Category: Christianity

Both Christianity and Islam religions agree on some fundamental points regarding the appearance of mankind upon the face of the planet. This is that man, together with every other living creature (plants and animals), were all formed or better yet, created by an all powerful and intelligent life force. Apart from the similar ancestry in the patriarchal geneology of the two texts, not much else is linkable between them. There is a completely different approach to doctrine, practices and belief systems between the two religions. An example that this paper will seek to cite in order to highlight this particular point is the account of creation as depicted in both the Bible and Quran. Our focus will be concentrated on the first chapter of the first book of the Bible, namely Genesis, and the first surah (chapter) of the Quran. First we will explore the similarities as depicted within the writings of the two texts after which we will take an in-depth analysis into the main differences that stand out in regard to the same texts as well.

Between the biblical and Koranic accounts of creation, several similarities can be spotted. For one and most obvious is the existence of a holy and supernatural entity. Whether it is Allah according to Islamic teaching, or just God as per Christian doctrine, both agree on this existence of an omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent deity who continually shapes the destiny of man and has done so since the beginning of time: And when thy Lord said to the angels, ‘I am setting in the earth a viceroy.’ (Quran 2:30); Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” (Genesis 1:26). This clearly shows that both the Quran and the Bible agree on the point that man was infact created a higher being of intelligence. The similarities do not only end here, there is something else that both the texts conclude to, that man was established and given dominion over the earth. The Quran says that God or Allah sought to setup a viceroy over the earth, while the Bible agrees with the same sentiments illustrating in the above cited text that the man whom he wished to create was to ‘reign over all creation’.

Again both accounts reveal that when God was creating the man whom He intended to set up as Lord over all living creation, He was not alone. The Bible clearly quotes God, the Creator as consulting with a second party on creation, He said ‘Let us…’ (Genesis 1:26). The Quran is more specific telling us whom He was actually speaking with or to, it quotes that He as God told the angels – celestial beings – that His intentions were keen on establishing a race on the earth that were in one way or another to assume the responsibilities of God while on earth, exactly what was established in the Christian Bible. Furthermore, we note that both accounts depict that God and the angels or whoever the second party might have been in the case of the Bible did not reside on the earth. One can see that from the way that the conversation is angled the Creator’s main purpose was to have an individual who would establish their dominion or control over the earth. It is very simple to illustrate this in the writer’s opinion, since God was seeking to have a separate entity control the earth it means that He Himself would not be inhabiting the same earth with His viceroy.

Following the analysis of the similarities as evidenced in these two texts of great importance to the Christian and Islamic faiths, we will now proceed to establish some of the glaring differences noted in the two accounts of creation. To begin with, one can help but notice that Allah was exclusive to the creation of Adam and Eve, while the records in the Bible portray a more inclusive Creator. In the Quran’s case God says to the angels that He will be the one setting up a viceroy to rule in His stead on the earth – ‘I am setting on the earth a viceroy’ (Quran 2:30). In the biblical account we encounter the creator as including another group or party to the creation process, God says ‘Let us make man in our own image…’

Secondly, the Quran records that God presented Adam before the heavenly host and the angels and commanded them to bow before the man. They all obeyed except for the one named Iblis (later became the spirit today known as Satan in both Islam and Christianity), who refused to pay homage to Allah’s latest creation due to his pride: “And when We said to the angels, ‘Bow yourselves to Adam’; so they bowed themselves, save Iblis; he refused, and waxed proud, and so he became one of the unbelievers” (Quran 2: 34). Surah 17: 61-64, gives us the reason why Iblis would not bow down before the man. He (Iblis) considered himself better than the man this he says is because he was created out of fire, while the man was made from clay, “I am better than he: Thou createdst me from fire, and him Thou createdst from clay.” (Quran 38:75). The Quran goes on to reveal that for this reason Iblis became an unbeliever of Allah and was chased out of heaven to await judgment for is actions, “…he was haughty, and became one of those who reject Faith.” (Quran 38:73), “Then get thee out from here: for thou art rejected, accursed. And My Curse shall be on thee till the Day of Judgment.” (Quran 38:76). On the contrary, the biblical account, in the book of Genesis does not hold any such record of God having presented the man He had created before the host of heaven that they should make obeisance before him. The mention of Satan in the Bible in connection with the period of creation is met in the book of Isaiah. Interestingly, the down fall of Satan into damnation in the Bible is not at all concerning him refusing to prostrate before the man, instead it is due to the fact that Satan wanted to exalt himself above God and sit in the throne of power to reign over all creation with his Lord as subordinate. Isaiah records the thinking of Satan as he schemed to meet the end of his plans:

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. (Isaiah 14:12-15).

Having regarded some of these similarities and differences in the both the biblical and quranic portrayals of the happenings during creation, it would be sensible of us to generate some basic notions pertaining to their significance. As earlier on hinted, the Bible and Quran have a similar background in their origins. Christianity and Islam herald Abraham or Ibrahim respectively as the patriarch of the two faiths with each having branched from the descendants of either one of his two sons, Isaac and Ishmael. Isaac was the father of Judaism which gave rise to Christendom. According to the Bible, it was Isaac and not Ishmael (who was actually the first born of their father but the son of Sarah’s maidservant, Hagar) who was the legitimate heir to Abraham; “Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned (Genesis 21:12)”. From Ishmael descended the Arabs of whom Prophet Mohammed the founder of Islam was one of, “And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation (Genesis 17:20)”. Therefore from this common ancestry, we can explain the similarities to some extent between these two faiths.

However, on the other hand stark contrasts are manifested between the two doctrines -Islam and Christianity- as a result of several reasons. Mainly, that Islam may have been founded in 610 A.D meaning that it is about 1398 years old. There is however, no doubt that many of the Islamic doctrines were chronicled well after Christianity had firmly been established in what was then the known world. It is argued that Mohammed dictated the Quran from other sources of already pre-existing religions including the Hebrew books of the Law, namely the Torah, the psalms of David and from the New Testament gospels. Having established this, one can conclude that in an effort to set apart the new religion as a unique entity that can hold its own ground; some major alterations had to be made in order to achieve such a feat. For example a point of constant antagonism between ethnic Jews and Arab Muslims is the portrayal of Isaac as the true heir to Abraham’s blessings, Islam dictates Ishmael as the rightful heir. This can possibly explain some of the outstanding differences existing between the two.

In conclusion, what is most striking is that their can exist such a similar rendition of the creation of man as observed between these two religions which owe much of their original content to Judaism yet they cannot see ‘eye to eye’ when it comes to other fundamental pieces of doctrine in as regards to worship, codes of conduct, belief systems and the position of women.

Work Cited

The Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV).

The Holy Qur’an, American Standard Version (ASV).

Statement of the problem

The care and support for the developmentally disabled residents at Heritage Christian Home on Yorktown Road in Penfield, New York, is proving to be a jigsaw puzzle with regard to hiring of the staff to care for the disabled. The Home is faced with an acute shortage of labor force. This has forced the Home to embark on hiring older staff to serve the developmentally disabled.

This has so far seen the trend reverse in terms of hiring the staff. Fives years ago, a job that used to be done by fresh college graduates has now been taken up by old retirees who are over sixty five years. In the 1990s, the New York State Cares launched an initiative aimed at reducing the state’s 10,000-persons on waiting list for admittance to group homes.

