...message, the message will try harder to transform us." (Brown, 1965, 183) This essay will explore whether or not the bible should serve as an ultimate authority for Christian ethics and discover how synonymous Biblical ethics are with the ethics of Christianity. This piece will also look at what it is about the Bible that recommends it as such a major authority of morality and ethical practice. The bible is seen as a ‘guidebook’ for a Christian, giving details on how they should live according to God’s law; however, questions negating the validity of this belief in God’s law often come to the forefront. The Bible permits the stoning to death of adulterers. Something which in contemporary society seems atrocious. A point to be aware of is the huge cultural difference between the bible and contemporary life. If we focus on the difference between the Old Testament and modern day life the cultural difference is one of the chief factors behind the difficulty of using the bible in ethics today. The bible is written in a culturally conditioned format. Language, racial attitudes and the different emphasis on aspects of life including holiness and purity, all count towards the invisible barrier when discussing how synonymous biblical ethics are with the ethics of Christianity. (Rodd, 1995, 89). An issue that arises more than often when discussing biblical and Christian ethics is sexuality. Different churches hold different values and take tradition, Scripture and experience at different...
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...There is a great need for all Christians to be able to back up and defend the very material that they center their lives upon- to be able to explain why they study the word and how they can believe it to be authoritative. In 1 Peter 3:15, Christians learn the necessity of being able to defend ones faith. The ability to do so lies in having a solid understanding of foundational topics such as biblical authority, inspiration, and inerrancy. This essay will deal with such topics and give implications for how a Christian is to live their life based on these concepts. To begin, biblical authority must be defined. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, “Authority is the right and power to command, enforce laws, exact obedience, determine,...
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...Introduction How important is the Bible? To many it is just an outdated book that was written a long time ago that is not seen as being relevant to their lives. To others it is God’s word, but it is just boring and too long. However, for believers in Christ the Bible should be much more than both of these views. The Bible is God’s word, and it should be treated as such. It is the divine Word from the one who has created the universe and each person in it. This truth should drive people to desire to hear from their creator. In this book Kevin DeYoung acknowledges that the majority of those reading this book are Christians, and his goal for each reader is to see the beauty of scripture and understand how this should impact their lives. In order...
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...for Christians. Christians are different from the world. Consequently, they face judgment, hatred, and persecution. Yet, the question remains; how can Christians respond in a biblical way, towards a persecuting government. The story of Polycarp, a bishop who faced persecution from the Roman government, is a model example of a biblical response to persecution. During Polycarp’s time, the time of the early church, persecution of Christians was rampant. In that period, being a Christian usually meant torture or death. Polycarp reacted to persecution without violence or resistance. Polycarp’s response to persecution was biblical because he followed Jesus’ example, submitted to his authorities, and refused to renounce his faith. Polycarp’s reaction to persecution is an ideal and biblical model for Christians, as Polycarp is following the example of Jesus during his suffering. Christians should look to Jesus as the ideal example for everything. As Christ faced torture, ridicule, and crucifixion, he did not fight back, though he...
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...Theology really made me dig deeper to fully get a clearer understanding, and broader insight of the Christian way of life. Every week I grasp on to different things; some in which I did not know nothing about and others where it enrich my mind as a teaching tool. Within this paper, I would discuss three topics that I found to be the most intriguing. The topics that will be discussed are; does the Bible have authority? If a person is a Christian, does it matter how they live their life? And what can your local church do to better communicate God’s love to your community? As you read this paper rely on your mind to indulge on the importance of God and how all three topics are surrounded by his will. II. Section One (Does the Bible have authority?) The B-I-B-L-E yes that is the book for me……A lot of people say the Bible is the authority, but you have to keep in mind that God ordained the holy men to write as they was moved by the holy spirit, and yet to remind his people of his love. Often people make the Bible their god instead of God, in other words the real authority is God; He just often shows us what to do or how to live through the Bible.Authority can be described as power to influence or command thought, opinion, behavior, or convincing force (Webster, 2002); it is illustrated in the with a good deal of elasticity. The bible is a collection of sixty-six books written by man. The bible is one book but sharing one life changing message. According to the video that was presented...
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...Authority comes from somebody or something that has power or control over something else. A good example of this would be my father having authority over me at a young age. At the same time I had to know and recognize that authority. This is exactly the same thing when it comes to the Bible. For the Bible to have authority over your life, you have to believe that God is real and that his word is truth. If that is not known in somebodies heart, the bible cannot have authority over them. The Bible says itself that it has authority given my God. The Bible is a unique text than other books from different religions. The Bible is from God himself. It is his gift to us to live by. Other religious texts were written by founders of the religion trying to find God. The Bible is not written to try to find God but it is where he reveals himself to us through dual authorship. [1]God used men throughout time to write the Bible but ultimately it is written by him through them. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correction and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” [3] This verse is the ultimate verse when it comes to talking about the inspiration of the Bible. Like I said earlier, God is the author of the Bible but he had other men physically put it into writing. This verse was put into the Bible for this very reason of showing Christians that God is the inspiration behind the Bible. “There...
