What religion is Judaism?

Answer 1

The short answer is that Judaism is the first truly monotheistic religion in which God is regarded as a single entity, who is eternal and is the Creator of the whole universe, heaven and everything that we find on planet Earth. No intermediate god-like forms are acceptable and all prayers must be directed only to the One God.

Judaism developed from the time of Abraham, about 4,000 years ago, after he became aware that the idols and heathen practices of his ancestors and neighbors had no logical truth and that God (the Creator) did not want human sacrifice nor "holy" prostitution etc. The early parts of The Bible were given to Moses and the descendants of Abraham roughly 450 years later, during God's Revelation at Mount Sinai. Details of this are written in that most popular and holy Book, the Torah, which includes also a series of laws for the subsequent Jewish civilization, in what was previously the land of Cana'an, this land having been promised directly by God to Abraham and his children and subsequent generations on several occasions.

The history and development of the later forms of Judaism and its offspring-religions Christianity and Islam, contain a rich and diverse story, but the basic tenants of the Jewish faith have not changed, only been added to. Of great importance for the Jews, for example, are the circumcision ceremony for male babies and the keeping of the Sabbath as a day of rest (both of which are direct commands from God).

Dietary laws and rules for conduct are among a total of 613 commandments obliging the Jews to follow the path of their faith. For a better explanation several books are available including my favourite "This Is My God" by Herman Wouk (whose famous novels on many 20th century themes are well-known).

Answer 2

The short answer is that the question answers itself.

Dictionaries define "Judaism" as The monotheistic religion of the Jews, since the founding principle of Judaism was and is the belief in One God. This was the teaching which was spread by Abraham, and has continued since then. From Judaism, belief in One God has spread through the Western world.See also the Related Links.

Link: What do Jews believe God is like?

Link: A biography of Abraham

Link: What are the teachings, practices, principles and beliefs of Judaism?

Answer 3

Judaism's religion is Judaism. That is its name, and it is a religion.