This move exacerbated faster growth of care institutions. They have set up many homes within a short time. The process of recruiting these older counselors and other old staff has become expensive. The staffing crisis has compelled Heritage Christian Home to use very expensive advertising media like cable TV and radio as opposed to putting adverts in the classified section. The growth of homes has been blamed on this issue.

Possible causes of the problem

The possible causes of the problem can be identified. Firstly, nowadays, there is an illusion about the old staff at the facility from the residents about their services. Secondly, the demand for the old staff has increased. The reason cited for the increased demand for this group of staff is because of the setting up of many other organizations involved in the care of the developmentally disabled persons.

Secondly, there is an illusion from the residents about the old having experience and parental skills as opposed to fresh graduates from college. Thirdly, with the entry of other organizations in providing care, there is increased competition, thus making adverting for the recruitment of old staff become very expensive.

Analysis of these causes or reasons behind the problem

The feeling of the residents as depicted by the staff is testimony of their work. The state to some extend has contributed to the menace with the opening up of more homes. Examining the problem because of the high demand of the old, one can say the organizations should rethink the kind of staff to hire.

However, the old care givers are favored at these homes because of their experienced touch, furthermore, they come with parenting skills. The global credit crunch could also be pushing the retirees to consider looking for gainful employment. On one hand, the move is welcome to hire the old, because it reduces the burden of supporting these old by the young. On the contrary, the retirees are seen as taking the jobs that would otherwise been held by fresh graduates from college. Retirees can be supported by retirement schemes.

Suggestions/recommendations

The Home plays an important role in improving the quality of life of the developmentally disabled residents. The labor force crisis can be resolved by; hiring the young fresh graduates from college who are readily available; the exploration of other cheap avenues for recruiting these old people; offering internship opportunities to young fresh college graduates.

This will enable them to work with the old experienced staff and learn the parental skills of caring for the developmentally disabled persons. These strategies can go along way in addressing the problem of increased demand of experienced old staff in these Homes.

Christianity in the contemporary society has been completely watered down to an extent it is extremely difficult to differentiate between a Christian and a pagan. As the word suggests the word Christian is derived from the name Christ, meaning that a Christian is “Christ-like,” and anything else than this is not true Christianity. The modern day Christian is a bored fellow with a life that lacks meaning and is only content with going to church every Sunday nothing more than that. Christianity today is defined by more the church one attends rather than following in the footsteps of the person whose name the term is derived from.

“Christian Discipleship is radical living”!! (Laurie p 7) It is a life that is beyond mediocrity and comfort, it is a life of great sacrifice and self denial, ultimately it is a life that attracts persecution and sometimes will cost your life. Jesus and most of His disciples were killed because of their convictions, they died rather than denouncing their faith and they were happy to do so, a very good example is Jesus himself who did “not retaliate even though he had the power to do so when he was insulted and humiliated” 1 Peter 2:23.

Just as Greg Laurie points out “All believers are disciples but not all believers are disciples” (Laurie p 7), so who is a disciple? The name disciple was derived from the name “discipline” meaning that a disciple is a follower of someone else, accompanied by great commitment and discipline. A follower of Jesus is called to “take up his cross daily and follow Jesus” what this scripture means is that anyone having the desire to follow Jesus must be ready to even die for the sake of Jesus.(Luke 14: 25-28).

In Luke14:25-28, we notice a very “scary” lifestyle that Jesus is calling for those who would wish to follow Him, he tells them thus “if anyone does not hate his mother, his father, his children, his brothers and sisters… even his own life he cannot be my disciple”. For me this scripture summarizes who a disciple is supposed to be. It is so easy to misinterpret this scripture to mean that Jesus was calling his disciples to hate their relatives and families; this in actual sense was not what he really meant rather he meant that the love we have for him should supersede any other. In a radical Christian life the a major hindrances to effectiveness are destructions by life demands, it is so easy to love our lives and families more than we love God, which would be tantamount to idolatry, which God would not tolerate.

As a disciple one is called “to love God with all your heart, with your entire mind and with all your soul” (Matthew 22:37). But what does loving God with all your heart and with all your soul and mind entail? This question is answered in John 14:15 where Jesus said that “if you love me you will obey what I command”. In essence then, to love God calls for us to obey all the commands he gives. These commands are not found in magazines, movies or journals, but are found in the Holy Bible!! To love God is to obey the Bible! To be a Christian disciple one has to be committed to obeying what the Bible teaches. Believing alone is not enough but “holding on to my teaching you are really my disciples then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31.

Works Cited

Greg Laurie “Discipleship: Giving God Your Best” Harvest House Publishers Eugene, Oregon 97402 1993 pg.

“The Holy Bible” (King James Version).

Is Catholicism a Unique Religion?

Catholicism refers to various doctrinal and theological traditions that characterize Christian entities in contemporary society. It embodies practices that define beliefs and ethical conduct with regard to Christians. Despite its general disposition, most people construe it as an embodiment of the Roman Catholic Church.

In certain instances, people view Catholicism as a description of Christian theological entities that bear witness to the teachings of Jesus Christ (Barron 11). In other aspects, the term describes a community of protestant churches whose hallmark lies in their contrarian approach to theological and doctrinal interpretation of scriptures and Christian beliefs (Barron 11).

There are experts who believe that Catholicism refers to the institution of the Roman Catholic Church that receives guidance and tutelage from church leadership in Rome, Italy.

According to this school of thought, Catholicism is distinct for its stringent adherence to institutional practices that promote retention of traditional practices with regard to functions within its jurisdiction. Due to its conservative nature, Catholicism enjoys exclusivity and ability to control various undertakings that define its essence in contemporary society (Barron 13).

Catholicism also asserts the essence of sacraments and their role in entrenching and upholding Christian values. Mediation and intercession is a key feature in Catholicism. Believers depend on mediation whenever there is need for divine intervention. Such practices explain the relevance of saints among Catholics. Saints act as intermediaries between believers and God, especially during moments of hardship and suffering (Barron 16).

Other important aspects of Catholicism include Holy Communion and the Holy See in Rome. Catholicism embodies various belief systems that define core values and practices. For instance, it supports celibacy and dedication to Christianity through prayer and service to humanity. Through such practices, the church endeavors to spread Christianity and demonstrate how God’s love serves as a unifying factor for individuals in different societies.

In light of the above submissions, it is important to note that Catholicism does not suffice in the context of a single denomination or theological entity (Barron 17). It should reflect the essence of universal Christianity as opposed to a specific reference to the Roman Catholic Church. Viewing Catholicism in a subjective fashion does not satisfy the desire to comprehend and articulate issues that relate to Christianity.

Therefore, Catholicism refers to a community of believers who owe allegiance to teachings of Jesus Christ. In a broader sense, Catholicism covers institutions and denominations that practice Christian values and beliefs (Barron 21). The principle of Catholicism denotes universal Christianity and all aspects of its practice and propagation. It encompasses differences and similarities that manifest in universal Christianity.

It is difficult for anyone to define Catholicism as a unique religion because it represents numerous theological and religious outfits. The religious outfits that characterize Catholicism have divergent views and interpretations with regard to doctrinal and theological principles. Despite such differences, they profess Christian faith as their sole motivation and impetus for religious practice (Barron 24).

Is There a Single Universal Christianity or Several Universal Christianities?

As earlier mentioned, Catholicism refers to religious groups that profess faith in the divine teachings of Jesus Christ. This definition exhibits contradiction that arises in reference to Catholicism as a unique religion. It is important to understand the essence of various outfits that profess belief in teachings of Jesus Christ.

