...Saint Ambrose of Milan Introduction “Sanctity is development of initial grace which God gives in the first place; it is a process.” The saints are our examples in living our Christian faith into our lives. They lived their lives in conformity with the will of God. These people are also like us who endure the difficulties and challenges of becoming a true authentic disciple of Jesus Christ. “Saints are not born; they’re made from a lifetime of processing in the Spirit.” All of us can become saints they are just ordinary people like us but their faith makes them extraordinary and by practicing and living the teachings of God in their day to day lives. The saints are our models of holiness and virtues into our lives as a pilgrim in this world. They inspire us and we also asked their intercessions in order to strengthen our faith and love to God. In order to follow Christ let us imitate the virtues that we can get from the life stories of the saints who are the living witness of God’s goodness and love. In this paper, I chose St. Ambrose as the subject of this research. Because when I read his short life story in the book entitled My first Book of Saints by Son of Immaculate Heart of Mary. I was fascinated on his life story on how he lives and serve his life as the Bishop of Milan. St. Ambrose was largely responsible for the rise of Christianity in the West, and he was very courageous and untiring defender of the independence of the Church from the state. Through this...
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...Confessions of Saint Augustine St. Augustine main conflict was accepting God in his life. He struggle to acknowledge that God has possessed him. His father was a pagan, but his mother was such a devoted Christian woman; she dedicated her life to pray for the conversion of her son. St. Augustine was a teacher and during his youth days he encounters conflicts with Christian morality. He questioned himself many time “who am I” and “who are men?” he was a sinner and lived a very disorderly life. For example, as a child he was not baptized, he was not initiated in the Christian formation and he became afraid to sin after receiving the sacrament. This kept enriching his Manichean beliefs, he was “seduced and he seduced others, deceived and deceiving by various desires” and his doubts about encountering the truth kept increasing. He was too proud, too full of vanities, he had affairs with many women, and even had a son, but he realizes that his vision that happiness cannot be found in worldly pleasures but in the search for truth beyond the material world. “My heart was made dark by sorrow, and whatever I looked upon was death” he refers to the death of his closes friend whom he had perverted, and whose death he felt and wept bitterly. He became very desperate, confused and mad because he...
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...1 The CASE Journal Volume 4, Issue 2 (Spring 2008) Table of Contents Click on the article or case title to go to that page Editorial Policy Letter from the Editor Case Abstracts Cases “Sally’s Dilemma: Making Tough Choices in Collaborative Visioning” Karl A. Hickerson, David J. O’Connell & Arun K. Pillutla, St. Ambrose University “The Death of a Salesman Revisited: Part A” Herbert Sherman, Long Island University & Daniel James Rowley, University of Northern Colorado “The Death of a Salesman Revisited: Part B” Herbert Sherman, Long Island University & Daniel James Rowley, University of Northern Colorado “Customer Service at the Jewish Community Center” Edward Demarais, Salem State College, Sandra Sheckman, & Gina Vega, Salem State “The Frozen Production Line” Anton Massman, U.S. Air Force, Elaine Davis & Janell M. Kurtz, St. Cloud State University “Dow Chemical and Agent Orange in Vietnam” Cedric Dawkins, California State Polytechnic University – Pomona Membership Form Page 2 The CASE Journal Volume 4, Issue 2 (Spring 2008) EDITORIAL POLICY The audience for this journal includes both practitioners and academics and thus encourages submissions from a broad range of individuals. The CASE Journal invites submissions of cases designed for classroom use. Cases from all business disciplines will be considered. Cases must be factual, and releases must be available where necessary. All cases must be accompanied by an instructor’s manual ...
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...CASE STUDY : SALLY’S DILEMMA: MAKING TOUGH CHOICES IN COLLABORATIVE VISIONING 1. Based on the given case study, discuss the purpose and rationale behind the approach to a strategic vision development undertaken by St. Ambrose University. What are the potential opportunities and challenges to such an endeavour? A strong vision for an organization is essential as it can change a direction of company in a short and long run. Effective vision statement consists of core value which will indicate the purpose of existence of an organization. Without a proper communication to all the relevant parties, it will be difficult to make the vision an achievable reality. Communication breakdown can be a disaster as it will divert the direction and the purpose of the vision. Vision also sets the objective that need to be achieved in future, with the direction that has been set as target/goal. Most important is, to ensure that the progression and development of a vision is being monitored for a continuous improvement. Sally’s case study is a very good example of strategic vision development where St. Ambrose University have decided to align 3 main focus area in order to a have clearer direction in a long run to attract the stakeholders and promotes the culture, thus increases the reputation of the University. The focus areas identified are i) issues of declining enrolment of student in a year ii) to increase the reputation of the brand name...
