The Freedom Of The Will

The Freedom Of The Will
Freedom is the ability to act, think, react, and behave without having a restrain or impediment to do this. Human beings are beyond lucky to have
this ability and use it in a rational and conscious way. However, many doubts, questions, and concerns arise from this ability. How do humans get
the freedom of the will? Are they using it for its intended and designed purpose? Philosophers have wondered and try to come up with an answer to
all these questions. They have provided the two opposite points of view in regards the freedom of the will. George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel and
Pelagius were two philosophers that had an extensive debate over the freedom of the will. Hegel in his "Lectures on the Philosophy of History"
presented that free will is completely based on a divine providence. In the other hand, Pelagius, founder of Pelagianism, explained an opposite view
about what Hegel thinks in regards to free will.
Hegel contributed in different fields including history, society, and the state. As the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy stated, "Hegel boldly claimed
that his own system of philosophy represented a "historical culmination of all previous philosophical thought".
Hegel, in his "Lectures on the Philosophy of History," displayed his position and ideology in regards free will. He was a firm believer of fatalism and
providence. Hegel's ideology stated that a divine and supreme entity, God, created the universe. This entity, called God, had an objective
that needed to be
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The Resurrection Of Jesus Christ Essay
The religion Christianity is grounded through the wisdom and miracles of Jesus Christ. Many may call him Jesus or Christ but in actuality Jesus
is Christ which means anointed one. Jesus Christ was no average person, he is the God the Father who came to this world and fulfilled the Old
Testament laws and prophecies, died on the cross, and rose from the dead physically. As savior that came on earth to restore his people he
performed many miracles which were recorded in the Gospels by the eyewitnesses. Jesus Christ is the divine in nature as well as human. Thus, he
has two natures and is worthy of worship and prayer. Christianity teaches that there is only one God in all existence. Although philosophies have
tried to prove otherwise the reality is that God made the universe, the Earth, and created man starting with Adam and Eve. According to Genesis 1:27
it states that "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them". Image means the
likeness of God 's character, rationality, etc. Since we are made in the image of God, every person has an opportunity to be more like him less like
sinful ways of the world. Another aspect that Christianity teaches is that God is a Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, not three Gods). Although the
trinity is a subject that is very controversial however, in the Christian faith is essential foundation of it faith. In the trinity Jesus Christ is the second
person. Jesus died on the

Arminianism Vs Pelagianism
Dave Hunt says that usually Calvinist call Pelagians or Semi–Pelagian to those Christians that reject their doctrine, but it is important to know the
differences between Arminianism and Pelagianism to avoid being confused.
In conclusion, we can say that Pelagianism rejects the belief and the doctrine of the Original Sin and claim that humans have not been corrupted, so
people are capable of deciding to do good and avoid sin without the help of God. In summary, humans are capable of merit salvation on their own
without God's grace. Pelagius believed that the only thing that can affect us to obey God would be the human ignorance of God's will.
Salvation in Pelagianism came through obedience. People are justified in on the basis of merits as

The Contributions Of Saint Augustine's Birth And Conversion
Saint Augustine birth and conversion (354 – 386 A. D). Augustine was born in a small town called Tagaste, which is located in North Africa.
Furthermore, Augustine formed doctrines of the church of the Middle Ages. He was a Philosopher, Teacher, and became a Bishop of Hippo. His
favoritism of Bishop Ambrose gave him more understanding with an excellent interpretation of the scripture which gave him clarity. Thirty–two years
of age, Saint Augustine had a spiritual conversion experience that directed him to read the word of God, Romans 13:13, which he obeyed and followed
with anticipation (Gonzalez, J. L., 2010, digital). Augustine was convicted about his lifestyle and began to desire to know the truth about God and
Christianity by accepting faith in Jesus Christ (John 8:32).
Baptism and Ordination (387 – 391 A. D). The essence of Saint Augustine's heart was fulfilled and satisfied by receiving Jesus Christ as Lord. He
was transformed from his way of doing things and have accepted Jesus Christ way as a Christian. He and his son Adeodatus baptism were conducted
and completed by Bishop Ambrose (Gonzalez, J. L., 2010, digital). After his mother transition, Augustine remained several months in Rome, chiefly
engaged in refuting Manichaeism. As a Christian, he decided to sell his goods and give to the poor and start an ordinary life in poverty, prayer, and
the study of sacred letters. He became a coadjutor, which is an assistant to a Bishop of Hippo. Eventually, Saint Augustine was appointed as a priest
immediately, while his vision grew to build and organize another community in Hippo. Augustine was ordained in 391 (New Advent, 2017 par. 14).
Augustine as Bishop of Hippo (396 – 430 A. D). Augustine was a good and faithful priest who can guide and care for others in a turbulent time in
Roman history; this was an honored to be an excellent shepherd and an overseer to many (Acts 20:28). Being enfeebled by age, Bishop Valerius
promoted Augustine as his coadjutor. Augustine has an excellent way as a defender of truth and has a shepherd heart for souls. He was for the people
of Hippo by consistently ministering from a spirit of charity that always influences people's heart, and struggled indefatigably against

