Christian

Early Christian art ps from the first to fifth centuries followed by the vast era of Byzantine art from the fifth century to the 16th century in Eastern Europe. Much of the art during this period had a religious context or enacted a religious purpose. The paintings and mosaics were meant to remind worshippers of their God, and the architecture was meant to serve both functional and aesthetic purposes.

When Constantine I issued the Edict of Milan in 313 and moved the center of the Roman’s empire from Rome to Constantinople, the Byzantine Empire and Constantinople became the center of power and culture. The architecture of the Christian era came in two forms: the basilica and central plans. The basilica plan typically contains a large nave, an apse and an atrium on either end, clerestory windows, and two side aisles along the nave. This plan is found in The Church of Santa Sabina.

The central plan, or tholos, served as tombs, martyrs’ churches, or baptisteries. These plans typically contain either a sarcophagus or altar at the center and most often have a large dome on top. This plan is found in the Church of Santa Costanza and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, which employs the cruciform, or cross-shaped, style. Mosaics during the Christian era sometimes used syncretic images such as in Harvesting of Grapes in the ambulatory of the Church of Santa Costanza.

The architecture of Byzantine art is characterized much by the Church of Hagia Sophia, or “Holy Wisdom. ” This church combines the two floor plans of the Christian period, basilica and central. It has pendentives to hold its massive dome, flowing layers of half domes along its exterior wall, and many windows to let the gold on the mosaics shimmer. The Church of San Vitale is designed in a central plan but is interesting in that it has a very modest, unassuming exterior, but a complex, mosaic-covered interior.

Two mosaics depicting Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora represent how artists employed reverse perspective. The Transifguration of Christ as St. Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai depicts Christ in a blue mandorla which represents royalty and glory. The mosaics in later centuries depict Christ in a Pantokrator fashion: a bust level portrait of Christ with book in one hand and “peace” in other. This Late Byzantine art also depicts Christ in new ways, such as the Crucifixion and together with Mary in Virgin of Vladmir.

The world is a dangerous place, and yet by example, perhaps Christians can create a place of “safe pasture” in areas that are less than likely to be peaceful.

When reading Numbers 35:33, Psalm 37 and Exodus 23, we learn that if we do not engage in the sinful acts of our enemies, but instead try to do right by them we may make our own places of peace. Partially by God’s hand who will punish sinners when the time has arrived, and partially because we model good behavior, this concept seems a plausible reality. Understandably, humans learn ineffective behaviors such as greed and maliciousness from others around them – sometimes they are brought up in homes where these sinful behaviors are not only acceptable but fostered and encouraged.

While God may punish the wicked in their own time, he may also be eliminating them in a more gentle manner, by offering them healthy Christian individuals who act as models to teach them proper behavior.  By ignoring sinful deeds and instead teaching peace and generosity Christians can help others understand that this world does not need to be such a harsh and cruel place to exist.

When faced with people who tenderly move through their lives, not harming them and not filling their days with toxic thoughts and ideas, Christians can act as the hand of God and help sinners to transform themselves and be redeemed.

The Bible tells us not to worry about sinners or help them by reinforcing their twisted beliefs (through seeking revenge or participating in their lives) because those who cannot learn during this life may have to account for their deficits in the next. Christians must do their best to be at peace with their enemies, and model God’s love, instead of furthering the injustice and violence of poor human behavior. Through these means, we may slowly and steadily create a place of safe pasture with work and commitment to God’s greater plan.

Works Cited

The New American Bible For Catholics. (1986). South Bend: Greenlawn Press.

I was born and raised in a Christian family.  I used to go to the Presbyterian Church but early in my life I was really not that interested in knowing God.  I was a so-called Sunday Christian, who merely went through the routines and never really believed.  My belief was different because I believed that I can do everything through my own efforts without God’s help because I was not a real Christian.

I had too much confidence and pride.  Pride motivated me to do things that I know are not very Christ-like: the same way that it influenced Adam and Eve to try to become like God (Gen. 3:5).  This made it very difficult for me and presented itself to be my undoing at certain times.  When I prayed to God, crying, I was able to feel God’s love and I believed that tears are symbol of His love at that time.  After that, I heard that God’s voice.

