Religion and Theology

.Name several instances of racism and/or discrimination among the Jews throughout history. Why do you think that Jews have experienced such harsh treatment, racism, and physical and verbal abuse throughout history? Do Jews still experience discrimination, racism, and/or abuse today? Explain Christianity has over 1.87 billion people in the world today. Discuss from your point of view the factors that have caused this religion to become the most widespread and largest religion in the present world. In the book, Jesus and the Rise of Christianity, describe the economic world in which Jesus was born. How does this world compare with the economic world we live in today? How did Jesus try to bring change among the different classes of people during his day? 

St. Augustine in the 5th Century held that we are free to make choices in life. This is the idea of free will. It may seem at first glance odd for a religious thinker to say that we have free will. After all, if God exists, then God created all things. God knows already what we will do. God can cause anything to occur. If we cause things to occur, that seems to be a limitation on the power of God and not make God all-powerful. There are also religious traditions that say that we have no free will. There are some theologians in Islam who seem to suggest that is true. In order for this line of reasoning to hold true, one would need to believe free will is an illusion and that we have no control over how we live our lives, but rather that we are puppets moving and acting due to God’s will and the powers of destiny and fate. And if this then in the case, how can we possibly be responsible for our actions? The considerations above show us to what degree our religious beliefs can shape us. For instance, someone who believes in free will may experience way more guilt than someone who believes we don’t have free will and thus isn’t responsible for the choices (and consequences) of the actions we take. Personal struggles with religion and ethics occur in many places, including in the healthcare arena. Consider the following: You are a nurse in a hospital. A 12-year-old was brought to the hospital by an ambulance. The parents have just arrived at the hospital. This 12-year-old has lost a large amount of blood and requires a transfusion. The parents happen to be members of a religion that believes that blood transfusions are immoral. They want to remove the child from the hospital and prevent the transfusion even if it means the death of the child. You have to decide whether or not you will participate in an action that violates the will of the parents and aid in providing blood for the child. If you choose to participate, and even if you are able to legally justify it, you have to think about the distress you are creating for the parents. If you refuse to aid here, you may be subject to retaliation from the hospital. What is the moral thing for the nurse to do here? Initial Post Instructions For the initial post, address the following questions: What would a divine command ethicist say is the moral thing to do here? Why would they say that? Do you agree with the divine command ethics? Why or why not? Evaluate what a natural law ethicist would say is right to do. Do you agree with them? Why or why not? Given what you said are the right things to do, what would an emotivist say about your positions and judgments? What role does subjectivity play here in determining what is ethical?

Yad VashemJewish Memorial Berlin[For an overview of Holocaust memorials, see this lecture(https://britishassociationforholocauststudies.wordpress.com/an-evening-lecture-with-professor-james-e-young/?fbclid=IwAR164iVIwpyf-eJi4ILOVPEtj-sPft7b0TEifLR_ZlvsonzZMizefWn_GGg) byJames E. Young, “The Stages of Memory: Reflections on Memorialization and Global Commemoration,”hosted by The British Association for Holocaust Studies,Literature/PoetrySebald, AusterlitzWiesel, NightAchebe, Things Fall ApartMorrison, BelovedCharlotte DelboLeila SebbarPaul CelanIrena KlepfiszFilmInglorious BasterdsThe Nasty Girl (Das Schreckliche Mädchen)Nowhere in AfricaIdaNumberedCachéWaltz with BashirMusicGoreckiChildish Gambino (“This is America”)HamiltonVisual Art/Artists

compose a nine-page dialogue in which Socrates (or Confucius) applies critical thinking to debunk a conspiracy theory. Instructions in Kreeft, SocraticLogic,P344-347.Each criterion is assigned a value of 10% towards a total of 100% from the ten criteria.Initial question arising from ordinary situation or conversation (#2, p.346)Socrates as questioner, not as preacher (#4, p.346; #3, p.347)Socratic irony (##5-6, p.346)Spiritual therapy and missionary work (##7-9, p.346)Definition of question (##1-2, pp.346-7)Socratic strategy (#5, p.347)Dramatic interest, turning on a key point (##6-7, p.347)Conclusion, either by way of closure or intimations (#9, p.347)Historical fidelity (#10, p.347)Spiritual fidelity (#4, p.345)

“Death of the individual. There is no such thing as self, argues professor Tom Oliver” [The Telegraph] – Evolution, Morality and Politics (evolutionmoralitypolitics.com)After reading the article, write a short essay answering the following questions:1. Compare the theme in the above article with the notions of personal identity in Buddhism.2. What are some of the similarities between Buddhism and this modern notion of of self?3. Based on what you know about Buddhism, what might be some of the dissimilarities within Buddhism and this modern reductive view of identity.Your writing should be typed in a Word document in 12 point, Times New Roman font and must be over 250 words in length. You do not need outside sources to complete this assignment, reading the article should be enough

The importance of St Anselm of Canterbury for the development of Christian Theology, and the emphasis he placed on the interworking of Reason, Revelation and Faith.