The Holy Trinity : Is Not Just For Non Christians?
The Holy Trinity is a difficult thing to understand, much less to explain. This is true not just for non–Christians, but Christians themselves. The best
explanation many young Christians get when they are growing up is that God is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are all one,
but are different in their own ways (such was the case with my own upbringing in a Catholic household, so I speak from experience). This doesn't
seem to make much sense, especially considering that it is similar to another Holy Mystery that is often brought up: that of Jesus Christ being wholly
man and wholly God at the same time. The answers are more often than not unsatisfying, seemingly feeling like placeholders, and this frustration is only
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Still, this did not satisfy Constantine, as his intention as Emperor was to have a united empire, and this included Christians. Christians were divided on
many issues at the time, with many following varying schools of thought that, while similar enough, were different around core ideas. In order to
rectify this, Constantine organized the First Ecumenical Council–the First Council of Nicaea–in 325 CE. He had invited nearly 2,000 bishops from all
of Christendom to come to Nicaea to see if agreements could be made over old disagreements and unite all of the Christians under one, united Church,
with Constantine himself acting as a mediator as much as a host.
Many of the issues brought up at this council were of an organizational and structural nature as to how and when and what things should be done how
and when and where and so on and so forth: when Easter should be celebrated, prohibition of kneeling on Sundays, baptism of heretics, ordination of
eunuchs, etc. The biggest issue, however, was the question of Jesus Christ and His nature, His relationship to God the Father, and whether or not he
was "created" or not. This issue had come to a head between two schools of thought: Alexander of Alexandria believed that God the Father and God
the Son were both one and the same and different,

Essay on Saint Augustine
Saint Augustine was born on 354 CE in Tagaste, Africa.
His given name was Aurelius Augustinus. His father was
Patricius, a pagan who was baptized Christian before he
died, and his mother was Monica, a baptized Christian with
an influential role in the life of her son. Augustine is
regarded as one of the most intelligent Christian theologians
and bishops of all time. His works and actions have left a
major imprint on the Church and its doctrine.
As a boy, Augustine was not baptized and grew up in the
Roman Empire. He studied under the local schoolmasters
in Tagaste until he turned fifteen and moved to continue his
studies in Madaurus. From Madaurus, he moved to
Carthage for advanced studies in rhetoric and law. It was in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Augustine's model for his ministry

was St. Paul and he found St. Paul as a mentor. In Hippo,
he set up a monastery for the sake of training new priests.
With Augustine's many contributions to Hippo, Bishop
Valerius requested Augustine to become his Co–adjutire. A
year later, Valerius passed away and Augustine became the
Bishop of Hippo.
While Augustine was bishop, he wrote some of his greatest
works, which still survive today. The first of these is
Confessions, where he thanked God for changing him, and
he also revealed how he struggled with himself, his sexual
nature, self–will and his pride. He presented his positions on
incarnation and the Trinity. Confessions were both his
biography and also his presentation of his ideas. This book
was written with the hope that others will experience
conversion to Christianity and how he, Augustine, felt on
his way towards conversion.
City of God is another great work of Augustine which he
showed that Rome fell because it was a "City of Earth" and

not because of Christianity and he Christians. The City of
God emerged from God's love while Rome, the "City of
Earth" emerged from the love of self. This was the
dominant theme in the story. Augustine also critiqued
Greco–Roman culture drawing from the greatest historians
and writers of the period. He pointed out the degradation
of Roman standards of conduct, life patterns or style and
sexual behaviors. Contrasting the Roman

Analysis Of The 3rd Council Of Orthodoxy
We see that each Ecumenical Council brings about different theological claims that would later shape the idea of orthodoxy. What is important in
relation to these theological claims in the councils is the take away from each. They each bring a new idea, and tradition, into the next time period.
While they still continue to have multiple councils, we see the adapting and changing of each because of how the Church's themselves operate. The
councils bring forth lessons to be learned with regards to valuable information that is put toward the idea and culture of orthodoxy. The 3rd Council in
Ephesus focuses on Cyril and Nestorius in relation to Theotokos (Cyril –bearer of God) and Christotokos (Nestorius –Christ bearer). The 4th council in
Chalcedon ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Cyril and Nestorius in the third council introduce the way that politics played into the councils and how the outcome would influence orthodoxy.
We see this by looking at how both Cyril and Nestorius wrote to Pope Celestine, while only Cyril wrote in Latin, which made it easier for the Pope
himself to read more promptly, while Nestorius's was pushed to the side to later be translated. This was another strike for Nestorius, and it did not
help that he was seen as having a similar character to those who believed in Pelagianism. This is where we note imperialism being woven into the
making of orthodoxy by the powerful bishops and leaders in Christianity by using the councils to enforce basic structures. They would implement
these through their bishops, and teachings based Christ's life, and on the principles based out of successful councils. Bishops themselves became
the hierarchy in particular churches, and would soon lead to different adaptations based on individual Churches such as papa and pharaohs (Acts of
Council of Chalcedon, p.12). These same bishops and other sees would later cause rivalry among various issues (Acts of Council of Chalcedon,
p.16). In any hierarchy, we see favoritism and personal views conflicting with the roles given. The late antiquity time frame was no different in
relation to personal views on subjects, individuals, and how those politics played into the role of imperialism. This therefore played into the idea of
"favorites" in the world of imperial politics of this period. We see how this was intertwined within politics based upon the end conclusions of the third
and forth councils. Such decisions from these councils lead to hatred of either Cyril, or of Nestorius. This lead to Antiochene bishops, who were not
yet ready to follow Cyrillian Christology, to therefore objected the teachings while sticking to their previous teachings from Nestorius

