To investigate whether abrogation took place in the Qur'an.

To investigate whether abrogation took place in the Qur'an, it is important to firstly define what abrogation is. Abrogation is an English term meaning 'cancellation', 'annulment' or 'repeal.' The word corresponds with the Arabic term nasikh. However, the Arabic term does not have the same negative connotations as abrogation. Now that the word abrogation has been defined, it is possible to investigate whether abrogation took place in the Qur'an and whether it corresponds to the English terminology or not. One of the methods used to do this was to look at the chronology of the revelations. Another method is to look at the verses and to see whether they can be classified as abrogating or abrogated. In the book The Qur'an and its Exegesis: Selected Texts with Classical and Muslim Interpretations, The author says that the Qur'anic doctrine itself said, "Certain verse can be abrogated by others," therefore the task of discovering those verses was important.1 Chronology was a method used to determine when verses were revealed. It helped to understand the situation the verses were revealed in.2 By understanding the order of the verses, it allowed scholars to distinguish between those verses that were abrogating and those that were abrogated. The early Muslim scholars categorized verses into Meccan and Medinan periods. These were then further divided "into sub-periods,

  • Word count: 2190
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Historical and Philosophical studies
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During Bob Marley's life he found many influences in many different aspects of life. Some of these influences include other artists, political oppression, family life, homeland, and senseless acts of violence directed towards him.

Kara Smith Bob Marley N. Vooge English Comp. I November 15, 2001 An influence and inspiration to a true artist can come from anywhere and anyone. During Bob Marley's life he found many influences in many different aspects of life. Some of these influences include other artists, political oppression, family life, homeland, and senseless acts of violence directed towards him. Bob Marley was born Robert Nesta Marley in Nine Mile, St Annes, Jamaica, on February 6, 1945, the son of an English army captain and a Jamaican country girl. He was moved to a poor area of Kingston known as Trenchtown. In the early sixties Bob like every other ghetto child, turned to music; it was an escape from the harsh streets of trenchtown. This passion would soon turn into a hobby for Bob. In 1962 he made is first record, "Judge Not". It was not a hit and neither were his two follow up singles. ( Davis, Stephen. Bob Marley.) Bob Marley's exposure to American music groups came first in his hometown of Trenchtown. Bob and many of his friends appreciated and welcomed the sounds of American musicians such as Ray Charles, Sam Cooke and the musical harmonizing of The Impressions. The Drifters, and their lead vocalist Ben E. King, also made a strong impression on Bob; as did some of the tougher sounds at the pop and of R&B, particularly those coming out of Berry Gordy's studio in Detroit. It was also

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Historical and Philosophical studies
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bowling for columbine

Bowling for Columbine Michael Moore made this documentary to influence our opinion on whether we think guns are beneficial for protection or a justification to shoot someone. The film starts out as Moore goes to the bank and has an interview with a banker; civilians can get a gun at no cost from the bank if they register for an account. He later went to the barbers for a haircut and discovered that he could purchase bullets there! America is saturated with guns since the people of America have lived in fear since they sailed there thousands of years ago. It is stated in the law book that anyone over the age of 18 has the right to own a gun. Moore tells us and interesting but bloodcurdling fact about gun related deaths in different countries were; In Germany 381 people are killed a year, In France 255 In Canada 165 In Britain 68 In Australia 65 In Japan 39 In America 11,127 PEOPLE ARE KILLED A YEAR!!! This is a huge number just for gun deaths. But who is to blame for all these gun crimes and deaths? The Media? The President of the USA? Marilyn Manson? Bowling? (This is a joke that Moore makes during the film because that is what the two boys did before they killed all those children at Columbine school). He leaves you to decide but hints that it could be all 3! Marilyn Manson comes into the picture because he got sued for

  • Word count: 801
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Historical and Philosophical studies
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The Eighteenth century saw a radical change in the way the church and state cooperated in many European countries.

