Abstract This paper introduces and discusses "The River Between" by Ngugi wa Thiong'o which tells the tale of two rival communities, Kameno and Makuyu, which face each other and are separated only by the Honia River. The paper describes how these two villages are in a constant battle over conflicting myths of leadership and religion, which have been the basis of their arguments for many generations. The paper shows how Ngugi focuses on the impact of Christian missionaries on the balance of African culture.
From the Paper "The inhabitants of the Kameno ridge have indigenous cultural traditions such as polytheism and circumcision, while those of the Makuyu ridge had already succumbed to Christianity and British colonization. This story is mainly about the conflicted relationship between two villages representing traditional African beliefs on the one side and Christianity on the other. In this novel, a mission-educated character tries unsuccessfully to synthesize the Christian worldview with the Gikuyu, even as he comes to understand the completely destructive force Christianity will have on his indigenous culture."
Abstract This paper shows the differences between the Gospel of John and the three Synoptic Gospels in the Passion Narratives. The paper reviews the writing styles, places, and people of each account.
From the Paper The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are considered the synoptic Gospels, because they follow the same general pattern. John's Gospel, however, is distinguished from the other three in many ways. Though, the most important difference takes place in the events of the Passion Narratives.
Abstract This paper is a research paper about the Constitutional guarantee of separation between church and state. The paper uses the Bill of Rights, as well as other studies, to show the effects and impact of mixing religion in public schools.
Abstract This paper proves that God exists using the arguments of known philosophers, such as Thomas Aquinas and William Paley. It supports the topic using the cosmological or the first cause argument. It proves its point by challenging and defending the various objections that apply to it.
Abstract This paper looks at the role of the prophets Isaiah and Amos in establishing political and religious order in the Israelite kingdom. It discusses that since the prophets believed that the course of history is shaped by the will of God, a violation of Israel's commitment to God would inevitably harm the Israelites. The paper explains how the prophets' role was to insist that the Israelites mend their course of action and maintain their part of the covenant with God; otherwise, as the writings of Amos and Isaiah avow, the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah will be destroyed.
From the Paper "Louisbourg (Nova Scotia, Canada) was constructed as a result of a crisis in French colonial development. France possessed one of the largest colonial empires the world had ever seen. The French colonies stretched from India, the West Indies, into the heart of what is now Canada. France and England had been at war with minor interruptions from 1689-1713. Europe formed a coalition to resist France during the war of the Spanish Succession, which left France both militarily and financially exhausted. "
Abstract This research paper examines the history, cause, and effect of the Islamic Jihad on the Middle East and how it is viewed by Western countries.
From the Paper "Jihad has been largely misunderstood by in modern society by Westerners due to media coverage of the extremists actions of a few Middle Eastern Muslims who claimed to be on a holy Islamic jihad. One may ask how one word can mean so much; the answer is that jihad is the striving to translate the Word of Allah into action. "
Abstract A discussion of the influence of Protestant Reformations on State Sovereignty of the European States. The author discusses the way religion evolved from being a comforting concept of ever-lasting life to a powerful tool of reign. The author looks at the fall of the domination of the Christian church and how, as a result, the Protestant Reformation brought about a new school of thought and political structure independent of church.
From the Paper "The events of the Protestant Reformation that spawned through Europe at the beginning of that century came as a result of the corruption and domination of the church, and their purpose was to restore Christianity and its original mission. The aftermath of those events, however, went beyond cleansing of the church, and allowed not only for other religions to be born, but also for the European states to reclaim secular governments and ruling independent of the church."
Tags: christian, religion, state, politics, government, gods, church
Abstract An examination of John Mill and Immanuel Kant's theories on ethics. The author examines Mill's view of hedonistic ethics and Kant's view of reason and intentions. The author explains and compares these two point of views.
From the Paper "Ethics, being as broad and opinion-based as it is, can be a difficult issue not only to define, but also to explain clearly to others. In the 18 and 19 hundreds two outgoing philosophers set forth to provide moral theories formed with concrete information, to add to the foundation of ethics. These two men were John Mill and Immanuel Kant, and their views were known as Utilitarianism and Kantian theory respectively. Both avoid interlacing their own opinions, in hope of finding a greater genuineness to their conjectures. Mill offers us a hedonistic ethics, full of pleasure and ends, while Kant proposes ridged principles of reason and intentions. Due to the fact that the subject is so hard to understand, many times their work must be interpreted and simplified. This paper will attempt to do just that, clarify the conjectures of these two theorists."
Abstract This paper is an intriguing philosophical approach at solving the problem with evil. It discusses the conversations and writings of Philosopher Swinburne and the antitheodicist. Arguments are presented between Swinburne and the antitheodicist and an attempt is made to answer the question; does Swinburne succeed in solving the problem?