Such outfits portend fundamental discrepancies in their interpretation and understanding with regard to religious and theological tenets. Doctrinal and theological differences do not affect their ability to connect and address believers whose concern revolves around Christian values (Barron 31). A single universal Christianity is nonexistent because there are numerous groups that suffice as catholic. For instance, there is a catholic church that that pledges allegiance to the Bishop of Rome.

Indeed, this practice is a key element among those who profess Catholicism. It comprises Eastern and Western divisions that serve as its core support base. This strain of Catholicism believes in the essence and rationale of apostolic succession. Apostolic leadership and guidance is an integral reality among Catholic believers (Barron 34). The Eastern and Western divisions cover different areas of command but claim allegiance to the church leadership in Rome.

Another group abides to orthodox beliefs and teachings. This outfit believes in apostolic leadership and guidance with regard to leadership on religious matters. They trace their religious foundations to ancient Christian practices and subscribe to early Christian beliefs. The Orthodox Church claims its allegiance to teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. Two major outfits manifest with regard to orthodox beliefs and teachings (Barron, 35).

They include Eastern Orthodox Church and the Western wing that has slight alterations to basic doctrinal interpretation. Both orthodox churches differ on fundamental areas of interest with regard to religion and interpretation of scriptures. Other protestant and evangelical churches broke away from the original Catholic Church because of differences in doctrine and interpretation of scriptures. Examples of such religions include Anglican Church, Lutheran, and Reformed Catholic Church.

They all believe in the concept of apostolic succession and swear allegiance to the Bishop of Rome. However, they harbor major differences with regarding to traditional practices within the church (Barron 39). Most of their practices are identical to those of the Catholic Church but differ in certain areas such as celibacy and family issues. Other Christian entities believe and practice apostolic leadership but have no historical or documented link to apostolic tutelage, as evidenced in the early Christian community (Barron 43).

Due to this reality, the Catholic Church does not recognize their union and fellowship with regard to religious practices. However, it is important to note that such religious outfits are valid because they have members who subscribe to their teachings and practices. Other groups do not practice apostolic leadership but profess its essence in order to retain fellowship with Catholic leadership in Rome. Both religious entities have close relations with the Catholic Church, whose leadership emanates from Rome (Hellwig 21).

These complexities affect overall perception of universal Christianity because they present contradictions and anomalies that do not promote its image. For instance, universal Christianity presents gross disunity and inability to compromise on basic and fundamental areas of concern. Observers find it difficult to understand how religious entities fail to foster unity of purpose, yet they purport to represent similar interests.

Universal Christian entities fail to inspire confidence and trust because they seem to promote and articulate personal interests (Hellwig 23). Their areas of contention border on theological and doctrinal interpretations that do not have any significant impact on the overall disposition of the church. History shows that there have been numerous instances of disagreement among universal Christian entities. Such differences are responsible for current divisions and disharmony among universal Christians.

Whenever there are differences and misunderstandings, it is important for all parties to initiate dialogue in order to find lasting solutions (Hellwig 25). On the contrary, universal Christian entities are usually quick to break away and establish new frontiers for religious practice. Other religious groups are skeptical of universal Christian entities because they project an image of greed and inability to tackle important issues among themselves.

This reality does not promote positivity and hope with regard to these religious outfits (Hellwig 27). Therefore, most observers have negative perceptions regarding the role of universal Christians in promoting religious harmony in contemporary society. In absence of such efforts, universal Christian entities cannot achieve harmony and unity of purpose. It is important to note that Christianity has spread to various places across the world (Hellwig, 34).

In ancient days, Christianity was prevalent in Europe and other surrounding areas. Currently, Christianity thrives in continents such as Africa and Asia. Due to this fact, there has been emergence of religious factions that incorporate local values and patterns of behavior. For instance, Christianity in Africa derives influence from African beliefs and traditions. This scenario replicates in other areas that embrace Christianity (Hellwig 39).

Is Catholicism Compatible With Other Religions?

In contemporary society, there is need for ecumenical cooperation between religious groups in order to ensure and guarantee appropriate dissemination of positive ideals and principles. All religious outfits have unique attributes and values that define their essence with regard to fostering positivity among its adherents. Religious groups are responsible not only to their members but also to society. This makes it necessary for various religious groups to cooperate in order to ensure realization of individual and collective objectives (Hellwig 41).

Universal Christianity should seek indulgence of other religious groups towards creation of positive values amongst individuals in society. Catholicism promotes morality and rational thinking with regard to various undertakings in society. In fact, it seeks to encourage positive thinking that ultimately influences human relations in society. In order to achieve this noble agenda, universal Christians should foster interdenominational cooperation.

After honing unity among various Christian factions, they should extend this to cover other religions such as Islam, Buddhism, and religious Jews (Hellwig 43). Although there are fundamental differences between doctrinal and theological interpretations, all religious groups can fuse specific positive values that promote societal wellbeing. For instance, Islam promotes communal values that seek to enhance interdependence amongst its members (Hellwig 44).

Islam requires its wealthy members to assist those who do not have a material endowment. Such values are important because they encourage rationality and pragmatic behavior patterns. Muslims are very dedicated to requisite religious practices that embody their doctrine and theological inclination.

They endeavor to follow religious teachings and practices that characterize the Islamic conviction. Their dedication to serving humanity is legendary because it forms a basis for religious practice (Hellwig 54). The aforementioned values are relevant and applicable to universal Christians because they promote positivity in society. Universal Christians should emulate such Islamic values because they serve as a guide for upright human living.

Religious Jews also have social values that seek to promote upright living in society. Jewish traditions and practices are proactive and mindful of individuals in social contexts. Jewish religious principles promote unity and cohesion in society (Hellwig, 57). Through various undertakings, the Jewish community supports humanitarian efforts in different parts of the world. Such efforts are similar to those undertaken by universal Christians around the world. Buddhism also supports peaceful coexistence in society.

Its religious principles revolve around non-violence and peaceful resolution of conflicts in contemporary society. These values are very important, especially because society continues to witness violence and upheaval. Catholicism should learn and appreciate the importance of ecumenical cooperation in order to foster positive engagements in society (Hellwig 57).

In order to promote its universality, Catholicism should embrace other religious groups that have similar objectives and motivations. By cooperating with other religious outfits, universal Christianity could expand its influence across the world. It is notable that certain observers argue against such cooperation. They fear that ecumenism could jeopardize values and belief systems within Catholicism (Hellwig 65). On the contrary, cooperation shall strengthen and entrench positive human values in society.

It is necessary for universal Christians to embrace other denominational entities in order to guarantee unity and ability to conquer negativity in society. By incorporating other cultural and religious belief systems, Catholicism strengthens its ability to promote positive action in society. Therefore, it is necessary for universal Christians to devise structural frameworks that support realization of such ideals and aspirations (Hellwig 69).

What is the Future of Catholicism?

For a long time, Catholicism has had immense influence on societal existence and propagation of various undertakings. During early days of its inception, Catholicism had influence on society because it changed human understanding and approach to challenges that were present in communal settings (Rausch 44). Universal Christianity sought to overhaul and eradicate traditional forms of worship. In certain ways, proponents of universal Christianity succeeded in achieving their objectives.

The Christian influence in society continued to manifest in numerous engagements that characterized human existence in society. After entrenching Catholicism in Europe, proponents sought to spread its influence to other parts of the world (Rausch 44). This endeavor materialized after they managed to spread the gospel to far-flung areas such as Asia and Africa. Though Christian missionaries encountered hostility in areas such as Africa, they struggled to introduce and entrench their message to the local inhabitants.

