Jesus as the Presence of Abba Cooke's discussion of Jesus as the presence of Abba relies on Jesus' humanity because, it is His humanity primarily that we are able to identify with and that we ourselves, ultimately, rely upon in order to conn Continue Reading...
Sacraments a Dialogue With God The Anglican faith is divided between those who are more Protestant in their beliefs and practices, and those who are more Catholic. Anglican Catholicism, sometimes referred to as the "High Church," is very similar to Continue Reading...
Jesus' Teachings, Prayer, & Christian Life "He (Jesus) Took the Bread. Giving Thanks Broke it. And gave it to his Disciples, saying, 'This is my Body, which is given to you.'" At Elevation time, during Catholic Mass, the pr Continue Reading...
Theology -- Christian Doctrine Christian Doctrine of the Church from the perspective of a believer hinges on several basic concepts. The concept of Church, the nature of the Church revealed through metaphors, the Church's beginning, government, func Continue Reading...
Theology Sacraments are traditional rites that are recognized as having a particular significance or importance. There are seven sacraments and baptism is on of them, it is the first of the three sacraments of initiation. Baptism involves the use of Continue Reading...
Sacramental Theology The meaning, origin, and significance of the sacraments of the Church have been debated for centuries with scholastics like Thomas Aquinas arguing that each sacrament was instituted by Christ and others, like Luther, arguing tha Continue Reading...
History Of Christianity The Conversion of Constantine In the peer-reviewed Catholic Historical Review, author Charles Odahl explains that there was an "arduous military campaign" to regain control of Rome from "usurper Maxentius" in A.D. 312 (three Continue Reading...
PASTORAL THEOLOGY (MISSION): A Review and Assessment of Book Chapters on Mission The key ideas in these chapters are that the idea of mission is rooted in the Bible and in the actions of the early Church, as the missionaries spread throughout the wo Continue Reading...
Spenser's Epithalamion How does Edmund Spenser reconcile holiness with passionate love in his "Epithalamion"? For a start, we must acknowledge precisely what "holiness" means to Spenser. Spenser is the pre-eminent English Protestant poet, and suppor Continue Reading...
CHURCH FATHERS DO YOU FIND THE MOST INSPIRING AND WHY? THE COURSE IS NAVIGATING CHURCH HISTORY. Cairns, Earle. E. (1996). Christianity Through Centuries: A History Christian Church. (Third edition). Saint Augustine of Hippo The majority of people Continue Reading...
" It caused missionaries to deal with peoples of other cultures and even Christian traditions -- including the Orthodox -- as inferior. God's mission was understood to have depended upon human efforts, and this is why we came to hold unrealistic univ Continue Reading...
Macbeth In Act I Scene 2 of the tragedy of Macbeth, Shakespeare -- after giving a brutally graphic description of how Macbeth "unseam'd…from the nave to the chaps" an enemy soldier -- makes his hero's name rhyme with the word "death" at the sc Continue Reading...
Liturgical Use of Visual Arts and Paganism Christian art's rich history goes as far back as the 3rd century A.D. Ever since the first paintings were done on catacomb walls, Christians have endeavored to use visible means for expressing the invisibl Continue Reading...
Shepherd: Pastor, Elder, Overseer The Shepherd The words elder, overseer, and pastor all describe the same authority of leadership within the universal church. However, since different denominations use these terms as though there are separate enti Continue Reading...
The Pope and the leadership guide us in our interpretation of scripture and tradition. As stated previously, Roman Catholicism is truly a lifetime experience. From cradle to grave, Holy Baptism to the Anointing of the Sick, we are surrounded by the Continue Reading...
persecution of early Christians under the Roman Empire is a matter of great interest and intrigue to many, even today; as is the matter of distinction and distrust between early Jews and Christians. Furthermore, the ironically similar behavior of or Continue Reading...
Religious Studies The world's spiritual traditions and religious practices have major groupings. However, in these groupings there is no uniformity of practice. Various religions have different culture and ways of practice. This practice began in th Continue Reading...
A great deal of this is accomplished by serving others and thinking of others first, before oneself. Exerting responsible self-control by engaging in personal habits conducive to bodily health refers to an act that is partly commonsense and partly t Continue Reading...
high degree of misinformation I had received from traditional teachings about the church and the beginning of Christianity. Moreover, I was struck by the notion that most other people in the Western world receive this same degree of intentional misi Continue Reading...