He asked me “why are you weeping” just like John 20:13.  Finally, I realized that I need to reconcile my broken relationship with God, and now I am proud to say that God loves me still.  I began to understand from this experience that God dwells in the heart of me and I am a very humble man in the world.  Only humility can please God and place my life in a position where God will listen to me.

My basis for my assurance of salvation and eternal life is John 17:25-26.  It appeals to me because it is about our motivation of love.  The heavenly Father loved His son with an eternal love.  Everything in the heart and life of the Father was released to His son.  No human love could keep Him perfectly obedient to His Father throughout His life.  Only His Father’s love was powerful enough to compel Him to commit His life to the saving purpose of His Father.

 It is true that it is impossible for a Christian to be filled with this measure of love and not to be on mission with God.  I will be incapable of ministering unless I have His love.  I have been changed completely through this verse.  I am pretty much sure that Jesus was crucified on a cross because He loves us.

People who received Christ will get eternal life through him who sent by God to save us as Savior.  Like Jesus Christ loved each of us, I should love others.  This is only way that I could appreciate Jesus and my ultimate reason that I become a Christian to reward God’s infinite love.

I have been in the United States for around three years.  When I was in Korea, God gave me an assurance of His leading so that I came to the United States without any doubt.  I feel that this is similar to the way that the people God used mightily in scripture were all ordinary people to whom He gave divine assignments that they never could have initiated (Genesis 12:1).

 As God sent Abraham to out of his country to fulfill His purpose, I came to the United States to accomplish His purpose.

I had been taught discipleship and spiritual growth as well as English in Intercultural & Missions Institute for two years.  When I was in ESL course in Concordia University, I had a Bible study course with a teacher who belonged to IMI (Intercultural &Missions Institute).  I read the Bible at least two page everyday and shared the verse with my teachers.  Additionally, we chose Christian books to learn about who God is exactly and I had a Bible lecture.

I am confident to state that God has been building my character to match His assignment for me.  It was difficult at the start because I was impatient to begin my work and I still was not sensitive to sin.  Sometimes, it was really hard to keep my relationship with God strong.  Whenever I felt those emotions, I would pray to God, and He would tell me, “Deny yourself.”

 I seriously thought that if I can’t overcome sin, I may choose a standard other than God’s law on which to base my life and it devastates everything nearby me.  I am sure, however, that God will refine my character if I keep trying not to commit sin.

The other thing that I realized is that God’s Word is plumb line and it is a dangerous thing to live my life without spiritual “plumb line”, or standard, by which I determine right from wrong.  After I had become a real Christian, I always called sin a “mistake,” a “bad habit,” or a “weakness.”  So I couldn’t escape its grasp so far.  That is why I always felt sin has robbed my joy and guilty.

Sometimes, the image of God was not love but fear.  However, I realized that I should not allow pride to convince me that it is too humiliating to admit the sin in my lives.  That can blind me to its presence.  As a Christian, I know that it is hard to live just like Jesus.  I will never give my Christian life up. W hen He tells me what His plans are, I will trust Him and walk closely with Him just like I did so far.

My ultimate goal is to be able to lead a life in the manner that Jesus taught us.  I am still looking for God’s purpose to begin His assignment.  The reason that I chose Biola University is that it is only this school that can help me to grow spiritually and decide my major.  Moreover, I heard that I have to take biblical classes to graduate from Biola University.  I really like that curriculum of Biola University.

 I am not majoring in Theology, but I officially would like to learn Theology if I will be able to study in Biola University.  Whatever God wants me to be, I am always ready follow him.  I am sure that my spiritual growth will be better as long as I am attending Biola University.  So I can contribute to let people know God as I studied in this school.  I want to lead a life worth living to help other people as a Christian.

My main philosophy in life is to lead by setting an example. I cannot expect others to do what I myself would be willing to do but that does not mean that I cannot hope that others will see the example that I have shown them.

This philosophy is one of the many forces that drive me to pursue my dream of pursuing my career and of becoming so much more in life.  The chance to help those who are less fortunate in life, the chance to help those in need, the opportunity to be of service to humanity; these are the reasons why I have selected this as the profession that I will pursue; for, as Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams…”

Two of the most sought religion in the world is Buddhism and Christianity. Followers of the two aforementioned religions are very lenient when it comes to certain beliefs and practices. They preserve the sanctity of their chosen faith and ensure that the symbols of worship and history are well respected through the years. Tibetan Buddhism is mostly followed in the regions of Himalayas. Countries that adhere to the said religion were India, Bhutan and Nepal. People in China, Russia and Mongolia are also Tibetan Buddhists. This religion has four main traditions namely Sakya, Kagyu, Nyingma and Sakya.

