Religion and Theology Essays

This paper helps in creating a basic understanding of how theology is done. It selects a specific current event issue, the stem cell research, which is related to religious beliefs. The main objective of this paper is to explore the way religious beliefs are applied to real issues in order to offer the believer a way of acting in the world. 

The whole idea already indicates that there is very little or no equality in America. Colonialists from Britain, France and Spain brought in the Christian faith, which outshined the Hinduism among the Red Indians. Christian followers increased in number through diversification of churches that broke away from the mother church; Catholic and Anglican, which saw the rise of Protestant churches.

If fact, freedom has always been spoken about throughout the formation of the country, but many do question whether true liberty has come to the land. During the American Revolution, liberty was actually spoken about in terms of religion. Americans truly wanted to be free to worship as they so choose and, to a large degree, this ideal has held firm. 

If one takes a close look at human civilization, one can not help noticing that it is different from any other group that is formed by the living creatures. One of the most peculiar aspects that come to mind right away is the highly respected notion of spirituality. Indeed, faith largely defines the nature of people.

The aim of the essay will be to identify major religions in the world and discuss them with respect to modern science. The question would be on how the debate is controlled by western religions. The major concern would be on the influence that science and religion have on each other. The final concept would be to discuss creation based on modern science perspective and religious beliefs.

The catholic faith converted most of the ethnic nations into sharing common beliefs and practices. Also, Brown comes up with her expansion on how religion has gotten on the nerves of Africans to an extent of bringing massive change. By these times, colonialism seemed influential. However, most African countries resisted such moves. A country like Jamaica had already established strong views in its diverse religious groups and practices.

Christians believe that the concept of baptism through immersion is a symbol of the submission of the believer to Jesus Christ through personal identification with His resurrection and death. Additionally, the ordinances, as well as, other practices have more relevance in life and worship aspects within Christian communities.

Some philosophers such as Bertrand Russell have made efforts to harmonize theologians and scientists in a special way. Others have insisted on an existence of a wide berth between religion and science (Peterson et al., 17). Science is characterized by systematic study of the natural or physical world. The approaches in the study are usually observation, explanation and experimentation.

While considering the development of religious environment it has been stated that historical missional movements usually designed their beliefs and identities which were both long terms and distinctive based on the influence which was made by the leader who founded the mission. In other words, the impact that a particular person has had on the movement would continue long after one’s death.

It was put forwards by Anselm in his book, Proslogian. It was later challenges by a number of scholars, and those who criticized it during the time of Anslem, he was able to respond to their criticism by wring Proslogian 2 and Proslogian 3.One of the main strengths of Anselm's ontological argument is that it has a logical structure (Beilby, 2011, 45). 

The attitude towards the circle of life has been changing. In the previous time death was largely seen and an inevitable end of life that people have no control over. with various technological advancements people can not only predict approximate time of death for terminally ill patients, but also give them an opportunity to die peacefully. Speaking of euthanasia, one should point out that the very definition of it is quite debatable.

Our world “exhibits a law-governed regularity” (Frederick, 2013, p.269), and establishing a new religion is a matter of convincing people in plausibility of the way it explains all world’s regularities as not just accidental but controlled by an ultimate power or entity. Therefore, the discipline systematizing and reinforcing the religious doctrine is needed. 

Corinth was a prosperous city because of its location that allowed the people to do business with other communities (Fee, 2014. P, 34). Prosperity caused pagan hedonism in Corinth; additionally, Corinth developed a reputation for sexual license. Therefore, in order to address the issue Paul wrote the letter to address to the Christians over the rampant immorality that was associated with paganism.

Thereby, according to the definition of Encyclopedia Britannica, Christian mission is “an organized effort for the propagation of the Christian faith» (Britannica, 2013). Therefore, the missionary activity incorporates multiple instruments and strategies, which are all aimed at showing the glory of the Christian god to people, evangelizing them and leading them to salvation through faith.

On this day some Shia Muslims use knives or swords in order to hit their forehead and bleed. It must be noted that Sunni Muslims celebrate the Day of Ashura as well; however, the rituals do not include any kind of violence or damage that is done to the body. In other words, this branch of Islam tries to show that religious passion does not necessarily have to involve blood or violence.

Buddha came up with a conclusion that a human being is unhappy because they do not know or understand their real identity. From birth, one is taught about, what to think and how to act. Through meditation, we understand who we are thus, bringing joy, peace, and understanding. Thus, the essay gives the practice of meditation in Buddhism in a wide spectrum.

Christianity is one of such world religions. It must be noted that one of the cornerstones of this spiritual tradition is the sheer belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. While some people argue that this is a didactic allegory, others insist that there is substantial support for this. The first group of facts that can be inferred from the New Testament about the resurrection of Jesus is connected to the tomb where He was buried.