Persona Christi An Analysis of the Priesthood "in persona Christi" and "in nominee ecclesiae" The questions that surround the functions of the priesthood and the diaconate today appear to be part and parcel of the greater uncertainty that surround Continue Reading...
" Later on, after being promised the eternal life, people understood that Baptism means, in fact, rebirth into spirit. People keep this ritual of Baptism, as they need a confirmation of God promise of eternity. Being weak beings, people have always Continue Reading...
Eucharist in Catholicism and Calvinism Our word "Eucharist" is derived directly from the Greek of the New Testament: etymologically, it derives from the word for grace (charis) with a prefix (eu) meaning "good" or "well," but the original Greek word Continue Reading...
Christianity Called "outward signs of inward grace" by the Catholic Encyclopedia online, the sacraments form an integral part of Christian ritual worship (Kennedy). However, the ways the sacraments are interpreted and valued by various Christian sec Continue Reading...
Faustus, who sees his time also coming to a close, becomes a kind of Hamlet-figure and doubts that he can be forgiven. Faustus' problem is more than a life of misdeeds -- it is a problem of lack of faith. The faith of Everyman may have been lukewarm Continue Reading...
" Therefore, the Second Coming and the Rapture are coincidental events, both of which have to do with Christ returning to Earth. The Rapture specifically refers to what happens to human beings. Once Christ returns, the "thousand-year reign" on Earth Continue Reading...
At the time, the understanding was that state must be relatively autonomous from major religious concerns. The post-reformation European political theorists believed that Europe had experienced the religious conflict within states and between state Continue Reading...
Baptism Debate: An Examination of the Purpose and Merits of Baptism There is no trick involved in entering the Kingdom of Heaven, but many theologians argue that there are some important steps that must be taken to help pave the way, including being Continue Reading...
Christianity The breaking or the fraction of 'bread' is one of the rites of Christianity, and it involves the breaking up of the Eucharistic bread, after which the Eucharistic wine will be poured, in order to prepare for Holy Communion. In early tim Continue Reading...
Gospel: Gospel is a message that has contents on Jesus, God, salvation, the Kingdom of God, and everything that is done to reach out this message to the believers. Gospel is also one of the books in the New Testament talking about the life, death, r Continue Reading...
" Moreover, Malachi Martin describes the theology as "a freeing from political oppression, economic want, and misery here on earth. More specifically still…a freeing from political domination by the capitalism of the United States." Furthermo Continue Reading...
Certainly, the best counseling is proactive and for one to really keep up with a situation is to stay ahead and to be able to anticipate how events will develop as the pastor gains more experience. As the book title implies however, even the best tr Continue Reading...
Slavophilia and National Identity in Russia Slavophilia is the love of "Mother Russia" that every true Russian feels for his native country. This love is not founded in any absurd or materialistic attachment to the country, but rather to the spiritu Continue Reading...
Machiavelli, Luther, And Muntzer Must a good politician be morally bad? In the context of the Reformation, this question revolves around how Christians would define what is "morally bad" had become suddenly and seriously complicated by competing def Continue Reading...
Marriage and the Bible: Understanding the Concept In ancient Israel, marriage was largely a social construct arranged between parents for their children -- divorce was possible but largely for the very rich, and even the Old Testament presumption wa Continue Reading...
Grace and Sin in Flannery O'Connor Virtually all of Flannery O'Connor's short stories contain the receiving of grace by an unworthy protagonist at the tale's climatic moment. The hero of "Parker's Back" gets a Catholic, Byzantine tattoo of Christ on Continue Reading...
According to the institutional authority of the Catholic Church, individuals must accept certain principles, go through certain orientation and membership procedures (such as confirmation and confession), and submit to certain authorities, such as p Continue Reading...
..if you really want the Christ and truly love him, there is nothing that will prevent his coming and taking up his abode with you provided your love for him manifests..." through loving inner spirit of Christ instead only the outside. One may appear Continue Reading...
All liturgical methods have something to offer. What works best in one situation may not work as well in another, which is why multiple methods are meaningful. Hughes outlines several different approaches to liturgy, including the historical method, Continue Reading...