All of th aforementioned division includes teachings of the three vehicles of Buddhism: Vajrayana, Mahayana and Foundation Vehicle (Coleman, 10). Achieving enlightenment is the main goal of Tibetan Buddhists. The right term for people who already gained enlightenment is Buddhahood. It is a state of mind wherein the nature of reality as well as mental obscurations is freed. Buddhists are considered as internalist because their state of mind is of great importance in the religion (Coleman, 22). Buddha is their god and they uses texts like Pali Canon, Tibetan Canon and Chinese Canon (Conze 35).

Christianity on the other hand is a monotheistic religion which centers on Jesus Christ and his teachings. Christians are the followers of this religion who believes that Jesus is the only begotten son of God (Woodhead 7). Unlike Tibetan Buddhism which believes in karma, Christians believes that a life worth livings is when you adhere to the same way Jesus cared and sacrificed for others. It may incorporate similitude between the two religion because both belief aims to do well towards other people. In Christianity, Buddhahood is achieved when everlasting life is granted to its followers.

Unlike Tibetan Buddhism which uses three different texts, Christianity uses The Holy Bible which is divided into two: The Old and The New Testaments (Woodhead). One of the famous symbols of worship in among Christians is the cross. It is being look upon by followers of Christianity as a significant affirmation of all the hardships of Christ (Padgett 18). It leads to the salvation of souls and forgiveness of sins. Christians even come up with the practice of the sign of the cross which affirms the sacredness of the symbol.

Another symbol of worship for Christians is the fish which is often seen on tombs during the early times. It contains the Greek word Icththys which claims Christ’s character and professes the worship of believers (Padgett). The use of images and statues of Christ and other saints are also part of the symbols of worship for Christianity. Tibetan Buddhists look upon the Kalachara or the Tenfold powerful logo as their symbol of worship (Dagyab & Thurman 46-55). It can be found everywhere in places where Tibetan Buddhism is present.

It comes in various forms and represents the teachings of the religion. It contains representation of letters in Lantsa script discussing about the outer world and the human body (Dagyab & Thurman 46-55). Typically, Tibetan Buddhists uses flags to decorate monasteries, houses and even mountains. They believe that the prayer flags contain mantras that can be spread out by the wind. These flags contain auspicious symbols, special prayers and mantras (Dagyab & Thurman). Wind horse and Prayer wheels are also part of the symbols of worship for Tibetan Buddhists.

It is also similar to prayer flags which contain special powers once the wheel is turned (Conze). Apart from Christianity, Buddhist relies too much on symbol rather than working out for their faith. Regardless of the difference of the two religions, what keeps them the same in religiosity is the willingness of their followers to stick to their belief and treasure the worship symbols. The concept of faith is given meaning in their respective ways and makes way for their goal of achieving enlightenment (Buddhists) and salvation (Christians).

Works Cited Coleman, Graham, ed. A Handbook of Tibetan Culture. Boston: Shambhala Publications, Inc, 1993. Conze, Edward. A Short History of Buddhism. Oneworld. 1993 Padgett, Alan G. ; Sally Bruyneel. Introducing Christianity. Maryknoll, N. Y. : Orbis Books, 2003. Rinpoche, Dagyab & Thurman, Robert Buddhist Symbols in Tibetan Culture. USA: Wisdom Publication, 1993. Woodhead, Linda. Christianity: a very short introduction. U. S: Oxford [Oxfordshire]: Oxford University Press, 2004.

Christian living is impossible without the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In fact the whole Christian faith is founded in the fact that Jesus died for the sins of mankind and yet after three days rose from the grave. In the numerous sacraments and ordinances issued by the Church there is nothing that comes close to this foundational aspect of Christianity other than the sacrament of water baptism. This paper will look into the significance of water baptism in relation to the life, teachings, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

In his last major pronouncements before he ascended into the clouds and into the heaven, Jesus commanded his disciples to teach, make disciples and baptize them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In the centuries since then, there is no argument that Christians should go into the ends of the earth to teach others about the Good News of the Kingdom and the details of the new covenant in the blood of Christ. There is also no argument about the need to make disciples – to bring people of all nations into a committed relationship to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

But for hundreds of years, especially after the Reformation there is an ongoing and very much heated debate on how to obey the third part of the Great Commission and that is on how to go about with water baptism. Furthermore, this paper supports the argument made by a Scottish scholar named Alexander Campbell who in the middle-of-the-nineteenth century, made the following proposition, “Immersion in water into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, is the one only Christian Baptism.