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...compare the Christianity faith of United Church of Christ (UCC) along with Islam. Christianity was started with Jesus and ended with the belief and practice which centers on the resurrection of Christ. I will show how the faiths split and divided into three major branches over the centuries. Protestantism, evolved in the 16th century during the Reformation. United Church of Christ (UCC) was part of the in the 1950’s Congregational Churches of the English Reformation with Puritan New England roots in America, and the Christian. Islam was started by The Prophet Muhammad and according to Muslim belief, the angel Gabriel appeared to Muhammad. His life's work is recorded in the Qur'an, the sacred text of Islam. The Holy Quran is a compilation of the verbal revelations given to the Holy Prophet Muhammad over a period of twenty two years Summary of Interview Reverend Joseph Blotz, became a Minister of Faith Formation in August 2010. He is currently assigned to the United Church of Christ (UCC) in Mansfield, Connecticut. Where did everything come from? Reverend Blotz describes where everything comes from with the many stories from the Bible of how the world and everything came to be. It is God’s action that brought the world into existence and order. What is the ultimate problem with the world? A large problem with the world is ultimately broken relationship between God and people, people among people and the rest of creation. This brings us the ultimate problem with the world broken...
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...is not what it is today. Therefore, the need of orthodoxy and for cannon is presented. Orthodoxy is the “correct, conventional or currently accepted beliefs, especially in religion.”The consolidation of power under Constantine and the stretch of the empire caused a need for orthodoxy of Christianity’s belief system. It also demanded a standard of doctrine. This leads to the canonicity of the Holy Scriptures. Canon is derived from the Greek word kanon. Elwell says of the word canon, “in Christianity [canon] refers to a group of books acknowledged by the early church as a rule of faith and practice” The word carries the idea of the measuring rod or standard against which the sacred text are weighed for inclusion. It should be noted that different faith systems have different canonical books. The Jewish canon is different from the Protestant as is the Catholic. If we bear in mind that the Bible we know today did not start out as a book at all, and then the logical progression must be to ask, how did it come about? An important note bears to be inserted. In Judaism as well as its son Christianity, if we consider Abraham the father of the faithful. The belief is not in a book rather in the God of the book. Judaism and the belief in the God of Abraham existed many years without a book. Moses is believed to be the writer of the first five books of what is commonly called the Pentateuch. Yet, bear in mind this was not multiple...
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...We live in a time of forceful resistance to authority; this is an era that question every authority from the authority of the government, law enforcement, parents, teachers and the list goes on. Consequently though, this resistance do not limit itself to earthly authority but leant itself to spiritual authority as well. In a time like this, it is vital that those that bears the name Christian must define the central doctrines of their faith and without equivocation embrace the authority of God's word for what it is. The eternal battle as to the inerrancy and infallibility between orthodoxy and orthopraxy demands significant attention and largely determines the positions on which a person will side. In my view, biblical inerrancy of the Bible is at the core of the Christian Doctrine is, and rightfully so. The attestation of the authority of the Bible as the Word of God requires an understanding of the belief in its inspiration, inerrancy, and authority of the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16 calls the Bible is the "breath of God" and that all scripture was given under the inspiration of God. The Christian doctrine is like every other religion without the truth that the Bible is the inerrant, infallible, authoritative Word of God.” The close central biblical doctrine to inspiration and inerrancy of scripture is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 1 Timothy 3:15 refers to the church as the pillar of truth because of the inspired and inerrant word of God, "if I delay, you may know how...
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...The Bible: A Dogma or a Set of Guidelines? Dietrich Bonhoeffer Kayla Tremblay November 27, 2012 The Bible: A Dogma or a Set of Guidelines Dietrich Bonhoeffer November 27, 2012 I. Introduction a. Dietrich Bonhoeffer i. Biography ii. Christianity and War iii. Thesis: As demonstrated by Bonhoeffer in his war against socialism, religion cannot be looked at as a dogma and instead should be a malleable doctrine that is subjective to history. II. Body b. Christian Doctrines iv. Fundamental guidelines v. Use of the bible 1. Hitler a Christian? vi. No rules in war c. Moral Ethics vii. Ethics of Conviction vs. Ethics of Responsibility viii. Rationality d. Just War Theory ix. St. Thomas Aquinas x. Guidelines for a Just War xi. Just War is applicable e. What about Christians and Pacifists? xii. “Put your sword away” xiii. No such thing as a “Just War” III. Conclusion f. Summary xiv. Thesis: As demonstrated by Bonhoeffer in his war against socialism, religion cannot be looked at as a dogma and instead should be a malleable doctrine that is subjective to history. g. So what? xv. Accomplishments xvi. Interpretation xvii. Cost-benefit analysis Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran pastor and theologian living in Germany during the time of Nazi...
