JUDAISM BELIEFS & TEACHINGS
Nature of God & Creator
The nature of God:
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God as one
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God as Creator
‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.’ Deuteronomy 6:4-5
‘I am the LORD and there is none else, I form light and create darkness, I make weal and create woe – I the LORD do all these things.’ Isaiah 45:6-7
Nature of God
Give two Jewish beliefs about the nature of God. (2)
2020
God is one / the creator / law-giver / judge / loving / merciful / eternal / absolute / omnipotent / omnibenevolent / omniscient / omnipresent / transcendent / Shekhinah / holy / redeemer, etc.
Explain two ways in which Jews understand the belief that God is One. (5)
2021
• Judaism is a monotheistic faith / only one God exists / God is the sole Creator / and has had a major effect and influence on the world he created throughout time and beyond.
• One God is the source of all Jewish morality beliefs and values / he cares for his people and expects loyalty and obedience to the laws he gave mankind / only he will judge how people follow his laws.
• One God is ever present in people’s lives / every sight, sound and experience is regarded as a meeting with the one God.
• The Oneness of God is best summed up in the Shema – an important prayer derived from the books of Numbers and Deuteronomy / ‘Hear O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone (is One). You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.’
• God is a single, whole indivisible entity who cannot be divided – infinite and eternal, beyond human understanding and worthy of praise, etc.
Sources of authority might include:
The Shema: ‘Hear O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone (is One). You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.’ (Deuteronomy 6:4-5).
‘When God began to create heaven and earth’ (Genesis 1:1).
‘from the rising of the sun to its setting, people may know there is none besides me. I am the Lord and there is no other.’ (Isaiah 45:6)
‘You shall have no other gods besides me’ (Exodus 20:3).
‘Be careful or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. Then the Lord’s anger will burn against you…’ (Deuteronomy 11:16-17).
‘This is what the Sovereign Lord showed me…’ (Amos 7:1).
‘for you are great, and your works are wonderful; you alone are God.’ (Psalm 86:10)
‘I am the Lord and there is no other; apart from me there is no God’ (Isaiah 45:5).
References to relevant stories eg the Call of Abraham / Moses and the Burning Bush, attributed to the Bible or Torah as the source, are creditable, etc.
Creator
None asked to date
Nature of God
Lesson slides: Judaism is an ancient monotheistic religion, made up of different groups
Creator
Lesson slides: Jews believe that everything comes from God. He willed the universe into creation and controls and sustains it by his will
Knowledge Organiser
Write down the information for your exams
Practice questions
Questions
Some possible questions
Answers
Some possible answers
Nature of God
An overview of the basics of GCSE Judaism and an explanation of the nature of God as one