A Clockwork Orange Dualism
Ultra–violence, Controversy, and Reformation of Youth in Anthony Burgess's A Clockwork Orange
Anthony Burgess's controversial novel, A Clockwork Orange, depicts the life of a teenage gang leader, Alex, as he storms through the streets of a
"near–future" society with his "Droogs," or friends. Alex chooses to live a criminal life, until he is arrested by the government and chosen for an
experiment that aims to eliminate his violent and aggressive tendencies with a controversial process known as Ludovico's Technique. After the
procedure successfully "cures" Alex, he is released into the streets as a harmless man. Yet, he is also left defenseless and Alex soon becomes victim to
the violence of others. Ultimately, the procedure is reverted when ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Because the fears of repressive governments exists throughout every society, some more than others, the themes in the novel become "not–so–distant."
Reformation of violence is suppression of of free–will in that it aims to limit the choices we make to fall within what is accepted. In this extreme form
of social control, Alex is "reformed" to act as a civilized human. Violence, as a form of rebellion, represents the ongoing struggle that youth, as a
whole, deals with in order to fight against the "super–powers," that aim to control them.
Bibliography
Aggeler, Geoffrey.Anthony Burgess the Artist as a Novelist. University of Alabama Press,
1979.
–––– Critical Essays on Anthony Burgess. Boston, MA: G.K Hall, 1986.
Brooker, M. Keith. Dystopian Literature: A Theory and Research Guide. Westport, CT:
Greenwood Press.

Mysticism: The Four Hoursman Of The Apocalypse
When disasters start hitting people one after the other, they tend to cling more to their faith or start questioning God's wisdom. At that time Europeans
were surrounded by death and they did not know who would die next. No wonder that people started to change their view of life, and whether they
were living it right or wrong. They started thinking that God is punishing them for their sins and all the horrible things they have done. Surrounded by
plagues, starvation, and death, Europeans back then were convinced that the Four Hoursmen of the Apocalypse have arrived to punish them.
Furthermore, people started rushing to gain God's forgiveness and maybe this way he would save them. Mysticism is defined as uniting with God or
giving one's self

freeclo Violence and Free Will in Anthony Burgess' A...
Violence as an Expression of Free Will in A Clockwork Orange
This essay will deal with the subject of free choice, which is the main topic of the novel, A Clockwork Orange . This significant problem is already
indicated in the very first line of the text when an unknown voice asks Alex – and certainly by that the reader – "What' s it going to be then, eh'?" (13).
Being repeated at the beginning of the second part and at the beginning of the very last chapter of the third part this question sets up the thematic
frame of the book. It asks the protagonist what he is going to chose, good or evil. Likewise it addresses to the reader to consider his own choice, too
(14).
Anthony Burgess is intensely committed to this ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
A similar method of characterization is applied to Alex' antagonist, the free–thinker F. Alexander. Though he is generally a charming person, fighting
against the nasty government, he changes into a furious, revengeful old man as he finally recognizes Alex.
With this kind of characterization Burgess takes away over plus sympathy for F. Alexander and unmasks him as a traitor of his own ideals .Mr.
Alexander's complacent and blasГ© style of writing makes his ambitions somehow suspect (16). So does his behaviour as he recognizes Alex. He
promptly seems to forget his charity for mankind and the victims of supreme power (17).
As we now know that Alex and F. Alexander are the principal heterogeneous pairing of the novel, we see that they hold different ethical and moral
attitudes. Yet it is impossible to divide them up into good and evil. Both of them carry features of a benefactor, respectively a malefactor. Thereby the
story achieves authenticity as the characters correspond closer to real human nature.
Besides, this character constellation expresses the general relation of good and evil in the world and our possibility to make a choice between them.
This is demonstrated by the similar names of

Systematic Theology: Semi-Pelagianism
Meghan Powell
Mr. Murphy
Systematic Theology
8 December 2015
Semi–Pelagianism
Explanation of the Heresy
Definition:
"A heretical doctrine, of the 5th century that accepted the doctrine of original sin but asserted that man's turning to God of his own free will, not after
the provocation of the Holy Ghost, begins the process of spiritual rebirth."
In my own words:
Our faith can begin on our own human will.
We have the ability to initiate belief inGod.
God's grace is a response to man's initial effort.
It denies predestination completely.
Scripture to back it up
Matthew 6:33 says "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
Deuteronomy 4:29 says "But from there you will seek the Lord ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Orthodox Christianity ideas
The fall of man didn't only affect our bodies but also our spirit.
The fall causes man start with evil in our hearts.
Grace isn't something we just get and it something that is freely given.
We need grace for salvation.
Our actions are pleasing to God, but not necessary to be saved.
We constantly need God.
God made us the way we are and loves every one of

Augustine's Concept of Politics Essay
Augustine's Concept of Politics
For Augustine, political life is a necessary evil. Why is it evil and why is it necessary? How then, does his claim influence his political theory?
Introduction
It is probably prudent to begin by discussing some of the fundamental beliefs of St. Augustine in order to better tackle the question. We must remember
that St. Augustine is first and foremost a theologian, and thus his beliefs are firmly rooted in the teachings of Christianity. He accepted the doctrine of
the Bible, i.e. the world and everything in it was created by God. Men were initially living in relationship with God, but after Adam and Eve sinned in
the Garden of Eden, they `fell', and effectively condemned their genealogy with the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This is not only due to our limited ability of reasoning, but also due to our weak and distorted will that often overrides our reason. Since we are
unable to live by perfect reasoning, we are unable to rationally perfect ourselves in a perfect historical city/state.
Finally, Augustine states that peace and harmony are the foremost desires of the human heart; however, the `grip of destructive impulses and passions'
in the human heart prevents the establishment of such order. Furthermore, God is punishing Man's original sin' by making human life in this world
penal. Man is unable to achieve perfect peace, which can only be found in Augustine's City of God, a divine city to be ruled by God after Jesus'
second coming.
Augustine's Interpretation of the State
Augustine believes that the State exists as a consequence and a manifestation of sin. It is unlike the Aristotelian and Platonian definition of the state,
which is naturally part of human life; or a natural forum for the development and expression of the human character. Augustine believes that it is in fact
a contrived "supervention upon the created order; it has been called into being by the fact that man's naturally sociable and co–operative disposition has
been denatured and made selfish by