Generally, this mission was successful because the missionaries overturned local worship systems in favor of Catholicism. Several decades after introduction of Catholicism in areas such as Africa and Asia, there is immense influence on their religious systems (Rausch 47). Such systems are predominantly Christian. However, the future of Catholicism is uncertain in areas such as Europe.

It is evident that people in European societies are increasingly shedding their Christian beliefs. Most people in these communities argue that Catholicism is not dynamic. Its conservative nature makes it impossible for members to adjust to modern developments that emanate from technological advancements and innovations (Rausch 49).

Due to its stringent nature and inability to accommodate change, Catholicism risks losing influence and support in Europe and other parts of the world. People find it difficult to conform to Christianity because of its inability to recognize and appreciate changes that are currently evident in society. Catholicism should embrace change in order to foster and enhance self-preservation (Rausch 54). In my opinion, Catholicism could fade and disappear because it fails to incorporate modernity into its belief system.

For instance, it should ensure and support revision of canonical statutes that do not reflect realities in modern societies. In absence of such undertakings, it will be difficult for Catholicism to foster relevance and hegemony in highly dynamic social contexts. The future of Catholicism depends on realignments and changes within its leadership ranks in order to support and appreciate change in society (Rausch 67).

Works Cited

Barron, Robert. Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of Faith. Newyork: Doubleday Religious Publishing Group, 2011. Print.

Hellwig, Monika. Understanding Catholicism. Chicago: Paulist Press, 2002. Print.

Rausch, Thomas. Catholicism in the Third Millennium. London: Liturgical Press, 2003. Print.

Introduction

The focal point of the paper is to prepare a report based on attendance at meeting of a self-help group. In this reaction paper, the group would be identified and details associated with the meeting would be provided. There would be a comparison of an attendance at the Christian oriented group with the experience of the secular oriented group.

The Christian oriented group that was attended was held in St. Wilshire Community Church on Friday, 6 pm. It was a Christian Single Mom group. The majority of the mother’s in this class lost or was widowed from their husband’s in a traumatic way. The fundamental intention of this group was to give them hope through the learning of Christian faith. This group consisted of mainly women who were lively and caring for their children. It was inspiring to learn that though these women wet through unthinkable misery in life, they chose life and love over melancholy and were very optimistic.

Main body

His one-hour group was aligned towards Bible study but there were much individual inputs. Here, along with the learning of Christianity, the members shared their stories and inspired each other with their feelings. The environment was warm and welcoming and the essence of the conversation made every participant feel safe and protected. Person to person communication carried on even after the end of the study hour, as they were all comfortable with the surroundings. It was an environment that bridged personalities and all the women became very close. It was a family-like attachment and everybody shared her snacks.

On the other hand, a secular group meeting was also attended. This group met at the St. Jude’s Medical Hospital, in Fullerton California on 14^th November 2008 at 9 pm. It was organized by the Open Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Meeting and was lead by Sam Jacobson. The focal point of the meeting was to help people who were suffering from substance abuse. It should be remembered that this was an open meeting anyone is welcome to attend as long as he does not disrupt the smooth process of the meeting that elaborates the consequences and different aspects of alcoholism in relation to one’s personal experiences. On there times, there are closed meetings and only people suffering from substance abuse and wish to quit this bad habit are allowed to enter the study. This was meeting that followed definite and rigid code of conduct and was directed by the leader or facilitator of the group in leading them on to start expressing their feelings on the subject, which Jacobson very tactfully steered through within the group.

Conclusion

It was clear from the experience that the Christian meeting was more emotionally motivating and warm in the sense that everyone participated and communicated willingly without the help or direct indulgence of any leader or facilitator. However, the secular group was more like a routine rather than willful participation. It looked like duty and not enjoyment. There were occasions when a certain topic was deliberated where as during the Christian group meeting every aspect appeared to be spontaneous and it felt that the participants were enjoying the communication with open heart. It must be stated that the Christian group meeting was stimulating in nature and there was a feel of family within the group whereas the secular group appeared to be particularly methodical and followed preplanned procedures. (Lamb, 2004) Thus, this mode of group meeting was comparatively lifeless and looked more of a therapy rather than a process of inspiration and self belief development.

References

Lamb, D; (2004); Cult to Culture: The Development of Civilization; Wellington: National Book Trust

Introduction

Christology is a field of study in Christian theology that entails the study of the nature of Jesus Christ (Dowley & Briggs 1996). Although Jesus Christ lived one life, the writers of the “good news” or the “gospels” (McGrath 2006) chose to report the events in perspectives that are not entirely similar. For instance, the Gospel according to Matthew commences with a description of the genealogy of Jesus, whereas the Gospel according to Mark begins with a fulfilment of Jesus’ birth as it was prophesied in the Old Testament, and his baptism.

It is evident that the writers of the gospels had different perspectives in relation to the events performed by Jesus and therefore reported them in a manner such as to suit the perspectives. This is an illustration of the different theologies in relation to Christology. According to Wilson (1999), Christology is the assessment of Jesus in respect to who he was and the part he played in the Godly plan. Thus, the writers of the gospels assessed Jesus differently and reported the events of his ministry slightly differently.

There are also different interpretations of the Gospels by readers. Different researchers appraise the Gospels differently by interpreting the verses and making comparisons in line with different points of view. This is what is referred to as redaction criticism. Nevertheless, there is still more debate on interpretation of the Gospels (Houlden, 1995).

This paper looks into the various theologies of the Gospel writers and redaction criticism of the books according to various scholars in theology.

The Theologies

It is undisputable that the writers of the four Gospels had a humanity perspective of Jesus. Each of the Gospels has a description of Jesus as a human being in different ways. For instance, Matthew describes Jesus as an offspring of the genealogy of Abraham (Smart 1989). Thus, this book describes Jesus as a “son of David” and a “son of Abraham” (Smart 1989). Whilst the writer of the Gospel of Matthew gives a detailed account of Jesus genealogy, the book also describes him as a new lawgiver, a great teacher (much like Moses of the Old Testament), “Emmanuel” and King of the Jews (Smart 1989). Therefore, there is no doubt that that the writer of the Gospel according to Matthew revered the humanity aspect of Jesus.

According the Easton Illustrated Dictionary, the Gospel according to Matthew is full of citations to passages of the Old Testament in which Jesus is greatly predicted and foreshadowed. True, the books of Genesis, Isaiah and many more have predictions of the life of Jesus (Smart 1989). Hence, the writer of the gospel according to Matthew would have intended to show a detailed fulfilment of the many predictions about the birth and life of Jesus in the Old Testament. Indeed, the Gospel according to Matthew has more than sixty-five references to the Old Testament, forty-three of which are direct verbal citations (Stanton 2004). These numbers are the greatest in comparison to the other three gospels, thus making the Gospel according to Matthew unique. The writer of Matthew further depicts the “humanity” of Jesus by using the word “church” (Matthew 16:18 and 18:17). This is the only book that contains the word “church” (Stanton 2004).

The gospels of Mark, Luke and John depict both the deity and humanity of Jesus. For instance, in Mark, Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God, in Luke he is a great prophet and the Lord of all nations, whereas in John, Jesus is the “divine word made flesh” (Smart 1989). The writers’ theologies were therefore based on the fact that Jesus lived both as a spirit and as a human form. In fact, the writer of the Gospel according to John began the story in manner that makes a reader believe that indeed Jesus is the light of the world and that his birth was the good news to the world (Smart, 1989).

