In the short story “Life After High School” by Joyce Carol Oates, please give details and examine all the causes you can think of that led Zachary to commit a suicide? CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Creation issues and place of Heroes and Deities in society in Gilgamesh
Analyze the ideas about creation of life, and about the differences between deities and heroes and their roles in a culture that you find in “Gilgamesh.”CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
Give a summary of the beauty that is Graffiti?
Answer:
Graffiti is the singular form of the word Grafficar, which can be connected to the Greek words Graphein or Grapheion. These two Greek words derive to the word Graphein that means “to write”. Graffiti refers to markings, drawings, scribbles or paintings on a surface. Graffiti can therefore be described as form of art; art generally refers to forms of expressions. Consequently we can correctly deduce that graffiti is form of art. What is sad, however, is that in our current age and time, when a person mentions graffiti or any association to do with graffiti, it is viewed in the wrong perspective. This should not be the case. Other forms of art have been accepted in a positive way, associating graffiti with vandalism & unpleasant images destroys this beautiful art.CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
The earliest form of graffiti can be dated back to around 30,000 BC in the form of prehistoric cave paintings. It was witnessed in Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. This helps to put across the fact that graffiti is not a modern form of art, but it is as ancient as history. To be fair I can classify it among the great works of famous painters, such as Leonardo, Monet, and Picasso. Let us just be realistic for a moment and try asking ourselves, if any of the recognized artists were to paint on the walls of our houses, would we consider the drawing as graffiti? According to me I would not, in fact I would consider it to be a masterpiece. Why then should we not respect graffiti as we know it today?
If we look at the picture that I have chosen to illustrate my point with, I think the beauty and passion of graffiti comes out very clearly.
The picture on the wall shows two children who have painted a beautiful beach picture on the walls in a war torn Palestine. The smiles on the children faces can be deceiving; they have to run for dear life almost daily. Just in front of the wall, we have a fence and that primarily is to restrict movement of the Palestine people within their land. Graffiti is hard to understand, and it requires a critical mind. What comes from the picture is a wish of two boys who picture happiness. They do not want to be tied up in the prison that is war. Peace and peace of life is their main concern. They just want to let everyone know that they belong to that land, and that happiness can be shared.CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
Furthermore, there need not be a barrier to how much happiness there is beyond the slavery of the fence. A person may also argue that, the children are seeing beyond the fence. They are saying that, maybe you have succeeded in enclosing us within this fence. However, you have not enclosed our minds. We can live beyond our physical barriers. Moreover, if you take a closer look, you may associate the drawing as a peek into what is on the other side of the wall. They may think that they have taken everything from them, but there is still more that the land has to offer- joy and happiness and luxury beyond imagination-. Isn’t that a beautiful way of expressing how committed the Palestine nation is to saying that they belong to the land?
They say for every action there is an equal reaction. Every idea has got its own elastic limit. For example, when the gun was first invented, was it meant for killing? The famous AK-47 was intended for hunting purposes! But look at what people have over the years turned it to: a killing machine! However, that is not reason enough to say that the AK-47 is the worst gun and that it should be avoided. On the other hand, if it is placed in good hands, it will help in maintaining world peace. Also, the same can be said about graffiti. I do not dispute the fact that graffiti has been a target to monsters along the way. In fact it has earned the “devil art” tag from the same monsters who have decided to transform the beautiful art into what I may call a “Beautiful Monster”.CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
They say for every action there is an equal reaction. Every idea has got its own elastic limit. For example, when the gun was first invented, was it meant for killing? The famous AK-47 was intended for hunting purposes! But look at what people have over the years turned it to: a killing machine! However, that is not reason enough to say that the AK-47 is the worst gun and that it should be avoided. On the other hand, if it is placed in good hands, it will help in maintaining world peace. Also, the same can be said about graffiti. I do not dispute the fact that graffiti has been a target to monsters along the way. In fact it has earned the “devil art” tag from the same monsters who have decided to transform the beautiful art into what I may call a “Beautiful Monster”.CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
The term Beautiful Monster may seem a little bit weird I know, but look at it this way; graffiti has been linked to other types of crime and the increasing level of criminal behaviour as well as facilitating the spread of gangs. In addition, property that contains the graffiti always decreases in value. These markings on the walls are done without the owner’s approval. The amount of time spent cleaning these markings require time and additional income to clean. Furthermore, it is a well-known fact that such an interruption has negative impacts on businesses, and it has contributed in reduced investments in areas where such is practiced. With the beginning of the 21st Century, it is very rude to have racist ideas, but it is not the same case with some graffiti artists. They have seen to shout their racist ideas in such a beautiful way. Very sad isn’t it? The effects of such graffiti in a mixed racial community is profound, it may make others feel unwanted in a particular community. This should not be the case. Nonetheless, that does not mean that graffiti has no beautiful side. It is an art just like any other art. Therefore, it is a form of expression. No one can deny that a painting is very relaxing to look at. For instance, a nicely drawn picture of a beautiful lady is inspiring.