” This is achieved by getting an in-depth look at Campbell’s own work with regards to the subject matter; a review of what others had written about the topic; and finally consult the Scriptures and in the end let it be the verdict as to what is most probable in light of the whole Bible – whether baptism is immersion or a) sprinkling of water; b) pouring of water; or c) purifying in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Significance Before going any further it is important to establish the significance of water baptism in order to justify a more extensive foray into the topic.

There are at least three major reasons why water baptism is significant in light of Christian tradition. Aside from what was already mentioned; that there is a direct correlation between water baptism and the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, there are other reasons why the said sacrament is important. It is according to Kittel, “… the reconciling action of God … It places us objectively in Christ, the second Adam; it thus removes us from the sphere of death of the first Adam …

” It is a way to transformation, the beginning point of a new life. Furthermore, water baptism is seen in the gospels as one of the primary actions necessary after conversion. According to Stanley Grenz water baptism is a bona fide ordinance because the foundation lies in the Lord’s command as followed by the Apostolic Churches. (p. 520). Grenz also argues that water baptism is an appropriate symbol of the central aspects of the gospel story. He also adds that it provides “…

a fitting means for us to symbolize our commitment to Christ, our participation in his death and resurrection, and our anticipation of the full reception of salvation at the eschatological consummation of God’s program. ” R. Bruce Compton of the Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary quotes Martin Luther who made the generalization that, “It worketh forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and gives everlasting salvation to all who believes, as the Word and promise of God declares. ” Compton goes further in saying that baptism is the sign of conversion – initiation, the evidence of genuine repentance.

The latest statement made by Compton is very much significant in light of human nature. This is because there is an inherent difficulty in understanding spiritual matters. Even Scriptures are full of references to man’s inability to fully comprehend spiritual matters. In the case of salvation, forgiveness of sins, a new life in Christ, all these are alien to the flesh. Therefore, water baptism is a welcome event because it aids the carnal mind in absorbing newfound truths of his or her newfound relationship in Christ Jesus.

Aside from the general understanding of water baptism as shown above, the significance of this sacrament or practice in the Christian community is supported by the following arguments. First of all water baptism was undoubtedly practiced from the very first, there are references of such practice as early as Acts chapter 2. Secondly, water baptism is a public declaration that one is following Christ. And thirdly that water baptism is a form of a rite of passage to distinguish those who are serious in their pursuit of Christianity.

Alexander Campbell arrived at the same conclusion while studying the New Testament. Previously Campbell was an expert in the Calvinist position of the baptism of infants but a thorough study of the Gospels made him to realize, “… that the Church originally and intentionally immersed only penitent believers, able and willing to call on the name of the Lord. ” There is no space to discuss the fine points of Calvinism but suffice it to say that Campbell’s view follows closely the Christian tradition especially during the Acts of the Apostles and the first one hundred years of the Church’s existence.

Later it will be shown that this view fits nicely into the greater scheme of things. Baptizo The next thing that needs to be established is the fact the aforementioned submerging, immersion or dipping of the Christian should be done in water. This is very important because it has a direct bearing on the the main idea brought forward in the very beginning of this discussion. At this point there is already a general understanding that there is a raging controversy going on with regards to the interpretation of the greek term “baptizo”.

An error in interpretation will greatly impact the Christian’s journey into maturity in Christ because the foundations of his beliefs are seriously undermined. A new believer who was deprived of the experience – of full immersion in water and rising up from the same – can have a theoretical understanding of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and yet not have a clear grasp of what it actually means. Furthermore, with regards to the charge of the Apostle Paul, that Christians are dead to sin and yet alive to Christ, the new believer has very limited resources in trying to fully comprehend such a profound statement.