Alternative Presentations Assignment: Research PaperWrite a 5-7-page research paper on a theme in the New Testament (biblical theology). Choose a prominent theme in the New Testament. Read and research this theme in at least 5 different and substantial sources (at least 2 should be from a critical journal article). Develop a biblical theology of this theme. Identify similarities and differences in its presentation evaluating its integration within the New Testament: The Theology of the Messiah; the Theology of the Salvation; The Theology of Suffering; The Theology of Church; The Theology of Leadership; The Theology of Wisdom; or The Theology of the Worship.

34 Gospels Read the 34 Gospels article (click here). Post your top three choices for the most bizarre non-canonical gospels and provide a couple of sentences explaining why you think they are bizarre.  In the same post, indicate the top-three most interesting gospels to you and if you had time you’d like to learn more about. Also include why it is that you’d like to learn more about these particular three with a couple of sentences PUNCTUATIONINTHENEWTESTAMENT ·        Read the short article: “PUNCTUATIONINTHENEWTESTAMENT.” (Click Here) ·        Post three things you learned from the article that you never knew before and why they are significant to you. Junia: The First Woman Apostle? Listen to the Podcast from the “NT Podcast” with Mark Goodacre https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdD36zVVOb0 Post your thoughts on what the significance is if Junia is a female name in Romans 16 and not a male name? What is the significance of this for you and, if you go to church, your church? Additionally, post what the podcast explains as to why the name was translated as a male name for so long. Note that this is due more towards the end of the course, so there are no responses necessary for this post.

Read the 34 Gospels article (click here). Post your top three choices for the most bizarre non-canonical gospels and provide a couple of sentences explaining why you think they are bizarre.  In the same post, indicate the top-three most interesting gospels to you and if you had time you’d like to learn more about. Also include why it is that you’d like to learn more about these particular three with a couple of sentences PUNCTUATIONINTHENEWTESTAMENT (5%) Read the short article: “PUNCTUATIONINTHENEWTESTAMENT.” (Click Here) Post three things you learned from the article that you never knew before and why they are significant to you. Junia: The First Woman Apostle? (5%) Listen to the Podcast from the “NT Podcast” with Mark Goodacre Play Mute Loaded: 0% Progress: 0% 0:00 Post your thoughts on what the significance is if Junia is a female name in Romans 16 and not a male name? What is the significance of this for you and, if you go to church, your church? Additionally, post what the podcast explains as to why the name was translated as a male name for so long. Note that this is due more towards the end of the course, so there are no responses necessary for this post.

