Revival as the Impetus for Church Growth

Summary A long time ago, a famous novelist wrote the immortal lines: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of time, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity.” Charles Dickens’...

The Qumran-Essene Theory: Insights from the Dead Sea Scrolls

Background information and the impact on religious communities The discovery of strange manuscripts by a Bedouin near the Dead Sea in 1947 led to archeological excavations in the area that resulted in the discovery of large volumes of antiquity materials. From 1947-1956, large volumes of Hebrew manuscripts, hidden in clay...

The Old Testament’ Importance for the Modern Believer

Introduction Today, many Christians neglect the Old Testament, considering that it only contains bedtime stories and is not relevant for the modern believers. However, this approach is not correct. Studying the Old Testament gives a modern believer knowledge on the relationship between God and people, explains certain universal principles, helps...

Genesis: Creation, Human Identity, and Civilization in the Bible

Introduction The Bible is one of the most influential books in human history. Words τὰ βιβλία are translated from Greek as “the books”; and indeed, The Bible is a collection of books. The Old Testament is generally divided into 39 books (Bible: Old Testament, n.d.). The first of them, Genesis,...

Buddhism and the Life Teaching of Siddhartha

Buddhism Essay Introduction Buddhism is believed to have been in existence, way before Siddhartha existed (United Press International, 2007, p. 1). Most scholars observe that the roots of Buddhism are very deep, and though Siddhartha contributed a lot to the development of the religion, many Buddhists believe that he was...

How Jesus Would Fit in Today’s Society

Introduction Religion constantly confronts contemporary culture and phenomena, either positively interacting with them or conversely coming into conflict with them. This relationship is based on the principles that faith erects around itself, so the potential relationship of Jesus as the One God with modernity is of interest. His relationship with...

Comparison of Christianity and Hinduism

Religious affiliation is one of the valuable components of the human personality. Adhering to particular religious worldviews in this way becomes an essential topic for research. This implies comparing aspects such as historical and geographical origins, core beliefs and practices, and important texts. Therefore, this essay will compare Hinduism and...

Book Review of “Paul the Jewish Theologian” by Young

Introduction Paul the Jewish Theologian: A Pharisee among Christians, Jews, and Gentiles is written by Brad H. Young. The author is an emeritus professor at Oral Roberts University, where he has served as a Tenured Professor of Judaic-Christian Studies for 31 years. Young holds a B.A. from Oral Roberts University,...

The Old Testament Through the Lens of Exile

Introduction The Old Testament, also known as the Hebrew Bible, is a collection of religious writings in Hebrew. It tells the story of a group of people brought out of slavery who intended to become a small nation on land ostensibly promised to them by God. According to Kelle, although...

Paul, the Jewish Theologian by B. H. Young

Book Information The title of the selected book for this review is Paul, the Jewish Theologian: A Pharisee among Christians, Jews, and Gentiles. The author of this text, Brad Humes Young, portrays Saul of Tarsus as someone who faced rejection in the Jewish synagogue. Nonetheless, he chose to live and...

Aspects of Islam and the Quran

Introduction The Quran is a sacred text that is followed by Muslims around the world. During ancient times, it promoted polygyny, men, and women being equal in Allah’s eyes, and marriage for procreation. However, it restricted the number of wives to four, demanding the husband treat them with equity (Khan...

Relational and Clinical Approaches to Counseling

Counseling can be generally defined as a process that helps people work through challenges in their lives. There are various types of counseling, but two common approaches are clinical and relational counseling. Clinically trained counselors are taught to assess and diagnose psychological disorders. They are additionally trained in the use...

Life Stages: Old Age, Dying, and Death

Death is perceived as natural and an inevitable part of life. We may not be sure about the outcomes of our lives, but one thing we are confident of is that we are all going to die. Although funerals help the living by giving them a chance to understand the...

Why Christian Education Has Declined in American Schools

Introduction Christians believe that their morals and teaching ought to be taught and passed to the next generation. Therefore, they justify the education as Jesus taught the crowds about morally accepted conduct and how to live by the word. The sharing of Christian education was further pushed to a broader...

“The Churching of America” by Finke and Stark

The Churching of America by Finke and Stark uses economic theory to illustrate the growth and failure of religious organizations is perhaps the most intriguing aspect of this book. They attribute religion’s gradual increase in vitality to increasing religious diversity created by America’s religious “free market” and the associated failure...

Understanding and Speaking About the Human Condition Theologically

Introduction One of the primary purposes of religion is to achieve salvation and create equal conditions for all people in relation to God. However, as many canons exist, more questions about the holiness of human beliefs emerge. The conception of conceived and born in sin provokes multiple discussions, and people...

The Issue of Religious Intolerance

Human beings have their perspective shaped by the peculiarities of their physiological and mental perception, interests, and dreams, and an internal drive to fulfill them. These things are called personality, inner will, and motivation, and they are present in all types of human activities and inevitably influence and manifest themselves...

Secular Combatants: Teaching Secular Worldviews in a Post-Secular Age

Investigating the connection between psychology and Christianity is a problematic and passionate task. One school of thought claims that psychology, or science, is opposed to Christianity or religion. On the one hand, secular combatants feel that religious tradition and mental health are incompatible. On the other hand, Christian warriors who...

