Abstract This paper describes the life of Galileo Galilea--his childhood, youth and how this affected his chosen path in life. It analyzes his theories as well as the harsh and life threatening criticism he faced from the Church.
From the Paper Galileo's father was a musician who eventually challenged Aristotelian beliefs about music theory and who proved some of it wrong, so Galileo grew up in a forward-thinking house where beliefs that had been long-held by educated people were being questioned. His father was part of a small group of musicians who revolutionized the way music was written. These changes led to the birth of opera. He saw his father's musical experiments, which contradicted the most basic assumptions regarding music theory. These older beliefs were also tied to church theology. It was believed at the time that the rules of harmony paralleled the motion of the heavenly body. This concept was known as the ?music of the spheres.?
The following paper examines the Bible's use of parables and the way in which they explain complex concepts as well as serving as a deconstruction of what is being symbolized.
1,020 words (approx. 4.1 pages), 3 sources, 2003, $ 36.95
Abstract This essay discusses the use of parables in describing the Kingdom of God. It examines how the parables helped Jesus explain the Kingdom of God to His disciples in terms that they could relate to.
From the paper:
?In the Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Leaven, Jesus described the Kingdom of God using parables. He compared it to a mustard seed in the beginning, saying that when it is first planted, it is the smallest of the seeds on Earth. He added that when it grows, it becomes the greatest of all shrubs. Next Jesus spoke of the parable of the leaven, saying that the Kingdom of God is like a leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.?
Abstract This paper discusses "The Canterbury Tales" and the character of the Parson, who is a perfect example and holds every quality a devout church leader is expected to have. His life is contrasted with that of Monk and Friar who are the exact opposites of the Parson as their lives consist of greed, gluttony and lustfulness. The current church leadership, and Mother Teresa are used as modern day examples of goodness and greed.
From the Paper "The First way the Canterbury Tales is relevant to a modern audience is through the powerful characterization of the Parson. He is a perfect example and holds every quality a devout church leader is expected to have. The purpose for his journey to Canterbury is to enhance his own spirituality, the ideal reason for going on this pilgrimage. The Parson is an educated man and, unlike many of the others, he is very honorable. He practices what he preaches and knows that he is an example for others to follow."
Abstract This paper discusses the political and social climate in which Sir Thomas More lived, and how it influenced him to pen his idea on how a perfect society should be in his novel "Utopia". The author also provides a brief biography on More.
From the Paper "More than anything else, the author used Utopia to criticize the society he lived in, and to offer up hope of what could be if everyone lived up to the true Christian ideals. Knowing that communal living was not a true possibility, he nevertheless continued to mention it as an ideal way to live. The More character continued to criticize the idea, but just that fact that it is brought up in such detail gave the reader a hint at Thomas More's influential monastic experience."
Abstract This paper provides an overall history of the Church Santa Maria della Salute and explores its history and significance. It begins with an explanation why the Church was built following the bubonic plague and describes how it is still a source of inspiration to the citizens of Venice. It discuss unique architectural features of the church and provides a brief biography of the architect Baldassare Longhena.
From the Paper "Anyone who has ever been to Venice - and indeed perhaps even anyone who has merely dreamed of going to Venice - will know the huge baroque church of Santa Maria della Salute. It is architecturally one of the most and probably the most important religious building in the city. It's distinctive shape, visible form all over the city, has greeted both visitors and natives since it was erected in the 17th century as an attempt to appease the heavens. This paper examines both the architectural and artistic significance of this building."
Abstract This paper is an analysis of the novel "Love Medicine" by Louise Eldrich. This novel plays on words and the emotions of people. While at one end the characters are concerned with their spirituality as it comes into conflict with their culture, at the other end they contend with the basic instincts of sexuality within their nature. The narrator creates a story of cultural assimilation. This contends that through assimilation the identity of the individual is lost.
From the Paper " The novel Love Medicine by Louise Eldrich is one that plays on words and the emotions of people. While at on end the characters are concerned with their spirituality as it comes into conflict with their culture. I.e. the conflict between Christianity and Native American Culture at the other end they contend with the basic instincts of sexuality within their nature. Combining the two thoughts the narrator creates a story of cultural assimilation. This contends that through assimilation the identity of the individual is lost."
Abstract This paper examines why Satanism is attractive to teenagers. The author discusses how satanic religious practices offer adolescents total self-indulgence, self power and a complete license to indulge in the forbidden. The paper also discusses how in this era as the society is in a constant flux of change and teenagers feel adrift in face of societal changes they become interested in such things as Satanism.
