christian faith. It is the symbol through which our salvation is wrought.

2. White Garment - the white garment is a symbol of purity White symbolizes that the stain of Original Sin ( Adam and Eve) is no longer upon the child whose soul is wiped clean by the sacrament of baptism. The infant is now a child of God and that heaven is opened to him/her.

3. Oil Of Chrism - symbolizes the seal of the Holy Spirit and fact child specially chosen

• 4. Water - water reminds us that it is God who gives us life. Symbolizes cleansing and purity. Water also washes away our sins

5. Candle - The final symbol in baptism is the giving of a lighted candle. Light, like water, is essential for life. Without light there could be no life on this planet. It particularly symbolizes Faith. – Jesus is the light of the World in some Churches this candle is lit from the Easter Candle ( Paschal Candle)

Christian Marriage• The Minister will open the service by welcoming the congregation and

highlighting the importance of of the fact that your family and friends are there with you to share and witness your marriage.

• the minister will then read a passage explaining the Christian faith’s belief in marriage and it is at this point that the minister will carry out the legal obligation of asking whether there is anyone who knows of any lawful reason why your marriage may not take place.

• Both the bride and groom will be asked to promise in God’s presence and the presence of your family and friends to comfort, honour and protect each other and to be faithful to each other for as long as you both shall live. Vows

• Facing each other, the bride and groom take each other’s right hand and make your wedding vows:

• 'to have and to hold from this day forward;for better, for worse,for richer, for poorer,in sickness and in health,to love and to cherish,till death us do part'

•Rings

• The couple then exchange a ring or rings as a 'sign of their marriage' and a reminder of the vows:

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Christian Marriage• Proclamation• What God has joined together, let not man separate

• The couple are pronounced as husband and wife Some couples light a joint Candle to show this

• Prayers• In the prayers God’s blessing and help is asked. There may be

a prayer for the gift of children,. • Readings and talk or sermon• It is usual to have one or more readings from the Bibleand the

minister will generally give a talk or sermon.• Signing of the register• After you have exchanged your vows, the bride, groom and two

witnesses must sign the register as a legal requirement

Christian Symbols • White dress /wearing the veil meant that the bride

was innocent and modest • Ring reinforce the promises. the rings which are given

and blessed, symbolise unbroken love, faithfulness and eternity.the rings circular shape, which has no end, symbolises the never-ending aspect of the marriage.

• Wedding Bells The sound of the bells is supposed to drive away evil spirits and thereby ensuring the couples good fortune. Wedding Bells have become a special symbol for the celebration of love and commitment that weddings bring.

• Rice/ Confetti/ Cake/ : Rice or confetti and flowers are given to symbolise fertility and good luck. The bride carries flowers, a sign of fertility also.

Jewish Wedding• Two weeks before the wedding, the groom must obtain a Ketubah

from the Chief Rabbi’s office. • Under Jewish law, the groom must accept certain responsibilities for

the maintenance His principal obligations are to provide food, clothing and shelter for his wife and be attentive to her needs. The document also stipulates the minimum settlement to be received by his wife in the event of the marriage being dissolved.

• The bride usually wears a white wedding dress. Throughout the ceremony, her face is covered by a veil. The groom wears a suit and a Kippah (skull cap) He will also wear a white prayer shawl, known as a Tallith/Tallit, over his suit. On the eve of the wedding, the Chuppah or canopy is constructed from four vertical poles, linked by a frame and traditionally covered by velvet embroidered cloth. It represents the new home being established. As it is open on all four sides, it symbolises the unconditional hospitality to be extended to all who enter.

• The couple fast for 24 hours before the ceremony. This period is seen as a time-- when the couple repent of their sins so that they can begin their new life together with a ‘clean slate’.

Jewish Wedding• The fathers bless the bride and groom and the groom veils his

bride. This is an ancient custom and serves as the first of many actions by which the groom signals his commitment to clothe and protect his wife. The custom developed from the Biblical story of Jacob, who married Leah by mistake instead of Rachel, the women he loved.

• The ceremony itself lasts 20 to 30 minutes and is made up of the Kiddushin and the Nisuin. The former involves the bride walking around the groom seven times on her arrival under the Chuppah, to show this is the man she wishes to marry. This action also represents the role she will play in creating an all-embracing, religious warmth within their new home.

• Two pre-nuptial blessings are recited over wine, a symbol of holiness and joy, and the couple then drink.it.

• The groom now takes the wedding ring in his hand and declares to his wife: ‘Behold, you are sanctified to me with this ring, according to the law of Moses and of Israel’. He places the ring on his bride’s finger. The Rabbi then reads the Ketubah certificate of marriage to the couple and guests in English and Hebrew, says more prayers and blesses the couple.

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Jewish Wedding

• The Nisuin that follows completes the ceremony. It is conducted under the Chuppah and symbolises the act of the husband bringing his new wife into his home. The bride and groom recite the seven marriage blessings They talk of the themes of the greatness of God as creator of all, the happiness of bride and groom etc These blessings are recited over a second cup of wine and at their conclusion, bride and groom again drink some of the wine

• To mark the end of the ceremony, the groom breaks a glass with his heel. This act expresses sadness at the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.