Aspects of Christianity as a Religion

Introduction Religion is a collection of structured ideas, practices, and institutions that most typically pertain to the concept and worship of dominating power, such as a specific god or another supernatural creature. Religion frequently includes cultural ideas, worldviews, scriptures, prophecies, revelations, and values that have spiritual importance to adherents of...

The Difference between the Qur’an and Other Religious Texts

The Qur’an is a central divine book of Islam, written in the sacred language – Arabic. Many scholars believe that the message written within the passages of the Qur’an cannot be imitated since the Book is unique and contains universal knowledge. However, despite the initial beliefs, the Book can be...

Wise and Faithful Servants: Analysis of Parable

Jesus pledges to reward his disciples in the parable of the wise and faithful servants. In the life setting of Jesus’ ministry, ministering is an action carried out to express the truth, with the great commission serving as the model. In the parable, the master will dismember the sinful servant...

Principles of Maat and 42 Negative Confessions

Maat is associated with balance, wisdom, and faith according to the beliefs of Ancient Egyptian mythology. Maat herself is an Ancient Greek goddess who personifies the truth and the world’s harmony (Van Blerk, 2018). She symbolizes God’s order and laws, and according to these laws, seasons change each other, birth...

American Religion Now and Then

Introduction Both the global history of religion and the history of a particular religion in a separate state have always dominated the attention of researchers, philosophers, archaeologists, historians, and theologians. Journalists write articles in magazines, interview public and religious figures, and gather stadiums of followers. For quite a long time,...

Masuzawa, Tomoko “The Invention of World Religions” Review

Tomoko Masuzawa is a modern specialist in religious and cultural studies. Her analysis of religions includes linguistic, semantic, and even pedagogical aspects, especially if the problem of teaching religious studies is considered. Masuzawa, working with primary sources on ancient religions, combines religious issues with modern science and sociology methodology. In...

Christian Doctrines of Humanity

The Christian doctrine of humanity teaches that a human was created in the image of God. The monistic view is that all humans are a unit of body and soul. There are three substances created by God according to the doctrine, which is the human body, mind, and soul. Monist...

The Decline of Christianity in Europe Since 1675

The European Christianity have a long and varied history of decline. A powerful tendency for secularization appeared in Western Europe spreading to the entire European continent. The age of Enlightenment is the epoch of the decline of faith under the onslaught of scientific worldview and rationalism. The sunset of the...

God’s and Elijah’s Formal and Informal Leadership

Introduction This paper will discuss formal and informal leadership represented by God and Elijah the Prophet, respectively. It will focus on Elijah’s going through illness and hopelessness and God’s assisting him in finding the path to salvation. According to Merida (2015), “We have read of Elijah’s mountaintop experience at Mount...

Sikhism: History, Beliefs, Teachings and Festivals

Introduction of Sikhism Globally, several religions differ in various ways, but they all build an ethical framework for monitoring values in society. Religion is the “means by which human beings come to terms with what is most” (Smith). There are four classifications of religion; animism, polytheism, monotheism, and theism. Sikhism...

Chapter 1 of “The Story of the Quran” by Mattson

Introduction Ingrid Mattson’s Story of the Quran analyzes the holiest source of Muslims’ faith and knowledge across the globe. The key points the author is trying to highlight in the story include the origin of the Muslim cultural, personal, and historical details. It also illustrates how the Quranic revelation is...

Global Challenges of The Muslims in the Modern Society

The presented research outlined and examined some of the issues facing Muslims in modern society, taking into account knowledge acquisition and global Muslim representation as the core aims in the study. One of the significant problems identified in the research faced by Muslims was the mass media misrepresentation and Western...

Megachurches: History, Business and Values Aligned

Introduction In the second half of the twentieth century, various new forms of religiosity and types of religious identity appeared in many countries of the world. They, in particular, caused the formation of different, sometimes mutually exclusive concepts describing the state of religion in the modern world. These are secularization...

The Religion in the Ancient World

Ancient Greeks and ancient Asia represent two strikingly different civilizations with their distinct cultures, world outlooks, religions, and moral codes. Numerous ideas about ancient Greeks’ cultural life and religion can be found in myths, tragedies, and poems, while ancient Asia’s religious life can be primarily traced in Vedas or Upanishads....

The Attitude of Individuals Towards Other Religions

In the everyday world, while communicating, people use nonverbal language to help express themselves better. However, intercultural differences might lead to disagreements and misinterpretations as various traditions form special beliefs and explanations of nonverbal language. People from different countries can struggle to comprehend a foreigner. Gestures, as one of the...

Abrahamic Covenant. Chapters 12-50 of The Book of Genesis

The book of Genesis from chapters 12 to 50 talks about the covenant and promises that were made by God to Abraham. These promises are commonly referred to as Abrahamic covenant which generally is composed of three things: a land, a blessing, and a seed. The word covenant has extensively...

The Gospel of Matthew: The Temptation of Jesus

One’s personal growth is accompanied by various distractions of the present-day world, which prevent them from achieving important goals and having meaningful lives in general. They differ depending on the source and manifestation of such events, and revealing them should be a primary task for everyone who strives for a...

Christian Mission Methodology

The successful expansion of ideas and beliefs relies heavily on the methodology chosen by those who embark on this mission. The purpose of each Christian missionary is to transmit the ideas provided in the Gospel to a new audience, taking into consideration its cultural code and particularities. The effective choice...

