In the flow of Christology there were different trends which influenced the growth of this theological teaching. The historical data provide hot discussions among not just philosophers but hole philosophical schools. Thus, Gnostics outlined that Jesus was not material creature (McMahon 123). However, the humanity of Jesus was spread among believers. The notion of the divine bilateral relation of Christ to spiritual and material worlds is understood today, as the metaphor which explains the range of wonders which He made. The power of word (logos) and the power of spirit characterize Jesus one being of the Father and related to humanity as well.
Among three major soteriological models of Christology it is vital to mention Prophetic, Sacrificial, and Penal Substitution. In this respect Prophetic model admits that God uses events and people for making historical changes in order to save righteous and judge wicked people (McMahon 173). The advantage of it is emphasis on sin and death; limitation – lack of moral constituent. Sacrificial model designates the role of sacrifice of Jesus and his blood as the symbol of forgiveness (McMahon 173). Advantage is the provision of continuity of Covenants between people and God. Weakness lies in lack of information about ministry of Jesus. Penal Substitution admits that death of Christ is a substitution of peoples’ death (McMahon 173). It highlights the complete character of God’s salvation, but the role of conversion is unclear (McMahon 173). Sacrificial model best fits the provision of message about salvation in 2009, because of the direct and slight approach of it for contemporary busy and nervous people.
Christological ideas are as follows: humility, goodness, purity of mind, loving Jesus above all, appreciation of God’s grace and significance of Holy Cross (Kempis 7). Hence, they support all points admitted by Jesus for all who follow Him. These are the main ideas in Christology which serve to be the so-called road to understanding the mission of Christ. Soteriological idea is the salvation of God’s people. It is a point of how Jesus designates righteous from wicked in the entire life.
Jesus saves everyone who is sincere in this issue. He is expressed as the Son of God, as the beginning and the end, as the path, life, and truth etc. These interpretations of who is Jesus give ground for understanding of how He saves. In fact, it is the issue of faith, but most of preachers say that some kind of revelation should come to a man’s consciousness.
James Cone represents an assumption which is deeply based on the ethnical and racial problems of American society (Burrow 35). In this respect the position of Christopher McMahon relies on the description of Jesus, as significant for everyone in the world. Moreover, this assertion is emphasized with the fact that Jesus appeared to serve first for Jews, and then the New Testament gives the way for all nations. Thus, there is no difference about the issue of color of skin.
Exclusivism, Inclusivism, and Pluralism are three responses to the idea of Christian pluralism (McMahon 216). The first states the significance of the church and that without Christ a man definitely dies. The second notes the priority of Christianity, but outlines also the similarities in description of true values for humanity. The third approach mentions the theocentric approach in all religions along with Christianity.
Works cited
Burrow, Rufus. James H. Cone and Black Liberation Theology. Tacoma, WA: McFarland, 2001.
Kempis, Thomas A. The Imitation of Christ. Milwaukee: The Bruce Publishing Company, 2001.
McMahon, Christopher. Jesus Our Salvation: An Introduction to Christology. Winona, Minnesota: Saint Mary’s Press, 2007.
Slave trade was necessitated by America’s manual agricultural activities, which required a huge workforce. Therefore, the American’s acquired labor by enslaving Africans so as to ensure a continued supply of agricultural products to Europe.
After slavery, evangelists made efforts to convert the African slaves from their cultural religions and belief to Christianity.
Most slaves embraced this new religion. This discussion explores how the conversion of African slaves into Christianity impacted on their lives.
The Role of Christianity in the Lives of African Slaves
European evangelists explored the bible to explain the concept of slavery of Africans. They concluded that Africans were being enslaved as a punishment for their sins.
They explained that according to the bible, Africans were the descendants of Ham (Noah’s son) who was cursed for laughing at his drunk and naked father. Therefore, slavery was accepted as it was seen as the fulfillment of Noah’s curse (Glasson 42).
The bible has many references to the concept of slavery. In the Old Testament, there are rules on how servants should be treated and what their rights are.
For instance, there were rules that inhibited the masters from killing their slaves and forcing them to work during Sabbath. In the New Testament, slaves who embraced Christianity were taught to respect their masters and serve them as if they were serving Jesus.
Those people who use Christianity to justify slavery claim that the bible does not condemn the act but just gives guidelines on how the slaves should be handled (Curtis 79).
The Americans enslaved Africans claiming that this would enable them to be exposed to Christianity. Once in slavery, evangelists tried to teach Christianity to the slaves and emphasized the biblical teachings that teach slaves to respect their masters.
Therefore, these missionaries used Christianity to justify slavery. However, some other Christians referred to the bible to condemn slavery.
Many Christian churches were opposed to slavery on the ground that all human beings are equal in God’s sight and had equal rights. No one was superior to the other and, therefore, none should be a slave of the other (Brown and Miller 88).
The slave masters felt that it would be easier to govern the slaves if they were not culturally united. Some slave masters were against the idea of their slaves converting to Christianity because they felt that this would make them feel defiant.
They saw the baptism and acceptance into Christianity would make the slaves feel equal to their masters spiritually and consequently would start pushing for equal rights.
The evangelists however explained to the slave masters that conversion of their slaves to Christianity would make the slaves to understand their responsibilities and serve them even better (Brown and Miller 94).
Conversion to Christianity had several impacts on the lives of the African slaves. Firstly, they saw Christianity as a path to freedom. The slaves who converted to Christianity used the scriptures to condemn slavery.
They likened their masters to the Egyptians who were punished by God for enslaving the Israelites. Other slaves were offered freedom in exchange for their conversion to Christianity.
The African slaves also used Christianity to preserve some of their cultural practices like shouting and dancing during worship (Brown and Miller 118).
Christianity also enabled the converted slaves to become literate. Literacy enabled the slaves to read the bible on their own and discover that it contained hope for their freedom.
For fear of disobedience from the slaves, the masters only allowed for the teaching of verses that emphasized on the submission of slaves to their masters.
They did not allow any other scriptures to be taught to them. The African slaves who accepted Christianity got enlightened and lived with optimism since they likened their situation to that of the enslaved Israelites in the bible and hoped that God would send someone like Moses to rescue them (Curtis 11).
Conclusion
The slavery of Africans led to their conversion to Christianity. The missionaries justified the act of slavery as a way to convert the Africans into Christianity.
Supporters of slavery used various bible quotes to prove that the act was allowed by God. Those people who condemned slavery also used bible scriptures to justify that all human beings were equal in the sight of God.
The conversion of slaves into Christianity had several impacts on their lives and led to their general welfare. Christian slaves were able to enjoy the privilege of literacy, which enlightened them on many issues including the bible teachings.
After conversion, these slaves also lived more optimistic lives as the new religion gave them hope for freedom. Converted slaves were also able to rise and fight against the mortifying act of slavery.
Therefore, Christianity helped in making the lives of African slaves more bearable and played a great role in facilitating the abolition of slavery.
Works Cited
Brown, Sally, Ann, and Miller, Patrick. Lament: Reclaiming Practices In Pulpit, Pew, And Public Square. USA: Westminster John Knox Press, 2005. Print
Curtis, Nancy. Black Heritage Sites: An African American Odyssey And Finder’s Guide. USA: ALA Editions, 1996. Print
Glasson, Travis. Mastering Christianity: Missionary Anglicanism and Slavery in the Atlantic World. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. Print
Christianity as a religion has its bases on the faith of the life, teachings, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is celebrated all over the world as he is believed to be the founder of this religion.
The celebrations are due to the belief that Jesus died for the sins of all men in the world so that they may regain the relationship between God and them, which was tainted after man engaged into sin. To Christians, the Holy Bible is a guide of what they should follow as it is believed to be a guide book to them as the writers were inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Most religions have incorporate religious texts to guide them in the practices of the religions they follow. Judaism have Torah, Islam have Koran while Christianity have the Bible just to mention but a few. Through these books, guidance offered to the people as they are like a manual of the religion they believe in.
However, some of the texts that are used, for example in the bible, sometimes contradict themselves. Therefore, my perfect Christianity would not have such contradiction since at times they drive away some people who want to be followers of the religion (Fisher 304).
For me, a perfect Christianity would be the one that is inclusive of some of the major aspects of Christianity, but would also be incorporation of other symbols that are borrowed from other religions. The fact that there is the symbol of the cross as a reminder to Christians of the crucification of their savior is good enough.
The reasoning behind this is the fact that there needs to be a symbolic visible object, as sometimes followers of a certain religion cannot be forgetful of their religion especially due to the changing world and rise of other religions. The fact that the wine and the bread also denote the blood and the body of Christ is also a good expression, as well as a reminder of the Christ’s expectation of them.
However, my perfect Christianity would need the incorporation of more symbols as they get to stick in the mind more as some people do not always have time to read their Bibles. Islam uses the Qiblah as one of the main symbols. Though the symbol is one, it carries many meanings in it and it is like a summary of the symbols used in Islam (Senker, 6). I would therefore wish that Christianity had one symbol that comprises all their beliefs in it, instead of having many different symbols.
When it comes to rituals like offering of sacrifice, I would tend to stand by what the current Christianity stands with. Sacrificing of animals for God was a previously an action the past, the fact that this changed with the death of Jesus Christ for humanity sins, and changed the then existing ritual of having animal sacrifices is desirable of what I would consider a prefect Christianity.
The fact that the world economy is changing to an industrial one means that people do not rear animals that were intended for sacrifice. It would therefore be a problem in today’s society if such a ritual was still in existence, since some regions that practice Christianity have different economic activities different from agricultural aspects. However, some rituals like purification through baptism to me may not be necessary as some people do not hold meaning that they carry.
Some people tend to fail to act in the way that some of rituals describe of purification. It would therefore be wise if they were scraped off as part of the routine of Christianity and only be availed to those people who have convictions in their hearts that they want to undergo the rituals. Some of the sacraments are also done when children are too young, they therefore do not have knowledge of what they mean in their lives and depend on the witnesses who stand to testify on their behalf.
