Essentials of The Christian World View

The Christian world view is one that is much different than any other world view, but is the one world view that allows all of humanity to have a chance to receive eternal life, and spend that time in eternity next to their creator (Diffey, 2015). Humanity has the choice to live out their days on earth in whatever way that they choose to, and practice whatever belief system that they choose to. Christianity offers people the opportunity to feel like there is a meaning and purpose for their existence, and also that there is a better life to come after their death. A life without purpose is one that leaves most people feeling empty and unfulfilled. The Christian world view offers people the opportunity to to come into a relationship with God the father, the son, and the Holy Spirit which will forever change their life, and give them the opportunity to renew their souls so that they can not only live a skilled life on earth, but experience the true glory that is to come in the after life.

God the father is the beginning and the end of everything that has been, and will be created on earth. Gods attributes are perfect in every way (Diffey, 2015). Therefore, he had all of the knowledge, power, and wisdom to create everything in six days, and on the seventh day he rested (Genesis 1, New International Version [NIV]). The Bible says that his original creation was perfect, and that humanity which was his greatest creation was perfect as well (Genesis 1, NIV). Humanity did not remain perfect though, and the two people that God created went against the instruction of God. This led to sin and death being introduced to humanity, and from that point the fall of humanity began (Diffey, 2015). This fall left humanity disconnected from God (Diffey, 2015). In fact, he was so displeased that he destroyed what he originally created and started over (Genesis 6, NIV). Humanity began again, but still continued on with their sinful nature. Therefore, God sent his only son Jesus Christ to bear the burden for the sins of humanity so that they may have the opportunity to come back into a relationship with him (John 3:16, NIV). Since God is the creator of everything and knows all, one could only expect him to have the solution for every problem before they ever occur.

The father’s perfect plan for bringing humanity back into a great relationship with him was Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was perfect in every way. He was sent by God to save humanity from their sins and give them an opportunity to receive eternal life (John 3:16, NIV). Jesus ministered and socialized with sinners and believed that there was more to celebrate when someone who was lost came back home to the father, than there was for someone who already knew the father (Luke 15:11-31, NIV). He also believed that those who believe in his powers are blessed even more when they do not have to see them to believe them (John 20:29, NIV). This takes an incredible amount of trust, and unconditional faith. He not only conquered the sin, but he conquered the death which why Christians can not fear death, and have an opportunity to be born again (John 20, NIV). The way the Jesus lived his life deserves every bit of trust from his followers as he is the only human to ever live a perfect life.

The course that humanity has taken throughout history is far different that the life that Jesus Christ displayed. As a result, bad things happen in the world and with humanity as the consequences for their sins. All negative world events happen as a result of sin. Human being are sinners by nature, which is why God needed Jesus Christ to save them from their sins so that we may have an opportunity to restore ourselves and come back into a relationship with God (Diffey, 2015). When things are going well, people have a tendency to drift from God and start to give themselves credit instead of thanking God. That is why negative events happen, and God uses those circumstances as an opportunity to pull us closer to him. Humanity nature is flawed and that is why we need Jesus Christ in order to give those willing to learn the opportunity to grow in their faith, and do better.

When you accept Jesus Christ as your love and savior, that is when the process of restoration begins (Grand Canyon University, 2017). After people repent of their sins, and accept Christ they receive a renewed spirit. People begin to learn about the faith, and make improvements in their lives that give them the opportunity to save their souls. This gives them a chance to come back into a perfect relationship with God (Grand Canyon University, 2017).

The Christian world view believes in the Holy Trinity which consists of the father (God), the son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. Christians believe that God created all things which is different from the Aesthetic point of views that science is responsible for all of creation, and that humans were created with no purpose other than to exist (Hiles and Smith, 2015.) The Christian world view believes that you are saved from your sins and receive eternal life by having faith in Jesus Christ. Christians also believe that when you die there is an afterlife and that God will pass the final judgement on who gets to experience it next to him (John 3:16, NIV).

My journey to becoming Christianity has been one filled with peaks and valleys. In the summer of 2019, I started attending church regularly. I began going to a baptist church locally. I accepted Jesus Christ as my lord and savior and I believe that he forgave me of the sins that had derailed my life until that point. At that time I believe that I received a renewed spirit. Since that time, more of my faults have been revealed to me, and I am working to try to improve so that my would can be fully renewed. I believe that my story and how Jesus fixed the things in me at the time that I began to turn to him is something that I can share with others in some form to help them seek a relationship with Jesus Christ. I consider myself a work in progress as I am still growing my faith and obedience, but I believe that Jesus can still use me in the meantime in order to help others. I love God, and I know that he will not let go of me, and I surely won’t let go of him after what he saved me from.

How Christians view the world is unlike any other religion or world view. The more that one tries to understand, the more that they have the opportunity to find out more about themselves and what they need to fix. The good news is that they don’t have to do so alone. In fact, you can lay it all on the shoulders of your lord and savior Jesus Christ knowing that he is true to his word and he will never fail. People have the opportunity to become the best version of themselves the more that they learn about the Holy Trinity, and the Christian world view which paves the way for self-reflection that enables change to occur. I would rather be struggling to get to know God, than to wander the earth thinking there is nothing else to this life than to exist.

References

Diffey, Dan. (2015). Wisdom in the Beginning. In Grand Canyon University (Ed.), The beginning of wisdom: An introduction to Christian thought and life (2nd ed.). Available from http://gcumedia.com/digital-resources/grand-canyon-university/2015/the-beginning-of-wisdom_an-introduction-to-christian-thought-and-life_ebook_2e.php
Hiles,J., Smith, A. F. (2015). Evaluating Wisely. In Grand Canyon University (Ed.), The beginning of wisdom: An introduction to Christian thought and life (2nd ed.). Available from http://gcumedia.com/digital-resources/grand-canyon-university/2015/the-beginning-of-wisdom_an-introduction-to-christian-thought-and-life_ebook_2e.php
Topic 5 Overview. (2017). CWV-101: Christian Worldview. Phoenix, AZ: Grand Canyon University.

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Faamatai: Traditional Religious System

It also alms to define and determine religious connections between the Mat system and the tabulate (Indigenous religion). Last but not least, it also focuses on how the system changed after Christianity arrived. Many people define the term mat in different ways. For example, Via and Tintinnabulation define mat as a “member of the nun (village) and a leader of an alga potato (extended family) with a complex network of fall (diffuse cultural connections’. Pall’s offers another deflation which states that mat evolves from two words “mat” (eye or seeing) and “l” (towards or at).

When two words are put together, It creates a traditional definition, the “act of looking towards or at someone or something”. In other words, a mat is the “eyes” of the family. He or she is the role model of the family. Family members look up to him or her as a strong leader and effective decision maker. To understand the framework of the mat system, one must first review the Samoan culture characteristics. The Samoan identify their culture as the Fashion way of life according to custom.