“The Spirit in Creation” Article by David Williams

Introduction and Brief Summary In In the article, “The Spirit in creation,” the author David Williams explores the role of the Holy Spirit within the scope of creation, defining and stressing its significance in the Trinity in the context given. Williams, a professor of divinity at the University of Fort...

Reflections on Christian Ministry Journey

Introduction The desire to study Ministry and dedicate one’s life to Christianity as a profession does not correspond in people’s minds with an easy entertaining career. It is a challenging path with many classes, insights, obstacles, and personal conclusions. The Ministry requires broad knowledge and understanding of details in various...

Death and Dying: A Case Study

The questions about death and terminal conditions are difficult subjects to discuss. For many people, faith explains such happenings, providing solace or guiding their decisions for healthcare. In the case of George, the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) means that he has a limited time to live and that...

Saint John of the Cross, a Christian Mystic

Juan de Yepes, who later adopted the name “de la Cruz” (John of the Cross), is a Christian mystic, Catholic saint, writer, poet, reformer of the Carmelite order, and teacher of the Church. It may seem that this person lived in a different world: he found himself in everyday life,...

Sociocultural Influence of Catholicism

Introduction The rapidly growing world population presupposes the increase in the number of religious and social communities that inevitably have a tremendous influence on global development. However, there exists a relatively small number of world religions that now have been shaping the overall behavioral patterns of the community for centuries....

“Villancico VI” by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz

Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz is an exceptional example of Mexican religious literature. In her works, she tried to understand the nature of human spiritual life. Moreover, she also discussed the topic of women’s religious authority and feminist advocacy. Sor Juana examined political and colonial questions as well through...

Modern Pluralism and Challenges for Christianity

Human society has undergone various changes associated with all spheres of people’s lives. Modern pluralism is one of the shifts that is shaping the way people interact and see the world. One of the major peculiarities of this trend is the acceptance of multiple views on diverse concepts (Chatraw &...

Patient Spiritual Needs: Case Analysis

The principle of autonomy respects the patient’s rights to make an informed medical decision. However, this case falls under the Confucian society, where the head of the family decides for people under his care (Tai & Tsai, 2003). The physician should inform the parents about all possible measures and leave...

The Role of Women in Judaism

Judaism is thought to be founded almost 3,000 years ago. This religious idea is based on the Jewish ways of life. A lot of reverence is annotated from the account of Abraham and Moses in the Biblical writings. That is the covenant affiliation between the patriarchs and matriarchs and God...

The Worship Styles and Elements of the Baptist Church

Outline This paper traces the history and development of the worship styles and elements of the Baptist church from its early beginnings up to date and finally, it concludes. It is therefore divided into the following sections: Introduction, History and development of worship styles and elements, and Conclusion. Introduction According...

Judaism and Christianity Comparison

Introduction There are a lot of religions in modern world and a question which religion was the first, the primary remains the main in modern society. Every religion wants to gain the status of superiority. One of the longest and widest contest continues between Christianity and Judaism. Christian people are...

Social Theory. Religion as a Tool for Social Oppression

Introduction There can be no doubt as to the fact that religion played an important role in shaping up socio-political realities, ever since the dawn of history. In its turn, this allows the proponents of religious worldview on culture and science to suggest that people’s tendency to indulge in theological...

God and Humans Relate

Introduction In the well-known passage in Genesis, “God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…’” (New King James Version Bible Genesis 1.26). It is a powerful and fundamental statement that came define humanity for millennia, that humans are a likeness of the Divine. However, we are...

Haitian Vodou Traditions and Western Perception

Introduction Haitian Vodou has a long and proud history that incorporates discoveries and insights into human nature and the place of a man within the realm of the environment. However, Haitian Vodou as a set of practices, traditions, and observations has been affected by the dominant culture for a while....

Religions of the World and Their Analysis

Introduction Religious beliefs are an intrinsic part of a vast number of cultures and therefore need to be recognized as crucial phenomena that deserve close attention. Religions shape societal standards, morals, ethics, and behaviors worldwide, often affecting not only individual development but also the evolution of an entire nation. Therefore,...

The Catholic Church and Western Classical Music

The middle ages were characterized by the dominance of the Roman Catholic Church in many religious and social aspects of the community and society. Therefore, many secular elements of culture like the creation and composition of music had their origins in the Roman Catholic Church or were at least influenced...

Reviewing Leadership: A Christian Evaluation

Abstract The concept of leadership has been examined by many philosophers, sociologists, and theologists throughout history. Various styles and forms of leadership have been described, and several approaches to leadership have been proposed by scholars over the years. The topic of leadership has attracted the widespread attention of writers who...

Collective Effervescence and Liminality in Religious Experiences

Collective Effervescence According to Emile Durkheim, collective effervescence is the key element of various religious experiences. This concept is used to describe the feeling of exaltation that a person may have at the time when he/she participates in religious rituals as a member of the community. Under such circumstance, an...

Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament

Introduction A comparative study of the ancient Near Eastern cultures reveals that most of the traditions that the Israelites adhered to were similar to those of their neighbors. John Walton’s book is dedicated to an in-depth analysis of some of the important traditions, rituals, and beliefs that were held by...

“Lame Deer, Seeker of Visions” by Richard Erdoes

Introduction Lame Deer, Seeker of Visions is a compelling autobiography that provides readers with a rare glimpse into the spiritual beliefs and rituals of the Lakota Sioux. The book, which was co-written by respected medicine man John (Fire) Lame Deer and author and anthropologist Richard Erdoes, digs deeply into the...