St. Augustine's Confessions: The Rise Of Christianity
In the First–Third Century, Christianity wasn't a very popular option then. People persecuted Christians for over three hundred years, so you only
became a Christian if you were willing to risk everything (Early Church Fathers: St. Augustine's Conversion, web). That was before the emperor of the
empire that was persecuting Christians actually became a Christian! That's where these "lukewarm" Christians started coming along, and people started
eventually delaying their baptisms. They wanted to make sure they didn't mess up their baptism through a serious sin (video source). It was in this time
period when little Augustine was born on November 13, 354 in Northern Africa which is now present day Algeria (St. Augustine's Confessions By St.
Augustine... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
(St. Augustine's Confessions By St. Augustine St. Augustine Biography). The Romans believed that Rome was not defeat able and would never
fall, but it was. In 429 North Africa was taken over by the Vandals in the fall of 431 which was when Augustine fell ill (web). "In his last illness, he
himself acted in this way. He had the penitential psalms of David written down and fixed to the wall, so that though in bed sick he could see and read
them, while weeping all the time warm tears," so recorded his close friend and biographer Possidius."" (St. Augustine: The Rentless Flame). He ended
up dying on August 28, 430 being 75 years old and did not see Hippo get taken (St. Augustine's Confessions By St. Augustine St. Augustine Biography,
web).One of the biggest things people remember Augustine for was his book of Confessions. After converting toChristianity, he literally wrote down all
of his confessions and made it into a book. While reading some of the quotes, I can really tell he was fully a Christian who loved God. I quote, "Thou
hast made us for a Thyself, oh Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds rest in

The Two Kinds of Evil According to Augustine Essay
God is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent, which makes us wonder what kind of morally sufficient reason justifies God to allow evil. We
know that evil exists in our world, but so does God, so would God be the source of evil as well as good? We have established that God is the
omnipotent and benevolent free creator of the world, but suffering and evil exist. Is God unable to prevent evil? If so, he would not be omnipotent. Is
He able to prevent the evil in our world but unwilling? If this were then case then he wouldn't be benevolent. A Persian thinker, Mani, suggested that the
answer to this question was a kind of duality between the good and evil. This pluralistic view of the good and evil in our world would suggest that God
is ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Is all evildoing due to inordinate desires? For instance, when you kill someone out of self–defense, would that be considered an inordinate desire? Two
laws determine the criteria by which we are allowed to kill: the eternal law and the temporal law . When we give in to our lustful desires, we receive
temporal punishment, which is when we suffer for attaching ourselves to things that are lost against our will. Therefore, humans are only susceptible to
temporal punishment if we commit evil acts through lust . Most of the time, our temporal punishments are results of evil actions except in a few cases
when eternal law coincides with the temporal law. For instance, if a person using self–defense kills someone then they would be excused from their
sins in the eternal world if they were true in their actions, whether or not they are proven innocent by temporal law . He also comments on a soldier
in war and explaining his action of killing an enemy is "then acting as an agent of the law, and thus easily does his duty without lust" . Both the
eternal and temporal laws guarantee a perfect order, but what exactly does this mean? Augustine says that there is a hierarchy of value with God
above all, then comes humans because we have rational thought and will to live well. After humans are animals which will to live, but do not reason,
then there are plants, which live but do not will to do so or possess the ability to reason . Therefore, a

Arminianism Research Paper
While various doctrines can cause conflict between others with opposing views, it is a convenient way to share one's beliefs concerning different
topics within the Bible. For example, in regards to the magnitude of sin, there are many doctrines that try to explain the effects and nature of sin within
man himself. By labeling one's belief, one can help give insight to what he or she believes what the Bible says about that topic. One doctrine that gives
great insight to the nature of sin itself, is Arminianism. First mentioned by the Dutch theologian James Arminius, and then later modified by John
Wesley, the Arminian approach to explaining the origins and magnitude of sin is that all of mankind has received a corrupted nature after Adam had
sinned in the garden. This differs from other views such as Pelagianism, which states that man is not born with either a sinful nature, or any guilt from
Adam's sinful act. Because of Adam's disobedience to God, man is now born without any righteousness, and is unable to be fulfill God's commands
without divine help. Arminianism also different from other doctrines because it states that the inability to fulfill God's commands is both physical and
intellectual, but does not compromise man's free will. Because of what Jesus did on the cross, every man has the option to accept the free gift of
prevenient grace, and could then no longer have to be bound by ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This realization of how we are all the same is not only humbling, but also helps prevent me from dehumanizing others when they sin. We as humans
are so quick to point the finger when others do a wrongful act, which only makes us hypocrites in doing so when we either have committed the same
act ourselves, or have done some other type that is no less displeasing to God. This doctrine is humbling, and helps me not become a