Pall’s described the term Fashion as referring to “the ancient ways of life Inherited from the ancestors”. The rod FAA means “in the manner of”, so the Samoan made it blend in with certain words in order to contrast the different ways of doing things. Traditionally, there are no laws in the context of the Samoan culture. However, Samoan people respected the decisions made by their own mat. To further understand the Samoan way of life, one must understand the village structure In the Samoan culture.

The (nun) village Infrastructure Is made up of all extended females and relatives who reside In that particular village. They are Individual heirs and descendents of the mat such as father, mother, brother sister and etc… In the alga, all can be related whether by blood as traceable to a common ancestor, through marriage ties or even adopted connections. At the head of each alga was a mat. He was the one who held the family title until it was passed on by choice rather than by inheritance. The first stage in becoming a mat was to serve as a tattletale’s (untitled man).

A tattletale’s Is defined as an untitled man who serves his mat with honor and diligently. Being In this level requires a lot of patience and caring. Each tattletale’s has one goal in life which was taut (serve) as further explained by Applied as follows: “A fulfill mat a Samoa faithful muumuu maim lava lee tag as taut Elli I lee mat male alga ma lee nun. O taut a lee tuna’s e mama maim AI fumigant’s ‘see’s. A iii SE e via Oho I lee tutelage pull, all e taut, AAU o lee ala I lee pull o lee taut”. When a chief was chosen, a person who served the chief, family and village well Is most likely the primary he must first serve because the path to leadership is service) When a mat was sought, each alga would agree on a candidate and then all would decide on one who would be worthy to succeed to the title. Once receiving the title of mat, he is responsible for the leadership of the whole family. In the fond o lee nun (council of chief), the mat was the one who represented the whole family.

The authority of the mat was freely expressed by him in all matters, but most of the time he is free in so far as what he does was for the good of the family. In this respectful way, it could be seen, that the role of the mat was not merely authoritative, but it was also one of serving. It was then seen that all behavior was conditioned by the loyalty and devotion not only of the mat but the whole family. It was the pride of one’s family which seemed to be the basis of the Samoan culture. This has been an initiating factor by which “law and order” was kept.

In the Fashion, the extended family is the basic component of the village. Like I mentioned earlier, the village infrastructure is made up of all extended families which headed by a senior chief. Without the extended families and their chiefs, there would be no council of chiefs in the traditional village structure. The village itself became a factor in keeping the strong bond within the society. Socially, each village was embraced by a common pupilages (traditional greeting of mat titles in seniority).

Mauve stated that a pupilages is a rotational formula which contained all the dignity accorded to the village especially to the principle chiefs, stating their relationship to the broader royal lineages of Samoa. In the olden times, Samoan lived in a hierarchical society. In all levels of its political structure including the mat system, it was so clear for it to be seen. Through all these levels, there was one of unifying force at work in the maintenance of “law and order” such as loyalty and devotion, being part of the family, and villages and districts connecting to the royal line.

Politically, with the hierarchical structure of society, it could be seen that the ancient gods were also structured in such a way. It was the case that authority was delegated from the top to the bottom. If there was a need to carry out a proposal or any new ideas, it was first to be approved by the higher authorities. Permission had to be sought from the chiefs. Although these different levels still existed in the Samoan society, but there was still the awareness of the necessity to function together as a corporate unity in order to survive.

The socio-political structure of the mat system was believed to have great importance. Many believed the importance again lies within the idea that it was probably within such a social structure and that the structuring and the understanding of the gods had originated. According to Mauve, he stated: In Samoan society, there were “As” such as the As Militate, As Loyola or As Amiga. The “As” gives the meaning of being very high in rank within the Samoan society. The full meaning of this word would not be expressed if only the word honorable was used.

The meaning of the word was not only “honorable” but took up other meanings such as sacredness and holiness in the ensue of been higher above all others in society. In this sense, As would really refer to the Alai(high or paramount chief). An Alai(high chief) was considered as the head of the village and its council of chiefs. Telltale (high talking chief) were orators and they spoke on the behalf of the Alai. According to Applied, mat were always the ruling powers in the society. Their authority is still strong today.

Their authority was to be chiefs were, it was always to be carried out by the magma(group of tattletale’s or untitled men). What can be said at this point is that in the structural set up of the Samoan society, there is a clear distinction between the higher and lower classes. The structure of the society and the distinctions could have been the basis of the religious structuring and understanding of the ancient gods. In fact, the Samoan indigenous religion also had a structure where there was the recognition of higher gods and lower gods.

In such a structure, there were responsibilities and functions performed by the gods that coincided with the responsibilities set out in the social life of the people. If the high chiefs were seen to rule and grant permission, then the higher gods were seen to posses more power. The higher gods would then be sought for the granting of the things that the society wanted. In this section, I will focus on the religious connection between the Mat system and a more detailed study of the traditional religious beliefs and other cultural practices.

I strongly believe that much of these beliefs and practices had great affect on the way Samoan had accepted Christianity. Before Europeans had ever set foot on the islands, Samoan had their own beliefs of deities believed to be divine. According to Melissa, he stated “Samoan religion as it generally understood refers to a system of beliefs, the ceremonial and tall activities that are associated with it, and the worship of a supernatural being or beings. ” In addition, Samoan had no national religion. This was a time of myths and what has often been referred to as a time of superstitious beliefs.

It was at this early stage that these myths and the history of Samoa were preserved in memories and through oral traditions. According to traditional beliefs, every individual had his own “tutu”(guardian spirit). It was the case that the families had minor gods and villages had their own local deities. These deities such as fire, rain, agriculture and etc… Were insider sacred and important to the Samoan. In the next couple of paragraphs, I will briefly explain the religious connections of the mat system and the indigenous religion through many traditional beliefs such as the Toga myths, man, spirits, and other various gods.

One of the most popular beliefs in Samoan society was the Toxicological creation myth. In the alga, the head of the family is considered as the mat which was closely similar to the Toxicological and his rule. According to one myth, it stated that Toxicological existed as the main source in space and created the heavens. He was also known as the superior being or leader. I believe these creation stories had influenced many traditional world views of the Samoan and its mat system. In fact, the mentality about Toga creating Samoa still exists.

The variety of these creation stories has led to the idea that traditional beliefs had been elaborately connected in Samoa. In this case, the Samoan culture was produced in distinction of ranks and indigenous religion enforces it by giving the high ranks a special place in it. As also stated by Isaiah: The Samoan ranking system and cultural structure appears deceptively simple on the surface at first glance, but a deeper look into it vales a very competitive, complicated and rigid system. The religious beliefs of the people played a very important part in society.

As I mentioned earlier, the Titus (guardian spirit) had influenced many Samoan greatly especially the mat. The tutu is sometimes considered as a god of an individual. In most cases, mat are considered as the god of their own family. They believe the spirit of an ancestor is links the mat system to the indigenous religion is the concept of man (invisible living force) which responsible for all the startling occurrences and effects beyond the human mind. In the Samoan culture, if a mat was able to defeat another mat at war, then he was said to have possessed more quantities of “man” than the man he defeated.

