...and comprehend the enduring questions of life. Religious traditions through its characteristics seek to answer these timeless questions, which go beyond human comprehension and scientific understanding. Religious traditions are defined by its 4 characteristics: beliefs and believers, sacred texts and writings, ethics, rituals and ceremonies, which are continually being reinvented, reinterpreted and renewed. In order to keep a religion living and dynamic that embodies its core beliefs whilst still adapting facets to modern context throughout the ages like Christianity has been undertaking for the past 2000 years. Sacred texts and writings are an essential aspect of religious tradition that must be embraced. Whether they are written, oral or made into visual images, as they aid the adherents to understand the answer to the enduring questions of life. For example the bible is the most important, core document in Christianity as it contains the Word of God, it presents believers with the most important role model and practical exemplar for which they can base their existence around. Therefore adherents are able to understand that earthly life, possession and desires aren’t important compared to what comes after where they are able to live eternally with God in heaven. Henceforth it gives believer’s comfort and strength to live righteous even when times are tough as once earthly life is over they will be reunited with God eternally in heaven. Thus showing how sacred texts and writings...
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...adventure of an old mariner who is cursed for the entirety of his life because he kills an albatross; even deeper than that, it is also a religious allegory that conveys a plethora of themes pertaining to Christianity. On one hand, if a person were to read "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" simply as a tale at sea, the poem stands to be remarkable because of its rhyme of simplicity and easy flow. On the other hand, if one reads much deeper into the intricate details, symbolism, themes, and literary aspects, Coleridge will have produced a masterpiece in their eyes. Furthermore, a multitude of critics agree that there are several connotations that signify religion in this ballad; however, very few agree upon it being an allegory that mainly reflects the specific ideology of Christianity. Christianity preaches that life is basically a test by which we either pass and go to heaven, or fail and go to hell. Also, the human body is a victim of the human thought and action, which is represented by the soul. Therefore, in relation to the ballad, we can refer to the ship as the human body and the Mariner who steers the ship and leads it to destruction as the human soul. This ship led by the Mariner goes through a trial of storm and winds, but fails because of the Mariner. In Christianity, when a person is over with the trial (dies), his body rots away, " for dust you are and to dust you will return," (Genesis 3:16 19), and the soul remains alive, either tortured, or pleased. The ship sinks...
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...The Columbian Exchange allowed new materials to be imported and exported all around the world on a biosocial scale. The notion of slavery and racism shaped the way how native people and African slaves were treated in the new world. The Global Economy began and allowed trade to occur in a new way. All these factors not only affected Europe but touched all the corners of the Earth from Portuguese Brazil, France's new Canada, and England colony Australia. Today we still see the way this period changed the world by culture, language, and religion. European history doesn’t just belong to Europe but relevant to the whole world because history affects...
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...LAL GOEL Also known as Dr. Madan Lal Goel University of West Florida lgoel@uwf.edu Abstract. The notion of a clash of civilizations has gained notoriety since the terrorist attack on WTC on 9/11/2001. Professor Samuel P. Huntington has popularized the view that the coming global conflict will be among major civilizations, not among different political ideologies. He identifies eight major civilizations: the Western (Europe and North America), Slavic (Russia and Eastern Europe), Islamic, Confucian, Hindu, Japanese, Latin American, and the African. Of particular focus in the present paper is the threat to civilization from radical Islam. Three factors that foment radicalism are described: the Islamic theology of exclusiveness, the nostalgic memory of a Muslim empire that lasted nearly 1,000 years, and the consequences of oil boom in the Middle East. Population estimates for different civilizations are provided at the end. Introduction The theory of a clash of civilizations has been with us for some time. British historian Arnold Toynbee used the term in a series of lectures he delivered in 1953. The Middle East specialist Bernard Lewis wrote in 1990 that the Muslim rage against the West is “no less than a clash of civilizations” (Lewis, 1990, p 60). Samuel P. Huntington, a Harvard University political science professor, has given new currency to the notion of a clash of civilizations. His 1993 article in Foreign Affairs has gained global audience. A few years...
