...INTRODUCTION--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2 THE RISE OF FUNDAMENTALISM -------------------------------------------------------------------- THE CHRISTIAN REACTION TO DARWINISM AND OTHER SCIENTIFIC THEORIES— THE RISE OF HIGHER CRITICISM OF THE BIBLE-------------------------------------------------- THE SOCIAL GOSPEL--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE FUNDAMENTALS------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE SCOPES TRIAL----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS----------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONCLUSION------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BIBLIOGRAPHY---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 Introduction The word fundamentalism is surrounded and associated with disturbing controversy in our contemporary society. Although the term fundamentalism has become a somewhat theological dirty word, in connection with the explosive theory of evolution, espoused by Charles Darwin; and in relation to the world famous Scopes trial, the...
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...biblical interpretations are the Seventh Day Adventist Bible Commentary, Patriarchs and Prophets, Prophets and Kings, Acts of the Apostles, The Desire of Ages, the Great Controversy and Steps to Christ. While the Bible is of it's self, self-interpretive, Author White’s writing is only or should only be used as an aide. Her writing should not be used to substitute the need for the illumination of the Holy Spirit, or to eliminate individual exegesis of the scripture under consideration. Author White’s writings are use by various categories of people for various reasons. Pastors and scholars used her writings for additional enlightenment; church members use them because they provide good readings for Christian growth, and even her critics read her writings in order to discredit her. Lastly, there are those who use it just to prove a point. For example in 2001when the USA experienced the 911 terrorist attack, a lot of non Seventh-day Adventist started to purchase her writings hoping to find the reason and interpretation of the madness that had just transpired. The reasons these book are considered beneficial for biblical interpretation is because her writings have proved to be inline with the Bible, her predictions come to past and her ethos/character complements her work and ministry. The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary gives text-by-text, and topical explanation/interpretation. However, before one turns to her Bible commentary, one should first spend time in wrestling...
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...interpretations of the first three chapters of the most famous book in the world, the Bible, gives the reader insight into the environmentalist views, feminist views, and those of creationists. By seeking clarification of the various creation stories, Jennings tries to illuminate the current scholarly views of this ancient text including the origin and timeline of the Earth. The Earth has been in existence for quite some time. Just how long is still unknown, but scientists, especially environmental Darwinists, estimate the Earth is 4.55 billion years old (Jennings 86). But the date of Earth’s origin and the presence of man are two separate questions depending on if one relies on biblical references or stories, creationism, which put the age of the world, the beginning of creation between 6,000-10,000 years (77) or modern science. A Gallup poll found supporters of each side to be fairly split, forty-six percent towards creationism and thirty-six percent pointing to Darwinism as the correct derivation (88). Why is the question of Earth’s origin so germane? According to many, because Genesis only deals with God’s creation of man in His image, and science can prove the existence of “pre-Adam” man dating back millenniums. By dating the origin of the world, one calls into question the validity of the Bible as the definitive “word of God” and the “absolute truth” as well as continues to fuel the controversy between science and religion. Scholars, researchers, activists, and clerics have...
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...Can Evolutionism and Creationism Co-exist? Is the teaching of evolution really corrupting the minds of children? Can you really talk about the two theories without cutting off the others head? These are questions that come to mind when thinking about the topic at hand. Evolutionism and creationism can be taught together in classes without any controversy because evolutionism can be tied into creationism in many ways. Almost everyone wonders if the world was really made and how it was made. Students everywhere also ask, “How did the human originate?” This is a huge controversy that has been fought for many years. Although there are many ideas, people mainly argue over two of them. The first theory is that people was created by God during his creation of the world; this is the idea of creationism. It is backed up by many religious people and religion itself. There is much turmoil on the broad topic of creationism and its place in American society. The big controversy of creationism versus evolutionism is a very large topic, something that has been made increasingly evident by the numerous books printed on the subject. Most evolutionist and creationist spend their time attempting to prove the other’s theory wrong; in one way or another, prove that theirs is the correct answer to the origins of life as we know it. I have no intent of diving into that raging battle, but would rather take a very different approach. Being raised in a religious household, I naturally have...