This is a Discussion Board Reply Assignment, Replies to TWO different classmates are a minimum of 250 words each. Reply to Bartley then reply to Amy. Each reply must be at least 250 words. In each reply state what you agree with and what you disagree with.   Bartley Nethery  DB Forum 2 There is no doubt, evangelism is messy. People, in general, are messy. As someone who works for the public on a daily basis, I can attest to this fact. People see things differently, interpret certain actions or words differently, assume intentions and motives, and react based on unspoken expectations. All these tendencies, found in humans, create difficulty in communication, and evangelism is no exception. This truth makes evangelism messy at times, but it is also the reason that McRaney deals with what the evangelist’s role is. He suggests that believers are to be prepared both spiritually and mentally for evangelism. This process begins “with a willing spirit.”[1] From here, McRaney suggests that believers should be seeking the direction of the Holy Spirit through prayer for the unsaved, as well as prayer for clarity in communication with the unsaved. In this way, spiritual preparation begins to take place. Additionally, McRaney suggests that “Before we can share a witness, we need to understand the message and person of Christ.”[2] This truth speaks for itself. Christians need to understand the gospel in order to share it. Through these simple spiritual and mental steps, the Christian can prepare for the messiness that inevitably shows up in communicating the gospel. There is no greater weapon against it. Prayer and Gospel fluency covers a multitude of messes in sharing one’s faith.             I am certain that spiritual warfare was going on leading up to the point of giving my life to Christ. While I am certain of this fact, I cannot specifically point to anything that might have been. You see, I came to know Jesus when I was seven years old. I have a hard time bringing to memory my life prior to that moment, in all honesty. Additionally, I do not believe I would say my salvation experience was a demonstration of messiness in evangelism. I came to know Christ while I sat on my couch watching a Christian puppet show on television. If it was messy prior to that day, I do not recall. I do know that prayer played an important part in my salvation. My parents are both believers, and they had raised us in the Church. On top of that, my parents and grandparents were faithful to pray for myself and my siblings. This took place from the time we were born until each of our salvation. I believe their prayers played a vital role in my salvation.             According to McRaney, “…the Holy Spirit is also at work in the life of lost persons to draw them to Himself, reveal the truth, and convict the world regarding the message.”[3] First, the Holy Spirit is drawing the lost person to Himself. After all, Jesus said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him…” (John 6:44 NIV). Furthermore, the Holy Spirit reveals the truth of the gospel to the lost person hearing it. McRaney suggests that the Holy Spirit is the one who reveals God’s existence to lost people first, not the evangelist. This means that the Holy Spirit is at work through natural revelation before the evangelist is ever brought to share the gospel. The Holy Spirit is also convicting of sin and need. Through all of these things, faith develops in the heart of the lost person. Through that faith, the Holy Spirit brings that lost soul from death to life (John 3:6-7), secures the new believer for all of eternity (Ephesians 4:30), and provides the believer with the spiritual resources necessary to live for God. (1 Corinthians 12-14) Recognizing that evangelism is not an attempt on the witness’s part to save anyone, is quite freeing. The witness is simply being faithful to share the gospel. The Holy Spirit is responsible for the result. In this truth, clearly understanding and sharing the gospel out of a humble, obedient heart brings biblical success. This clarity, coupled with humility, can be used by the Holy Spirit to wipe away a multitude of messiness in evangelism. This biblical truth includes issues of misconceptions and misperceptions. [1] Will McRaney, Jr., The Art of Personal Evangelism (Wordsearch Corporation, 2003), 62. [2] Ibid., 64. [3] Ibid, 30.       Amy Jeong  Discussion Board 2             Many people may view evangelism as one event in someone’s life. One Christian talks to one non-Christians and the non-Christians hears about Jesus for the first time. The non-Christian accepts Jesus at that moment and lives a life following Jesus. Of course, this would be an amazing event, but this does not happen with each person. Evangelism is not a one-time event but a spiritual harvest, and the harvests are not events but a process.[1] The spiritual harvest will require more attempts and elements than just one-time sharing and may need multiple people. Most importantly, God helps the seed to grow in the receivers’ hearts. Without the work of the Holy Spirit, there is no harvest. Will McRaney also refers to evangelism as a harvest and writes, “We plant seeds by loving people toward Jesus with small acts of kindness in the name of Jesus.”[2] When sharing the gospel, it is important to understand that not everyone will accept the gospel every time, so it may get our hands dirty and sweaty. However, “regardless of frustrations, rejection, or spiritual warfare, we must continue to work the fields.”[3]             As for my personal conversion experience, I met Jesus at a middle school retreat. I was already attending church at the time, but I did not completely accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. No one personally shared the gospel with me, and I just attended all the youth group events. However, I do know that many people at the church were praying for me and my salvation. Preparation for the retreat also must not have been easy as I attended a very small church, but the adults helped run the retreat for young students like me to meet Jesus. Spiritual warfare is always a part of retreats and students always tend to fight after retreats, but prayer from our pastor and church adults was very helpful to keep us in line. There is still continuous spiritual warfare in my life today, but I have found that prayer always helps to diffuse a situation. With that, it is important to remember that “Persistent, faith-based intercession produces results.”[4] Whether it is the enemy attacking me or the person I am sharing the gospel with, prayer is the best defense towards spiritual warfare and I must continuously pray for both of us.              As stated earlier, without God’s involvement, there is no harvest. The Holy Spirit is present in evangelism as “God is involved in evangelism at every point and level. Regeneration/conversion is 100 percent, God. However, He chooses to use various instruments to draw people to Himself.”[5] We are those instruments and “We are to seek to communicate clearly who Jesus is and what He expects, knowing that we are all flawed vessels but usable in God’s hands.”[6] With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we must be able to live out the gospel in our lives by obeying God, and we should be able to share the gospel accurately as well with His guidance and leadership. When we do this, we can answer any other questions or address misconceptions/misperceptions regarding the gospel by speaking from personal experience.