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...HAIGAZIAN UNIVERSITY Faculty of Humanities Department of Religion Fall 2012-2013 REL 292 - Christian-Muslim Dialogue (3 credits) Instructor: Issa DIAB (Th.D (Theology); Dr. His. (Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations); Dr. in Cultures and Societies in the Arab and Muslim World; DrTh in Bible Translation-Septuagint and Targum (cand). Phone Office: +961 (01) 90 12 59 – Mobile (03) 275 930; Phone/Fax (01) 88 33 13 -Office Number E-mail: issadiab@hotmail.com ; IDiab@haigazian.edu.lb ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Chapter 1 – General Introduction: What, Why, and What for is a Dialogue Introduction This is an introductory chapter, in which I give the necessary definition and introduce the material that we will study in this course. I will also try to present the matter of Christian-Muslim Dialogue as a pressing matter, not only in Lebanon, but also in the world. I will attempt to answer, in this chapter, such questions as ‘what is a dialogue?’, ‘what does urge Christians and Muslims to engage in dialogue?’, ‘what are the difficulties of dialogue?’, what are the topics to be studied for a sound dialogue?’ and others. With the exception of natural cataclysms that attacked our planet earth, the number of people who died in or because of ‘religious wars’ in the history of humankind is much bigger than those who died in anything else. A great number of people were persecuted, bodily or...
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...Ku Klux Klan is composed of three distinct movements formed in the United States of America and were strongly advocating for the white supremacy. The movements also advocated and championed for white nationalism anti-catholic, Nordicism and anti-immigration. The earliest group of the KKK was formed immediately after the civil war. As Tucker, 1991 states, “The Klan was racist, white, and Anglo-Saxon. It had its violent fringes, mostly in the South and Southwest (Tucker, 1991). This paper will discuss the role that Christian beliefs and practices played in the various manifestations of the Ku Klux Klan since the early 1900s. It will also discuss how the Klan’s outlook has changed over time, and what this might tell us about changing understandings...
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...Spirit. The full deity and humanity of Christ refers to the existence of the Son of God in two forms as human and as God. The trinity shows how the attributes of God are shown with the three forms he is. The trinity was a doctrine developed in the early church to answer the frequently asked questions about the nature of God. This was mostly in Arianism in the attempt to protect monotheism. God is believed be three persons in one essence. Theology however explains the trinity as a way of denying the oneness and uniqueness of God. The statement that there is only one God is seriously opposed in the trinity aspect. The doctrine of the trinity plays a major role amongst Christians today. Just as God is three in one, Christians are encouraged to employ the system of togetherness as no man can stand alone. It even presents a better argument that even God is three in one. This is often mistaken making understanding the trinity a hard task for believers. It involves careful concideration of the bibles analysis and faith to understand how God is both one and three. Basically, the trinity can be understood by reading the scriptures. Once all these is relevant to a person then the concept of the trinity is easier to relate to the human life and relationships.the so considered irrelevant doctrines of Christianity is actually the most important. The much Christians gain from understanding the trinity is evident from the way He made us, our lives and our...
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...One might ask, “What is an evolutionary theory?” as I have asked myself several times whilst conducting research for this essay. My conclusion is that it is, quite simply, a theory of evolution. The online Oxford Dictionary defines evolution as, “The gradual development of something.” (2012) The dictionary defines a theory as, “A supposition or a system of ideas intended to explain something…” Therefore, by using these two definitions, it can be said that a social evolutionary theory is a system of ideas intended to explain the gradual development of society. This question is vital in interpreting the purpose of this essay. The task at hand in completing this essay is to compare and contrast the social evolutionary theories of Auguste Comte and Herbert Spencer. Before we analyze these theorist’s works, it is critical that we first look at the setting under which these men lived and worked. According to Ritzer (2011), Comte and Spencer both lived most of their lives during the 19th century. Comte lived from 1798 to 1857 while Spencer lived from 1820 to 1903. Comte and Spencer were from France and Britain respectively. The 18th and 19th centuries in Europe was characterized by widespread social change due to the Enlightenment period and the French Revolution. I think that this time period was the reason why social evolutionary theories were needed because of the extensive amount of change taking place in such a short time. There was a need for and a fascination with explanations...
