Abstract This paper covers the arguments made by Symmachus, a polytheist leader, and Bishop Ambrose, a powerful early Christian, over the removal of the altar to Victory, a Roman goddess, from the senate house in Rome. The paper discusses the way in which the debate represented the last great struggle between Christians and polytheists (pagans) over state control.
From the Paper "The debate of 384 in Rome over the presence of the pagan altar of Victory in the senate house showed the final great struggle in Rome between paganism and Christianity. The pagans and the Christians, represented in letters to the emperor Valentinian II by Prefect of the City of Rome Quintus Aurelius Symmachus and the bishop of Milan, Ambrose, respectively, quarreled over whether to put back the recently removed altar, which was essentially the last great artifact demanding governmental adherence to pagan beliefs, and also whether to resume state financing of the Vestal Virgins and pagan priests, the most sacred public religious figures for the pagans. The two writers, in their attempts to persuade the young emperor, base their arguments mostly on historical or familial precedent, but ultimately, the most important aspect of the debate was the religion of the emperor himself."
Abstract This paper examines how "In Little Altars Everywhere", Rebecca Wells demonstrates the degree of influence and power that a mother wields over her children. It looks at how the unhealthy relationship between Viviane Abbott Walker and her daughter Siddalee reveal the catastrophic effects a selfish mother can have on her child.
From the Paper "Viviane neglects to shield her children from life's hardships in order to protect them from disillusionment. Viviane attempts to keep Siddalee firmly rooted in reality, rather than allowing her to veil reality with drama and illusion. This is shown when Sidda asks her mother to buy her a sleeping mask like her dance teacher Charlene, who Sidda admires, and Vivi refuses by retorting that Sidda is dramatic enough as she is (26). Viviane also reveals her desire for Sidda to witness real life when she states that Siddalee may not read at the table as Vivi was not permitted to do so as a child. Vivi states if she has "to sit there and listen to all the shit that goes around at the table, then so does" (84) Siddalee. She does not cushion Siddalee from reality, nor does she try to soften the blow of Sidda's disappointments."
Examines mythical, religious, historical & cultural aspects of story from Book of Judges in which Jewish king-to-be destroys altar of the god of agriculture.
2,250 words (approx. 9 pages), 7 sources, 1996, $ 79.95
From the Paper "This research discusses Gideon and the Altar of Baal, part of the Book of Judges in the Old Testament. Baal was already worshipped in Canaan as the god of agriculture by the time the Israelites arrived. Many of them began worshipping Baal, also. However, when Gideon led them into victorious battle against the Midianite oppressors and destroyed the altar of Baal, the Israelites gave up Baal and supported Gideon, who became king.
When God called Gideon to deliver the Israelites from the Midianites His initial address was both ironic and indicative of future enabling: "the Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour." At the time, Gideon was cowering in fear, threshing the wheat at the base of a hill by a winepress instead of at the top of hill where the wind would be available to blow the chaff away. Gideon was not a mighty man at the time, nor was he valorous."
Comparing and contrasting Martin J. Gannon's "The Chinese Family Altar", Clive S. Kessler's "Globalization: Another False Universalism", and David Suzuki's "The Breath of all Green Things".
1,350 words (approx. 5.4 pages), 3 sources, 2005, $ 53.95
Abstract The paper analyses globalization through a discussion of three very different articles; "The Chinese Family Altar" by Martin J. Gannon, "Globalization: Another False Universalism" by Clive S. Kessler, and "The Breath of all Green Things" by David Suzuki. The content of the three articles are compared and conclusions are drawn from this.
From the Paper "Martin J. Gannon's "The Chinese Family Altar," Clive S. Kessler's "Globalization: Another False Universalism" and David Suzuki's "The Breath of all Green Things" are all articles that relate to the issue of globalization in some way. However, when we compare them, we see that the articles are extremely different from each other. We will first compare the content of the three articles. Gannon's article is mainly concerned with Chinese culture. He uses the metaphor of the Chinese family altar for Chinese culture. He shows that this remains the same around the world, no matter where Chinese people immigrate. He also shows how this kind of culture functions in global.."
Abstract This paper discusses Saint Peter's Cathedral, situated in the Vatican, Italy. Saint Peter's Cathedral, also known as the Basilica of Saint Peter, stands in what was once the Circus of Nero in Rome, where Saint Peter was crucified in 61 A.D. In around 200 A.D., an altar was constructed at the site and Saint Peter's body was buried beneath it. It examines its architecture and history, the way it was, the way it has changed over time and the way it is today. It looks at how it serves as the home church for the Pope and is a glowing testament to the art and architecture of the Renaissance, one of the most influential periods in world culture.
From the Paper "Saint Peter's contributed to the art world in many ways. Artists were in great demand to paint the many walls and ceilings, and contribute to art works to be placed in the cathedral, so many artists were kept busy in Italy during the time, thereby increasing the awareness and employment in the arts. There are also many mosaics is the church, so a wide variety of artisans were kept busy for decades decorating the massive structure. Art flourished during the Renaissance, and Saint Peter's kept artisans busy, and helped them develop new methods for their crafts, as Michelangelo did when he created the iron beam system to support the massive concrete dome (Editors)."
