III: the Three Main Branches of Christianity Today
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Tabalujan, Benny Simon (2020) Improving Church Governance: Lessons from Governance Failures in Different Church Polities
Tabalujan, Benny Simon (2020) Improving church governance: Lessons from governance failures in different church polities. MTh(R) thesis. https://theses.gla.ac.uk/81403/ Copyright and moral rights for this work are retained by the author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This work cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Enlighten: Theses https://theses.gla.ac.uk/ [email protected] Improving Church Governance Lessons from Governance Failures in Different Church Polities by Benny Simon TABALUJAN A thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Theology (University of Glasgow) Edinburgh Theological Seminary 10 December 2019 © Benny Tabalujan, 2019 i Abstract This thesis focuses on the question as to whether using a particular church polity raises the likelihood of governance failure. Using the case study research method, I examine six case studies of church governance failures reported in the past two decades in the English media of mainly Western jurisdictions. The six case studies involve churches in the United States, Australia, Honduras, and Singapore. Three of the case studies involve sexual matters while another three involve financial matters. For each type of misconduct or alleged misconduct, one case study is chosen involving a church with congregational polity, presbyteral polity, and episcopal polity, respectively. -
Chinese Protestant Christianity Today Daniel H. Bays
Chinese Protestant Christianity Today Daniel H. Bays ABSTRACT Protestant Christianity has been a prominent part of the general religious resurgence in China in the past two decades. In many ways it is the most striking example of that resurgence. Along with Roman Catholics, as of the 1950s Chinese Protestants carried the heavy historical liability of association with Western domi- nation or imperialism in China, yet they have not only overcome that inheritance but have achieved remarkable growth. Popular media and human rights organizations in the West, as well as various Christian groups, publish a wide variety of information and commentary on Chinese Protestants. This article first traces the gradual extension of interest in Chinese Protestants from Christian circles to the scholarly world during the last two decades, and then discusses salient characteristics of the Protestant movement today. These include its size and rate of growth, the role of Church–state relations, the continuing foreign legacy in some parts of the Church, the strong flavour of popular religion which suffuses Protestantism today, the discourse of Chinese intellectuals on Christianity, and Protestantism in the context of the rapid economic changes occurring in China, concluding with a perspective from world Christianity. Protestant Christianity has been a prominent part of the general religious resurgence in China in the past two decades. Today, on any given Sunday there are almost certainly more Protestants in church in China than in all of Europe.1 One recent thoughtful scholarly assessment characterizes Protestantism as “flourishing” though also “fractured” (organizationally) and “fragile” (due to limits on the social and cultural role of the Church).2 And popular media and human rights organizations in the West, as well as various Christian groups, publish a wide variety of information and commentary on Chinese Protestants. -
How Orthodox and Non-Orthodox Christians
HOW ORTHODOX AND NON-ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS DIFFER Two Separate Models of Spirituality and Salvation By The Most Reverend Chrysostomos Former Archbishop and Metropolitan Emeritus of Etna I. Orthodoxy, Non-Traditionalist Orthodoxy, and Non-Orthodox Christianity It is difficult, in trying to explain to non-Orthodox (heterodox) Western Christians how Or - thodoxy and Western Christianity differ, without first explaining why, in the Orthodox world, there is an internal division between so-called traditionalist and non-traditionalist Orthodox (or ecu - menists and anti-ecumenists, a distinction that I will address subsequently). I shall, therefore, try to address that very complex issue, before presenting a model for understanding the things that separate Orthodox and non-Orthodox Christians. Traditionalists often, though not exclusively, operate under the banner of the Old Calendar (more precisely, the Church or Festal Calendar) and resistance to the adoption of the Papal or so- called “Revised Julian Calendar” by some Orthodox, and almost all Orthodox in America, in the twentieth century. Non-traditionalists have abandoned many of the traditions of Orthodoxy, some - times the Church Calendar—for which reason they are, in that instance, called “New Calen - darists”—and sometimes, though holding to the Church Calendar, other traditions, such as traditional forms of clerical dress, fasting, and worship, emphasis on monasticism, and so on. Be - tween the traditionalists and non-traditionalists there are varying degrees of interaction, variously marked by brotherly toleration of differences in practice and belief and, unfortunately, shockingly opprobrious hostility and enmity. This division in Orthodoxy not only makes it difficult to explain how Orthodox and non- Orthodox Christianity differ, but occasions immense confusion, since the non-traditionalist Ortho - dox, and especially in America, have adopted many of the traditions, much of the language, and a great deal of the ethos of Western Christianity, creating a sort of ethnically-centered but hybrid Or - thodoxy. -