To me such a ritual where the one who is the main person involve in it is not in understanding of what is happening is not right. It would be better if the children that are involved in these rituals are of an age that they understand what is going on when they are involved in these rituals. Being involved in these rituals at such a time would mean that they would tend to act in a way the ritual requires.
Christians believe that morality to them was set by God. The Bible is therefore the guide of the morals that are set in place by God. Through it, Christians learn the morals that they should follow as instituted by God. The morality promoted by Christianity is deemed to be absolute by Christians.
However, I feel the morals that we should follow should be such that they change or evolve with changes with humanity and the universe in general. Humans are not in perfect understanding of the universe that God created. Every now and then there is evidence or discovery about the universe. It would be therefore fair to Christians that the morals keep on changing when new evidences come out since Christians may at times act in a way that it does not makes sense.
Though perfectly principles of morality may come from God, it is of importance that principles that come from humanity be given a chance to evolve due to changing times. Assumptions should also be included in formation of morality (Baker Para 2). The fact that not all things that are followed in Christianity are meaningful to them means that Christians should be given a chance to involve some assumptions in definition of morals since some parts of the guiding book which is the bible are contradicting.
A perfect Christianity for me should also be such that people are not forced to believe what is right. Most of Christians tend to belief more on faith other than wisdom and reasoning even where there are contradictions. It would therefore be wise to involve wisdom, faith and reasoning in definition of morality (Baker Para 3).
Christians have the obligation of loving God and also the obligation of learning the truth. The truth that is imposed in Christianity is such that one explore who he is, what is happening to himself and the faults he may have committed (Carrette &Foucault 182).
The meaning of this therefore is that no two individuals are likely to discover about themselves the same way since they are different. Since there is also the requirement that people get to reveal to others about their truths, some people truths are deemed not correct when they reveal them especially when they are contrary to the believes of Christianity.
A perfect Christianity to me would be the one that is able to accommodate the various truths people discover about themselves, whether it is desirable to others or not. It is obvious people have different understanding in reference to the obligations assigned to them and it acceptance of people truths should be applicable to all.
Just like any other religions, Christianity has super national beings. Presence of Angels is given in many episodes that are contained in the bible. They are described as very powerful beings that even have wings to fly around into various places. The angels are shown as servants of God and show up whenever God wants to spread a word or help out one of his servants.
Sometimes angels take the form of humans and are hard to recognize them in this form. Angels are therefore portrayed as powerful beings that are dreadful in nature and also have a lot of wisdom in them especially when it comes to events that take place in earth. Though these beings are said to have such extraordinary features they are fallible.
They are described at times striving against each other and it takes God intervention to make peace with them. In a perfect Christianity I would expect that such powerful beings would be reasonable enough due to their high wisdom and not get into their fellow angles nerves. The description of Jesus Christ as a powerful being is also a perfect indication of a perfect Christianity. The reasoning behind this is backed by the fact hat unlike the normal human beings who never came back to life after their death he overcome death and rose again.
A super national human to me would be able to do that and much more like even turning water into wine as Jesus did (Martin 99). God description as a super national being also meets my description of a perfect being; he is shown to be more powerful and is the only one who can solve the issues that may rise against powerful beings like angels.
Worship in Christianity means bowing down before God who is the creator of mankind and the universe. The nature of worship in Christianity takes two forms. The worship in truth and worship in the spirit. According to the bible worship in the spirit has little to do with our physical bodies and concentrates on the inner being that is our hearts. It is therefore only when the Holy Spirit recedes in us that we have the described worship. The Holy Spirit is the one that controls the worship of the spirit by glorifying himself as well as God.
The worship of the spirit requires that that the truth in our minds be reveled as Christians bodies are deemed as temples of worship. The worship of the truth requires also that it comes from the revelation contained in the word of God. Many emphases are laid to the word of God since it is said to contain some truth in it. Such a worship j would consider it the best that should be practiced as it does not entail showing of that some people do where else their hearts are not right with their actions (Hinnells 516).
Worship to a creator should include having a conviction in some one hearts but not actions that one does as the creator is able to seen the heart and judge according to how he sees it. There is therefore no reason of people establishing a show to others of how good they are while the same is not reflected in their hearts.
The primary teachings about Christianity are all about love and the faith that Christians should have on their creator. Christianity also emphasizes on scenario where someone’s heart is suppose to act as the guide to the persons consideration of what is right. However, this has transpired to some people making some decisions that are not contrary to the beliefs that are taught about by Christianity and defending their actions on the fact that to them appears right.
In turn, this has raised confusion of what should be followed. My perfect example of Christianity is where one first gets to lean the teachings about Christianity then resolving matters in tether lives based on the understanding of the teachings. It should therefore not appear to people that Christianity gives a go a head to people to do what they deem is right without the revelations in the biblical teachings.
The core of the teachings of Christian it is enjoying an eternal life that is coupled with no suffering. Christianity teaches that those people who do well in their lives will be repaid by eternal life while those wrong does have to pay for their actions.
I believer that there should be a price that is awarded top people who do well and the same should be extended to the wrong does. According to Christianity teaches, the wrong does will endure pain in hell while those who followed the right path will enjoy happiness in their life in heaven. However, my concerns are the fact that no one choose to be born in this world.
The fact that we all found ourselves existing in planet earth should mean that we should have a choice whether we should be subjected to such laws. Laws to govern a certain people should be decided by those people and are subject to amendments. It would therefore be fair if Christians were give a chance to change them whenever they feel that they axe not acting in their favor or they are oppressing them.
In the olden time the priests were the primary teachers of texts that were contained in the bible and were also interpreters of these texts. The priests were responsible of teaching about the righteousness that the bible teaches about. That responsibility is now taken over by pastors, reverends, and fathers who continued the responsibility of teaching about righteousness (Bockmuehl 49). However, the bible warns of teachers of the world who would come about who will talk about God and will not be the messengers of the truth.
My perfect Christianity model would be such that it would show to the Christians these teachers who do not stand for the truth. It is notable that the faith levels of the Christians differs and the weak ones mighty be taken advantage of by the wrong preachers of the word. It would therefore be fair for these preachers to bear a mark that is visible to each and every Christian so that they will not be misled by these teachers who are out to mislead them.
Almost all religions will be such that they have sacred sites that are important t their religion. Islam have Mecca, Buddhist have Bihar in India while Christians have Jerusalem.
The importance of Jerusalem to Christians is undeniable since they believe its the birth place of the Christ who was the beginner of this religion as well as crucification, death and resurrection. My perfect Christianity would borrow such routine that Islam has of having prayers in Jerusalem as it unifies the believers as one family as they get to share of the religion they believe in.
Christianity is one religion that has so many followers all over the world. Though not perfect, it has good teachings that would are useful for good coexistence between people. However, the above discussed solutions to some of the flaws it has would make it perfect to me.
It is a fact beyond doubt that there are many religions in the world today. The religions vary from one to the other although there are some common features which are to be found in all of them. For example, most of the religions believe in the existence of a supernatural being or beings. The religions are also characterized by a set of beliefs that bring together their members setting them apart from those of other religions.
Christianity is such one form of religion that exists in the world today. It is the largest of all religions in the world with more than 2 billion members as of the year 2000 (Esler 25). According to Bryan & William (25), followers of this religion represent about 25 percent of the world’s population. Out of the more than 2 billion followers, about 38 percent of comes from South and North American continents. Europe represents about 26 percent while Africa represents approximately 23 percent (Esler 20).
This paper is going to address various issues surrounding this religion. The author is going to look at the name of the religion followers, the founder of the religion, name of the Supreme Being and sacred texts used as well as the place of worship. The author is also going to look at the major beliefs found in this religion, major rituals and observances as well as the symbols used and their meaning.
Name of the Followers
A person who practices Christianity is referred to as a Christian. A Christian has to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ as espoused in the gospels (refer to the section on history of Christianity to learn more about Jesus). There are several stages that an individual goes through before becoming a true Christian. This is for example baptism, salvation and Christian teachings (Bokenkotter 118).
Origins of Christianity and its Founder
According to Christianity scholars such as McGrath (118) and Bokenkotter (120), this religion started as a Jewish sect in the first century. It has its roots in the eastern shores of the Mediterranean in the Middle East. This is modern day Israel and Palestine regions (Bryan & William 30). From here, the religion spread rapidly to other areas of the world such as Syria, Egypt and Mesopotamia. Within a short period, this religion expanded to become one of the most popular and influential religions in the world.
However, Christianity as it is known to many people today can be traced back to Jesus Christ. This man is believed to be the Messiah prophesied in early sacred writings. Christians refer to the early teachings which were written before the coming of the Messiah as the Old Testament. The sacred texts written after the Messiah was born and which capture His life and teachings are referred to as the New Testament (McGrath 116).
When Jesus died after accomplishing His work in the world, He left one church that was under the leadership of His 12 disciples. However, this church split and today there are many denominations of Christianity. The major denomination is the Roman Catholic Church which is closely followed by Eastern Orthodox churches (Bokenkotter 122). These two parted ways during the East-West Schism (Esler 23) that occurred in 1054 AD (Bryan & William 22).
Name of Supreme Being
Christianity is a monotheistic religion believing in the existence of a single Supreme Being. The Supreme Being in this case is God. When talking about God within the context of Christianity, it is important to mention the issue of trinity. According to McGrath (111), trinity is the Christian teaching asserting that this one God (as mentioned above) is made up of three interdependent yet distinct parts. This is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The son in this case is Jesus Christ who is believed to have died and resurrected. He now reigns in heaven with the Father and the Holy Spirit according to Christians.
Those Christians who believe in this trinity are referred to as Trinitarians (Bryan & William 22). This is for example the Roman Catholic followers. There are other Christians who interpret the Bible differently and who do not believe in the trinity. These are referred to as non-trinitarians.
Sacred Texts and Writings in Christianity
Like other religions such as Islam and Hindu, Christianity has a set of sacred texts which contains the teachings and beliefs of this religion. Bible is regarded by Christians as the authoritative word of God (the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit). This is the sacred text in Christianity. It is made up of two parts. The first part is referred to as the Old Testament which captures important events that took place before the birth of Christ. The other is the New Testament which contains the teachings of Jesus Christ (Esler 13).