Graffiti can be used to express a political agenda especially in a region where freedom of speech is not guaranteed. During the 1970’s the Anarcho-punk band Crass conducted an anti-war, feminist and anti-consumerist Campaign around the London Underground. Political groups have used graffiti to spread their point of view. Graffiti has also been used as an advertising tool. The hip-hop culture has involved graffiti a lot in its music. Actually, it has helped spread the graffiti culture to other parts of the world and has encouraged cohesion of some different class. The business aspect of graffiti is immense, and it has helped artist who had no other means of earning a decent living. The hip-hop culture has brought with it customization of cars, and it is the beautiful value of the car. This is achieved by beautiful drawings on the body of the cars. Graffiti art is not easy as the artist has to use lots of imagination to bring about something that is both beautiful and very unique.CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
Graffiti has also been associated –albeit mistakenly- with the male gender. I fail to see why this should be the case. Since time immemorial women also participated in writing. However, they have always been the minority. The requirement that successful graffiti artist is gender based have been dis-proven from time to time. For instances several women have earned respect in the New York City’s Aerosol history. What discourage women are the late hours and sometimes unsafe locations that need graffiti writing. It is a harsh male dominated field, and the social atmosphere surrounding it is also equally harsh. Women have had and will continue to struggle to earn respect for their accomplishment. In the early 1970’s, female graffiti writers like: STONEY, GRAPE, CHARMINE and COWBOY existed. LADY PINK in the late 1970’s cannot also go unmentioned. In the 1980’s LADY HEART, ABBY, CHIC, BAMBI, DAWN, ANNA and SS dominated the scene too. To date, female graffiti artists like, MS.MAGGS, DIVA, HOPE, DONA, MUCK, FNS, CLAW, MISS 17, ICON, EROTICA 67 and NAISHA are all female graffiti writers struggling to curve a niche for themselves in the male dominated field. Graffiti should not be left to the confines of the male gender alone. After all it is women who posses the beauty and who have the beauty the world needs to see to remain vibrant and alive. Women should therefore pick the brush, or the paint can and paint all they can.
Graffiti can be used to express a political agenda especially in a region where freedom of speech is not guaranteed. During the 1970’s the Anarcho-punk band Crass conducted an anti-war, feminist and anti-consumerist Campaign around the London Underground. Political groups have used graffiti to spread their point of view. Graffiti has also been used as an advertising tool. The hip-hop culture has involved graffiti a lot in its music. Actually, it has helped spread the graffiti culture to other parts of the world and has encouraged cohesion of some different class. The business aspect of graffiti is immense, and it has helped artist who had no other means of earning a decent living. The hip-hop culture has brought with it customization of cars, and it is the beautiful value of the car. This is achieved by beautiful drawings on the body of the cars. Graffiti art is not easy as the artist has to use lots of imagination to bring about something that is both beautiful and very unique.CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
Graffiti has also been associated –albeit mistakenly- with the male gender. I fail to see why this should be the case. Since time immemorial women also participated in writing. However, they have always been the minority. The requirement that successful graffiti artist is gender based have been dis-proven from time to time. For instances several women have earned respect in the New York City’s Aerosol history. What discourage women are the late hours and sometimes unsafe locations that need graffiti writing. It is a harsh male dominated field, and the social atmosphere surrounding it is also equally harsh. Women have had and will continue to struggle to earn respect for their accomplishment. In the early 1970’s, female graffiti writers like: STONEY, GRAPE, CHARMINE and COWBOY existed. LADY PINK in the late 1970’s cannot also go unmentioned. In the 1980’s LADY HEART, ABBY, CHIC, BAMBI, DAWN, ANNA and SS dominated the scene too. To date, female graffiti artists like, MS.MAGGS, DIVA, HOPE, DONA, MUCK, FNS, CLAW, MISS 17, ICON, EROTICA 67 and NAISHA are all female graffiti writers struggling to curve a niche for themselves in the male dominated field. Graffiti should not be left to the confines of the male gender alone. After all it is women who posses the beauty and who have the beauty the world needs to see to remain vibrant and alive. Women should therefore pick the brush, or the paint can and paint all they can.