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...Augustine Dealing with Death “A Friend’s Death” in the book “Confessions,” written in Hippo in 397, pretty clearly identifies what this portion of the text encompasses. The excerpt begins with Augustine’s recurrence of confusion with God; watching his friend suffer so intensely makes him wonder why God doesn’t divinely intervene to end his misery. This leads to a reflection on his recent dark days and more ambiguity with God’s presence. While unconscious, Augustine’s friend receives a baptism that Augustine is sure he would not have preferred if mentally present. With this in mind, Augustine pokes fun of it when his friend comes to, which is seen as repulsively unforgiveable, and threatens to end their friendship. Not long afterwards, the friend passes, which leaves no time for reconciliation for the two. This leads Augustine descending into a deep depression where constantly reminders of his loss lie and ultimately his only relief is found through weeping. Although this time period was extremely devastating to Augustine in the moment, do you think the reborn St. Augustine looks back on this memory as more of a weight off of his shoulders than a devastating loss while writing the selection? In the beginning sentences of the selection, Augustine goes into detail about the diminishing condition of his ailing friend. He goes into depth when describing his friend’s pain, stating that he was “convulsed with fever, lying insensible in a lethal sweat and given up for lost”...
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...In Augustine’s Confessions, the text is focused on different aspects of Augustine's life as he recalls events in his life that affect him to what his religious faith is, which shows that the text is based on Augustine’s individual faith. Throughout Augustine's life, he struggles to have faith in God and he uses his encounters to represent how he struggles to have faith in God, and how he deviates from having faith in God. Augustine uses verses from the bible, which inspired him to get closer to God in the sense that he begins to have more faith in believing and trusting that there is a God who can not be seen physically, but seen and felt spiritual. Augustine faces different moments in his life where he does not have faith in God and focuses on other aspects of faith that were not associated with God being physically real. However, the text is more focused on individual faith because the text is a conversation that Augustine has individually with God and how Augustine recalls his encounters and individual experiences he struggles with to find faith in God. Confessions is all about the past life of Augustine on how he struggled to find God and his individual faith because he did not know where or how to reach God. Augustine always questioned before his conversion later on his life was how is it that people look for God even if they do not know who he is is, how he looks like or if he is physically reachable. Augustine struggled to know why and put his faith on God even if...
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...Book Review on Augustine as Mentor CHHI 520D18 LUO (Fall 2013) Church History I Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary Reed E. Harvey (ID# 24867788) December 16, 2013 THESIS STATEMENT Determine whether the mentoring approach used by Augustine, an Early Church Father is yet relevant for today’s church. TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction …………….……………………….………………………………….…4 II. Brief Summary ……….…………………………………………….………………...4 III. Critical Interaction ………………………………………………………………….6 IV. Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………………7 Working Bibliography …………………………………………………………………...9 I. Introduction This review will provide a summarization and critical interaction with the text: Augustine as Mentor authored by Edward L. Smither. Smither is associate professor of Church History and Intercultural Studies at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. Other areas of scholarly interest include the Early Church, evangelical missions among Arabs and the history of missions. The thesis of this text is, “that Augustine effectively mentored spiritual leaders and set them apart for needed ministries in the church.” II. Brief Summary Smither sets the table for this text through an in-depth analysis and look at mentoring in the first century. Special emphasis centered on mentoring done by Jesus with the Disciples as found in the Gospels and with the Apostle Paul from the book of Acts and Paul’s epistles. Smither’s...
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...Saint Augustine, also know us Saint Augustine of Hippo, Aurelius Augustinus. he was in Thagaste , Souk Ahras, Algeria Nov. 13, 354, Tagaste , died Aug. 28, 430, Hippo Regius, feast day August 28, bishop of Hippo from 396 to 430, . The father of St. Augustine was a pagan who converted on his death bed and his mother was Saint Monica, a devout Christian. St. Augustine received a Christian upbringing and in 370 went to the University at Carthage to study rhetoric with a view to becoming a lawyer. St. Augustine gave up to be lawyer and to devote himself to literary pursuits and gradually abandoned his Christian faith ,he taking a mistress with whom he lived fifteen years and who bore him a son, Adeodatus, in 372 and afteran investigating...