It is important to note at this juncture that the texts making up the Bible were written by human beings. Christians believe that these authors were inspired by the Holy Spirit and as such, their writings became the word of God. Several versions of the Bible are in existence today.
Place of Worship for Christians
There are many practices which are undertaken by members of this faith. These practices are either carried out in a designated place or in any other place depending on their nature. The church is the major place of worship for Christians. This is where practices and observances such as Mass are usually carried out.
The church is just like any other building as far as building materials are concerned. However, unlike other buildings, the church is regarded as a holy place and sometimes referred to as the House of God (Bryan & William 28).
Worshipping for a Christian is not limited to the physical walls of the church. There are other places such as shrines where Christians pray and meditate. Prayers can also be conducted at home, at school or in any other place.
Major Beliefs in Christianity
As earlier indicated in this paper, Christians from different denominations interpret the Bible differently. However, there are some major beliefs shared by all Christians and which sets Christianity apart from other religions such as Islam and Hinduism.
Creeds
One major belief is the creed. According to Bokenkotter (120), this is a Latin word that when loosely translated means ‘I believe’. Creeds are distinct statements and confessions that show one is a true Christian. This is for example baptism and catechism teachings in major denominations such as the Roman Catholic.
Jesus Christ
Another belief that brings Christians together is the belief in Jesus Christ the Son of God (McGrath 112). Christians believe that Jesus is the Messiah or the anointed one. God anointed Him to save humanity from sin and to bring man closer to God.
The Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Christians believe that Jesus was not mortal. Instead, He was God in the body of man. Unlike mortals, Jesus died and resurrected defeating death. The resurrection of Jesus is taken as one of the major tenets of Christianity (Esler 22). A significant chunk of Christian teachings is based on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Salvation
Christians believe that Jesus came to the world to save humanity. Man committed sin when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit creating a schism between God and man. Jesus died to save humanity from this sin. Christians believe that one is saved from sin by believing in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (McGrath 112).
Major Rituals and Observances
Baptism
Christians believe that when one is born into this world, they are born with the sin which resulted from Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit. This sin can only be cleansed through baptism (McGrath 112). Any individual who wishes to join Christianity must undergo baptism for them to be accepted by God.
Sacrament
Some Christians such as Roman Catholics observe the ritual of taking sacrament. A sacrament is regarded as a representation of the body and blood of Jesus Christ which was shed on the cross (Esler 20).
Symbols used in Christianity and their Meaning
There are various symbols which are associated with Christianity in the world today. Here are some of them:
The Cross
Also known as the crucifix, this symbol has come to be associated with Christianity in the world today. It represents the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified to cleanse the sins of humanity.
The Dove
The dove is another symbol used widely by Christians. According to Bryan & William (23), this bird is used to symbolize the Holy Spirit.
The Lamb
According to McGrath (118), the sacrificial lamb is used to symbolize the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made in order to bring humanity closer to God.
10 Key Words used in Christianity
1. Trinity
According to Bokenkotter (120), this is the belief in a God who is made up of three distinct persons
2. Sacrament
This is a representation of body and blood of Jesus Christ
3. Bible
This is the Holy Book or sacred texts used by Christians
4. Christ
This is the Son of God who agreed to be sacrificed to save humanity
5. Disciples
These were the followers of Jesus Christ during His stay on earth
6. Gospel
The gospel is regarded as the teachings that were given by Jesus Christ during His stay on earth
7. Salvation
This is whereby a Christian is cleansed of all sins and comes closer to God
8. Ascension
This means the return of Jesus Christ to heaven after He resurrected from the dead (McGrath 29).
9. Resurrection
This is the rising of the dead
10. Martyr
This is a Christian who is persecuted and killed as a result of his or her faith in Christ
Works Cited
Bokenkotter, Thomas. A Concise History of the Catholic Church. London: Doubleday, 2004.
Bryan, Ball & William, Johnson. The Essential Jesus. New York: Pacific Press, 2002.
Esler, Phillip F. The Early Christian World. London: Routledge, 2004.
McGrath, Alister E. Christianity: An Introduction. London: Blackwell Publishing, 2006.
Declining Christianity in America is an undying debate following research and surveys that support this notion. In this paper, the author looks at historical, empirical, and theoretical perspectives from different authors.
Although a considerable number acknowledge decline in Christianity, others view this as a modernization effect, which places Christianity at a turning point.
In acknowledging that most Americans have become less religious, a trend that is likely to continue, majority of the authors argue that Americans are still more religious than any other developed nation. The discussion spawns new frontiers where the authors delve into the issue of internal wrangles within and among churches.
This paper also discusses the issue of hypocrisy in churches and the effect of the former and the latter in the subsequent decline in Christianity. Finally, the author discusses the hidden truth about the supposed decline.
Introduction
This paper critically analyzes declining Christianity in light of constant studies in the field, which continue to depict an institution that is losing its vitality as each day passes. Interestingly, Americans have not lost touch with Christianity completely. It is not representative to draw comparisons with other European nations.
In America, Christianity is still crucial though the fervor rates from disinterested to extremely Christian. The author also depicts a situation where dynamics in society has led to a Christianity impasse coupled by factors such as modernization, which has led to a change of style from the church to remain relevant (Weiss, 2010).
However, experts and enthusiasts offer different explanations of results from various surveys, which have led to divergent opinions regarding Christianity decline.
Hence, the paper looks at different experts contributions. Additionally, the paper looks at the chronological background of Christianity to explain the current decline (CNN, 2012).
History of Christianity Decline
Fox (2012) offers a chronology of the presence of Christianity and its significance in society. The author starts from a historical background referring to early predictions of Christianity demise by intellectuals in the 17th century.
The intellectuals had argued that science, modernization, urbanization, and rationalism would take the place of overall religion, which includes Christianity, in organizing the world.
However, as time went by religious groupings would mushroom everywhere and project their importance in society making them hard to ignore, particularly Christianity in America.
This would breed competition but would not stop Christian groups from becoming popular and getting deep into policy-making at a government level in the 20th century.
Recently, Christians would deviate from their core business of uniting the society and shaping social values by engaging in shameful acts leading to perceived decline, especially in the West.
Some of the churches that had deep roots but showing signs of a freefall are Methodist, Anglican and Catholic Churches (Kidd, 2012).
Fox (2012) offers statistics to support the idea that despite this notion, there is a huge presence of religious groups (among them Christians) in the western nations with the lowest level of presence at 10%.
At an American context, many people still believe in Christianity despite recent decline in attendance among the mainstream churches.
A Decline, Stability or Improvement?
In an article, Briggs (2011) seeks to extend discussions regarding the question: is American faith really on the decline? Briggs (2011) interestingly uses a Duke University Sociologist professor’s (Mark Chaves) Book Title dilemma to bring this discussion to perspective.
Briggs (2011) acknowledges the recent interest in the perceived decline in American faith. The author alludes to evidence from surveys and researches. However, Briggs (2011) realizes that different researchers interpret survey results differently bringing about conflict of opinion.
For example, others perceive America’s Christian faith as relatively stable. Briggs (2011) finds that burden of proof of lack of decline is more astounding to piece together as opposed to the overwhelming pointers of decline.
For example, college students who would like to be clergymen has reduced, there are lesser number of Americans who say that they believe in God, more and more people who say that they are religiously ‘unaffiliated’ in surveys and the decline in confidence associated with clergymen.
However, Briggs (2011) concurs that America’s faith is more profound than in other western nations though the future looks bleak. Additionally, Briggs (2011) cites dissenting contributors who view possible future improvements in Christianity among Americans.
This includes evidence from improved racial relations and generational shifts. However, it is safe to conclude that interpretation of the overall religious outlook in the United States is a maze. This is because many experts interpret results differently and are highly opinionated on this topic.
Causes of Decline
Acknowledging the considerable shifts in the conglomeration of Christianity in contemporary America, Anderson (2009) seeks to account for these changes using different theories.
Generally, American Christians have reduced by an almost equal percentage (around 8%) as the increase in Americans who claim ‘no religion’ in the lasts two decades according to Anderson (2009).
Using explanations from enthusiasts, atheists, professors and ordinary students from University of Minnesota, the author exemplifies the divergent opinions relating to the decline in religion. For example, many Americans view religion democratically; a person has the option of joining or not joining because it is just the ‘right way’.
Second, other contributors attribute the decline to the dishonesty in church (Weiss, 2010). Apparently, many Christians do not tell the truth. Third, a contributor says that history (e.g. the 9/11 incident) may contribute to the decline owing to the manner in which a leader handles the situation according to Weiss (2010).
Other factors that may have led to Christianity decline are liberalism, the independent college life, manner in which partakers teach religion, availability of scientific explanations to existence of the world and some level of confusion, are also factors that have contributed to the decline according to the contributors.
Anderson (2009) concludes by saying that many Americans are waiting for justification of atheism (for example a sitting atheist president) and this will undermine Christianity in America further down (Weiss, 2010).
Lobdell (2010), seeking to answer the question of declining church attendance and affiliation across America, uses an example of a staunch catholic novelist who publicly announced she had quit from been a Christian because of the hypocrisy in the institution.
A study conducted by Family Research Council in 2008 depicts Americans as constantly dissociating themselves from Christianity for various reasons. Additionally, Lobdell (2010) uses evidence from pollsters to show behavioral similarity between churchgoers and the secular American society.
These misgivings in church, according to Lobdell (2010), alienate more and more Americans from Christianity and create a growing ‘unaffiliated’ category. Others include early sex among Christian teenagers, predator tendencies among clergy, stingy and antisocial behavior.
Lobdell (2010) concludes that in the face of the unbecoming Christian behavior, it is impossible for the institution to grow as many people paint it in bad picture. For example, affiliations with politics of the day deviates a church from core business.