Abstract This paper examines George Herbert's poetry, written during the 17th century which is reflective of the strong biblical and liturgical themes that were ever present in much Renaissance art and literature during this time. It looks at how he dedicated his poetic abilities and verse to God as early as 1610, when he sent two sonnets to his mother claiming his power the result of divine intervention. He claimed that his love of God was a more worthy subject for verse than the love of a woman. It discusses how Herbert was well known during his time for his humility and charity and how his work reveals undeniable undertones of despair and inner mental struggle or conflict. It analyzes how this inner conflict is present in his poems ?The Altar? "Love III" "Denial" and "Sin I" and how his poems illustrate this mercurial behavior both in tone and in structure.
From the Paper "All of the work created by Herbert reflects in some way an inner conflict or mental torture that the poet must have been feeling throughout his life. Perhaps this was due in part, as mentioned previous to the death of his father early in life. A sense of loss and loneliness, of despair despite much love and affection (which he must have received from his large family and mother) is apparent in most of these poems. Themes liturgical and repentant in nature are also prevalent throughout his work. Not one of Herbert's poems fails to mention God, spiritual devotion and the weakness of man."
Abstract This paper examines the primarily Catholic holiday of St. Joseph's Table. The paper describes the various customs involved in celebrating this day and elaborates on them, stipulating the customs that are unique to different communities. The history of St. Joseph's Table is presented in the paper, including its introduction to the United States in the late 19th century.
From the Paper "St. Joseph is also honored as the patron saint of the poor and desperate and it is in this role we find the custom of St. Joseph's Table, which is an elaborate, meatless and literal feast. St. Joseph, in his many protector roles, is primarily honored in ethnic groups which follow Catholicism, although his day, March 19th is also recognized in the liturgical calendar of the Episcopalian church. The groups that celebrate with a St. Joseph's Table include Sicilians, Italians, in general, Poles and occasionally Irish. Apparently, just being Catholic doesn?t necessarily include following the tradition of St. Joseph's Table."
Abstract In this paper, the author argues that a strong thread of paganism runs through "Tess of the D?Urbervilles" from beginning to end, reaching its climax in the dramatic scene of Tess's flight to Stonehenge and her arrest at daybreak as she lies upon the altar stone of the monument.
From the Paper "Stonehenge, like other ancient monuments of Wessex such as hill forts and castles, features several times in the writings of Thomas Hardy, both prose and poetry. Hardy was fascinated by archaeology and the societies and cultures of past ages, and particularly with their religious and mystical aspects. In The Return of the Native (1878) for example, he suggests that the custom of celebrating Bonfire Night on 5 November each year with huge bonfires on the crests of Wessex hills is of "druidic" and "Saxon" origin rather than relating to the Gunpowder Plot of the seventeenth century; (Grimsditch, 86) elsewhere, notably in Under the Greenwood Tree (1872) and The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886), he makes great play with rituals that survive into his own age from ancient times. Stonehenge, situated in the heart of Wessex, constituted an extremely potent source of symbolism for Hardy, as well as providing a setting of unique drama for the climactic scene of Tess of the D?Urbervilles."
An analysis of "Stripping of the Altars: Traditional Religion in England, 1400-1580" and the "Voices of Morebath: Reformation and Rebellion in an English Village" by Eamon Duffy.
Abstract This paper explains how Eamon Duffy, professor in church history at the University of Cambridge, has rewritten history and refutes what is considered a long-kept myth in his two books. It explains that he disputes the story long told by the Protestants of what encouraged the English Reformation in the Middle Ages. An analysis of his two books is provided in the paper.
From the Paper "The Protestant Reformation eventually eliminated this community structure. It abolished devotions to images that were the purpose for much of the financial support. It then took possession of the resources that had been put toward so-called "superstitious" practices. Without this means of supporting the church, Morebath suffered and finally lost most of its involvement by the parishioners.
Yet, as noted previously, the eventual decline of Morebath does not mean that the people immediately went along with the Reformation and quickly forgot hundreds of years of tradition. At the beginning, they were either not discouraged or not moved by the battering rams of the Protestant church. When their chalice was stolen, the young men and women collected for another one. On the very eve of the Reformation in 1533, the statue of Our Lady of Pity was regilt, and a new image was purchased. In addition, in 1535, a new rood, with Our Lady and St. John was commissioned. The parish meeting in the autumn of 1534 did not know that a few days before the theft that Parliament had passed the Act of Supremacy. This made no difference in Morebath. The same was true for the dissolution of the monasteries and the abolishment of the holy days in 1536. Due to their long years of belief, the Catholic followers kept faithful as long as they could."