Buddhism is against physical pain since religion believes that committing a crime is more than a physical act. It is something that originates from within. Hence, correction should be wholesome. I conquer with Buddhism. Changing a person is better than just inflicting physical pain. Pain may deter crime, but not eliminate it. People may sin when no one is watching.

However, the beautiful ecosystem is under siege owing to the increased development, expanding population and climate change that poses imminent pressure to the rich biodiversity (Pulitano 318). Alien species are overtaking the island, posting a significant challenge to the native species thus erasing the people's opportunity of interacting with their natural surroundings.

Religions’ theories are based on the premise that there is an intelligent being/s that existed before the universe who made a conscious decision to create it. The theories of religion are based on revelation, which is; the interaction of the creator being or Supreme Being who is known as God.  This theory of creation is commonplace around the world.

That is why it may be particularly advantageous to study religions as they are able to shed light on the nature of the mankind. However, one should also note that experiencing the environment of a different religion may also be important as it is able to provide the researcher with a valuable insight as well as a different perspective on the issue.

The gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are the biblical books with information on the actual life and experiences of Jesus. Regardless of that the gospels were written on real events, the depiction of the each gospel varies from the others (Keck & Moser, 2010). This has created the argument that the gospels do not provide reliable and accurate accounts on the life of Jesus (Keck & Moser, 2010).

Speaking of the church, there are hundreds of Christians denominations, which subscribe to the same doctrines and documents. Saint Paul, according to the Christian traditions understood the church to mean ‘the Body of Christ’. As one body is made up of several parts working together to accomplish different functions.

There are various meanings attributed to baptism in the Bible. They include the analysis of the water and the individuals involved as well as its significance at the time. We see the baptism of several people in the Bible such as Jesus and the followers of John the Baptist. It was an act that in Christianity signifies repentance and the washing away of sins.

This paper discusses my short placement at the St. Mary Church in Harmondsworth Village, proximal to Sipson, for eight hours or six Sundays beginning in January and ending in April of 2015. The objective was to able to immerse me in the Church of England and get to know and experience firsthand various aspects of it.

Traveling Mercies: Some Thought on Faith is a book by Anne Lamott, who is a controversial Christian. She thinks of God as a crappy mother and Jesus as Casper, the friendly savior from Casper the friendly ghost. The author, however, has a strong faith that is not with easy answers as we see from the book. Sara Miles, the author of the book, Take This Bread: A Radical Conversion is a woman who had an atheist raising.

There are various causes of prayer such as the need to have personal contact with God, the need for healing, mercy, protection among others. As concerns obstacles to prayer, there are various hindrances such as wandering that occurs during prayer which is caused by unpreparedness. Other hindrances involve, the failure to know prayers, rushing while praying as well as misconceptions about prayer.

In the Mighty Commission, Jesus said God has given him all the authority in heaven and earth. The followers should go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching the disciples to obey everything, He has commanded them and he will surely be with them to the very end of the age.

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy are often referred to as the Pentateuch. They are called the Torah because they are centered on the Sinai covenant that God made to the Israelites through Moses. The books can be summarized in the following ways: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.    

As the dying soldier confessed to Wiesenthal, he particularly narrates an event when about 200 Jews were crammed into a very small three-storied house which he never thought would be enough for them. To his surprise, all of them were forced in, and thereafter others who arrived in a track were also forced into the same house. They were then ordered to take a few steps backwards and throw explosives through the windows into the house.

Conflict seems to be the most common interaction between religion and science. The two seem to conflict on nearly everything including conclusions such as the origin of man, the origin of diseases, and heliocentric solar system, as well as on how they arrive at their respective conclusions (Brooke and Numbers, 2011).

This was the best way to acknowledge God’s glorious deeds publicly. Psalms 105 says that human beings should make known God’s deeds to the whole world. Praise refers to “giving thanks” in Psalm 105.2 Chronicles 30:22 is an example of how the word “praise has been used in the new testament. The Levites ate the peace offering sacrifices while offering praise to the lord at the sanctuary. 

In order for the Apostles to convince the opposition faced from the beginning that the works of the risen Christ were active and sufficient for a religion worth a God’s Chosen People, deliberate manifestations of active presence of God had to take place. In view of the role of the Holy Spirit in this active participation, this discourse highlights the Book of Acts as a classical record of how Christianity had its work cut out by the Holy Spirit.    

Such qualities as fairness, goodness, and kindness among others are necessary if the leader has to positively impact their followers. Yet again, the good leader has to adopt a set of values prioritizing them over one another if need be and depending on prevailing circumstances. As Malphurs notes, Christ-likeness should be the core of Christian leadership[1].    

