Charles Manson and the Family as a Destructive Cult

Introduction There is freedom of worship in the US and one can join any religion she/he feels like. Everyone has control of his/her life and is responsible for the actions he takes. One can do everything that pleases him as long as his actions do not hurt another person. However,...

Roles That Religions Play in Appiah’s Analysis

Introduction Religion has diverse roles in society because it instills good morals and promotes appropriate behavior. It is essential to highlight that faith act as a bridge linking various people from different cultures. It is also vital to note that it gives people consolation and solutions for challenges in life....

“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...

Euthanasia from Religious Perspectives

The ethicality of euthanasia is a controversial issue in the philosophy of medicine, ethics, law, and other disciplines connected to the notions of death and the right to it. Euthanasia has divided people into two main camps – those who see it as a crime against God or some higher...

An Interpretation of Revelation John 14: 1-5

In the text, John refers to seeing “the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion” (Revelation 14.1) The fact that he refers to the Lamb rather than a lamb, indicates that this was Jesus. Zion is referred to as the chosen citadel of God and a spiritual city true to the King...

Comparing Behaviorist Versus Christian Points of View

The question of whether people can influence their fate has always been of significance for many philosophers and religious figures. Some of them argue that a person is responsible for their current and future life, while others stipulate that supreme forces determine these issues, and individuals witness what is predetermined....

Baha’i Faith as a Global Religion

Introduction Although the Baha’i faith is one of the youngest world religions, it involves millions of followers in the exceptional geographically diverse community. Originating in the middle of the 19th century in Persia, now Iran, it spread to different continents, and now it is present in many countries. The unique...

Isalam – the Main Religion in the World

Introduction Being one of the main religions in the world, Islam undergoes prejudice and is associated with violence nowadays. However, a description of Islam beliefs, practices, and rituals should present the description of the religion itself, reminding us that knowing the issue should precede any judging. Historically, Islam originated from...

Character Analysis of Mohammed V

Introduction Mohammed V who was born in 10 August 1909 and died on 26 February 1961 was Sultan and king of Morocco. His full name was Sidi Mohammed ben Yusef. He was the son of Yusef, upon whose death he succeeded. Born at Rabat in Morrocco, Mohammed V was a...

Ritual in Religion: Their Role and Meaning

A ritual is an activity performed by a person or persons with a belief in supernatural effects. This activity symbolizes faith in supernatural strength. The activity becomes symbolic when the spirit and physicality are abstract. The object of belief may be terrestrial or physical. Terrestrial objects are invisible but exist....

The Power of Meditation

In most cases, it happens that we may not realize who we are. This results from the over-involvement with too much activity in work or studies, which denies us the time to reflect on whom we are or discover our inner self. As Holecek explained, the experience whenever we over-utilize...

Christology: Development of Christology

Introduction In no doubt, one will never understand Theology, the idea about God, without mentioning the character of Jesus. Christology then comes in, as among the many branches of Christian theology that purely addresses the mystery behind Jesus Christ: his nature, actions, and person, as it appears in the New...

Synoptic Gospels and the Gospel of John

Synoptic gospels refer to biblical doctrines which were documented as part of good news during the New Testament times. These gospels have several similarities (Perkins, p. 19). As such, there are myriad of common features which characterize them. These include content, style, paragraphs, chronology and timing of events. In a...

Reading Reflection “The Emotionally Healthy Church”

The main idea promoted by Peter Scazzero throughout his book The Emotionally Healthy Church is that many Christians appear to have a hard time trying to relate to their religious beliefs on an emotional level: “We have many people who are passionate for God and his work, yet who remain...

The Gospel of Mark (Mark 10:46-52)

The verses 10: 46-52 in the Gospel of Mark contain two remarkable episodes, which are Jesus leaving Jericho with his disciples and the healing of blind Bartimeus episode. With blindness being a unifying theme for a whole section in the Gospel of Mark, Mark 8-10, the importance of Bartimeus’s story...

Marks of Christian Maturity

Introduction One of the major features of the Christian faith is the teaching that the believer must never stop growing in knowledge, wisdom and character. This development can be summed up in one word – maturity. Therefore the goal of every true believer is to be mature, like Jesus Christ....

Christianity in South Korea and Japan

South Korea embraces Christianity more than Japan. When visiting South Korea today, one is bound to be struck by the many churches every where, ranging from splendid cathedrals in big cities to small and humble churches built in villages. These churches can be easily seen when traveling either by train...

Infant Baptism in the First Five Centuries

Introduction Infant baptism refers to the practice of baptizing children few days after they are born. The question of necessity and purpose of baptizing infants has been of interest to theologians since the first century. Theologians have been keen to show justification for infant baptism while others especially in evangelical...