The Eighteenth century saw a radical change in the way the church and state cooperated in many European countries. This phenomenon formed part of the Enlightenment for both Europeans and Jews and was a movement based on rationality. It was a process many social scientists called 'Modernisation'1 and it affected the Jews more than any other people. Jews in pre-Enlightenment Europe were seen as 'aliens' 2 who lived in one area yet distanced themselves from the wider community. They lived under different rules, paid special taxes and were subject to a range of legal disabilities as well as often being committed to ghettos. This essay will focus on the significance of the prominent figures of the Haskalah and Enlightenment for Jewish-Christian relations with particular orientation towards Jewish views of Christianity. The Haskalah or Jewish Enlightenment was an intellectual movement that started in Europe around the 1770s and lasted until the 1880s. This rational movement had a distinctly Jewish nature and was stimulated by the European Enlightenment. The Haskalah increased secularization of Jewish life through studying about secular life, secular subjects, and emphasising European languages and not just Hebrew, this particularly happened in Germany. All this was because of the long for Jewish emancipation and ultimately aided in the creation of the Reform and Zionist movement.

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Historical and Philosophical studies
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The development of the Enlightenment.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT The Background for the Thoughts One could say that the background for the time of Enlightenment comes all the way back from Antiquity. The cornerstone for the Enlightenment-way-of-thinking could have been placed when Thomas Aquinas recovered the Aristotelian logic in the 13th century. That particular logic was used to defend the dogmas of Christianity a couple of centuries later in the hands of other thinkers as they tried to replace every aspect of faith with logic. These thinkers were known as "scholastics" and Voltaire, one of the most influential philosophers of Enlightenment who we are going to get to know better later, often referred to them as "doctors", by which he meant "doctors of theology". The Course of Politics and Economy During the late Middle Ages peasants had started moving from the rural estates to the towns in search of increased freedom and economic prosperity: this continued during the Enlightenment. The population had increased immensely; the inhabitants had nearly doubled in number since there hadn't been any bigger or more harmful conflicts in the 17th century. The towns became more crowded as people from the countryside, mostly peasants, moved to them and more food was needed. In the 18th century the agricultural revolution started to develop: new machines were invented and the rotation of crops became more

  • Word count: 2045
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Historical and Philosophical studies
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Describe and explain the use of Old Testament Prophesies and allusions in Marks Passion Narrative.

Describe and explain the use of Old Testament Prophesies and allusions in Marks Passion Narrative. Jesus being a teacher and a man born into the Judaic religion and culture would have known the Old Testament passages well. So if and when his life was echoing them Jesus would have known. As it happens through Jesus life ands especially his passion many Old Testament prophesies and allusions arise. Was this coincidence? Or was it fulfilment of prophecy? As soon as the passion starts at Mark 14 there is an Old Testament link with Passover, this link echoes themes of atonement for sin and sacrifice within marks gospel. This soon moves on to the anointing at Bethany where a woman symbolically anoints Jesus with very expensive perfume and the disciples scold her saying she is wasteful. Jesus knows this woman is anointing him as the king (1 Sam 16:13) she believes he is and so Jesus defends her by saying that that action of love was more important than that of financial cost (Mk 14:6-9). This Old Testament allusion of anointing kings turns into a two sided symbol because in Judaism bodies are anointed when they are dead. This passage is also a passion prediction. The narrative then moves on to the Last Supper. Jesus foretells his own betrayal (Mk 14:17-18) as predicted in Ps 49:1. This link with Old Testament scripture shows that Jesus knows his fate and even expects Judas to

  • Word count: 1232
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Historical and Philosophical studies
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What are the strengths and weaknesses of the two-source hypothesis? 'The likenesses and differences between the three Gospels present a problem of almost infinite complexity'

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the two-source hypothesis? 'The likenesses and differences between the three Gospels present a problem of almost infinite complexity'1. The Synoptic Gospels of the New Testament have frequently come under a deal of investigation and scrutiny as to what are their true sources (source criticism), and how these sources may or may not interact with one another. For Christians and Scholars alike it has been a hot-bed of discussion and disagreement, and various theories have arisen to try and solve what is commonly referred to as 'The Synoptic Problem'. The Synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke all offer accounts of Jesus' life that, on the face of it, seem largely similar. However if one is scratch the surface it soon emerges that of the substance we find in Mark's gospel, 90% are found in Matthew and only 53% occur in Luke. Clearly, therefore, there are some major differences between the three widely predominant Biblical accounts of Jesus' life. For example, there is no mention of the Beatitudes in Mark, or of the Lord's Prayer. Which account is closest to the truth? What exactly do their differences entail - is it purely textual, or does it point to something further fetched; do we indeed have any fundamentally reliable account of Jesus' life? These are important questions for a reader of the New Testament and indeed of the Bible

  • Word count: 2674
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Historical and Philosophical studies
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There is no doctrine in the Christian church more controversial than the doctrine of original sin which has intrigued the scholars of the church for centuries.