To Kill a Mockingbird — Chapter 21– 31
Give a summary on What and How Harper Lee wanted readers to take away from this story?……………. CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
poverty’s effect on delinquency
poverty’s effect on delinquency
Paper instructions:
Address the following three items in a paper of 750–1,000 words:
Paper instructions:
Address the following three items in a paper of 750–1,000 words:
1. Does poverty cause juvenile delinquency? Why or why not?
2. Which specific theory or theories of social structure best explain crime and delinquency in lower-class sections of our cities? Explain why.
3. After addressing the above items, argue whether strain is related to the poverty in the lower-class sections of cities and whether that strain results in delinquency.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
Topic: North and South Growing Together: The Differences It Ma Subject: Religion and Theology
Topic: North and South Growing Together: The Differences It Ma
Subject: Religion and Theology
Details: Topic for Paper: North and South Growing Together: The Differences It Makes
"We can reasonably ask whether the emerging Christian traditions of the two-thirds world have recaptured themes and trends in Christianity that the older churches have forgotten, and if so, what we can learn from their insights… The critical question must be to determine what is the authentic religious content, and what is cultural baggage" (see page 178 in The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South).
Develop a reasoned analysis (1,500-2,000 words) to respond to the passage from The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South, drawing on your reading and thought, and utilizing the Christian Scriptures to illustrate your points.
Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
Text Book and reading Requirements:
1. The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South Read chapters 6-8.
"We can reasonably ask whether the emerging Christian traditions of the two-thirds world have recaptured themes and trends in Christianity that the older churches have forgotten, and if so, what we can learn from their insights… The critical question must be to determine what is the authentic religious content, and what is cultural baggage" (see page 178 in The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South).
Develop a reasoned analysis (1,500-2,000 words) to respond to the passage from The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South, drawing on your reading and thought, and utilizing the Christian Scriptures to illustrate your points.
Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
Text Book and reading Requirements:
1. The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South Read chapters 6-8.
Text Book required for this paper; The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South
Jenkins, P. (2006). The new faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the global south. London: Oxford University Press. ISBN-13: 9780195300659 (Print text is required)
Jenkins, P. (2006). The new faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the global south. London: Oxford University Press. ISBN-13: 9780195300659 (Print text is required)
The paper has to clear Turnitin by less than 10%
Lecture Reading for the week:
Contexualization of Christian Worldview: Christ and Culture: Proposals of Yeager and Stassen
Introduction
Having laid a foundation for knowing the basics of H. Richard Niebuhr’s classical typology of Christian ethics in secular societies and having considered John Howard Yoder’s analysis and critique, the discussion now turns to additional critical perspectives on the enduring problem of how to respond to the tensions between the demands of Christ and of cultures on Christian ethics.CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
Diane M. Yeager looks at the viability and challenges of the "Social Self in the Pilgrim Church," including the strength of true conversion; of the experiential and active presence of God; and of the Church’s apostolic, pastoral, pioneering, and pilgrimage functions in the societies in which it resides.
Glen H. Stassen then endeavors to develop what he calls specific and somewhat measurable Christological norms to evaluate genuine transformations in society through the influence of the Church. Stassen concludes the text by seeking to draw on all three previous essays to present an integral vision of the effective incarnation of Christian ethics in society through the presence and witness of the Christian community.
Participant-Observers in Shaping Cultures: Onward Christian Soldiers!
Yeager turns her attention to looking at the social analysis of Niebuhr’s formulations, especially regarding what some critics have said is his seeming ignoring of social structures and dimensions of the exercise of power in human societies. Yeager maintains that while Niebuhr certainly advocates for spiritual transformation as a priority, he nonetheless recognizes the need for the Church to effectively integrate faith and social action (Stassen et. al., 1996). She invokes Martin Hengel, a New Testament professor and historian, to reinforce this view: CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
• Thus the reign of God is not brought about in the first instance by socio-political transformation, but by the "transformed heart" which alone "is capable of new human community, of doing good." (Stassen et. al., 1996, p. 93)
A salient point in Yeager’s argument involves her emphasis on Niebuhr’s distinction that "the Roman Empire was not the creation of the Christian community, but present nations and cultures were ‘nursed and baptized by the Church’" (Stassen et. al., 1996, p. 115). By saying this, the argument is advanced that the transformation effect of the conversion of faith, the dynamic presence of God in the Church, and Niebuhr’s three functions of the Christian community (apostolic, pastoral, and pioneering) actually changes the structures and power alignments in societies (Stassen et. al., 1996).