From the Paper "There shouldn?t be any evils that are not caused by men, such as plagues, earthquakes, natural disasters, AIDS, cancer, and disease to name some of them. Swinburne explains that these tragedies and misfortunes allow men to do noble acts. The September 11th tragedy is a classic example. The entire city of New York came together and sacrificed lives, money, time, and effort to help others. Their crime rates dropped to the lowest ever of that city."
Abstract This paper provides a brief but concise analysis of Christian elements in Beowulf, and seeks to determine whether it was originally Christian in tone, or altered later by a second author.
From the Paper "The religious significance of the epic poem Beowulf has been argued for more than 150 years. Though it would be both unfair and arrogant to take only one side in the disagreement, the incredible variety of opinions and theories that have accumulated over the years provides greater opportunity for insight into a dispute that will continue for years to come. However, scholars are constantly utilizing new archaeological and historical evidence, as well as reasoning in an attempt to religiously categorize the tale."
Abstract This paper discusses the life and work of Anne Hutchinson, their effects on American society, religious freedom, and feminism. The author examines the role of women in Puritan Massachusetts, and how her religious community viewed her as unorthodox.
From the Paper ?A wife and mother, Hutchinson was also a learned scholar and theologian. Her thoughts on scripture and criticism of the government and religious practices of the Puritan Massachusetts colony sparked a rebellion that continued on and flourished even after her banishment from Puritan society. Hutchinson 's actions are also considered by many to be the beginning of the women's movement and religious diversity.?
Tags: feminism, history, puritain, rebellion, religious, women
Looks at various themes in the novel, focusing on Endo's theories on strength versus weakness, the role of the church and religious doctrine, and also what it means to be a good Christian in the eyes of God.
1,650 words (approx. 6.6 pages), 1 source, 2002, $ 53.95
Abstract This paper focuses heavily on the religious themes that occur throughout the book. The ideas of God suffering with humanity and not simply watching man suffer in silence, of the strong being on par with the weak, and the role of the church as defined by Endo are the crux of this paper. At the end, there is a personal reflection and some questioning which may be of interest and may provide insight or questions.
From the paper:
"Literature often serves as a tool to inspire the reader to analyze their way of thinking on an issue. Shusaku Endo's Silence is filled with issues and moral dilemma's which provide valuable opportunities for reflection and thought on a variety of religious questions. These problems are not isolated incidents in the novel, but instead form themes within the novel which are worth extracting for discussion. By looking at two of the more pronounced issues in the book (strong wills v. weak in the eyes of God, true faith v. Christian doctrine), a better appreciation for what this novel has to teach can be obtained."
Tags: apostatize, christianity, japan, persecution, reform, religion, rodrigues, theory
Abstract This paper looks at lines 175 through 188 of the epic "Beowulf" in order to examine the author's views of paganism and Christianity. It is also important to look at when and where this was written in order to understand the conflict surrounding the lines discussed. The author's choice of words, structure and cadence of the passage in question are also examined.
From the Paper "The speaker seems to be creating a degradation of the people involved since the progression goes from heathenish hope, to the back of the heart, and then to hell. The line following this uses the same alliteration, but all words beginning with "h" are capitalized: Head, Heavens, High. These words all refer to a memory of God who rules all, which takes the previous line's degradation into a new perspective regarding the goodness of Christianity. Another interesting method used by the speaker in Beowulf is the placement of the phrases "cursed is he" and "blessed is he," considering they appear at the ends of their respective lines, which creates a stronger emphasis on these two bold statements. The final line of this passage states "find friendship in the Father's embrace." This shifts the alliteration to a new sound, while at the same time reveals the fact that these people are indeed Christian at heart whether they struggle to show it or not."
Abstract This paper looks at the increased reports of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. The writer points out that only recently has the Church needed to answer for itself and take a stand due to the high level of reported cases. An examination of the Church's response is given which follows criticism of their reaction.
From the Paper "The Catholic Church has been rocked recently by allegations of sexual abuses"especially against children. The problem is not isolated but all pervading. The cases of child, sexual abuses are about the same percentage as the general population. Most of the cases are not, in the strictest sense pedophilic"sex with pre-pubescent children, but ephebophilia?abuse of adolescent children. In a comprehensive study of 2,252 priests for 30 years, only one case of pedophilia was found. It involved a priest with two six year-old nieces. Between 5 and 10 percent of priests were pederasts (ephebophiles). (Jenkins, 1996)"
Abstract This paper traces the issues of evil, pain, and suffering and their relation to life. It uses many biblical references to justify or explain the meaning of why good things happen to bad people and visa versa. This paper is a personal opinion paper relating to a basic philosophical question.
From the Paper "Philosophy starts with the question of the existence of God, including the concept of God you envision and your expectations of Him. This one issue is the basis of every answer to every philosophical question and is essential to everything else we believe in. Then comes the question of evil and suffering. If God exists, why is there so much evil and suffering in the world? "