It requires a step-by-step process to untangle the mystery and to find a resolution to the issue of water baptism. Resolving this issue requires going to the heart of the matter and to trace the root-cause of the controversy. For hundreds of year theologians from all over the world are splitting hairs and the source of contention is one mere word – baptism. The term baptism is the transliteration from two Greek words, “baptizo” which a verb and “baptisma” which is a noun. The transliteration produced a new English word “baptism” which roughly means the “…

action of washing with or plunging into (literally, surrounding with) water. The issue of the usage of the term quickly turns into a heated debate because the transliteration in effect muddied the waters. It would have been easier if there is a more forceful translation of what Jesus actually meant when he said to go to the ends of the earth and baptizing disciples. There is a need to spend some time pondering why there is such difficulty in extracting the exact meaning of the command. It turns out that there is more to it than a simple case of miscommunication.

The authors of the Gospels are faced with a tremendous difficulty and it is to communicate a concept that is without precedence. This idea is not new. Many had pointed out to the unique ideas found in the Gospel. Even the Apostle Paul comments on the fact that others find the concept of Christianity mind boggling or simply unconventional. The same is true with baptism; it is without precedent and the Gospel is authors are trying to find the appropriate Greek word to describe a new rite of passage based on the teachings of Christ.

In the old way of doing things it is simply the killing of a substitute to cover for the sin of another. In the new paradigm of Jesus Christ a person dies and then resurrects to new life. Since there is already an acknowledgment that there is no perfect human language to capture the ideas of God the next best thing to do is to immerse in an in-depth study of Greek terminologies. It is at this point when the work of those who devoted their entire lives in the stud of Scriptures proves to be very helpful. One of the most respected names in the study of water baptism is Alexander Campbell.

In his opus, Christian Baptism: With Its Antecedents and Consequents, Campbell painstakingly analyzed the work of hundreds of Lexicographers and a multitude of linguists to ascertain the correct usage of the term “baptizo” and its root word “bapto”. The followign discussion is a summary of his conclusions. Campbell Elucidates By way of introduction, Campbell made very effective preparatory remarks when he argued that Jesus will not command anything that will not result in an act that would signify obedience.

Thus, baptism should be understood clearly as an action that must be done to satisfy the commands of God. This simply means that a Christian after a careful study of the Bible will arrive at a correct understanding of what Jesus meant by baptism. Campbell, in the long run, was able to show convincingly that there is no way one can miss the true intentions of the Lord and what he meant by baptism. Campbell made it very clear that the exact term used was “baptizo” and it was derived from “bapto” therefore one ought to focus on the root term to arrive at the correct definition.

Campbell then concludes that since the root word, “bapto” can only mean immerse or dip. It is then easy to conclude that baptism is immersion or submersion into something and not to be poured or sprinkled with something. Pupose of Baptism Now that it has been made crystal clear the fact that baptism should be the immersion of a believer’s whole body into a body of water preferably a running stream or river. But if the only source of water is the swimming pool or the nearby beach then this will do as long as the whole person is submerged and his or her body surrounded by water.

This is a very crucial aspect of the baptism because there are two principles that are being demonstrated each and every time a believer goes through the process of water baptism. The first principle is with regards to the symbolic representation of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. As the a person is submerged to water it mimics the death of Christ and when the same rises up exultantly out of the water it is symbolic of Christ’s victory over the grave. Now, the second principle of Christian living that is demonstrated in water baptism concerns the washing of filth through the water of his Word.

Death and Resurrection to Glory The water – which is deep enough to totally cover the whole body when submerged – it acts as a representation of the grave upon which Christ was buried. It now serves as the new believer’s “grave” so to speak. As the person is dipped into the water, the person dies to himself and to the world. And when the person is raised up from the water, this action is symbolic of Jesus resurrection from the grave and therefore the person also rises with him.

The Boxer Rebellion was a vicious uprising against non-Chinese in China during the final years of the 19th century, from November 1899 to September 7, 1901. The areas of conflict included the commercial market, political domain, religious concerns and technological advancements. This extremely unique and glaring because in a very short p of time, thousands of Christians, both Chinese and foreign were killed as a result of the revolt and its suppression. Then ironically, the revolt itself was crushed by the very thing it stood against – foreign influence. About 20,000 troops came from outside to thwart this movement forever.

“Thus as 1900 dawned, China was swept by a movement known as ‘Yao rebels’ who believed that they had been made invulnerable by sorcery and incantation. Screaming mobs, determined to kill every Westerner, were egged on by the Yao society whose title, “The Fist of Righteous Amity” was translated by Americans and English into Boxers” (Guy, 2006). It is not possible to highlight where this anti-western sentiment in China was actually born, but one may refer back to the opium war between Britain and China (1839-1842) for some indication. In 1839, the First Opium War broke out, and China cut a sorry figure in front of Britain.