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...Culture & religion for a sustainable future Introduction Culture shapes the way we see the world. It therefore has the capacity to bring about the change of attitudes needed to ensure peace and sustainable development which, we know, form the only possible way forward for life on planet Earth. Today, that goal is still a long way off. A global crisis faces humanity at the dawn of the 21st century, marked by increasing poverty in our asymmetrical world, environmental degradation and short-sightedness in policy-making. Culture is a crucial key to solving this crisis. Source: Preface, World Culture Report, UNESCO Publishing, Paris, 1999. Our cultural values, which often include particular religious beliefs, shape our way of living and acting in the world. Module 11 on Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainability explores the importance of indigenous values and spirituality in providing guidance for sustainable living. Such principles and values encourage a spirit of harmony between people, their natural environments and their spiritual identities. The principles for living sustainably that flow from these and other cultural and religious beliefs vary between groups and countries. They have also changed over time as circumstances demand. Despite this diversity, many principles for living sustainably are shared, not only among indigenous peoples, but also between different religious traditions. This module explores the role of culture and religion in providing guidance on ways...
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...Marxism Within Black Theology of Liberation. This study seeks to expose the ways in which Black Theology of Liberation was shaped by Marxism through the writings of its founders, concentrating predominantly on the need to bring about the liberation of the poor African-Americans from their repressive white racist oppressors by any means necessary, and the redistribution of wealth to those deprived of it by their white capitalist oppressors. The theme of this researched remained embed in my mind during, and after the 2008-09 presidential campaign of former Sen. Barack Obama, when some of his political opponents thought it beneficial to disclose Obama’s connections to a Black Theology of Liberation. Through this research I seek not only to obtain a broader understanding of this particular theology of liberation, but also to understand the Marxist ideological concept within the Black Theology of Liberation. Towards the culmination of the decade which witnessed the peak of the Civil Rights movement, black churches throughout America in the 1960s began to search for avenues through which they could help their communities cope with racial discrimination. Caught between the contradicting preachings of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, a peculiar young theology student from Union Theological Seminary of New York City, James H. Cone, published his proposal for a Black Theology of Liberation titled Black Theology and Black Power (1969). This first scholarly work served...
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...AP World History Survival Guide Name ________________________________ Teacher __________________________ Block _________________ Table of Contents | Pages | AP World History Overview | 3 – 7 | The AP Exam | 3 | World Regions | 4 – 5 | Five Course Themes | 6 | Four Historical Thinking Skills | 7 | Essays Overview | 8 - 15 | Document-based Question (DBQ) | 8 – 12 | Change and Continuity over Time (CCOT) | 13 – 15 | Comparative Essay | 16 – 18 | Released Free Response Questions | 19 – 20 | AP Curriculum Framework | 21 – 38 | Period 1 (Up to 600 B.C.E.)—5% | 21 – 22 | Period 2 (600 B.C.E. to 600 C.E.)—15% | 23 – 25 | Period 3 (600 to 1450)—20% | 26 – 28 | Period 4 (1450 to 1750)—20% | 29 – 31 | Period 5 (1750 to 1900)—20% | 32 – 35 | Period 6 (1900 to the present)—20% | 36 – 38 | Help with Some Confusing Subjects | 39 – 43 | Chinese Dynasties | 39 | Political, Economic, and Social Systems | 40 | Religions | 41 | Primary Sources | 42 | “Must Know” Years | 43 | * Many of the guidelines in this study packet are adapted from the AP World History Course Description, developed by College Board. The AP Exam Purchasing and taking the AP World History exam are requirements of the course. This year, the AP World History exam will be administered on: ___________________________________________ Format I. Multiple...
