Abstract This paper looks at the Church of the United Brethren (UB), which was the very first church denomination in America. The history of the church is detailed, as is its belief system. The differences between this church and the other church establishments that existed at the time are also discussed in detail. The church's belief system is covered in detail, as are the eleven expectations that members of the church are expected to follow. The author also looks at the modern UB, and shows how it is now a worldwide network of congregations.
From the Paper "Members should also follow social standards. A member should be a good citizen of their community, they should take standards against the evil, believe in equal rights and justice for all, agree with the democratic system, affirm the right to serve and bear arms in the National Armed Forces, have the right to refuse to bear arms, advocate abstinence by all people from using tobacco, drugs, and alcohol, attain form gambling, eliminate pornography, be occult, and have decision-making foundations (Getting acquainted with the Church of the United Brethren pg. 50-55)."
Abstract This paper presents the history of the Inspirationist movement, beginning in the early 1500s, before the actual founding of the group in Germany in the mid 1700s, through the Ebenezer Colonies in New York, and into the Amana Colonies. Topics discussed include the group's, lifestyle, writings, religious traditions, and beliefs. The paper discusses their prophecies and looks at other groups, such as the Moravians, Zwickau, Zoar, Brethren, Swiss Brethren, and Hussites. Also discussed in-depth are events, philosophies, and writings regarding religious oppression and reformation in Europe in the 16th to 18th centuries. Personalities discussed in the paper include Martin Luther, Jacob Boehme, Johann Arndt, Philip Jacob Spener, August Franke, Nicolaus Storch, and other Zwickau prophets.
From the Paper "As well as the Liebesmahl (Lords feast), Unterscuchung (spiritual examination), seating was strict within the church; it indicated a persons spiritual standing within the community. Each village consisted of three separate (Versammlungen) congregation groups that a person was assigned to according to ?age and spiritual state,? then these groups were separated by sex. The separation of groups has allowed for what was viewed as punishments or rewards, because elders could advance or demote a person. In some severe cases, a person was excommunicated from the church entirely for periods of time. In other cases, demotion was meant to discourage individuals from taking part in certain acts. One example is having children, while it is not forbidden, the birth of a new child would cause the parents to be demoted to the children's group until the child was at least two years old."
From the Paper "The Brethren was a best-seller that recounted details of interactions among the Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States during the Burger era, based on information gathered from law clerks and others who were intimate with the details of deliberations on the Court. Below is a chapter by chapter summary of the book.
PROLOGUE
The authors begin with Earl Warren, the Chief Justice of the United States, at the beginning of the Nixon Administration after Nixon had run on a platform opposing the Warren Court. Nixon was faced with the chance to nominate a Chief Justice to the Supreme Court because Warren was stepping down. In this section, the authors detail the controversies engendered by the search for a nominee, the in-fighting that took place, and the actions of..."
Abstract The paper explains how many Christians and non-Christians have opposed war throughout the centuries, because they loved the earth and respected other people. The paper discusses the Mennonites with a strong argument in support of their struggles for a peaceful existence in a violent world. In conclusion, the paper explains that it is difficult to generalize about the Mennonite and Brethren in Christ experience on peace, because of the theological diversity in their churches. It explains that both these groups are aware that peace is an emphasis in the Anabaptist tradition, but that they have different ways of interpreting that emphasis.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Committed to Peace
The Historic Peace Tradition
Mennonites and War
Relationship to the Dominant Culture
Mennonite Peacemaking Institutions
Conclusion
Endnotes/Bibliography
From the Paper "This relationship to the dominant culture is reflected in the way Mennonites and Brethren in Christ in North America think about peace. For some, peace is interpreted primarily as something individual and personal, namely as "peace with God." And so a commitment to peace does not necessarily tell us anything about how to participate in society. But for others, peace is interpreted as having social and political aspects. If one is going to live a peaceful lifestyle, then one does not get involved in all aspects of the society. For example, most Mennonites would have reservations about serving in the military and doing police work. For a few Mennonites, their commitment to peace means not paying taxes that go to support the military, even though this is illegal."
Tags: anabaptist, brethren, in, christ, jesus, peace
Abstract This paper examines the founding, history, documents, beliefs, and actions of the Palestinian Liberation Organization. It describes the PLO's relations to the former Soviet Union, as opposed to Israel's relations to the USA. It uses these two comparisons to describe the PLO's involvement in the Cold War, while also describing its obstacles and goals in the middle east. The paper carries the reader through many of the PLO's failures and successes, all the way until the 1990's near peace agreement with the Israelis. The paper details Arafat's many ideals, those carried out in military actions and those carried out amongst his Arab brethren.
Abstract This paper explains that Leon-Portilla's book "The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico" is an excellent illustration of how the naivete of one culture and the rapacity of another usually collide to produce wide-spread tragedy. The author points out that the writer's objectives were to give a voice to the forgotten victims of the conquest of Mexico, which history had denied them, and to present the surviving Aztec accounts of this conquest as being great works of literature, which rival anything found in the western tradition. The paper relates that the significance of Cholula was to undermine the civilizational confidence of all Aztecs who heard about it, to constitute massive loss of native life, to re-affirm the efficacy and might of the Spaniards and to reinforce among the Aztecs the desirability of aligning themselves with the Spaniards rather than joining with their Mexican brethren in opposition to the new arrivals.
From the Paper "The massacre at Cholula had many negative effects upon the Aztec peoples - leaving aside the obvious loss of life. Most notably, the massacre revealed the penchant of the Aztec peoples of Mexico to conspire against one another by feeding Cortes and his minions half-truths or outright fabrications about a bitter rival; this sort of rumor-mongering on the part of the people of Tlaxcaltecas, suffice it to say, stirred Cortes to march on Cholula, killing all present there. Moreover, the brutal defeat of the Cholultecas was compounded by the fact that their idol Quetzalcoatl had not served them in any way during the battle."
Abstract In this article, the writer notes that the parable of the good Samaritan is one of the most familiar in the New Testament. It tells the story of a man who is harmed by robbers. The writer explains that two men pass him by, but the third stops and goes out of his way to help this stranger. The writer maintains that the parable of the good Samaritan teaches us that we are all the same. It teaches that differences are only skin deep and that we all must depend on our brethren for survival. The writer also explains that, in this parable, Jesus makes an obvious insult to the Pharisees and Levites, who felt more highly of their piousness than of their fellow man. The writer concludes that this parable is an excellent example of the type of actions that could end all conflict. The body of the paper includes a version of the text discussed.
From the Paper "The most important note on historical context is that Jesus was speaking to the Jews in the passage. The Samaritans and Jews were enemies who despised each other. The tale, as told in the context of the audience had a hidden significance in the ideal of non-discrimination. In this story, a racist was helped by another racist. Through this act, they were brought together for the common good of all. This element is often lost in the retelling of the story because the significance of racial tensions between the groups is not known to modern audiences.
"The key element that is important to a clear understanding of the text is the social setting in which the parable is told. There are racial tensions between the groups sitting in the audience. The essential essence of the parable lies within the conflict between the different groups in the audience."
