...Alyandry vielma Islam and Christianity Many say that Islam and Christianity are similar, by making the assumption that they worship the same God. These two religions may have similar things, but it does not mean that because some beliefs might be similar that they are the same. Islam and Christianity differ in many areas like, their source of authority, the nature of God, and their essential practices. There are many areas in which they differ, but the ones mentioned are the basic structure of each religion. Since they are more different then they are similar, this would be the best way of knowing their differences. There are many things by which authority is needed. We also are subject to authority in all things. Christianity and Islam are more different then similar in the source of authority. In Christianity, the founder is Jesus, human and divine. Christianity follows the bible, which is the collection of sacred writings of the religion and includes the Old and New Testament. Under Christianity there are the Catholics and the Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Catholics follow the pope, which differs from the Eastern Orthodox as mentioned in The Council of Constantinople “And in the Spirit, the holy, the lordly and life-giving one, proceeding forth from the father, the one who spoke through the prophets.” On the other hand the Eastern Orthodox follows Christ, and does not accept of what the Council of Constantinople states, saying in the 3rd Council of Toledo, “Directs...
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...throughout the Bible and this acted as a drawing force to the religion . Because the ancient Roman religion was still enforced, Christianity was not a popular belief. This faith was angering many Roman officials and historians. One roman historian specifically spoke out against the Christian faith saying “All that is loathsome comes from the East” . Many might wonder how, with so much hate and controversy, Christianity made such an impact on the world. As one...
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...Unit 7 The Spread of Religions Section 1 Unit Materials Questions To Consider Question 1. How did Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam spread across the world, and why are they practiced so far from their origins? Question 2. How did these three major world religions change and adapt to diverse cultural circumstances? Question 3. Why did Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam emerge when and where they did? Question 4. How did Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam interact with, provide justification for, and conflict with various states and empires in Afro-Eurasia? The Big Picture How is this topic related to Increasing Integration? As Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam spread across the borders and frontiers of Afro-Eurasia, they integrated diverse peoples by means of a common religion. How is this topic related to Proliferating Difference? The spread of Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam introduced new beliefs and practices to a wide variety of peoples. These beliefs and practices were often quite different from indigenous religions. In addition, indigenous beliefs and practices often changed the new religions as they adapted to local conditions. These changes frequently resulted in the development of different sects within the new religions. Unit Purpose ß Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam spread across borders and frontiers as a result of missionaries, pilgrims, and trade. Each of these three major world religions changed over time, and all served as elements of change in the societies...
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...The Conversion of Constantine Constantine was the first Emperor of Rome to convert to Christianity. His mother, Helena, exposed Constantine to Christianity at a young age. Constantine didn’t declare his Christianity until he was over 42 and did not get baptized until shortly before his death. Writing to Christians, Constantine made clear that he believed his successes were owed to the protection of that High God alone. In 306 A.D, when Constantine came into power and for the next thirty years of his reign Constantine elevated Christianity and the Church within the Roman Empire. By the time of his death in 337 A.D. he had changed the landscape of both the Church and Roman society. Constantine had increased the Church leaders duties and responsibilities. Before the end of century, Constantine outlawed traditional sacrifices and the state cults were forbidden. The Impact of the Fall of the Western Empire on the Church A better question is: How big was the impact of the fall of the Western Empire of Rome on the Church? Constantine’s edict legitimized Christianity and additionally the duties and responsibilities given to Church leaders. As the Western Empire began to deteriorate the people began to look towards the Church and the Bishop of Rome. The Church began to grow, collecting money, land, and power; these resources and authority of the Bishop offered the people of Rome security that the Empire of Rome could no longer provide. As the Empire lost it’s ability to protect...
