Abstract This paper is an in-depth exploration of the role of the Apostles after Christ's resurrection. The author details 'The Acts' and its teachings, which marked the beginning of Christianity. The Apostles' goals in the aftermath of Christ's death and resurrection and the roles they played in shaping the development of Christianity is examined in detail. Some of the topics discussed include the sins of the people, the life of Saul, who became Paul, and many of the issues surrounding Baptism and the occurrence of miracles.
From the Paper "As well the apostles are required to help the world understand the teachings of Christ and to encourage them to carry forward the word of the Lord themselves, that is, in order to be converted and Saved. To that end, Peter performs a miracle, and both he and John preach the word of God to the people; as a result, the people begin to sell their possessions and give their lives over to Christ. An enraged Jewish authority then arrest the apostles for their heresies about resurrection and their apparent threat to what the authorities would have felt was their own just and rightful leadership. The apostles proclaimed Christ to be the one true power, and though the authorities were swayed by their "notable miracle" (4:16), they chose to contain their voices by commanding them not to speak, nor teach, the Word of the Lord. Of course, the apostles would return to their teachings in the temple, performing miracles, and would again face conflict with the authorities."
Abstract This paper is an in-depth exploration of the role of the Apostles after Christ's resurrection. The author details 'The Acts' and its teachings, which marked the beginning of Christianity. The Apostles' goals in the aftermath of Christ's death and resurrection and the roles they played in shaping the development of Christianity is examined in detail. Some of the topics discussed include the sins of the people, the life of Saul, who became Paul, and many of the issues surrounding Baptism and the occurrence of miracles.
From the Paper "As well the apostles are required to help the world understand the teachings of Christ and to encourage them to carry forward the word of the Lord themselves, that is, in order to be converted and Saved. To that end, Peter performs a miracle, and both he and John preach the word of God to the people; as a result, the people begin to sell their possessions and give their lives over to Christ. An enraged Jewish authority then arrest the apostles for their heresies about resurrection and their apparent threat to what the authorities would have felt was their own just and rightful leadership. The apostles proclaimed Christ to be the one true power, and though the authorities were swayed by their "notable miracle" (4:16), they chose to contain their voices by commanding them not to speak, nor teach, the Word of the Lord. Of course, the apostles would return to their teachings in the temple, performing miracles, and would again face conflict with the authorities."
Abstract The paper maintains that Stott's book, "The Cross of Christ," is an important book. For those Christians who want to further explore the meaning behind the Cross and behind Christ's death, it is a thought-provoking resource. The paper explains how Stott makes a very good case for the Cross being more than simply important, but rather that it is a vital part of Christianity. Without the Cross, Stott argues that Christianity as we know it would not exist. The paper is of the opinion that after reading this book, it is difficult to argue with this perspective.
From the Paper "John R. W. Stott takes the position that the Cross is essential to Christianity. He makes his convincing argument by dividing the discussion into four parts, discussing the Cross as a symbol, the need for forgiveness, the spiritual benefits that the Cross has provided to believers and finally, on the practical and earthly teachings that the Cross can offer. Stott does not have all the answers on the subject of Christ's Cross. However, the book is a thoughtful and complex study offering suggestions on the subject of the Cross upon which Christ died. The Cross is important, Stott states, because it performs more than the single function of being the method of execution favored by the Romans."
Abstract This book review strongly recommends Thomas Kempis' "The Imitation of Christ" and claims that it is a life-changing book for Christian readers. The paper summarizes the book and discusses some of the issues it addresses, such as self-assessment, resisting temptation and the willingness to change. The author concludes by stating that the book helped him to become more self-reflective and aware of the changes that need to be made in his life.
Table of Contents:
The Benefits of Reading "The Imitation of Christ"
The Importance of Self-Assessment
Resisting Temptation and the Willingness to Change
Personal Relationship to Christ Putting God First and the Willingness to Change
From the Paper "Throughout Kempis's meditations, the focus is on self-reflection and being willing to make changes when needed. The third book of Kempis's writings is different in that the disciple speaks and then the voice of Christ. One of the stories in the Old Testament is about Samuel hearing the voice of God. He is told to ask the Lord to speak to him. The second chapter in the III Book says, "Speak, therefore, Lord, for your servant listens. 'Thou hast the words of eternal life. Speak to me for the comfort of my soul and for the amendment of my life" (Kempis IIIii para. 7). When I read this, I asked myself if I was willing to listen. Am I willing to hear his voice? Sometimes we are so busy that we fail to hear his voice."
Abstract This paper is an in-depth exploration of the role of the Apostles after Christ's resurrection. The author details 'The Acts' and its teachings, which marked the beginning of Christianity. The Apostles' goals in the aftermath of Christ's death and resurrection and the roles they played in shaping the development of Christianity is examined in detail. Some of the topics discussed include the sins of the people, the life of Saul, who became Paul, and many of the issues surrounding Baptism and the occurrence of miracles.