The Spiritual Condition Of Infants
Adam Harwood, The Spiritual Condition of Infants
In general, what is spiritual condition? It is assumed that all people inherited a guilty and a sinful nature from the first man, Adam who sinned. It
results in the question of whether infants are subjected to the God's judgement even before they commit any action. In his book, Adam Harwood
analyzes the writings of theologians and important biblical texts for clarifying an infant 's spiritual condition. In this book, Harwood argues that an
infant only inherits Adam's sinful nature, without inheriting the guilty nature as well. Harwood builds up an alternate view against the
Augustinian–Calvinist view.
Adam Harwood currently serves as Director of the Baptist Center for Theology and Ministry, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
All of them followed by conclusion, indexes, and bibliography. Every passage contributed by addressing the doctrines. They were doctrines ofsin,
church doctrines, doctrines of salvation and man. Throughout his book, Harwood addresses 16 theologians viewpoints on this complex question. The
materials of introduction discussed short and useful literature survey on this subject and showed the differences with the help of focuses on "the
spiritual condition of living infants." Infant salvation was not the direct focus for Harwood.
The introduction is in 3 parts. In the first chapter, Harwood explains why it even matters if an infant is guilty of sin. Here, Harwood explains that
there will com a time when we as pastors will be confronted with trying to comfort a family grieving the death of an infant. The question of "where
is my baby" could pop up and if you answer that the child is in heaven you need to elaborate and be able to provide biblical justification for your
answer. In the second chapter, Harwood speaks on "limits or boundaries" in the proposal studying. In general the author revealed four of these
assumptions:
A human is considered a human despite how small he is;
An infant has a sinful nature since he is of Adam's descent;
God welcomes them into heaven;
God welcomes them through the person and Christ's work.
In this chapter he elaborates on these four assumptions

St. Augustine's Influence On The Western World
Augustine was born on November 13, AD 354 at Thagaste, in the north African province of Numidia. His mother was a Christian and brought him up
in the Christian faith. Augustine detailed his life in the many autobiographies he wrote doing his life time. His father was a pagan, and was not
interested in Christianity. ). I am reminded of Timothy, who was trained up in the word of God. "That from childhood you have known the sacred
writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:16). Augustine was a great
thinker, intellectually, and spiritually. His influence on the Western world through his theological works on the Trinity, predestination, The city of God,
and Christian ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
According to Cook (2012), "As Christianity spread among European religious leaders; the writings of Saint Augustine became significant. Augustine's
theological writings defined the Christian system of belief philosophically, theologically and intellectually." Augustine's works on the City of God,
Christian doctrine, and the Trinity was very foundational to the Christian faith in the western world at that time in church history. A noted theologian,
John Calvin, whose work on the book of Romans was outstanding, was also influenced by Augustine's theological writings. Augustine influence on the
cannon would cause the cannon to be ratified from 66 chapters to his 73 chapters; because of this it would greatly influence the nature of Christianity in
the west. (Jacobtiz, 2012). The Augustinian invasion would point the west in a totally different direction.Augustine of Hippo would stand out as one of
the most noted theologians who influenced many great thinkers. Augustine was a celebrated Philosopher, apologist, and he was a church bishop.
Augustine believed in the total supremacy of God, and I do too. I also believe that God has given men the ability to choose, which is the concept of
free will. I also believe that God uses the evil of men to accomplish His

Pros And Cons Of Pelagianism
In the years following 400 AD, the ideas of the monk Pelagius spawned a heresy that still affects people of the church today. Pelagianism "holds that a
man can take the initial and fundamental steps toward salvation by his own efforts, apart from God's Divine Grace" (Slick). In a nutshell, Pelagius'
heresy states that man doesn't need help from God to be able to live a holy life and to get into heaven. Despite the heresy seeming to have nearly died
out, it merely evolved into smaller actions that allow it to slowly take hold of our lives. As Thomas Aquinas once stated, heresies are "a species of
unbelief," and like other species, heresies like pelagianism will adapt in order to survive. Pope Francis made the comments he did about Pelagianism
to make it known how it can sneak into our lives and, in addition, presents how we personally can avoid any further confusion.
While Pelagianism may have began many years ago, it still has a large enough influence to cause Pope Francis to speak out against it today. Pope
Francis has came out and said that "it's not soul searching or constant introspection that we encounter the Lord, [but living our lives] going ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
While with certain institutions when a problem arises, it is swept under the carpet and ignored, Pope Francis did the exact opposite and recognizes
Pelagianism as a issue within the Church. The Holy Father shines the light back on this heresy and presents how Christians today are not knowingly
having beliefs that are Pelagianistic. To help clear confusion, Pope Francis shows us how we can't solely rely on ourselves for salvation and that we
can always find help through God. We have to remember that if Jesus did not die for our sins, we would not have the chance to enter Heaven. So if we
take God out of salvation, then why would have Jesus died to save us from our

St. Augustine Of Hippo Research Paper
St. Augustine of Hippo was an Algerian–Roman philosopher and theologian of the late Roman / Early medieval period. He is often considered the
father of orthodox theology and the greatest of the four great fathers of the Latin Church along with St. Ambrose, St. Jerome and St. Gregory. He is one
of the most important early figures in the development of Western Christianity, and was a major figure in bringing Christianity to dominance in the
previously pagan Roman Empire ,Unlike the later Scholastics who took Aristotle as the classical model to be integrated into Christian thought,
Augustine developed a philosophical and theological system which employed elements of Plato and Neo–Platonism in support of Christian orthodoxy.
His many works profoundly ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
His body was later moved to Pavia, Italy or, according to another account, to Cagliari on the island of Sardinia. Almost throughout his life he had been
a lonely, isolated figure, not attached to any intellectual or academic movement, and without any university or institutional support for his work. At the
time of his death, he was apparently the only person in his whole town who possessed any books at all.
He was made a saint (patron saint of brewers, printers, sore eyes and theologians) of the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Eastern Orthodox Churches,
and among the Orthodox he is known as Blessed Augustine or St. Augustine the Blessed. He is the patron of the Augustinian religious order the
Catholic monastic order of both men and women living according to a guide to religious life known as the Rule of Saint Augustine. In 1298, he was
made a pre–eminent Doctor of the