Christianity Questions
Roman Catholics of the Middle Ages shared the belief that there was Name one God, and that he created the universe. They believed that God sent his son, Jesus, to Earth to save mankind. They believed that God wanted his people to meet for worship. They believed that it was their religious duty to convert others to Christianity. Christianity Roman Catholics believed in the Bible - both the Old Testament, By Sharon Fabian which dated back to the time before Jesus was born, and the New Testament, which contained Jesus' teachings as told by his apostles. When you look at a picture of a medieval town, what do you see at the town's center? Often, you Their beliefs led to several developments, which have become part of will see a Christian cathedral. With its tall spires the history of the Middle Ages. One was the building of magnificent reaching toward heaven, the cathedral cathedrals for worship. Another was the Crusades, military campaigns dominated the landscape in many small towns of to take back Palestine, the Christian "Holy Land," from the Muslims. the Middle Ages. This is not a surprise, since A third development was the creation of religious orders of monks Christianity was the dominant religion in Europe and nuns who made it their career to do the work of the Church. during that time. The Roman Catholic Church continued to dominate religious life in Christianity was not the only religion in Europe Europe throughout the Middle Ages, but as the Middle Ages declined, in the Middle Ages. There were Jews, Muslims, so did the power of the Church. -
Reformed Tradition
THE ReformedEXPLORING THE FOUNDATIONS Tradition: OF FAITH Before You Begin This will be a brief overview of the stream of Christianity known as the Reformed tradition. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, the Reformed Church in America, the United Church of Christ, and the Christian Reformed Church are among those considered to be churches in the Reformed tradition. Readers who are not Presbyterian may find this topic to be “too Presbyterian.” We encourage you to find out more about your own faith tradition. Background Information The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is part of the Reformed tradition, which, like most Christian traditions, is ancient. It began at the time of Abraham and Sarah and was Jewish for about two thousand years before moving into the formation of the Christian church. As Christianity grew and evolved, two distinct expressions of Christianity emerged, and the Eastern Orthodox expression officially split with the Roman Catholic expression in the 11th century. Those of the Reformed tradition diverged from the Roman Catholic branch at the time of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. Martin Luther of Germany precipitated the Protestant Reformation in 1517. Soon Huldrych Zwingli was leading the Reformation in Switzerland; there were important theological differences between Zwingli and Luther. As the Reformation progressed, the term “Reformed” became attached to the Swiss Reformation because of its insistence on References Refer to “Small Groups 101” in The Creating WomanSpace section for tips on leading a small group. Refer to the “Faith in Action” sections of Remembering Sacredness for tips on incorporating spiritual practices into your group or individual work with this topic. -
Engagement Guidelines: Orthodox Christian Leaders
Tip Sheets: Engaging Faith Communities V1.2 Engagement Guidelines: Orthodox Christian Leaders Religion Called: Orthodox Christianity Adherents Consider Themselves: Christian and are called Orthodox Christians House of Worship: Church or Cathedral First Point of Contact: Senior parish priest a.k.a. pastor Religious Leader: Priest or Deacon Spoken Direct Address: Use “Father” Physical Interaction: Handshake O.K. across sexes HOUSE OF WORSHIP Churches are local houses of worship. A parish refers to the congregation of a particular church. Parishes often have non-sacred spaces such as multipurpose rooms, schools, gyms, or offices. Cathedrals are large centers of worship for an entire regional area run by a Diocese or Archdiocese. Monasteries and convents house monks and nuns (respectively), and may include a chapel and areas for instruction/work. RELIGIOUS LEADERS Ordained/Commissioned/Licensed Leaders Orthodox Christian leadership is hierarchical with each national/ethnic branch having its own structure and leadership. Regional leadership generally falls to bishops (or archbishops, catholicos, or metropolitans). Priests and deacons provide sacramental and spiritual leadership; priests often are in charge of a local parish. Both priests and deacons are permitted to marry. Holy Orders and Lay Leaders Monks and nuns are non-ordained (lay) leaders (except for hiermonks who are ordained priests or deacons) who have usually taken a vow of poverty, celibacy, and obedience and often live an active vocation of both prayer and service. Many monks, nuns, and laypersons have important leadership positions —avoid assumptions based on title. Some U.S. parishes have lay administrators who take on many of the roles once the exclusive domain of clergy. -