The Gospels and Redaction Criticism

The phrase redaction criticism was coined by W. Marxen to imply a situation whereby a researcher finds out how a writer or an editor expresses his or her theological perspective by means of the collection and editing of pre-existing traditional material (McGrath 2006). The gospels, as seen from the discussion above can be interpreted in many ways based on the events and the reader. According to Marxen, three settings in life have to be considered when interpreting the gospels. Thus, one must distinguish the first setting in the traditional life of Jesus from the second setting, which refers to the use in which the early tradition was put, and the third setting, which involves the situation of the writer of the gospel at the time of doing the writing (McGrath, 2006).

The principles of redaction criticism are used in respect to the writers of Gospels in several ways. To begin with, the redaction critic must determine the traditions from the sources chosen to be included and excluded (McGrath 2006). For instance, it might be for theological reasons that one author of say, the book of Luke, omits an event that is recorded in the book of John. In the same way, if the book of Mark has a description of events similar to that in the book of Matthew, this is also for theological reason (McGrath 2006).

The writers’ arrangement of materials in their texts, the significance of the material and change in wording are also based on theological perspective depending on how each writer viewed Jesus Christ. Moreover, the writers gave different chronological accounts of the happenings during Jesus’ time. This is aimed at presenting the different theological perspectives.

Examples of Redaction Criticism

Redaction Criticism of the Gospels according to Matthew and Luke

In the books of Matthew and Luke, the least problematic application of redaction criticism is possible because of there is a major source of materials for both books from the book of Mark (Luomanen 1998). In this respect, it is easy to distinguish between tradition and redaction. With particular reference to “The Stilling of the storm in Mark 4: 35-41 and Matthew 8:23-27 give an account of how Jesus was awoken by his disciples to quell a storm that threatened to capsize the boat in which they were travelling. G. Bornkamm examines the redaction in Matthew by asserting that Matthew has not simply borrowed information from Mark, but rather, he has infused it with knowledge on the same material not found in Luke or Mark (Luomanen, 1998).

Luke 13:31-35 sheds light on a salvation-historical perspective, for the three phases of salvation history are contained in this excerpt: prophets, the birth of Jesus and his eventual resurrection, and Jesus’ Parousia (“Easton’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary”). The most probable reason why Luke derives a tripartite-historical perspective was the hold-up of the Parousia and its harmful effect upon the world’s perception of the church. According to Bornkamm, the Gospel according to Mark highlights the preposition that there would be a short, theologically immaterial interval between resurrection and Parousia; when the Parousia does not occur (“Easton’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary”). In this perspective, Luke confers a modification to the theology of the early church, so that the era of the church, equivalent to the Kingdom of God, becomes an unending and indeterminate interval of time (“Easton’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary”).

Redaction Criticism of the gospel according to Mark

Redaction Criticism on the Gospel of Mark is noticeably more difficult than Redaction Criticism on the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. This is because it is almost impossible to distinguish between tradition and redaction in Mark, since Mark’s sources of information (oral or written) are no longer available in their original form before the Mark period (Bockmuehl 2002). The story of John the Baptist (Mark 1: 4-8) gives concepts that are Christological. For instance Bornkamm argues that John the Baptist has no significance himself, but rather, is only a clearance for the coming of Jesus (Bockmuehl, 2002).

Redaction Criticism of the gospel according John

The Gospel of John has been the object of redaction-critical investigation, as the synoptic gospels have. This is because redactional work on John falls short of sufficient knowledge of the information sources used by the author of the Gospel of according to John and lack of viable knowledge of the sociological circumstances in which the author wrote (Bockmuehl 2002).

Conclusion

The theologies of the Gospel writers were based upon deity and humanity. While Matthew dwelt much on the deity aspect of Jesus, the other Gospels gave clear gave clear pictures of deity and humanity of Jesus. The writers of Matthew, Luke and Mark based their works on the events witnessed but as well borrowed and modified some ideas from other Gospels. Redactional criticism of the Gospel of John is faced with difficulties since it is difficult to trace back the circumstances under which the writer wrote.

Bibliography

1. Bockmuehl, M. (Ed.) 2002, Companion to Jesus, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
2. Bokentotter, B 2005, Concise History of the Catholic Church, Doubleday, London
3. Cohn- Sherbok, L 1997, Who’s Who in Christianity, Routledge, London
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5. Houlden, L (Ed.) 1995, Companion Encyclopedia of Theology, Routledge, London:
6. Luomanen, P 1998, Entering the Kingdom of Heaven: A Study on the Structure of Matthew’s View of Salvation, Mohr Siebeck, New York
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8. McGrath, A E 2006, Christian Theology: An Introduction, Blackwell Publishing, London
9. Morrill, B T (Ed.) 2006, Practicing Catholic: Ritual, Body, and Contestation in Catholic Faith, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke
10. Newman, S 2005, The Real History behind the Da Vinci Code, Berkley Books, London
11. O’Gorman, R T 2000, Complete Idiot’s Guide to Understanding Catholicism, Alpha Books, Indianapolis
12. Reddie, A (Ed.) 2006, Black Theology in Transatlantic Dialogue, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke
13. Rogerson, J W (Ed.) 2006, Oxford Handbook of Biblical Studies Oxford, University Press
14. Sawyer, D 1996, Women and Religion in the First Christian Centuries, Routledge, London
15. Smart, N 1989, The World’s Religions. Cambridge University Press,Cambridge
16. Stanton, G N 2004 Companion to Jesus, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge:
17. Wainwright, G 2000, Is the Reformation Over?: Catholics & Protestants at the Turn of the Millennia, University Press Marquette, Marquette
18. Wilson, B 1999, Christianity, Routledge, London

Introduction

In the history and tradition of Christianity, there are two very significant events. One of these is the role played by Martin Luther in the Protestant reformation.

The other important concept concerns mysticism in Christian practice. The first part of this paper deals with the role played by Martin Luther in inspiring exodus from the Roman Catholic Church. The second part deals with the practice of Christian mysticism and some of the defenses put forth by mystics.

Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation

The Protestant Reformation was born in Germany after a catholic monk (Martin Luther) posted rhetorical works popularly referred to as ‘the 95 Theses,’ which appealed for the transformation of the Christian Church (Somervill 96). Martin Luther was born in 1483, in a town known as Eisleben, in Germany. He grew to become one of the most influential controversial people in the history of the Church.

Though he was relatively unknown in his early years as a monk, Luther gained recognition in 1517 after authoring a manuscript that was perceived to attack some of the doctrines practiced in the Roman Catholic Church such as absolution of sin, which he accused of entailing the purchase of ‘indulgences.’ In his ‘95 Theses,’ Luther emphasized the centrality of the Bible to religious conviction. He asserted that human salvation could be achieved only via faith and not by deeds.

That document marked the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. Despite the fact that those ideas existed before Luther, he publicized them at a time when people were ready to challenge the power of the Roman Catholic Church (Hastings 244). At the time of his writing, Christians had started questioning the apparent over the involvement of the papacy in worldly matters rather than the spiritual needs of his followers. Luther’s, writings significantly transformed the way Christianity was practiced.