The historical outworking of this idealism, however, has proven to be quite inconsistent due to the deeply involved participant-observer status of many Christian communities as they gained political and economic power in the ascendant cultures of their eras. The Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, Manifest Destiny, and modern European reconnaissance and colonialization of much of the earth are but a few examples of the excesses and abuses possible when the Christian social structure becomes too participatory in and very much of the secular world. One recognizes once more the challenges and why Niebuhr’s "‘enduring problem’ that he grapples with is so important, and even more so in our time of pluralism, postmodernism, global encounter of multiple cultures, and culture wars" (Stassen et. al., 1996, p. 10).CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
Returning to the Center: Thine is the Kingdom!
Stassen set out to demonstrate (and develop a theologically solid apologetic) that Niebuhr’s Christ and Culture framework is thorough, applicable, and able to be expressed in terms of concrete norms for the social conduct of the Church in society.
The imperative dynamic of Stassen’s argument is that the framework calls the Church back to the sovereignty of God in terms of a theocentric faith that both confronts and transforms the cultures in which it is expressed (Stassen et. al., 1996).CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
Stassen et al. (1996) draws on Niebuhr for three essential characteristics that typified eras when transformative faith impacted the societies in which it flourished:
• Belief in the sovereignty of God over all of life
• Belief in the sovereign God as the living, dynamic, eternal Judge and Redeemer
• Belief that God’s will is known with structure and content
Working from these foundational assumptions, Stassen endeavors to develop what he calls "concrete, theocentric norms within the limits of historical realism" (Stassen et. al., 1996)., hoping to head off the critiques of abstraction and idealism that have frequently been directed to Niebuhr’s framework. While confessing that they are not exhaustive, Stassen (in Stassen et al., 1996) nonetheless regards his seven norms as "fundamental tests of the extent to which we are being faithful to God’s revelation in Christ" Judging, but forgiving, healing, and breaking down the barriers that marginalize or exclude
• Delivering justice
• Evangelism, preaching the gospel, and calling for repentance and discipleship
• Nonviolent transforming initiatives
• Loving your enemy
• Mutual servanthood
• Prayer
It is not incidental that Stassen regards these theocentric norms, and the specific actions that flow from them, as veritable means of deliverance of the Church and its surrounding cultures from the "kingdoms" of this world that they might together become the "Kingdom of our God and of His Christ!"
Conclusion
In trying to express a new vision for the Church, Stassen pays homage to the importance of Niebuhr’s seminal thinking in Christ and Culture, and also draws on the three preceding essays (Yoder’s, Yeager’s, and his own), holding that their critical insights "point in mutually complementary directions for the church in our multipolar society" (Stassen et. al., 1996, p. 13).
Stassen’s detailed analysis puts essential emphasis on what he had termed earlier as incarnational correction (Stassen et. al., 1996), illustrating from historical realism the need for the Church to continually evaluate itself in terms of Niebuhr’s three essential functions of the Christian community: the apostolic (believing and proclaiming that God in Christ is Redeemer), the pioneering (believing and modeling that God in the Holy Spirit is living and dynamic in human societies and cultures), and the pastoral (believing and caring that God the Father is Creator and active in healing and forgiving sinners, outcasts, and even society) (Stassen et. al., 1996).
References
Stassen, G., Yeager, D., & Yoder, J. (1996). Authentic transformation: A new vision of Christ and culture. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press. CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
Contexualization of Christian Worldview: Christ and Culture: Proposals of Yeager and Stassen
Introduction
Having laid a foundation for knowing the basics of H. Richard Niebuhr’s classical typology of Christian ethics in secular societies and having considered John Howard Yoder’s analysis and critique, the discussion now turns to additional critical perspectives on the enduring problem of how to respond to the tensions between the demands of Christ and of cultures on Christian ethics.CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
Diane M. Yeager looks at the viability and challenges of the "Social Self in the Pilgrim Church," including the strength of true conversion; of the experiential and active presence of God; and of the Church’s apostolic, pastoral, pioneering, and pilgrimage functions in the societies in which it resides.