Eyeing the weakness of the Chinese, not only the British, but the Russians and the French as well started to exert their respective pressures upon the country. Due to their lack of power and ability to impose their will, China was forced into a number of treaties that subjugated its interest against others. These include: the Treaty of Nanking (1842), the Treaty of Aigun (1858), the Treaty of Tientsin (1858), the Convention of Peking (1860), the Treaty of Shimonoseki (1895), and the Second Convention of Peking (1898). Obviously, the public voice was against these treaties at large.

Their ego was hurt badly, and their pride seemed to falter in front of the might of the foreigners. As is common in such times, rumors also began to spread away. The foreigners were considered to be responsible for much crime and lawlessness that was prevalent. It was believed that the Church had started exercising more power than the state. It was also felt the Church had started to impose certain Christian practices, and had excluded certain tradition Chinese practices from the society. Thus in the late 19th century, feelings of unrest against the Chinese and the foreigners started to develop at a very rapid pace.

Another major event was a row over a temple. The Catholics claimed that it was originally a church that had later been abandoned. The local court ultimately gave the verdict in favor of the Church. The locals could not tolerate this, as it was their place of worship and also a place to practice martial arts. To add to that, the colonization during the following decades did no good to boost up the morale of China. What was more, Asian powerhouses Russia and Japan also joined the rat-race for territorial supremacy. China came out as a good target for all those hungry to cut a slide of the earth’s map for their good.

After the 1895 war of China with Japan, many European powers stepped forward to occupy Chinese territory. All of this mustered up into an intolerable feeling of hatred within the Chinese against their oppressors. “The conservatives then gave clandestine backing to the antiforeign and anti-Christian movement of secret societies known as Yihetuan (Society of Righteousness and Harmony). The movement has been better known in the West as the Boxers (from an earlier name–Yihequan, Righteousness and Harmony Boxers). In 1900 Boxer bands spread over the north China countryside, burning missionary facilities and killing Chinese Christians.

Finally, in June 1900, the Boxers besieged the foreign concessions in Beijing and Tianjin, an action that provoked an allied relief expedition by the offended nations. The Qing declared war against the invaders, who easily crushed their opposition and occupied north China. Under the Protocol of 1901, the court was made to consent to the execution of ten high officials and the punishment of hundreds of others, expansion of the Legation Quarter, payment of war reparations, stationing of foreign troops in China, and razing of some Chinese fortifications” (Onwar, 2000).

While external forces were still contemplating a productive way out of the situation, the Chinese rulers came out with a message to the provinces. Given the circumstances and the options the rulers had, the message was by no means peaceful. It stated that the world was after Chinese resources and land, and that the time had come when the last resort should be adopted. Peace, therefore, was not an option to be considered. Meanwhile, in the northern Shandong province, a distressing drought was pushing people to the edge of starvation.

There were not many who were thinking about peace anyways. All this energy had to be vented out somewhere, and hence came the time of catharsis, but in a violent way. Anti-foreign feelings caused the quick outburst of a Chinese secret society that was previously more docile. It was known as the I Ho Ch’uan, meaning the Righteous Harmonious Fists; hence the name ‘Boxers’. Understandably, with their name and mission, the Boxers asked for the expulsion of the external parties, more casually referred to as the ‘foreign devils’, along with their Chinese Christian converts.

This was the time when conventional Chinese arts and skills thrived, especially martial arts and the use of traditional Chinese weapons. “At first, the Boxers wanted to destroy the Ch’ing dynasty (which had ruled China for over 250 years) and wanted to rid China of all foreign influence (which they considered a threat to Chinese culture). When the Empress Dowager backed the Boxers, the Boxers turned solely to ridding China of foreigners. By late 1899, bands of Boxers were massacring Christian missionaries and Chinese Christians” (Rosenburg, 2006).

The resentment towards foreigners, Christians and Chinese converts started to rise immensely, with a greater tinge of violence. The circumstances forced the external lobbies to join hands, and they lodged strong protests with the government of China. However, the then Empress, Tzu Hsi’s response surprised many, when she declared that the Boxers were actually a part of the Chinese society, and hence should not be condemned as such. The reaction was also unexpected because it actually went against the local Chinese army, which was striving against the rebellion, and directed in favor of the Boxers.

