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.
Mohammeds' Muslim expansion: Divine inspiration or mass manipulation?
MOHAMMEDS' MUSLIM EXPANSION: DIVINE INSPIRATION OR MASS MANIPULATION? Allison Rosenstein April 28, 2003 Jus 495G ISRAEL, ISLAM AND THE WEST When thinking of the earliest part of the Muslim Expansion during the life of Mohammed, many factors come to mind. It could appear that the Muslims were simply more aggressive, barbarous or violent than communities already existing within the scope of their path. A theory presented in the film "The Story of Islam" proposes that the Muslim Expansion during the life of The Prophet was simply a case of 'divine will'. Still another theory ratifies the concept of a type of 'superior mobility' amongst the Muslim Conquerors. 1 Though these theories certainly hold weight, we must move past the surface of and discover the roots of these theories. For example: What would give the Muslim armies the advantage of superior mobility? Were initial followers of Islam really experiencing some form of divine inspiration when brought into the fold, or was material gain a prime motivating factor? Ultimately as we examine the Muslim Expansion in terms of the time of Mohammed, we will discover the speed and enormity of it can be attributed solely to the unique abilities of The Prophet to recruit and control various nomadic and settled tribes. It was this ability that set the tone for the pace and the massive scale of the spread of Islam during the
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
Modern eastern western encounters have occurred on many an occasion over the last century and into the present.
Modern eastern western encounters have occurred on many an occasion over the last century and into the present. Some with more notoriety than others dependent upon the nature of such an encounter, in hindsight to its implications and thus the repercussions of such an event that can be seen on many a front, whether geographical, ideological, philosophical, physiological perspective. In simple terms the inherent differences that set the eastern western divide. We must not forget an encounter does not necessarily have to be a major event or spectacle it can be played out on a smaller scale through an individuals experience of what the western/eastern may constitute, either in form of propagated popular critique or first hand experience of self, particularly seen through the experiences of migrant peoples coming from the east to the west. The culture they brought with them, the extent of their assimilation, and by in large the western response to these peoples. An initial response could be described as one of out right rejection or one of expecting more adherences to western norms with an almost colonial governance of the old, which the British commanded over its former subjects. Other aspects that are conjunctive with such ideas involve displacement, and uncertainty of ones own identity in regard to the east adapting to the west. A theme discussed by many an author of eastern
What is meant by the phrase 'The normative content of modernity'? Is it a valid notion?
UNIVERSITY OF EAST LONDON DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY THE SOCIOLOGY OF IDENTITY AND DIFFERENCE: SO323 UNIT LEADER: BOB CANNON ESSAY QUESTION: WHAT IS MEANT BY THE PHRASE 'THE NORMATIVE CONTENT OF MODERNITY'? IS IT A VALID NOTION? The Western definition of modernity as inspired by certain Judeo-Christian realities has prompted questions whether or not modernity is a Western project and this has in turn lead to intense debate about the moral character of the project and also raised questions whether its normative content may have been different if it had not taken place in Europe. This essay will first describe the project of modernity highlighting its main themes and how it is claimed to have replaced the 'dark ages' of traditional, feudal society with a new social order. Using the ideas of Enlightenment thinkers such as Kant and Rousseau, the essay will elaborate on how these themes helped invent the modern Western notions of human rights and individual equality and put them on a secular and universal, as opposed to religious sectarian basis. As the essay explores the nature, limits, and validity of modernity as a western project, it will then focus on the ideas and arguments put across by Habermas and Foucault because they are representative of the modernist and postmodernist arguments in the current debate about the normative content of modernity, a
Buddhisms: Yogas
Sunrita Sen Honors 118 Professor Timothy Knepper 03/10/2009 Explicate the four paths to release and union (yogas) contained in the Bhagavad-Gita. Are any of these paths alone sufficient? Are any of these paths intrinsically preferable? Is this Gita internally consistent on this matter? If so, how? If not, why? One of the points that the Gita is well known for is its suggestion of four ways or paths to release and union (yoga) with Krishna who is also referred to as the Lord. The four paths Krishna suggests to Arjun through various conversations, in the course of the Gita, are Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Raja Yoga (Dhyana Yoga) and Bhakti Yoga. According to Krishna, these are the four separate paths to achieving release and union but in the course of my paper I will try to prove that none of these paths, by themselves, can help an individual attain that goal. However, certain paths seem to be intrinsically more preferable than others. The Gita is very specific about the precedence of Bhakti Yoga over and above all the others. It also places Raja (Dhyana) Yoga as second best to Bhakti and Karma and Jnana Yoga on a more or less even plane after Raja. I will try to show through examples, how this is elaborated on within the Gita itself. I will also try to show, however, that a blending of these paths can make the goal of union far more achievable and