Glen H. Stassen then endeavors to develop what he calls specific and somewhat measurable Christological norms to evaluate genuine transformations in society through the influence of the Church. Stassen concludes the text by seeking to draw on all three previous essays to present an integral vision of the effective incarnation of Christian ethics in society through the presence and witness of the Christian community.
Participant-Observers in Shaping Cultures: Onward Christian Soldiers!
Yeager turns her attention to looking at the social analysis of Niebuhr’s formulations, especially regarding what some critics have said is his seeming ignoring of social structures and dimensions of the exercise of power in human societies. Yeager maintains that while Niebuhr certainly advocates for spiritual transformation as a priority, he nonetheless recognizes the need for the Church to effectively integrate faith and social action (Stassen et. al., 1996). She invokes Martin Hengel, a New Testament professor and historian, to reinforce this view: CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
• Thus the reign of God is not brought about in the first instance by socio-political transformation, but by the "transformed heart" which alone "is capable of new human community, of doing good." (Stassen et. al., 1996, p. 93)
A salient point in Yeager’s argument involves her emphasis on Niebuhr’s distinction that "the Roman Empire was not the creation of the Christian community, but present nations and cultures were ‘nursed and baptized by the Church’" (Stassen et. al., 1996, p. 115). By saying this, the argument is advanced that the transformation effect of the conversion of faith, the dynamic presence of God in the Church, and Niebuhr’s three functions of the Christian community (apostolic, pastoral, and pioneering) actually changes the structures and power alignments in societies (Stassen et. al., 1996).
The historical outworking of this idealism, however, has proven to be quite inconsistent due to the deeply involved participant-observer status of many Christian communities as they gained political and economic power in the ascendant cultures of their eras. The Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, Manifest Destiny, and modern European reconnaissance and colonialization of much of the earth are but a few examples of the excesses and abuses possible when the Christian social structure becomes too participatory in and very much of the secular world. One recognizes once more the challenges and why Niebuhr’s "‘enduring problem’ that he grapples with is so important, and even more so in our time of pluralism, postmodernism, global encounter of multiple cultures, and culture wars" (Stassen et. al., 1996, p. 10).CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
Returning to the Center: Thine is the Kingdom!
Stassen set out to demonstrate (and develop a theologically solid apologetic) that Niebuhr’s Christ and Culture framework is thorough, applicable, and able to be expressed in terms of concrete norms for the social conduct of the Church in society.
The imperative dynamic of Stassen’s argument is that the framework calls the Church back to the sovereignty of God in terms of a theocentric faith that both confronts and transforms the cultures in which it is expressed (Stassen et. al., 1996).CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
Stassen et al. (1996) draws on Niebuhr for three essential characteristics that typified eras when transformative faith impacted the societies in which it flourished:
• Belief in the sovereignty of God over all of life
• Belief in the sovereign God as the living, dynamic, eternal Judge and Redeemer
• Belief that God’s will is known with structure and content
Working from these foundational assumptions, Stassen endeavors to develop what he calls "concrete, theocentric norms within the limits of historical realism" (Stassen et. al., 1996)., hoping to head off the critiques of abstraction and idealism that have frequently been directed to Niebuhr’s framework. While confessing that they are not exhaustive, Stassen (in Stassen et al., 1996) nonetheless regards his seven norms as "fundamental tests of the extent to which we are being faithful to God’s revelation in Christ" Judging, but forgiving, healing, and breaking down the barriers that marginalize or exclude
• Delivering justice
• Evangelism, preaching the gospel, and calling for repentance and discipleship
• Nonviolent transforming initiatives
• Loving your enemy
• Mutual servanthood
• Prayer
It is not incidental that Stassen regards these theocentric norms, and the specific actions that flow from them, as veritable means of deliverance of the Church and its surrounding cultures from the "kingdoms" of this world that they might together become the "Kingdom of our God and of His Christ!"
Conclusion
In trying to express a new vision for the Church, Stassen pays homage to the importance of Niebuhr’s seminal thinking in Christ and Culture, and also draws on the three preceding essays (Yoder’s, Yeager’s, and his own), holding that their critical insights "point in mutually complementary directions for the church in our multipolar society" (Stassen et. al., 1996, p. 13).