This concept was always associated within the mat system. The traditional belief of man(power) that a mat had to protect the family physically and his ability to supply materially had been a strong qualification for becoming a leader. Man, however was also known in the primitive world as the abundant special supernatural forces that could present in a man. In Samoan society, man was that force behind anything which was impossible for man to do. In this case, Samoan believe man and gaga(spirits) have strong relations.

It can be noted that for a man or mat to receive man, it would be possessed through favor of the gods or the passing of it to him by another man who had it before him. Many scholars saw this concept as a way for the gods to communicate their will to the people. Many believe that Samoan were also committed to polytheistic beliefs. Applied stated that the life of the people depended greatly on the gods in which they recognized as having strong powers over them. It was the gods that they would always call upon in times of difficulties.

Some of these various gods such as Laminas, Lethally, and Fee were believed to help many people avoid sickness, war and death. Laminas was defined as the child of the moon. This particular god was identified with the moon. In worshipping this god, there was much feasting and prayers. The head of the family or mat would pray that the god would help their family to prevent disease and death from entering their home. In other cases, such as war, this god was also asked to help that particular family or chief. It has been noted that this god was one of the inferior gods in the traditional beliefs of the

Samoan society. Another particular god which many believe to be one of the well known house- hold gods was Lethally. This god was known to be embodied in the form of the centipede. In worshipping this god, people would often seek it in a tree that was usually near the house. If a person within the family was very sick, this god was called upon as to determine whether this person would die or become well again. In this particular belief, the mat would take a mat outside and await the coming of this god. The mat would be under close observation.

If the god did come, and was seen to eave crawled under the mat, this meant that the sick person would die. If the god came and crawled on the mat, this meant that sick person’s health would be restored. One of the most famous gods which was also well known to the Samoan people was the Fee (octopus). This god was often worshipped as the warrior’s god. It was believed that this god had its resting place on the island of Western Samoa. According to Melissa, it showed that before any war, the chiefs would seek this god and receive his blessings.

In receiving the blessing of this god, there was the renewal of strength among the warriors. As a matter of fact, the main point behind all these traditional beliefs is that these gods really had much affect on the lives of the people. Not only the gods helped wartime or other ceremonial events. This proved to me that many of these gods were considered as important factors behind keeping the law and order in the Samoan society and also the mat system. Samoan also had strong affection towards many cultural practices such as the outage, VA ceremony, biogas, sofa’s and etc…

In the next part of the research, I will explain the relationship of the mat system and each cultural practice that Samoan hared and believed in since ancient times. Earlier, I mentioned that the framework of the Samoan society was revolved around the mat. These mat were responsible for all lands and matters pertaining to the alga. They also served as main decision makers for the alga or village. They also had man(power) that could cause any injury to anyone in society. In this matter, the power of the chiefs and traditional beliefs of the gods was believed to bring law and order in unity.

It also brought strong ties and cultural connection between the gods and chiefs. One of the most important cultural practices that Samoan dealt with was known s outage (oath). According to Mauve, outage is one of the scariest and most sacred practices that chief ever gathered in the olden time. In this practice, the accused offender goes before the village councils and admits his guilt. This was where the fear of the gods came in to help solve a problem within society. This method was strictly practiced and enforced by the chiefs.

According to the practice, if a crime was committed and the person who committed the crime was not known, all the villagers would be gathered by the chiefs of the village. Each person was asked to sake the outage(oath) and swear by the name of their own family god or village god. The chiefs then asked the curses of the gods to be on that person if he was the one. It was often the case that the curse would include one’s family member to become very ill if the person lied. It was the fear of these curses by the chiefs that would lead the guilty person to confess. In fact, many believe these cultural practices hardly failed.

The reason for this is because the guilty individual really feared the possibility of offending the gods and he could not at any time compromise the reputation of the await to which he belonged. Another important cultural practice that Samoan still carried on today was the ‘VA ceremony. ‘VA ceremony is a traditional ceremony in which formal speeches are present among the chiefs. This ceremony usually held during the welcoming of the amalgam(traveled group). The religious part of this ceremony is when a chief partake his ‘VA cup. Before each chief take his cup, a portion of the ‘VA was poured out of the cup.

This was considered as an offering to the gods. It was also a sign of respect to acknowledge the help of the gods in bringing the Amalgam to their destination. To clearly explain the meaning of it, Tubule stated: The spilling of a few drops of VA on the floor before drinking would seem to have the same significance as do many of the ceremonies in/the various religions of the world – incense burning – sprinkling of holy water – offering libations of wine – and the offering of sacrifices varying from pound notes to lizards eggs – all are offered with the idea of placating or seeking the assistance of some God.

We are apt, perhaps, to view the custom of the Samoan as being merely the prostration of the intellect at the thresh-hold of the unknown, but re not all sacrifices by whomsoever offered, Just this. Mauve also stated that among the chiefs. For example, a chief would say: “o lee ‘VA linen o lee ‘VA o taut, la mania lee auto ambulant” It means this VA, it is for the gods, bless our gathering. In all, I found out that most of these traditional practices shared an important relationship between religion and social life of the Samoan people.

It was so clear that Samoan had to live in a society where religion was seen as an important aspect in the culture. It was also clear that many of these cultural beliefs and traditional practices were considered as a set stage for Christianity. In this stage, it pointed out two important key elements that summarized the whole relationship between the mat systems and indigenous religion. One key element was the recognition of one great god above all gods, which was Toxicological.

It was this god that was so superior and was given such high respect. This reveals that even though Samoan were viewed as polytheists, there was still the recognition of one god, Toga. Secondly, Fear for the gods and spirits was another key element in the Samoan indigenous religion. This element explains the fact that gods could bring disaster to the people o matter what the case is. It can be said that the people in fearing had imagine the awful punishments that could take place because of disobeying the chiefs and the gods.

With all the tradition beliefs and cultural practices that Samoan shared in their society, I can now have a clear mind of what the early missionaries had walked into. Last but not least, this section focuses on the new changes of the mat system when Christianity arrived in Samoa. During my research, I found many ways of how the traditional and cultural beliefs were adapted to accept and embed Christianity without losing its value. I also found out how the mat system was easily led to the process of accepting the new religion.

There are many reasons why Christianity was easily accepted in Samoan society. Some of those reasons can be willingly determined while other reasons are more difficult to discover. To look deeply in those reasons, I trace it back to the importance and significance of the cultural and traditional beliefs that I mentioned earlier in the research. A fact that is now to be noted is that many of these beliefs and practices are still kept by the people. Though there have been many changes that have taken place, the practices of the past can till be noticed in the present.

In the mat system or political structure of Samoa, mat were always heading the families or villages. Within any villages, there was an Alai (high chief) that holds a higher rank. The fact is that there is only one Alai for a village and his authority becomes highly respected and recognized. According to Applied,’Alai would hold the authority to express what to do and forbid the things that should not be done. This political structure is very similar to those that Christianity shared.

