Lesson video

Hello there, my young scholars of religion.

My name is Ms. Marx and I'm going to be your religious education teacher today.

Today we're going to be doing all about contrasting worship within Islam and Christianity.

Christianity is also known as the main religious tradition of Great Britain, and we'll be learning about how to use the word, whereas as an important phrase that can help us when we're doing this.

So when you're ready, let's go.

So by into the lesson you'll be able to describe how Christian and Muslim worship contrasts.

So let's think about our key terms for today then.

Devotional: personal acts of love, prayer, and praise to God or Jesus.

Jummah: Friday prayers in the mosque where a sermon or khutbah is heard.

Salah: prayer, one of the Five Pillars and Ten Obligatory Acts.

Sunday: Christians celebrate that Jesus rose from the dead on this day.

Wudu: ritual washing or ablution before praying and/or touching the Quran.

So look out for those in today's lesson.

So our lesson today will have three sections, personal worship contrasted, coming or worship contrasted, and describing how worship contrasts.

So let's start with our first section, personal worship contrasted.

We can look at census data, which can show us which religions people identified with if they chose to answer this question.

And they stated which religion they felt they were.

And here we got the percentages of Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslims, Sikh, another religion, no religion or not answered.

And we can see from this that Christianity had the highest percentage of people at 46.

2%, although it's obviously not a majority of the whole country, it's the religion of those people who did say they're religious that had the highest percent.

So it's generally known as the main religious tradition of Great Britain, and this is part of the reason why.

So when you see that phrase, the main religious tradition of Great Britain, when you're answering a question that is referring to Christianity.

Islam, we can see, is the second largest religion practised in Great Britain.

And here we've got it at 6.

5% of the population.

And there are many similarities between them, but there are some differences in how worship is practised, which is what we're thinking about today.

Let's do a quick check, which religion is said to be the main religious tradition of Great Britain? Buddhism, Christianity, Islam or Judaism? Pause the video and have a go.

We'll see what you've done in a moment.

Well done.

It's Christianity.

So let's think about personal worship in Islam.

Salah is daily worship.

It's five set prayers each day.

Wudu is performed before prayers.

Prayer is in the direction of the Ka'aba.

Set movements that involve prostration, set recitations of prayers and phrases from the Quran, and there's some diversity between Sunni and Shi'a practise of house salah is done.

Let's look at source of authority that supports this.

In the Quran, the ultimate source of authority we have.

"So glorify the praise of your Lord and be among those who bow down and worship your Lord in order to attain certainty." So here we have this idea of bowing down and we know that that prostration is an important part of salah.

How does this source support salah in Islam? Pause the video and have a think and you can talk to the person next to you or talk to me.

Well done, we've got here that idea of bowing down and actually this will help people to attain certainty.

Bowing down in praise of God and worship is going to lead to certainty.

So what about personal worship in Islam: Salah? What actually happens when someone does this? Now Nadia's gonna speak to us about why she performs salah and what this means for her.

Nadia says, I'm a Sunni Muslim and perform the five obligatory prayers Salah at the five set times after performing wudu.

This means I often pray where I work as well as at home.

This helps me stay focused on Allah through the day and it's my way of showing commitment to Allah and my religion.

Thank you Nadia.

What direction will Nadia be facing when she performs salah? Pause the video and have a think and you can talk to the person next to you or talk to me.

Well done.

She will be facing the Ka'aba.

Let's do a quick check.

Salah refers to five set prayers per week in Islam.

Is that true or false? Pause the video and have a go.

We'll see what you come up with in a moment.

Well done.

That's false, isn't it? But why? It's false because salah refers to five set prayers per day, not per week in Islam.

Well done.

So now let's look at personal worship in Christianity and we could look at daily devotional worship.

There's lots of different types of worship within Christianity, but this personal daily devotional worship is one we can look at.

So daily devotional worship is optional, but people may choose to do this.

It may involve reading a section of the Bible.

It may involve reciting the Lord's Prayer.

It may happen before going to bed.

It may involve speaking to God as a father.