Religion is both a problemwhere its structures of dominance have oppressed women, as well as the solution where its vision of liberation has generated powerful movements for social change. (Eck & Devaki, 1986)
Word Count: 2951 THEO:2280 Student Id:200539456 “Religion is both a problem…where its structures of dominance have oppressed women, as well as the solution where its vision of liberation has generated powerful movements for social change” (Eck & Devaki, 1986) Since time immemorial, women have been considered as an oppressed group and have been controlled by patriarchal societies. Less interest was shown towards the rights, needs, and wishes of women in society. Despite the profound role that women perform in society including being a dutiful wife, daughter and mother, little importance has been given to their liberty and independence. Women were considered as inferior and were ruled by male members of the family. There are a number of factors that affect the status of women in any society. Among the numerous factors that contribute towards the change in social lives of women, one major factor is their religion. Eck and Devaki (1986) have described “Religion is both a problem…where its structures of dominance have oppressed women, as well as the solution where its vision of liberation has generated powerful movements for social change.” They pinpoint religion as the main contributor of problems faces by women, which has sometimes led way for future development of social order, this notion
"Islam and the west" by Bernard Lewis - review
This book titled "Islam and the west" whose author is Bernard Lewis was published in 1993 by the Oxford University Press. It discusses the relationship between Europe and Islam and how these two are related sociologically and historically. This book shows first how Islam and Christianity are related. In fact these two religions share a huge heritage and they are sometimes described as sister religions. Even if sometimes or more often their adepts disputed, this mainly due to the message they carried to humanity. Actually, both religions saw itself as the bearer of god's final revelation to humankind, which caused a long series of conflicts, beginning with holy wars _ Jihad and crusades then continuing with the ebb and flow of Muslim empire in Europe and of European empires in the lands of Islam. In this cycles of confrontations and wars this two civilizations had conflicts that were caused by their resemblances more than by their differences. This book is concerned with the evolution between the two struggling civilization the Islamic and the European or western one. These studies are grouped according to three main topics: encounters, perceptions and responses. The "encounters" part begins with a historical survey of the interaction in war and peace, in commerce and culture between Europe and its Islamic neighbors to the east and to the south. Then, it continues with a
Book report: Isaiah a major prophet
BOOK REPORT: ISAIAH A MAJOR PROPHET PA-105 INTRODUCTION TO OLD TESTAMENT AND MINISTRY BOOK REPORT 4 MARK WILSON 30th SEPTEMBER 2000 Book Report 4. The Book of Isaiah Name: Mark Wilson. Introduction. The name Isaiah means, "Yahweh is salvation." His name and the names of his sons-Shear-Jashub ("a remnant will return") and Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz ("the booty shall very quickly be taken")-were symbolic to the nation (8:18). These three names capture the essence of the book: (1) Yahweh is the source of salvation; (2) Yahweh will spare a remnant for himself; and (3) Yahweh's judgment is certain to come, (Elwell 1989: CDROM). Isaiah was a Biblical prophet who lived in the land of Judah c. 740 - 681 BC. Prophets such as Isaiah were said to have a special message from God. The message Isaiah was delivering mainly concerned the rebellious nature of God's chosen people Israel, as recorded in the Old Testament book of Isaiah (Andrea 1994:81). Author. Critical commentaries on Isaiah divide the material into three major divisions: chapters 1-39 are thought to have come from the eighth-century prophet Isaiah; chapters 40-55 from a sixth-century prophet known as the Deutero (Second) Isaiah; chapters 56-66 from a fifth-century source known as Trito (Third) Isaiah, (Elwell 1989: CDROM). Another theory suggests a combination of the writings of Isaiah and "Second" Isaiah, a man who
Why were the topics of human nature and morality so important in the enlightened thought?
Why were the topics of human nature and morality so important in the enlightened thought? Up to the eighteenth century Western Europe, Christianity was the stronghold and guide for issues concerning life in general. To be more specific, religion was the long rooted base for morality and had its own description of human nature. Diverse factors contributed to the destabilisation of the Church's status quo, thus enabling the expression of individual thought. In fact, Christianity not any longer detained the monopole over human lifestyles, leading to the rise of a vast debate relating to the questions of how to lead a life and man's position in the universe. Naturally, when looking throughout mankind history there have always been discussions and conflicts within the institutions and there have been changes. Nevertheless, what happened during the Age of Reason is incomparable with previous ages as Reason became conscious, and not any longer only accessible to aristocracy and the Church, but also to a rising bourgeoisie. The first part of my essay demonstrates the importance of the religious institution (establishment), as well as some socio-economical factors that have participated in the weakening of Christianity. These aspects are believed to have led to the emancipation of Reason, therefore to the debate of a new society. The question is whether morals and the perception of