The Authority of the Word of God in Print and in Person Bruxy Cavey Teaching Pastor, the Meeting House; Author, the End of Religion
The Authority of the Word of God in Print and in Person Bruxy Cavey Teaching Pastor, The Meeting House; Author, The End of Religion In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. And the Word became flesh... ~ John 1:1-5, 14a (NASB) Introduction The Word Made Flesh Whenever we talk about Scripture, we Christ-followers must remind ourselves that ultimately we are not just people of the book, but even more so, we are people of the Person. The book points us to the person of Jesus. The word in print points us to the Word in person. As followers of the Word made flesh, we must resist succumbing to an approach to God’s Word that was as popular in Jesus’ day as it is today. An approach that would unwittingly rewrite the above passage to say, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... And the Word became print and page and dwelt among us, at least, among those of us who are literate and educated, and it rolled off our printing presses and was memorized and studied and debated and divided over.” We must make no mistake here. -
Justifying Religious Freedom: the Western Tradition
Justifying Religious Freedom: The Western Tradition E. Gregory Wallace* Table of Contents I. THESIS: REDISCOVERING THE RELIGIOUS JUSTIFICATIONS FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.......................................................... 488 II. THE ORIGINS OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN EARLY CHRISTIAN THOUGHT ................................................................................... 495 A. Early Christian Views on Religious Toleration and Freedom.............................................................................. 495 1. Early Christian Teaching on Church and State............. 496 2. Persecution in the Early Roman Empire....................... 499 3. Tertullian’s Call for Religious Freedom ....................... 502 B. Christianity and Religious Freedom in the Constantinian Empire ................................................................................ 504 C. The Rise of Intolerance in Christendom ............................. 510 1. The Beginnings of Christian Intolerance ...................... 510 2. The Causes of Christian Intolerance ............................. 512 D. Opposition to State Persecution in Early Christendom...... 516 E. Augustine’s Theory of Persecution..................................... 518 F. Church-State Boundaries in Early Christendom................ 526 G. Emerging Principles of Religious Freedom........................ 528 III. THE PRESERVATION OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN MEDIEVAL AND REFORMATION EUROPE...................................................... 530 A. Persecution and Opposition in the Medieval -
Contested Ownership and Bible Translation in Southern Africa1
Whose Bible, mine or yours? Contested ownership and Bible translation in Southern Africa1 Jeremy Punt Department of Old and New Testament University of Stellenbosch Abstract An important but often neglected aspect of the use of the Bible in Africa is its ownership and issues related thereto. Ownership of the Bible obviously concerns its personal possession and all that that entails, but goes beyond the commodification of the Bible in modern consumerist culture to refer, ultimately, to the control of the biblical texts. The limited attention to the ownership of the Bible is mostly restricted to hermeneutics, often identified as a site of struggle in Africa. However, claims to ownership are becoming increasingly visible and up-front in the area of vernacular translations, where such claims and other conditions imposed on Bible translations illustrate the affinity people have with the Book, how their sense of identity and worldviews are moulded by it and how a Bible translation acts as an important player in issues of power at various levels. 1. INTRODUCTION: BIBLE TRANSLATIONS IN AFRICA The Bible has been read in translated format, since its earliest years and even when it was still in fragmented form. For many centuries the translation language of choice would be the Latin of the Vulgate,2 but since the sixteenth century vernacular translations became increasingly common, and on the African continent even more so with the impact of eighteen-century missionary activity. It is often argued that biblical interpretation, in the broad hermeneutical sense of the word, is a site of struggle in Africa, leading to discontent and 1 Paper read at the Bible Translation session of the 2002 SBL Annual Meeting, 23-26 November 2002 in Toronto, Ontario Canada. -
Five World Religions
