Premium Essay

Reformation in the Church 2002

In:

Submitted By babyfaced37315
Words 670
Pages 3
My Reformation for the Church in 2002

By Sally Smith

There are several problems in the church that I can see right now. The biggest problem I see is that most Christians have made being a Christian a religious act. You have to do this and you can’t do that and if you don’t you will go to hell. We have made being a Christian long and labor some. Few church members understand the concept of grace. They have forgotten that Jesus just wants be our friend. That being a Christian is not following a bunch of rules but having a relationship with Jesus. The second problem I see is that most seminaries don’t and refuse to ordain women and very few churches have ordained women elders and deacons. Most churches have started doing this practice but the Adventist church hasn’t. During the early church the women carried out the gospel. Even now women make up the majority of the church offices. Most Sabbath school teachers are women. Women are involved with music and in the fellowshipping of the church. If they are involved with so much why couldn’t they choose to be the leader of the church? Here are a few verses to prove my point: In Joel 2:28,29 it says, “After this I will pour out my Spirit on everyone without regard to office or function. You sons and daughters will prophecy; your old men will dream dreams and your young men will see visions. I will pour out my Spirit on my servants, both men and women.” And this is mentioned again in Acts 2:17, 18. In Acts chapter 2 the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit and started speaking in tongues. And in Acts 19 the Holy Spirit came and filled the Gentiles and they were given the gift of tongues and prophecy. If God poured out the Holy Spirit on all believers there whether they were men or women then why can’t He pour out His Spirit for the gift of pastoring? In 1 Peter 4:10,11 says, “Each one

Similar Documents

Free Essay

How the Renaissance, Reformation and Nation-States Contributed to the Concept of European Identity?

...MERVE DENİZ 13735009 How the Renaissance, Reformation and Nation-States Contributed to the Concept of European Identity? 1. Introduction I would like to study the connection between the material culture that sprang to life after the Reformation in Europe and the urbanization that came with the Industrial Revolution in order to see if or if not it had any effects on constituting the European Identity. Starting first with analyzing the material culture of which the Italian Renaissance movement and then the Reformation planted its seeds, I want to follow the dynamics of social changes that slowly transformed the life in Europe from peasantry with only the Christian identity to nation-state citizenship with a European notion. In order to understand how the Industrial Revolution that started in the 19th century and spreaded across the continent affected Europe, it is first required to analyze the changes in the mentality of people that lived in Europe and the transformation the societies went through as a result of the Protestant Reformation that took place in the 16th century. Although the Industrial Revolution had basically been a drastic economic upheaval, it cannot be considered without its social causes and social results. How the humanist mindset that came up with the Renaissance had affected the daily lives of people and how this effect helped people to search for improvements in working and production have been widely discussed...

Words: 1984 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Anabaptists

...Anabaptists--------------------------------------------------------------------------12 Conclusion---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------15 Bibliography------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------16 Introduction At a surface level looking at Anabaptists one will see a radically reformed sect of Christianity. Digging deeper will bring to light many groups coming together under the belief that the state church was no longer leading and teaching biblical theology. There were groups that popped up all across Europe in the wake of reformation lead by Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Ulrich Zwingli. Even before the time of the Anabaptist movement there was a high level of persecution for those who stood against the state church and the pope. There was a difference between what the reformers were doing and what the Anabaptists were doing. “The Reformers aimed to reform the old Church by the Bible; the Radicals attempted to build a new Church from the Bible.” There are also many great leaders from this radical group of Christians that need to be studied to know where this group was coming from. There is much more to this radical group known as the Anabaptists than meets...