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...AP World History Survival Guide Name ________________________________ Teacher __________________________ Block _________________ Table of Contents | Pages | AP World History Overview | 3 – 7 | The AP Exam | 3 | World Regions | 4 – 5 | Five Course Themes | 6 | Four Historical Thinking Skills | 7 | Essays Overview | 8 - 15 | Document-based Question (DBQ) | 8 – 12 | Change and Continuity over Time (CCOT) | 13 – 15 | Comparative Essay | 16 – 18 | Released Free Response Questions | 19 – 20 | AP Curriculum Framework | 21 – 38 | Period 1 (Up to 600 B.C.E.)—5% | 21 – 22 | Period 2 (600 B.C.E. to 600 C.E.)—15% | 23 – 25 | Period 3 (600 to 1450)—20% | 26 – 28 | Period 4 (1450 to 1750)—20% | 29 – 31 | Period 5 (1750 to 1900)—20% | 32 – 35 | Period 6 (1900 to the present)—20% | 36 – 38 | Help with Some Confusing Subjects | 39 – 43 | Chinese Dynasties | 39 | Political, Economic, and Social Systems | 40 | Religions | 41 | Primary Sources | 42 | “Must Know” Years | 43 | * Many of the guidelines in this study packet are adapted from the AP World History Course Description, developed by College Board. The AP Exam Purchasing and taking the AP World History exam are requirements of the course. This year, the AP World History exam will be administered on: ___________________________________________ Format I. Multiple...
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...including the primary and secondary functions of business. INTRODUCTION There are certain intellectual and philosophical criteria that can be used to test any worldview, and we want our students to understand how and why the Christian worldview uniquely meets those criterion and therefore passes the worldview “test” in the following ways: • A worldview is the intellectual, emotional, and perhaps even spiritual framework by which we apprehend reality and assign meaning to life. Everyone has a worldview; it may not be very developed, but nevertheless, everyone is approaching life based upon one. We believe that a worldview based upon Biblical truth is the most logically sound and meaningful approach to understanding and living life. CHRISTIANITY AND THE WORLDVIEW TEST • • Epistemology (the study of what is true): God revealed through nature, his Word, and Christ, the Living Word of God; a worldview that starts with random chance or an impersonal, cosmic force does not have any place for a logical understanding of what is real or meaningful. There is no “meaning” behind anything; it is just random chance. Incidentally, if there is a God who reveals...
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...THE COUNCIL OF EPHESUS [431], THE THEOLOGICAL ISSUES ADDRESSED, AND THE KEY FIGURES INVOLVED. Student’s Name Registration Course Date CONTENTS Topic 4 The Introduction…..4 ThesisStatement 5 Nestorius: Author of Heresy………………………………………………………………………6 The Theology of the Council…………………………………………………………………..…12 Findings…………………………………………………....15 Bibliography 16 THE COUNCIL OF EPHESUS [431], THE THEOLOGICAL ISSUES ADDRESSED, AND THE KEY FIGURES INVOLVED. INTRODUCTION This paper presents an inspiring story that focuses on the Christian enthusiasm concerning the faithful during the period of the fifth century. The faithful Christians staged war where they opposed the heresy that could have been the cause of degrading the faith through the incarnation and finally leading to the derogation of the Mother of God's dignity. Following this instance, it is very much possible to imagine that the good reaction or even its absence in the present times ecumenical Liberals leads to the emergence of Nestorius during our time1. However, the Catholics who lived in the fifth century, glory to God, had a close relationship with Martyrs Age. In this regard, it then becomes necessary to find out how these Catholics defended their faith, taking into consideration that for each and every moment that a Catholic follower prays these days, conducts such prayers through the enthusiasm of Ephesus in 431. Indeed, an Ecumenical or the General Council of the Church refers to the sole...
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...Final Essay This paper will give a brief critique of the articles that have been provided. Every article will be summarized with the main points of the article examined, and the overall significance of the article appraised. By doing this, it will be possible to read this paper and obtain a general feel for all the articles the have been provided. WHAT DO WE EXPERIENCE IF WE HAVE RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE? By Peter Antes. This article looks at why people who have religious experiences never “...saw a person who was totally unknown in the respective religious context where the apparition took place.” (Antes 3). Why don’t people ever see the God(s) from other religions, why do some people “...see Kali or Durga, while in Christian contexts, if the vision is that of a woman, St. Mary is seen instead.” (Antes 3). This thesis is rather profound in the fact that almost every religion claims to have religious experiences and divine visions, but never of the God(s) from other religions. An interesting contrast shown in the body of the article is between Madeleine Le Bouc, and Ramakrishna. The former, was said to be quite mad by Doctor Pierre Janet while the ladder was considered a saint. Antes points out that “...they had similar types of experience which, according to their surrounding milieus, found very different explanations: a medical one in terms of mental illness in the secular context of France, and a religious one in the Indian context of Hindu spirituality.” (Antes 2). By using...
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