The nature of the revolution instigated by Luther was literary. In the ’95 Theses,’ Luther argued that the faithful ought to seek God’s forgiveness by faith. That was contrary to the Roman Catholic Church teachings about faith and good works being essential for salvation. He also raised concerns about the authority bestowed upon the Papacy. A different point raised by Luther in his document concerned the equality of Christians in the eyes of the Church.

He believed that Christian faithful did not require priests and bishops for the interpretation of the Bible. He tucked the documents to the door of a church in Wittenberg. The author of this paper agrees with Luther that there should be only one source of authority in the Christian faith. This authority is God. All believers are equal in the eyes of the Lord and no one should perceive himself better than the other. Christians ought to be allowed to read the Bible on their own and decide for themselves the meanings therein.

Even after his excommunication by the pope in 1520, the writings of Luther gained much popularity due to the growing popularity of the printing press in his time. He was put on trial and proclaimed an outlaw by Emperor Charles V after which he had to go into exile. It was during his exile that he interpreted the Bible into German.

Most of the changes that Luther advocated for were implemented during his lifetime. For instance, he came from exile and found that priests dressed in regular clothes and were referred to as ministers. Some clergy had even begun to commit to matrimony.

Rather than advocate for changes from within the Roman Catholic Church, Luther’s followers started calling themselves the Lutherans. The message of reform carried by Luther resonated well with various sections of discontented Christians for other reasons besides spirituality. Some western political figures accepted the Lutheran way due to their resentment for the political authority accorded to the papacy. Merchants supported the reform due to their loathing for the taxes imposed by the Roman Catholic Church.

In his dissent with some of the practices of the Roman Catholic Church, Luther did not consider joining the Eastern Orthodox Church probably due to the similarities in doctrines shared between the denominations. That was despite the fact that he had a relatively positive view of the Orthodox Church.

The support was mostly because the Eastern Orthodox Church also denounced priestly celibacy, purgatory, supremacy of the pope, and indulgences among other practices. It was worth noting that some followers of Martin Luther indeed got in touch with the Orthodox Church patriarch Jeremias II. That effort did not bear much fruit and was later abandoned.

While Luther’s early texts initiated the Protestant Reformation, he was barely engaged in it through the years that followed. Luther became more atrocious in his opinion claiming that the pope was an antichrist and allowed polygamy based on the Old Testament tradition observed by the patriarchs.

However, the most stringent of Luther’s views was his advocacy for the ejection of Jews from Germany, which many people saw as one of the reasons that led to the Holocaust (Bainton 273). During the Holocaust, over one million Jews were killed. The views propagated Jews played a significant role in the way his followers perceived Jews and may have contributed to the Holocaust.

Christian Mysticism

The concept of Christian mysticism is used in reference to the growth of mystical traditions and mystical theory within Christianity (McColman 23). Christian mysticism is usually linked with mystical theology that is often practiced in the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern orthodox practices.

Christian mystics study and practice their faith based on ecstatic visions about the coming together of the human soul with God. They also observe prayerful contemplation of the Bible. In this regard, mysticism means the spirituality offered by seeking direct involvement with God. The life of the mystic is rooted in religion not just as an accepted belief, but on a level in which the believer seeks direct experience with deity.

Due to the constant criticism of their unique way of praying and practicing their religion, Christian mystics often feel the need to justify themselves and the authenticity of their practice. They justify their ritualistic ways of offering prayers as a fundamental routine in any religious practice. Prayers such ‘the Lord’s prayer’ are traced to the times of Christ, and are used to justify mechanically repeated prayers performed by the mystics.

In Mathew 6:7, Jesus reminds his followers not to heap too much praise in prayer like the gentiles and not to use too many words in prayer. Another practice defended by mystics is that of secluded meditation aimed at building a spiritual connection with God. Though some mystical practices such as protracted periods of seclusion and self-annihilation seem extreme, their philosophy of seeking a personal relationship with deity is understandable.

The author of this paper perceives Christian mysticism as a noble way of practicing faith in a close and direct experience with God. However, it appears to contradict the Christian doctrine that God resides in all believers. All Christians can obtain experience with God only by believing in Jesus Christ. Christian mysticism appears to want to capture spiritual experiences that cannot be attained by intellectual techniques or by reading the Bible.

It seeks to do this by encouraging its followers to emulate Christ. However, the Bible teaches that likeness to Jesus Christ can only be attained through dying of the self rather than trying to emulate him. 1 Corinthians 2:14 also teaches that spiritual truth can only be understood via the intellect, directed by the Holy Spirit (who dwells in all faithful).

The history of the Christian church is adorned with various mystics like Teresa of Ávila, who employs allegories of irrigating a garden and taking a tour of the chambers in a castle to illuminate how meditation encourages a union with God. Others like Ignatius Loyola, Johann Arndt and Lorenzo Scupoli play major roles in advocating for meditations and secluded prayer aimed at seeking direct experience with God. Mystic practice in Christianity or any other religion is an indication of devotion and search of spiritual perfection.

However, I do not see myself becoming a mystic due to the controversies surrounding their practice. I am a Buddhist who believes in meditation that is not intended for union with deity. Buddhist meditation is a procedure that nurtures and improves awareness, clarity, emotional positivity, and a composed perception of the true makeup of things.

Conclusion

Martin Luther was undoubtedly one of the most important figures in the history of the Christian church. The role played by his writings in the protestant reformation shaped Christianity as it is practiced today. However, the perceived role played by some of his rhetorical works on the violence witnessed against Jews during the Holocaust was quite unfortunate. This paper also elaborated the practice of Christian mysticism. Though some mystic practices appeared extreme, most of them were geared towards establishing a union with God.

Works Cited

Bainton, Roland. Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 2009. Print.

Hastings, Adrian. A World History of Christianity, United Kingdom: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2000. Print.

McColman, Carl. The Big Book of Christian Mysticism: The Essential Guide to Contemplative Spirituality, Charlottesville, VA: Hampton Roads Publishing, 2010. Print.

Somervill, Barbara. Martin Luther: Father of the Reformation, Minneapolis: Capstone, 2006. Print.

Introduction

Religion is an important part of human life, which helps in explaining human existence as well as the problems of good and evil. One of the most practiced Christian religions in the world is the Eastern Orthodox. The term orthodox denotes “right believing” and is used to indicate what believers perceive as the true religion that devotedly adheres to the beliefs and traditions as laid down by early Christians and the apostles.

This paper is a report based on a vespers church service that the author attended at the Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in San Francisco. The paper begins by identifying the tradition observed in that denomination including a brief history of their Church tradition. This is followed by an analysis of the church’s theology and practice, and a description of the church service. Ultimately the paper makes a brief comparison between the Christian Orthodox religion and Buddhism, which is the author’s religion.

The Christian Orthodox Tradition

Most Orthodox Church services and organizational structures are often confused with Roman Catholic traditions due to their many similarities. Up until 1054 AD, Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism were parts of the same society known as the ‘One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church’ (McGuckin 10).

Before that, there were gradual rifts between these two divisions of Christendom. The main reasons for the split between the two denominations were based on the refusal by Rome to adhere to the original decisions of the seven ecumenical councils.

The Orthodox Church saw the claim for a universal papacy as a deviation from the original conclusions by the councils. Another significant reason for the division was linked to the Filioque controversy, in which the Orthodox Christians claimed that some phrases had been added to the Nicene Creed to emphasize Christ’s divinity (Benz 22). The Eastern Christians were opposed to the addition of anything that was not in the original conceptions of the seven ecumenical councils.