People lose trust, as they feel alienated especially when the church takes unpopular stands. Additionally, Kidd, T. (2012) cites structural, cultural, individual and relational aspects as contributors to the decline of early church organizations such Methodist Church, Anglican Church and Catholicism.
Premising discussion on the 2009 American Religious Identification Survey, Meacham (2009) critically analyzes the Christianity in America situation currently and in the future.
The survey paints a dark picture of the religiosity of Americans in the future. Hence, Meacham (2009) looks into perspectives regarding the survey with possible explanation to the significant decline.
Modernism comes out as a critical factor. Others are political affiliation and independence minds because of a democratic society.
Thomas (2012) illustrates the notion of decline in churches and highlights possible reasons for this using the Anglican Church as a case study.
Thomas (2012) cites constant internal wrangling between different jurisdictions and incessant power struggles motivated by ideological affiliations as the main causes of consternation in the church.
This breeds hatred and divisions and alienates the church from the core purpose of spreading unity and love, which makes people to develop a bad attitude towards Christianity.
Thomas (2012) notes that this may be the reason for the sharp increase in ‘unaffiliated’ Americans, specifically. Conclusively, the church is failing in its mandate to unite the world as depicted by the manner in which they are handling internal issues.
This is a classical representation of an institution whose structures continue to crumble. The church was an organized institution, which would shape political decisions, legal, and constitutional changes (CNN, 2012). As time has gone by, greed and competition within and among the churches continues to undermine this authority.
Additionally, the society expects more from the church. Hence, they render harsh judgments on a religious person’s mistake, which makes a person not to want to live a life where some structure dictates the manner in which to do that.
Thomas (2012) infers a scenario where the church is at an interesting moment in history, though on the brink of a precipice. Evidently, the number of Christians in America has been decreasing gradually in the past two decades.
Thomas (2012) points out that the number of people claiming no religion in the United States has doubled in the last three decades or so.
The strength of political institutions, too much freedom among the young people, weakness of religious policies and school teachings are some of the factors that have contributed to the fall of the Christianity in America (Ardell, 2011).
Grossman (2012) agrees with Thomas (2012) and Lobdell (2010) about the causes of decline in Christianity in America.
Citing the increment in population, more media coverage and a high education level, Grossman (2012) says that it would be logical for Americans to appreciate Christianity more.
However, the author notes that Americans are freelancers of religion who constantly give excuses to detach themselves from a certain religion, Christianity in particular.
On the other hand, trusting these institutions has become tricky because of constant wrangling, dishonesty, constant negative depiction by media and perceived hypocrisy.
Hence, many individuals decide not to associate with religion or choose the middle ground: unaffiliated. Grossman (2012) concludes that, generally, there is a feeling of consternation and confusion surrounding Christian matters.
Future of Christianity
Evidence from recent surveys paints a bleak future of Christianity in America. Using different authors’ perspectives Ardell (2011) takes a plausibly conservative look at the declining Christian faith in America.
The author delves into the concept of rapture and fall of religion in light of chronology of future occurrence (which one will come first?). Ardell (2011) refers to two historical authors who had predicted the decline of religion in modern times and marvels at how much Christianity continues to be entrenched in American culture.
For example, existence of huge amounts of untaxed church money in the economy, increased number of churches, media coverage (televangelism), and rapture books that are best sellers.
Comparatively, Ardell (2011) notes that religion in European countries religion in general has sharply declined over the years (CNN, 2012). Questioning the veracity of freethinkers, the author brings into perspective the decline of religious faith in America.
The author cites increased secularism, evidence from polls and surveys, decline in church memberships and declining power of religions in restricting personal, constitutional and legal choices as some of the evidence from freethinkers of fall of the religion in America.
Ardell (2011) concludes by saying that the prophesied eventuality of Christian decline will happen and that reason, evidence and science will take the place of Christianity.
Hence, more Americans will not affiliate themselves with Christianity or any other religion forming the largest group.
Recently, president Obama recognized Americans of no faith in a recent address to the nation extenuating the belief that the concept of ‘unaffiliated’ is on the rise.
Through analysis of experts’ opinion, Meacham (2009) finds that America’s culture in politics, social, business and family derives heavily from principles in Christianity, lack of which may render the society shambolic.
Meacham (2009) says experts remain tongue-tied regarding possibility of America sliding back to racial discrimination. They cite other social misdemeanors that were healed by religion and, in whose absence, may slowly come back.
However, the influence of Christianity in making decisions that would sometimes be enshrined in laws and the constitution has greatly reduced and will continue to reduce tearing down the moral standing of America.
Meacham (2009) concludes that lack of a Christian America is disastrous and capable of reaching catastrophic levels. However, the author concurs that past and recent trends indicate the country is taking this direction.
Conclusion
Historically, the Americans have had a good church relationship. However, studies suggest a decline in this affiliation. This paper is a description of findings of a survey conducted by Family Research Council in 2009 (among others) as a continuation of earlier studies in 2001 and 1990 on this topic.
The author uses the results of the survey to incorporate the views of experts, other surveys and researchers on the topic. There is a significant decline (more than 10%) in faith among Americans in comparison to more than two decades ago (CNN, 2012).
This is attributable to independent-mindedness among Americans, considerable rise in evangelical Christianity, and lesser religion/political affiliations according to experts and enthusiasts in the field, as cited by the author.
Additionally, the church has been associated with immoral acts, which has led to massive public dissociation (CNN, 2012). Although a considerable number acknowledge decline in Christianity, others view this as a modernization effect, which places Christianity at a turning point.
In acknowledging that most Americans have become less religious, a trend that is likely to continue, majority of the authors argue that Americans are still more religious than any other developed nation. There was a notable trend across America that shows that the ‘unaffiliated’ individuals were increasing.
However, many a clergy believed (according to the author) that Americans were still as religious as in 1990, showing stability, or were more religious. This scenario shows that Americans still appreciate Christianity though they fail to get deep into it because of a number of factors.
The paper paints a picture where the church is less significant as it was more than two decades ago and beyond (CNN, 2012). The findings indicate that America is rapidly becoming secularized and politicians do not place as much emphasis on religion as it used to be (CNN, 2012).
References
Anderson, J. (2009). Religion Decline across America. Web.
Ardell, D. (2011). Which Shall Come First-The Rapture Or The Fall Of The Religion? Web.
Religion is a complex cultural phenomenon and an important aspect of life that involves devotional exercises. Additionally, religion governs people as it has a moral code that determines people’s conduct. Humanity’s awareness of religion started during the upper Paleolithic revolution about 30,000 years ago and since then it has been a common trait among people across the world (Armstrong, 1993).
Being a belief system, religion relies on symbols and narratives to explain how people came to existence and how they believe in an unseen supernatural power alleged to have created the universe.
However, despite the fact that religion acts as a light to guide people, different religions have emerged in different ways over the years, which is attributed to the different cultures across the world. Different religions have emerged in the United States and this paper seeks to compare and contrast Christianity and Islam from an anthropological perspective.
Different religions in the United States: when they were established
The United States, as one of the most developed and populous countries in the world, has a broad spectrum of religious diversity. The country advocates for religious freedom and allows citizens to practice any kind of religion that they may choose to follow. The US has the largest number of religious groupings in the world due to religious freedom. Some of these religious groups in the US include Christianity and Islam.
Christianity is one of the many religious groups in the history of humanity and many believers in the US are affiliated to Christianity. It is the world’s biggest and organized religion and up to date, it has around 2.1 billion followers worldwide. This religion originated from the life and teachings of the savior of humanity known as Jesus Christ.
When Christ, who was a Jew, came to earth around 2013 years ago, his teachings revived the teachings of Judaism and this aspect established the foundation of Christianity due to the transformation of Judaism to Christianity. Originally, the major branches of Christianity were eastern orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, and Protestantism with each branch having sub-branches.
However, over the years, the divide between different Christian communities has continued to widen, which explains why in the 21st century there has been a creation of many branches of Christianity. For instance, Armstrong (1993) notes that in “North America alone, there are 1,500 different groups of Christianity, which have different conflicting Christian beliefs” (p.62).
On the other hand, the Islamic religion was formed in the Middle East based on the teachings of Prophet Mohamed in the 7th century A.D. and it is the world’s second largest religion after Christianity with a following of about a billion Muslims (Armstrong, 1993). Prophet Mohamed was the last messenger of a supreme being who was the only creator and sustainer of the world.
Before Mohamed started preaching his ideas to the people of Mecca at around 610 A.D., Islam was nonexistent and people were worshiping different kinds of gods (Becker, 2010). The teachings of Mohamed are written in a Holy book known as the Quran and Muslims are expected to adhere to these teachings.
Just like Christianity, this religion also has branches, which include the Sunni and Shi’a each maintaining different means of interpreting the teachings of the prophet with Sunni denomination having more followers than the Shi’a. Over the years, the United States, which has been dominated by Christianity, has experienced a rise in the number of Muslims with 4.2% of the total population being Islamic, and this growth has outpaced that of the other religious groups.
How the religious movements were spread throughout the world
According to the Bible, Jesus Christ started his mission on earth at the age of 30 years and later he was crucified to save humanity from sin and bring sinners closer to God. After Jesus’ death, missionaries took over the spreading of the gospel though this exercise was difficult as many doctrinal debates emerged within the church coupled with persecution targeting those who were spreading Christianity during the Roman Empire.
The spreading of Christianity by missionaries based on the teachings of Christ gained momentum around the 1st century, which led to the rapid growth of this religion (Armstrong, 1993). Paul, who was a Jew and had previously persecuted Christians, is one of the known instrumental missionaries who aided in the growth and spread of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire. A remarkable development towards the spread of Christianity took place in 4th A.D. when the Roman Emperor, Constantine, converted to Christianity.
This move compelled many pagans to follow the footsteps of their leader by converting to Christianity. Since then, many missionaries have traveled to different parts of the world to spread the good news and by 1900; Christianity had spread to every continent, which contributed greatly to Christianity is the most dominant religion not only in the United States but also across the world.
Islam religion on the other hand also spread rapidly after the death of Prophet Mohamed since he had successfully established the new religion among his people. After his demise, other like-minded people emerged with the interest of abolishing paganism in society and promoting the worship of Allah.