Stassen’s detailed analysis puts essential emphasis on what he had termed earlier as incarnational correction (Stassen et. al., 1996), illustrating from historical realism the need for the Church to continually evaluate itself in terms of Niebuhr’s three essential functions of the Christian community: the apostolic (believing and proclaiming that God in Christ is Redeemer), the pioneering (believing and modeling that God in the Holy Spirit is living and dynamic in human societies and cultures), and the pastoral (believing and caring that God the Father is Creator and active in healing and forgiving sinners, outcasts, and even society) (Stassen et. al., 1996).
References
Stassen, G., Yeager, D., & Yoder, J. (1996). Authentic transformation: A new vision of Christ and culture. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press. CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
Topic: North and South Growing Together: The Differences It Ma Subject: Religion and Theology
Topic: North and South Growing Together: The Differences It Ma
Subject: Religion and Theology
Details: Topic for Paper: North and South Growing Together: The Differences It Makes
"We can reasonably ask whether the emerging Christian traditions of the two-thirds world have recaptured themes and trends in Christianity that the older churches have forgotten, and if so, what we can learn from their insights… The critical question must be to determine what is the authentic religious content, and what is cultural baggage" (see page 178 in The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South).
Develop a reasoned analysis (1,500-2,000 words) to respond to the passage from The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South, drawing on your reading and thought, and utilizing the Christian Scriptures to illustrate your points.
Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
Text Book and reading Requirements:
1. The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South Read chapters 6-8.
"We can reasonably ask whether the emerging Christian traditions of the two-thirds world have recaptured themes and trends in Christianity that the older churches have forgotten, and if so, what we can learn from their insights… The critical question must be to determine what is the authentic religious content, and what is cultural baggage" (see page 178 in The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South).
Develop a reasoned analysis (1,500-2,000 words) to respond to the passage from The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South, drawing on your reading and thought, and utilizing the Christian Scriptures to illustrate your points.
Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
Text Book and reading Requirements:
1. The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South Read chapters 6-8.
Text Book required for this paper; The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South
Jenkins, P. (2006). The new faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the global south. London: Oxford University Press. ISBN-13: 9780195300659 (Print text is required)
Jenkins, P. (2006). The new faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the global south. London: Oxford University Press. ISBN-13: 9780195300659 (Print text is required)
The paper has to clear Turnitin by less than 10%
Lecture Reading for the week:
Contexualization of Christian Worldview: Christ and Culture: Proposals of Yeager and Stassen
Introduction
Having laid a foundation for knowing the basics of H. Richard Niebuhr’s classical typology of Christian ethics in secular societies and having considered John Howard Yoder’s analysis and critique, the discussion now turns to additional critical perspectives on the enduring problem of how to respond to the tensions between the demands of Christ and of cultures on Christian ethics.CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
Diane M. Yeager looks at the viability and challenges of the "Social Self in the Pilgrim Church," including the strength of true conversion; of the experiential and active presence of God; and of the Church’s apostolic, pastoral, pioneering, and pilgrimage functions in the societies in which it resides.
Glen H. Stassen then endeavors to develop what he calls specific and somewhat measurable Christological norms to evaluate genuine transformations in society through the influence of the Church. Stassen concludes the text by seeking to draw on all three previous essays to present an integral vision of the effective incarnation of Christian ethics in society through the presence and witness of the Christian community.
Participant-Observers in Shaping Cultures: Onward Christian Soldiers!
Yeager turns her attention to looking at the social analysis of Niebuhr’s formulations, especially regarding what some critics have said is his seeming ignoring of social structures and dimensions of the exercise of power in human societies. Yeager maintains that while Niebuhr certainly advocates for spiritual transformation as a priority, he nonetheless recognizes the need for the Church to effectively integrate faith and social action (Stassen et. al., 1996). She invokes Martin Hengel, a New Testament professor and historian, to reinforce this view: CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
• Thus the reign of God is not brought about in the first instance by socio-political transformation, but by the "transformed heart" which alone "is capable of new human community, of doing good." (Stassen et. al., 1996, p. 93)
A salient point in Yeager’s argument involves her emphasis on Niebuhr’s distinction that "the Roman Empire was not the creation of the Christian community, but present nations and cultures were ‘nursed and baptized by the Church’" (Stassen et. al., 1996, p. 115). By saying this, the argument is advanced that the transformation effect of the conversion of faith, the dynamic presence of God in the Church, and Niebuhr’s three functions of the Christian community (apostolic, pastoral, and pioneering) actually changes the structures and power alignments in societies (Stassen et. al., 1996).
