Fundamental beliefs of Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

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1) How would you characterize rabbinic Judaism after the 1st Century C.E.?

Rabbinic Judaism was born from the chaos surrounding the Jewish rebellion of 66 BC to 70 BC which ended with the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. Judaism had been centered around the Temple and the sacrifices, teachings, and tradition associated with it. It had also been looking forward to a Messiah who would conquer the Romans and relieve the oppression the Israelites lived under. Pharisaic Judaism had stressed the inspiration and inerrancy of the Torah as God's word to Israel.

Rabbinic Judaism sought to unify several Jewish sects. It also tried to deal with the question of how to worship as a Jew without a temple and without a homeland for as a result of the diaspora. They were living in a world dominated by non-Jews and desperately needed a way to connect the present with their past. Rabbinic Judaism attempted to solve these problems by adding modern traditions to the Torah, replacing temple worship practices with other religious ceremonies, and helping Jews connect to their historical roots regardless of their present geographic location.

http://www.livius.org/di-dn/diaspora/rome.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origins_of_Rabbinic_Judaism

2) How would you compare the different observances of the Orthodox Jews, the Conservative Jews, the Reform Jews, and the Re constructionist Jews?

Orthodox Jews - believe in the divine inspiration of the Torah and of the oral tradition and the Old Testament. God personally gave this message to the Jewish people. They believe in the coming Messiah, that he will fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament including being raised from the dead and will set up his earthly kingdom on earth. Orthodox Jews continue to observe the feasts, holy days and traditions of the Old Testament. Jews should marry other Jews and the practice of circumcision is to be observed. The Jewish dietary laws contained in the Old Testament are also to be observed.
Reform Jews - were first begun by Moses Mendelssohn in the mid-1700's. The reform Jews denounce much of what Orthodox Jews believe in. They have done away with the dietary laws, circumcision as a religious rite and allow intermarriage with non-Jews. They deny that the Torah and Talmud or inspired by God, claiming instead that normal men wrote the words. They typically do not believe in a coming messiah and deny that a bodily resurrection will take place. They believe that the Jewish religion must conform itself to modern life and modern values.

Conservative Jews - split off from the Reform Jews. They did this because while they too agreed that most Jewish observances and beliefs were outdated and should not be conformed to, they thought this process should be gradual. They advocated stating that the old laws were no longer required and after that the religion should be free to evolve on its own. In comparison the ...