One of these people was the 1st caliph, Abu Bakr, who during his reign saw the rapid growth of Islam. Mostly, the spread of Islamic religion was mainly influenced by wars as the political and military control of the Muslim leader led to many people liking and converting to this new religion (Kennedy, 2007). Since then, many people have converted to Islam after reading the teachings of Prophet Mohamed, which has led to the expansion of the Islamic community worldwide.
Religious believe system of these religions
Christianity holds that only one God should be worshiped and people are not supposed to worship any manmade gods. Christians also believe that after Adam and Eve sinned, every man fell out of God’s glory, which explains why God, through His unconditional love, sent His only son to come and save man from eternal punishment in hell.
Christians believe that Christ was the last sacrifice and the converts of Christianity are not supposed to offer any kind of sacrifice to God. According to the Christian religion, the main reason for man’s existence on earth is to glorify God and they have to live a godly life on earth if they want to have eternal life and see the kingdom of heaven after they die.
On the other hand, Islam, just like Christianity, holds that there is only one Supreme Being, Allah, to be worshiped and the man was created with a free will of serving and obeying Allah.
A person is accepted as a Muslim if s/he adheres to the teachings of Allah and prophet Mohamed. According to the Islamic faith, no one is responsible for any other person’s sin and if one has sinned, there is a need to ask for forgiveness from Allah directly without any intermediary through prayer, and thus any prayer directed to any other being is idolatry.
In both religious groups, leaders, as well as devotees, play a very critical role in forming a morally upright society and in indoctrinating faith on many non-believers across the world. In addition to this aspect, they have tried to bridge the gap that exists between the rich and the poor by advocating for equality since they believe that all human beings are equal and God did not create anyone to suffer.
However, in terms of some cultural issues, these religions differ and an example of this assertion lies in marriage. The Islamic religion does not allow a person to marry a non-Islamic faithful, which is different from the Christian religion that does not dictate the religion of one’s marriage partner. Additionally, in dissimilarity to Christianity, Islam does not allow its followers to eat pork, as they believe that pigs are unholy.
How the two religions coexist in a globalized world
These two religious denominations have realized the need to coexist with one another for the advancement of the society and to cut the animosity between the two faiths that have been in existence since their creation.
Efforts to encourage and foster mutual understanding have been put in place, which is a crucial move, as it will lead to more peace and harmony amongst believers in the future (Solomon & AL Maqdisi 2009). The two religions have also worked together by being instrumental in the control of population growth especially in developing third world countries.
Conclusion
As the two most favorite religious faiths across the world, both Christianity and Islam converge largely in the Old Testament, but they differ largely on the New Testament of the Bible. However, uniting these two faiths is very important especially in fighting social evils, poverty, and climate changes and in ensuring that people are taught effectively on how to be morally upright from a tender age.
Reference List
Armstrong, K. (1993). A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. New York, NY: Ballantine Books.
Becker, C. (2010).Christianity and Islam. Charleston, SC: Bibliolife, LLC.
Kennedy, H. (2007). The Great Arab Conquests: How the Spread of Islam Changed the World We Live In. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press.
Solomon, S., & AL Maqdisi, E. (2009). A Common Word: The Undermining of the Church. Afton, VA: Advancing Native Missions Pub.
The sacrament of matrimony in Catholicism was an amalgamation of various influences, cultures and decisions. A large number of these conditions existed in the 12th Century. Therefore, it is necessary to trace the history of the sacrament, and thus link it to modern occurrences today.
Practices and characteristics of marriage in the Catholic faith
The Catholic wedding is a rite that has the same format as the other six sacraments. All conventional weddings in this religion consist of the following practices: storytelling, gathering, action and then commission. Gathering in a marriage ceremony occurs in more or less the same way that a mass does. Family members accompany the bride and groom in most instances. In some settings, the bride and her father come after the arrival of the groom and his party. Modern couples prefer processions that convey mutuality by walking in together.
After the procession, which is often the highlight of the event, attendants will listen to a portion of scripture; this is the storytelling bit. Here, couples will select a story that captures the meaning of their marriage. In most circumstances, many will talk about the creation of new life. Alternatively, others may refer to the unification of two entities into one. Sometimes participants may opt to combine both messages.
‘Action’ involves the exchange of vows. In traditional weddings, priests would read all the vows while the bride and groom would merely say I do. Nowadays, a good number of couples prefer reading their vows to one another. Most vows will consist of a pledge of faithfulness and love. In addition to the latter aspect, the bride and groom ought to exchange rings, where the physical element (ring) complements the verbal element. This part of the ceremony often ends with a kiss.
Lastly, the attendants will partake of the Holly Communion in the commission phase. The priest will perform the Eucharist prayer then invite the group to receive the communion. Afterwards, he will bless the wedding couple and thus send them to the world as representatives of Christ’s love.
Why marriage is a sacrament in the Catholic faith
A sacrament is understood as a sign of grace that Jesus gave to the church in order to bring life into it. One ought to look at scriptural teachings in order to understand why Catholics treat marriage as a sacrament. The book of Ephesians serves as a critical starting point for this analysis.
In chapter five and verse twenty two, Paul urges the Christian brethren to follow Christ’s example when relating to one another in marriage. He advises women to submit to their husbands in the same way that the church subjects itself to Christ (Lehmkuhl par 14). Paul explains that since the husband is the head of the home, then he must follow Christ who was the Church’s head.
He then adds that husbands ought to love their wives and cherish them; they ought to proclaim the same love that they have for themselves to their wives. After this, Paul discusses how man and woman must forget about their separateness and become one. The Apostle concludes this declaration by stating that Christian marriage is a sacrament.
Catholic leaders made the deduction that marriage was a sacrament from the words of the Apostle himself. They depended on his comparison of the ceremony to the relationship between Jesus and the Church. Individuals were called upon to realise the supernatural life of Christ by the way they conducted their marriages.
As such a Christian marriage is a symbol of the grace that is encompassed in its efficaciousness. Since the Apostle considers marriage as one rite, then it is only fitting to think of it as a sacrament. According to this teacher of the gospel, marriage brings out the divine grace of Christ.
St Augustine also contributes to this debate through his assertions as found in chapter 24. He likens marriage to a holy institution that cannot be negated because it mirrors the Church. Since the church cannot be separated from Jesus, then two people who have been joined together in holy matrimony must remain united. In this regard, marriage is a sacrament owing to its equivalence to the Holy Orders or Baptism. St. Augustine taught that the holiness of marriage placed it on the same level as these other sacraments.
Origins of matrimony
The foundation of the theology of Catholic matrimony dates back to the twentieth century. Although early Christians married and had children, they had different interpretations of what the practice meant to their lives. Catholics at the time faced immense pressure from other faiths to have a strong doctrine on marriage.
The Church needed to set some rules that would harmonise practices of marriage in the middle ages. Nonetheless, this process did not occur harmoniously; church leaders from different regions had their own interpretations of what marriage should entail. They took thousands of years to articulate these sentiments and unify them under one voice (Peters 70).
Romanic culture and Germanic tribes were the main sources of influences in this matter. Germanic tribes often treated marriage as a family matter. Children were betrothed to suitable mates through parental decisions (Peters 66). Many times, it was done in order to safeguard family property or family names.
Additionally, parents from the ladies’ side chose their child’s spouse in order to extend their networks. More often than not, family members presided over the ceremony. Conversely, the Romans treated marriage as a civil matter. Two people could get married if they consented to one another. No elaborate ceremony was necessary in this culture. Furthermore, the two entities could terminate their marriage by simply withdrawing their consent.
Christians in the medieval era emulated some of these practices by involving a presiding authority in their weddings. In Romanic cultures, most couples gave the family head this task; however, with the infiltration of Christian faith among the Germanic tribes, it became necessary to use clergy men as witnesses.
Later on, the Christian faithful decided that bishops would preside over the ceremonies. Since Church leaders played an important role in this ritual, they started thinking of it a baptism. Eventually, the leaders treated it as a sacrament. Christian leaders decided that they had to instigate moral behaviour by creating a uniform marital law.
Any sacrament that had variations in the body of Christ was immoral to them. In the twelfth century, Christian leaders wanted to answer specific questions pertaining to matrimony. For instance, they needed to clarify the purpose of marriage, how long entities should remain in it, whether they were expected have children, and so on.
The theologians thought about the duration of marriage, and decided that it should be insoluble. They relied upon biblical texts and St. Augustine’s interpretations to come up with this resolution. In the book of Mark, chapter 10, verses 11 and 12, Jesus tells his followers that they will have committed adultery if they leave their husbands or wives and get married to others. Even the person who marries a divorcee would also be guilty of adultery.
Twentieth century theologians used the literal interpretation of this verse to settle on the permanence of marriage. A number of them also focused on St. Augustine’s teachings. He affirmed that divorce was unfeasible in the Christian faith because a wife is bound to her husband in the same manner that Christ is bound to the Church. (Hegy and Martos 135).
No one can destroy the union that one possesses with Christ; similarly, no one should destroy the union between man and wife. These Christian leaders found St. Augustine’s teachings convenient to their circumstances as they needed a doctrine that would minimize divorce. Many of them had seen the isolation and breakdowns that these separations caused. It was, therefore, appropriate to have laws that would build the family unit.
The 12th Century church leaders made some exceptions to the insolubility of marriage by introducing the law of annulment. A marriage could be rendered void if it was found that the parties got married under certain conditions. First, if one of the partners was coerced in to the marriage, then it became void. Alternatively, if one of the parties was impotent, related to his or her spouse, already married or underage then the Church could annul the marriage.
It was also decided that marriage should occur among consenting parties even when the parents of the parties involved did not agree to it. Additionally, the leaders at the time felt that a marriage could still be honoured without the presence of witnesses or an elaborate ceremony.
However, in subsequent years, the clergy changed this requirement. It eventually became mandatory for couples to announce their wedding well in advance and to invite at least two witnesses to participate in the process. Records of the weddings also had to be made.
