TITLE The Next Christendom by Philip Jenkins is a non-fiction work about the growth and changing of Christianity from a predominately Western religion to a religion that is becoming more concentrated in the South. In the opening portion of the first chapter, his goal is already made clear when Philip Jenkins states that, “the center of gravity in the Christian world has shifted inexorably away from Europe, Southward to Africa and Latin America, and Eastward, toward Asia,” (1). He goes on to…
Though this might be a debatable topic, however the blame for the Original Sin points to Eve as the source of evil. Since this is not only one of the most significant pieces of the scripture texts for Judaism and Christianity, it is challenging to argue against the real cause and source of evil and the Original Sin. It is interesting to note that “The Mirror of the Sinful Soul” states “You wipe away her transgressions, for she has nothing but sins, / given her by her…
My second hometown, Fuzhou, was one of the five “treaty ports” in the 1842’s Treaty of Nanjing signed between China and the United Kingdom. British merchandise flooded into China through these five ports, Qing dynasty’s seclusion policy which functioned as the national defense system was forced to collapse. In the meantime, missionaries also came to China and built churches, hospitals and schools. My home church in Fuzhou was built in this time (1856) by Rev. Robert Samuel Maclay and other…
Angels Heavenly angels have always intrigued humanity; nonetheless, little is known about them. However, there is one thing about which we can be certain concerning angels; God has revealed to us exactly what He wants us to know about His heavenly messengers. God created humanity perfect and sinless (Gen. 1:31); nonetheless, in time man sinned and became separated from God. (Gen. 3:14-19) But even in that early morning of time there is an indication that God already had a plan of salvation in…
hunter-gatherer societies; this religion eventually would evolve into Shamanism once the societies collected in permanent settlements and turned towards agricultural cultivation. For this paper, I will be focusing on two different extremes of religion--Christianity and Vodou--and analyzing how these religions’ practices developed, specifically Catholicism and Haitian Vodou, from their original forms to coincide with the knowledge discovered during the different eras. It is important…
In John 13:1-7, the Bible portrays Jesus washing His disciples’ feet, shortly before He was to be crucified on the cross. In this act of kindness, Jesus was demonstrating humility, and that all Christians must be willing to be servants for others. By washing and cleaning the feet of his disciples, He was demonstrating His love for them. Christians should not think they are superior or better than those who do not hold to the same faith, and they are called to lay aside their pride, serve the…
Christianity is the world’s largest religion, proving to be durable, lasting over 2,000 years and having over thirty-two percent of the population following it. It began in the first century and is filed as an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion. It is based on the life and teaching of Jesus Christ. Christians believe that there is a single, personal, transcendent, and all powerful God that manifests in three ways, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They believe that God has reached out in grace (love)…
Abraham Lincoln once said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” The religious figure Abraham is one of the most polarizing figures in the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. These religions are all founded with the belief that Abraham is their common ancestor. However, these religions have a rift in beliefs surrounding the decision of which son of Abraham, Ishmael or Isaac, is the legitimate heir to Abraham’s everlasting covenant with God. The painting of “Hagar’s…
religious figures. Religious painters might adapted to different cultures from travelers or missionaries of other cities. Consequently, the painter demonstrated that Jerusalem is the Holy land where many pilgrims would travel to, to learn more about Christianity. Finally, the two painting panels, Virgin and Child Enthroned and the Crucifixion are evidence that shows Jerusalem is the city of Silk…
Era was one of transition from pagan beliefs to Christianity, which can be see interwoven in the literature of the period. By the time “Beowulf” was transcribed, pagan mythology and Christian truths were viewed as mutually exclusive ideals, but to many people these tales coexisted within their hearts and minds as is revealed by the story of “Beowulf” as the author transitions seamlessly between the two warring worldviews. The relationship of Christianity and pagan legends is complex and…