Christian Identity, Nationalism, and Patriotism

Christian Identity Since the institutionalization of Christianity, the Church has always competed with monarchs for control over the states. Only after the beginning of the Reformation did Christianity begin to cooperate with local authorities. It can be said that such a symbiosis of unique cultures and local Christian practice norms...

A Nonreligious Cult “Free People”

A nonreligious cult called Free People becomes more popular among youth. It focuses on working with individuals aged 18-21 years, all genders, and belonging mainly to poor or low-income communities with problems in families. The cult promotes the idea of freedom, which can be achieved by refusing all burdens of...

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....

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,...

“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...

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...

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....

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...

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...

Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity

The psychological practice of believers is usually different from the atheists’ psychological counseling methods. That is because faith enriches individuals and allows them to reveal those facets of the human soul that may not be available to academic knowledge. This paper aims to summarize and critically analyze the book by...

“Basic Christianity” Book by John Stott

Throughout centuries, the infinite world stands upon the rules, regulations created by humans, and, most importantly, religion. The latter offered the medieval man an opportunity to reconsider life and its purpose. At its core, faith illuminates being with light and hope. Among diverse directions of faith, Christianity constitutes one of...

The Life of Saint Francis: The Story of Change

Introduction Saint Francis is one of the most significant figures in Christianity. Most texts about this individual explore his teachings, wisdom, and legacy. However, Francis’s life was not limited to religious service, and it should be considered a lesson on its own. Francesco experienced drastic changes in his attitude toward...

Non-christian World Religions: History, Concepts, and Beliefs of Buddhism

Introduction Religion can be described as a set of beliefs about the origin, purpose and the nature of the universe more especially when it is considered to have been created by supernatural agencies or agency. The believers have a set of rituals they observe and a moral code that governs...

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...

Scribes and Pharisees Once Christ Was Crucified

Introduction Literary critics have often described the fact that Anthology of World Literature by Sarah Lawall restrains the world’s best-selling literature. Sarah Lawall introduces each writer and their works with a detailed biography, background description, and critical analysis. The Scribes and Pharisees in Bible have often been considered as the...

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...

Prophet Moses – Deliverer of Israel

Prophet Moses Moses was reluctant when the Lord called him to deliver the children of Israel from Egypt. God decided to perform miracles to Prophet Moses so that people would believe him (Exodus 4:1-2). God commanded Moses to throw the stick he had in his hand on the ground. He...

Biblical Prophets of Israel

The Bible is an indivisible entity, a document of spiritual and historical relevance. Depending upon interpretation and usage, it has been and can be an indispensable tool of liberation or a weapon of mass destruction and oppression. It is the infallible word of God as depicted by His inspired prophets...

Bible: The Healing of Bartimaeus

Introduction The Bible is the literary source that may be compared with the treasury of wisdom and experience; it is not a hyperbole when a faithful person says that all the answers to all questions can be found in this holy book. The reflection on the literary merit of the...

Tibetan Buddhism and Zen Buddhism Comparison

Tibetan Buddhism (Dalai Lama) Zen Buddhism 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...

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...

Zen Buddhism: Main Features

Introduction Zen Buddhism is a peculiar religion because unlike most other religion such as Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and many others, Zen Buddhism does not have a god to worship. In Zen Buddhism there is no particular spiritualism since any Zen practitioner is expected to meditate in search of enlightenment and...

Civilization Concepts: Religion and History

Introduction Civilization refers to where by a society or community is being transformed from its old ways of doing things to modern ways. Civilization comes as change is made in the political social, economic and religious doing. Western civilization was brought about in forms of art literature drama as well...

“Christianity and the Class Struggle” by Abraham Kuyper

Introduction Abraham Kuyper usually acknowledged as Abraham Kuyper was a Dutch politician, journalist, statesman, and theologian. He initiated the Anti-Revolutionary party and was the prime minister of the Netherlands between 1901 and 1905. Abraham Kuyper’s opening address to the first Christian social congress in Amsterdam in 1891 had an electrifying...

The Christological Interpretation of the Psalms

Psalms is a sacred book of the Old Testament. The book of Psalms consists of 150 psalms devoted to different religious values and norms. Each psalm is a song consisted of chants. Critics suppose that the Book of Psalms was composed by the Babylonians, from about 586 to 538 B.C....

