Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Religion

The Exodus: Israelites' Journey from Egypt to Canaan

The Israelites' Enslavement in Egypt

The book of Exodus describes the Israelites' journey from Egypt to Canaan, which lasted 40 years. The last chapters of Genesis describe a famine that occurred in Canaan. As Jacob's descendants grew in number, the Pharaoh became increasingly distrustful of them. Exodus details how the Pharaoh mistreated the Israelites, ultimately enslaving them.

Moses and the Exodus

Moses was an Israelite who was adopted by the Royal Family. God appeared to Moses and instructed him to rescue his people from slavery in Egypt. Moses asked the Pharaoh to free the Israelites, but he refused. God then brought terrible hardships upon Egypt, such as sickness and swarms of insects.... Continue reading "Israelites' Journey from Egypt to Canaan: Exodus Story" »

At the beginning of the Early Modern Age, the authority of the Catholic Church was being challenged. People believed that the Catholic Church was failing to adapt to the times.

Humanism emphasized the value of human beings and promoted individual interpretation of the Bible. With the development of authoritarian monarchies, monarchs had more control over the Church, weakening the authority of the pope.

In addition, the selling and buying of indulgences was introduced. This meant that sins could be pardoned in exchange for money given to the Church. This practice was criticized by priests and humanists. There were many other harmful practices at the heart of the Church, so some people called for reforms:

Essential Vocabulary List: Definitions and Meanings

• Abase: To humiliate; to lower in esteem or dignity; to humble.
• Abet: To support someone who has done something wrong.
• Abeyance: Temporary cessation.
• Abjure: To formally renounce or take back (a belief or claim).
• Abomination: Extreme loathing or disgust.
• Aboriginal: Native; indigenous.
• Abound: To be numerous or plentiful.
• Abrogate: To repeal or nullify (a law, right, or agreement).
• Accede: To give in; to agree.
• Accentuate: To emphasize or make more noticeable.
• Access: The right or means to approach or enter.
• Acclaim: To praise publicly and enthusiastically.
• Accord: To agree; to be in harmony; to grant or bestow.
• Accouterment: Personal clothing or equipment; trappings.
• Accrue: To accumulate over time.
• Acquisitive:

Change and religious conflicts. Reformation and Counter-Reformation

The causes of the Reformation

• Disdain for the papacy and clergy: People believed that popes were concerned with their own interests; bishops lived a life of luxury and didn't reside in their dioceses; lower-ranking clergy lacked education, didn't preach and failed to set a moral example; and religious orders didn't adhere to the established rules.
• The abuses of the Church: Nepotism, favouritism by the high-ranking clergy towards members of their own family when allocating ecclesiastic positions; nicolaism, marriage practiced by priests; simony, the sale of ecclesiastic posts. Pope, bishops and cardinals sold forgiveness for sins to whoever bought a document of indulgences.

Reforms

What is Virtue?

Virtue is an acquired habit and firm disposition to do good.

Theological Virtues:

• Faith: Belief in God and all that He has revealed to us. It is a theological virtue by which we believe in God and all He has revealed to us.
• Hope: Firm confidence in eternal life.
• Charity: Love God above all things and all neighbors as ourselves.

Moral Virtues:

• Prudence: Practical reason to discern in all moments.
• Temperance: Moderates the attraction to sensual pleasures.
• Justice: Consists in the constant and firm will to give to God and neighbor what is due to them.
• Fortitude: Firmness and constancy in the practice of good.

The Seven Deadly Sins

The deadly sins, or capital vices, are those to which fallen human nature is mainly inclined. The deadly sins... Continue reading "A Guide to Catholic Virtues, Sins, and Commandments" »

The transmission view of communication

The transmission view of communication is the commonest in our culture--perhaps in all industrial cultures--and dominates contemporary dictionary entries under the term. It is defined by terms such as "imparting," "sending," "transmitting," or "giving information to others." It is formed from a metaphor of geography or transportation. In the nineteenth century but to a lesser extent today, the movement of goods or people and the movement of information were seen as essentially identical processes and both were described by the common noun "communication." The center of this idea of communication is the transmission of signals or messages over distance for the purpose of control. It is a view of communication

Historical Background

The origin of Buddhism was a founder, Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha, who was born in Lumbini (in present-day Nepal) during the 5th century BCE.

Basic Belief System

One fundamental belief of Buddhism is often referred to as reincarnation, the concept that people are reborn after dying. In fact, most individuals go through many cycles of birth, living, death, and rebirth.

The Four Noble Truths

• Dukkha: Suffering exists, is real, and almost universal.
• Samudaya: There is a cause of suffering; people desire worldly things and self-satisfaction.
• Nirodha: There is an end to suffering, which is to stop desiring things.
• Magga: In order to end suffering, you must follow the Eightfold Path.

Eightfold Path

1. Know and understand the

Tariq bin Ziyad

Ṭāriq ibn Ziyād was a Muslim commander who led the Islamic Umayyad conquest of Visigothic Hispania in 711–718 A.D. Under the orders of the Umayyad Caliph Al-Walid I, he led a large army across the Strait of Gibraltar from the North African coast, consolidating his troops at what is today known as the Rock of Gibraltar.

Treaty of Granada

The Treaty of Granada, signed and ratified on November 25, 1491, between Boabdil (the sultan of Granada), Ferdinand, and Isabella, stipulated the surrender of Granada and its territory by a certain time. The conditions were favorable: The Moors were to keep their religious freedom, their civil laws, and their right to leave the country. They were only required to pay the taxes they previously... Continue reading "Key Figures and Concepts in Islamic History" »

The Sacrament of Matrimony: A Divine Covenant

The Sacrament of Marriage is a covenant between a man and a woman, which is ordered to the well-being of the spouses and the procreation of children. Marriage should never be ended in divorce.

The Nuptial Blessing and Indissolubility

In Scripture, God gives us a Nuptial Blessing, which is a "blessed wedding." This takes place when the Church witnesses the couple's vows. Scripture also shows Jesus' teachings on indissolubility—the teaching that marriage should not end in divorce. It also states that the redeemed should not break from their spouses.

Marriage as a Sign of Grace

Marriage is a "sign of grace," brought about by the form and matter of marriage. The form of marriage is the marriage vows—the... Continue reading "The Catholic Sacrament of Matrimony: Covenant and Fulfillment" »