And there are optional actions or phrases which could be sets as some Christians might choose to put their hands together, they might kneel down.

Some may choose to do this standing up or sitting in a particular place.

Let's look at the source of authority that supports this then.

In the Bible Jesus says, "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your father who's unseen and then your father who sees what's done I in secret will reward you." How does this source support private devotional worship then? Pause the video and have a think and you could talk to he person next to you or talk to me.

We have this idea of going into your room.

So it's a kind of a private personal space.

So many Christians might pray like last thing at night before they go to bed in their bedroom because they're going into their room to have this time praying and worshipping God.

And this idea of calling God Father, that kind of close relationship that Christians have through doing this devotional worship with God.

Praying alone in your room and calling God Father.

Well done.

So Asher is gonna speak to us now about how he does his devotional worship.

And Asher says, I'm a Protestant Christian and each day before I go to bed, I read a section of the Bible and pray to God, my Father in Heaven.

I use the words of the Lord's Prayer as this is how Jesus taught us how to pray.

I show my devotion and love to God through this act each day and it helps me feel more connected to God and my religion.

Thank you Asher.

How is Asher's worship different to Nadia's? So we have Nadia's daily worship and now we've got Asher's.

How is it different? Pause the video and have a thing.

Can you can talk to the person next to you or talk to me.

Well done.

Let's do a quick check.

Muslims and Christians both perform wudu before prayer and worship.

Is that true or false? Pause the video and have a think and we'll see what you come up with in a moment.

Well done.

It's false, isn't it? But why? It's false because Muslims perform wudu before prayer and worship.

Christians do not.

Well done.

Let's do a practise task to see what we've learned.

Here I've got different statements that we've thought about already in today's lessons to Christian or Muslim personal worship, and you're going to decide if it is Christian or Muslim and they are five day prayers that obligatory with set movements.

May involve reciting the Lord's Prayer.

May use Bible readings and personal prayers.

Prayer will be in the direction of the Ka'aba.

Daily prayers are known as salah, with would you perform before.

And prayer may follow Jesus' instruction to call God Father.

Which of these do the Christian personal worship? Which of these are to do with Muslim personal worship? Pause the video and have a go and we'll see what you come up within a moment.

Well done.

Your table should look something like this.

Five daily prayers that are obligatory with set movements would go under Muslim.

May involve reciting the Lord's Prayer, would go under, Christian.

May use Bible readings and personal prayers, would go under Christian.

Prayer would be in the direction of the Ka'aba, Muslim.

Daily prayers known as salah with wudu performed before, Muslim.

And prayer may follow Jesus' instruction to call God Father, Christian.

Well done.

So on to our second section then, communal worship contrasted.

So we've looked at personal worship.

Now it's communal worship.

Coming together to worship is important in both Christianity and Islam.

And will often, but not always, take place in religious buildings such as a mosque or masjid within Islam and a church within Christianity.

But they don't always take place here, but they will often take place in those buildings.

These buildings will be open during the week for communal worship.

But there are specific days which are most important within each religion.

So within Islam, Friday is the day where people come together for communal prayers together.

And this is at midday and it's known as Jummah, which is Friday and this is obligated for all men to come to, but women and children can choose to as well.

So Friday is the kind of special day.

Within Christianity, Sunday is the special day when people will come together to pray and worship together.

Often this will be in the morning for a morning service and sometimes it's known as the Lord's day.

This is the day that Christians believe Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday.

So let's unpack it a bit more then.

What is Jummah prayer within Islam? Congregational worship, Jummah prayer.

So this is Friday communal prayers.

During the time of the midday prayers, a khutbah is given.

So it's a speech that's given to kind of explain the faith to all the Muslims that are there.

Men are obligated to go, women can choose to go.

There are set movements and recitations that will be followed.

And an Imam will lead that prayer.

So someone at the front who's called an Imam will lead the prayer and often be the person who gives the khutbah.

Let's look at source of authority that supports this.

In the Quran it says, "When the call is made for prayer on Congregation day, Jummah, hasten to the remembrance of God, a drop all business.

