Religion and Theology - Essay Example

Religion and Theology Introduction The development of a Christian though has always had a historical foundation in the churchs life. Religion and theology have always explored the fundamental issues based on a Christians life through different perspectives that encompass an array of issues that directly affect a Christian member. The paper will reflect on the crucial views of Christianity and how they perceive the issues differently if the issues are seriously taken. The study of Christian faith has enabled Christians to appreciate the vital aspect of religion in the life of a Christian. The course reflects on the understanding and definition of the bible as an origin to Christian values and beliefs. Also, a lot emphasizes on the application of those values and beliefs to crucial issues. The course enables the reader to confidently understand, and read the bible. Religion and theology, investigates and appreciates the plurality of Christians application in cultures including the unrepresented in studying the Christian theology before. The paper, therefore, reflects on the readings in religion and theology. It takes a Christian doctrine on the major global issues and concern. Some of the global issues include poverty, sexism, war and peace, racism, environment, and justice. The paper explains how the Christian doctrines offer resources that help Christian in responding to the outline global issues. Consequently, the paper draws materials in the course for writing the paper. It gives each student an opportunity to streamline views that are relevant and sensible. Discussion The global concern of HIV/AIDS has become the crucial challenge of our time. The present conversation between science and religion has comes to a crucial juncture in this concern. The worlds community is yet to find a cure or vaccine for this virulent disease, which claims more than five million lives in the forthcoming year. The worlds statistics challenges the most multifaceted imagination, with projections and extrapolation in the millions of patients dead, orphaned children, and others living in different stages of diminished lives.. The conventional imperative of religion among the communities in the west that requires urgently religion and science to respond. The two disciplines define purpose and scope and the worlds pandemic offers a crucial challenge to that global claim. Despite the difference in the people and nations challenged by this catastrophe, there is a common belief to which the scientific and western tradition must react. Science and religion cannot deny their social responsibility by taking the role of the indifferent. There are various choices that are made to handle the catastrophe, and the disciplines of science and religion are crucial in formulating the choices. According to Christianity teachings, God desires an environment where justice is practiced. Over the past years, injustice scale in the world has become greater than it could be imagined. The unfair global forces have determined the worlds destiny and relationships in the environment (Hiers 75). According to the teaching of the Bible Proverb chapter 31 verse 8 to 9, the bible says that when someone opens his mouth, he must judge righteously, and the afflicted and the needy rights should be defended. The passage makes it evident that every person has unalienable and God-given right to liberty and life. The rights outlined into the course include freedom from affliction and oppression (Hiers 45). The right should apply both in the natural forces and in his hand of man. Additionally, the leaders of the society and every human being have a moral duty to protect other human beings against the social injustices whenever possible. According to the bible, Micah and Amos spent most of their time condemning the leaders who failed to practice social justice (Hiers 21). The course teaches the students that the base of pursuing social justice is because everyone is created in Gods image and intrinsic values. According to the God Samaritan we should have moral duties and help the disadvantaged among ourselves (Hiers 21). This is an approach that is questionable. Terrorists are stateless groups of people that network in cells that are secretive in the entire globe. Our European friend, who have experience in handling terrorism in their specified boundaries than we possess, assume that when you handle such groups with tight police action. Such groups of people are criminals, not police, and dealing with them by means of criminal justice. arrest suspects, and then try, you seek to jeopardize their funds. someone tries to understand their motivation and to study the injustices of there. when the authority tries to bomb them is compared to rout cockroaches using a blow torch. Possibility of burning down is quite inevitable. Therefore, religion and theology teach the people to live and accept Jesus rule in their lives. People should not confine beliefs to themselves (Herzog 78). Christian believes that they belong to Gods Kingdom and are also subject of a nation. When a country engages in war, Christian adopts different opinion and takes different steps and action (Butterfield 43). They normally base their stance and decision according to the bibles teaching and the guidance given by leaders of the church (Ruether 76). The course teach the students to avoid war at all cost (Butterfield 43). Although most people believe that some instances require fighting to overcome the vice and preserve the best. Christians refer it to be a just war. This is the reason Christians took part in the Second World War against the reign of Hitler (Butterfield 54). Christians like the Quakers are against war. They stick to the Jesus word in the book of John18:36 which say that the Gods kingdom is not in this world, if it belonged to the world then his followers would fight (Butterfield 55). According to the teaching of Jesus, Christians should not fight nor resist persecution. Suffering for Christ is a privilege. Therefore, the course teaches the students to believe that fighting and war are wrong except in cases that are most severe. People should base their opinion on the teaching of Jesus about love (Butterfield 47). When people hear the word environment what rings in there is the pollution scene; man-made. Christians grapple and recognize the issues of environment. First it comes with the appreciation of the gift of God (Hultin 56). Christian always asks them how the creation of God wants the people to take care of the planner (Northcott 34). Christianity believes that the earth was created by God. To ensure that the environment is used wisely, he created man. He created man to be in control, caring, loving, and be like himself. According to psalm8: 8 the bible says that God placed in charge of everything that he made. He gave us the legal power over everything. The course teaches the students to be thankful and celebrate during harvest time (Northcott 87). The majority of church goers are workers, fishermen, and farmers. This group of people is normally involved with environment. Their life is closely connected to the needs provided by God. The bible says that the bible should respond thankfully and responsible to the environment. Therefore, the course teaches students to use and populate the environment fully and wisely. Also, Gods intention in creating the environment was to provide for all his animals, creation, and people. Subsequently, God gave human beings to control the environment responsibly (Northcott 65). There has always been claimed that Christianity demeans females and places them citizen class (Ruether 86). According to the Christian belief, Christianity does not condone any form of discrimination. According to the bible, man was created in the image of God. The term man includes both female and male (Hultin 56). Therefore, the Gods image encompasses males and female traits. The difference in physical wellbeing in terms of sex is not a crucial characteristic of how man was created in the image of God. The womans story started in Genesis, where God does that it is improper for a man to be alone (Ruether 22). Looking at how Jesus treated women, we learn the way God wants women to be treated. His biblical essence in equality. This can be summarized in the letter of Paul to Galatians. The bible says that there is no Jew or Greek, no freeman nor slave, and no female nor male (Ruether 25). Therefore, according to the Christians perspective, everyone is the same is the eyes of God. Those exalting themselves will be humbled and those serving others will be exalted (Ruether 15). The infrastructure and development of institutions that signifies the denomination of black Americans provided the structures where the Christians live way beyond their v beliefs and doctrines. The history of denomination of African American are linked with theology. An approach to transformation of social within the churches was the social Christianity. Taking an instance of Walter Rausenchbush, he urged Christian to apply their faith to poverty elevation. Theologians and religious leaders recognized industrialization because it promoted stability and wealth. Although from the surface it looked like the best mix, it justifies racism. According to the book of Luke 10:25-27. Jesus taught his followers that it is important for Christians to love their neighbors the same way they love themselves. According to Jesus a neighbor does not exclude their skin color. Many people believe that the person who helped Jesus to carry the cross was a black African. According to Acts chapter 10, God told St. Peters that whatever God has made no man has a right to profane. Therefore, no race is viewed derogatory fashionable; before God all races are equal. Additionally, all nations and countries around the world are the same (Davies 98). This is because we derived origin from Adam (Limbaugh 65). Christianity should help people promote racial harmony. The course teaches Christians to be against racism. It is not a concern if someone is a Catholic, Church of Christ, Lutheran, or any denomination. Religion and theology are the fundamental of the Christian faith against this global concern. The course teaches us that Christians should the examples and teaching of Jesus. Jesus served EVERYONE regardless of the background or color (Davies 76). Therefore, the course helps the reader to condemn racism. Subsequently, Christian should not underestimate the racism evil in the heart of humanity. We do pray that the sin of racism is overcome by every Christian (Davies 32). Reference Butterfield, Herbert. Christianity, diplomacy and war. New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, 1953. Print. Davies, Alan T. Infected Christianity: a study of modern racism. Kingston: McGill-Queens University Press, 2008. Print. Herzog, Frederick. Justice church: the new function of the church in North American Christianity. Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis Books, 1980. Print. Hiers, Richard H. Justice and compassion in biblical law. New York, N.Y.: Continuum, 2009. Print. Hultin, Jeremy F. The ethics of obscene speech in early Christianity and its environment. Leiden: Brill, 2008. Print. Limbaugh, David. Persecution: how liberals are waging war against Christianity. Washington, D.C.: Regnery Pub. ; 2003. Print. Northcott, Michael S. The environment and Christian ethics. Cambridge [England: Cambridge University Press, 1996. Print. Ruether, Rosemary Radford. Religion and sexism; images of woman in the Jewish and Christian traditions. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1974. Print. Ruether, Rosemary Radford. New woman, new earth: sexist ideologies and human liberation. New York: Seabury Press, 1975. Print. Read More