Abstract This paper examines the collection of essays known as "Black Witness to the Apostolic Faith" edited by David Shannon and Gayraud S. Wilmore about black and apostolic churches. It looks at how the purpose of the book is to find common ground among black Apostolic Christians and to expand their influence in the Christian and non-Christian world. It discusses how the editors believe that black Christian writers and theologians have not had the attention they deserve in the world of Christianity partly as a result of the racism of the past, which has left much power in white hands and less power in black hands. It evaluates how it seeks to take away the distortions of the Christian message which blacks were given by whites in the days of slavery.
From the Paper "In other words, in the bigger picture it should be all Christians, black and white and others, who come together in their common faith. The "confession' the authors write about is not only confession of sins but confession of faith, and that common confession can bring people together only if all sins are confessed and only if the confessor sees God as bigger than his own fears and prejudices. Wilmore is not saying that blacks should hate whites, but that whites must look at the past and accept what they did, just as blacks have had to look at the past and face what was done to them. To these Christian writers, it is God and Jesus Christ Who have allowed them to survive that past and to come out of their experiences with love and forgiveness in their hearts."
Abstract This research sets forth the context in which Christian spirituality unfolded in the first century A.D., also known at the apostolic period. It discusses in particular evidence of how the apostles made connections from spiritual experience to the shared experience of faith in the Christian community. The paper examines how the apostolic generation arrived at and then fostered a cohesive doctrine of spirituality that centered around the figure of Jesus Christ, in the shape of a mission of love.
From the Paper "No less significant is the fact that this spirituality and the apostolic mission are new because they specifically differ from Judaism, not only in the content of the message but also in the behavior of the messengers. For example, Matthew's Jesus (13:14) refers to those who are taught in parables as a fulfillment of "the [Hebrew] prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing he shall hear, and shall not understand." What is implied here is that the teachings of Jesus are meant to be directly relevant to Jewish experience, but the Christian mission is also meant to reinterpret it and point it in new directions. When Matthew says that "every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven" (13:52), the implication is that the new interpretation, not the old law, will be preeminent, hence that the Christians and not the Jews (i.e., the new scribes and not the old black-letter-law priests of Judaism) are to have the keys of the kingdom."
Abstract This theological analysis of the Roman Catholic text the "Didache"l analyzes why this early document was excluded from the New Testament. It looks at how the rediscovery of this document in 1875 is part of one major reason why the church excluded the document and how the historical validity of paleographic sources for the document denied apostolic authorship. It also examines how the the exclusion of the "Didache" from the New Testament is a direct conflict for the rules of institutional theocratic authority of "apostolic succession" for Roman Catholic Church leaders.
From the Paper "The Didache was a document of importance due to its early references to the apostolic Christian Church before the New Testament was collected and published as canon or law. The highly subjective nature of the authorship is one critical perspective that has been brought forth in the paleography of the Didache. The authorship of the Didache is one historical point that some critics of the writings bring forth in modern evaluations of the manuscript. Although the rediscovery of the document in 1875 connotes that the writings were apparently written in 1056, there is modern evidence that suggests that the original manuscript is dated at around 100 A.D. or even earlier. However, this study will bring forth the argument of authorship as one reason why many critics of the Didache find it too ambiguous to have been included in the Christina canon of the New Testament."
This paper compares the theme of Christianity in "The Song of Roland" (Anonymous) and in selected New Testament books, emphasizing patterns of Christian ideas.
Abstract This paper explains that the epic "The Song of Roland", written in France in the 12th century, is about a legendary 8th-century hero and member of the court of Charlemagne, who is the champion of the Roman Church in Europe. This paper discusses that the Christian identity of "The Song of Roland" can be distinguished from the Christian identity of the Apostolic Period. The author points out that the Church's affiliation with military objectives is reflected in the epic.
From the Paper "The relevance of Charlemagne's history to the history of Christianity and to The Song of Roland is the fact that, under Charlemagne, Christianity was identified with the institution of the Church. And, just as at its origin, Christianity was in significant part to be understood as a fulfillment of Jewish law, so was Charlemagne's activity meant to be understood as a fulfillment of the mission of Christianity in the shape of the Church. This dynamic is in the background of The Song of Roland, though the focus of the epic poem is on Roland's adventures, betrayal, and death in the context of France's battles with the "Paynim [pagan, Saracen] King of Spain.""
Abstract This is a short paper on the writings of some of the very early fathers of the Christian/Catholic church, Ignatius and Clement. This paper mostly relates to the role and importance of bishops and priests to the early church.
From the Paper "Clement and Ignatius certainly agree that only an exclusive group within the faith is permitted to hold worship services and offer gifts. Clement devotes a significant portion of his First Letter to the issue, stating that the orderly procedure of preaching and worship depends on God's will. Thereafter, he explains the basis for the doctrine of apostolic succession concluding that those who celebrate "the sacrifices" (the Eucharist) with persons of proper authority "shall be guilty of no slight sin.""
Abstract In this article the writer describes how Methodists, Apostolics, the Word Church, and the New Age Movement view baptism. The writer describes the practice of baptism and explains that it refers back to the time and action of Jesus, who was baptised by his cousin, John the Baptist.