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...In the book 10 of the confessions Augustine uses a writing method and style which is very personal and intimate, he varies from most first- person narratives, although he only talks about himself, he also draws the attention to his wrongdoings making book 10 very self-focused, and extremely guilt ridden. Book 10 of the confessions is almost like a very personal diary confessional, as he refers to himself as ‘I’ and God as ‘you’ as if he is having a personal conversation with God. For example “Let me confess, let me confess to you what I do not know of myself” (p.g. 22) this sentence reveals a very personal feelings that the speaker has, he narrates his sins and love for God to readers. Through this personal writing method Augustine not only allows readers to relate to his confessions but he also maintains an underlying structure, depending mainly on his view. Book X marks the transition in the Confessions from autobiography to the beginning of the philosophical portion and direct analysis of theological issues. The primary purpose of book X is to show that the search for God is an inward search of one’s mind and that we have to use our experiences in order to build a relationship with God, rather than just rational reasons in believing in God, it is our own experiences. Thus forcing Augustine to look inward at his own mind and soul in order to “sense” God. He does this through explaining his love for God “What do I love when I love my God” he says it is not just the five physical...
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...The Confessions is a detailed autobiography of Saint Augustine’s life. Converting from Manichaeism to Christianity, Augustine went through many different mindsets when viewing religion and his beliefs. Manichaeism was a type of gnostic belief founded in the third century by Mani of Persia. Mani was influenced highly by other gnostic beliefs in the area. Early on in Augustine’s life he was fascinated by Manichaeism, and practiced Manichaeism beliefs for roughly ten years. Upon realization of the falsity behind Manichaeism, Augustine decided to convert to Christianity. Augustine began his life attracted to Manichaeism, and through many experiences noticed its flaws and converted to Christianity. Book III of The Confessions describes different Manichaeism beliefs and how they conflict with respective Christianity beliefs. By explaining the differences within each belief system, Augustine also describes the way his beliefs changed while in the process of converting from Manichaeism to Christianity. The first belief described in Book III that the Manichees have is the idea that God is not omniscient and omnipotent, yet he lives in a battle against evil. This idea is one of the biggest concerns Augustine has once he has converted to Christianity. How can one ignore the presence of evil if God is all knowing? This belief of evil vs. good goes...
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...December 10, 2011 Dante and St. Augustine Spiritual Journeys During St. Augustine’s life, there was extreme decline while Christianity was being accepted as an official religion. In this era, there was intense political stress, as well as widespread religious concern. The confessions of St. Augustine reveal things in his formative years. During these years, he tried inexorably in overcoming sensual desires, finding faith and understanding philosophical and religious doctrines. Augustine often experienced confusion, blindness and darkness while seeking to find the truth in the creator. Inside him, he truly knew that after he eventually finds him, there would be redemption of his confused heart. Augustine’s confessions begin as a prayer (Kline Para. 5). In 1300 AD, Dante could have headed to hell together with an ancient Roman poet as a guide. In this case, he required better help to find heaven. Virgil’s Aeneid gives an approximation of the Homeric song. The song borrows extensively from Odyssey and Iliad (Kline Para. 7). However, the politics are anti-Greek while there is also a lack of Homer’s irony and a penetrating observation of violence from humans. May be, Virgil could have successfully achieved all of Homer’s effects if he had tried since he is considered to be a strong imitator. However, the Roman imperialist politics determined his agenda. One of Augustine’s confessions consists of the eternal Rose’s yellow that stretches and slopes while diffusing fragrance of...