Anglo Saxon Conversion
Bishop Germanus used a technique of preaching and spreading the word of god thru the churches and in the streets and fields. There idea was they
were going to try to spread the religion as fast as they could by word. The people learned of this religion and learned they would acquire authority
and honor, thus making them immediately open to there way of thinking. Bede may consider the Anglo Saxons as not fully converted because they
still had there ways of being brutal and having the urge to always fight, they were basically still barbarians and they way of converting them was to
try to get them to relate some of the ways of there life to the Christian religion. The Anglo Saxons that were converted by the Irish form of Christianity
was different

Write An Essay On James Arminius
Jacobus "James" Arminius was born on October 10, 1560. He lived most of his early childhood in Oudewater, Utrecht, which is a province of the
Netherlands. After his parents were killed at a very young age, he was adopted by a pastor named Theodorus Aemilius, who sent him to study theology
at the University of Leiden. James Arminius is notable for teaching theology at the University of Leiden and writing multiple theology based books. He
is most famous for Arminianism, which are his teachings and theological beliefs. Although he is commonly known for his disagreements with John
Calvin, the two theologians agree on many biblical doctrines.
In his early life, James Arminius fully rejected the Pelagianism viewpoint, specifically on the fall of Adam. Pelagianism states that the fall of Adam
virtually had no affect on humanity. Furthermore, it views humanity as morally good and acceptable. In response to this, Arminius says, "In this state,
the Free Will of man towards the True Good is not only wounded, maimed, infirm, bent, and weakened [attenuatem]; but it is also imprisoned
[captivatum], destroyed, and lost. And its powers are not only debilitated and useless unless they be assisted by grace, but it has no powers whatever
except such as are excited by Divine grace...." With this viewpoint, James ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
James Arminius himself came from a background of Calvinistic viewpoints and embraced many of them. The problem is not John Calvin or James
Arminius, but we as imperfect humans. While defending one side, we tend to use straw men and misrepresent the other side of the argument. What we
must understand is that both men loved the Lord and wanted to further their understanding of God. Although they may disagree on some issues
pertaining to God's word, me must recognize that both men were imperfect

Essay The Metaphysical One in Platonic and Augustinian...
The legacy of Plato left its distinctive brand of influence on St. Augustine's beliefs and writings, of this there is no doubt. In Confessions, Augustine
himself professed that it was the Platonic books that enabled him to attach himself to his God. However, it is evident that Augustine re–augmented
much of the Platonic thoughts and, combining them with the early Christian doctrines, configured the hybrid into what became the foundation of
Catholicism. The differences–as well as similarities–that exist between the two thought systems can be dissected from two points: the nature of the
metaphysical supreme One and its relationships with the Many.
At the heart of Platonism is the concept of eidos, or Forms: the theory of an absolute and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This concept is akin to the Hindu doctrine of Atman, the Cosmic Soul that is the ultimate Being; while Platonic material world is similar to the Hindu
idea of Maya–the World of Illusions that is made by the materialization of the Invisible. The Platonic God remains formless, nameless, and utterly
unfathomable. It can be seen as a unified collection of isolated eidos, much like how thousands of different colors are in the end dissolved into an
eternal shade of gray. Or it can also be understood as the Form of Being. In a sense, this God is a mathematical concept: Infinity.
Centuries later, Augustine incorporated Plato's half–hidden pantheism into the foundation of the monotheistic Catholic Church. Though both
metaphysical entities are the cause of physical existence, the Platonic One is passive while the Christian God of Augustine can be defined through his
action of Creating. He is similar to the other entity in that He is immaterial, eternal, immutable, and unchangeable. He is the Word and the Will.
However, whereas Plato's Universal Principle is a one–dimensional perfect Reality, Augustine's God is the spiritual substance–the formless Matter
which is both everywhere and nowhere at once. The Creation is unified and contained, across all past, present, and future, in one single Creator. To
God, there is

"Son Of Tears", Chapter by Chapter.
Chapter 1 Augustine and his friends are doing bad stuff, running through fields, and taking people's fruit. He and his best friend Alypius get caught
behind and have to hide out. Then, they meet up with the others at the center of town they called the Hollow. Here, Augustine told his story he had
with a lady, who had a husband. Then an argument occurred. Chapter 2 Augustine's parents, Monica and Patricius, talk about sending their son away.
While talking, they realize that Augustine has become a man. Monica then asks for Patricius to be baptized, and convert to Christianity. He says he
can not because he would make a poor follower of Christ, and does not want to upset his local gentry. At the end of this chapter, the conversation ends...
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They are obviously poor. Augustine expresses his uncertainty about getting married while in school, and gets a chance to talk to Melanie privately.
He expresses his obsessive love for her, but she declines his advances and asks him to leave. He does so, with a broken heart. Chapter 12 Augustine,
distraught but resolute, decides to win the heart of Melanie. He gets a haircut and brings her a canary. The two get to talking, and despite herself,
finds herself attracted to Augustine. Chapter 13 Augustine, with his head still spinning with love, talks to Alypius about love and the possibility of
moving out of the apartment and getting his own apartment to live with Melanie in. Augustine goes to see Melanie and finds her in the company of a
roman soldier. Augustine promptly hits the soldier, then gets knocked out and awakens to the sight of Melanie kneeling over him. They speak more
of love and moving in together. Augustine later gets a note from Melanie telling him that her father is gone for Syracuse, and he goes to her and she,
for the first time professes her love for him. Chapter 14 Now, after some time of living together, tensions are building in the apartment. Augustine first
accuses Melanie of being wasteful, then unfaithful. Augustine recalls their two years together as being six months of passion followed by a year and a
half of bickering and fighting. Melanie later comes home and explains