This was one of the few reasons why Samoan easily accepted the Christian god because of the reactive of owing respect and obedience to anything that the chief ordered. Another reason that linked the mat system to the new religion was the creation myth of Toxicological. During ancient times, Toga was referred as the creator of the heaven and earth. I personally believe that the knowledge of these myths created a clear path for Samoan to easily accept the new Christian God. It seems that what the new religion was teaching to the people was nothing new.

Same goes to the concept of man and spirits. I also mentioned earlier that Chiefs were also believed and strength. Chief also held the roles of expressing the will of the gods. In this concept, it has a very strong relation to the new religion. Christianity believed missionaries were looked upon as priests receiving power from God to preach out the new religion. For what has already been mentioned, I can now see a strong relationship between the traditional beliefs in the mat system and Christianity. Today, mat system played an important part in the new religion.

In the pre- Christianity era, chiefs were believed to have powers that can meditate with the ancient gods. When missionaries arrived, they assumed new roles. They became deacons in the church. It was so obvious that many of these traditional practices and beliefs have helped greatly in accepting and understanding Christianity. I believe the Samoan society was always flexible ever since the start of their civilization. With this flexibility, Christianity was able to integrate with the traditional Samoan beliefs.

As a result, it seems the new religion had to be taken up and practiced as if it was truly part of the ancient Samoan society. In conclusion, I believe the structural set up of the mat system served as a basis for the continuing strength of the Fashion (Samoan way). The continuing strength f the Fashion was to a great extent due to fact that an authority did not come to bear all the weight of the emotional, political, social and religious attachment to the people to their culture.

The culture and the religious beliefs had helped making the people remain Samoan. I also believe the mat system had a strong relation and religious connection to the ancient indigenous religion. After gathering all the necessary information and specific evidence, it proved me that the mat system not only had similarities with Christianity, it was very easy for the people to accept the new religion into their indigenous society.

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Stephen J. Dubner’s novel Turbulent Souls Analysis

According to Soren Kierkergaard, a prominent existentialist, in Stephen J. Dubner’s novel, Turbulent Souls, the protagonists, Stephen, Veronica, and Paul Dubner, are the quintessential “Knights of Faith”. A ” Knight of Faith” is the existentially perfect man or woman who could grasp his own freedom and create his own destiny. Despite the disconnectedness of the world, the “Knight of Faith” finds the courage to unify his or her world through an act of determination. Through much searching, the “Knight of Faith” discovers that man is entrapped in absolute isolation.

Prior to becoming a ” Knight of Faith” he or she must take a ” leap of faith” into something higher and beyond the self such as into belief in G-d. The only way authentically to take a ” leap of faith” and to escape the anxiety and despair that is the quintessence of the universal human condition is to choose despair, and to sink so deep into despair that one loses all commitment of family, friends, and community. When these are all lost, with absolutely nothing left, in a complete crisis, and at the edge of the abyss, he or she will be prepared for faith in G-d, he or she will chose G-d, and make the “leap of faith” to G-d.

Therefore, he or she has created a unique connection with G-d and has conquered his or her fears, and the hypocrisies and tribulations in the world. Propelled by psychological despair and existential emptiness, each of the three principal characters embarks upon a quest for spiritual enlightenment and/or emotional healing. The novel begins by discussing the childhood of Stephen’s parents, Sol and Florence, and after their conversion, Paul and Veronica.

Florence’s basis of her conversion and her quest for spiritual bliss began even as a little girl in her parent’s, Esther and Harry, small apartment in Brooklyn, New York, above Harry’s candy store. Every night, when Florence’s mother would come up the stairs from the candy store she would say to Florence, “Your father, he works so hard he must be made from iron. And Florence in her singsong voice, always gave the same retort: Well then, he better not go out in the rain or he’ll get all rusty”(3). Florence had a special connection with her father, and it was only her mother who she ridiculed.

Both Florence and her father did not appreciate how “Esther would prattle on about her brother the big fabric man, who just bought a new house, and how his wife always has new hats and how their children were smarter and healthier that their own children, how little Irving could eat a whole head of lettuce and drink a whole quart of milk at one meal”(4). In addition, ” Every year Florence asked her mother to teach her the Four Questions so she could ask them at the Seder. What’s the use, her mother would say. Your cousin Irving’s the boy, and he’s the smarter one anyway, so Irving gets to ask the questions”(7).

This had a tremendous impact on her because her mother instilled in her the notion that she is not worthy, which could possibly be a reason for her conversion to Catholicism, which she felt to be more accepting. Florence and her sister Della did not get along very well, so “Florence’s favorite playmate was her grandmother Sarah-Ruhkel… they would giggle and cuddle like friends…. At night she sat on the edge of Florence’s bed and told stories of Queen Esther. She taught Florence how to thank G-d for the good day and ask him for a good husband when the time came”(6).

Unfortunately, “When her grandmother wasn’t around she was lonely”(7). One afternoon, Florence was playing outside with another friend, they both needed to go to the bathroom but her friend lost her house key, so they waited by the stoop. Her friend said a prayer and a few minutes later a man came home and let them in. Florence thought about what happen and she “knew it wasn’t magic, quite; it was certainly a different way of looking at things. She didn’t mention it to anyone. Who would listen? “(8). In this moment, she sees her friend’s prayer answered and concludes that it was more then luck that caused it.

It was the will of G-d. One spring when Florence was sick in bed and she heard her friends playing outside, she experienced her first existential thoughts in her life. She thought, “Boy oh boy, life goes on all by itself whether I’m there or not”(8). The one thing she feared the most was death, and when her grandfather died, She wonder[ed] what had become of him. Not his corpse-that she understood-but the rest of him. Was there more of him. She wasn’t sure. She could not forget the realization she’d had lying in bed that day, hearing her friends playing with out her.

If things didn’t change when she wasn’t here, what did it matter if she was here or not? But she was here. What for then? To think of herself as merely a random collection of muscle and teeth and curls was unspeakably sad. And yet the other possibility-that there was some sort of purpose to life that she must fathom and follow-made her dizzy (20). The first time Florence introduced anti-Semitism was when ” a girl named Ann Ross, with blond hair and very blue eyes, had stood up and declared: My father says that Hitler has the right idea about the Jews”(21).

Again, she encountered anti-Semitism when an older boy from her neighborhood said, “What do you want little Jew? He said, and spat in her face”(22). She did not mention either incident to her parents because her father did not have the time for it and her mother already had to many worries. A few years later Florence went to ballet classes with a friend who invited her. The teacher’s name was Asta Souvorina, but every one called her Madame Souvorina, and Florence felt that “there was an intensity spilling from her, and it attracted Florence like a magnet”(22).

Florence became Madame Souvorina’s best student and went to class everyday, and sometimes when Madame was sick she taught the class instead. Florence imitated everything that Madame did, and just like Madame was a vegetarian, she became a vegetarian. Florence also knew that Madame was Catholic, but all she ever knew about Catholicism seemed unbelievable, such as the virgin birth or the Resurrection. Madame was not interested in arguing with Florence about the eternal verities of Christendom, so she told Florence, “If you are so curious, … you should read about it yourself”(25).