• The bride and groom sign the marriage documents with two witnesses - The reception party follows

Death • Christian believe there is an afterlife. Although the

body dies and is buried or cremated, they believe that their unique soul lives on and is raised to new life by God.

• Their belief that Jesus rose from the dead three days after his crucifixion gives Christians hope that if they follow Jesus’ teaching and accept him as their Lord and Saviour, then this new resurrection life awaits them.,

• Jesus said, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.’

• John 11:25-26

Heaven, hell and purgatory• Christians believe that God is just and fair, and so cannot let evil go

unpunished. Most believe in the idea of judgement after death, and that God will treat people in the afterlife according to how they lived their life on earth.

• Although heaven is often mentioned in the Bible, it is rarely described. Christians therefore have very different ideas about it. Some believe that heaven is a physical place, where their body goes after death. Others believe that it is their soul that lives on, and that heaven is a state of being united with God.

• The Bible is even less specific about hell, and Christians have very different ideas about this too. Some Christians believe that hell is a place of suffering, and of separation from God. Others (perhaps most) believe that hell is a spiritual state of being separated from God for eternity.

• Some Christians, including Roman Catholics, believe in purgatory. This is an in-between state for the majority of people of waiting for heaven, a time of cleansing from sin and preparing for heaven.

Christian funeral rites• Sometimes, when a person is dying, a priest or minister will come to

their bedside to pray with them and to help them prepare for death. In the Roman Catholic church, a priest will anoint the person with holy oil as a preparation for death. This is called Last Rites.

• When a person dies their body is placed in a coffin. Sometimes this coffin is left open so that relatives can say a final goodbye.

• The coffin is then usually taken to a church or chapel. Here a priest will read from the Bible.

• The priest or a member of the congregation (Eulogy ) will also say a few words - about the person which are designed to comfort the mourners and then say prayers, hoping that the person will now be in heaven.

• In a Roman Catholic church there will be a special Eucharist called a Requiem Mass where prayers are said for the dead person’s soul.

• Next the coffin is taken from the church, either for burial or cremation.• Burial or cremation?• In the past many people did not approve of cremation because they

felt that it would mean that the person could not be resurrected on the Day of Judgement.

Christian funeral rites• In the Apostle’s Creed it says, "I believe in … the resurrection

of the body". However, St Paul said that, "On earth it is a physical body but in heaven it will be a spiritual body". Therefore, today it is often just a personal decision as to whether a person is buried or cremated.

• At a crematorium, more prayers are said and the coffin is then taken away to be cremated. Later the ashes are returned to relatives to be buried or scattered.

• At a burial the body is lowered into a hole in a cemetery and then covered with earth. Later a gravestone may be placed there giving some details of the person’s life.

• At both services the priest or minister will say, "We commit this body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust". In this way people are reminded that we are all human and made by God

Symbols

• People often send flowers to a funeral to represent the beauty of the world which the dead person is about to enter.

• Candles are also lit to remind people that Jesus was the light of the world and that because of Jesus, Christians can be saved from their sins and go to heaven

HINDU• Believe in Reincarnation – “ just as a man

casts off worn out Clothes and puts on new ones so the soul casts off worn out bodies and enters others that are new” – Bhagavad Gita

• Hindus cremate their dead, believing that the burning of a dead body signifies the release of the spirit and that the flames represent Brahma, the creator.

Hindu funeral rites• Various rituals may take place around the dead body:• a lamp is placed by the head of the body• prayers and hymns are sung• pindas (rice balls) are placed in the coffin – a old but VERY effective

process to clear the way so that the departed soul of the dead man or woman get freedom from the affinity to this living materialistic world

• water is sprinkled on the body• a mala (necklace of wooden beads) may be put around the dead person’s

neck as is garlands of flowers• How the cremation takes place depends on where this happens.• In the United Kingdom the coffin will be closed and taken to a crematorium.• In Hindu countries it is on a open fire • A hindu funeral on the River Ganges• In India people hope to have their funeral at the burning ghats on the shores

of the sacred river Ganga (Ganges). Here the body is placed on a large pile of wood, then the eldest son says the appropriate Vedic prayers and lights the fire.

HINDU• The body is washed shaved and decorated with

sandalwood, flowers and garlands. Scriptures are read from the Vedas or Bhagavad Gita. The chief mourner, usually the eldest son or male, will light the fire Incense and ghee (cooked and clarified butter) are poured into the flames

• The son will circle the body, praying for the wellbeing of the departing soul.

Cremation happens usually within 24 hours and ashes may be sprinkled into the River Ganges at a later date

• After the cremation, the family may have a meal and offer prayers in their home. Mourners wash and change completely before entering the house after the funeral. A priest will visit and purify the house with spices and incense. This is the beginning of the 13-day mourning period when friends will visit and offer their condolences.

Checklist

• Do you know what the Key features of each of the rite of Passage is? ( e.g What happens during it ?)

• Can you see what the similarities and differences are between each religion and their rite of Passage?