Tibetan Buddhism and Zen Buddhism Comparison

Tibetan Buddhism (Dalai Lama) Rituals The Five Tibetan rituals are considered to be life changing which helps the Tibetan’s in the spiritual and religious obligations they desire. It’s also actually great for your body. You search within as you work through the exercises help to strenghthen your social acceptance. The...

“The Confusion of Tongues” by William G. Bellshaw: Article Critique

Critique The purpose of this article is to trace whether the gift of tongues is still present today and to understand if the Holy Spirit has really bestowed this gift upon some people nowadays. In order to examine the view of the Bible on this problem, the author presents a...

Religions: Zoroastrianism and Judaism

Introduction The religion Zoroastrianism has been named after the Prophet Zoroaster. He brought the religion in the region and is analogous with Mazdaism. Mazdaism preached and called upon the worship of Ahura Mazda elevate by Zoroaster as the Al Mighty and the biggest divine authority. The religion was deeply integrated...

Old & New Testaments: Exegesis of Jeremiah 31 in Hebrews 10

Introduction Hebrews is about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ about the sacrifices enforced in the Mosaic Law. As mandated by this Law, the priests, the Levites, sacrificed animals for the atonement of their sins, but there is one superior to the animal sacrifices and this is Jesus Christ. “His sacrifice...

Religion Freedom and Its Limitation

Introduction Freedom is one of the major values of people living in western democracies that have evolved for centuries. However, the very notion of freedom can be rather blurred, especially when it comes to certain aspects of human life. Religion has been a sensitive matter associated with diverse perspectives, conflicting...

Zoroastrianism: Ancient Religion, Beliefs, and Modern Practice

Zoroastrianism is one of the oldest religions in existence, which was instituted by Zarathushtra which means ‘Zoroaster’ in Greek more popularly known as ‘Zarthosht’ in India and Persia. Conservative Zoroastrians believe that the religion was founded in about 6000BCE whereas historians and religious scholars generally believe the birth of Zarathushtra,...

Analysis of John Winthrop’s Sermon

John Winthrop, an English Puritan lawyer, was one of the central figures in founding the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Before he and the settlers reached New England, he delivered a sermon that later became famous. In his speech, Winthrop shared his expectations of their and the colony’s future. The purpose of...

Zen Buddhism: History, Beliefs, and American Adaptation

Introduction Zen Buddhism is a separate school of Mahayana Buddhism that emphasizes mindfulness and meditation practices as the path to achieving enlightenment. According to Wienpahl, the basic principle of Zen is that it cannot be transferred through books as “the heart of the matter is a practice” (3). Although meditative...

Guidance in Krishna’s “Bhagavad-Gita” and Siduri’s The Epic of Gilgamesh

Introduction Most religious teachings go into detail on the multifaceted relationships between gods and humans in which the latter are sometimes able to find solace and peace of mind and sometimes are scorned and neglected. At that, the union of a god and a human is usually not one of...

“The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror” by Lewis

Introduction The book “The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror” narrates the complex history of Islam and how most of its followers continue to reject modernism in favor of conservative ideas that oppose most of the changes experienced in the Middle East and other parts of Asia. The...

Doctrinal Statements in Christianity

Introduction In the contemporary world, there is a great variety of different Christian groups. Many of these groups make doctrinal statements in an attempt to convey their specific interpretation of certain Biblical concepts, as well as values and viewpoints. Doctrinal statements are a significant part of Christianity, and they serve...

Saint Anselm’s Ontological Argument

An ontological argument refers to the type of philosophical exploration in regards to the existence of God. However, when talking about their theories, philosophers also argue about the state of being and existing, beginning with the ideas about how the universe is organized. Despite the complexity of ontological arguments and...

Jim Jones and The People’s Temple: A Tragic History

The People’s Temple, also known as the Peoples Temple of the Disciples of Christ, was a religious movement of the 1950s. However, the movement is known primarily for the mass suicide, which its members committed on November 18, 1978, in Guyana (Moore 47). The doctrine of the movement was based...

Exploring Far East Beliefs: Shinto Religion and Asian Art

Introduction People’s beliefs have been formed for centuries and each region has specific perception of reality. Clearly, people share some universal beliefs but all nations and cultures have certain peculiarities. For instance, Far East is the region where people believe in spirits, harmony and the rule of nature. Notably, it...

Islamic Culture: Religion of Peace

Introduction The tragic events that occurred on September 11, 2001, have set in motion a chain of debates regarding the position of the Islamic faith in Western society, with disputed continuing to this day. In his conversation with Bill Moyers, Imam Zaid Shakir (a well-known Muslim religious leader) was presented...

