In fact, the non-Christ centered religiosity of the Middle Ages helped contribute to the division between the Catholic Church and Protestant churches. "This religiosity was expressed in the cult of the saints, particularly in images and sacred objects, and in the veneration of the eucharist" (James, Protestant, p.26). These practices actually led to the feeling among some Christians of that time period that they had somehow been fooled or tricked into a non-Christ focused type of worship. Moreover, this disagreement continues to mark a major division between Catholicism and Protestant belief; the modern Protestant belief is that worship is based upon the individual's personal relationship with God and is not dependent upon the intervention of a third party. The final component of Christian worship is that it not dependent on time, place, or manner restrictions. The traditional place for worship is in a church on Sunday morning surrounded by one's fellow Christians, and there is certainly nothing wrong with approaching Christian worship in that manner. Likewise, there are books...
A great example of that type of normative behavior can be found in the United Methodist Book of Worship, which provides examples of hymns, prayers, and sermons to help guide one in worship. These can be helpful to someone, especially someone who is new to the faith or who is uncertain about how to initiate a personal relationship with God. However, it is wrong to assume that people who do not worship in this manner are somehow not Christian or are failing to worship Christ in an appropriate manner; no one can dictate to other Christians the appropriate methods and forms of worship.
Christian Biotechnology: Not a Contradiction in Terms Presented with the idea of "Bioethics" most people in the scientific community today immediately get the impression of repressive, Luddite forces wishing to stifle research and advancement in the name of morality and God. Unfortunately, this stereotype too often holds true. If one looks over the many independent sites on the Internet regarding bioethics, reads popular magazines and publications, or browses library shelves for
It is because of this that Hinduism has become as powerful now as it has ever been (Hopfe and Woodward 77-113). Buddhism Among the most powerful religions of the world, comes Buddhism. Its great history is one that makes this spiritual belief one that has withstood time. Not only is its origination in one of the most populated countries of the world, but the powerful influence that it has had on
" So there is common ground for starters. Now, to avoid more generations and centuries of killing and hatred, Christians and Muslims must indeed find common ground. And for the Christian hoping to convert the Muslim, common ground is just the launching pad. Another way of bringing the discussion down to familiar territory for the Muslim is to point out that both Christians and Muslims worship the same God. Muslims may
Religions and Development It is popularly believed that countries, where religion has major influence in governance, tend to develop slower than those where religious beliefs are not a main influence or consideration. This statement uses the cases of poor and traditionally colonized Christian countries in Southeast Asia, like the Philippines; Russia; and the African countries to support the claim. The four major monotheistic religions in the world all tend to bar changes
She points out that there has been such division in modern Christianity that it is difficult to describe a universal Christian worldview. However, she describes the basic beliefs and practices that are considered universal to Christians. She also discusses Christianity's waves in Africa, the first one occurring in the first century a.D. Jesus was taken to Egypt to avoid being killed by King Herod and Jesus' early message spread
Religions of the Far East are often clumped into a monolithic entity, perceived as essentially alike by those not familiar with the complexity and individuality of these traditions. Closer examination, however, shows that the major religions with roots in the Far East demonstrate a wide variety of beliefs. The tendency to group them under the heading of "Eastern religion" alone does not allow for the different histories, beliefs, and practices
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