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

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" »

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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" »

Elements of Body Language You Can Consciously Work On:

• Posture:

  This will enhance your positive aura and help you appear more responsible and reliable. Few basics:
  • Stand tall with straight shoulders while leaning forwards slightly.
  • Keep your posture open by not folding your arms across your body.
  • Don't tuck your hands in your pockets, keep them free to gesture.
  • Work on improving your body language.

• Facial Expression:

  Use your face to show you're a friendly person. Express enthusiasm and conviction on your views through your face. The basics:
  • Nothing better than a genuine smile to express your warmth.
  • Keep your face relaxed with your gaze steady.
  • Make eye contact (not more than 2 seconds).
  • Keep the comfort of your audience in mind.

• Voice:

  Research shows

Origins and Beliefs

Rabbinic Judaism, also known as Rabbinism, has been the dominant form of Judaism since the 6th century CE. It emerged from Pharisaic Judaism and is based on the belief that Moses received the Written Torah (Pentateuch) and an oral explanation, known as the Oral Torah, from God at Mount Sinai.

Development and Spread

Rabbinic Judaism gained prominence within the Jewish diaspora between the 2nd and 6th centuries. The development of the oral law and the Talmud allowed for the interpretation of Jewish scripture and the practice of Judaism in the absence of Temple sacrifice and other practices.

Conservative Judaism

Conservative Judaism emerged in 19th-century Germany as a response to the liberal positions of Reform Judaism. It emphasizes... Continue reading "Rabbinic Judaism: The Mainstream Form of Judaism Since the 6th Century CE" »

The Importance of the Trinity to Christians

God the Son

The concept of the Trinity, where God exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, holds immense significance for Christians. God the Son, embodied in Jesus Christ, represents God in human form, sent to Earth to redeem humanity. Jesus' power to heal and save serves as a reminder of God's love and compassion.

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in Christian faith by enabling believers to perceive God's presence in the world. It bestows upon them spiritual gifts and guidance, fostering a deeper connection with the divine.

The Trinity in the Nicene Creed

The Nicene Creed, a foundational statement of Christian beliefs, affirms the doctrine of the Trinity.

Jesus as the Son of God

The creed... Continue reading "Christian Beliefs: The Trinity, Problem of Evil, and the Last Days of Jesus" »