Florence went ahead and read the Epistles, which were the letter from St. Paul, and she Was astounded to discover that a living, breathing person-a Jew, no less-had left behind such testimony. Everything she ever heard about Jesus seemed so far away, like a fairy tale. But Paul had been there. No, he hadn’t actually met Jesus, but his letters, she felt had the ring of truth. After all, Paul was an educated Jew who had traveled widely. Why would he write of being struck down blind on the road to Damascus, hearing Jesus calling to him from the clouds, had it not happened that way (25).

Florence never had done much thinking about God, and wondered what he looked like. She thought maybe he looked like, old Moishe, [her grandfather who past away], with a long, dusty beard; perhaps he had the face of a cloud. Or, Florence thought, perhaps the face of God was the face of Jesus, the young, loving, tortured face she had seen on the wall of Madame’s bedroom”(25). By now Florence was approaching stardom, and was going dance at Radio City Music Hall, but Florence’s mind still constantly swirled with distressing questions:

“Why had she been born and where would she go afterward? And might Jesus have anything to do with it? (26). Her one fear, death, according to Catholicism was not something to be afraid of, but was something to look forward to, which brought her a lot of comfort. She remembers, “” as a young girl she always was bemused when her Catholic friends talked about Heaven, as if they were sure of it. But St. Paul, in his Epistles, was sure of it to: ” Then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air””(26). Madame directed her to the Church of the Blessed Sacrament, where she spoke with a Catholic priest, Father Conroy, who taught her a little prayer that he promised would help.

The prayer was, “Give me the grace to know Your truth and the strength to follow it”(27). Over time, her curiosity became a need, and when Madame told her she “did not need to be Catholic to taste the Sacraments of the Church, and so she did”(28). She began attending mass and even went to confession. One morning at mass she listened absorbedly to the priest’s sermon, and “he cited the Gospel of John: God said, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased; hear him”(29). Florence took this to heart and realized the “instructions could not have been simpler, or more welcome.

Florence, having exposed her heart, was now rewarded with the kiss of God upon her ear. The shadows of her soul were flooded with sunlight; a sublime peace settled over her. She understood that she had received the gift of faith, and she would be eternally grateful”(29). Finally, through much searching she found spiritual enlightenment and has become a true “Knight of Faith”. Solly Dubner grew up in an orthodox family in Brownsville, New York. His parents’ names are Shepsel and Gittel. Unlike Florence, he loved his mother more then anything in the world.

Also, he loved to whistle all the time. Unfortunately, “whistling was forbidden in his father’s house. You might as well invite the Angel of Death. That, at least, is what his father believed”(9). Although his father kept a strict house, Solly obeyed his father because Any disobedience, however slight, made his father angry. And when is father was angry for whatever reason, he took it out on Solly’s mother, Gittel, rarely shouting but unfailing choosing the half dozen words that would conjure up the bitterest tears.

Solly, who loved his mother dearly, would have rather taken the strap any day. But Shepsel would never strike his children, for it is written. And if one were to ask him, Where is it written? It is written, it is written, he would say impatiently. The where is not important (10). Solly was never satisfied with his father’s answers. Nat, Solly’s older brother, always came home on Shabbat because he felt bad the others had to suffer Shepsel alone. Nat was particularly worried about Solly because “Shepsel seemed to have a particularly hard heart for him.

Solly, was different; he wanted more out of life, and Nat knew that more was the one thing that could not be found in their father’s house. As he walked home from school one Friday afternoon, ” from the second floor window, a man in his undershirt shouted down to him: Hey, Solly, what the hell are you whistling for-don’t you know your mother’s dead”(12). His father always said whistling was forbidden and you might as well invite the angel of death; therefore, after his mother’s death, Solly felt partially responsible because he always whistled. This guilt lead to the beginning of his bottomless depression.

According to Jewish law, one should bury the deceased as soon as possible, but since out of town relatives would not be able to attend to the funeral, they were forced to wait until they arrived. Shepsel gathered all of his children to watch their mother’s body until it was time to burial. The ice that was packed in her casket was melting; therefore, “a metal bucket was placed beneath the leaking casket. The dripping, the rising stench, the stab of his mother’s death-it was all to much for Solly, and he stood up to get some fresh air, but his father pressed him back into his seat”(17).

Solly had a lot of questions regarding Jewry, but sadly, ” concerning their religion, there was no question Solly could ask his father for which he received an answer that was remotely satisfying”(17). He kept falling deeper and deeper into depression and “everyone who knew Solly Dubner in the late 1930’s could see that a blanket of despair had befallen him. Though he was only in his early twenties, the courage of his youth had melted away and his optimism had withered”(31). In 1942, “the war at last came to America, Solly immediately enlisted in the Army.

Finally he could escape his father’s house”(33). It seems as if he is looking forward to the war coming to America, but since war is unpleasant, violent, and awful. After, the reader realized the reason he is jubilant is because the war is his savior from his father. After, serving in the Army for quite a while he came home for six weeks, and when he arrived home he went to the Church of the Blessed Sacrament. He met Father Conroy and asked him, “Have you ever heard of a creature like me, Father, a Jew who wants to be Catholic? As a matter of fact, Father Conroy answered, I have.

He told Sol about the group of young Catholic Activists he met with every Monday night. Two of the women, he explained were Jewish converts”(42), who were Florence and her friend, who was also a ballerina. At the end of his first meeting he told his story: He felt as if he’d been walking around in the dark, and… While he was station overseas, someone finally turned on the light, and that light was Jesus. She saw that there was a natural kindness about this soldier, and earnestness. He mentioned his father, a traditional Jew named Shepsel, who sounded an awful lot like Florence’s grandfather Moishe.

He hated what his decision would do to his father, the soldier was saying now, but there seemed no way around it-didn’t Jesus say that he had come to set a man against his father? (43). He told them that he had already had been baptized as a Christian, but he was not sure which denomination of Christianity to settle on. He wanted to become a Catholic, but did not understand the role of Virgin Mary in Catholicism. He asked the group, “Since she isn’t a member of the Holy Trinity, why would you worship her? Why would you pray to the Virgin Mary when you can pray directly to G-d?

Florence answered, “You don’t worship the Blessed Mother, you ask her to intercede… This is part of the beauty of Catholicism that you have all these wonderful saints you can pray to. Who better to Petition G-d than His mother, the Queen of Heaven? “(43). This was the first answer in his life that he was satisfied with. When he went to visit Nat and his wife, Dottie, ” They could see there was something different about him; it seemed as if the spark of his youth had returned, as if once again he had something at stake”(44). He was once again sent out to war.

Florence soon received a letter from Sol, which he wrote, ” I have been baptized and received my first communion. Needless to say, it was a most wonderful experience and I hope to strengthen my faith in Christ each single day”(47). At last, Sol has climbed out of his emotional despair, and not only has he gone through an almost complete emotional healing, but he has become spiritually enlightened through Catholicism. Stephen grew up in upstate New York on Gallupville Road, where his family was a safe distance from the true world, which is based on a materialistic and inauthentic way of life.