Then when the prayer is concluded, disperse through the land, and seek God's bounty and remember God much, that you may prosper." How does this support the practise of Jummah prayer then? Pause the video and have a think and you can talk to the person next to you or talk to me.

Well here we've got, "Hasten the remnants of God.

Drop all your business and go to pray and remember God much.

Leave your business, join the congregational prayer.

Return to your business after.

And remember God." Tareeq is an Imam and he's going to speak to us about the importance of Jummah prayer.

And he says, The mosque is open to all during the week, but we have the most worshipers here on a Friday for Jummah prayer.

I also give a speech about Islam called a khutbah as part of our prayers.

Jummah prayer is a great opportunity for the community to come together once a week.

Thank you, Tareeq.

Why would more Muslims come to the mosque on a Friday than other days? Can you remember why? Pause the video and have a think and you can talk to the person next to you or talk to me.

Well done.

If you remember, dream of prayer is held on a Friday.

Well done.

Let's do a quick check.

On which day of the week are dream prayers held? Monday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday? Pause the video and have a go.

We'll see what you've done in a moment.

Well done.

It's Friday.

Congregational worship within Christianity then often happens for Sunday worship.

And let's unpack that little bit more.

Often they'll be singing hymns or worship songs.

There'll be prayers that are said to God for help.

A church leader will give a speech or a sermon about religion.

It involves Bible readings.

It might have a set structure or it might be spontaneous and it may involve special ceremonies like baptisms or the Eucharist.

So these are things that happen as part of Sunday communal worship within Christianity.

So let's look to a source of authority that can support this then.

When we have Jesus saying in Matthew, "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." So this idea of gathering together and that Jesus will be present even if he's not physically present.

And then in Acts we have, "On the first day of the week we came together to break bread.

Paul spoke to the people." Now if you remember, the early Christians were Jewish.

So the first day of the week for them would've been after Sabbath, which is Saturday.

If you know the Sabbath, Saturday's very special day within Judaism.

So the first day of the new week after that would be a Sunday.

So how could these two support practises of communal worship with those Christians meeting for Sunday services then? How do these sources support communal worship in Christianity? Pause the video and have a think and you can see, oh my God.

So how could these sources then support communal worship within Christianity? Pause the video and have a think and you can talk to the person next to you or talk to me.

Well done.

We have where people gather Jesus will be there.

So that idea of coming together and also on the first day of the week, which we said was a Sunday.

When people gather in his name Jesus is there and the early Christians met on the first day of the week, a Sunday.

Well done.

Well, here's ji-eun who's a Christian Minister.

So she runs a church and she's going to speak about Sunday services in her church.

I'm a minister in a Methodist church.

This means I'm one of the leaders of the Sunday services.

The church is open all week, but our busiest service is a Sunday morning.

We remember what Jesus did for us with Bible readings, songs of praise, and I often give a sermon about the religion.

We also pray together for issues facing the world and people in the church community.

Why do more Christians come to church on a Sunday than other days then? Pause the video and have a think and you can talk to the person next to you or talk to me.

Let's do a quick check to see what we've learned.

Christian church services all have set patterns with set words and actions to take part in each week.

Is that true or false? Pause the video and have a go and we'll see what you come up with in a moment.

Well done, that is false, isn't it? But why? Well, it's false because not all churches follow set patterns for their worship.

Some church services are more free flowing and spontaneous.

Well done.

Let's do another practise task to see what we've learned.

We've got a table here with statements about communal worship and you're going to decide if they relate to Christian or Muslim communal worship.

Your statements are: the main day for communal worship is a Sunday.

The main day for communal worship is a Friday.

A speech about the religion, known as a khutbah is given.

A speech about the religion known as a sermon is given.

There will be set movements and recitations done together.

And there may be set prayers and actions or there may not be.

So are these to do with Christian or Muslim communal worship.

Pause the video and have a go.

We'll see what you've done in a moment.

Well done.

Some great thinking there.

Your table should look like this.