Words: 4561 - Pages: 19

Premium Essay

Images in the Growth of Christianity

...“Independent Project submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree BA (Hons) History, in the Department of History and Economic History, Manchester Metropolitan University”, 29 March 2014 Cultural Changes and the Growth of Christianity in Medieval and Early Modern England By Janine Scambler I certify that, apart from the guidance provided by my supervisor and the references cited in the text and bibliography, this dissertation is the sole work of Janine Scambler and has not been previously submitted as part of the assessment requirements for any academic reward. Signed: Contents Abstract 3 Introduction 4 Chapter 1: Visual Culture 8 Chapter 2: Ancient Practices 21 Chapter 3: Beliefs and Superstition 30 Conclusion 41 Bibliography 43 Appendix 56 Abstract This dissertation will demonstrate cultural changes in England through the period c.700-1660. The changes studied will focus on visual sources, or visual culture; ancient practices, or festivals and the cult of saints; and superstition and belief. It will show how changes occurred around political and religious change, and that different areas were affected by different factors. Introduction This dissertation will assess the extent to which ancient beliefs and practices survived the introduction of Christianity and their subsequent development in England. This will be achieved through the study of visual culture; the survival of ancient practices; and an investigation...

Words: 17040 - Pages: 69

Premium Essay

Esay

...The Positive and Negative Effects of Religion During the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries By Frank Taranto, Jr. & Glenn Machado HSS 212-003 Dr. Priscilla Oguine October 17, 2002 The undeniable power, force, and influence of religion stand out throughout history. However, according to J. Michael Allen and James B. Allen in World History from 1500, in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, religion was exceptionally important, because it had a great influence on everything from government to social order and family relationships (16). Hundreds of years may separate these two time periods and the modern world, but the same positive effects of religion such as unity, security, and a social order are still basic ideals in today’s world. This is also true for the negative effects such as the conflicts that result in war and bloodshed, the separation of social classes, and the corruption throughout the church, especially the recent sex scandal in the Catholic church. In order to appreciate the impacts of religion during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries the positive and negative effects of this era must be understood. During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, religion gave people a sense of belonging. Belonging to a church was important during this time because it gave people a sense of security and support. This was important because it made it much easier to deal with everyday problems and issues. For instance, diseases and death were...

Words: 1511 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

The Plain People

...Professor Rachel Grabner October 15, 2012 The Plain People The mere mention of the Amish people brings about intrigue, wonder, and the nostalgia of days gone by. The Amish are a religious group that split from the Mennonites, an Anabaptist group that was severely persecuted in Europe. These people came to America and Canada during the Protestant Reformation. The Amish were founded by a Swiss Anabaptist leader, Jacob Amman. The Amish in 1693 split from the Mennonites because they believed in a much stricter allegiance to the total shunning of banished church members (Encyclopedia of Medical Anthropology: Health and Illness in the World’s Cultures, 2004). As time has gone on the ways of the Amish people has continued to cause them to stand out. Some of the ways that they vary from the world around them are the plainness of clothing; religious beliefs, farming techniques, transportation choice of horse and buggy, education, and the lack of use of modern conveniences make this group stand out now and in the past (Crowley, 1978, pp. 249-264). The Amish are primarily an agricultural society who is ruled by church districts that make the decisions on what changes will be made in that districts way of life. By looking at the Amish way of life we will discuss gender relations, beliefs and values, and their social organization and see how these areas are impacted by their agricultural way of life. The men and women of the Amish community are known for their traditional...

Words: 2144 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Ms Anita Yvonne Compton (London)

...The Lord was in the still small voice - 1 Kings 19:12. In what other ways might we hear The Lord speaking? This overview considers the question set, possible ways to interpret it and the need to frame it within an Anglican course context that itself reflects rich, diverse practices of praising, listening to and hearing God. The title of this essay refers to Elijah’s two mountain top experiences on Carmel and Horeb that depict how God speaks in contrasting ways; through spectacular events and displays of power and through a whisper which both calms and rouses the heart. Moving quickly through the story in 1 Kings 19, we see Elijah who has stopped rain, challenge the false prophets of Baal and Asherath to reveal the true God in a fiery showdown on Mount Carmel. After he has ordered the death of the false prophets, Queen Jezebel threatens his life. Elijah, discouraged, flees into the wilderness heading for Mount Horeb (Sinai) a significant place of God’s voice and revelation to Moses, at a key moment in the history of Israel. Perhaps in journeying to Sinai, Elijah hoped for a fresh encounter and revelation of God. Unlike Moses’ experience, God does not partially unveil his countenance. Instead, Elijah hears a still small voice in his cave of refuge, with God asking him what he is doing there. We might imagine that after calling out to God and seeing him work through spectacular events that Elijah would be reassured of God’s infinite power and love. However he is human...