There is no doctrine in the Christian church more controversial than the doctrine of original sin which has intrigued the scholars of the church for centuries.1 While we take a look into the writings of the apostolic fathers, we find most of them dealing with the consequence of the fall of Adam. The apologists wrote more elaborately than the apostolic fathers did about the first sin of Adam, correlating it with church sacraments. However, it was not until the period of St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430) that the concept of original sin came to be considered as a doctrine. As a result, many contend that Augustine is the innovator of the doctrine of original sin unknown to his predecessors, and reject his thoughts. Conversely, some scholars of the church agree with Augustine's doctrine of original sin, regarding it as a purely biblical teaching. In the exposition of his doctrine, quoting a biblical semblance, the bishop of Hippo made humans responsible for the sin committed by Adam in whom they sinned. He developed a pessimistic view that as a consequence of original sin, the will and reason of human beings were darkened so that humans can no longer do good. Moreover, going to the extreme, he argued that sin is transmitted through the human seed, and is contracted at birth. Hence, according to Augustine, the lot of unbaptized infants is to be condemned eternally in hell. It is the

  • Word count: 9496
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Historical and Philosophical studies
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Identify the distinctive content of Luke's gospel and discuss what is revealed there about the writer's theological perspectiv

Identify the distinctive content of Luke's gospel and discuss what is revealed there about the writer's theological perspective. Luke's gospel as part of the New Testament has been subject to a variety of forms of biblical criticism. In this essay I will attempt to use some of those forms of criticisms to identify the distinctive content of Luke and thus reveal some of his theological standpoint. It is important to note that Luke's gospel forms part of the Canon of the New Testament and was picked because its theological emphasis was in tune with the other books of the New Testament especially the synoptic gospels. Therefore any views we can ascertain from the distinct material in Luke are only part of his whole theological view and not all of it. Another important note to mention before I continue is that the Gospel of Luke is commonly recognized as part of a two-piece work alongside with the Book of Acts, as there style indicates the same author. Consequently I may on occasion refer to the Book of Acts to give a fuller view of the author Luke and his thoughts. The main biblical criticism I will be employing to identify the unique material in Luke will be redaction criticism or redaktionsgeschichte. Redaction criticism aims to reveal the changes the author has made to their sources for example the additions, omissions, modifications, and material that the author includes

  • Word count: 3497
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Historical and Philosophical studies
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Women in Islam

Women in Islam Islam has often been stereotyped as a "sexist" religion, that it is "oppressive to women, that the veil and segregation epitomised that oppression, and that these customs were fundamental reasons for the general backwardness of many Muslim nations". Provide a critique of these assumptions, using relevant examples. This essay will discuss the notion that Islam is a sexist and oppressive religion. It will include a brief explanation of the Qur'an and Hadith's and how interpretations of these writing's have led to varied practices of the faith among the vast Muslim populations. The essay will touch on the many inconsistencies in the equality of men and women. Particular attention will be given to the traditions of marriage, the veil and segregation as well as the varying views on theses practices. Ultimately, this essay will attempt to offer differing attitudes on the oppressiveness of women in the Islamic faith. The Islamic faith is based on the Qur'an which is the sum total of God's revelations to the Prophet Muhammad. According to Muslim belief, the Qur'an is the primary source of Islamic jurisprudence and theological interpretation (El Saadawi, N., 1982, pg 198). The hadith (or traditions) are narratives collected into written form in the three or four centuries after Muhammad died, which encompassed the revered precedent of the Prophet and his Companions

  • Word count: 2895
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Historical and Philosophical studies
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