In the 16th Century, members of the Catholic clergy decided that they would use celibacy to test an individual’s commitment to God’s work (Witte 6). If one could not live such a life, then one was not deemed worthy to serve in leadership circles. The Catholic Church treated celibacy as an indication of spiritual discipline. Servants of God needed to emulate the apostle Paul.
Since he was highly devoted to the Gospel and the growth of the early church, he made the conscious decision to refrain from physical intimacy. Likewise, anyone who wished to follow such a path needed to demonstrate this spiritual strength. Those who chose the path of marriage were deemed as weak and ill-suited to become clergymen. This pattern of celibacy became a reality even in modern times.
Symbolic meanings and values
The Catholic understanding of marriage may be categorised into the following schools of thought: contractual, sacramental and natural. The clergy realises that marriage has natural purposes. First, man is inherently sinful; he has a tendency to become lustful if he does not direct his passions to the kingdom of God.
Therefore, marriage offers the ultimate solution to the problem of lust by giving man a permanent companion. Additionally, God commanded Adam and Eve to multiply and fill the earth. Marriage allows man to fulfil this divine calling through children. It performs a natural function of growing the kingdom of God. Therefore, child rearing and companionship are complementary to one another. If the Church prioritises only child rearing, then infertile couples may find no meaning in marriage.
On the other hand, marriage in the Catholic faith is also contractual in nature. Marriage binds parties to one another through their free will. They remain obligated to one another, and must devote themselves to love and give service to each other. Individuals cannot abscond their parental or connubial duties in this context. The contractual view of marriage explains why certain allowances exist in the catholic view of marriage. Once parties violate the conditions of the contractual relation, then the marriage becomes null and void.
Lastly, marriage in the Catholic Church had a sacramental purpose. If it was properly done, it would symbolise the grace that Christ gave to the Church. Nonetheless, one must realise that among the sacraments, marriage was not particularly edifying. Marriage was a solution to a problem rather than a source of righteousness. Therefore, those who could remain celibate were given greater honour than those who could not (Witte 4). The sacramental perspective led to the permanence of marriage.
As stated earlier, marriage is a contract between two individuals who vow to remain together for life. This promise implies that fidelity is intolerable in marriage. Unfaithfulness in marriage would be tantamount to making a mockery of the sacrament. Furthermore, individuals with children must act as shining examples to them. They must honour the promise they made to God as well as to the Church. In fact, this is one of the few aspects of the sacrament that falls in line with civil practices today.
Annulment versus divorce
An annulment takes place when the Church declares that there was never a marriage to begin with. The concept of annulment has created a lot of controversy inside Catholic Circles. Conditions under which an annulment can occur have already been described above. Nonetheless, modern clergy also recognise other aspects such as drunkenness or insanity. Divorce on the other hand is the termination of a valid marriage as recognised by the Catholic faith.
Statistics indicate that the number of divorces in the Catholic faith has increased to 40,000 in the 2000s, yet this was 368 in the late 1960s. Something must have happened to cause this increase, and analysts blame the church for this.
They claim that grounds for annulment have dramatically expanded to the point of making it possible for almost anyone to get an annulment if one wants it. Studies also indicate that almost three-quarters of these annulments occur in the US.
Therefore, one may argue that the culture in this part of the country is slowly becoming incompatible with the doctrines of traditional Catholic faith. In other parts of the world, some Catholics even ignore the requirement for annulment and divorce at will. This poses questions about the relevance of Catholic legal structures in modern times.
Jenks (1) explains that the above matter has placed the Catholic Church at crossroads. Since divorces have become more frequent, churches may either opt to stick to their conventional doctrines, which require spouses to stay married for life, or they can accept this new phenomenon and change.
If the Catholic Church maintains its current stance, it is likely that it may loose a wide portion of its followership. However, if it yields to these modern pressures, then some critics may view it as weak and unprincipled. Analysts may claim that the Catholic Church prioritised church membership over sound doctrine. A number of adherents may even feel that the church has betrayed them. It is not easy to choose any of these paths as either of them will affect the Church substantially.
Jneks (24) highlights a number of reasons that may have propagated these recent increases in annulment as well as divorces. The author cites individualism as one of the reasons behind the phenomenon. Additionally, people have become more educated and are willing to challenge the status quo.
Society has witnessed an unprecedented change in gender roles. Many women want to focus on their careers and this has taken a toll on their roles as wives or caregivers. As such, it is no longer tenable to expect such low requests for annulment of divorce in the Catholic body. Few Catholic leaders have talked about the latter factors, despite these numerous changes. Most of them have turned a blind eye to the problem, and only made the situation worse.
Conclusion
The circumstances that favour observance of the sacrament of matrimony have changed dramatically over the years. This explains why so many annulments and divorces occur. The Catholic Church must respond to these concerns or face the danger of loosing its followership.
Works Cited
Jenks, Richard. Divorce, annulments, and the Catholic Church: Healing or Hurtful. Binghampton, NY: Howarth Press, 2002. Print.
Hegy, Pierre & Martos, Joseph. Catholic Divorce: the Deception of Annulments. New York, NY: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2006. Print.
Lehmkuhl, Augustinus. “Sacrament of Marriage.” The Catholic Encyclopaedia. Vol. 9. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. Web.
Peters, Christine. “Gender, sacrament and ritual: the making and meaning of marriage in late medieval and early modern England.” Past and present 169(2000): 63-97. Print.
Witte, John. From sacrament to contract: marriage, religion and law in the western tradition. Westminster: John Knox press, 1997. Print.
Inculturation is still a new term in many theological sectors around the globe despite the fact that it came into existence in early seventies. Inculturation refers to the process of going against the culture or societal values in the process of developing faith. Christianity is a relatively new belief in many societies around the world. The founder of Christianity, Jesus Christ, found the society where he was born practicing some cultural values.
He was forced to undergo some of the cultural values of this society such as circumcision stage. He grew up in this society as a human being and therefore adopted this culture. When he began his evangelistic work, the society found his teachings somewhat strange.
He was treated as the son of Joseph. The society saw him grow as other children. His teachings, which somewhat challenged the normal societal values, were strange and not easily acceptable.
One main way through which inculturation can be expressed is by challenging the power from which such culture draws authority. In so doing, the culture would lose its very foundation, which would make it fall easily. This is what Jesus did in most of his teachings. Currently, many theologians have not managed to separate culture from religion.
As Johnston (87) notes, culture has been a major impediment in the development of the Christian faith. Christianity as a faith can be accepted in any culture because its teachings are meant to ensure that the society lives in peace, love and unity. These values are desirable in any society in the world regardless of one’s cultural values.
However, when intertwined with a specific cultural value, it becomes a challenge for other entrenched cultures to accommodate the faith. This paper seeks to analyze the inculturation process of specific historical moments in the development of the Christian faith
The History of the Christian Church and Its Interaction with Culture
The Christian faith that dominates the world currently traces its roots from Jerusalem in Israel. Jesus Christ, who was the founder of this religion, was a Jew by birth. His teachings and values gained popularity among a section of both the Jews and gentiles. Seen as royal, he was able to go against the expected values of Jews, which were oppressive.
He identified himself with both the rich, such as Zachariah who was a tax collector, and the poor beggars such as Bartimaeus. This was a little too strange for both groups. The rich wanted Jesus, who had gained fame due to his miracles, to behave as a royal person who could not associate himself with the poor.
He was expected to uphold the Jewish cultural values. On the other hand, the poor, who were the greatest beneficiaries of His miracles, did not expect Jesus to associate himself with such oppressive rich individuals like the infamous tax collectors. He remained a strange person to both people. There were many instances when Jesus interacted with cultural values in his mission of spreading the word in both Israel and other neighboring countries around Asia. This can be analyzed as below.
Christ against Culture
Jesus Christ acted in a manner that challenged the culture in many ways. He was a Jew by birth and therefore expected to behave as such. One such important cultural value was that a Jew would not interact with non-Jews, especially their Samaritan neighbors whom they considered unholy.
Men were also not expected to get into a discussion with strange women who were unknown to them. However, Jesus broke all these cultural values when He met the Samaritan woman at the river. He struck of a conversation with the woman by asking for water. In so doing, Jesus was breaking two main values, which were the one barring Jews from interacting with gentiles and the one that prohibited men from talking to strange women.
Even his disciples were amazed upon the realization that their master had engaged a Samaritan woman in such a discussion and even offered her salvation. When he allowed his disciples to eat without washing their hands, it was another sign of disregarding culture.
By challenging men who were determined to stone the adulterous woman, he was going against culturally accepted practice. There are many other instances where he broke cultural values. This is a sign that both culture and religion are there to make a man’s life easy and not oppressive.
Christ in Support of Culture
There are a number of occasions where Jesus Christ showed respect to culture. As was culturally demanded, Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day after birth. He also made trips to various temples within his hometown and other Jewish cities with his parents.
Although one would argue that he was too young to make a decision concerning this, we are not told of any incident where he rebuked such practices in his teachings. When challenged by the Pharisees on the issue of tax collection, he simply said ‘give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. This is a sign that he respected some cultural practices, as long as they were practiced with decorum.
Christ above Culture
In many occasions, Jesus showed that he was above culture through his actions. The Sabbath was a very important day to the Jews. They did not work and neither did they let any of their slaves work on this particular day. However, one particular day, he healed the sick on a Sabbath day, a crime which would attract a severe punishment if found guilty. When confronted by authorities to explain why he did this, He challenged his aggressors who were left with no option but to accept the fact.
Christ and Culture in Paradox
In some occasions, Christ and culture seem to exhibit paradoxical relationship. Jesus was considered a religious leader. He had managed to amass huge support from many of Jews through his teachings. He was a leader and his followers were like his servants.
He would send them to perform some errands and they would perform various duties as was expected of any servant. In this regard, he was acting within the cultural expectation where the servant would be at the service of the master.
However, when he washed the feet of his disciples, it sharply contradicted with what he was expected to do as a master. The last thing that the society, even the disciples themselves expected of him, was the washing of the disciple’s feet. This was too paradoxical.
