Collective memory and Public Discourse - Essay Example

The foundation of Christian faith is based on the existence of Jesus Christ, the Son of God who was sent to save the world from sin by dying on the cross and rising from the dead after three days. Christ's resurrection gives assurance of a life after death and through faith with Jesus salvation is assured among his faithful followers. These concepts are supported by a known document called Scriptures, obtained from archeological explorations and other preserved documents, and other non-written accounts they refer to as traditions.

Much of the information concerning Jesus, however, can be obtained from the New Testament, which is the second part of the Bible and covers the times after the death and believed resurrection of Jesus Christ. But varying interpretations of these writing and traditions led to new ideas and concepts as society evolved and created variations in the Christian faith the leads to creation of several branches. Today, the Christian faith has several subdivisions each one having created within an understanding and ideals based from Scriptures, from tradition, or both.

In general the foundation of every group of Christians are based on strong faith which emanated from a concept or inspiration developed by a charismatic leadership and then later evolved into an organized society congregated by those who accepted the ideals presented. Christian organizations presently recorded include: The Amish, Baptist churches, Church of England, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Church of Scotland, Eastern Orthodox Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Methodist Church, Pentecostalism, Roman Catholic Church, and Seventh-day Adventists among others.

Within these major denominations are a lot of variations that existed and spread throughout the world.The Roman CatholicsThe largest among the subdivisions of Christianity is the Roman Catholicism (BBC) who claimed to be the first of the Christian religions and from which other groups sprung off. Its history can be traced back to as far as 2000 years back. The church was based in Rome headed by the Pope who was claimed to be the successor of Peter who in turn was the first head of the Christian Church instituted by Jesus Christ himself.

The doctrines of the Catholics are unique in the sense that it considers both the scriptures and the church own traditions. Issues of ProtestantismBelief in traditions, among others such as the control of the Pope over the church, the increased devotion to Mary, Christmas, Easter, the Rosary, the Idols, and others are common point of divergence of other Christian denominations that believed the "scriptures alone" as the source of inspirations, guidelines, and rules in following God. Among these groups who questioned traditions are the contemporary evangelical churches that emerged in the early 17th century and onwards.

Today, a public discourse is raging over the use of corruptible collective memory-based traditions as against a written document alone as the basis of faith and social practices in Christian organizations. Critics to the Catholic practice argued that traditions are not reliable social guidelines to followers of Christ for they do not qualify to be divinely inspired. They pushed the idea of "Sola Scriptura" or the scripture alone as the source of divine revelation.