He is the youngest of Paul and Veronica’s eight children. His had no complaints about his isolated Catholic upbringing until his father died when he was ten. He only remembered a few things about his father. Such as every night at dinner he said, “You get a little food in your belly and you get rambunctious”(107), and once his father took him to a baseball game without any other siblings. After his father’s death he put his yearn for spiritual enlightenment to the side for a little while. When he went to College, he and a few of the other students created a band called “The Right Profile”.

When he had a little time off from school he caught a ride down to Florida with a friend, who was going down for his grandfather’s birthday, to visit his mom, who moved there about the same time he began college. On the way down to Florida he met an elderly Jewish woman at the birthday party and was attracted to her. He thought to himself, “I had never felt so instantly attracted to another person. But the feeling went beyond attraction. It was as if I were a piece of her somehow, or as if within her dwelled a piece of me that I had been searching for”(161).

He was attracted to her Neshama, her Jewish soul, and as a result of this attraction he began to question his ways of life and search for the truth. One day while fixing up a song that he was going to record the next day, “[his] hand without any instruction [he] was aware of, printed on the page: What do I want? “(166). He knew he did not want to continue this life of being a rock star, and on the other hand he said to himself, ” The band is all I [have]; the band is all I [am]”(167). His life contained no depth to it, and he needed to find his meaning of life.

He did not know at the time, that he was the same age as his mother when she quit ballet. AS he later learned, they both had removed themselves from one pursuit they cared about; they both felt, momentarily at least, that their lives were over. They had both asked themselves an unanswerable question and, hearing nothing but a still, small voice from within, a feathery voice of encouragement, had taken the leap. She leaped into the arms of Jesus, and he wound up leaping into the arms of Abigail Seymour. He could hardly have known that Abigail would lead him into a reckoning with his Jewish blood.

Abigail studied to become an actress with a Jewish man named Ivan Kronenfeld, who she introduced to Stephen. He was an inspiration to Stephen life Madame Souvorina had been to his mother. He gave a lot of things for Stephen to ponder like when he told him, “you’d have been plenty Jewish for Hitler. You’ve got the map of Poland written all over your face. You could have worn a crucifix down to your knees, and they still would have thrown you in the ovens”(174). Also he informed Stephen that according to Jewish law he was still Jewish because his mother was Jewish.

He attended Synagogue one Saturday with Ivan and when he saw all of the Jews kiss the Torah as if it contained everything that they would ever need and everything that could ever be known. And on that day hope rested on his soul. He did not know anything about his father and mother, or why they had converted, and what it meant to him. This unawareness Was beginning to gnaw at [him]. Spending time with Ivan had awakened in [him] the idea of a father. It wasn’t that [he] wanted him as a father. [He] had his own;[he] just didn’t know him yet. But Ivan had awakened something else in [him]” an appetite for the Jewish wisdom he dispensed.

It was kaleidoscopic, baffling, thrilling; it spoke to [him] as nothing ever had. Did it speak to [him], though, on its own merit? Or because [his] long-lost father had been nourished on the same wisdom? Or perhaps it was because curling around somewhere inside [him] was a Jewish neshama, a Jewish soul? … The time had come to find [his] own [family] (183). So he followed the noise inside his soul, he searched for his parent’s roots. He became consumed with the desire to know how his mother and father decided to become Catholic. He wanted to know why they stopped being Jews.

He met a few of his long lost relatives from his father’s side, and began to reveal his father as a Jew. He broke up with Abigail because her Jewish quest was over, and also he was more focused on writing anyway. He went to Poland to the shtetl his family lived in to understand more about his family but he still was not satisfied. While his search for his parent’s past continues he continues studying Judaism fervently. Stephen’s leap of faith and spiritual enlightenment is not as immediate as his parents, but through much pain and toiling he has discover himself and has untangled his family’s roots.

According to Rabbi Eric Bram, Turbulent Souls is not only the story of a son’s individuation and journey; it is also the story of American Jewishness in the twentieth century. The connection between the country of American and its Jews has transformed significantly in the past century, Turbulent Souls is a proof of that transformation, as observed through the generations of Stephen Dubner’s family. Jewishness has been both a basis of triumphant pride and of bottomless shame, and something to flee from as well as to embrace. Along side Stephen Dubner, Jews today walk the tightrope of the American- Jewish.

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Royal Army WW2 Letter Home

Dear Delyla,

I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch lately; things have been getting really bad over here. There are talks about going over the top but it must be nonsense, we’d all get killed if we did. I hope you all are well. My foot is getting better but I think it will be a long time before I’m fully recovered, the bullet only skimmed my ankle so I was quite lucky I can still walk. Thank you for the pictures, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen your face and I was starting to forget it!

It gets so hard out here sometimes you wouldn’t believe. You try to sleep at night but there’s a constant ringing in your head from the bombs going off and the guns being shot. Then there are the injured soldiers, god bless them for being braver than the rest of us, but it has been there downfall. The screams of pain are agonizing so much so that you yourself feel as though you are also dying a slow and excruciating death.

I look at you and it makes me happy for a while, but then I think why I am here and it devastates me. I long to be with you again, to hold you in my arms, to feel your long golden mane flowing through my hands. I miss you dearly. Without you I am nothing. I long for the day I see you again my dear.

The thought of what is to come is unbearable, if I was to die I would never forgive myself. But then again I have to fight for my country. There is power to be regained and you who I love the most and many more are counting on me and thousands to pull through and win this conquest. We all pray to God each night to help us, and I ask you to pray for us too.

The boiled sweets that you sent me are delightful! I never ever thought that one day I would cherish the taste of a boiled sweet in my mouth! From this exuberating experience I have learnt so much. I now see the world in a completely different light. Its like the saying, you never know what you’ve got till it’s gone, and now I know! I will never again take for granted the small things in life, and if and when I get back I plan to write a book about my hardship. People deserve to know what all us thousands of courageous soldiers have been through, as it should never be brought upon any sole again. We should all be able to get along in life, nobody should lose lives for the sake of such trivial things as land and belongings, its ridiculous. If only us men weren’t so obsessed with power.

If this be my last letter to you then I want you to know something. I love you more than anyone could love anyone or anything, ever. I think about you every minute of every day and it pains me so much to think of what you are going through without me, having to cope with our young baby and what not. But believe me, I would change it if I could. If this be the end then I bid you goodbye, my one and only love. I will meet you again in a place not so far away and we will be together forever once more. I’ll love you for eternity.

Mr.Jimbob Jones

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Churches do to become a better reflection of Christianity

We must acknowledge that as a church, we need to become better. Unless we admit that we need to improve, we will never strive to be a better reflection of Christianity. As a church, we should help each other point out what is causing our weaknesses and shortcomings in unity and in humility. Never be content. Seek for improvement on a regular basis. As a diverse group with collective beliefs, how can we work as united Christians? What can we do to be a better brother or sister to our fellow church members? How can we help our neighbors? What can we do for our community?