Religious Faith During the Era of Francois Voltaire

Introduction Voltaire was born in the final years of the seventeenth century and died a decade before the beginning of the French Revolution. Christened François Marie Arouet, he subsequently assumed his name to Voltaire. In fact, Voltaire was a central and quintessential figure of the eighteenth century, so much so...

Cosmic Christianity: Eliade’s “Myth and Reality”

Introduction Mythology is a very abstract and historic concept which many do not realize has been a vital part of human civilization for centuries before the arrival of the primary world religions. As societies developed with more concrete ideologies and structured religious institutions, mythological concepts were integrated into mainstream religions...

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...

“Martin Luther: A Late Medieval Life” by V. Leppin

Introduction Martin Luther, known as the father of the Reformation, had a remarkable life that is discussed by several authors. In his Martin Luther: A Late Medieval Life book, Volker Leppin offers his vision on the key biographic points of this theologian. By reading and analyzing the lives of prominent...

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....

Issues of Biomedical Ethics in the Christian Narrative and Christian Vision

Under the Christian narrative and Christian vision, what sorts of issues are most pressing in this case study? The given case study describes rather a controversial situation, in which Christian vision comes into conflict with common sense, ethics, and medical science. The most pressing issue here is the fact that...

The Old and New Testament Books

Summary of the books of the Old Testament Books Exodus The book of Exodus is a narrative. Exodus means “departure”. The book revolves around the deliverance of the people of Israel after 400 years of slavery under the then Pharaoh of Egypt. It begins with the cry of the Israelites...

The World’s Religions: Worldviews and Contemporary Issues

What is Young’s Definition of Religion? Various individuals and groups have defined religion basing on what they believe or through the influence of forces surrounding their faith. William Young, in his book, The World’s Religions: World Views and Contemporary Issues, he argues that, religion is a form of human transformation,...

Islam and Politics’ Relations

Introduction The topic of interrelations between Islam and politics has been subjected to extensive research in the past few decades due to the complications in the processes of external relationships between Western institutions and those following the Islamic rule. In the very beginning, it is crucial to mention that the...

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...

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....

Creole Religions of the Caribbean by Olmos et al.

Introduction The book under consideration, written by Margarite Fernandez Olmos and Lizabeth Parvisini-Gebert, represents a comprehensive investigation of the diversity of religious practices, beliefs, and traditions that originated in the Caribbean region as well as the current state of these religions. The introduction to the book begins with the description...

Religious Studies: Israel in Canaan

The book of Joshua is one of the most important scriptures that describe the final journey of the children of Israel into the Promised Land from Egypt. After the death of Moses who had led the Israelites out of Egypt, Joshua took over the leadership. He was given the mandate...

Human Life and Death in Christianity and Buddhism

Illness often leads to agony and prompts the search for the meaning of life as people try to understand the reasons behind their predicaments. At times, individuals use their religious convictions to interpret sickness. Ivtzan, Chan, Gardner, and Prashar (2013) posit, “Religious and spiritual beliefs provide possibilities of attributing meaning...

The 95 Theses

The 95 Theses by Martin Luther was the work of art based on the Catholic practices referring to baptism and absolutism. The theses raised in The Ninety-Five Theses were against the idea of indulgence as the church had the power to sell salvation to a sinner. Luther was a famous...

People’s Religious Beliefs and Their Behavior

Introduction The impact of people’s religious beliefs on their behavior can be listed among the factors that often cause ethical dilemmas in healthcare. The target of the given paper is to present and analyze the ethical dilemma related to the discussed factor. The paper describes the case of a teenager...

Innovate Church: Non-Negotiable Commitments

Which of the non-negotiable commitments to you find most difficult to keep? How do you plan to strengthen your commitment in that area? There are four non-negotiable commitments. Each of them plays an important role in understanding God, human beliefs, and the power of faith. First three commitments are clear,...

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...

Jesus Christ in “Resurrected as Messiah” by Ortlund

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...

Religion in Indonesia: History and Tolerance

Introduction Indonesia’s religions include Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam, and traditional practices (Arli & Tjiptono 2014). Many existing religious groups in Indonesia adopted Islam and blended it with their practices in their localities (Chalmers 2006). Therefore, this paper agrees that the Islam of Indonesia ended up growing more tolerant as it...

Theology: Discipleship and a Healthy Church

Introduction Being a believer requires a great deal of sacrifice and dedication but it is mainly synonymous with disciple-making. The church is expected to play a significant role in spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. Consequently, the task of making disciples is a core element of the church and it...

