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

1. What does Bhakti movement mean? Ans. A series of Hindu saints & reformers started religious reform movements which adopted the method of devotion (Bhakti) to achieve salvation. Their method of expression of devotion ranged from the routine worship of deities within temples to singing & chanting of devotional compositions.

5. What were Attitude of the Nayanars & Alavars sects towards the cast? Ans. Some historians are of the view that Alvars & Nayanaras started a movement of protest against the caste system & the dominance of Brahmans or at least made efforts to reform them. This view is supported by the fact that these Bhakti reformers came from diverse social backgrounds; some of them belonged to lower classes such as... Continue reading "Bhakti Movement and Sufi Traditions: A Comparative Study" »

Tyndale's 1525 New Testament Prologue: Historical Context

This document presents the prologue to William Tyndale’s New Testament, printed in Cologne in 1525 during the reign of King Henry VIII. This period marked a pivotal moment in European history with the emergence of the Protestant Reformation.

The Rise of the Protestant Reformation

The early 16th century witnessed a significant religious movement across Europe: the Protestant Reformation. Led by the German theologian Martin Luther, this movement challenged the perceived corruption within the Catholic Church and advocated for profound reforms. Luther's ideas quickly gained international popularity, attracting numerous followers to his cause.

Core Tenets of Lutheranism

Lutherans questioned... Continue reading "Tyndale's 1525 New Testament Prologue: Faith & Reformation" »

Plato: Plato was an Athenian philosopher during the Classical period in Ancient Greece, founder of the Platonist school of thought, and the Academy, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world.

Gilgamesh: The best-known and most popular hero in the mythology of the ancient Near East, Gilgamesh was a Sumerian king who wished to become immortal. Endowed with superhuman strength, courage, and power, he appeared in numerous legends and myths, including the Epic of Gilgamesh.

Monotheism: Monotheism is the belief in a single all-powerful god, as opposed to religions that believe in multiple gods. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are widely practiced forms of monotheism. ... Monotheism is any religion that believes in one god. From... Continue reading "Key Figures and Concepts in History and Philosophy" »

Key Religious Concepts Defined

Understanding Prophets and Call Stories

What is a Prophet?

A spokesperson for God.

Examples: Moses, Ezekiel.

The Call Story: Divine Invitation

A series of narratives detailing God's calling of individuals and entrusting them with a mission.

Covenant: A Sacred Agreement

A sacred agreement or solemn promise.

Revelation: God's Self-Disclosure

The act of God revealing Himself and His ethical principles.

How God is Revealed

• The Prophets: God's self-revelation to prophets.
• Nature: Through changing seasons and the natural world.
• Sacred Scriptures: Through which the actions of God in human history are revealed.
• Jesus: Through whom God fully revealed Himself.

The Nature of Human Relationship with God

Life at its core is a relationship... Continue reading "Divine Covenants and Revelation: Core Concepts" »

Meaning of the letter A in The Scarlet Letter

Puritanism, a strict Calvinist form of Protestant Christianity, differed from mainline Christianity in five principal beliefs. These beliefs constituted the Puritans' path to salvation and created a religion with a strict and rigid morality. In order to understand the meaning of the letter A in The Scarlet Letter, it is first necessary to understand Puritan Society.

For the Puritans, Original Sin brought total depravity to all humanity. Because of Original Sin, all humans are destined to die and suffer eternal damnation. Unlike Catholics and Christians of other denominations, who believed that Christ died for all mankind, Puritans believed that the death of Christ on the cross did not redeem the entire... Continue reading "The Meaning of the Letter A in The Scarlet Letter" »

Pages 12 and 13

Where did Islam begin?

• Muslims believe in a single God.
• Islam is a monotheistic religion.
• It began in the Arabian Peninsula in the 7th century.
• The Arabian Peninsula is a flat region between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.
• They were polytheistic until Islam spread across the Peninsula.
• Mecca and Medina were important cities in the Peninsula.

Muhammad, the founder of Islam

• He was born in 570.
• He worked in the caravan trade and learned about the ideas of Judaism and Christianity.
• This religion was based on submission to Allah, or God, and was called Islam.
• Muhammad promoted the new religion, but in 622 he had to escape to Medina. (This event called Hegira marks the beginning of the Muslim era).
• Muhammad's sayings were recorded in the Quran,

God's Motivation for Creation

God creates all things out of a perfectly free act of love to share happiness with creatures and manifest His glory. Reason and revelation agree God is the creator; time began with creation, and all God creates is good. God preserves and guides creation according to His wisdom toward the end He has in mind.

God's Creative Functions

Preservation: Refers to the continued existence and maintenance of created things. Unlike a sculptor and a statue, God's creation constantly depends on Him.

Providence: God's plan for all creatures, leading them to their intended purpose. Every creature is guided by grace and nature according to God's will, which is fulfilled when we seek and conform to it.

Divine Governance: God's work of... Continue reading "Divine Creation: Love, Purpose, and Grace" »

Common Good

The sum total of all social conditions which allow people, either as groups or individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and easily.

Social Sin

The effect that every personal sin has on others; the collectivity of such sins which create “structures of sins.”

Social Teaching

The subset of moral theology which is articulated when the Church interprets events in the course of history with the help of the Holy Spirit & Revelation.

Natural Law

Moral knowledge that is written in every human heart and is “co-natural” with human nature.

Solidarity

Virtue of social charity, friendship, and responsibility whereby interdependence among all people is recognized.

Stewardship

The proper use of God’s gift; the care for recreation that... Continue reading "Catholic Social Teaching: Key Concepts and Principles" »

Humanism and the Reformation: Key Movements in Europe

Humanism was a philosophical and cultural movement that spread in 15th and 16th-century Europe. It marked a shift from:

• The medieval theocentric viewpoint, where all activities revolved around God.
• The anthropocentric viewpoint, where human intelligence was the key to understanding and interpreting the universe.

Humanists emphasized:

• The use of reason and experience.
• A deep curiosity about the world.
• Inspiration from the cultural inheritance of antiquity.

Most medieval texts were written in Latin.

Key Figures of Humanism

• Erasmus of Rotterdam: A Dutch humanist who admired ancient Greece and Rome. One of his most famous works was *The Praise of Folly*.
• Thomas More: Born in London, he was executed by

William Blake's *Infant Joy*: Analysis and Interpretation

Context

Infant Joy is often interpreted by critics as an imaginary dialogue between a newborn baby and its mother. The baby asserts that its name, and therefore its nature, is joy. The mother wishes that joy will continue to characterize the infant's life.

Many critics view the poem's dialogue as a lullaby a mother is singing to her newborn child, assuming both their voices. The child's words celebrate the baby's present innocence and joy (“I happy am”). Her response, “Sweet joy befall thee,” is both a blessing and a recognition that what may befall the baby will include other, less joyful, experiences.

Some critics also remind us that Blake wrote at a time of very high infant mortality.... Continue reading "William Blake's Infant Joy: Analysis and Interpretation" »