Biblical Texts: John 12:32

The original Bible was written in classical Hebrew, and thus as the gospel spread across nations, the texts had to be translated into different languages. Specifically, the gospels were originally written in Koine Greek and later translated into other languages. One of the contentious issues about Bible translation is the...

The Christian Worldview and Key Concepts

Abstract Although the Christian religion is often viewed as a rather complex set of concepts and rules, it, in fact, conveys rather simple ideas, which are related closely to the human nature. While the latter is linked to the concept of sin directly, the origin thereof allows assuming that there...

The Problem of Evil and Suffering

The nature of evil No matter what an optimist a person may be, the surrounding reality is not always the merriest place for living. No matter what religious beliefs an individual has, everyone during his life bears the burden of suffering and faces evil. It is useless to deny the...

Ignatian Spirituality: Origin, Concepts, Attitude

Introduction The dynamic changes in the present-day society and a great number of international conflicts make many people realize the necessity of the social structure transformation. A lot of researchers in the social studies recognize the importance of spirituality in the life of individuals and collectives. The recent research investigates...

Religious Manipulation: “The Female American” Analysis

Introduction The religious memoir, The Female American, was first published in 1767 and it gives an account of Unca Winkfield, who is the main character/narrator. She comes from a bi-racial marriage living in 18th century America. Unca’s bi-racialism generates tension within the novel, as she appears to advance Christian views...

Islamic Culture in America

Introduction Islam is one of the major religions in the world. It is highly controversial because of global links to terrorism. Most terrorist groups associated with the religion have taken responsibility for major terror attacks in the United States and other countries around the world. Contemporary American society is comprised...

Four Views on the Apostle Paul

Summary of the Book Apostle Paul was an outstanding follower of Jesus Christ. The book “Four Views on the Apostle Paul” is a religious masterpiece. The book describes the achievements of Apostle Paul. Many theologians strongly believe that apostle Paul was a major force in the development and establishment of...

Discipleship in Christianity and Its Five Stages

Introduction Discipleship is a core element of Christianity and it enables believers to start their journey in the companionship of Christ. Nonetheless, before embarking on a journey someone needs to be aware of his/her current location in relation to his/her destination. In this scenario, discipleship will be addressed as a...

Jesus Christ as the Resurrected Messiah: An Analysis of Ortlund’s Interpretation

Introduction and Brief Summary Much attention is paid to the topic of Christ’s resurrection, and many discussions are developed on the idea of the justification of the events that occurred on Friday afternoon and Sunday morning when Christ’s believers and supporters had to deal with a huge amount of agony...

Dante’s Purgatorio Cantos: A Deep Dive Into Themes and Symbolism in The Divine Comedy

Introduction Dante’s Purgatorio symbolizes people’s need to face their inner inconsistencies, flaws, and fears to make personal growth possible. In other words, Dante’s Purgatorio is the emblem showing how imperfect humans strive to control their sinful desires and passions to overcome them and ascend to the place where soul and...

The Epistle of Paul to Philemon: Interpretation

Introduction The Epistle of Paul to Philemon (otherwise known as Philemon) is a book included in the Christian New Testament. The most common interpretation of the book was that Paul wrote a letter to Philemon on behalf of Onesimus, who was a runaway slave that had wronged his owner. Throughout...

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...

Creation and Wisdom in the Old Testament: Key Concepts

Distinguish between key concepts and subordinate ideas. Concisely summarize these The key concept of ‘Creation and Wisdom’ by Phillip McMillion is that creation plays a vital part for a minimum of three ways in the acumen of the Old Testament: Wisdom and ethics, wisdom and idolatry, wisdom and praise. The...

Samsara, Karma, and Nirvana: Understanding Life’s Cycle

Samsara is the process of birth, dying, and being reborn. Karma stands for action. It shows that every cause or activity has its consequences. It looks at humans in general (Brooke 490). Each choice made by an individual, whether good or bad, has its outcomes. Good deeds bring about happiness,...

Canonization of the Bible

One of the questions which remains unanswered among Christians concerns how the Bible came into being. How were the writings collected and organized into what is presently used as the holy Christian Book? Who exactly collected the writings composed in the New Testament? These and other questions address the entire...

Indigenous Religions: Threats to the Existence

Indigenous religions are based on the strong connection between people and the nature which is reflected in people’s treating animals and their attitude to the environment with references to the natural phenomena as the ways to communicate with spirits. All the natural surroundings are full of spirits or gods, and...

Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew

Introduction The Gospel of Matthew is the first book of the New Testament. It tells about the life of Jesus and His teachings. In particular, Chapters 24 and 25 contain some of the stories told by Him. In this paper, we, utilizing the questions offered in Duvall and Hays’s book...

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,...

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...

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...

The Practice of Spiritual Direction: Exploring Christian Mentorship and the Path to God

Introduction This paper reviews Barry, William A., and Connolly, William J. (2009), The Practice of Spiritual Direction. The book is part of the Christian literature that explores the Christian’s spiritual journey as he or she moves toward and develops a relationship with God. Barry and Connolly (2009, 17) offer a...

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...

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...

“Holy War” in Islam vs. Christianity

Religion is an institution that has existed in various societies since ancient times. For a long period, in one way or another, it influenced secular power, and sometimes it was directly its source. It is not surprising that religion has always influenced politics, including such aspects as wars. At some...

The Christian Leadership, Stewardship, and Ethics

Introduction In understanding what leadership is, there are often severe problems. The world has leadership principles; worldly leadership tries to control and establish order. Unfortunately, the church is often influenced by these patterns of secular government. However, the Bible says that Christian leadership is based on principles that are opposite...

The Book of Habakkuk in the Old Testament

Introduction The Book of Habakkuk in the Old Testament remains an inspirational source of hope for those who want to become part of God’s eternal kingdom. Its author, Habakkuk, was a famous Jewish prophet who worked in the temple and provided hope to early believers. He pursued most of his...

Analysis of Christianity as a World Religion

Introduction Christianity is a global religion encompassing billions of followers throughout the world. It has been present and directly affecting history for over two thousand years. Today, it is the largest religion in the world, the followers of which can be found in all regions. Christian faith is an important...

The Two Conceptions of Brahman in Hinduism

Introduction Hinduism is one of the world’s oldest and largest religions. Its teachings are based on the premise that the human mind is incapable of fully conceiving the being that is Brahman, who is the representation of absolute reality. The religious doctrines provide two conceptions of the deity. The first...

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...

Christian Evidences of Jesus in the Bible

Many people believe that Jesus did not exist, but for my friend, I will use the Bible verses to prove that he existed. I will explain to him how the Bible provides us with numerous verses that support the existence of Jesus Christ. For example, in Matthew 1:1-17, we read...

The Fertile Crescent in Egyptian and Hebrew Culture

Originally, the Fertile Crescent was the territory that used to be called the Middle East. Geographically, this area occupies the region of Saudi Arabia along the northern edge of the Syrian Desert. The western edge is washed by the Mediterranean Sea, while the eastern one ends at the Zagros Mountains....

Clarke’s Cosmological Argument for the Existence of God

Introduction Cosmological argument alludes to a family of ancient intellectual debates supporting the existence of God as the sole or ideal causality for the presence of the universe, independent of any of its distinguishing characteristics as examined by scientific knowledge. Samuel Clarke developed a multitude of arguments that are now...

Chapter 2 of “Introducing Christian Mission Today” by Goheen

The current report summarizes the “Scripture as a Narrative Record of God’s Mission” chapter from the book Introducing Christian Mission Today by Michael W. Goheen. The focus of this part is the description of how Scripture conveys the message of God’s mission to the readers. In other words, the author...

The Theology and Science Roles and Relationships

Introduction The relationship between the materialistic and spiritual perspectives has been a relevant topic in theology and behavioral sciences for the longest time. Although the two areas coexist, there is an ongoing debate about the essence of science and faith and how they could be integrated. Everyone has a different...

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...

The Life of Jacobs Son Joseph in the Bible

Joseph is the son of Jacob and Rachel, who gave birth to him after seven years of infertility, the father of Menashe and Ephraim, the ancestors of the two tribes of Israel. The image of Joseph and his life have inspired Jewish, Christian, and Muslim art from time immemorial. Many...

Religious Discrimination in Different Countries

Introduction Discrimination is a negative attitude, bias, injustice, or deprivation of certain rights of people due to their national, racial and religious affiliation. Religious discrimination restricts people’s rights based on their religious affiliation. Discrimination is usually accompanied by religious stratification in several countries where several religious communities are represented. That...

Race and Caste: Religion-Based Caste System

Introduction Race and caste have increasingly formed a divergence in human perceptions. How both race and caste have been reiterated, have effectively supported this. For instance, several researchers have reiterated the basic commonalities and differences between the two. Caste is a setup comprised of individuals belonging to a specific social...

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...