The historical outworking of this idealism, however, has proven to be quite inconsistent due to the deeply involved participant-observer status of many Christian communities as they gained political and economic power in the ascendant cultures of their eras. The Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, Manifest Destiny, and modern European reconnaissance and colonialization of much of the earth are but a few examples of the excesses and abuses possible when the Christian social structure becomes too participatory in and very much of the secular world. One recognizes once more the challenges and why Niebuhr’s "‘enduring problem’ that he grapples with is so important, and even more so in our time of pluralism, postmodernism, global encounter of multiple cultures, and culture wars" (Stassen et. al., 1996, p. 10).CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
Returning to the Center: Thine is the Kingdom!
Stassen set out to demonstrate (and develop a theologically solid apologetic) that Niebuhr’s Christ and Culture framework is thorough, applicable, and able to be expressed in terms of concrete norms for the social conduct of the Church in society.
The imperative dynamic of Stassen’s argument is that the framework calls the Church back to the sovereignty of God in terms of a theocentric faith that both confronts and transforms the cultures in which it is expressed (Stassen et. al., 1996).CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
Stassen et al. (1996) draws on Niebuhr for three essential characteristics that typified eras when transformative faith impacted the societies in which it flourished:
• Belief in the sovereignty of God over all of life
• Belief in the sovereign God as the living, dynamic, eternal Judge and Redeemer
• Belief that God’s will is known with structure and content
Working from these foundational assumptions, Stassen endeavors to develop what he calls "concrete, theocentric norms within the limits of historical realism" (Stassen et. al., 1996)., hoping to head off the critiques of abstraction and idealism that have frequently been directed to Niebuhr’s framework. While confessing that they are not exhaustive, Stassen (in Stassen et al., 1996) nonetheless regards his seven norms as "fundamental tests of the extent to which we are being faithful to God’s revelation in Christ" Judging, but forgiving, healing, and breaking down the barriers that marginalize or exclude
• Delivering justice
• Evangelism, preaching the gospel, and calling for repentance and discipleship
• Nonviolent transforming initiatives
• Loving your enemy
• Mutual servanthood
• Prayer
It is not incidental that Stassen regards these theocentric norms, and the specific actions that flow from them, as veritable means of deliverance of the Church and its surrounding cultures from the "kingdoms" of this world that they might together become the "Kingdom of our God and of His Christ!"
Conclusion
In trying to express a new vision for the Church, Stassen pays homage to the importance of Niebuhr’s seminal thinking in Christ and Culture, and also draws on the three preceding essays (Yoder’s, Yeager’s, and his own), holding that their critical insights "point in mutually complementary directions for the church in our multipolar society" (Stassen et. al., 1996, p. 13).
Stassen’s detailed analysis puts essential emphasis on what he had termed earlier as incarnational correction (Stassen et. al., 1996), illustrating from historical realism the need for the Church to continually evaluate itself in terms of Niebuhr’s three essential functions of the Christian community: the apostolic (believing and proclaiming that God in Christ is Redeemer), the pioneering (believing and modeling that God in the Holy Spirit is living and dynamic in human societies and cultures), and the pastoral (believing and caring that God the Father is Creator and active in healing and forgiving sinners, outcasts, and even society) (Stassen et. al., 1996).
References
Stassen, G., Yeager, D., & Yoder, J. (1996). Authentic transformation: A new vision of Christ and culture. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press. CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
Contexualization of Christian Worldview: Christ and Culture: Proposals of Yeager and Stassen
Introduction
Having laid a foundation for knowing the basics of H. Richard Niebuhr’s classical typology of Christian ethics in secular societies and having considered John Howard Yoder’s analysis and critique, the discussion now turns to additional critical perspectives on the enduring problem of how to respond to the tensions between the demands of Christ and of cultures on Christian ethics.CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
Diane M. Yeager looks at the viability and challenges of the "Social Self in the Pilgrim Church," including the strength of true conversion; of the experiential and active presence of God; and of the Church’s apostolic, pastoral, pioneering, and pilgrimage functions in the societies in which it resides.
Glen H. Stassen then endeavors to develop what he calls specific and somewhat measurable Christological norms to evaluate genuine transformations in society through the influence of the Church. Stassen concludes the text by seeking to draw on all three previous essays to present an integral vision of the effective incarnation of Christian ethics in society through the presence and witness of the Christian community.
Participant-Observers in Shaping Cultures: Onward Christian Soldiers!