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...RYERSON UNIVERSITY Department of History Seminar: Early Christianity St Ambrose (340-397), Concerning Virginity, chapters 2-6, (377) (http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/34071.htm) 1. What does Ambrose say about Agnes, virginity and marriage? In essence, Ambrose is speaking about praise for Agnes. He encourages both married, unmarried, and children to both admire as well as take courage from the example set by Agnes. He goes on to talk about even at her young age of 12 there was strong faith in this girl who has suffered martyrdom. He praised virginity as a whole as it was thought to be brought down by the word of heaven. Virgins were strong as they were able to overcome powers which were not visible. In terms of marriage he talks about how there are benefits to a life of virginity but not discouraging marriage as a whole. Basically stating if you don’t have a wife do not seek one. In regards to virgins in general he states a person who gives a virgin in marriage is doing no wrong, but a person who does not is no better or worse than the one who does. Furthermore, he goes on to discuss how having children increases a woman’s sorrows (more responsibility). St Jerome (c. 340-420), Letter to Magnus, an orator of Rome (397) http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3001070.htm 1. Why is it all right for Christians to refer to the pagan authors of the ancient world? An example was stated in a passage which stated that a bishop of an Athenian church delivered...
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...Many women share a common goal in life, to become a wife and mother. Once a woman reaches this goal, what is next? How does she behave in such a role? Each of these women wants to obtain such a status, but who knows how to fulfill it? Numerous opinions dance about with only wives and mothers of the past as support for the presented arguments. A woman new to her position needs only to follow in the steps of a great role model to have the chance of also becoming a respected and loved spouse and caregiver. St. Augustine’s mother, Monica, described throughout Augustine’s Confessions and Rebekah, whose story is told in Genesis 25 and 27, share little in character or in their beliefs of marital bliss. Both give examples of how women choose to conduct themselves in marriage and motherhood. Two women, both wives and mothers, hardly compare in their virtues, their view of marriage, or their ideas of a woman’s responsibilities to her husband. A virtuous woman excels at her tasks without experiencing repercussions while a woman of little virtue hatches schemes that a price must be paid in order to succeed. Augustine continuously commends his mother on her virtues through his depiction of her. The story presented in Genesis shows little evidence of Rebekah possessing many admirable qualities. With Monica, lists have been made of all her virtues; some find it difficult to number Rebekah’s due to limited resources or rather their lack of existence. While Monica walks through...
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... Nestled among the poignant narratives and lofty philosophical discussions in Augustine's Confessions lies a treasure of theological truths and propositions. Indeed, in Augustine's monumental and crowning work, he fuses both personal anecdotes and rational paradigms to formulate masterful theological doctrines, which have vastly influenced the Christian church for well over a millennium. Thus, for Augustine, a solid philosophical framework forms the basis of theology, which individual experience thence enhances and augments. Augustine's discussion of the Holy Spirit throughout the Confessions clearly demonstrates this intricate interplay. Any analysis of the Holy Spirit in Augustine's works cannot be complete without first embarking on a foray into the complex theology of the Trinity. All of Augustine's concepts about the Holy Spirit flow from his understanding of the Holy Spirit's role within the Trinity. In fact, the Spirit was so important to Augustine's interpretation that in a later work he calculated the number of times the Spirit appeared in Genesis. Book XIII of the Confessions is particularly important for Augustine's theology of the Holy Spirit, and O'Donnell and Burke have aptly named it the "book of the Spirit." In this book and throughout the Confessions, Augustine emphasizes that the Holy Spirit is a member of the Trinity, particularly within the context of creation: And now I came to recognize, in the name of God, the Father who made all these things...
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...Trenton Day Mrs. Barber English 11-5 21 March 2013 Critical Analysis The Occurrence “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” has been read by any and every story critic in the nation. This short story by Ambrose Bierce has been read for over one hundred and twenty years. Bitter Bierce creates a very unsatisfying ending through the story for the reader through a unique plot structure, an intriguing setting, a common point of view, and a terrible sense of irony. The plot structure is a very weird way to tell a story. The story begins with a man ready to be hung for treason. One immediately sees that the conflict is going to be a man vs. man plot. He also learns what the scene looks like. A man stood upon a railroad bridge in northern Alabama, looking down into the swift water twenty feet below. The man's hands were behind his back, the wrists bound with a cord. A rope closely encircled his neck. It was attached to a stout cross-timber above his head and the slack fell to the level of his knees. Some loose boards laid upon the ties supporting the rails of the railway supplied a footing for him and his executioners—two private soldiers of the Federal army, directed by a sergeant who in civil life may have been a deputy sheriff. At a short remove upon the same temporary platform was an officer in the uniform of his rank, armed. He was a captain. A sentinel at each end of the bridge stood with his rifle in the position known as "support," that is to say, vertical in front of...
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