From the Paper "The personality profile of an adolescent susceptible to cult overtures might include identity confusion or crisis; alienation from family; weak cultural, religious, and community ties; and feelings of powerlessness in a seemingly out-of-control world. Studies have indicated that a surprising number of cult members come from democratic and egalitarian homes and upper socioeconomic levels, rather than over permissive, overindulgent, dysfunctional, and poor families. In fact, reports that many cults focus on the recruitment of gifted and creative adolescents. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to delineate a precise portrait of potential adolescent cult members."
The following essay examines the way in which various religions of the world can be separated by single words, such as Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.
945 words (approx. 3.8 pages), 0 sources, 2003, $ 33.95
Abstract This paper examines how the assigning of a name conveys the concept of separate and distinct beliefs. The writer contends that in looking at the tenets, the ethics or moral codes found in all religions - the similarities can be seen if not in actual written instruction, at least in intent.
From the Paper ?While using different formal instructions, all religions provide a vehicle through which the human being tries to achieve the highest possible state of being by aligning his or herself to the strongest power in the universe. The power is referred to as God, Allah, and Yahweh. While Judaism is one of the oldest religions, believed by some scholars to have originated around 1200 B.C., it has the fewest members at this time. It is, however, the basis for both Christianity and Islam - the two of the most widely practiced religions on Earth.?
Abstract The paper looks at how nations identify with others that are similar to them and whose enemies value a society they oppose. The paper describes how terrorism is used to achieve a political agenda. Also discussed is the recent move by President Bush away from isolationist foreign policy as a result of the terrorism of 9/11.
From the Paper "At one level, this question is unanswerable in the same way child abuse and rape are incomprehensible. For people who do not believe that violence is ever acceptable except to defend oneself or other innocent people, it is impossible to fathom what would motivate people to harm innocent bystanders, an element in so much of terrorism. But, clearly ? given the number of terrorist acts that occur in the world ? to other people terrorism is something that simply makes good political sense: Realpolitik carried to logical extremes."
Abstract A study of the effect of religion on the American political system since the Puritan influence that came with the Founding Fathers. It looks at the history of religious political influence starting with Constantinople and moves towards modern day and the conflict between religion and state in America.
From the Paper "When the freethinking, Founding Fathers of this country gathered in the late1700s to create a government for the free people of the United States, their intent was to form a government that would not be based upon the tenets or dogma of any particular religion. The motivation behind this thought was a dual one reflecting personal history as well as contemporary conditions. The early European colonists fled their own homeland and came to America to escape the oppressive European church/state rule. The first ruling government put into place in America, however, was ruled by Puritan dogma, and thus recreated another oppressive church/state government in the new land. It would be necessary to create a government based upon democracy and religious freedom in order to effectively defuse the Puritanical rule fashioned after the regime ruling the homeland."
Abstract St. Augustine had a huge impact on teachings today and and also is a major historical figure who contributed to our society and the history of communication in a huge way. The paper takes you beyond a bibliography and explores/summarizes his teachings. It also brings those teachings into a modern light in how they can be applied today.
From the Paper "Augustine was born in Tagaste in 354 BC and died almost seventy-six years later in Hippo Regius" (O?Donnell 1). He was the product of "a religiously mixed marriage" as his father, Patricius, was a pagan and his mother, Monica, a Christian (Hackstaff xvi). Their family background was not of high culture, but Augustine went on to gain stature through education, when he attended the excellent school Madaura (Chadwick 1). At the age of 19, Augustine journeyed to Carthage where he had a mistress who bore him a son, Adeodats. That same year, Augustine became hooked on philosophy as he read Cicero's Hortensius, the event that was his "immediate catalyst for transformation" into the famous philosopher he eventually became (Chadwick 2). Once Augustine began to form his own beliefs, he associated himself with opponents of Catholicism in North Africa: Manichaeism, the sect of Mani (Hackstaff xvi). Originally, he found that Manichaeism provided a plausible solution to a difficulty that Augustine could not seem to solve with Orthodox Christianity: the problem of evil. The Manichaeans attempted to deal with evil on its own terms which, put very briefly is: if evil exists, and if God is the cause of all existing things, then God is the cause of evil (Hackstaff xvi). Later on, having set Catholicism aside and having found no satisfaction in the religion of Mani, Augustine came to wonder whether there was any truth available for human knowledge (Hackstaff xxiii). Augustine moved to Milan in 384 BC where he came in contact with Ambrose, the Bishop of Milan. "Two years later, profoundly influenced by the eloquence, reasonableness, and conviction of the Bishop, Augustine again became a catechumen in the Catholic Church, and in 387 BC received baptism at his hands. Augustine fully embraced the Christian belief that all things are good, just because they exist, and held this belief and all other Christian teachings for the rest of his life" (Hackstaff xxiv). "
Abstract The paper shows how the Book of Genesis in the Bible recounts two versions of the story of creation. The author shows that while both accounts involve relating the story of how God created the world and Man, they differ largely in the chronology of events, and in approach. Despite these differences and the inevitable contradictions that result from these differences, both stories actually complement each other due to the different perspectives that are provided of the same event.