Abrahamic Religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

The videos ‘Mysteries of the Church: Judaism Christianity and Islam’ and ‘Islam Christianity Judaism, ONE GOD’ provide a comprehensive overview of the origins and similarities of the three Abrahamic religions. These religions originated in the Middle East but adhered to different tenets and customs. The films explain that the belief...

Bullying From Religious Perspective

I want to talk about the rising problem of bullying in the American educational system, how harmful these behaviors may be, and how to stop it in a way that pleases God. I want to bring up the social issue of bullying and persuade that solving the issue will contribute...

The Aspects of the Spiritual Growth

Introduction The given analysis will mainly focus on Bill Fleming’s presentation video and the Scripture to identify, describe, and assess key elements of various phases of spiritual growth. Discussion The key point is that a Christian undergoes different stages of spiritual growth throughout his or her life. The author notes...

The Salvation of Humans by Jesus Christ

Introduction The history of our salvation and redemption in Jesus Christ makes it easier to understand who people are in this world and what they were created to be. The creation and fall of man mark the beginning of the history of salvation. Since the whole history of salvation depends...

Genesis 41 and Its Historical Contexts

Introduction Genesis is among the most powerful creations that people have been exposed to and have the privilege of reading due to the clear illustration of the history of humanity, the establishment of Israel and the first Jewish people. The overall book of Genesis implicitly states that there is nothing...

Christian History of Brazil From Global Perspective

Brazil has the world’s largest Catholic population, indicating Christianity’s importance in developing this country. The history of this religion’s emergence and development in Brazil is directly related to the European influence on this country. In this aspect, the characteristics of the spread of Christianity are similar to other countries of...

Nationalism and Shinto in Meiji Restoration

The term “Shinto” refers to the native religion of Japan, which has historically had a significant impact on many people’s lives in terms of politics, society, and even the economy. The Shinto religion still values several ancient rituals developed throughout those times. The procedures are rigorously carried out to establish...

Historical Context of the Book Kingdom of Matthias

Introduction Penned in 1994 by Paul Johnson and Sean Wilentz, The Kingdom of Matthias portrays the protagonist Robert Matthias as a significant proponent of the Second Great Awakening (SGA) in the United States. The book, set in the early 1800s in New York, explores the emergence and crumble of a...

“Where the Hell Is God?” Book by Richard Leonard

Suffering and evil are common topics that cause people to question their beliefs. Theodicy provides a logical solution to the existence of evil on Earth, although some may take this philosophy as an explanation of people’s misery. One’s traumas and death may cause alienation from God among those affected by...

Religion, Ritual, and Social Organization

The topics of religion, ritual, and social organization are an important part of the discussion of different cultures. Religious ceremonies are essential to social communities in certain countries. For example, a recent study focused on exploring the issue of ritualized pain, which is a normalized and integral cultural aspect for...

Religious History of the God-Fearers

Theology is a complex field of study mainly because of its divine subject. The Holy Bible and different historical teachings describe people that were called God-fearers. Cornelius is the person demonstrated in the tenth chapter of the Apostles’ Acts in the New Testament and is named the God-fearer. This example...

Art and Religion in the Middle Ages and Renaissance

Introduction The medieval period is very difficult and conservative in the history of world art. It was dominated by rigid religious tendencies over innovative ideas, making the works of artists, sculptors, and writers very much tied to the Church’s theme. When this influence began to wane, the Renaissance was born...

Theological Differences Within the Major Christian Traditions

Christians are followers of Christ who use the bible as the primary religious book for conducting services and personal spiritual nourishment. They believe in life after death, reconciliation to God through Christ and Trinity. However, within this religious group, there are many denominations that can broadly be categorized as Catholic,...

Why Women in Islam Have to Be Modest

On the excuse of Islamic modesty, women in several Muslim-majority countries (MMCs) are still subjected to gender segregation and mobility restrictions to varying degrees. In its current form, the idea of modesty appears to prevent Muslim women from participating in public life and other activities. This essay examines the religious...

Modernism Impact on Religion Role in Person Life

Modernism has reshaped many societal values, and no faith has escaped its influence. The place that religions take in society has been shifting over the past century as globalization disrupted the traditional way of living in most communities (Gauthier, 2019). I think that there are people who are still drawn...

Reflection on God’s Work: Psychology and Christianity

One of the central themes in Christian literature has been the relationship between theology and psychology. Though there are some differing in theological reflection and psychological reflection, yet slightly have some similar take. Theological reflection stresses on the relationship of God and the world in creation and salvation while psychological...

Leadership in Church and Its Theological Aspects

Introduction Leadership in church, as well as change, are two things that require individuals who are committed to serving others. The two depend on one another in the sense that in order for change to happen, good leaders need to be present. A good leader is characterized by the ability...

Discipleship in a Healthy Church

A Healthy Church defines a church that resembles and functions simply as a healthy body, namely the Body of Christ. It is the same desire that Jesus has for his body. The Body of Christ is in it, which doesn’t need to be defined, but it’s important to include, The...

Law Enforcement Crisis Intervention from Biblical Viewpoint

The Active shooter crisis in the United States has continued being problematic, with significant concerns falling on the response time of enforcement officers to crisis. It is reported that the time lag of active shooter incidence occurring and the police response to the incidence is approximately 5 minutes (Sikes et...