How can we show non-believers that the Christian life Is the life they should follow? How can we be a better reflection of our church and of Christianity? These are some questions that we should ask together and seek the answers, together. When outsiders and non-believers see that we are united, they too shall witness God’s love that binds us Christians as one big church, one big family. ) “Sadly, without the atmosphere of revival, many Christians lapse into something inferior to the Christian norm. Christian culture declines. (Towns, peg 131) Towns pointed out that with the absence of the atmosphere of revival, Christians fall out of the Christian path. My question is: why must revival end? This is a common mistake most churches do. As soon as the mission was fulfilled, we walk away thinking that what we had started/had Just revived will flourish on its own. My challenge, therefore, is continuous revival. Pursue revival not only to the outsiders, non-believers and the nest that have left the Christian path, but also within the people of our church.

When a farmer plants his crops, he does not leave it to tend on its own, he will continue visiting his crops, trim the weeds that surround it, water the plants, and make sure that it has what it needs to grow and thrive. We are like the farmer, and our church is our crop, we are responsible for the growth and progress of our Christian community. We should never cease reviving our church or our community. If we keep that light burning, we will be able to keep our church inspired in working together to be better Christians and followers of Jesus Christ.

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Ecology Sin and Ecology Salvation for Today

In this humble paper, I the writer will discuss the ecological sins and ecological salvation. Even though there may have many ecological sins and salvation according to ecologists and theologians, this short paper will emphasize the Christian doctrine of original sins to help well understanding resent ecological sins; observe that the main or the foundation of ecological sins as neglect of the biblical doctrine of creation; and express awaking manifesto on ecological sins.

And regarding ecological salvation, the writer of this humble paper will emphasize creation care and attempted work of our Lord Jesus Christ; then conclude with the writer personal understanding of ecological sins and salvation. L. Ecological Sins According to William H. Becker, the Christian doctrine of original sin can help clarify our understanding of the resent Ecological crisis, to understanding of current Ecological sins in four respects.

It can expose to view:l (1) the powerful role of social and economic forces that promote ecological self-destructiveness and have the appearance of “necessity” or “destiny,” though they involve human choice; (2) our culture’s pervasive confusion of material success with spiritual fulfillment; (3) our diction to what we know is destroying us; and (4) the totalitarian character of our ecocide mentality, which influences all dimensions of our culture, diminishing our ability to reason even as it distorts our desiring and willing.

The doctrine of original sin helps us see that we are socializing ourselves to sin ecologically. Our present anti-ecological behavior is thoroughly rooted in a social context actively supported and promoted by a powerful process of colonization and education. 2 In his book The Poverty of Affluence, Paul Yachted suggests that this ecological destructiveness mess logical and attractive because we have socialized ourselves to see economic well-being, which requires ever-increasing economic growth, as the primary symbol and proof of personal and social success, worthiness, identity, and meaning. Thomas Berry describes Americans today as “autistic” with . We are a people “so locked up in themselves that no one and nothing else can get in…. We are talking to ourselves. We are not talking to the river; we are not listening to the river. “4 Walker’s pointed application of original sin to the ecological issue serves to Reese again our question, why is it that ecological theologian have, in general, avoided reference to this doctrine? Examination of some of their writings suggests the following answers. First, many theologians concerned with ecology have concluded that Christianity abysmal record on this issue is due largely to its central focus on the process of human redemption from sin, hence on Christ the redeemer, with a consequent deemphasizes on God as Creator, on God’s presence in and concern with all of creation. Matthew Fox’s “creation spirituality” and Thomas Berry’s argument that the Christian “creed itself is overbalanced in favor of redemption…. Creation becomes increasingly less important. 6 In the second place, emphasis upon the fall of humankind and original sin suggests that the world as a whole is fallen. “A fall or redemption tradition,” writes Matthew Fox, “by devaluation the spirituality of matter, has led people to believe that spiritual depth consists in letting go of things” by ascetically separating oneself from this world. Restoring the dignity and spiritual integrity of the material world, according to this logic, seems to entail De-emphasis on he fall and original sin. Third, ecological theologians avoid this doctrine because it is the basis for the doctrine of salvation by a divine savior.

Original sin understands human nature to be so distorted (“totally depraved”) by sin that it no longer possesses a clear apprehension of God’s goodness and love and is inclined inevitably to choose what is evil. Given this utterly fallen condition, humanity is not capable of saving itself; a divine savior is required. 8 In an interesting passage, Thomas Berry argues that Paul stressed the doctrine of original sin precisely because he wished to eighteen the significance of Jesus the Christ as a savior. “In order to exalt the Christ redemptive process, SST.

Paul has to have something that we need to be redeemed from. “9 More recently, according to Howard A. Snyder for evangelical worldview one of Ecological sins is Neglect of the biblical doctrine of creation. 10 Evangelicals often neglect the prior biblical doctrine of creation itself. Biblically speaking, the doctrine of new creation depends upon a right understanding of the original creation. In practice, Evangelical theology often begins with Genesis 3 rather than Genesis 1 . All are sinners in need of God’s saving grace.

But biblical theology does not begin with sin; it begins with creation. Human beings-?man and woman together-?are created in the image of God and placed in a garden which also reflects God’s nature. Scripture consistently grounds God’s glorious work through Jesus Christ by the Spirit in both creation and redemption. Jesus Christ is both “the firstborn of all creation” and “the firstborn from the dead”-?affirmations that unite creation and redemption (Cool. 1:15, 1:18). In the Book of Revelation, God is praised in hymns celebrating both creation (Rev. :1 1) and redemption through the blood of Christ (Rev. :9). In the Old Testament, the Sabbath, so full of scatological portent, is grounded both in creation (Ex. 20:11) and redemption from Egyptian slavery (Duet. 5:15). It is remarkable the way Scripture consistently holds together the themes of creation and redemption. The biblical doctrine of redemption through the cross presupposes the doctrine of creation, and redemption can never be understood in a fully biblical way unless the full story of creation, and not Just human creation, is kept in view. L For we Chin people today, according to Awaking Declaration ecological sins are:12 hafting cultivation system which caused green hilly ranges transformed into bald and denuded hills through this traditional cultivating system; the practice of felling trees and wanton setting of fires to the Jungles resulting in dried up spring and streams, causing deterioration in soil and change of climates; and the system of free- to-roam domestic animals which cause havoc to cultivation. II. Ecological Salvation A.

Creation Care “The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims his handiwork” (As. 19:1). God created the universe to glorify himself and to assist his human creation in praising him. We should care for the environment for God’s sake. Caring for and protecting the world God has made is part of our worship and service. We care for creation for God’s sake. We should care for creation as if our life depended on it-?because it does. Scripture is the story of God’s people serving God in God’s land. If God’s people are faithful, the land prospers.