Abstract This insightful and well-researched paper examines how one's impression of an individual's social class molds the way in which we interact with that particular individual. This paper focuses on how the initial impressions of our fellow human beings can impact and even determine our expectations of other individuals. From a small number of visual and audio clues, we can guess at whether an individual is successful or not. These same clues tell us whether that particular person is worthy of respect, or revulsion. The writer of this paper details how the status of people, organizations, places and ideas differs depending upon the context. One group may possess a generally negative status, while others may present a negative status only in relation to certain others. This paper also explores the impact of the media on our perception of others. Newspapers and television stations are always bombarding the viewer with images of crime and criminals. They like to show photographs of the alleged victim dressed neatly in a suit and tie, or wearing the robes of an altar boy. Much stronger than these examples of individual cases of a person's status or condition, are those in which the media stereotypes a whole group of people. This paper also discusses how ethnic and minority groups are lumped together in such an easily recognized fashion.
From the Paper "Among the other discoveries of this look at "status," was the uncovering of a still-more insidious method of reporting events. In many of the pieces at which we looked, the "judgment" that the reader is invited to make is conceived of as something that happens almost automatically. For example, Mayor Daley's defense of vocational schools does not, in reality, contain anything positive or negative about such a school. Instead, it is the mere offering of the comment that is significant. People have a certain idea about "vocational schools," and the Mayor, as well the Tribune's readers are fully cognizant of the nature of that point-of-view. A more positive way of handling the story might have been for the article to have listed all that the vocational schools would do, rather than introducing at once the idea that "You'll live with it!" Too many times, even the most objective people let slip small comments or phrases that indicate a prejudice one way or the other. Particular words become "code words."
Abstract An analysis of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Paris, France, is provided in essay format. The paper describes how the structure's purpose, function, and design are illustrative of the purpose, function, and design of temples from ancient Greek civilization.
From the Paper "The Cathedral of Notre-Dame Paris France is one of the world's most admired architectural feats - one that has been modified many times over its centuries of existence..."
Abstract This paper discusses how Joseph Stalin's murderous autocracy in the Soviet Union subverted its own socialist ideals in the name of progress and modernization. The paper explains how his succession of Five Year Plans, though successful in bringing the USSR into the modern age, nonetheless cost tens of millions of peasant lives.
From the Paper "Joseph Stalin, the autocratic ruler of the Soviet Union for nearly three decades, remains infamous for crushing millions of his own people beneath the massive grinding wheel of the Communist Party that he so completely controlled. Stalin's succession of Five Year Plans were designed to rapidly pull the new Soviet Union into the industrial age and in the process mold the Russian people into a strong, independent and modern nation able to counter the might of the highly industrialized Western world."
Tags: joseph stalin, collectivization, gulag, world war II, industrialization, Soviet Union, five year plan
Abstract This paper explains that the "Book of Judges" occurs between the death of Joshua and the commencement of the monarchy. The author points out that, in this portion, the reader witnesses the Israelites cyclical relationship with God: "sin-oppression-deliverance". The paper relates that 'Judges 6' tells the story of how God chose Gideon to lead the Israelites and Gideon's response to that command. The author suggests that the role of the narrator in this story is as an all knowing third person narrator who is always aware of how things actually are. The paper concludes that 'Judges 6' applies to the modern believer because he often has the same questions that Gideon had. The author underscores that Christians often wonder, like Gideon did, will God take care of me?
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Narrative Study
Israel is Oppressed by Midian (Judges 6:1-10)
Characterization
Plot
Setting
Literary Techniques
Gideon is Visited (Judges 6:11-27)
Characterization
Plot
Setting
Literary Techniques
The Altar of Baal Destroyed (Judges 6:28-35)
Characterization
Plot
Setting
Literary Techniques
Sign of the Fleece (Judges 6:36-40)
Characterization
Plot
Setting
Literary Techniques
Theological Application and Reflection
Conclusion
From the Paper "When the Lord provided Israel with Canaan, the Israelites were commanded to take over the entire land. After the Israelites had gained a certain amount of land, they discontinued their conquest and allowed the rest of the surrounding areas to continue living on their land, which was contrary to the Lord's instruction. Not only did they not kill all the Canaanites, but they entered into alliances with them and began to intermarry. Canaanite idolatry had also infiltrated the Jewish people."
Abstract This paper discusses how, in his fictional, yet highly autobiographical novel "Ham on Rye", Charles Bukowski allows the reader to experience the development of his cynically riveting ability to tell the truth. It looks at how Bukowski utilizes the protagonist and perpetual literary altar ego Henry Chinaski to demonstrate the development of a powerful literary tool - truth combined with cynicism - and how the development and application of truthful cynicism allows the author to challenge and attack the unspeakable cultural truths.
From the Paper "First, the reader learns the origins of Henry's truthful, yet cynical character development. Beginning with the first day of his fifth-grade class, young Henry learns the true nature of telling a lie. The teacher commands the students to describe their father's employment. However, the height of the Great Depression as rendered the students' fathers unemployed. In order to avoid shame, all of the students creatively invent occupations for their father's, except for the last student who actually tells the truth. Henry reacts to the truth by thinking, "I wish I had thought of that" (81). Young Henry realizes that by revealing the ugly truth of a situation, he will empower himself to establish a unique personal identity. "