The Bible: Coherent and Unified Nature

Introduction The continuity of a book’s plot, characters, and the environment from the beginning to the finish of the book is a good indicator of how well the work holds together. Considering that a religious text is a work used to form a religious belief, it is vital to apply...

Youth Ministry: Goals, Methods, and Standards

Reasons for Youth Ministry Youth ministry is the practice of working with younger people that promotes Christian faith and church attendance. Children have a different way of connecting with God’s word compared to adults, and a unique approach is needed to work with them. Generally, they are more curious and...

Emile Durkheim’s “The Elementary Forms of Religious Life”

Religion has been important and influential in people’s lives for a long time. Emile Durkheim’s The Elementary Forms of Religious Life explores religion’s essence and role by studying its primitive form. The author chose the study of archaic religion because he believes it will best reveal people and their religious...

Hesychasm and Its Significance in Eastern Christianity

Hesychasm is a form of religious practice in Eastern Christianity in which followers pursue spiritual silence through continuous prayer and worshipping of God (Loba-Mkole, 2014). The main goal of Hesychasm is to achieve connection with God through the recitation of the Jesus Prayer (Loba-Mkole, 2014). This implies the Hesychasts are...

Theology and Contextualization in Latin America

In the history of Christian theology, there have always been discussions on various issues. Still, they took place within a strictly defined, approved, and regulated dogmatic framework for a long time. The influence of changing socio-cultural circumstances on the formation of theological doctrines remained beyond the limits of research interest....

The Protestant Reformation and Its Impact on the English New World

The Protestant Reformation that took place in Europe in the sixteenth century shattered to the core the basis of Christianity, dividing Christians into two groups and leading to the creation of many religious sects. Christianity’s political and religious power was challenged as The Protestant Reformation eventually brought about the design...

The Reflection of Shinto in Spirited Away by Hayao Miyazaki

The animated film Spirited away, produced by Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, contains many sacred Shinto motives and folklore reflections. The film’s plot follows the story of a 10-year-old girl named Chihiro Ogino, who finds herself in a world inhabited by ghosts and spirits. Although Hayao Miyazaki, being a big admirer...

Spiritual Leadership Book Reflection

A reflection of chapters three and four of Spiritual Leadership by Henry and Richard Blackaby provides deep insights into leadership and the role of divinity. Chapter three provides a discussion of a leader’s preparation and spiritual development (Blackaby & Blackaby, 2017). It focuses on the natural elements of this development...

The Church and the Understandings of God

The evolution of the concept of God and God’s nature is an important theological issue. In part II of his book on Christianity’s history, Gonzalez (2010) explains that more modern understandings of God as a caring entity and humanity’s father have been preceded by earlier concepts perceiving the Sun, which...

Bass Fishing: The Role in Christianity

Fish symbols and images have a special sacral meaning in Christianity. The mentioning of the fish is correlated with the ancient rituals and can be found in the Bible. Some Christians associate Jesus Christ with the image of fish as a symbol of holy ablution. Today, there are different fishing...

The New Religion: Basic Ideas

Nowadays, religion is an integral part of people’s life and includes its many kinds. One can distinguish three main areas, such as Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Although differing, they have some general principles that form their basis (Cohen, 2020). A new religion could be based on the principle of treating...

Acts 17 in the Book of Acts

Acts 17 in the Book of Acts describes Paul the Apostle’s second missionary journey. This chapter calls people to study the word of God to avoid being deceived by the rulers who proclaim their power by misrepresentation of the Bible. For example, citizens became terrified when Paul started to spread...

Making Friends With People of Different Religions

Being educated and respectful of other religions Education of other religions is undoubtedly one of the most crucial parts of a dialogue with a representative of a different faith. Ignorance in such a matter might lead to misunderstanding and unwanted conflict. Besides, respecting other beliefs should prove to be very...

The Flood in Genesis and Lessons Learnt

Introduction Genesis is among the most famous stories and teachings. The particular interest in the story arises from the overall thinking about Genesis. In recent decades, Evangelical theologists have returned to exploring the questions of human origins. Even though the mentions of the Flood in Genesis 6-9, it begins earlier...

The Relationship Between Human Sinfulness and the Doctrine of Salvation

Introduction According to the principles of the Christian faith, every person born into this world has been sinful since childhood. The limits of this sinfulness lie not in the guilt of the individual for actions committed or imperfectly performed, but in the fact that he or she is the ancestor...

James Joyce’s “Dubliners”. Personal Thoughts on Araby

James Joyce is a brilliant writer who utilizes homeland politics to criticize the current state of Dublin effectively. He uses one of his short stories, Araby, in his book Dubliners to explain the idea of coming of age. Joyce’s book focuses on the problems a boy undergoes when transforming childhood...

Nostra Aetate Overview and Importance

There are various religious movements in the world, and it is pertinent to note that their number is only increasing over time. In conjunction with very young movements (such as Pastafarianism), there are fundamental and ancient religious teachings commonly referred to as world religions. World religions include Christianity, Islam, Buddhism,...

The Nature of God and Humanity

Traditionally, the nature of God is perceived in Christianity through the lens of the Triune. Namely, God is seen as the omnipotent amalgamation of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The specified interpretation also implies that God holds absolute power over every human being, as well as every...

Godly Leadership Principles in Testaments

Introduction While the world and society have undergone significant transformations over the past two thousand years, the fundamental aspects of society have remained unchanged. Across all sectors of human activity, people can be categorized as either leaders or followers. This idea serves as the very basis of personal and professional...

