Religion and Equality

• Equality --> treating people in the same way as others
• Discrimination --> unfair treatment of one person or group
• Prejudice --> judging someone before you know them

UN Declaration of Human Rights
-everyone has the same rights and fredoms whoever and wherever they are 

Many people are not actually treated equally and suffer prejudice and discrimination:

• Race
• Sex
• Religion
• Sexuality
• Age
• Disability
• Social class etc 

• 'Love one another' 
  -Jesus taught to love others and then humanity would be saved from all war and suffering

• We are all 'made in the image of God' -Genesis
  ^no difference whether people are black or white, male or female etc

• Acts of Apostles:
  'From one man he made every nation'

• Christians are taught to fight against prejudice and discrimination:
  -Mother Theresa 
  -worked for the Missionaries of Charity to help the poor and suffering
  -^ followed teachings from the Parable of the Sheep and Goats- Christians must care for the poor and hungry

Against racism- Bible and Christian example:

• 'Love thy neighbour'
• Martin Luther King Jr
  -peaceful protests against racial discrimination
  -USA 1950's and 1960's

Acts of racism- Christian Church:

• Crusades
  -thousands killed in the name of Christianity
• Spanish navy invaded South America
  -massacred thousands
  -trying to force them to become Christians
• Many Christians were slave owners in the 'Deep South'

Some people think women should be treated equally:

• 'in the image of God'
• Jesus shows great respect towards women
• When Jesus resurrected, he first appeared to a woman
• In the first days of the early church, women worshipped together with disciples

Other people think men and women should have different roles:

• Genesis 2 --> Adam was made before Eve, Eve was made to be his helper
• Genesis 3 --> Eve was the first to sin
• Jesus was very critical of his mother, Mary, at the wedding at Cana
• Roman Catholic Church --> do not allow women to be priests as they do not believe they fulfill the role of being Jesus' representative on Earth 

Converting others to Christianity:

• New Testament:
  -only Jesus' followers can go to heaven when they die
• Evangelism:
  -the spreading of Jesus' teachings from gospels or 'good news'
• Salvation Army --> strong tradition of Evangelism:
  -believe it's a very important part of Christian life and duty
• Many travelled abroad as missionaries:
  -their duty to convert as many people to Christianity as possible

Not converting others to Christianity:

• Missionaries:
  -now more concerned about helping people in developing countries
• Ecumenism:
  -different Christian denominations work together with joint services and community work
  -example: Taizé, France
• Interfaith dialogue
  -recent years, particularly with Jews and Muslims 

Forgiveness --> pardoning someone for something which they have done wrong

'seventy times seven times'

Reconciliation --> the ending of a conflict or renewing a friendly relationship between disputing people or groups 

• God is merciful- he shows love and forgiveness:
  -Lord's Prayer- must always forive to be forgiven by God
  -'Love your enemies'
• Central Christian service of Eucharist:
  -forgiveness and reconciliation
  -receive and remember God's forgiveness through celebration of Jesus' sacrifice
• Roman Catholic Church:
  -priest hears a confession in a confessional and forgives