The Nature of God (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A (8062))

Judaism : The Nature of God

• The Jewish religion is based on the principle that there is only one indivisible, all-powerful, all-knowing and all-present God, who is fair and just and the creator of the universe and mankind

• According to Judaism, God has many qualities:

  • One – According to Jewish teachings, God does not have multiple parts. God is one

  • Omnipotent – God is all-powerful

  • Omnibenevolent – God is all-loving

  • Omniscient – God is all-knowing

  • Omnipresent – God is everywhere at all times

  • Transcendent – God is not limited in ways that humans are; he is beyond the constraints of time and space

  • Immanent – God is present in the world and sustains it

  • Eternal – God has always and will always exist. He is without beginning and without end

  • The creator – God made everything in the universe

  • The lawgiver – God created humans to live in a certain way, and he gave them many spiritual and ethical rules or laws. There are 613 of these laws in the Torah

  • The judge – God will judge everyone and punish those who disobey his laws

  • Merciful – God shows compassion

• The nature of God is important as it is the foundation for Jewish beliefs and practices

• Views about the nature of God within Judaism are similar to the views of the other Abrahamic religions, Islam and Christianity

Judaism: God as One

• Jews believe in Monotheism

  • Christianity and Islam are other examples of monotheistic religions

• The Shema prayer states:

• God is believed to be all-knowing (omniscient), all-powerful (omnipotent) and always existing (omnipresent)

  • These qualities underline the Jewish belief that God is one and all-encompassing

• Similar to Islam, Judaism believes that nothing should be compared to God:

  • Synagogues show this belief by not having statues of any living beings

• Some Jews believe the name of God is so special that anything with God’s name must be buried if no longer used

• The Torah contains quotes indicating the oneness of God and the idea that no other Gods should be worshipped

Judaism: God as Creator

• It is a basic and traditional Jewish belief that God is the creator of the universe

• The Book of Genesis begins with the Hebrew word 'Bereshit', which has been understood as meaning 'in the beginning'

• God created the universe out of nothing, exactly how He wanted it to be

  • Therefore, God has a major effect and influence on the world and people’s place within it

  • God expects loyalty from his people for giving them the gift that is earth and because he sustains the world in which they live

• Many Jews believe God alone created all life as stated in Genesis, the first book of the Torah

• Some Jews believe God literally created the world in six days

• Others believe the story should not be taken literally, as what is important is that the story shows God is the creator of all

• The weekly festival of Shabbat celebrates creation:

  • As God gave life then the preservation of life, Pikuach Nefesh, is very important

• He has almighty power over the world as He was the one to create it

Judaism: God as Law-Giver & Judge

• God revealed to Moses the duties that Jews should keep, including the Ten Commandments

• Through the following of these laws, Jews are fulfilling what God wants and forming a relationship with Him

The ten commandments

 The ten commandments

• The Ten Commandments provide Jewish people with a guide of what they should and should not be doing

• The Torah also contains 613 laws, called the mitzvot

  • They form the basis of the Halakhah which is the code of conduct for Jewish life

• Following God’s laws is particularly important because He will judge everyone based on how they have or have not followed the laws

  • God judges people, especially at Rosh Hashanah and after death, on their beliefs and their actions