Discuss some of the important aspects of ancient religions. How were ancient religions different from a modern Western perspective on religion? How was Judaism similar to and different from other ancient religions?

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The Answer is Students should discuss the following aspects of paganism: polytheism (perhaps discussing the levels of divinity within the pagan world), emphasis on present life, attempts to access divine power for present benefit, emphasis on cultic acts, and sacred spaces. These aspects are opposed to typical characteristics associated with religion in the modern West: doctrines and beliefs, ethics, afterlife, sacred books, the separation of church and state, and exclusive worship of one God or membership in one religious community. Judaism was similar in most respects but had several distinctive aspects: worship of one God, emphasis on a special covenant between this God and ancient Israel (and then Jews), the Law of Moses, and (eventually) only one sacred temple in Jerusalem (though ancient Israel had more sacred places).

Discuss Some of the Important Aspects of Ancient Religions