“Can God Create Humans With Free Will Who Never Commit Evil?” by Thai

The issue of whether God could have created persons with free will who never do evil has been addressed by theologians and philosophers. The essay “Can God create humans with free will who never commit evil?” by Thai and Pillay delves into this complex topic, touching on God, free choice,...

Table Fellowship: Dismantling Social Barriers

Reflection This reflection is dedicated to Chapter 3 in Mission in Acts written by Santos Yao, titled “Dismantling Social Barriers through Table Fellowship.” I found this chapter exceptionally relevant to my faith journey and life experience because of the presence of rigid social and cultural divisions within the present-day community....

Books on Teaching Children in Church

Follow Me as I Follow Christ by Cheryl Dunlop The first book I read for the course was Cheryl Dunlop’s Follow Me as I Follow Christ. This book is a guide for educators teaching children in a church setting. The experience of reading this book has been an invaluable contribution...

World Christianity: Historical Traditions

The history of Christianity is quite a complicated theme since the religion belongs to the most widespread ones. Throughout the course of history, Christianity united people from different countries and societies, portraying the versatility of the ideology. Since the religion is currently spread around all continents, historians introduced the term...

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

The Abrahamic religions are the most popular in the world. Judaism, Christianity and Islam are the three most famous of them. The word “Abrahamic” comes from the name of the biblical prophet Abraham, who lived about 4 thousand years ago. According to the Abrahamic tradition, Abraham was the first person...

Supersessionism, Its History and Key Points

Introduction Supersessionism, also known as replacement theology, is a Christian doctrine that asserts that the New Covenant supersedes the Old Covenant. It establishes the current status of the Christian Church in relation to the Jewish people and Judaism, claiming that it has succeeded the Israelites as the definitive people of...

The History of God’s New Testament Church

Introduction In his book “Turning Points,” historian Mark Noll attempts to trace significant events in the two-millennium history of God’s New Testament church. Noll (2012) examines the key theological and historical topics that drove the church’s development. While Noll provides a general picture of church history, he also allows the...

Jesus and Expectations of Messiah

In order to determine whether Jesus fulfilled or subverted the expectations for the Messiah, one should start with identifying and describing the three types of Messiahs that many Jews expected during the first century. The main expectation that the Jews laid upon the future Messiah was that he would return...

Religion in Southwest Asia, North Africa, and South Asia

Several aspects of the Arabic language, natural resources, climate, religion, and weather are common in North Africa and Southwest Asia. Moreover, these two areas are the birthplace of the world’s three significant religions. In addition, these regions are studied together due to their geographic and cultural similarities. Countries in Southwest...

Globalization and Christian Mission

Globalization has become one of the leading trends in the modern world. As progress strengthens the connection between nations and entire continents, all areas of human activity undergo a major transformation. Globalization has changed the landscape of industrial and business environments, and religion was inevitably affected by it, as well....

The Holy Spirit as Part of the Trinity

Introduction The Holy Ghost is the infinitesimally understood person of the Trinity. In fact, many believers share many misconceptions about the Holy Spirit. Some view Him as a force, as a ghost, and a second class replacement god. He is mistaken with the manifestations themselves and has even been presented...

Liberation Theology in Mid-20th Century Latin America

Abstract Liberation theology is a movement in Catholic beliefs and socioeconomic mobility which emerged in mid-20th century Latin America. It combined the values of Christianity and the Gospel with the economic principles of Marxism in the attempt to make corrections to social, economic, and governance structures, including in the Catholic...

Missional Praxis: The Fruit of Theological Reflection

Theological reflection is a set of thought processes and actions directed deep into a person’s consciousness. Human resolves his experiences, awareness of actions, thoughts, and feelings through critical thinking. That is one of the essential and special abilities that force one to relive past feelings and analyze them. In addition,...

Buddhism in the Novel “Siddhartha” by Hermann Hesse

In Siddhartha, Hermann Hesse presents the theme of enlightenment as an unrelenting quest for the truth, which he considers essential for achieving a harmonious connection with the world. Nirvana, or a universal understanding of life, is the truth searched for by Siddhartha and Govinda, who both have a basic desire...

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...

The Bible as a Source of Wisdom and Knowledge

The Bible is justly considered a source of eternal wisdom and knowledge about every meaningful aspect of daily life. As Bickel and Jantz (1998) note, the Books of Wisdom offer a perspective on the righteous ways to enjoy life and strategies to overcome suffering and accept challenges without diminishing one’s...

The Old Testament and Ancient Near East

Introduction The expansion of our knowledge of the culture of the Ancient Near East, which became possible as a result of archaeological discoveries, has opened up new perspectives for the study of the Old Testament. In these discoveries, humanity was able to touch the already lost literary heritage of the...