Conversely, if the land suffers, we suffer. This is a repeated theme in much of Old Testament literature-?in the law, the prophets, and the wisdom literature. It comes to particular focus in the Jubilee legislation of Leviticus 25-26. The key fact is ecological interdependence. If we care about people, we will care for the land and air and multiplied species on which our well-being depends. We should care for the created order because it has its own God-given right to exist and flourish, independently of its relationship to us. The world after all is God’s handiwork, not ours.

God created the universe for his good purposes, not all of which are yet known to us. We need, therefore, a certain scatological humility and reserve. We are to honor God’s creative work and to fulfill our responsibilities as stewards of what he has made. Since all God’s creatures reflect God’s glory and have a place in God’s plan, they are part of legitimate Christian concern. If God cares for and about the creatures, so should we. 13 B. Redemption Jesus’ incarnation displays the love and concern of God for his creation (CB. JNI. 3:16).

Jesus came to save not only humanity, but the whole earth. Humanity and the earth are inextricably bound together: we are to care for the earth; our fall resulted in the earth; and now our redemption results in the redemption of the earth, hence we have the onerous task of fulfilling the cultural mandate by proclaiming the gospel to al of creation. Jesus on the cross redeemed the whole of creation: the cross has global effects. The cross lies at the heart of Christianity; it follows, then, that it must be central to a Christian environmental ethic.

The imagery of the cross represents all that Jesus has done: the cross is Pall’s unique shorthand means of referring to Jesus’ death, resurrection and all that it has accomplished. There, are, particularly in the Pauline passages, several ecological implications of the cross: it affirms that the earth is the Lord’s. The work that Jesus began in redemption on the cross, he will finish at is Prussia. The earth is involved in redemption, and it too will be involved in the consummation.

The earth is never seen as a machine or as raw material, but as the scene of God’s redemptive action, and as such it will be renewed at the Prussia: redemption includes a transformation of the earth. 14 More recently the Awaking declaration of ecological salvation goes:1 5 abandoning the system of shifting cultivation which causes developing the chins from their habitat; forsaking the felling down of trees without restriction and setting fire to the Jungles; and quitting unrestrained feeling down of natural vegetation and setting wild fires to the Jungles.

Conclusion For the writer personally, the ecological sin is the results of misinterpreting on the creation story on the bible; it is wrong relationship to our fellow creations; it is disobeying the great commission of God and responsibility to steward of creation. We have a great commission and a wonderful opportunity to make Jesus Christ known today-?to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom; to declare God’s glory among the nations. We have a stewardship to fulfill that is a stewardship of creation, and a tidewaters of God’s many-colored grace (l Apt. 4:10), which is our essential resource.

We want to see creation healed, and we are hopeful because God has promised it will be so. We especially want to see our brothers and sisters throughout the earth healed of the disease of sin, brought into new-creation life through Jesus Christ and the Spirit. We want to live and proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God so that more and more people worldwide keep covenant with God and with his good earth that is in the assurance that “the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to cay’ and ‘the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

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The Cornerstone of Christian Faith: the Resurrection of Jesus

The resurrection of Jesus Christ separates Christianity from all other religions. Christianity without the literal, physical resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is merely one religion among many. “And if Christ is not risen,” said the Apostle Paul, “then our preaching is empty and your faith is in vain”. (1 Corinthians 15:14) Furthermore, “You are still in your sins! ” Paul could not have chosen stronger language. (Mohler) Still, the resurrection of Jesus Christ has been under persistent attacks since the Apostolic age. Why?

Because it is the central confirmation of Jesus’ identity as the incarnate Son of God, and the ultimate sign of Christ’s completed work of atonement, redemption, reconciliation, and salvation. Those who oppose Christ recognize the Resurrection as the vindication of Christ against His enemies. Christ’s resurrection is the cornerstone of our faith. Without it, Christianity crumbles. It is precisely because the physical resurrection of Christ is at the very heart of Christianity that it is constantly under attack. Our culture frequently denies the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ due to a bias against miracles.

It is common for aberrant Christianity and cultism to deny the physical resurrection of Christ as well. For these reasons, we must be equipped to defend this essential of essentials. To do so, let’s look back at the biblical and historical records of Christ’s resurrection. (Hanegraaff) First, the physical resurrection of Christ is affirmed in the Scripture. When the Jewish leaders asked for a miraculous sign, Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days” (John 2:19). Scripture confirms that the temple he was speaking of was the temple of his own body.

John states: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched — this we proclaim concerning the Word of Life” (1 John 1:1). Furthermore, the confessions of Christianity are replete with references to the physical resurrection of the Redeemer. Cyril of Jerusalem proclaimed, “Let no heretic ever persuade thee to speak evil of the Resurrection. For to this day the Manichees say that the resurrection of the Savior was phantom-wise, and not real. (Hanegraaff) Like the church fathers, the medieval church and the Reformation produced compelling confessions concerning the bodily resurrection. Thomas Aquinas condemns those who “have not believed in the resurrection of the body, and have strained to twist the words of holy Scripture to mean a spiritual resurrection. ” the Westminster Confession assert: “On the third day he rose from the dead, with the same body in which he suffered; with which also he ascended into heaven, and there sittith at the right hand of the Father. (Hanegraaff) Finally, the characteristics of Christ’s body bear eloquent truth to his physical resurrection. Jesus invited the disciples to examine His resurrected His resurrected body so that they would know beyond the shadow of a doubt that it was the exact same one that had been fatally tormented. He also ate food as proof of the nature of His resurrected body. Jesus provided the final exclamation mark for His physical resurrection by telling the disciples that His resurrected body was comprised of “flesh and bones. ” “Touch me and see;” He says, “a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have” (Luke 24:39).

Those who would attack the Church and reject its gospel must direct their arrows at the most crucial truth claim of the New Testament and the disciples: That Jesus Christ, having suffered death on a cross, though sinless, having borne the sins of those He came to save, having been buried in a sealed and guarded grave, was raised by the power of God on the third day.

The two factors about the resurrection which are very significant for the Christian faith are as follows;

  • It became the fruits for the believer’s own experience.
  • As Christ rose from the grave so shall the believer be. This shows the triumph of faith over the grave.

It is by the resurrection that the divine approval is shown for the work of Christ on the cross. The resurrection is the coping stone of the whole ministry of Jesus. In conclusion and simply stated, Christianity stands or falls with the empty grave. If Christ is not raised, our faith is in vain. Paul asserted that Christ rose from the dead and our faith is not in vain, but is in the risen Lord. Jesus willingly faced death on a cross and defeated death from the grave.

The Resurrection is the ultimate sign of God’s vindication of His Son. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the promise of our resurrection from the dead, and of Christ’s total victory over sin and death. Therefore, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is at the very center of the Christian gospel.

Bibliography

  1. Hanegraaff, Hank. “Jesus Christ’s Resurrection: The Exclamation Point. ” 03 March 2008. Crosswalk. com. 08 October 2011.
  2. Mohler, Albert. Christianity. com. Unknown. 07 October 2011.
  3. The NIV Study Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995.

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