The Doctrine Of Original Sin
Uncontestably, Augustine is the most prominent and influential church father, for the Western Church. As the last of the ancient Christian writers, his
theology not only formulated medieval scholarship; conversely, Augustine considerably impacted the theology of the Protestant Reformation. Regarding
original sin and hamartiology, Augustine is the fountainhead, for both Protestant and Roman Catholic's; however, he was not the originator of the
doctrine. Depicting humankind's solidarity with Adam preceded the teaching of Augustine, but none discussed humanity's willful complicity in Adam's
sin as vividly and thoroughly. Imperative to understanding the doctrine of original sin is establishing the distinction between evil and sin, being ... Show
Understanding the Backdrop
Augustine's initial theological formulation of original sin came as a response to the Manichaean movement, with whom he affiliated for nearly ten
years. The Manichaean doctrine of evil was utterly unacceptable to Augustine, especially regarding their absolute dualism of Light and Darkness
struggling against one another. Augustine denied the existence of two "eternally antagonistic principles," and affirmed that all that exists must come
from God. Augustine, writing against the Manichaeans, asserts,
Bring before our minds good things however great, which it is fitting that we attribute to God as their author, and these having been eliminated let us
see whether any nature will remain. All life both great and small, all power great and small, all safety great and small...all peace great and small, and
whatever other like things may occur, especially such as are found throughout all things, whether spiritual or corporeal, every measure, every form,
every order both great and small, are from the Lord God.
Augustine considered everything existent as created by God, the author of life and thus, everything was established for good. Thus, evil is not an
entity, nor is it nature; rather

Saint Augustine Essays
Saint Augustine Saint Augustine, b. Nov. 13, 354, d. Aug. 28, 430, was one of the foremost philosopher
–theologians of early Christianity and, while
serving (396–430) as bishop of Hippo Regius, the leading figure in the church of North Africa. He had a profound influence on the subsequent
development of Western thought and culture and, more than any other person, shaped the themes and defined the problems that have characterized the
Western tradition of Christian Theology. Among his many writings considered classics, the two most celebrated are his semi
–autobiographical
Confessions, which contains elements of Mysticism, and City of God, a Christian vision of history. Early Life and Conversion Augustine was born at
Thagaste (modern... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Unable to give up Christianity altogether, however, he adopted Manichaeism, a Christian heresy claiming to provide a rational Christianity on the basis
of a purified text of Scripture. Nine years later, his association with the Manichees ended in disillusionment; and it was in a religiously detached state
that Augustine arrived in Milan. There he discovered, through a chance reading of some books of Neoplatonism, a form of philosophy that seemed
compatible with Christian belief. At the same time, he found that he was at last able to give up the ambitions for public success that had previously
prevented him from embracing the philosophic life. The result was the dramatic conversion that led Augustine to devote his life to the pursuit of truth,
which he now identified with Christianity. With a small group of friends, he returned to North Africa and, in Thagaste, established a religious
community dedicated to the intellectual quest for God. Later Life and Influence Augustine's ordination, unexpectedly forced upon him by popular
acclamation during a visit to Hippo in 391, brought about a fundamental change in his life and thought. It redirected his attention from the philosophic
Christianity he had discovered in Milan to the turbulent, popular Christianity of North Africa's cities and towns. His subsequent career as priest and
bishop was to be dominated by

Analysis Of Aurelius Augustine : A Treatise On The Gift Of...
In an attempt to refute the views of a theologian named Pelagius, Aurelius Augustine published a work entitled "A Treatise on the Gift of
Perseverance", and in this work he explains a view on the gift of perseverance that is not fully in line with what scripture teaches. First I will describe
Augustine's ideals and stance on Perseverance of the Saints. I will continue by describing that his stance on this topic matter is not entirely coherent
with scripture, and then show the overall result his doctrine has had on reformed theology. I will then argue against Augustine's doctrine of
perseverance from a strictly scriptural standpoint, and show that Augustine's use of scripture is not fully encompassing of the whole truth. Aurelius...
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In the year 391, Augustine became presbyter of Hippo, which eventually led to his succession of Bishop of Hippo in 396 (O'Donnell). While serving
as Bishop of Hippo Augustine went on to publish many works that would passionately describe his views in an exquisite manner. Several of Aurelius
Augustine's works were formed in opposition to the views of other christian sects such as his Anti–Donatist, and Anti–Manichean writings. One of
Augustine's more famed and influential works is his writings against Pelagius. Pelagius was believed to have been born around 354, and his birth
place is widely debated upon as being either Britain, or Ireland, and was believed to have died around 418 in Palestine. Pelagius became a well
known theologian and felt convicted by the yielding morality of the Romans. He felt that the reason for this very relaxed moral code was due to the
view of divine grace. Pelagius believed and preached that man's free will, and own focus on God, would earn them spiritual advancement. This
conviction led Pelagius to author his work "De Libero Arbitrio", or "On Free Will". In this work, Pelagius defended his view that spiritual
advancement required a great deal of human effort, and that an idea such as perseverance could cause a great deal of moral laziness on the part of
Christians. Pelagius published many works on his doctrines, that were often in direct contrast to the views of Augustine, including his' view on original