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...One of our beginning Youth Pastor, whose name is Mark, over heard me talking to one of our youth’s parents. The parents stated that they feared the college in which their oldest daughter was attending, was turning her against God. However, her daughter assured them that God is still important to her, but she still believed in some different things from in which her parents believe. Overall, after hearing the conversation, the beginning Youth Pastor had asked me, “What is the reality about today’s youth culture & their view of Christianity & truth?” My first quote to him was from chapter 1 of McDowell textbook, “Much of what they believe about Christianity, truth, reality, and the church comes from a distorted view they have gleaned from the world around them . It’s not that they haven’t embraced a version of Christianity; it’s simply that the version they believe in is not built on the true foundation of what biblical Christianity is all about. In saying that, today more and more kids struggle with Christianity, our young people have distorted views of Christianity. Before we can reach today’s youth with the truth of the Gospel, we need to see what they see and hear what they hear, quote chapter 3 of Mc Dowell textbook. We need to catch the messages encrypted in their culture and understand what’s really being communicated. Each generation on youth has a culture of its own. To an outsider, it can be puzzling at best and frightening at worst, but we cannot roll over...
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...Empire | How Christianity played a part in the decline of an Empire | | | | 8/1/2014 | Paper outline 1. Introduction 2. Rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire 3. How Christianity played a part in the decline of the Roman Empire 4. The situation after the fall of the Roman Empire 5. The situation in the dark ages 6. Conclusion 7. Bibliography “Why did Rome fall?” still remains one the greatest questions of Western history. Many books have been written about this topic and many theories have been advanced about the reason of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. Several reasons are issued for the fall. These reasons are issued to be sequacious and interwoven. For example, one of the most influential modern historians, Edward Gibbon wrote “The Decline and fall of the Roman Empire” in 1776, where he stated that the initiation of Christianity was one of the reasons for the decline. The transition of religions in the Roman Empire, from a polytheistic religion to a monotheistic religion, leads to instability within the Empire. (Gibbon, 1782) How Christianity was a factor in the decline of the Western Roman Empire will be discussed more extensively in this paper. In the beginning, Christianity was not more than an insignificant sect of Judaism and began its spread from Roman Judaea during the life of Jesus, but in only four centuries Christianity had become the state religion of the Roman Empire. The rise of Christianity is a much...
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...Religious Interactions between Africans, Amerindians and Europeans in British Colonial America Christianity played an important role in each of the British Colonies, and religious practice was strictly enforced. All colonists that were of adult age had to attend religious services and pay the taxes that paid the ministers. People who attempted to practice a non-Christian belief were often times persecuted. In Europe there was a split in the Protestant Anglican Church and it branched into the traditional Anglicans and the reforming Protestants. These differences continued and led to the colonization of America. “Puritans journeyed to New England for more than reformation of the Church of England, but religious purity was certainably a matter of considerable importance in establishing a city” (Benjamin p. 66). Puritans came to the new world and established themselves as the dominant denomination in the colonies. This gave birth to new movements in the Colonies, such as the Quakers, Methodists and Baptists. It was this religious freedom that allowed Europeans to come to the new world to practice their form of Christianity. Despite the attempts to rule the colonies based firmly on religious grounds, in the beginning there were irregular practices because of the lack of settlers. The lack of women in the colonies and the shortage of clergymen made religion very irregular also in the beginning. One other thing that led to the lack of religious control was the practice of other ideologies...
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...| Monotheistic Religions | | | Linda Vance | University of Phoenix | | Monotheistic Religions Monotheistic religions practice the worship to one God. Three of the oldest surviving religions to practice monotheism are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Although Judaism, Christianity and Islam have distinguishing worship practices and philosophies, their histories parallel one another. Within this paper one will see both the similarities that tie these religions together and the distinctions that separate them. The comparison of each religion and the core figures associated with the religion; and what roles they play. The question this paper will attempt to reveal is, is, the God of Muhammad, the God of Israel, and the God of Jesus, one and the same? One of the key figures in all three religions is Abraham. To the Jews, Abraham was the first of their people to make a covenant with God. It is said that the agreement between God and Abraham would give special favor for the Israelites obedience to God (Fisher, 2005, p.230). To Islam God told Abraham and his son Ishmael to build the first Ka’bah in Mecca for the tribes of Arabia to worship (Fisher, 2005, p.362). And to Christians the genealogy of Jesus is traced back to Abraham, through David (Fisher, 2005, p.288). We can see that in Monotheistic religions all share the same general lineage and God. Even though each separate religion’s interpretation of Gods plan varies may be attributed to the creation of...