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...summoned Luther to the town of Worms in 1521 to stand trial so he could take back statements. Yet Luther refused, Charles issued the Edict of Worms and declared Luther an outlaw. Charles went to war with the Protestant princesses who followed Luther, ordering all the princesses to the city of Augsburg. There the princesses signed the Peace of Augsburg. Christina de Pizan – One of the first European writeres to question different treatment of boys and girls. She was highly educated for her time and one of the first women to earn a living as a writer. She produced many books and manual son military techniques. Desiderius Erasmus – A Christian humanist who wrote his most famous work The Praise of Folly. Erasmus believed in Christianity from the heart, not one of ceremonies or rulers. He thought that in order to improve society, all must read the Bible. Edward VI – The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, he became King when he was nine years old. Too young to rule alone, so he was guided by adult advisors and only reigned for just six years Elizabeth I – The daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, she became Queen after Mary died. Elizabeth spread Anglican and had tolerance for dissenters, the dissenters had to put the loyalty of the Queen and England before...
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...Faith Integration : Final Project Managerial Finance July 1, 2012 ABSTRACT This essay will provide a scriptural key to understanding the topics of finance in a Christian worldview perspective. The illustrations will be reflected through the events found in God’s word, providing a greater understanding into the relevance of the Bible in today’s economic world. It will show the importance of the integration of faith, as God has provided his wisdom for today in the illustrations of the Holy Word. Refer to II Timothy 3: 16 – 17; “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (NIV, 2005), to understand that God’s word continues to apply today as it has maintained strength and reference to aspects of life and development. The topic of finance is addressed throughout the scriptures with suggestions for the proper practice. It is clear in the study of his word that finance is a part of the structural design that is to provide for the development of humankind and the world. INTRODUCTION TO FINANCE Stewardship How faith integration manifest itself within the practice of corporate finance can only be found when studying God's word within the Holy Bible and practicing its teachings. One important aspect of integrating ones faith within the context of finance...
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...Section Number: THEO 201 D18 “Authority is the right and power to command, enforce laws, exact obedience, determine or judge (American Heritage Dictionary 1979, 89).”[1] So, what does it mean to say that the Bible has authority? From where does the authority of the Bible come? We can look to Romans 13:1 which states “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.” (Bible Gateway, NKJV) God is the ultimate authority of all things past, present, and future. When it comes to inspiration of the Bible it can be explained as, “a supernatural influence of the Holy Spirit upon divinely chosen agents in consequence of which their writings become trustworthy and authoritative.”[2] Biblical support can be found in the Scriptures, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16 Bible Gateway, NKJV) “Scripture is affirmed nonetheless to owe its origin not to human but to divine initiative.”[3] Inerrancy is defined as, “the view that when all the facts become known, they will demonstrate that the Bible in its original autographs and correctly interpreted is entirely true and never false in all it affirms, whether that relates to doctrine or ethics or to the social, physical, or life sciences.”[4] We can look at four arguments for inerrancy in which we can defend our view. In Biblical argument the Bible teaches it own inspiration as recorded...
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...Most of us who have religious beliefs, often these beliefs are closely tied to our values and to the ethical principles we believe. But it would be a mistake to assume that ethical values are simply religious values. At least, the relationship is more complex than people sometimes realize. Religion and ethics are obviously intertwined as it exist countless studies of Christian ethics, Islamic ethics, Hindu ethics and so on. Both religion and ethics serve a common need in our society. Societies are built on the plank of co-existence and mutuality. Ethics is the study of what "ought" to be. It is a theoretical study and is otherwise referred to as the study of morality. Moral is an important part in ethics. Ethics as a branch of “philosophy”, has three components (Feiser 2003): "meta-ethics" studies the sources and meaning of ethical terms; "normative ethics" does the more practical task of examining the moral standards that regulate right and wrong conduct; and "applied ethics" examines controversies such as abortion, infanticide, animal abuse, environmental concerns, homosexuality and capital punishment. To behave ethically is to behave in a manner consistent with what is right or moral. Ethics is simply the principles used by people that control their conduct. Religion is a system of thoughts, feelings, and approach that is shared by a group of members and that gives the members an object of devotion; a code of behavior by which individuals may judge the personal and social...
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...key issues in Christian belief and how the three traditions view these issues. I have tried to state what might be called the 'representative' view of each tradition; though there are obviously differing views within each of them e.g. the diverse range of opinions on the presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The links under the More information section should be consulted for the definitive positions. With thanks to Father Gregory Hallam for his assistance. |Topic |Orthodox |Protestant |Roman Catholic | |Apostolic Succession |This is an important part of Orthodox |With the exception of the Anglicans|As in Orthodoxy, this is of vital | | |belief and ensures continuity with the |and some Lutherans, this idea is |importance to the church. There is also | | |church that Christ founded. |rejected. Rather it is important to|some degree of mutual recognition of the | | | |emphasize continuity of teaching |validity of Orthodox ordinations. | | | |with that of the apostles, rather | | | | |than a direct line of succession. | | |Bible - Composition...
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