Basic Biblical Christianity Summary

During its stay on Earth, humanity found various gods, and accordingly, books were written that talked about these gods, how to live with them, and worship them. Christianity is one of many religions and also has a book called the Bible. It contains the truth necessary for the salvation and...

Religion and Cult Relations

People have always needed a system of specific beliefs to explain events unknown to them. Since the emergence of the first organized groups of people and civilized societies, mythologies, religions, and cults became integral elements of the human world. Moreover, some worship systems transformed into dominant paradigms or religions peculiar...

The Role of Spirituality in Medical Education

Healing and Autonomy Spirituality practice in healthcare has been a controversial topic over the last decade. Spirituality and health are increasingly becoming a topic of discussion in healthcare and medical schools and provide more insight into combining them. More healthcare facilities offer spiritual support to patients as an extension of...

Premarital Sex and Religious Perception

Over the years, the notions of sex education, sexuality, and culture have been closely interrelated, with the latter aspect obtaining a major influence on the human perception of sex as a process. According to the researchers, the socio-cultural background of a community plays one of the most significant roles in...

Christianity in the 3rd Century AD

The Christian Church in the 3rd century AD was in a state of active formation. Christianity developed separately from Judaism and was not considered an ethnic religion. Therefore, it had no legal rights to defend its interests. Christianity was periodically persecuted; however, no governmental efforts were made to eliminate the...

God’s Names in Abrahamic Religions

Three Abrahamic Religions have existed for centuries and have been deeply explored in their meaning. Islam, Judaism, and Christianity are considered the three Abrahamic Religions, and their history traced back to the Prophet Abraham. The beliefs of the religions are common; moreover, they worship the same God. However, the name...

Metadata and Bibliographic Control

In his book, “Metadata and bibliographic control: Soul-mates or two solitudes? Cataloging & Classification Quarterly”, Howarth explores the evolution of metadata throughout historical timelines and the relativistic application of bibliographic control mechanisms which seemed to be missing in the literary world. This gap has been addressed through examination of past...

Molloy’s Elements of Religion Among Zoroastrians

Beliefs Shaun Walker’s article titled “The Last of the Zoroastrians” gives a glimpse of the manifestation of Molloy’s eight elements of religion in Zoroastrianism. The community has a strong belief that they must make peace with the dead before disposing of the body. They unite to pray for the dead...

“The Life You’ve Always Wanted” by John Ortberg

In The Life You’ve Always Wanted, John Ortberg encourages his readers to reflect on the nature of Christianity and the ability of belief in God to facilitate positive change and growth, revealing why and how transformation occurs. The book is unique for the modern outlook on a traditional spiritual path...

William Rowe’s Argument for Atheism Based on the Problem of Evil

Introduction Ever since the scientific community developed the concept of the scientific method, there has been a centuries-old dispute between them, philosophers, and theologians about the existence of God. This topic is particularly relevant to Christian discourse and is viewed by many atheists as the ideological crisis of Christianity. However,...

Christian Worldview: Ultimate Reality

Introduction Ultimate reality is an existing actuality that surpasses the physical and non-physical dimensions of the world. It is absolute power, a central connecting point, and the source of everything that prevails in the universe. In the Christian denomination, this phrase refers to a transcendent presence, a supreme being, or...

“The Ministry of Health and Healing” by Ellen White

The Ministry of Health and Healing by Ellen White teaches its readers universal truths and wisdoms which should be born in mind by everyone. According to White, only the purity of soul can help a person get cured with sins which dwell in every person being primary causes of all...

St. Augustine’s Views on Sexuality

This week’s readings included Books VIII-X, in which St. Augustine continues to tell the story of his conversion, his views on the importance of converting one’s opponents to Christianity, and the necessity of letting go of earthly temptations to find happiness and peace in God. What I would like to...

Timothy Tow “My Homiletic Swimming Pool”: A Great Religious Book

My Homiletic Swimming Pool is a great religious book written by Timothy Tow. This paper seeks to analyze the concepts of the first two chapters of the book. The first chapter discusses two effective methods of communicating God’s word, which seems to be the central theme of the book; teaching...

Difference Between 3 Abrahamic Religion

Introduction The term “Abrahamic Religions” refers to Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, which derive their spiritual source from common ancestry. According to Lovat and Crotty (2015), the cultural, geographical, ethnic, and historical backgrounds of these belief systems emanates from the Near East. The three are monotheistic and rely on some discrete...

Death and Dying: the George’s Story

Abstract Euthanasia is considered as opposed to God’s guidance and Christian tradition. The inherent human dignity and medical occupation should always consider opposing perspectives and find a coherent decision through long-standing care, communication, and consideration of patient values and life choices. The analysis of George’s story through the prism of...

Issue of Stewardship in the Exploration of Christianity

Growing up in a Christian environment is very inspirational. Since early childhood, I was taught to always respect my elders, to be kind to everyone, and to treat people how I wanted them to treat me. Love, honor, and servitude to God were held above all as crucial values. As...

Five Pillars of Islam and Armenian Community

Introduction Islam remains one of the biggest religions in the world today with millions of followers. Believers should be aware of the teachings and pillars that can guide them to achieve their spiritual aims. This discussion seeks to analyze the Five Pillars of Islam and why they are given such...