From the Paper "Another factor that demonstrated the complementary nature of each account of the creation is the greater elaboration of God's relationship with his creation. Whereas God's aloofness is further displayed in there being no account of God interacting with His creations, in the second account God lays down some ground rules to Man such as "You may eat indeed of all the trees in the garden. Nevertheless of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you are not to eat, for on the day you eat of it you shall most surely die." (Ch. 2; Verse 16-17; P. 6) Also, in the first account there is only one perspective given, that of God. However in the second account an additional perspective is provided, that of Man: "Now both of them were naked, the man and his wife, but they felt no shame in front of each other." (Ch. 2; Verse 25; P. 7)"
Abstract This paper begins with a discussion of the origins of the term "homosexual". It continues with an outline of beliefs about homosexuals through the ages, and the development of theories of homosexuality through modern times.
From the Paper "Although homosexual practices might have begun in the early centuries, the word "sodomy" was first used by a Catholic missionary, now a saint, Father Peter Damien around 1050. By sodomy, he meant masturbation and anal intercourse between men, a sin he condemned as the most perverse of sexual sins in his long letter to the Pope, entitled ?the Book of Gomorrah.? He emphasized that God designed sex exclusively for procreation and that the enjoyment of the sexual act outside this divine purpose was unnatural and therefore summarily grievously and wickedly sinful."
Abstract This paper examines a few art forms and details the influence of religion and the Bible on them. Dante and Chaucer's literature is mentioned, and examined for its use of deity and religion. Many Italian artists are mentioned regarding the way they used the Church as a showroom for their talent.
From the Paper "Around 500 AD, western civilization began to emerge from the period generally known as "The Dark Ages", the time when invading hordes of Vandals, Huns, and Visigoths overran Europe and brought an end to the Roman Empire. For the next centuries, the newly emerging Christian Church would dominate Europe, administrating Justice, instigating Holy Crusades against the east, establishing Universities and generally dictated the destiny of music, art and literature. From the Crusades and other sources the Europeans came in contact with the Arab culture, which has preserved the works of Greek authors, whose writings did not survived in the Europe. Philosophy, science and mathematics from the Hellenistic period were assimilated into the tenets of the Christian faith and the prevailing philosophy of Scholasticism. St. Thomas Aquinas to the Christian doctrine adopted Aristotle, who was long considered to be a heretic. Christian values dominated the scholarship and literature, especially the Medieval Latin literature, the influence of Christian faith was also dominated in the German literature and Middle English literature ."
Abstract This paper analyzes the book "So Long a Letter" by Mariama Ba. It presents a brief summary of the story and then discusses how the style used by the author hinders her presentation of the question of male/female relationships within the family structure.
From the Paper "Mariama Ba in her novel, ?So Long A Letter,? gives the audience a glimpse into the Islamic world. The book is written as a letter from the main character, Ramatoulaye, to her childhood friend, Aissatou. It is both a missive and lamentation of Ramatoulaye's life, more than half a century of years. She has reached a cross-road, and as one might retrace his route on a map if lost, she retraces her feelings and experiences that have brought her this far on her journey (Ba 1996). Her husband of twenty-odd years has died. However, it has only been a short time since he sent word to her that he had taken a new wife, a mere girl, a friend of their daughter?s. Ramatoulaye's indignation of the marriage turns to sympathy for the young widow. Through the journal, the audience learns of her feelings and experiences as a single mother coping with first abandonment and then widowhood (Johnson 1999)."
Tags: abandonment, widowhood, family, diary, journal, culture, values, identity, communication