The Orthodox tradition believes in a Holy Trinity where ‘the Father is the cause of the Spirit and the Son’ (Benz 25). In theology, tradition refers to any teaching or practice that is passed on through generations in the life of the church. According to the Orthodox faith, the Holy Trinity is to be observed as shown by Jesus Christ and affirmed by the Holy Spirit. Moreover, Orthodox Christians assert that all three parts of the Trinity are divine, separate and equivalent.

They hold that Jesus is not only human, but is also completely divine (Binns 39). He died to save mankind from the consequences of sin and will come again to deliver judgment. The Orthodox Christians honor Mary as the mother of Jesus, but dismiss the dogma of the Immaculate Conception as believed by the Roman Catholic Church. However, it is a gift from the Father to Christians meant to empower believers.

Theology and Practice in Orthodox Christianity

The Orthodox Church is a valuable source of Christian liturgical tradition passed down through many centuries of Christianity. It is popular for its established monasticism, which has its roots from the Egyptian desert monasteries that existed in the third and fourth centuries. Its music, art and dressing code are meant to serve in building liturgical life among the church members.

At the San Francisco Holy Trinity Cathedral, it is evident that the Orthodox Christians observe reverence of icons. Holy icons and art that adorn the church building are meant to depict Christ’s incarnation and the many martyrs who gave up their lives in defense of the Christian faith.

In talking about Christian faith, we must address the denomination’s view of the scripture. The Orthodox faith holds that the Holy Scriptures should be taken in their original form as formulated by the teachings of the pioneer seven ecumenical councils (Breck 10). They believe that besides the Holy Tradition passed over generations, the scriptures are equally important. They also believe that the scriptures contain teaching on predestination where God has foresight of man’s fate.

However, God does not determine the fate of men and men are free to choose their actions. The Orthodox Church also perceives baptism as the beginning of salvation. Baptism should be practiced by full immersion in water. According to the Orthodox denomination, salvation is a steady and protracted process throughout a Christian’s life as he endeavors to emulate Jesus Christ.

A Brief Description of the Worship Service: Saturday Vespers

In the Orthodox Cathedral that the author attended, the liturgical service commenced in the evening as the sun was setting. The vesper service started with the congregation reciting Psalms 104: 19-20, which was also referred to as the evening psalm by the members of the church.

They perceived that Psalm as the original act of worship, where man met his creator. That recital was followed by the Great Litany, which was essentially an introductory session where all liturgical procedures of the Church were chanted. In that litany, the church prayed for almost anything and anyone. After the litany, other psalms such as Psalms 141 were recited followed by various hymns. In the Saturday vesper, most hymns were in glorification of Christ’s resurrection.

The hymn session ended with a song that praised Mary the mother of Jesus, after which the congregation sang the vesperal. At that point, Christ was praised as the Light that illumined darkness. Afterwards, a psalm was read to introduce the spiritual theme of the day. That was followed by three different readings of the day, which were all from the Old Testament.

After the readings, prayers and petitions were presented, then hymns for the day were sung, and more hymns and prayers ensued. All that ended with the congregation singing the song of St. Simeon. The congregation was then summoned to receive the Holy Communion. After the communion, the faithful proclaimed their vision of Christ, followed by litanies of ‘thrice-holy’ that included the Lord’s Prayer. The vespers ceremony concluded with the release of the congregation with a blessing.

Comparison to Buddhism

Though essentially different from the author’s religious faith of Buddhism, the Orthodox faith contains some similarities with Buddhist practices. For instance, the practice of stillness is found in both faiths. Orthodox Christianity contains certain postures and breathing techniques synonymous with yoga and Buddhist meditation.

Orthodox Christianity involves the recital of a prayer seeking Jesus’ forgiveness. On the contrary, Buddhism employs chants of mantras in its meditations. Other similarities are based on the fact that they both seek to explain human existence and death from a divine perspective.

Conclusion

The Orthodox Christian Church bases its teachings on the practices of the early Christians and the apostles. In this church, icons are revered as symbols of faith and willingness to sacrifice one’s life for the sake of religion. Their tradition and theology are centered on the tripartite nature of the Godhead and the desire to stay faithful to Christian principles in their original forms. The experience at the Holy Trinity Cathedral provides a new spiritual experience and a chance to view Christianity from the perspective of an Orthodox faithful.

Works Cited

Benz, Ernst. The Eastern Orthodox Church: Its Thought and Life, USA: Transaction Publishers, 2008. Print.

Binns, John. An Introduction to the Christian Orthodox Churches, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 2002. Print.

Breck, John. Scripture in Tradition: The Bible and Its Interpretation in the Orthodox Church, USA: St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2001. Print.

McGuckin, John. The Orthodox Church: An Introduction to its History, Doctrine, and Spiritual Culture, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons, 2010. Print.

Introduction

Modern Christianity has come under serious criticism from various religious organizations because of a growing culture of idolatry. Christianity applies in various brands that have been subject to accusations on idolatry (Benson 20). Christians, especially Roman Catholics have been accused of worshiping images of Jesus and the crucifix.

Christianity is a monotheistic system of beliefs and practices based on the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus, as embodied in the New Testament. The bible is very clear, on whom Christians should worship. The concept of idolatry applies differently today compared to ancient days (Johnson par. 5). Christianity has its own explanation of idolatry and use of images in churches. It explains idolatry as any practice of worshiping something that is not God (Benson 33).

In the context of Christianity, anything includes material things, actions, and thoughts that make people to exhibit great independence in thought and action from God. For a long time, Christian worship has incorporated the use of icons and symbols, which has resulted in people developing different understandings on their use. Idolatry in Christianity applies when people use God’s given gifts and commandments to achieve selfish gains by acting to appear powerful and knowledgeable.

Discussion

One of the most controversial topics in development of religion is the elements of Christianity that apply as idolatrous. In the past, people considered idolatry to be the worship of statues and carved images, while modern explanation of the practice considers God’s commandments.

It is important to understand various elements of idolatry, and ways that Christians can avoid the practice. It is important to understand that this practice goes beyond bowing down to sculptures, and involves lack of respect to God’s commandments (Johnson par. 8).

In the past people worshiped sculptures, which critics argue to have modern representation in the image of Jesus and the crucifix. A crucifix represents the cross on which Jesus died. Modern Christians are very self-centered, greedy, and rebellious towards God (Mills 58). People are turning away from the biblical teachings that present God’s commandments to all believers. God communicates a lot with Christians through the bible. Exodus 20:3 says, “You shall not have any other gods before me.”

Christians have decided to serve two masters at the same time (Mills 59). People have generated their own priorities that come before God for the sake of earthly gains. Christians have turned to worshiping money, if the number of churches and vague prophets emerging everyday is anything to go by (Neumaier par. 4). Luke 16:13 says, “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate one and love the other. He will devote to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Images in the Roman Catholic Church

Images have been part of the Catholic religion for a many years. Most people have associated the use of images to depict Jesus, Saints, the holy family, and the crucifix as a form of idolatry (Barton 66). The history of images in Christianity dates back to the third century. However, due to growth experienced in the church in terms of popularity and numbers, images applied as one of the ways to teach new members about the religion (Seinfeld par. 9).

Some of the images developed at the time included those of angels, the crucifix, saints, and prophets among others. Since then, use of images became part of teaching and worship among Catholics. Images also apply as form of decoration for churches. Images apply to explain various biblical stories that form the foundation of Christianity. Images used by Christians are just arbitrary signs that have acquired a conventional significance for representing something else that is invisible (Seinfeld par. 12).