Christianity’s Directions and Branches

Christianity Christianity is one of the largest world religions regarding the number of believers. To date, the total number of Christians has exceeded two billion. Protestantism is the most fragmented and divided in many directions among all the branches. It has more than a dozen main branches, which, in turn,...

The Deity of Jesus Christ in New Testament

Introduction God calls himself the “I Am” in various parts of the bible. God reveals himself to people as a person who comes to redeem them from exile and revert them into a new form of life with eternity. The outlook of God’s name reveals him and what he looks...

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...

Theology of Family Life, Marriage and Parenting

Marriage Marriage is a civil society institution present in all countries and cultures, where the pair enters a secular agreement in the eyes of the law. However, religious marriage is possible when a ceremony is conducted (simultaneously or separately, depending on religion) with the couple being wed in the eyes...

My Testimony of Faith: Dialogue with an Atheist

The controversy about God’s existence between atheists and those who believe in the reasonability of religion lasts for hundreds of years. People, who do not question the presence of divine power, usually have had an event or have noticed a phenomenon they consider as proof of God’s existence. This essay...

The Dukkha Concept in Buddhism

Dukkha is a traditional element of the religious philosophy of Buddhism, aimed at describing the prevailing situation in the surrounding material world. According to Buddhists, the earthly human reality is primarily the world of suffering – traditionally, the word “dukkha” is translated by religious scholars from Sanskrit as a designation...

Christianity and Society Interrelation

The religions are considered utterly different in their beliefs and values; however, their similarity is that they all shape society and at the same time greatly influence it. It is well known that Christianity has played a pivotal role in shaping the Western community throughout history. The churches have been...

Islam as the World’s Most Misunderstood Religion: The Problem of Stereotyping

The word “Islam” is imbued with a plethora of complex and quite frequently misguided perceptions, most of which are based on the stereotypical idea of the Muslim religion and culture. Unfortunately, due to the tremendous misrepresentation of Islam and Muslim culture in the media, a significant number of harmful stereotypes...

The Bible Book of Revelation

The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath Summary In this chapter, John continues to observe the events on earth from multiple angles in Heaven. He primarily God’s wrath against the unfaithful, which was spilled upon people of the earth since they chose to pursue false religions and prophets and worship the...

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...

Spinoza and Lessing Confronting Religious Intolerance

Introduction The complications related to religious dogmatism are often portrayed in the literature written in the 18th century. The lack of acceptance of other beliefs and the confrontations between the representatives of different religions were commonly discussed by writers of that time. The author’s Benedict Spinoza and Gotthold Ephraim Lessing...

“Misreading Scripture With Western Eyes” by Richards and O’Brien

Introduction Misreading Scripture With Western Eyes by Randolph E. Richards and Brandon J. O’Brien highlights cultural blinders that distort biblical interpretations. The authors note that the East and West differ in beliefs and practices related to dating, dying, and marital relationships. Owing to these fundamental differences, the Western and Eastern...

Religion Study: Analysis of Exodus 32:7-14

Introduction In the Book of Exodus, one of the most daring confrontations with God is the Golden Calf event. The story revolves around the people of Israel who doubted the divinity of the Lord and describes how God and Moses reacted to this treachery. The narrative reveals how arrogant and...

Seventh Day Adventists Fight Crime in Jamaica

Introduction Violent crime is a serious challenge in Jamaica. Robberies, rapes, murders, and assaults do not just lead to economic costs but may result in the loss of lives and severe emotional distress among victims. Crime also exerts a high toll on communities as the value of property increases and...

The Role of Ruth’s Character in the Scripture

Introduction God’s use of ordinary people to achieve His goals may be found in the Holy Scripture more than once. As an example, the story of Ruth can be cited, a humble girl who symbolizes the events of Israel’s redemption. The chapters in the Bible about this character introduce the...

Charles Woodmason: Criticism of “New Lights”

Woodmanson Believed Many People in North Carolina Were New Lights From the reading, it is unmistakable that the sermon complains about the actuality of the believers of the New Light. Woodmanson mentions that these believers’ appearance resulted in enormities of various kinds, including plunderings, robberies and thefts, murders, villainies, and...

Thomistic Approach to St. Augustine’s and St. Anselm’s Views

Summa Theologiae is considered one of the most influential books in the field of medieval philosophy and theology. It encompasses various topics connected with Christianity, such as the existence of God, faith and reason, and the goal of human life. This compendium provides reasoning for almost every controversial theme that...

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...