World Religions Chinese - Taoism / Confucianism Hinduism Buddhism Atheism Islam Judaism Christianity By Steve Prodanich Adult Ministries First Presbyterian Church of La Grange 150 S. Ashland Ave, La Grange, IL 60525 Religions by the numbers • Christianity: 2.1 billion • Islam: 1.5 billion • Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist: 1.1 billion • Hinduism: 900 million • Chinese traditional (Confucian/Taoism) religion: 394 million • Buddhism: 376 million • primal-indigenous (ie: Yoruba): 400 million • Sikhism: 23 million • Judaism: 15 million? Framework of the Holy Trinity Father 100% Son 100% Holy Spirit 100% External to our personal being Highest human authority of the Internal to our personal being Universal Creator divine Logos – (greek) “the word of God” or the wisdom of God, The internal call to care that Fair Judge: the universe and The Human Godhead comes from within to shape one’s everything in it is governed with conscience fairness The teacher that ultimately defines the path of the Father and Internal journey – looking within Active Agent in control of the /or to the Holy Spirit for a religion Comforter universe or is the living universe The ultimate teaching Authority Where religions try to find We cannot control or fully about the divine. common ground, as this is the understand, mysterious universal spirit everyone in the LEGEND: the life story of the world (universe) can feel and Ultimate Wisdom human who defined the religion. access. The legend acts to create the Unknowable standard for human conduct for Knowable (Gnosticism) his/her religious followers. Partially Knowable through teachings, and legend Taoism (Daoism) 394 million, 5th most Taoism: The Origin / Legend Taoism was founded by Loa Tzu ~2500 years ago - A records keeper (librarian) - Saw the society crumbling to unrest decided to leave, at the guard post (bridge) the guard recognized Loa Tzu, who was know for his wisdom. -
Understanding Evangelical Support For, and Opposition to Donald Trump in the 2016 Presidential Election
Portland State University PDXScholar Dissertations and Theses Dissertations and Theses 9-1-2020 Understanding Evangelical Support for, and Opposition to Donald Trump in the 2016 Presidential Election Joseph Thomas Zichterman Portland State University Follow this and additional works at: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds Part of the Political Science Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Zichterman, Joseph Thomas, "Understanding Evangelical Support for, and Opposition to Donald Trump in the 2016 Presidential Election" (2020). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 5570. https://doi.org/10.15760/etd.7444 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar. Please contact us if we can make this document more accessible: [email protected]. Understanding Evangelical Support for, and Opposition to Donald Trump in the 2016 Presidential Election by Joseph Thomas Zichterman A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Political Science Thesis Committee: Richard Clucas, Chair Jack Miller Kim Williams Portland State University 2020 Abstract This thesis addressed the conundrum that 81 percent of evangelicals supported Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election, despite the fact that his character and comportment commonly did not exemplify the values and ideals that they professed. This was particularly perplexing to many outside (and within) evangelical circles, because as leaders of America’s “Moral Majority” for almost four decades, prior to Trump’s campaign, evangelicals had insisted that only candidates who set a high standard for personal integrity and civic decency, were qualified to serve as president. -
Scholarly Commons @ Ouachita May 23, 1985
Ouachita Baptist University Scholarly Commons @ Ouachita Arkansas Baptist Newsmagazine, 1985-1989 Arkansas Baptist Newsmagazine 5-23-1985 May 23, 1985 Arkansas Baptist State Convention Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarlycommons.obu.edu/arbn_85-89 Part of the Christian Denominations and Sects Commons, and the Mass Communication Commons AnJu»iMii Bn h-t: rr- NEWSMAGAZIN~ On the cover SBC buses, childcare provisions set Free sh uttle bus routes and childcare in registration but interested parents are en fo rmation for messengers to the annual couraged to sign-up on june 10. meeting of th e Southern Baptist Convention, Preschool childcare for messengers who June 11 -13 in Dallas has been released. live outside the Dallas-Fort Worth area wi ll Shuttle buses will connect al l the major be. provided at First Church, Dalla s, for $5. hotels not within walking distance and a ma a session. The May 24 pre-registration jor pa rking area with the convention center. deadline is important. Planning will be bas Preschool child care will be housed at Fi"t ed on the nu mber signed up by the deadline. Ch urch, Dallas, while the Brotherhood Com "Messengers who show up needing pre mission will sponsor a missions day cam p for sc hool childcare without pre-registering elementary-age children at a local park. them are not guaranteed anything," Tim For $7 per day ($20 for all three days). Hedquist, director of fi nancial planning for elementa ry school children wi ll be provid the SBC Executive Committee and conven ed supervised activities w hich include mis tion manager, said.