The Christian Tradition - Assignment Example

The Christian Tradition Violence is a key problem for our current society. Choose one example of violence, describe itand relate this issue to some aspect of a religious perspective. Violence can be defined as an excessive application of aggression towards a person or any grouping. It is clear that no form of violence is advocated for by any conscious central government or organization. Failure of any particular individual or group to tolerate the activities or the doctrines of the other is often the root cause of violence. Exodus, chapter 21 clearly condemns any act of violence towards an individual and there are harsh repercussions for the executors. Large scale violence in the world arises from conflicting religious ideologies and consequently intolerance towards each other. A good example of a modern form of violence is that experienced in Libya where the U.S ambassador to Libya and other state employees were killed. While some sources state that the hostile reaction culminating to attacks on U.S embassies in Libya may be political, it notable that they have a religious bearing. Similarly, the perpetrators of the infamous 9/11 attacks publicly admit doing it in the name of God. To a particular extent, this example of violence falls under the ongoing feud and intolerance between Muslims and Christians. Christians may feel targeted by Muslims in the acts of terrorism. There is a sensitive coexistence between the religious groups. For any religious grouping that claim peace is a major component of their doctrines, appropriate measures to inhibit religious violence should be in place otherwise no apparent solution may be in sight. The bible advocates for peaceful existence with each other as per Matthew 9, “Happy are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God”. James F. Moore, in his book “Towards a Dialogical Community” explores some sensitive relations such as the Jewish –Christian relations in a bid to aid the modern society in upholding religious ethics. It is only through prescriptions such as a unified community that peace can prevail. 2. We are living in what some have called a postmodern world. Give two aspects of what we experience as postmodern reality and describe what they mean for us. The current way of life under practice by many people contain many elements of modernism. There are wholesome changes from the way people lived in the past times. There is development of various beliefs towards things and other people as well. (Anderson& Gerald 27) Post modernism has with it much negativity in the way of life compared to the past. Among the realities that are common in this era is religious intolerance and objectivity. (Anderson& Gerald 63). In the book by Rebecca s. Chopp, “reconstructing Christian theology”, Christians ought to move with the changes in the modern world such as social and intellectual changes. This serves to equip them to be prepared for any challenges. Her opinions are especially for the North America setting. Religious intolerance is the most common occurrences in the recent times. This is supported by the exchange of offensive materials in the media that is meant to cause discomfort to the other religious grouping. Palestinian Muslims and Jewish community in Israel have been at it in the recent times causing destruction and intolerance among the people. This limits peaceful coexistence or harmonization of people regardless of their faith. For instance, some sections of the Muslim community in the Middle East take intolerance to paramount levels by engaging in terrorism activities labeling it as “holy war”. These activities end up to loss of innocent lives. On the other hand, some Jewish people publish articles or drawings to instigate violent reactions from the Muslim communities. As time passes, this issue bears momentum and continues to sabotage the good elements of modernism. The modern world employs reason as the main driving force for anything that is worth application. Consequently, the doctrines are put to scrutiny. This is called objectivity. The effect of this practice is condemnation of one’s beliefs and reality on the basis of a person’s views. Objectivity is naïve since it tends to apply rationality to religion which is actually equivalent to imposing other ideas rather than the practiced ones. Moreover, questioning the truth of one’s beliefs serves to devalue the individual who is the sole determiner of his or her own truth and beliefs. This means that people living in the modern times will always have to face some kind of conflict in their beliefs. 3. We who live in the Western world know that we live in a post-Colonial world. What does that mean and what does that have to do with being Christian in this world? Post colonialism has had an immense bearing on Christianity. This era gives room for the Christian faith to be scrutinized and challenged overwhelmingly. In times where freedom of thought and action is at all time high, the grip of Christianity is somehow incomparable to the ancient times. One good example of this is the evolution of Pentecostal churches to challenge the doctrines practiced by the Roman Catholic. Many break-away religions are emerging as the freedom of worship thrives in the world. People are no longer held tightly to the conforms of the practices of the colonial times when religion was picking up. Living in the western world is challenging for Christianity. There are new developments in technology and also in peoples’ understanding of religion. More so, the elements of post modern realities are catching up with the way of lives many people. It is worth noting that post colonialism poses as much threats to Christianity as also to the development and upholding of the same. Therefore, it requires more effort in the western world to uphold Christianity due to the presence of doctrines and beliefs meant to lure an individual away. Similarly, the application of post modernism philosophies that scrutinizes ones faith tends to be confusing at times. Bradley Hanson highlights among others this reason as to why people tend to turn away from God. 4. Christians believe that God is both creator and redeemer. Choose one of these ideas and show how this view influences how Christians think about reality and other people. All over the word, Christians are for consensus that God is the sole being capable of redemption from sins and other shortcomings in life. This concludes that all people should look up to God for any redemption case. In this case, Christians conform to the reality that there is a need for divine intervention and that any person is subject to sinning. In other terms, there is need for redemption as one is not self sufficient and no other being can offer any kind of redemption for any human soul. According to (Anderson& Gerald 102), the Christian perception of God is the all-powerful and all-capable being to whom every person’s demands and wishes should be directed. This view has a bearing on Christians’ coexistence with other members of the society. They are for the idea that the other members of the society should not look up for redemption from other quarters other than God. According to the bible, those people who depend only on him belong to the kingdom of heaven. The beliefs of other people who are not necessarily Christians are in a way put to examination. Christians hold that this is the only ideological explanation that should be in practice. This explains the sensitive relations that Christians may have towards people who are not for the idea that God is both the creator and the redeemer. In addition, Christians strive to make the rest of the people follow the guidelines set up by the religion of Christianity. According to them, every individual should look up to God since, as a creator and designer, He possesses the know-how regarding even the minute details of His creation; that includes redemption. Works cited Anderson, Gerald H. The Theology of the Christian Mission. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1961. Print. Read More