Wise Men’s Leadership in the Old Testament

Introduction The Old Testament is a great book of universal human significance. Apart from its religious value, it can be analyzed by its political and legal aspects, since it carries information about the state and power structure. The Old Testament can be called a treatise on the government and order...

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....

The Gospels of Mark and Luke

The Gospels of Mark and Luke contain many of the same stories, often in similar sequences and comparable wording when describing the events. However, distinct similarities in the way the events are expressed can be seen when comparing Mark 14:3-9 with Luke 7:36-50 and Mark 3:31-35 with Luke 8:19-21. This...

Eid ul-Fitr as Significant Religious Occasions

Introduction Islam is the second-largest religion globally, and Eid is one of the significant religious occasions which Muslims faithfully celebrate worldwide. The occasion signals the end of a period of fasting from dawn to sunset, spiritual meditation and prayer. Usually, the day begins with prayers, and a big meal is...

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...

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...

Gender Roles in Society: Hinduism and Buddhism

Introduction Modern society is built upon the history and traditions of the past, with the events and beliefs of future descendent being shaped by their shared culture in a major way. Culture can influence one’s life to a varying degree, dictating one’s disposition towards themselves and others, as well as...

Religious Beliefs on Issues of Segregation

Introduction The 1950s were a challenging time for Americans concerning racial tensions. To many white Protestant Americans, the majority of which resided in the South, desegregation directly challenged their way of life. In the light of the Brown v. Board of Education, some chose to accept it while others continued...

Religious Prejudice in “Defender of the Faith” by Roth

The task of retaining one’s faith and staying true to one’s religious convictions becomes particularly hard during times of social unrest, and nearly impossible when sociopolitical issues result in war. In his short story “Defender of the Faith,” Philip Roth explores the difficulty of reconciling one’s responsibilities as a soldier...

Sikhism Religion and Its Major Ordinances

Introduction: Sikhism at a Glance With the total number of worshippers amounting to 30 million worldwide and makes up 0.39% of the population, Sikhism is one of the major religions originating from India. At present, the country houses 83% of all Sikhs with 76% of them residing in the north...

Contemporary Religious Art: Visual Art

Art has always been an integral part of religion, and visual art is especially effective in conveying religious values. The paintings by the Australian artist O’Brien are displayed in modern art galleries, as they are characterized by a bright palette and dedication to religious subjects. The artist had an eye...

Religion: The Seven Storey Mountain

The Seven Storey Mountain is a twentieth-century spiritual autobiography written by a Catholic priest and a Trappist monk Thomas Merton. This book has many similarities with St. Augustine’s Confessions since it tells a personal story of seeking God and finding a vocation. The sincerity of the story and Merton’s writing...

Old Statement Law Interpreting by a Modern Christian

The nineteenth chapter of the book “Grasping God’s Word” by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays deals with the uneasy matter of interpreting the Old Testament laws and their relations with the ones described in the New Testament. The religious texts describe these laws clearly enough though many modern...

Protestants and Catholics Conversion in the New World

During the colonization of the New World, many conflicts emerged between the newcomers and the Native Americans. Among apparent differences that arose between them, the cultural and, more importantly, religious discrepancies were one of the most prominent ones. Shortly before the conquest of the New World, Europe survived one of...

A Gift of Speaking in Tongues

Introduction The gift of tongues was divinely bestowed upon believers by God, making them able to speak in a human language that was not learned by the one speaking it. When believers use the gift of speaking in tongues, they are instructed to speak one at a time, and only...

“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...

The Role of Religion in One Amazing Thing

One Amazing Thing was written by an Indian-American poet and novelist Chitra Divakaruni, who used the ancient storytelling form of Panchatantra to write her own sapiential story in the post-9/11 United States setting. The novel emphasizes the notion of multiculturalism and tells the story of nine protagonists who are captured...

A Christian-Muslim: Is It Possible?

The concept of dual faith revolves around exercising beliefs and practices drawn from different faiths. You could say that a Christian-Muslim dual faith system is unheard of. This would be true in as far as the tenets of both religious bodies are concerned. So for Ann Holmes Redding she cannot...

“Think Biblically” by John Macarthur

Introduction The book “Think Biblically” by John MacArthur can be acclaimed as an appeal to the audience to view the occurrences of modern culture through Biblical teachings. In the following paper, the strong and the weak points of this book will be discussed along with the value of the book...

Religion and its Role in the Society

What is Religion? It is not an easy task to directly explain or define religion and come up with a definition that will satisfy everyone. The technicality of the definition is that when we talk of religion everyone believes that he holds the true beliefs i.e. when you go to...