Words: 2906 - Pages: 12

Free Essay

The Decline of Christianity in Europe

...things in life deteriorate unfortunately that’s how life goes. That car you bought years ago is beginning to show signs of age. We can mask or disguise things to make them look better than what they are but at the core its dying. Our bodies could be affected by illnesses but who can actually see it? It is a nearly impossible to name every factor playing into the decline of Christianity in Europe. As scripture suggests judgment should begin in the house of God. The Church in Europe has to its credit centuries of violence and oppression of other cultures and its own supporters, which consistently glare out striking the perceptions of the Church’s history of compassion and charity. The Church has also gripped tightly to its tradition as the root of its once great social and political power. This territory that was at one time the hotbed of Christian growth has become a land, which has become more and more liberalized. The liberal views are in direct conflict with the authoritative back and white nature of the Church, Christian morality and Christianity because they are slanted with no absolutes. It seems to that the New European Union is distancing itself from the memories of the checkered history of Christianity on the European land. The Churches in Europe have been in a sweeping down swing over the last 100 years. Not ever country in Europe is having an immense collapse, some are having success while others are having a hard time existing. One author named Steve Bruce said...

Words: 1545 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

“Reformed Theology and the Southern Baptist Convention: Historical Precedent or Revisionist Heterodoxy

...Liberty University “Reformed Theology and the Southern Baptist Convention: Historical Precedent or Revisionist Heterodoxy A Research Paper Submitted to Dr. Jonathan Yeager in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for The Course CHHI 525 Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary by Jeffery S. Cully Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina July, 2014 Table Of Contents Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………….3 Reformed Baptist Origins……………………………………………………………………...4 Colonial Baptists………………………………………………………………………………5 Charleston Tradition………………………………………………………………………….7 Sandy Creek Tradition………………………………………………………………………..10 Southern Baptist Convention………………………………………………………………..12 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………...15 Bibliography…………………………………………………………………………………...17 Introduction While Arminians have through the years attempted to lay claims of exclusivity that theirs is the primary soteriological doctrine of the Southern Baptist Convention, history demonstrates otherwise and these assertions have a revisionist inflection that is in opposition to the autonomous nature of Southern Baptist congregations. It is not this papers intent to engage in the pros or cons of any given doctrine as it pertains to soteriology, but instead illustrate that what is seen by some as a modern incursion of Calvinism upon the Southern Baptist scene is in fact not without precedent and has a long standing tradition among many of this denominations most ardent practitioners. The...

Words: 4266 - Pages: 18

Free Essay

Thomas Aquinas

...THOMAS AQUINAS Introduction Saint Thomas Aquinas is one of the most famous saints of the Catholic Church. He is called a 'Doctor of the Church' and was a theologian, and philosopher. His parents sent him to a monastery when he was five years old and his teachers were surprised by how quickly he learned and his great faith. But when Thomas announced that he wanted to become a Dominican, his family tried to stop him. His brothers captured him and locked him up in a castle. His mother, sister and brothers kept him there for two years. Thomas was a very big man with a kind and humble manner. Because he didn't talk very much, people thought he was stupid and therefore called him 'the ox.' When they heard him preach, however, everyone realized how wise Thomas really was. After he became a priest, Thomas studied in Paris and taught at universities in many cities of Europe. He wrote more than 40 books and several beautiful hymns. All of his work praises God and helped many people understand faith better. At the end of his life, Saint Thomas stopped writing and he had a vision of Heaven. Because of this experience, Thomas decided that compared to the great glory of God, his writing was 'like straw.' Three months later, on his way to see the Pope, he died. Thomas Aquinas’ Early Life and Eduacation He was born in Italy in 1225, the son of a count. When he was five years old, his parents send him to study with the Benedictines of Monte Casino. There, and later at the university...