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...Christianity as a living tradition. Sacred texts and writings are materials that are held significant by a religion as they contain key information that explains how people are connected to the supernatural dimension (Coleman, 2006). The significance of the sacred texts of Christianity is necessarily their ability to timelessly connect the adherent to the divinity of Christ, through which enduring life questions are answered allowing their contents to be expressed and lived differently (Our Lady of Mercy College, 2014). The Bible is given fundamental centrality in Christianity, as the supreme scared text, and it is an essential guide for the Christian adherent to model their life on the ministry of Christ. Christ’s golden commandment, embodied within the verse, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with your soul and with all your mind” and “Love your neighbour as yourself” (Matthew 22:36-40) instruct the adherent to adjust positively in the face of controversy. In fulfilment of the Kingdom of God on earth, with fidelity to the verse, ‘seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness’ (Matthew 6:33), the adherent is able to understand an enduring question of life, ‘what...
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...Composition 1 August 12, 2012 Kathy Grismore Analyzing a Concept The concept of marriage is currently a hot topic and it basically boils down to different religious viewpoints. There has been a controversy with Chick-fil-A restaurants in the past weeks. This controversy began when Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy said he supported the “biblical definition of the family unit”. The controversy caused opposition from both sides. Christians rallied and supported Chick-fil-A on customer appreciation day and gay-right advocates boycotted the restaurant chains. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance against Defamation (GLAAD) supported a “National Same-Sex Kiss Day” the Friday following Chick-fil-A’s customer appreciation day. Mr. Cathy’s simple expression of his biblical belief created tons of controversial comments. Like, Mr. Cathy everyone has their opinion and beliefs on same-sex marriage. Christian’s belief what the bible teaches. Marriages should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral (Hebrews13:4). I happen to share the same belief that Mr. Cathy does. Why is it that in this controversy Christians cannot voice their opinion without reprimand? Some of the consequences from this controversy are the removal of some of Chick-fil-A’s restaurants. Some cities and college campus’ want Chick-fil-A restaurants removed. The University of Kansas does not want Chick-fil-A’s contract renewed. The mayor’s in Boston...
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...Prayer in Public Schools Derrick DuHart Race, Religion, Culture Arkansas Baptist College Dr. Johnson, Instructor November 4, 2014 Tables of Contents I. Introduction Background/Statement of Problems pg. 3-4 Purpose of the Study pg. 5-12 Research Questions pg. 13 Significance of the Study pg. 14-19 II. Literature Review Methodology and Sampling Design Strategy pg. 20 Data Collection Procedures pg. 20 Data Analyzed pg. 21 Ethical Issues pg. 21 III. Results Conclusion pg. 21-22 References pg. 23 Appendix: I. Annotated Bibliography pg. 24-26 II. Survey Questions pg. 27 III. Results (Charted/Tables) pg. 28-31 Notes: I. Introduction Background/Statement of Problem Prayer in Public Schools The courts have ruled against prayer in school. Many agree with the decision; yet many disagree. Prayer should be allowed in public schools because it is already practiced. It prevents...
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...relate. The study of Christianity and how it relates to Jesus Christ is very important to the whole world. Concerning the issue of Christianity, for example, the majority of people are taught in most schools and churches that Jesus Christ was an actual historical figure and that the only controversy regarding him is that some people accept him as the Son of God and the Messiah, while others do not. While the historicity of Jesus is the most debated subject in the field of religion today, the most enduring and profound controversy in this subject is whether or not Jesus Christ really existed. This paper will discuss who Jesus is, the controversy and biblical sources based on the views of scholars surrounding the historicity of Jesus. Finally, this paper will give Biblical evidence that Jesus existed. WHO IS JESUS? It is generally accepted that Jesus was truly a man who walked the earth 2000 years ago. Almost every religion teaches that Jesus was a prophet, excellent teacher or a Godly man. The Bible tells us, “I and the Father are one.” This indicates that Jesus was saying that He was God by declaring, “I and the Father are one”. The Bible also tells us, “The Word was God,” and, “the Word became flesh.” These scripture verses indicate that Jesus is God in the flesh. The apostle Paul describes Him as …our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” The apostle Peter confirms Paul’s...