From the Paper "As well the apostles are required to help the world understand the teachings of Christ and to encourage them to carry forward the word of the Lord themselves, that is, in order to be converted and Saved. To that end, Peter performs a miracle, and both he and John preach the word of God to the people; as a result, the people begin to sell their possessions and give their lives over to Christ. An enraged Jewish authority then arrest the apostles for their heresies about resurrection and their apparent threat to what the authorities would have felt was their own just and rightful leadership. The apostles proclaimed Christ to be the one true power, and though the authorities were swayed by their "notable miracle" (4:16), they chose to contain their voices by commanding them not to speak, nor teach, the Word of the Lord. Of course, the apostles would return to their teachings in the temple, performing miracles, and would again face conflict with the authorities."
Abstract The main point of this paper is that consciousness is not something that is specific to human beings; but that man is likely the only species that truly does not understand the depth and intensity that animals possess in their special consciousness. It analyzes various ways in which man acts towards animals that shows how insensitive we are to other living creatures' consciousness - they are used for experiments, as a food source, in labor, etc. The paper argues humanity has taken advantage of the animal kingdom, while at the same time given nothing back in return with regard to a level of appreciation for nonhuman sentience. It examines research in the field which proves that animals do have definite levels of consciousness and different animal species are compared to each other to determine their level.
From the Paper "What is consciousness if not the awareness that one exists and, therefore, acts upon that knowledge as a means by which to maintain survival? Just because animals do not outwardly possess the prerequisites of consciousness set down by man's definition does not mean they do not exhibit their own consciousness in various other -- and significantly more elusive -- ways. When science has taken to task the issue of animal consciousness, it has typically pitted several species against one another as a means by which to establish some semblance of conscious behavior. Results from these types of research methods have consistently demonstrated a considerable divergence between and among species residing at varying rungs upon both the evolutionary and supraliminal ladders."
Abstract This paper focuses on Starhawk's philosophy that language shapes consciousness and consciousness shapes reality. Within the paper it is shown that Starhawk's belief is that language can have a deciding factor on a person's perception of themselves, and through this perception they develop concepts of reality in their consciousness. Therefore, this perception then shapes their reality.
From the Paper "Reality, according to Starhawks, is a state in which we must find definition. It is how we define reality within our consciousness that ultimately determines the type of power that will control our lives. As individuals, what we perceive to be real will be. What we believe to be true will happen. The key to discovering a harmony in life is to come to the realization that people do have a final say in how their lives will be lived, and through the consciousness every individual can make that choice. To understand how this is possible the individual must first comprehend that there are powers in the world. Starhawks contends that there is the "power-over" which is any power that comes from outside of the individual that is controlling."
Abstract This essay looks at two works that attempt to deal with the problem of consciousness. These works are "Minds, Brains, and Programs" by John R. Searle and "Facing up to the Problem of Consciousness" by David J. Chalmers. The writer points out that there are many similarities between these works. However, there are also a wide range of differences. It is argued in this essay that Chalmers provides the better explanation for consciousness. The writer maintains that this is because he uses a non-reductive method to try and explain the nature of consciousness based on the idea that experience is a fundamental.
From the Paper "Consciousness is one of the most problematic concepts in philosophy, psychology, neurobiology and a wide range of other disciplines."
Abstract The author of this paper attended a Jehovah's Witness service "Memorial for Christ's Death" (akin to a Passover Celebration or Easter Service). In a personal observation, the author notes the social interaction and comments on the differences between members and "outsiders". Details of the service are also included, textually and graphically.
From the Paper "I do feel that the people I met were sincere in their belief that they were practicing God's will, but what was the "hidden agenda". I definitely conformed to the social standard operating procedures regardless of my religion. Their meeting place, the "Kingdom Hall" is subtle thus reinforcing the passive attitude of the attendees. I think way the Witnesses dressed distinguishes them from society. Even though I was clean and presentable I felt different. I think that they present themselves as interested (introducing themselves) and helpful (sharing the hymn book) to convince outsiders that they are a caring organization. If one is convinced that they are an organization to be trusted then perhaps the ultimate goal of converting new recruits can be reached."
Abstract This paper examines the way in which Hemingway uses Christ imagery to characterize Santiago in his novel, "The Old Man and the Sea." The paper explains how Hemingway emphasizes the power of suffering.
From the Paper "On the surface Ernest Hemingway's novella "The Old Man and the Sea" appears to be a rather simple story about an old fisherman and his struggles on the open sea. If one delves deeper into the narrative, however, it becomes apparent that Hemingway's intent is much more complex. Indeed the way in which the author utilizes religious symbolism within the novella works to effectively convey his main theme, namely, man's ability to endure through hardships and the nobility of such struggles."