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...Bediako Kwame Student’s Name Class Date Bediako Kwame The aspect of African traditional religion has been a debate for a long time. Many theologians have tried to explain the many aspects of the African religion. What they believed in, how people should relate to one another and even the view about death and afterlife. Before the coming of missionaries and the introduction of Christianity African had their traditional religion that not only helped in bringing them together but was used to ask for favors from their gods. African theologians have been trying to establish the relationship between Christianity and African traditional religion. One bone of contention that theologians face is on the relationship between Christians and their dead ancestors. Among the Africans death does not mark the end of the human relationship as they consider those who die to have entered the spirit world. African theology is the key to understanding Christianity in Africa. The saying that it is ill-advised to run randomly in African forests is quite applicable in the case of African theology. It is always advisable to get the guidance of someone who identifies with its paths and the landscape. This essay will, therefore, look into the life of Bediako Kwame as a guide as to understanding African Christian theology. The essay will look into the biographical details and description of historical, social, cultural, economic and political factors within which he lived and worked. Moreover...
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...These religions are Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Each of these religions is monotheistic and is practiced by more than half the people in the world. Monotheistic religion is the belief in one God. Although Judaism, Christianity and Islam religious practices are each monotheistic, some of the religious traditions are different. Judaism believes there is one God who cannot be made up of parts; Islam embraces an immaterial, invisible God, one to be intensely feared in His omnipotence; Christians hold fast to the trinity of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The differences mentioned are but a few of the differences between the three religions that could very well be reasons for some of the struggles believers faced during the early biblical days. To better the religious traditions of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, one must study the early traditions and struggles of each religion. The writers of this paper will discuss the similarities, differences, theological and historical connections between the three religions. Historical Connections Judaism is historically connected to Christianity through Jesus and the Old Testament. Jesus is considered the Messiah in Christianity and the Son of God. Jesus was actually born and raised Jewish in ancient Palestine. His birth to a virgin mother enforced the belief that he was conceived by the Holy Spirit and is therefore the Son of God, or the Messiah. This began the new religion Christianity whose primary beliefs...
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...CRITICAL THINKING ASSIGNMENT I. Part One: Buddhism i. The Question of Origin – Buddhists believe that the world has no beginning, and not everything that exists has to have one. As the famous quote by Bertrand Russell says: “There is no reason to suppose that the world had a beginning at all. The idea that things have a beginning is really due to the poverty of our thoughts.” (Thera, 2002) ii. The Question of Identity – Buddhism teaches that there is no self, but instead there are separate, ever-changing components that make up who we are. Defining one’s “self” would mean adhering to whatever our role or composition is today, which will certainly change in due time. This dependency followed by change would inflict suffering - what Buddhists live to avoid. (Silver, 2012) iii. The Question of Meaning/Purpose – Buddhists believe that their main goal is life is to end suffering by ending desire. According to this religion, humans suffer because they desire and hold on to things that are temporary and will eventually vanish. The purpose in life of the Buddhist is to follow the Eightfold Path – as directed by the fourth of the Four Noble Truths – to end suffering and attain enlightment. (Religion Facts, 2005) iv. The Question of Morality – Buddhism answers the question of morality with the term sila, which is the natural condition of goodness that we were born with. They attempt to preserve their sila and avoid being altered by worldly influences. Buddhists follow...