Words: 2468 - Pages: 10

Free Essay

Martin Luther

...of life, he managed to make a monstrous change in traditions within Christianity by challenging the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and by translating the Bible in German. In 1501, Luther began studing at the University of Erfurt. He quickly excelled gaining a Bachelors and Masters degree by 1505. Luther then began Law school, at the same University, at this father's wishes. In the summer of 1505, Luther was caught in a storm while returning to school, lightening struck near him and fearing for his life "he cried out, "Help, St. Anne! I'll become a monk!"."(Greatsite, n.d.) Luther, having been raised in the Roman Catholic church, believed his life had been spared, dropped out of law school and entered the monastery.(Greatsite, n.d.) It was during his time at the monestary that he developed a termoilous relationship with God. He could not find peach with God no matter what he did. He was sent back to school to distract him from his self doubt by his superior. In 1507 he was ordained a priest and in 1508 he began teaching at the University of Wittenburg. He continued his studies and in 1512 earned a Doctor of Theology. His continued studies and the pursuit of a Doctor of Theology demanded indepth studies of the Scriptures. It is in the Scriptures that Luther finally found peace. He had not been happy with the teachings of the church regarding salvation and purgatory. He found that the...

Words: 1688 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Black Death in Europe

...The Black Death in Europe Europe had prospered for about 300 years prior to the beginning of the 1300’s but a series of natural disasters occurred. Economies were in recession at the onset of Black Death, Europe as a whole would take a step backward because of an epidemic that almost wipeout sixty percent of the entire population. Black Death was one of the worst disasters on record (Lerner 533). This plague began in 1946 on grassland where a reservoir stretches far from the northwestern shores of Caspian Sea into Southern Russia. At the time, Southern Russia was believed to be under the rule Mongolian Empire travelling in Silk Road using caravan between China and Europe. As a result, Russia which might have become the Black Death’s European conquest, but in fact was its last, and was invaded by the disease not from the east but from the west which is China (Benedictow 4). During the rampage of the bubonic plague, the Chinese population was decimated by up to 90 percent. The Mongols who were infected with the disease surrounded a Genovese trading centre in the Crimean coast and fled the site by a ship carrying the disease with them back to Europe via ports of Sicily. The plague spread further North by major trade routes and reached Europe through its ports. Once it had reached England, it proceeded rapidly with devastating consequences throughout Eastern Europe all the way to Russia (Duiker 322). There were many theories that existed at the time about the reason behind the Black...

Words: 974 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

The Life and Influence of Ignatius Loyola

...WAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY THE LIFE AND INFLUENCE OF IGNATIUS LOYOLA PAPER PRESENTED TO DR. GARY MITCHELL IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR RLGN5354 SCHOOL OF RELIGION BY MARK D. RIGG PLAINVIEW, TX OCTOBER 15, 2015 THE LIFE AND INFLUENCE OF IGNATIUS LOYOLA Introduction This biographical research paper will focus on the life of Ignatius of Loyola. It is the intention of this writer to deal with three major concerns regarding this post-New Testament Christian personality. First concern: to provide some background and personal history. Next, to set forth the contributions of Ignatius and the significant impact he had on the Church in general among his contemporaries, right up to the present day. Finally, the writer will reveal how the life of Ignatius relates to and has personally influenced his own. Background and personal history Iñigo Lopez de Oñaz y Loyola, whom we know as St. Ignatius, was born the youngest of thirteen children in northeastern Spain in 1491. He was raised in a noble Basque family of high Catholic piety but lax in morals. His father had several children by another woman, and his grandfather's lawless behavior led to the top two floors of the Loyola castle being demolished by order of the crown. Iñigo hardly knew his mother, Marina Saenz de Licona. As was the custom of the time, “A few days after his birth Iñigo was handed over to a wet-nurse, Maria de Garin, wife of the blacksmith living in a cottage...

