This document discusses the purpose and themes of religious narratives. It notes that Judeo-Christian tradition includes the creation story of Adam and Eve in Genesis and the story of Jesus reconciling man with God. Hindu tradition also has a divine creation story linking Vishnu's expansion throughout the universe. The purpose of religious narratives is to express and maintain a connection to the transcendent through storytelling. Common themes include faith, miracles, repentance, conversion, forgiveness and redemption, though not all have happy endings.

4.  A unifying story line.
 The presence of a central
character.
 Religious orientation.
 Variety of genres and styles.
 Preference of the concrete over
the abstract.
 Realism.
 Simplicity.

5.  Preference for the brief unit.
 Elemental quality.
 Oral style.
 Aphoristic quality.
 The literature of confrontation.

6. Judeo-Christian parables retelling some
portions of the Bible, have been used in
family religious worship, spiritual
instruction and literature in Christian and
Jewish societies.
Bible Stories

7. The descendants of Adam
and Eve had become evil
and wicked, and God was
sorry He had ever created
mankind. He decided the
only thing to do was
destroy them all and start
over! But there was one
man, Noah, who was
obedient to God and found
God's favor.

8. The Good Samaritan bandaged the
man's wounds, put him on his own
donkey and took him to an inn.

9.  The descendants of Noah all spoke
a single language. As they
increased in number and began to
spread eastward, they found a
fertile area called Shinar and
settled there. They decided to build
a city with a tower that "reached to
the heavens." They wanted the
tower to be a proud monument to
themselves and a symbol that
would keep them united as a
powerful people.
 However, God was not so pleased
so, God made the people speak
many different languages so they
could not work together on
building the city and tower. Then
He scattered the people around the
world and the city was abandoned.

10.  One day about 2,000
years ago an angel
named Gabriel appeared
to a young Jewish woman
named Mary. Gabriel told
Mary she would have a
son, Jesus, who would be
the Son of God! Mary was
confused and worried
about this sudden news,
but she had faith in God
and said, "I am the Lord's
servant; let it be as you
say."

11.  Learning from the bad examples
 Learning from the good examples
 Learning about God
 Giving encouragement
 Answering life’s questions

12. 1.Stories are religious nature.
2.Language is simple
3.Contains many phrases
4.Contains proverb, poetry and songs
5.Writer nameless or anonymous.

14.  Moral values and moral directions or pathways are
understood, reflected on and acted upon within
personal, historical, cultural and religious contexts
 Moral attitudes, dilemmas and actions are reflected in
the situation as well as in the characters and their
interactions in Biblical narratives.
 Other Biblical texts focus on the development of values,
attitudes, virtues and moral orientations that
necessarily underpin a moral life faithful to the
covenant with God and lived in accordance with the
example of Jesus Christ and his Gospel.

15.  Some texts challenge us to justice, to consciousness of
the poor and needy, to advocacy and practical action
on behalf of the oppressed.
 Other texts list attitudes and dispositions that animate
the moral life. Among such attitudes and dispositions
are patience, compassion, goodness, faithfulness,
peacefulness, self-control and the like.
 Other texts counsel us against negative attitudes,
values and orientations that lead to sinful attitudes and
actions. Among such negatives are jealousy, pride,
vanity, hardness of heart, hatred, indifference and so
on.

17.  The themes of Religious Tales
are the topics of catechisms and
theological treaties: faith,
miracles, repentance,
conversion, forgiveness, and
redemption.

20. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, there is the fairly
well-known creation story in the book of Genesis, the
book where Adam and Eve appear in the Garden of
Eden. According to this story, God created the Heavens
and earth and man in perfect paradise. Well, sin
emerges, and God extends his further judgment and
punishment. The Christian story unfolds, and many
stories later, Jesus of Nazareth appears, come to
reconcile man with God and offer himself for the sins of
humanity.

21. In certain branches of Hinduism, there is
the creation story that links divine Vishnu,
the incomprehensible transcendent being,
with creation. His sport and folly and love
entailed manifesting itself in the form of
various avatars, Lord Krishna, for example,
and dispersing himself throughout the
universe. He is all pervasive, all
encompassing. Creation represents his divine
will and expansion, the divine expansion of
his well.

22. And the purpose of religious narrative is
to express that and maintain that kind of
connection with the transcendent through
storytelling.

23.  Not all religious tales
have happy ending.
 “The Singing Bone”
represents a large
group of tales in
which a guiltless hero
was killed. Many years
later the murderer is
brought to justice
through the
miraculous singing of
a horn mouthpiece
made from one of the
dead man’s bones.

24.  Such tales admit the world was flawed.
Undeserved pain, suffering and death do occur
and the victim’s loss maybe irreversible. In this
world this world at least, the best we can hope
for is the punishment of perpetrator.
 Religious folktales often feature Bible characters
in apocryphal or even unbiblical roles.