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...Christianity Summary Christianity is one of the most influential religions in history. Although it began as a small sect of Judaism during the first century in ancient Israel, the Christian religion has nearly 2 billion followers at the beginning of the 21st century and can be found in virtually every corner of the globe. Christianity is a missionary religion. The Gospel of Mark tells how Jesus sent out his disciples in pairs to preach throughout the land of Israel (Mark 7). Then the Gospel of Matthew ends with Jesus’ command, Make disciples of all nations” (Matt 28:19). Because Christianity is a fairly old religion and has flourished in cultures far from where it originally developed, it has produced some significant offshoots. Christianity is a fairly old religion and has flourished in cultures far from where it originally developed, it has produced some significant offshoots. These denominations differ significantly from traditional Christianity, and although they are not usually considered a part of the three traditional branches of Christianity-Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Eastern Orthodox-they all sprang from Protestant origins. They differ in their beliefs, particularly regarding the Trinity, the divinity of Jesus, the timing of the end of the world, and the role of healing. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the Mormon Church, is one of the fastest-growing religious denominations in the world. Although Mormons consider themselves...
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...“The movement of Christianity from one culture to another can be explained by the concept ‘mission’” (1) is one of the main points in Christian Mission: How Christianity Became A World Religion written by Dana L. Robert. In Part 1, Robert divides the mission history into three parts: “From Christ to Christendom”, “Vernaculars and Volunteers, 1450-”, and “Global Networking for the Nations, 1910-”. In the beginning of “From Christ to Christendom”, Robert starts out with an example of British rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar and explains that though people may view Jesus in different ways, they are still believers in Christ. Since Jesus was so “culturally fluid”, His word was able to spread globally by the third century AD. Although in the seventh century, Christianity had declined-possibly even disappeared- in the Middle East and Northern Africa while the rise of Islam in Arabia had taken over. “Notable...
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...Religion is a topic that has been universally debated tracing back to the beginning of time. Religion shapes our lives and the way we live our lives as well as the way people behave. There are too many religions to study and discuss in a single paper; therefore, this paper will take a closer look at Christianity as it is the most common religion in the world covering 33% of the world’s population (Fisher, 2005). Why do so many people believe the words of the Holy Bible and claim the Christian faith? Is Christianity the truth? To truly understand Christianity, we must dive deep into the Biblical teachings and share the primary foundation of their beliefs. “Christianity is a faith based on the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus” (Fisher, 2005, pg. 284). In the beginning of this story we must start with Jesus’ mother, the Virgin Mary was visited by an angel, whom told her that she would conceive a baby and he would be the Messiah. She should name him Immanuel, which means God with us. An angel visited Joseph as well, who told him that Mary was blessed by the Holy Spirit and would have a son, who would save the people from their sins. Mary and Joseph obeyed God, the baby was born in a stable, laid in a manager and they called him Jesus, meaning God with us (Matthew 1:18-25, New International Version). At the age of 30, Jesus started his mission and selected a group of 12 disciples to help him share his message. He went place to place and preached about God’s love...
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...THE PRESBYTERIAN UNIVERSITY OF EAST AFRICA DEPARTMENT OF THEOLOGY TOPIC: Contribution of African Instituted Churches to the growth and rapid spread of Christianity into the interior of Africa. Submitted to LECTURER: REV. DR. HEZEKIAH MURAYA By STUDENT: SAMUEL RIUNGU MURATHA(V30/34302/2014) Being partial fulfillment of COURSE: AFRICAN CHURCH HISTORY 1 (TCH 102) On DATE: 31st March 2015 OUTLINE 1. INTRODUCTION 2. THE BEGINNINGS 3. ITS PRACTICE: AVENUE INTO THE HEART OF AFRICA 4. CONCLUSION 5. BIBLIOGRAPHY Introduction Thesis: this paper is meant to highlight on the beginnings and the rationale behind the founding of African Instituted Churches, their spread throughout Africa and discuss their contribution to the spread of Christianity in Africa and especially the interior of the continent. Hereafter referred to as AICs, they are usually identified as; African Independent Churches, African Initiated Churches, or African initiated churches. The AICs, represent well over 10,000 independent Christian denominations in Africa. African Independent Churches are found in every region and country in Africa. The common thread uniting all of the Christian churches is that they were all established by African initiative rather than by foreign missionary agendas. Even though many of these churches have traditional denominational names and relationships, they are not defined by these traditions. These churches emphasize that they...
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