Medical Indications vs. Christian Faith: The James’s Case

Medical Indications Beneficence and Nonmaleficence James experienced high blood pressure, fluid buildup, and glomerulonephritis due to a streptococcus infection. Beneficence: immediate dialysis would alleviate the patient’s high blood pressure and fluid buildup. The delay in dialysis due to the patient’s parents’ preferences resulted in complete kidney failure. James needs of...

Science and Religion: Historical Relationship

Introduction The historical relation between science and religion is long and has not been that cozy throughout history. The main area of contention is the view that both hold on the world whereby, as science tends to base all its explanations through empirical observations, religion on the other hand makes...

Religion as an Issue in “I, Rigoberta Menchu”

Introduction In her engrossing and perhaps controversial narrative, I, Rigoberta Menchu: An Indian Woman in Guatemala, Menchu presents the unsuspecting readers with an insight into the unique perspective and importance that the Catholic Church and Christianity hold for the native Indians. For a Guatemalan, Bible is, “not something you memorize,...

The Protestant Reformation in Europe

The protestant reformation contributed greatly to social, political, and religious revolutions in Europe. Protestant reformation was initiated by the European Christian Reform Movement. The movement aimed at reforming the doctrine of the Catholic Church which was at that moment dominant in Europe. However, the reformation did not come easy, a...

Comparison of Jesus and Mohammed

Studies, without a doubt, point out that Christianity and Islam are the major religions in the world. Available literature shows that the two religions are the only, world over to have followers in every region and sphere of the earth. Numerical evidence points out that Christianity is the largest religion...

“Being Religious Interreligiously” by Peter Phan: Religion Fundamentals

Introduction Peter Phan in his book has welcomed all the diverse readers across the world to embrace elegance in religious pluralism all the time even at the period of postmodernism. Peter Phan himself is a theologian and subscribes to the catholic faith and he has highlighted many social and spiritual...

Paul and Philemon. Conversion of People to Christianity

Introduction During the period when the first church had just been established, Paul, then Saul, was a force to reckon, both before and after his conversion to Christianity. He exhibited strong leadership skills whichever side of the divide he was on. He believed so much in the ideals he followed,...

Bible History and the Interpretation

Introduction The interpretation of the bible began a long time ago and up to date, different people interpret it in different ways. The teachings of the different churches about the bible also differ depending on the church that is doing the teaching. The bible has been criticized for some of...

Jim Jones and Jonestown Cult Massacre

Introduction The tragedy of Jonestown, which took place in 1978 and left more than nine hundred people dead, immediately attracted attention of many sociologists, psychologists, because to a certain degree, this event reflected the tendencies in American mainstream culture (Chidester, p 11). Thus, it is of the crucial importance for...

“Four Views on Hell” by William Crockett

Introduction Life after death has always been of great interest to people. The only question most living human beings are preoccupied with is whether this life exists and if it does, whether there exists a separation between hell and heaven. Hell is traditionally regarded as a place where human souls...

Deviations in the Perception of the Personality of Jesus Christ of Nazareth

Introduction Jesus Christ of Nazareth is a one of the most important, if not the most important figure in the history of mankind. His name is being mentioned in every corner of the globe. Men, women, and children adore him while others extol his great teachings. Authors, commentators, and researchers...

Bhagavad-Gita: The Consequences and Proofs of Alterations on the Hindu Society

Although Bhagavad-Gita has always acquired the titles such as “The divine Song of God” or “The word of God” etc, but still a common man cannot visualize the changes and the influences of such changes which has been occurred and preached since the origin of Gita throughout the decades. History...

Suffering in The Book of Job and The Old Testament

Job’s story is difficult to understand since it raises many questions, answers to which a person can only find in his or her own faith in the Lord. However, many lines of this book can be instructive and useful for people in distress as it explains the causes, paths, and...

The Historical Rise of Christianity

Introduction It goes without saying that the appearance of a new religious group by the followers of Jesus Christ, who has been recently crucified, is a highly disturbing issue for the whole Roman Empire. This new formation definitely should not be taken for granted as it presumably has its own...

Sikhism and Christianity: A View on Life and Death

Introduction Religious beliefs have accompanied humanity since its origin. People at any stage of their development continue to believe in the existence of God, only the forms through which the divine service takes place to change. As a relatively young religion, Sikhism absorbed the concepts of Islam and Hinduism but...

Reason and Revelation: Mendelssohn vs. Ascher

Moses Mendelssohn (1729-1786) combined the notions of rationalism and revelation. This approach underlined the distinctness of Judaism as a religion as well as emphasized the belief that the Jewish population was the people chosen by God. Thus, while the idea of revelation has no supernatural background, it involves a prescription...

God’s Laws and Gospels Relationship

Introduction In the Old Testament, God gave different laws to guide people on how to lead an acceptable lifestyle under the standards of moral behaviors. Additionally, the laws were meant to point to God’s purity and expose people’s sinful nature. As such, all the 613 commandments in the Old Testament...

Christian Counseling for Marriage and Family

If a couple comes to you considering divorce, what strategies might you use to help them find hope? What boundary issues need to be taken into consideration? If I were to consult a couple, considering divorce, I would have employed several strategies. First of all, I would have asked each...

Global Mission Theology of Samuel Escobar

Introduction In his thesis on Global Missions, Samuel Escobar, a Latin American theologian, argues that Christian theology is contextual. Escobar sees mission as a legitimate and fundamental perspective of the church, and all other functions of the church are given focus and direction based on that mission (Escobar, 2003). His...