Creationism, Its Theories and Forms

This research project provides an overview of the famous life origin theory that dwells on religious beliefs. Specifically, the report outlines the foundation of the Creationism theory that regards God as a creator of life on the earth. Thus, the argument relies on Christianity and is supported by numerous theological...

Buddhist Spirituality: Contribution to Psychological Well-Being

Introduction During recent years, the popularity of Buddhism among the population of Western countries has risen significantly. The tradition of Buddhist Spirituality attracts many people seeking to find harmony in their lives. Buddhist spirituality is the philosophy based on the principles of wisdom, ethical conduct, and concentration, which if followed...

Second Temple Judaism: Contradictions and Unity

The Second Temple Period of the Jewish history is characterized by three major crises the Jewish people struggled. They were caused by social, religious and political contradictions. The major sects, which are Pharisees, Sadducees and Essenes were formed during this period. The beginning of the period is characterized by the...

“Planting Missional Churches” by Ed Stetzer: Summary and Critique

Summary The book under analysis was written by Ed Stetzer and entitled Planting Missional Churches. The author provides valuable insights into the process of planting evangelist churches. Stetzer sheds light on various aspects of the project including finances, location, preaching, worship, spirituality, congregational formation, and so on. The book contains...

The Christian and Buddhist Perspectives in Healthcare

Introduction The aspects of health and disease create a significant portion of the shared understandings of human existence meaning that it influences the diverse elements of religion practiced in various societies. Historical documentations demonstrate that health has all along been an essential aspect that ensures sustainability of the well-being of...

Catholic, Church of Christ and Jewish Religions Comparison

Catholics, Protestants, and Jews are three major denominations of Christianity among many others. While the pope is the head of the Catholic Church, Protestantism and Judaism refer to Christianity that is not a subject to Papal authority (Neusner, 2001). The Catholic Church and the Church of Christ are the two...

Roman Catholicism Vs Protestant Christianity

Introduction This paper examines the differences between the beliefs of the Roman Catholicism and the mainstream Protestant Christianity. During Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, “several groups of churches separated from the Roman Catholic Church” (Walton 40). This marked the beginning of differences in beliefs and unity of Christendom among...

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 Methodist Doctrinal Heritage

In consideration of the Methodist’s heritage and the study of it, Methodists are people from many denominations and organizations that attribute their beliefs to John Wesley. In reference to The United Methodist Book of Disciple, (pp. 45), Methodists in the early times were drawn from all walks of life and...

The Israel’s Grumbling: The Book of Numbers

The book of Numbers in the Bible records the history of the Israelites during their journey through the wilderness. One common theme throughout their journey is their tendency to complain and grumble when faced with difficulties. This is exemplified in two incidents recorded in Numbers 14 and 20, where the...

Christianity in Frederick Douglass’ Narrative Story

Among slave owners, Frederick Douglass claimed that religious ones were the worst kind (Douglass, Narrative 67). The book Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, written by Douglass himself, presents a vivid account of hypocrisy and cruelty that mars the ways of Christianity. This work was written at times when...

Role of Gospel Essentials in Shaping Christians’ Beliefs

Introduction Benchmark—Gospel Essentials is a term used in Christianity to describe the core beliefs of the faith. These include the belief in one God, the need for salvation, and the importance of Jesus Christ. Gospel Essentials are often used as a benchmark against other beliefs. For example, when evaluating new...

White Theology and Its Core Characteristics

Introduction The church has been known to have the power to influence various issues in society. For instance, with the support of the church, government agencies are able to implement the law. When the local, state and federal governments have tried to solve some of the social issues such as...

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 Tony Evans Bible Commentary

Introduction Tony Evans is one of the most powerful church leaders in present times, having studied and preached the gospel for more than fifty years. The Tony Evans Bible Commentary includes an introduction to each book of the Bible, as well as introductory resources and a passage-by-passage exegesis of the...

“Nick Cave Introduces the Gospel of Mark” Article by Zahl

After examining the article, Nick Cave introduces the gospel of Mark, Nick Cave seems to be a person fond of Jesus and religion, and surprisingly, he incorporates violence and death concepts into his art. His performance as a spokesperson is what made him most famous. Founder and frontman of the...

The Bible and the Quran: Key Aspects

Quran The Question of Origin According to the Quran, the world was created by Allah in six days. The heavens, the heavenly bodies, and the earth were created, laid out with a carpet, on which mountain strongholds were installed for strength. The earth is connected to heaven by an invisible...