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...Name: Nichole Acosta Writing Style Used: MLA Course and Section Number: THEO 201 B01 Essay on Pneumatology: Spiritual Gifts With a passion for theology and the word of God, it brings me great joy when asked to explain my beliefs. While some aspects of our faith are a little simpler to explain than others, one that is continuously debated is that of spiritual gifts. Because of a presented opportunity from a curious friend, I found it fitting to dive into the topic that is currently being debated at his home church. In Acts 2:1-4, Paul recounts Pentecost as the ultimate outpouring of the Holy Spirit to all believers, indwelling and granting them with spiritual gifts. Ephesians 4:11-12 explains that these Spirit-given abilities are not primarily bestowed for personal enjoyment or personal growth, but for Christian service and the edification of the body of Christ. Because every believer has the Holy Spirit in them from salvation (Romans 8:9), it is implied that spiritual gifts are also deposited at conversion, but may be developed at a later time. Though believers may have multiple spiritual gifts, it is guaranteed that every Christian has at least one (1 Corinthians 12:4, 31). One should not confuse spiritual gifts with the fruit of the Spirit. While both are sourced from the Holy Spirit and are results of spiritual baptism, their purposes differ. Elmer Towns describes the relationship perfectly, “A spiritual gift is an ability to be used in service, whereas...
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...Southern New Hampshire University 10-2 Same-Sex Marriage Kari Harmon Professor Mary Orcutt June 08, 2014 Introduction Same-sex marriage, popularly known as gay marriage, is a socially or legally reorganized wedlock between two persons of similar social gender or biological sex. Although the idea of same-sex marriage can be traced back to ancient times, in the United States, it not is legally reorganized at the national level. Some federal governments have, however managed to legalize same-sex marriage; namely in Massachusetts, Vermont, the district of Columbia, Iowa and Connecticut. The issue of same-sex marriage is one that has attracted a lot of controversies world over. In many nations, it has attracted conflicts in such issues as social, moral, political, religious and civil rights. The argument of same-sex marriage is an important one. The question of legalization of same sex marriages is an issue in many of our states today. I would like to argue that same-sex marriages do not infringe on any civil rights, but it is also immoral. We, as Christians, should not be afraid to stand up and use our Constitutional rights to speak against same-sex marriages. The debate over whether same-sex marriage should be legalized has focused on the infringement of civil rights. State recognition of marriages is not a common right. States control marriages in many ways, not just by denying same sex gender the right to marry. Approximately...
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...The Controversy Surrounding Gay Marriage “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” - Declaration of Independence The debate of gay marriage is very complex, due to the many different feelings people express on the topic. One opinion is that gay marriage should be legalized nationally. Others feel that gay marriage should not be legalized but civil unions should be granted to homosexuals so they have an alternative that allows gays and lesbians to receive something that compares to the same rights as marriage Finally others believe neither gay marriage nor civil unions should be offered and that any legal union should be available only to heterosexual couples only. These different opinions that are expressed by society’s attitudes towards gay marriage continue to cause great controversy throughout the country. The true meaning of marriage is sharing vows between two people to bind their feelings toward each other forever. Many feel that the sanction should be shared between a man and a woman and if it is opened to homosexuals this will take away from the importance of marriage. According to an article written by Scott Bidstrup, called "Gay Marriage: The Arguments and The Motives," people in our society argue that gay marriage is wrong because marriage is the union between a man and a woman...
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...We are now living in the 21st century. Everything around us is changing. Our society is broader and our global network is smaller than ever. Technology has permitted us the opportunity to become global citizens. Our world has evolved from the days of Abraham and Sarah, of being a patriarchial, agrarian society. We are now a society of consumers and capitalism drives our economy. Everything about our society has changed. Even for some, the definition of marriage, a covenant before God between one man and one woman, is also being challenged by gay rights activists. As man has evolved in his practice of Christianity, no longer being bound by the Mosaic law, has God changed his purpose for marriage? We know him to be, according to Psalm 102:27, a spiritual being who will never change or end. As God never changes neither does his definition of marriage. I will prove that the sanctity of marriage should be upheld as the standard of Christianity between one man and one woman. Marriage is a covenant before God. It is consummated by sexual intercourse between the man and the woman. Andreas Köstenberger, author of God, Marriage, and Family, advises on five marital concepts to which all Godly relationships must commit. First, marriage is permanent. Divorce is not an option except in certain circumstances advised by Jesus in Matthew 19:9 Those seeking to marry should seek out wise counsel. Second, marriage is sacred before God and he honors it because he created...