Thomas Aquinas: Philosopher and Theologian

Introduction Thomas Aquinas was one of the most influential philosophers and theologians of the Middle Ages. His most important work, Summa Theologiae, combined the theories of scholasticism and Aristotle to explore the concepts of God, ethics, and Christ (Davies & Stump, 2012, p. 3). To this day, Aquinas is widely...

Genesis 28:10-22 and Its Different Meanings

Introduction Genesis 28. 10-22 depicts Jacob’s one-on-one interaction with God in an event that happens during the night in a lonely place. To get the message, which God wants to convey to His people through Moses, who is the writer, and Jacob, the vessel used for proving that He is...

The Concept of Death in Islam

Introduction The perception of death largely depends on the religious characteristics of a particular nation and is determined by people’s inner beliefs. Cultural characteristics of different countries predetermine how people relate to the afterlife and what is considered to be dead in any religion, that is, the total absence of...

ALS and End-of-Life Decisions: Christian vs. Buddhist Perspectives

Introduction George was recently diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and in the spinal cord, causing muscle atrophy and leading to eventual complete loss of muscle control. The median life expectancy for this diagnosis is between three and five years, but...

Spiritual Growth Plan: Evaluation and Strategies

Personal and Ministry Spiritual Health at the Start of the Course of Religious Studies and Theology The importance of personal and ministry spiritual health is rather high because it determines a multitude of aspects of the further spiritual development of an individual and a group. Some of the aspects that...

Launch: Starting a New Church From Scratch

The first acknowledgement presented in the book “Launch: Starting a New Church from Scratch” is that the decision to begin a new church can be quite frightening. The book goes ahead to narrate the story of Thomas and Searcy who used unpredictable approaches to plant a new church successfully. According...

Early Christianity in Asia

A critical review of early Christianity reveals that it has its roots in the Middle East. The historical fact is undeniable in spite of the fact that the region is currently dominated by the Islamic faith. From Palestine, where it originated, Christianity spread into the Roman Empire, from where most...

Gautama Buddha and His Noble Path

Introduction Buddhism was brought to light about 500 BC by Siddhartha Gautama. Buddhism has not been described as a religion as such but rather as philosophy. The story of Siddhartha Gautama and how he brought Buddhism to limelight is quite moving. In this essay the thoughts of Siddhartha Gautama are...

The Prophetic Books of the Bible

Introduction There is a reason why the Bible is one of the most influential books in human history. It is not only the word of God; it addresses a wide range of issues which are important in our lives, and shows how the Lord wants us to behave. In this...

Is Belief in God Rational?

One of the main epistemological dilemmas, which continues to be faced by philosophers/theologians, is whether one’s belief in God can be considered rationally justified. As of today, the discursive validity of such a belief has been assessed from a variety of different gnoseological perspectives, among which the most ‘proposition-friendly’ appears...

Religious Syncretism: Islam and Hinduism

Introduction The principle of Religious Syncretism entails the integration of two religious beliefs into an entirely new system comprising elements of both religions. One such combination is between Islam religion and Hinduism religion which has sprung up to a single religion that has come to be known as Sikhism. This...

Hinduism’s Early Beginnings: The Origin of Hinduism and Its Development

Hindu religion is the prevalent religion in most parts of South Asia and indeed, the third largest religion after Islam and Christianity. The faith has more than a billion followers, but a billion of such followers are said to be residing in India. There are currently many versions of Hindu...

Religion Role in the Society

Introduction God is the originator of religion. He created the world and the people in it and established some general principles and laws which they were instructed to follow. God spoke through selected prophets who heard him speak and recorded his words (Johnstone 21). He revealed to the people through...

Exploring God’s Power and Spiritual Growth Through Personal Experiences

Introduction As I consider how God made the world, I am blown away by the sheer magnitude and variety of life on this planet. Various hues, flavors, sounds, delicacies, vistas, creatures, concepts, and pastimes exist. The truth is that every person is unique, and every one of us is unique...

The Possibility of Religion to Unite and Divide Simultaneously

Religion is an ambiguous phenomenon, simultaneously created by society and participating in the regulation of that society at the same time. A similar duality is observed in the social processes associated with religion: the unity and division of humanity can occur even within the boundaries of one belief. The influence...

Establishment of the Papal Supremacy in the Catholic Church

The papal supremacy is a doctrine of the catholic church that puts the pope and his office as the Vicar of Christ. Various popes contributed to the creation of papal powers during in the 6th century (St. Benedict). St. Damascus, one of the Bishops of Rome during the establishment of...

Scientific Worldview, Faith, and Reason Comparison

Introduction There is a group of people who argue that science is just a myth and, like other religious doctrines, it is based on faith. For example, Paul claims that “It [science] is one of the many forms of thought that have been developed by man and not necessarily the...

Religious Impact on Children’s Future Success

Introduction Religion is integral to the socialization and development of children. It shapes their conception of the future and determines their willingness to work toward achieving specific goals. Religion can help children believe they have a future, as will be demonstrated in the presented argument. Religion can influence a child’s...

The Conciliar Model in Acts 15: Development of Christianity

Introduction The conciliar model as described in Acts 15 contributed much to the successful spread and development of Christianity. Before Emperor Constantine declared freedom of religion in the Roman Empire, the number of Christians remained small, with groups often being separated one from the other in order to avoid persecution....