Yeager turns her attention to looking at the social analysis of Niebuhr’s formulations, especially regarding what some critics have said is his seeming ignoring of social structures and dimensions of the exercise of power in human societies. Yeager maintains that while Niebuhr certainly advocates for spiritual transformation as a priority, he nonetheless recognizes the need for the Church to effectively integrate faith and social action (Stassen et. al., 1996). She invokes Martin Hengel, a New Testament professor and historian, to reinforce this view: CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
• Thus the reign of God is not brought about in the first instance by socio-political transformation, but by the "transformed heart" which alone "is capable of new human community, of doing good." (Stassen et. al., 1996, p. 93)
A salient point in Yeager’s argument involves her emphasis on Niebuhr’s distinction that "the Roman Empire was not the creation of the Christian community, but present nations and cultures were ‘nursed and baptized by the Church’" (Stassen et. al., 1996, p. 115). By saying this, the argument is advanced that the transformation effect of the conversion of faith, the dynamic presence of God in the Church, and Niebuhr’s three functions of the Christian community (apostolic, pastoral, and pioneering) actually changes the structures and power alignments in societies (Stassen et. al., 1996).
The historical outworking of this idealism, however, has proven to be quite inconsistent due to the deeply involved participant-observer status of many Christian communities as they gained political and economic power in the ascendant cultures of their eras. The Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, Manifest Destiny, and modern European reconnaissance and colonialization of much of the earth are but a few examples of the excesses and abuses possible when the Christian social structure becomes too participatory in and very much of the secular world. One recognizes once more the challenges and why Niebuhr’s "‘enduring problem’ that he grapples with is so important, and even more so in our time of pluralism, postmodernism, global encounter of multiple cultures, and culture wars" (Stassen et. al., 1996, p. 10).CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
Returning to the Center: Thine is the Kingdom!
Stassen set out to demonstrate (and develop a theologically solid apologetic) that Niebuhr’s Christ and Culture framework is thorough, applicable, and able to be expressed in terms of concrete norms for the social conduct of the Church in society.
The imperative dynamic of Stassen’s argument is that the framework calls the Church back to the sovereignty of God in terms of a theocentric faith that both confronts and transforms the cultures in which it is expressed (Stassen et. al., 1996).CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
Stassen et al. (1996) draws on Niebuhr for three essential characteristics that typified eras when transformative faith impacted the societies in which it flourished:
• Belief in the sovereignty of God over all of life
• Belief in the sovereign God as the living, dynamic, eternal Judge and Redeemer
• Belief that God’s will is known with structure and content
Working from these foundational assumptions, Stassen endeavors to develop what he calls "concrete, theocentric norms within the limits of historical realism" (Stassen et. al., 1996)., hoping to head off the critiques of abstraction and idealism that have frequently been directed to Niebuhr’s framework. While confessing that they are not exhaustive, Stassen (in Stassen et al., 1996) nonetheless regards his seven norms as "fundamental tests of the extent to which we are being faithful to God’s revelation in Christ" Judging, but forgiving, healing, and breaking down the barriers that marginalize or exclude
• Delivering justice
• Evangelism, preaching the gospel, and calling for repentance and discipleship
• Nonviolent transforming initiatives
• Loving your enemy
• Mutual servanthood
• Prayer
It is not incidental that Stassen regards these theocentric norms, and the specific actions that flow from them, as veritable means of deliverance of the Church and its surrounding cultures from the "kingdoms" of this world that they might together become the "Kingdom of our God and of His Christ!"
Conclusion
In trying to express a new vision for the Church, Stassen pays homage to the importance of Niebuhr’s seminal thinking in Christ and Culture, and also draws on the three preceding essays (Yoder’s, Yeager’s, and his own), holding that their critical insights "point in mutually complementary directions for the church in our multipolar society" (Stassen et. al., 1996, p. 13).
Stassen’s detailed analysis puts essential emphasis on what he had termed earlier as incarnational correction (Stassen et. al., 1996), illustrating from historical realism the need for the Church to continually evaluate itself in terms of Niebuhr’s three essential functions of the Christian community: the apostolic (believing and proclaiming that God in Christ is Redeemer), the pioneering (believing and modeling that God in the Holy Spirit is living and dynamic in human societies and cultures), and the pastoral (believing and caring that God the Father is Creator and active in healing and forgiving sinners, outcasts, and even society) (Stassen et. al., 1996).
References
Stassen, G., Yeager, D., & Yoder, J. (1996). Authentic transformation: A new vision of Christ and culture. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press. CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS ESSAY!!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)