From the Paper "The practice of baptism is of long standing within Christianity. At its most basic, baptism consists of either immersion in water or sprinkling with water as a form of replicating the actions of Jesus Christ when he allowed himself to be baptized by his cousin, known as John the Baptist. Within the context of the early Christian faith, Pentecost characterized the practice of baptism as a means of cleansing the spirit and the soul of any sinfulness and preparing the individual ... "
Abstract This paper examines the factors that were responsible for the formation of Christianity, particularly in the context of Orthodoxy and Heresy. In other words, the paper discusses how Christianity became Christianity as seen through the lenses of Orthodoxy and Heresy. The research explores several defining moments in the history of Christianity including proto-orthodox and the boundary markers that enabled the proto-orthodox to prevail and become the dominant religion of the empire from the first through the fourth century.
Outline:
Introduction
Proto-Orthodox
Heretical Text and Heretical Doctrines
The Rule of Faith and Apostolic Succession
Gender
The Appeal to Jewish Antiquity
Future Research
Conclusion
From the Paper "In addition to docetic theologies there were other theologies that emerged and were deemed to be heretical by the proto-orthodoxy. Among these was the adoptionists theology. This particular theology asserted that Jesus was a man but he was not divine. They also asserted that Jesus was adopted by God as his son (Grant). Those that held this view asserted that there were church traditions that solidified this view but just what these church traditions were differed greatly from that of proto-orthodox Christians (Grant). Adoptionists also claimed that all Christian held the aforementioned doctrine. However proto-orthodox Christians argued that the doctrine of the adoptionists was in opposition to scriptures (Grant). They also asserted that Christian apologists and anti-heretical authors had throughout history, declared that Jesus was God or that Jesus was both God and Man (Grant). In addition both hymns and psalms that were written from the beginning of time describe Christ as the Logos and describe him as God (Grant). "
Abstract This paper investigates the response of the Council of Trent to Martin Luther's questions about revelation and the principle of 'sola scriptura'. It begins by examining the genesis of Luther's theology of revelation, or more specifically, how his theology was rooted in both his personal life and in the historical and theoretical movements of the preceding 250 years. The paper then turns to Trent's response to Luther's theology before discussing the importance of distinctions between ecclesiastical and apostolic traditions.
Abstract Both the Rule of St. Francis and the Rule of St. Benedict pertain to how to live a life in chastity and how to live a life with God. The major rules of both focus on the foundations of a life in being a God's servant, particularly the apostolic way of life and that of belonging in a monastery. This paper explores these two rules and compares their major points.
From the Paper "Though both rules focuses on the same principles of putting God in everything and that everything must be subservient to God, they however generally differ in the characteristics that they were implemented. St. Francis's rules were highly set in terms of practice. Their implementation were more of severity in character especially on matters regarding appropriating temporal things to one's self."
Abstract This paper looks at the Episcopal Church's views of homosexuality and how it has addressed issues such as homosexual weddings and homosexual ministers. The paper describes the divisive nature of the subject and how some within the church take a more liberal stance regarding homosexuality and how others are still strictly opposed to it.
From the Paper "The Episcopal Church in the United States is a quiet affair, not known for rollicking revivals as are other Protestant denominations, nor it is beholden to the Pope as is Roman Catholicism, the religion that spawned the Church of England when King Henry VIII wanted to divorce and remarry, ultimately becoming the nominal head of a new church, the Church of England. The Church of England, in turn, spawned the Anglican Communion, a federation of churches all following the liturgies and other aspects of the Church of England. Generally, they are named after their country of residence: Church of Ireland, for example. However, in the United States, the branch of the Anglican Communion calls itself the Episcopal Church. While the Anglican Communion does not regard the Pope as its spiritual head, it has instead the Archbishop of Canterbury, currently Rowan Williams, filling the role as leader of the church; while the Anglican Communion traces its prelates through apostolic succession, as does the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion accords virtual equality in many ways to all successors to the original apostles."
Abstract This paper describes the origins, history, traditions, and teachings of the Russian Orthodox Church. The paper also looks at the role it plays in the lives of many Russians, how the Church was treated by governments of different eras in Russian history, and describes the architecture and design of typical Orthodox Churches.
From the Paper "The Russian Orthodox Church has a strong political and spiritual influence over the entire Russian state. They believe two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth and founded the Church through his apostles and disciples, for the salvation of man. In the years, which followed, the Apostles spread the Church and its teachings far and founded many churches partaking of the Mysteries or Sacraments of the Holy Church. God the Father is considered the fountainhead of the Holy Trinity. Jesus Christ is the second person of the Holy Trinity, eternally born of the Father. The Holy Spirit is considered one of the persons of the Holy Trinity and is one essence with the Father. Incarnations refer to Jesus Christ coming. The eternal Son of God the Father assumed to himself a complete human nature from the Virgin Mary. Salvations means the divine gift through men and women are delivered from sin and death and united to Christ and brought into his eternal kingdom. Baptism means the way a person is actually united to Christ. The experience of salvations is initiated in the waters of Baptism."
Abstract In this article, the writer examines Paul's views and beliefs regarding the practice and theology of ministry. The writer makes use of the writings in Tim. 2 and 4, to discuss Paul's vision of the form and content that he believes the Christian ministry should take.
From the Paper "The purpose of this research is to examine Paul's views about the practice and theology of ministry, taking as a point of departure his injunction at Timothy. The plan of the research will be to review Paul's comments in Tim and then to discuss how they relate to the overall pattern of Paul's vision for the form and content that he believes the Christian ministry ought to take. In Timothy, Paul focuses less on the content of appropriate Christian doctrine which can be found in the gospels and ... "