Here we shall give a brief overview about the religious and political postures of these two great personalities, by comparing and contrasting their ideals as well as historical backgrounds in which they started their nonviolence movement.Non-violence, in the view of Gandhi “does not mean meek submission to the will of the evil-doer, but it means the pitting of one’s whole soul against the will of the tyrant.” (“The Power of Non-violence”).

In the religious context, aesthetics often constitute a bone of contention.Aesthetics and all the variables that define it have elicited mixed reactions relative to the extent to which aesthetics fit into religion.Religious differences have seen the use of aesthetics in diverse and dynamic ways. Whilst some religions have openly employed aesthetics in the religious practices, others have moved swiftly to shun aesthetics applicability in religion.    

People must make effort to learn and understand all religions to minimize the misconceptions on each other. With an understanding, one is able to eliminate misconceptions and embrace the truth about religion and its beliefs. Minimizing misconceptions will consequently enhance respect among the different religions and promote peace among people even with differences.

Similarly, during times of depression and oppression, there are always words of hope and encouragement that are whispered from the mouth of God. Surely, the God who looks at us does not appear anymore on burning bushes or speak with thunder and lightning but He raises up prophets who speak his words of encouragement as eloquently as God Himself would do.

In the very beginning of religion, much was known about paganism and how nature was worshipped. In each religion, someone thought they understood something better than someone else.In contrasting Judaism and Christianity, it is clear to see that both religions have similarities and that one grew out of another. 

There are a number of solutions that can be offered for churches that had stopped but wish to go back to practicing the Holy Communion however such as setting apart a certain date for this activity for those who feel it may take too much time during normal service hours. The church officials can also explain how they can qualify to do so in a bid to ensure that they do not feel excluded.

I know many people who, in a bid to make the future of their children bright, amass wealth so that their children will have good homes and all the material possessions that will guarantee their welfare in the days to come. They do not buy good books or designer clothes for their children, on the pretext that one should not waste money on luxury and save for the future. 

Moreover, such theories also seek to outline the definition and context of actual sin. This paper will describe the history and theories that surround the doctrine of sin and its history.From observation, it is evident that there is a persistent tendency to sin in humans. Some people reason that human beings find themselves in the hopeless situation of possessing a sinful nature since birth.

As a function of this incessant abuse, the servant ultimately decides to sacrifice himself in order to fulfill a type of destiny prepared for him.Early Christians integrated the belief that this manifestation was emblematic of their own plight against persecution as well as emblematic of the suffering that Christ experienced at the hands of many within the Jewish and Roman community during his earthly ministry. 

Worship is the substance of a human being that drives him to seek the Ultimate. Christian worship is rooted in generations before the modern-day. It is sustained by godliness and a substance of existence that is reflected in reality and not just religion. Worship is beneficial to every aspect of the Christian realm.

The origin of Matthew is believed to be from a Jewish- Christian community residing in Roman Syria, around the end of the first century AD.The Gospel of Matthew is supposedly anonymous and it is a discipline, which was first practiced by the ancient Christian Bishop Papias of Hierapolis, around 100-140 AD. It is observed that originally, the Gospel of Matthew was written in Hebrew, but later on translated to Greek.

Its prime aim is ensuring that there exists equality for all Muslims irrespective of their gender, private or public life. On the other hand, secular feminism is the application of European or discourses that are not from the Islamic faith as part of the global feminist movement in which Islamic feminists have come to incorporate in their feminism movements. 

Whether or not one believes this as fact or myth, the shift in ideological belief systems about the relationship of man to God profoundly changed the nature of the human morality system throughout the world. The film The Passion of Christ takes these events and places them into a biopic about those last days of his life, causing controversy over the interpretation and creating an emotional film that is at times difficult to watch.

Central Europe was made up of different groups that formed various communities and states. The Franks were a major group surrounded by German speaking groups in the East and further south East towards the Baltic region, there were Austrians, Hungarians and other groups. Austria-Hungary was united under the Habsburg royal family.This included a group of different ethnic and national groups that lived together under a Habsburg regime.

The Law of Karma is considered to be as the most essential Hinduism doctrine. According to the law of karma, it is an esteem principle that people actually reap what they sowed. This justice principle requires that every single deed or thought whether it is good or bad is counted when analyzing how a particular person will be sent on earth in their next life.

This is because self isolation and being separate can lead to a mental state of renunciation. There is a perception that when men make vows, they tend to become spiritual men who state separate from the physical world (Merton, 1966). In a sense, this theory suggests that it is possible to subscribe to a personal ideology to the exclusion of the mainstream society (Braght & Sohm, 1987).