This made it inevitable for the external forces to make a show of military might close to China’s borders. “The empress dowager publicly opposed the Boxers, but her ministers quietly convinced them to join forces in order to drive foreigners from China. In the early months of 1900, thousands of Boxers roamed the countryside, attacking Christians. When an international force of 2,100 soldiers attempted to land in China, the empress dowager ordered her imperial army to stop the foreign troops.

Throughout the summer of 1900 the Boxers burned churches and foreign residences and killed Chinese Christians on sight” (Dowling, 2001). Gradually, the Boxers started to gain autonomy over their beliefs and actions. The government was not ready to curb them, and their views were supported by many in the masses. The only effort that were going were in the direction of strengthening forces against the external attack. Finally, when the pressure was too much, the foreign elements inside started vocally seeking help from outside. It was then that the eight-country attack came into operation upon China.

There were multiple operations, many of them fierce; gradually the Chinese rebellion started to weaken. Over the next several months, the forces from outside started to grow within China. They overtook Beijing (then Peking) and expanded into the country. Ultimately, the Boxers just a local might were no match for the military power of the industrial nations. Ultimately, in early 1901, the Chinese government gave in, and agreed to abolish the Boxer movement completely. Needless to mention, it was not merely an attack on the territory of China, but also on its ego.

Succumbing to the demand of the external powers was worse than actually loosing a battle. Subsequently, due to its recent weakening in the region, China could do nothing in the war of Russia and Japan a couple of years later, and stood watching while Japan proclaimed supremacy in the East. In the entire episode, the United States played a very significant role. This is because it had a tactical advantage, having a major portion of its navy already established around the Philippines during the Spanish American War (1898) and the subsequent Philippine insurgent activity.

This was actually a reinforcer for those policy makers in the US who were of the opinion that the US should maintain control in the Far East. It was a very unique time in the history of China, repeatedly, it had to face occasions when foreign invaders came in and took control of her land and might. The emperors were just too weak to make any resistance to this offer. An additional reason was that the foreign armies were far better equipped with warfare technologies and tactics than China was at that point in time. It was a time when the Empress began to reconsider her option regarding removal of these elements from her soil.

————————————————- “Christian places of worship should be plain and simple? ” Discuss. Ollie Gardner This debate is a very strong subject for certain people and religion. For example the Catholics think that it is right to show their appreciation of god by designing their places of worship with big stained glass windows, huge organs and a big bold altar etc. However the Protestants started out rebelling against the Catholics saying that you should not have to show your appreciation with money and gold but with commitment and feeling should be enough.

No religion is right or wrong. Looking at the Protestant way of thinking about it that places of worship should be plain and simple. I can see many reasons why people do believe in this thought. One reason could be because they think that god does not have to be “bribed” or given these big expensive gifts to appreciate his followers and the people. That merely showing your commitment to him and well being should be enough to gain your love or that you already have his love. God in my point of view is not someone to judge someone by his or her wealth but by his or her actions.

Meaning that wherever you worship in a church, at home in your bedroom, on the street in an alleyway with beer cans on the floor is good enough to show your respect and thanks. He does not think of you anymore by showing him and giving him gifts with great wealth. You might be quite poor and cannot afford to do anything quite so big and bold and might just want to do your own prayer at home or anywhere of your choice, which is still fine. On the other hand I can see why you would want to show your appreciation via: gifts, big services and god plated lecterns etc.

It’s like on Valentines Day when you give you loved ones a present, card or gift of some point. I know the feeling of walking in to the Bath Abbey and being blown away by the remarkableness and memorising stain glassed windows that fill the room with colour. You do in some way feel that sense of astonishment and holiness as you witness something like the Bath Abbey. I can also see the commitment to god by giving him gifts of great wealth and big glamorous services. It shows hat if they have been lucky enough to be very wealthy or maybe not that much but to give what they can does show a certain amount of strong commitment. In conclusion either decision is fine, and god will not think of you any differently. In my point of view I would go with Protestant way of belief just because I think that god loves you whoever you are and we can show are own love to him, not by fancy lecterns and pulpits and a big choir but just by however way we feel like. Could be at home or anywhere that is most comfortable to you.