Words: 3344 - Pages: 14

Free Essay

Ccou 201 Compare and Contrast Paper

...Testament originally in Hebrew and some written in Aramaic. [1]The New Testament has 27 books, the 12 Minor Prophets are counted as one book, and the Apocrypha word that comes from the Greek word meaning hidden or concealed were not included in the Hebrew Bible. The Catholics considered these writings and canonicals, and Orthodox Churches considered some as canon to a lesser degree. The heretical teachers from Asia Minor author of Roman Canon of sacred books did not believe that the New Testament books superseded the Old Testament others were omitted and did not recognize 10 Pauline Epistles but accepted 13 Epistles. [2] The Latin Greek word Kanon (kav’wv) defined as a measuring rod or index list centuries later the secondary word for the Church to recognize the Scripture of the Bible. The disciples and the Jews used a Septuagint from Alexandria Egypt is the early Greek translation of the Old Testament dating to BC 250. In the 3rd Century BC included the deuteron canonical books. The New Testament books were not in existence until after 300 the death of Christ. The person known as Marcion tried to develop a New Testament Canon and it conclude the Gospel. His goal was to have the Jews reject their Jewish Heritage. The Council of Nicaea was very un-inspirational calling to order in 325 AD with Athanasius an Assistant Bishop who opposed and denounced the Trinity this caused a divide in the Churches in which a Nicene...

Words: 1052 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Justification by Faith

...your research? Basis 5-6 What is the act of being justified based or grounded on, that is, what is necessary to have happened or to be true in order for justification to be possible? Means 6-7 How does one obtain justification? What is the means by which one is justified? Time Factors 7-8 Is justification an act or a process? Is it instantaneous or gradual? Results/Fruits 8-10 Once one has been justified, what benefits or results follow? Assurance 10-12 How can one be assured of justification? Conclusion 12 Bibliography 13 JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH “Justification by faith alone” (justificatio sola fide) summarizes the doctrine of justification that has come to us as the great legacy of the Protestant Reformation. We frequently hear this formula used in preaching and teaching. The doctrine of justification by faith is a biblical doctrine. The Apostle Paul gives a full exposition of this doctrine. The letters he wrote to the Galatians and the Romans are especially important in this connection. However, the core message of justification by faith is found in the Old Testament. Paul himself argues from the Old Testament, asserting that the faith of Abraham teaches us that a man is justified by faith alone and not by works. The prophet Habakkuk testified, “but the just shall live by his faith” (Hab. 2:4). The purpose of this paper is to gain a greater understanding of justification, through examination of “justification” in its definition; the basis...

Words: 3443 - Pages: 14

Free Essay

Biographical Essay

...Biographical Essay John Wesley Bishop Richard Allen by David Walter History of Christianity Course TH 605. NA Dr. Louis DeCaro November 7, 2012 Church history is intertwined with many historical dates, events, and personalities. Two extraordinary influential personalities that shaped the landscape of early church history are John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Episcopal Church and Bishop Richard Allen, founder of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. The organizational skills and leadership of John Wesley and Richard Allen is the foundation for the permanence of the Methodist denomination. John Wesley was an Anglican minister and Christian theologian. Wesley is recognized as the founding father of the Methodist faith. His conversion to Methodism occurred while attending an outdoor evangelism service conducted by George Whitfield. Wesley, an 18th Century preacher, held to Arminianism which was the prevailing faith of the Church of England. Wesley persuaded others to experience a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The traditions of Wesley, known as Wesleyanism, gave beginnings to many powerful church movements: Methodist, Holiness, Pentecostalism, Charismatic, and Neo-charismatic. Wesley stressing evangelism purified Arminianism and the doctrine of justified by faith was reformed. John Wesley was born June 28, 1703 in Epworth, Linconshire, England. He was the fifteenth child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley. As the custom of that day, his...

Words: 3968 - Pages: 16