The main day for communal worship is a Sunday is within Christianity.

The main day for communal worship is a Friday is within Islam.

A speech about the religion known as a khutbah, is given happens in Islam.

A speech about the religion known as a sermon is given, happens in Christianity.

There'll be movements and recitations done together, happens within Islam.

And there may be set prayers and actions or there may not be, happens within Christianity.

Well done.

So onto our third and final section then describing how worship contrasts.

Lucas and Sam are discussing the differences between worship in Islam and worship in Christianity.

And Lucas says, It seems to me that worship in Islam is more likely to follow set patterns on actions, movements and time.

And Sam says, I agree, but some Christians might have set ways.

They do their own private devotions each day.

Some churches also have set patterns for their worship on Sundays too.

Lucas says.

That's a good point, Sam, maybe it depends on the type of Christian when we contrast the two religions.

Let's do a quick check.

Which two of these statements are the most accurate about comparing Muslim and Christian forms of worship? Muslim worship follows a set pattern; Christian worship does not? Or Muslim worship follows a set pattern; Christian worship can also follow set patterns in certain churches or for certain Christians? Or within Islam and Christianity, there are forms of private and communal worship? Or D, there is no private worship within Islam, whilst there is no communal worship within Christianity? Which two of these are the most accurate? Pause the video and have a go.

We'll see what you come up with in a moment.

Well done.

B and D were correct because in Muslim worship often does follow a set pattern, but within Christianity it could depend on the churches.

And with an Islamic Christianity, there are both forms of private and communal worship.

Well done.

When we're writing a description of how worship can contrast between Islamic Christianity, the word whereas is a very useful term.

So it's gonna be a very helpful term if we're writing a description contrasting the type of worship within Islam and Christianity.

So we could say a form of Christian worship and then whereas a form Muslim worship e.

g, a form of Christian worship is private devotional prayer, whereas a form of Muslim personal or communal worship is praying salah five times a day.

So that phrase whereas can be very helpful for this kind of writing.

Let's do a quick check.

What term is very useful to use when describing how forms of worship in Islam and Christianity contrast? Pause the video and have a go.

We'll see what you come up with in a moment.

Well done.

It's whereas.

Let's do a final practise task to see what we've learned then.

We're going to put that into practise by describing two differences in forms of worship between Islam and the main religious tradition of Great Britain.

So you can remember what that means, that phrase, the main religious tradition of Great Britain.

And your guidance is to give a point and develop it twice.

And here we've got one relevant and accurate form of Christian worship.

One form of Christian worship is, and then explain how it's controlled with Muslim worship, whereas in Islam, a form of worship is.

And then do this a second time.

So pause the video and have a go and we'll see what you come up with in a moment.

Well done some great thinking.

Your response may look something like this.

One Christian form of worship is private devotional worship where a Christian may read the Bible and pray to God, the Father.

Whereas in Islam a form of worship is private salah which the five obligatory prayers which consist of set movements and recitations.

Another Christian form of worship is communal worship, worshipping together on a Sunday at church service.

This may have set patterns to follow or maybe free flowing and spontaneous.

Whereas in Islam, a form of worship is the communal Jummah prayers held on a Friday at midday.

This involves set movements and recitations that follow a speech or khutbah from the Imam.

Well done.

And you can see here in both examples I've used Christian and Muslim types of worship and use that phrase, whereas in the middle to show the contrast.

Well done.

Let's summarise what we've learned today then.

Contrasting worship in Islam and Christianity.

Christians and Muslims both have forms of private, personal worship and communal worship.

Muslims performs salah as a form of personal worship, which consists of five set prayers per day with set movements and recitations.

Christians may perform private daily devotional worship through reading the Bible and praying to God, often calling God the Father.

Each week Muslims and Christians may come together to worship communally, Muslims on a Friday for Jummah and Christians on a Sunday the day Jesus rose from the dead.

Jummah prayer will have set words and actions while Sunday services may or may not.

So well done for your hard work today and I hope to see you again soon.

Bye-bye.