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...

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...

Religion From the Point of View of Functionalism

Functionalism explores the nature of social life and cultural phenomena before they are subjected to further speculative manipulations. This approach opposes naive realism, which assumes that a person can directly comprehend static and unchanging essences of phenomena through contemplation and analysis of changeable and transient sensations (Bhukkal, 2021). It is...

The Future of Religion Around the World

Introduction Religion is an integral part of the life of people who believe that they have a soul. Most cultures and ancient civilizations have a rich heritage in the form of rituals, beliefs, and myths that explain man’s origin, the earth’s creation, and the role of man in life. Despite...

Love and Responsibility Book by W. Karol

Karol Wojtyla, who later became John Paul II, is a firm critic of utilitarianism. In his book, Love and Responsibility, he describes the nature of love, its implications on human relationships, and how they relate to God’s love. On pages 18-28, Wojtyla upholds the value of love between men and...

Dismantling Social Barriers Through Table Fellowship

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. These...

The Role of a Christian Chaplain as a Counselor

Introduction The military chaplain is vital in the armed forces, providing army personnel with guidance and counseling, performing rites, and attending to their spirituality. Furthermore, a military chaplain is obliged to support anyone seeking it, disregarding a person’s denomination. While Christian chaplains do not minister outside their faith tradition in...

“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...

Philosophical Teachings History Analysis

Scholars unanimously agree that Nāgārjuna is arguably the most influential Buddhist philosopher, most likely second after Buddha. Nāgārjuna’s concept of emptiness (Sunyata) has dramatically influenced Indian philosophy among other regions around the world, including but not limited to Japan, Tibet, and China. According to Nāgārjuna, emptiness is something void, often...

Receiving Salvation in Luke 17:11-21

Introduction One illustration that refers to Jesus’s teachings and the overall concept of receiving salvation is Luke 17:11-21. The 19th chapter tells the story of the ten lepers. The story portrays the different reactions to the miracles of God, refers to certain aspects of the healing power of Jesus, and...

Blessings, Beatitudes, Curses, and Woes in the Bible

In Deuteronomy 28:1-14 Bible says, “You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country” (“Deuteronomy 28 (KJV)”). God’s word promises that if we accept His instruction to put Him first (to elevate Him above all other things in our life and revere Him as our first cause,...

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...

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...

Changes in the Second Vatican Council

There are numerous different religions globally, and each one has its traditions, rituals, and celebrations. Catholic Church also owns certain important and memorable dates on which it holds ceremonies that aim to honor some historical and religious figures or feast holidays. One of such celebrations is Holy Mass, which is...

“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,...

Sharing Christ with Children: Reading Reflection

The First Lesson Based on the book Sharing Christ with Children, I learned a lot of things. First, I learned that Jesus loved children and emphasized that let all children go to him. Secondly, I learned that children are undergoing numerous challenges, such as sexual abuse and being raised by...

Christian Allegories: “The Parable of the Prodigal Son”

“The Parable of the Prodigal Son” is a story of a family and the importance of support and forgiveness. In Holy Bible, there are many cases that teach justice and fair relationships. Another Christian allegory of human interactions and help is in “The Parable of the Good Samaritan.” Although these...

Confucianism as the Main Religion of Indonesia

Confucianism is one of the world’s major philosophic and spiritual teachings, primarily practiced in Asian countries and China in particular. It is based on the various ideas of Confucius, comprising the moral and spiritual backbone of a number of nations. For its country of origin, China, Confucianism remains a source...

Modern Missionary Work and Religion Decline

About 100 years ago, and even at the beginning of the 21st century, religion spread much faster than in recent years. The period from 1981 to 2007 was analyzed for the spread of religious trends and missionary activity in 49 countries (Inglehart, 2020). As a result, it was found that...

Religious Instructions at Home and Their Importance

Introduction Raising a child is a complex process that requires theory and supporting factors. Proper upbringing determines the kind of person a child grows up to be, one’s attitude to life, and one’s place in society. It also determines how the child will relate to parents and whether one will...

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...

Gospel Communication Elements of Culture

Sharing information with someone from a different cultural background is not easy as you need to know their values and belief systems that shape and define the nature of the conversation. Jay, an Indian student, has shown much interest in knowing more about the story of God. I learned several...