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...massive amount of controversy about the reliability of the scriptures in the Bible. The two arguments that I found quite compelling is THE EXTRAORDINARY CLAIMS THAT THE BIBLE IS FROM GOD and THE UNITY OF THE MESSAGE FROM DIFFERENT HUMAN SOURCES. The 1st argument “THE EXTRAORDINARY CLAIMS THAT THE BIBLE IS FROM GOD.” In the book Theology for Today (chap 5 pg. 4) it states, “Old Testament prophets used expressions like “thus saith the LORD or “The word of the LORD came unto . . . .” These expressions are themselves among the strongest arguments for accepting the Bible. Concerning the expressions “Word of the Lord” (debhar Yahweh), B. B. Warfield writes that it “is at once the simplest and the most colorless designation of a Divine communication.” He then goes on to note, “Both phrases [‘Word of the Lord’ and ‘Law of the Lord’] are used for any Divine communication of whatever extent; and both came to be employed to express the entire body of Divine revelation, conceived as a unitary whole . . . and both passed into the NT with these implications.” The way that God gave us the Bible is a confirmation and delineation of His affection for us. The expression "disclosure" or “revelation” essentially implies that God imparted to humankind what He is similar to and how we can have a right association with Him. These are things that we couldn't have known had God not perfectly uncovered them to us in the Bible. Despite the fact that God's disclosure of Himself in the Bible was given logically...
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...We are now living in the 21st century. Everything around us is changing. Our society is broader and our global network is smaller than ever. Technology has permitted us the opportunity to become global citizens. Our world has evolved from the days of Abraham and Sarah, of being a patriarchial, agrarian society. We are now a society of consumers and capitalism drives our economy. Everything about our society has changed. Even for some, the definition of marriage, a covenant before God between one man and one woman, is also being challenged by gay rights activists. As man has evolved in his practice of Christianity, no longer being bound by the Mosaic law, has God changed his purpose for marriage? We know him to be, according to Psalm 102:27, a spiritual being who will never change or end. As God never changes neither does his definition of marriage. I will prove that the sanctity of marriage should be upheld as the standard of Christianity between one man and one woman. Marriage is a covenant before God. It is consummated by sexual intercourse between the man and the woman. Andreas Köstenberger, author of God, Marriage, and Family, advises on five marital concepts to which all Godly relationships must commit. First, marriage is permanent. Divorce is not an option except in certain circumstances advised by Jesus in Matthew 19:9 Those seeking to marry should seek out wise counsel. Second, marriage is sacred before God and he honors it because he created...
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...US History Since 1877 Critical Essay #1 Dr. Bachhofer Scopes Monkey Trial Religious controversy has been around from the birth of this country and beyond. This country was founded by people, at least in part, trying to get religious freedom from Europe. People, even today in modern society, want the right to believe whatever they want and not have someone else’s beliefs shoved down their throats or the throats of their children. This need for religious freedom and the age old controversy of religious battles sparked a huge trial in the mid 1920’s famously known as the “Monkey Trial”. By 1921, Protestantism split up into two distinct groups. One of these groups was known as the modernists and the other was known as the fundamentalists. Both groups were caught up in a fight with each other for the countries attention. Like any fight over something important, both groups thought they were right. The Modernists were made up primarily of urban, middle-class people. Modernists were attempting to change religion around to fit their society that was based around science mainly. They believed that there was a chance that Charles Darwin’s evolutionary theory had some merit. Above all else the rejected the idea that everything in the bible was 100% accurate. They left the door open for alternate interpretations of the bible, something that the fundamentalists despised. The fundamentalists (also known as the “defenders”) on the other hand consisted mostly of rural farmers...
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