Unlike early forms of idolatry where people used to bow down to visible things as their gods, Christians use images and sculptures to manifest their faith in the existence of God. Most people fail to understand that Catholics follow the system of prayer explained in the Old Testament (Barton 70). Roman Catholic believers hold images used in their religion with high regard, and often show their respect by kissing liturgical objects used in worship.

One of the commandments applies to warn people against making their own desired images of the heavenly father. Catholics explain this commandment to mean that Christians should not worship these images or a false god through them (Heimer par 3). This means that Catholics do not use images as idols, but as sentimental objects that help them to make a connection with God through their religious practices.

Modern idolatry

Idolatry of Christianity applies when people follow God’s commandments for their own personal fulfillment, and not for the sake of satisfying the will of their creator. When people live and follow the biblical teachings in order to have the praise of fellow human beings, then Christianity becomes idolatry (Mills 60).

Christians also find a lot of joy and fulfillment in serving people in churches, whereas they often fail to recognize the presence of God in their lives. Commandments teach Christians to look after the welfare of others, by helping them when in need and showing them the presence of God in their everyday challenges and tribulations (Seaton 100).

However, most Christians demonstrate a lot of discomfort in associating with suffering people, and often hide themselves to avoid any engagement. Christianity becomes idolatrous when people start using God and his teachings to endear themselves to fellow human beings (Seaton 109). People have turned to bowing and worshiping their fellow human beings, who have convinced them that they have equal ability to influence their destiny just as God can do.

People have lost the value of having God in their lives, and replaced him with earthly joys such as sex, money, and power among others (Heimer par. 6). The biblical story of the Golden Calf is the closest that the bible gives a clear depiction of idolatry. The Israelites had used the good things that God had given them to go against him.

This was a true manifestation of immoral living, because these people had literally used God’s power and good will to his people to replace him. The gold used to make the calf was meant for use in God’s work, but the Israelites used it to make their own god.

Conclusion

Idolatry of modern Christianity goes beyond bowing to sculptures. It includes any action by human beings that makes one to have little value for God over other things.

People have replaced God as their hero with other things that do not guarantee salvation. Use of images by Roman Catholics does not qualify as idolatry because they do not worship them, but apply to develop a connection with their religious beliefs. Idolatry of Christianity applies when people follow God’s commandments for the sake of pleasing their fellow human beings and not their heavenly father.

Works Cited

Barton, Stephen. Idolatry: False Worship in the Bible, Early Judaism, and Christianity. New York: Bloomsbury Academic, 2007. Print.

Benson, Bruce. Gods that Fail: Modern Idolatry and Christian Mission. Journal of world Christianity 5.3 (2011): 23-29. Print.

Heimer, Mark. “Scandal Hints at Decline of U.S, Denominations.” The New York Times 26 October 2012. Print.

Johnson, Matt. When Christianity is Idolatry. 2013. Web.

Neumaier, Arnold. Christian Idolatry and Reality. 2013. Web.

Mills, Kenneth. Idolatry and Its Enemies. Journal of World Christianity 6.2 (2010): 56-62. Print.

Seaton, Debra. Idolatry of Christian Leaders. New York: Cengage Learning, 2007. Print.

Seinfeld, Peter. “Looking to Other Religions, and to Atheism, For Clarity in Faith.” The New York Times 2009. Print.

Introduction

The New Testament is one of the major books for Christians. Every passage of the book has been seen as certain guidance with historical accounts. Several centuries ago people could not even question the truthfulness of the stories written in the New Testament. At present, scholars note that there are lots of divergences in the Gospels and lots of stories provided have no historical background.

Thus, Ehrman approaches the book “from a historical perspective” trying to look into the teachings, the authors and issues considered (A Brief Introduction 1). Admittedly, there are numerous unclear aspects when considering the book from the historical perspective. However, when considering a religious text it is much more important to focus on its message, purpose and significance, rather than on specific facts provided.

Jesus’ Death

For instance, Jesus’ death is one of the central points of the New Testament. From historical perspective, there are far too many questions. Thus, Ehrman claims that there were lots of accounts of Jesus’ death and only some of them became a part of the New Testament with no explicit reason (Lost Christianities 3).

More so, lots of texts which are now parts of the New Testaments were written after the death of the book’s acclaimed authors. It is also necessary to note that the death of such a remarkable personality was described in religious texts only and no historical documents can be found to prove the fact.

However, the major peculiarity of all religious beliefs and texts is that they are more concerned with faith not facts. Thus, people’s attitude towards the event is principal. The concept of martyrdom made people believe that they could be saved and the religion was worth believing (Ehrman A Brief Introduction 174).

Jesus’ death made people think it was something very important and meaningful. The believers tried to become better personalities to be worth the sacrifice. They learnt that sacrifice was (or had to be) an indispensible part of their lives. The entire Christianity is based on the concept of martyrdom and sacrifice. The death of the Messiah is the best way to support the basic principle of the religion.

The Corinthians

Apart from, the basic story of Jesus’ life and death, the New Testament contains a variety of teachings. Thus, the authors of gospels addressed different people to guide them and make them even more devout believers.

As far as the historical precision is concerned, there are certain controversies. For instance, this part includes different views on the role of women. In one of the chapters, it is said that women should be silent in churches, whereas in other chapters, it is mentioned that women should pray aloud (Ehrman Lost Christianities 38).

Of course, such inconsistency is crucial for historians or theologian (or feminists), but it is insignificant for devout believers. More so, at the time of early Christians this was not a matter of discussion. The authors had a much more important task, i.e. to make people understand everything right.

For instance, lots of Corinthians believed that Jesus’ sacrifice had made them free from the sin. Many people thought they were “already leading lives in the Spirit; they were already experiencing the full benefits of salvation” (Ehrman Peter, Paul & Mary Magdalene 135). Therefore, the author had to explain to the Corinthians that they had to win their right to be saved one day. Thus, the main purpose of the letters was to make people understand major concepts and practices of Christianity.

The Philippians

Paul does not address Corinthians only. He also tries to help the Philippians find their way within the new and rightful religious pattern. This part is also full of inconsistency from historical perspective. For instance, Paul mentions some letters written to the Philippians where someone tries to drive them from the new religion (Ehrman Lost Christianities 214). However, there is no historical evidence that those letters ever existed.

Nonetheless, from spiritual perspective, there is no need in evidence. People got inspired by the author and they strived for salvation. They started believing the apostles who were the only people to bring the word of Jesus to them. People were ready to be guided in everything. They tended to change their habits and their mindsets as Paul as well as other authors of the New Testament were inspiring and convincing.

Conclusion

On balance, it is necessary to note that it is possible to consider the New Testament from different perspectives. Historians can try to learn more about the origins of the books. They can also try to find facts that prove that everything was for real. However, Christians still tend to believe in God and the holy texts without any evidence.

Christianity is based on the concept of faith. Therefore, devout believers do not need proofs. Sometimes people just want to believe without any explanations or proofs. Most likely, they will be even disappointed if (or when) such evidence is found as this will make their faith a bit less complete.

Works Cited

Ehrman, Bart D. Lost Christianities: The Battle for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2005. Print.

—. Peter, Paul & Mary Magdalene: The Followers of Jesus in History and Legend. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2008. Print.

—. A Brief Introduction to the New Testament. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2010. Print.