History of the World Christian Movement

In their book Readings in World Christian History, Coakley and Sterk (2004) suggest that the movement of Christianity as a religion has always been more expansive than any individual or local community. The diversity of beliefs and practices inherent to the religion that developed over the past two millennia is...

The Creator’s Benevolence: The Philosophical Review

The debates around God’s intentions and will during the creation of the human race remain forever inconclusive, although different theologists often attempt to provide the basis for such an act. This topic relates to such themes as omnipotence, perfect good morals, and God’s benevolence. However, there are certain limitations that...

Heritage Theme in “Everyday Using” and “The Parable of the Lost Son”

In both works, the theme of inheritance seems to be very internal; it is not on the surface. In Everyday Using, on the surface lies the mother’s relationship with her daughters, her thoughts, dreams, and memories; her fault and understanding of the mistakes of upbringing. The Parable of the Lost...

How the Bible Portrays a Unified Story

Considering its diversity and rich storyline, the Bible can be converted into billions of classic books of different genres. The foundation of all the stories created is to glorify God’s supreme authority since everything on the earth was created through him. Therefore, the Bible tells the same story based on...

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,...

Proofs of the Existence of God Based on Moral Conscience

The deontological argument for the existence of God attempts to answer the question of whether the moral order and grounding ethics are possible without assuming that God exists. One of its formulations is Kant’s argument, which states that a superior order is required to guide people in their actions. God...

The Five Pillars of Islam in the Muslim Culture

The pillars of the Islamic religion are crucial for its general practice and shared ideas. To be more exact, they constitute the basic norms of religious custom and are widely accepted by Muslim people. In addition, fulfilling the five pillars is compulsory for those who consider themselves the followers of...

In Defense of the Classical Doctrine of the Trinity

The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the most misinterpreted and controversial aspects of Christianity. Historically, there have been debates surrounding this foundational concept of Christian faith. People often make mistakes trying to understand the nature of God, which stems primarily from their denial they cannot fully grasp the...

Old Testament and Middle East Scriptures’ Similarities

The Hebrew Bible is similar to and unlike other ancient Near Eastern writings. Scribes compiled the manuscripts that constituted the Hebrew Bible. They have educated members of society, and many of them worked in the big institutions of society, such as palaces and temples. More essential subjects, like cosmology, rituals,...

The Future of Religion in Canada

Introduction Canada has many different religions, but none of them is official in the country because of the great significance of religious pluralism in Canadian political culture. Canada does not establish a single national religion, and, on the contrary, its government supports the existing multitude of religious movements. Today, the...

What the Bible Means to Me: Holy Bible New International Version

The Bible which is the core religious text for Christianity is more than a historic narrative, collection of stories, and even a guide on how to be a Christian. It is a deeply spiritual and meaningful text that embodies the Holy Spirit and offers the faithful insight into the intricacies...

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...

Key Christian Beliefs and Practices

Many of the essential teachings of Christian faith come from the parables, or short stories, that Jesus told. The key beliefs included lessons that persuaded individuals to love God and their neighbours as they would themselves (Matthew 22:37-39). Forgiving those that have wronged you is also a notable value and...

Immortality, Personal Identity, Death and God

Introduction According to the traditional perception of immortality, the after-life or eternal life follows the physical death of a body, but the soul stays immortal. In conformity with the religious or philosophic fellowship, the personal identity of a human either stays the same, either disappears. The idea of the hereafter...

The Babylonian Exile of the Israelites as Calvin’s Metaphor

Babylonian exile of the ancient Israelites would be an important metaphor for Calvin to use in describing the Christian’s life on earth because Christians are held captive by sins thus getting punished. The Babylonian captivity is depicted as a punishment for idolatry as well as disobedience to God. The suffering...

Christian Approaches to Hinduism

Hinduism is an integral part of the world’s religions, and there is no doubt that Christianity has succeeded in building its attitude toward this denomination. According to Light (2017), “Christian approaches to Hinduism are diverse but tend to study sacred texts, ways of life, or philosophy. Consequently, it is appropriate...

Anti-Theistic Arguments on Existence of God

Usually, people perceive religion and belief as aspects of personal choice that are difficult or impossible to dispute. Most often, belief is based on unjustified facts or events; however, this feature does not prevent people from holding on to their positions. On the other hand, anti-theistic arguments are most often...

Christian Foundations and Worldview

Christianity is one of the most important and popular world religions. It was founded approximately near 33 AD in Palestine, and it is centered on the personality of Jesus Christ, the life and deeds of whom were described in the Gospels (Köstenberger, 2020). For Christians, Jesus was a messiah, a...