Al-Qushayri’s Epistle on Sufism Analysis

The book under consideration is called al-Qushayri’s Epistle on Sufism. It can be considered as an original textbook that served as a guide for generations of Sufi beginners (Al-Qushayri 10). It introduces readers to the everyday lives of Sufism proponents as well as to ethical and moral dilemmas they are...

Critique of Westerhoff’s Spiritual Life

Introduction This is a critical analysis of the book entitled “Spiritual Life” by Westerhoff. Westerhoff says that it is not possible for preachers as well as the teachers to have a ministry that is fully effective if their personal divine lives are not effervescent. He therefore offers a resource to...

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,...

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...

Wicca Religion: Dimensions Overview

Introduction Religion refers to the belief in a god or gods and worship of such god or gods. There are many aspects of Religion such as beliefs and practices that shape the life experiences of those who practice them. One’s religion is identifiable by the type of prayers conducted by...

“Sharing Jesus Without Fear” by William Fay

Introduction William Fay has done remarkable work as an evangelist, seeking out to reach the masses to invite and arouse their interest in the words of the Gospel. “Share Jesus without Fear” is a very practical book, in which the principles are presented in the manner that it can be...

Catechism of the Catholic Church on Jesus Christ

Introduction The one lord Jesus Christ is such a description of a being with distinction. As much as religion is concerned many people have different beliefs and faiths that they hold unto. For the Christians the great faith speaks of the trinity with the figure Jesus being God the son...

The Gospel to the Hindus: Discussion

The Christian message of salvation can only be made clear if the one doing the preaching or the gospel presentation has come to understand the meaning of sin and the individual’s need for a savior. Needless to say, the one doing the presentation must also be able to explain why...

Spiritual Formation in the Books of Romans and Ephesians

Introduction The books of Romans and Ephesians were written by Paul, and both contained extortions to the people on how to live their lives according to the dictates of Christianity. Romans 12: 1-2 and Ephesians 4:17-20 have a common theme- they both instruct the people to depend on God’s wisdom,...

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...

Christianity and Buddhism: Religion Comparison

Introduction Before we embark on comparing the spread of Christianity and Buddhism, as religious doctrines, we will need to come up with the definition of religion, because it will provide us with the insight on the dynamics of religious teachings becoming popularized. From today’s perspective, the classical concept of religion...

European Union and Religion

Since ancient times, religion has played a crucial role in the life of people and their moral values. The 20th century and democratic relations changed these issues and marked a new era in secular relations. Many of a society’s attitudes toward humanity and the environment tend to be embodied in...

A History of Christian Church: Gnosticism

Introduction Theology is a complex of sciences that study the history of creeds and institutional forms of religious life, a religious cultural heritage (religious art, monuments of religious writing, religious formations, and research activity), the traditional for the religious right, archaeological monuments of the history of religions, history and a...

Is Google Evil According to Catholic Social Teachings and Ethics?

Google is an enormous company that influences the daily lives of billions of people. For a long time, its code of conduct has advised the employees not to be evil. However, recently the line has been removed, which did not go unnoticed by the community. Furthermore, Google has come under...

The Concept of Death in Perspectives of Christianity and Hinduism

The diagnosis received by George in the case study is devastating and creates the possibility of a person facing mortality. Each individual interprets and deals with such situations according to personal values. This perspective is often based on a system of beliefs such as a religion. Religion serves as a...

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...

God Existence: Deductive and Inductive Arguments

The question of whether God exists has been the focus of discussions since the times immemorial. Numerous arguments have been provided by both sides of the discussion, each being rather impressive and logically coherent. In the text under analysis, both deductive and inductive reasoning is used to prove that God...

Karl Rahner’s Concept of Anonymous Christians

Religion and faith are two extremely disputable issues as every person has a certain vision of their basic aspects. The Christian Church has passed a long way to formulate certain dogmas that should unite people with the same attitude to God and show them the right way to appraise him....

St. Augustin’s Teachings on Grace

The Christian Church has many outstanding figures and saints that contributed to its development in various periods by creating the theological basis for its existence and further evolution. However, St. Augustine of Hippo can be considered one of the most prominent persons whose works, sermons, and writings contributed to the...

Human Nature in Luther’s and Wesley’s Views

John Wesley’s (1703-1791) understanding of the relationship between the nature of a man and God directly relates to the concept of salvation. He can be responsible for the ‘revolution’ in the Christian faith. According to him, every human was born with a piece of Christ in himself rather than with...

Intellect and Will in Religion

Religious Studies and Theology Intellect and will go hand in hand. One can do nothing with intellect if he or she has no will. On the other hand, if there is someone who is willing but does not have an intellect that is considered to be dangerous. Intellect is to...