Tags: hemingway, old man and the sea, santiago, christ, crucifixion, religious, symbolism, suffering, sacrifice, nobility
Abstract This paper discusses the traces of Sidney's self-consciousness in "Astrophil and Stella" and the tension between his insistence on sincerity and his use of rhetorical and poetic figures. It then looks at Sidney's growing awareness and anxiety about poetry's capacity to persuade and manipulate and links this to the relationship between poetry and violence in Shakespeare's "The Rape of Lucrece".
From the Paper "Given his status as prominent courtier and self-styled defender of poetry, it is hardly surprising that artistic self-consciousness is so prominent in the work of Philip Sidney, particularly in the sonnet series Astrophil and Stella. Throughout the series, Sidney seems determined to prove the worth of English as a poetic language capable of revitalising tired poetic conventions, and his self-conscious attention to style can be seen simply as the manifestation of this aim. However, in exploring poetry's nature both as a means of expression and a force particularly suited to teach and delight, Sidney also acknowledges its darker side, its potential as a vehicle for self-deception and manipulation. This too is illustrated in Astrophil and Stella, through Astrophil's decline into self-deluding attempts to make reality cohere with poetic vision and to shape himself into a courtly lover. The failure of such attempts amounts to an acknowledgement of the slippery relationship between poetry, self-fashioning and delusion, and Astrophil becomes an image of the poet simultaneously inspired and paralysed by an awareness of this relationship."
Abstract In this article, the writer studies how certain major events in life can effect national consciousness. The writer chooses particular events and discusses their effect on the people. In this paper, the writer uses as examples events such as Pearl Harbor, the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr, and 9/11.
From the Paper "It is often said that we do not truly appreciate what we have until it is taken from us. Loss and tragedy certainly have the power to change the way that we view ourselves and the world around us. Sometimes these events trigger a sense of fear and panic as we view our surroundings with an eye awakened to danger and true peril. But sometimes, if we are fortunate, it is in the darkest of hours that we are truly made aware of the strength and courage of ... "
Tags: tragedy, national consciousness, september 11, assassination, patriotism
Abstract This paper explores the philosophy of consciousness and how it is understood through reductive and non-reductive strategies. The concepts discussed include eliminativism, dualism, physicalism and materialism, behavior, folk psychology and the belief-desire thesis. The philosophers mentioned include Descartes, Stich, Place, Jaegwon Kim and the Churchlands.
From the Paper "Reductive & Non-Reductive Perspectives on Consciousness: There are many theories that attempt to explain and model human consciousness, some of which focus on biology, others on psychology and there are others as well. The "belief-desire thesis" is a form of "folk psychology" that says the brain can only desire something that we believe is possible or true, whether we are conscious of that belief or not and that our beliefs and desires are based on our experiences of actual tangible sensations (Stich 4)."
Abstract The paper reviews the book "The Illusion of the Conscious Will", where Daniel Wegner brings into question whether or not human beings exercise free will. The paper outlines Wegner's main arguments and highlights how they are based on a series of assumptions. The paper asserts that in order for this work to become an important part of the academic world, Wegner's experiments and research would have to incorporate techniques to prove many of his empirical theories.
From the Paper "What Wegner argues for is the fact that the conscious mind is an illusion and he does so by presenting a number of different ideas that attack the idea that we make individual decisions based on logic, rather than determinism. One of the ideas that he attacks is the idea of a metaphysically free will. This idea has been around for centuries, and many different philosophers throughout history have presented this idea in different forms. Basically it means that we are free to make our own decisions and we do so based on what we have learned from our past experiences. The problem is that Wegner does not come up with his own philosophical ideal for this, but rather just bases his argument on a series of assumptions."
Abstract This paper attempts to answer the question ?what are the various concepts the term ?consciousness? picks out?? It outlines six different notions of consciousness, self-consciousness, minimal consciousness, perceptual consciousness, phenomenal consciousness, access consciousness and higher order consciousness and shows why they are not equivalent. It examines how every one of these concepts of consciousness is problematic in that they have all alluded a complete scientific explanation and how phenomenal consciousness and perceptual consciousness are more likely to allude scientific analysis than the others.
From the Paper "Matters are different, however, when it comes to phenomenal consciousness (and therefore perceptual consciousness, for remember that perceptually conscious mental states are a subset of the phenomenally conscious ones). To be sure, phenomenally conscious mental states can and do represent the world and play an important role in producing behavior. That's why so many mental states are both phenomenally conscious and access conscious. But an explanation of the functional role phenomenally conscious states play in can never be a complete explanation of those states. For such an explanation will inevitably leave something out of the picture. What will it leave out? An explanation of the subjective quality of the experience?something that can differ from individual to individual."