The Book of Revelation and Second Coming of Christ

In Revelation 20, a major event is described known as The Millennium. It is a highly controversial passage and there is much debate on whether the Second Coming of Christ will occur prior and lead to this prolonged period of holiness and salvation on Earth, or will the Second Coming...

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...

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...

“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...

The Positioning of Systematic Theology

In a detailed discussion of the differences in existing approaches to the study of the Bible, it is worth emphasizing the nature of the object understudy in the first place. Strictly speaking, theology itself involves studying the nature of God and the religious beliefs that enable followers to believe in...

St. Benedict’s Guidelines of a Monastic Way of Life

St. Benedict is a Christian saint who is responsible for the creation of the Rule of Benedict, which is a set of rules and guidelines for Christian monks to follow. It is regarded as one of the most influential texts that helped establish the basic rules of monasticism in medieval...

Religious Values During War and Peace

Introduction Despite the existence of different religions and their development, the majority of scripture and religious texts proclaim that human life is the ultimate value that has to be respected. Hence, war and other types of violence are not parts of religious values because these religions support peace, however, many...

Relationship Among the Religions

Introduction When analyzing the dominant faiths, one can identify three religions with similar features and concepts: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. These theological doctrines have common features because, according to existing data, they have the same source of formation and a single-core – an emphasis on the Holy Scriptures as the...

Leadership Vision and Scriptures

A vision statement is extremely important for leaders to keep their followers motivated. A well-formulated vision inspires others beyond their duties by creating a picture of the positive and uplifting future (Parkay et al., 2019). There are six key areas of vision that help to keep the followers motivated. All...

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...

Religion Is the Opiate of the Masses

Sociologists have defined religion as a social institution that involves practices and beliefs which society considers sacred. Different members of the community share virtues in light of symbols and rituals as an identity of spiritualism. Religions often have ethics and set rules that guide the way of living among its...

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...

Biomedical Ethics and Christianity: Balancing Patient’s Wellbeing and Trust in God

Introduction Bioethics is an independent discipline and a system of moral principles and values that serve as a point of reference in case a medical practitioner is confronted with a moral dilemma. Often, the scale of a problem supersedes the limits of what is healthy and embarks on what is...

Religious Study and Theology. I AM statements

‘I AM’ is derived from Greek words. I AM statements are found both in the New and Old Testament. In the New Testament, the Gospel according to John emphasizes on the statements. The book of John opens up with a strong relationship between God and the Word. John 1:1-2 states...

Conflict Between Augustine and Pelagius

This conflict is based on the place of grace in the salvation of man as well as the doctrine of the ‘original sin’. Augustine believed that grace played a vital and central role in keeping man from sinning. Pelagius believed that man’s free will was adequate to keep him from...

Religious Studies and Theology: Paganism in the Military

Overview Any form of involvement in a religious practice that goes against the Christian doctrine has been largely defined as paganism. This term is also used by the two main religious mainstreams, namely Christianity and Islam to refer to those who do not belong in either of the two religions....

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 Acceptance of Santeria in Modern Day Society

Freedom of religion and spiritual practices is one of the main issues granted by the Constitution. Santoria is a unique authentic form of religion that causes criticism and controversies because of its cruel practices and animal killing. Thus, the Constitution grants rights and freedoms to all citizens in spite of...

Native American and African Religions

Religion has existed since antiquity. While different communities practiced different religions, they nonetheless have a common ground when it comes to the unity of the material and spiritual world. According to Toropov and Buckles, within the Native American spirituality, all processes whether human or non human (spiritual), are linked. Native...

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...

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...

Hindu Religion: Sacred Elements and Traditions

Introduction A Hindu is one who born in Hindustan or India and he is the one who believe in Hinduism. The term Hindu was derived from the river Sindhu. This term was first used to recognize the inhabitants who lived beyond the Indus River. Hinduism is considered as one of...

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...

“Biblical Inerrancy” Book by Stephen L. Andrew

Critique The main goal of the article is to demonstrate the arguments for and against inerrancy with the invalidity of some of the supporting evidence as to the main thesis. The author reached his purpose by constructively building his article starting from defining terms, historical background, refutation, and support. The...

History of Islam: The World with Only 100 Muslims

Introduction If we talk about the history of Islam the way it started was from one single person that was Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) that came up bringing Islam as the last religion with a revealed book Quran. Main body He was all for this religion so God rewarded him with the...