Christ the Transformer of Culture
Christ comes out strongly as a transformer. During this time, the Jewish society had a well-laid down structure based on one’s level of income. It was rare to find that an individual rose from one level to another, though the society was a capitalist one. Those of higher statuses, who were able to hire servants such as Jesus, were not supposed to associate with individuals holding lower statuses.
The only relationship that was expected between them was based on issuing instructions. However, Jesus went against this when he associated freely with the poor, always healing them.
He was telling the society that before God, all are equal and as such, this equality should be practiced on earth. By protecting the adulterous woman, he was also transforming the culture that tolerated partial justice. He was telling the society that if it is about justice, then let justice be seen to be affecting each individual equally.
Growth of Christian Belief and its Structure
Upon the death of Jesus Christ, the disciples took the word to the gentiles. Within f the Jewish society, a number of people accepted the new belief that was advocated for by Jesus. Jesus did not disrupt the initial beliefs that the society held about God. He affirmed that God was the one that the Israelites had been serving all the years and that the laws of Moses were not wrong in entirety.
He only pointed out that some were meant to guide Israelites in the wilderness and therefore was archaic in their settled structure. He also insisted that some of the religious leaders were hypocrites who never practiced what they preached. He preached peace, unity and above all, selflessness.
This was a belief that many found very relevant, especially the gentiles. However, most of the Jews could not let their belief to varnish. They still believed that one day their messiah (not Jesus Christ) would come directly from heaven in form of mosses or Elijah. The gentiles on the other hand received this belief and this was the inception of the Christian religion (Johnston 34).
Among the faithful, they were taught to observe the values that Jesus Christ had given the gentiles and others. The main issue that was taught to the Christian was to believe in one God and one Savior. Many societies accepted this teaching because it was not challenging their culture adversely.
Upon critical analysis, many societies realized that Christianity brought with it many benefits and when adopted, it would ensure harmony in society.
However, its principle of equality was not acceptable by many in the higher social statuses, who believed that this religion was focused on challenging their prestigious positions in society. This saw many of them persecuted by various governments, including the Roman Empire.
Having realized that this religion was too strong to be suppressed, the Roman Empire decided to turn this into a state religion, but with the original cultural values. Johnston (56) says that the Roman government decided to marry culture and the new Christian beliefs. Through the support of government, a number of churches were built within Rome.
The more the new faith was accepted, the more the government took its leadership through the appointment of individuals who were their puppets. This saw the inception of Catholic Church, with its headquarters in Rome, Italy and pope as its head.
Development of Major Western Church Tradition
The Catholic Church was a Christian faith as taught by Jesus Christ but deeply rooted in the Roman culture. It became almost impossible to separate the Roman culture from the beliefs and practices of the church. As religion spread and people became more intelligent and more aware of the Christ’s teachings, the more they came to realize that religion as it was had some problems that were contrary to the original teachings. Many cultures could not fit in the religion, as was advocated for by the Catholic Church (Gonzalez 57).
This saw the need for inculturation of the Christian belief. As it is, Christianity only shuns habits that are retrogressive in the sense that they harm a section of societal members unjustly and that it breeds hatred and separatism, as opposed to love and unity. In England, the king, together with other local leaders who felt that catholic was too much of Roman culture, started the Anglican Church.
This was a direct inculturation from what the society had embraced. They took Jesus’ teachings, incorporated them with their culture, which was good enough to match the teachings of Jesus, and embraced the new faith as Christianity.
This spirit entered the American society. They also developed the urge to embrace this religion, which they realized was good but in the context of the American culture. The spirit of inculturation was so strong in the American culture to an extent that each section had its own interpretation, giving rise to numerous churches, each with its own beliefs and cultural practices.
In America, the members of society were more aware of their rights to an extent that blackmailing them was impossible. Up to date, there are so many churches in America as compared to other places around the world.
Works Cited
Gonzalez, Justo. The Story of Christianity, New York: HarperCollins, 2010. Print.
Johnston, William. Recent Reference Books in Religion: A Guide for Students, Scholars, Researchers, Buyers, & Readers, New York: Routledge. 1999. Print.
Our life aims to glorify God and live according to His purpose of our life. Jesus Christ’s command is to “make disciples … teaching them to obey” (Mt. 28: 18-20). It should be remembered that spiritual knowledge is also very important for our life which is why the importance of Christian Education should not be underestimated. The main aim of Christian Education is to prepare disciples not only by providing theological and biblical knowledge but teaching them to use this knowledge in their life. To achieve this aim, educational leaders should be acquainted with pedagogical, curricular, and developmental theories.
The main aim of the mission-based model of Christian Education is to develop educational leaders to achieve the mission of Christian Education namely discipleship education. The Ministry of Education is responsible for the quality of Christian Education. The officials should take into account the needs of students and they should collaborate with local churches to improve the quality of education. Local churches are also concerned with Christian Education. If people need to approach God they go to the local church. Christianity is strictly connected with the Churches thus the best decision to make the quality of the Christian Education better is to organize a mission-based model of Christian education in a local church (Anthony, 2001).
The theological courses prepare government officials, teachers, and pastors to practice Christian Education
Particular attention should be given to pastors and educators as far as they are responsible for the quality of education. That is why it is necessary to organize special theological seminars for educators and pastors that help them to provide Christian Education more effectively. One of the main goals of such theological seminars is to prepare students to run congregations in the church and to train pastors, teachers, and ministers. This course prepares to organize, administer and evaluate the educational ministry programs. The theological seminars aim at providing theological and biblical knowledge to Christian Education ministry in the local church. As far as we live in the era of modern technologies our model of Christian education contains not only ordinary classrooms but internet sites and lessons where everyone has access to be taught God’s Word. Everyone who wants to study the Bible but does not have enough time for going to the Sunday Schools or preaches, may register on the site and look for the Course of Christian Education.
The graduates of this program should acquire cognitive mastery, ministry skills, and character and spiritual formation (Christian Education and Formation, 2012). Let us cast light upon each of these outcomes in detail as far as every student should realize the responsibility to prepare Jesus Christ’s disciples. Cognitive mastery presupposes the understanding of the importance of Biblical knowledge as the basis for Christian Education. Every educational leader should know major educational philosophies and practice them to achieve more effective results. More than that, students taught by this program should be acquainted with the main conceptual issues of the curriculum programs and the traditional forms of church life.
It is necessary to understand the parallel between developmental psychology and faith development and their role in Christian Education. It should be pointed out that the program of Christian Education is connected with other social sciences which are also expected to know by the educational readers. The students should observe the relation between Biblical knowledge and real life. They should understand how this knowledge may be helpful in an everyday life. It is not quite a simple task to draw a parallel between high spiritual knowledge and ordinary everyday life. But there is no sense in the Biblical knowledge if this knowledge does not practice in a real life. To be Jesus Christ’s disciple denotes not only to read and know the Bible, it presupposes to make God the part of our life(Christian Education and Formation, 2012).
Ministry skills are very important to organize a process of education. Every graduate should have a clear vision of faith formation in the church. The ability to motivate and lead the church to the achieving of the mission plays an important role. The educational officials should know the basic educational theories and find an appropriate approach to different age groups. One of the main aims of the theological courses is to create a “pedagogical creed that is both biblical and educational” (Christian Education and Formation, 2012). The graduates should be able to design programs for children, youth, and adults taking into account their abilities and needs.
Character and Spiritual Formation is another necessary quality for educational leaders. They should be passionate teachers of God’s Word. The best way to teach is to provide examples. The words should not contradict their actions. Teachers should be the disciples themselves and set a pattern by their own life. Teachers always seek the balance between theory and practice. The aim of Christian Education is not only to teach but to change a life. As far as the life change is believed to be “ultimately the work of the Holy Spirit”, the process of teaching and learning is also spiritual and communal acts. All these characteristics are necessary to have to be a qualified and professional teacher of religious study. It concerns not only teachers of religious studies working at the universities or schools, all these qualities are necessary to have by the pastors as far as the church plays a very important role in Christian Education.
It should be noted that the notion of Christian Education presupposes not only the high education on religious study or having the degree in this area as has been said above, it also means Christian upbringing and exhortation of the society. Everyone should have Christian Education as far as all people are God’s children and should live according to His rules. Everyone should be Jesus Christ’s disciple and Christian Education helps to achieve this aim.
Family-friendly churches as the essence of the mission-oriented model
The mission-based model of Christian Education in a local church is very effective at achieving the above-formulated aim. There are a lot of advantages of realization of such model in a local church as far as the church is associated with religion and people who need to approach God and become Jesus Christ’s disciple know that all these they can find in the church. According to David Parrish, age-graded programs of Christian Education are not so effective as a mission-based model of Christian Education in a local church as far as it is unnatural and unbiblical to divide or segregate the family according to their age. Christian Education should unite the whole family. Parents should read the Bible to their children and teach them God’s Word. Modern society tries to keep children from their parents that is judged by the Bible. Public education is based on the philosophical ideas of John Dewey, G.F. Hegel, G. Stanley Hall, and Rosseau who believe that isolating children from their parents is very effective in education as far as it helps the children to be independent (Parrish, 2005).
The church should attack anti-christian believes that neglect family and biblical values. That is why the best way to be spiritually educated is to visit the church with the whole family. The Bible points out that the responsibility of the teaching of the children belongs to their parents. The church has only a supplemental role in the process of the upbringing of the children but the parents should be taught in the church how to bring up their children. Such pieces of training should be provided in a family Bible class where the families are taught God’s Word. There should not be any division of demands among children and adults. Children should realize that they are treated by God in the same way as their parents. We are all equal before the God and such age divisions are not necessary. God does not have the notion of age.
Intergenerational activities are very useful for both adults and children as far as children can be taught by the adults as well as adults can be taught by the children. People should not forget that we are all children before God. Intergenerational communication is very important in modern society as far as there is a strict age division in our society and children lack communication with adults (Parrish, 2005). Children are accustomed today to spending most of their time communicating with their peers while the adults spend their time with their friends and there is a gulf between generations which may be overcome with the help of this model of Christian Education. It is very useful for children to observe how their parents worship and learn as far as parents should be the best example for their children. The local churches aim at building family values. The family is an important component of society.