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...

Promotion Religion in Schools

The history of the case started on February 5, 2004 when Nicholas Rotolo was engaged in a hockey tournament at a skating rink and suffered a cardiac arrest. The skating rink was owned by San Hose Sports and Entertainment. Medical aid was given by two parents witnessing the event who...

French Hijab Ban and Its Effects on Society

Alma and Lila are teenage sisters from the lower-class suburbs of Aubervilliers who were expelled from their school in 2003 after they defied the French law requiring them not to wear headscarves. Their father is a Jew who does not believe in God and a lawyer who works for an...

Wars of Religion: Historical Review

The most fanatical and catastrophic time in the history of Europe dates back to the period between the second half of the sixteenth century and the commencement of the seventeenth century since it was during this time that the most appalling and fervent sequence of wars broke out. It is...

Baptism in Christianity: History and Meaning of the Rite

Baptism is among the oldest Christian sacraments, as it has been introduced in the Bible and is likely older than the writing. It is usually considered necessary to perform the rite to join the religion. The procedure usually involves immersion into a body of water, preferably a river, but other...

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...

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...

Appreciating the Natural World

Nowadays all people live in different communities, and various religions are spread among the population. During its history, humanity accumulated and explored a significant amount of knowledge about the world around. The world is changing, and all these changes affect the population in whole and certain human beings in particular....

Buddha’s Four Noble Truths and Jesus’ Teachings

In Buddhism, the Noble Eightfold Path is the last of the Four Noble Truths. It describes the principles of thought and behavior that help on one’s path to enlightenment. According to Ratnasekera (n.d.), following the Eightfold Path makes the person “fully self-possessed, in command of his faculties and well-equipped to...

Hamartiology: The Problem of Evil (Theodicy)

The issue of whether an omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent God exists amidst all the evil that is being experienced in the world has remained to be one of the highly debatable issues among various stakeholders of religious based education. Some people may argue that such a God would logically be...

“Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling” by Mark McMinn

According to McMinn, the book is intended for Christian counselors with interest in investigating the link between theology and religion. In this regard, he defines the basic perspectives of integrating religion and psychology in counseling. Moreover, he outlines the fundamental concepts of integrating counseling in religion. He epitomizes the belief...

Religious Traditions in Various Dimensions

Aesthetic dimension in religious traditions Aesthetic dimension is the notion, which comprises a lot of smaller notions and considerations. Generally, the aesthetic dimension is everything. Defining this notion, it should be mentioned that combining two words, this notion takes something from the definition of each. Thus, aesthetics is related to...

Thom Rainer’ Views on Religion

What myth about the Unchurched surprised you the most? How will your new knowledge about characteristics of the Unchurched affect your ministry? The author introduces nine powerful myths about the unchurched people and their attitudes to churches, leaders, and insights offered. Each myth is a unique approach to the understanding...

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...

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...

Effective Church Models: The Apostolic Harvest Church and the Team Planting

Ed Stetzer is a famous Baptist leader whose contributions are impressive and influential indeed. In his book, Planting Missional Churches, the author introduces several effective church models (Stetzer 2006). Each of them has its strong and weak points. In this discussion, two models, the apostolic harvest church and the team...

“Planting Churches Cross-Culturally” by David Hesselgrave

Summary The book “Planting Churches Cross Culturally” is an informative piece of literature that supports the importance of evangelistic work. The book acts as a guideline or manual focusing on church planting in unreached areas. In the first part, David Hesselgrave argues that church leaders should gather more believers and...

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 Oppression: Pluralism Understanding

Today, different religions can coexist in the modern world, and this phenomenon can be defined as religious pluralism since a diverse array of religions is accepted (Phan & Ray, 2014). Apart from the fact that religious pluralism creates separation and tensions in society, the statement “pluralism is the greatest philosophical...

Islamic Culture and American Muslims

Islamic Culture Islam is the third largest religion in the United States and has more than 3 million followers. This accounts for approximately 1% of the American population (GhaneaBassiri, 2010). Since the 9/11 attacks, the controversy regarding the compatibility between American and Islamic cultures and values has dominated political and...

Covenant with the Israelites

1. In religion, the term covenant differs from its common meaning. Traditionally it is taken as an agreement between different parties. However, in terms of religion and the Bible, the given word “implies more of a formal treaty like a commitment to a relationship” (United Church of God, 2011, para....