The model of Sunday schools
Among these intergenerational meetings, Sunday Schools are necessary to provide Christian Education to the youth together with other social sciences. The structures of most Sunday Schools should be reconsidered. Many Sunday schools continue their development according to the models of late 1700. At that time, these schools were for poor people to teach them to read and write. They also catered for underprivileged children who worked during the week and went to Sunday schools to have basic education (Rethinking Youth Ministry). These establishments continue to be called schools. The notion of school is associated with children sitting at their desks, writing in copy-books and raising their hands to answer. Many churches have failed to adapt Sunday schools with the cultural changes. It is necessary to rethink the structure of Sunday schools and the process of Christian Education. The following steps may be useful for the Sunday schools:
Curriculum
The curriculum is a very important part of education. Although it helps to organize the process of education, on the one hand, it makes the process of learning mechanical on the other hand. The main task of Christian education is to teach students not to teach lessons (Rethinking Youth Ministry). Teachers should not orient on the plan they should seek to achieve results. It is necessary to focus not on the lesson plans but on the individuals, their abilities, and their needs. The curriculum should be based on the current themes which are important for a particular group of students and correspond to their demands. Biblical studies should be related to other social sciences as well as to the burning issues of modern society for example to the problems and current issues that the students face in an everyday life. The teachers should make the list of moral or ethical questions useful and interesting for discussions. It does not mean that the curriculum should be neglected but the teacher should change the curriculum according to the situation.
A friendly and relaxed atmosphere
Many people associate Sunday schools with strict teachers and harsh discipline. Of course, strictness and discipline are necessary for the process of education but the atmosphere in the classroom should favor learning. When students are afraid of their teacher it is quite complicated for them to communicate with him/her and as the result, there is a barrier between students and teachers. The teachers should orient on the example of Jesus Christ who is a kind and merciful teacher.
The place for teaching
Many teachers and students are accustomed that the lesson takes place in the classroom or the church as in our case. Every teacher should take into account that it is not obligatory and he/she can diversify the place for teaching. It may be a nearby park or garden. Jesus Christ preaches in nature’s lap. The beauty of nature and fresh air make the lessons more interesting and the atmosphere more relaxed.
Allow the pupils to be the teachers
Many children dream of being teachers. Teachers may allow their elder pupils to teach the younger ones. Such experience will be useful for them and they can use their knowledge in practice. Jesus Christ is a teacher and preacher and children want to follow Him.
Intergenerational communication or exchange of experience
It is not always useful to group children according to age. Such age division deprives children of the communication of adults. It should be remembered that children are fond of communication with adults and teachers should provide them such opportunities with the help of intergenerational meetings with the members of the church.
Diversify the experiences
The workshop rotation model of Christian education may be effectively used to achieve this aim. The essence of this model is that the learner focuses on a certain biblical text for several weeks and tries to connect it with a different life situation or different areas of human life. For example, the learner experiences this biblical text in movies, science, literature, arts, games, etc. Such an approach helps to deepen the learners’ understanding of the Bible.
Make the lessons family-friendly
Parents, as well as their children, should come to Sunday school. Organize such lessons where children may come with their parents to share their experiences. Such an approach may unite families and make them stronger.
Practice different spiritual practices
Teachers should diversify their methods of teachings to make the process of education more interesting. Practice spiritual disciplines during your lessons such as prayer station, Lectio divine, or a simple Sabbath through rest.
Connect with other churches
Teachers may organize meetings with other churches. Such meetings provide opportunities to get acquainted with new people and share experiences.
Projects
Teachers may organize different projects to deepen the learners’ knowledge and develop their creative skills and talents. You may make a show based on the Biblical story. Children may paint the Biblical story. There are a lot of interesting games which help to develop the learners’ skills and make the lessons more captivating.
Motivation
One of the basic aims is to motivate the learners so that they do not miss the lessons and have a positive attitude to the process of learning. Learners should realize the importance of serving God. Christian education helps to be closer to God. Learners should realize the essence of their study and do all their best to follow Jesus Christ’s commands.
Sunday schools are still popular nowadays but they need some changes. The provided model may be quite useful for a local church and helps to increase the quality of Christian education. All the above-formulated changes may help to achieve the mission of local churches namely to prepare Jesus Christ’s disciples. The main problem of modern education is the large amount of information that is obligatory to learn in a short space of time. There is a strict curriculum that is obligatory to follow. As the result, knowledge is adopted quickly and superficially. Such an approach is not an appropriate one for Christian Education as far as its main aim is not to provide knowledge but to teach people to live according to this knowledge.
That is why it is necessary to devote more time to Christian Education. Another problem of modern Christian Education is financing. The local officials neglect the importance of Christian Education and not so much means are separated for it. As we have pointed out before first and foremost government officials and teachers should be prepared so that they realize the importance of Christian Education and know-how to improve that. Another problem is that many people neglect Christian education and do not visit local churches. That is why motivation is essential in solving this problem. Government officials, teachers, and pastors should unite their efforts in propagandizing the importance of Christian education. It should be remembered that Christian Education may help to solve a lot of other current social problems in society.
The realization of this model in modern society and the current problems.
The mission-based model of Christian Education starts from the theological courses that prepare local authorities, teachers, and pastors to teach other people. Secondly, the structure of the local church should be changed. There should be organized special intergenerational meetings for the whole families and the structure of Sunday school should be also altered. The proposed model orients to the family and biblical values. There is no age division and strict educational programs. This family-friendly model helps to unite families which are the basic units of our society. Changing the families the churches change the whole society. The society which practices Biblical knowledge is much healthier and stable.
References List
.Anthony, Michael. Introducing Christian Education: Foundations for the Twenty-first Century. USA: Baker Academic, 2001.
Christianity as a religion has its roots in Judaism. Many early Christians had been converted from Judaism. The first-century Christians still practiced Jewish customs apart from their faith n Jesus Christ. There was almost no difference between Christians and Jews by that time. When support for the conversion of Jews into Christianity diminished, Christians began preaching to the gentiles. However, Christianity did not expand greatly with the gentile infusion. The growth and success of Christianity came from the conversion and patronage of Constantine. The early Christians were perceived with suspicion. Due to this perception, Christians began seeking converts secretly as well as hiding their practices. In Rome, Christianity was treated with much suspicion and hostility. Roman had several unfulfilled dreams and had been neutralized in the first century. This hostility culminated in the persecution campaign led by Nero and the emperors that followed after that.
Similarities and Differences of First Century Christianity and Judaism
Christianity is essentially an offshoot of Judaism. By all means, Christianity derived its concept of faith from the practices and beliefs of Judaism. Early Christianity and Judaism, therefore, shared many similarities. Both religions were monotheistic and believed in the existence of one sovereign God. However, the two were greatly different in many ways. Christians believed in God and His son with whom they are one. They also believed that Christ died for humankind and that faith in Christ leads to salvation and eternal [peace. Jews, on the other hand, believed in the Torah and the laws of Moses. They scorned the idea of a savior. They also believed that they were the chosen ones and the rest were inferior to them.
Why Romans Looked at Early Christianity with Derision
The Christian religion came with a new set of beliefs and practices that were strange to the Romans. The beliefs like no offering of sacrifices since Christ had offered did not make sense to the Romans. The Christians did not take part in Roman events and practices due to their faith. This made the Romans perceive them with derision. They were considered with great suspicion since theirs was a strange religion that made no sense to the Romans. Christianity was therefore seen as a cult whose beliefs clashed with those of the Romans (Reinhold & Lewis 203). The practices and beliefs of Christians brought anger and suspicion since they isolated them from the Romans. They acted contrary to the beliefs and practices of the Romans. The Romans, therefore, felt that the Christians did not fit or appreciate their values.
The Causes of Hostility
The Romans were hostile to early Christianity due to the way the Christians perceived them. They were considered removed and potentially subversive. This made the Romans treat Christianity with contempt (Tanzer 63). The Jews of Rome had gone through many events that neutralized them. Christians were still noble, and this perception led to the suspicious treatment they experienced. It can therefore be said that the early Christians, to an extent, were responsible for the hostility towards them. The way they perceived the Romans had a lot of impact on how they were treated. Had they approached and perceived the Romans properly, they could have escaped being targets of Nero and his predecessors.
How Christianity Survived Persecution
When Christianity arrived in Rome, it was met with hostility and opposition. The beliefs and practices of Christianity clashed with those of Roman pagan beliefs. As a result of these, the Romans began persecuting Christians. Early Christians in Rome were supposed to denounce their religion and offer sacrifices to pagan gods, sometimes forced to worship the emperor. The early Christians’ life became increasingly difficult as the emperors ordered them to be imprisoned until they renounced Christ. However, the more they were persecuted, the more they increased in number. Jails were congested with Christians who had refused to denounce Christ in exchange for their freedom. The Christians, therefore, thrived under the Roman threat of imprisonment, forced service, and martyrdom. This refusal to deny their faith made the Romans get interested in their beliefs. Their strong belief in Jesus Christ and their unwavering faith were the chief reason for their success during persecutions (Geer 96-102).
Conclusion
Christianity and Judaism share a lot in terms of history and faith. Christianity is an offshoot of Judaism since Christian beliefs came from those held by the Jews. However, the two religions are different in many aspects, as discussed above. The advent of Christianity in Rome had its own challenges. The early Christians of Rome were received with contempt and suspicion. They were subjected to persecutions to denounce their faith. However, their unwavering stand of faith gave them the strength to endure this harsh period.
Works Cited
Geer, Russel. Roman Civilization. Michigan: University of Michigan, 2008.
Reinhold, Meyer & Lewis, Naphtali. Roman civilization: selected readings. Columbia: Columbia University Press, 1990.
Tanzer, Hellen. Roman civilization: a handbook for students. Michigan: Edwards Brothers inc, 1933.