How Did Erasmus Influence Humanism
The works of the Dutch humanist Desiderius Erasmus, often titled the
Praise of Folly, Erasmus's seminal pre–Reformation essay examines aspects of Church teaching as well as aspects of worship which Erasmus deems
worthy of the biting satire he utilises
Erasmus was unrelenting in his criticism of pedantry, sophistry and demagoguery among both clerical and secular figures.
Rediscovery of Aristotle and the birth of humanism in the renaissance
The influence of Erasmus on humanism during this time was so great as to ensure that Northern Renaissance humanism came to be labelled Erasmian.
A movement which, unlike its Italian counterpart and predecessor, would place faith and piety at the centre of theology and would place a large
emphasis on ad ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It will describe the role of Erasmus in the reformation and Erasmus's unease at his position straddling the ever–increasing divide in Western
Christendom between the traditionalist Catholic position and that of the Reformers.
, placing Erasmus in either camp, given his reputation as simultaneously the intellectual godfather of Reformation thought and his ostensible life–long
loyalty (despite his persistent criticisms) to the Roman church is innately problematic.
Erasmus's own view of Praise of Folly is a subject of much dispute. Going by his own writings it seems unsure just how seriously he expected that
particularly work to be taken. Certainly its theological merit is utterly overshadowed by much of the rest of his body of work.
Hard to know how much import Erasmus himself attached to the work given his writings hence and it place as a relatively insignificant part of a
substantial corpus of work over his life.
The power and potency of Praise of Folly and the effectiveness of Folly as a serious messenger were perhaps inadvertent on the part of the author.
It's more important historically then literarily.
Already in chapter 40, under the guise of continuing frivolify and without any change of tone or style, Erasmus has thrown in a list of pious
superstitions, quite long enough to make a thologians hair stand on end
Chapter 48 with its attack on pretentiousness 'forms the heart of the satire'.
We can't use

The Birth Of The Monastic Movement Affect Augustine 's...
Augustine– Born in North Africa, becomes the bishop of Hippo and writes the confessions
Monica– Augustine's mother and a devoted Christian
Adeodatus– He was a "gift from God" and was very unhappy when he lost his partner after 13 years
Manicheism– a new religion, Augustine became part of this religion when he was about 20 years old.
Elect– Special people were vegetarians and are certain fruits and vegetables.
Hearers– People that were forbidden from the Elects.
Ambrose of Milan– a Christian bishop and also a provincial governor.
Donatists– were the opponents of Caecilian
original sin– The idea that Adam and Eve ruined the human nature.
Pelagius– Is a monk that is from Britain and went to Rome.
Predestination– The idea that God damned people before hand.
Respond to the Following questions 1 to 2 full paragraphs each:
1.How did the rise of the monastic movement affect Augustine 's thinking about marriage in his Confessions? The monastic movement was
questioning if it was the right thing to do, leaving the city to follow the Christian faith. The main idea that was on Christians minds was of sex,
marriage, property and a career. Augustine wants to be baptized under the Christian faith when he was 33 years old because he made the decision that
he was going to renounce about marriage and a successful career. When he wrote in his book the Confessions being married "Christians seemed like a
pale approximation of authentic Christianity."( The Christian

Paper On Reflections On Revival
NTERACTIVE PAPER ON REFLECTIONS ON REVIVAL
By Charles G. Finney
Nupur James
HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY II:
THE REFORMATION AND MODERN CHURCH
HIST 0562
INSTRUCTOR: REV. DR. RON KYDD 1st April 2015
Mail Box # 344
Letters on Revival is written by The Rev. Charles G. Finney in year 1946 is series of 32 letters addressed to Ministers of the Gospel and all interested
person. It is Finney 's "Reflections" on revival and revival meetings, written in 1845–46, and distributed in the Oberlin Evangelist, the bi–weekly
official publication of Oberlin College, where Rev. Finney was Professor of Theology and in the end, President of the College. Finney's writing reflects
a lot about revival; that it is a method for saving souls as well as changing people and, eventually, the society. Through revivalism, the church would
introduce the millennial kingdom to the world. Finney acknowledges that revival brought good change radically and also that Christians ought to be
effectively involved in transforming all areas of community.
This paper will aim to involve a close reading on Reflection on Revivals by Charles G. Finny, We will be discussing seven different letters which He
has address to the Ministers of the Gospel and brothers. He talks about revival but he designed his religious theology to fit his revivalist practices. His
unique perspective of original sin incorporated an improvement, the general nature of depravity, and a lack of teaching of attribution. Three

Essay on A Very Brief History of the Papacy
Introduction The Papacy is the office of the Pope. The word pope comes from the Latin form of the word "Papa" which means father. The office of the
Pope or rather the papacy is responsible for a wide variety of things. Specifically the Papacy's main responsibility is the spiritual well being of the
members of the Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Church rose to power in the 6th century and lasted throughout the 9th century. There were
several different circumstantial and also coincidental factors that contributed to the high regard of the church by the 6th century. The beginning was the
church's unsolicited popularity. This could be linked to its relationship with the early apostles. The Roman Church was the first in the empire... Show
St. Leo the Great was pope during the middle of the 5th century. This was very troubling times for the Roman Empire. The barbarian armies were
trying to destroy the once mighty empire. St. Leo the Great was a very powerful teacher and leader. As a deacon of the Roman Church, before
being elevated to the office of Pope in 440 A.D., St. Leo the Great had opposed the heresy of Pelagianism which taught that grace was not
necessary for salvation, but was rather a bonus that god granted to those who earned it by their good works . St. Leo the Great is perhaps most
famous for his persuading techniques he used with Attila the Hun. He was able to persuade Attila the Hun to abandon the plans he had to destroy
the city of Rome and to also withdraw his forces beyond the Danube River. Just a short three years later he saved Rome from the vandals again. He
couldn't stop them from invading this time; however he led negotiations with their leader which prevented the burning of the city. St. Leo the great
has been called "the master builder of the papacy." He is also considered one of the most important of the Western fathers of the Church he was also
declared a "Doctor of the Church". He put the idea of primacy of jurisdiction fully into practice. He passed away in 461 A.D. however there are 143
letters and 96 sermons that cover every season of the liturgical year that are still around to this

Clockwork Orange Essay example
Clockwork Orange
In all of my reading, I have come to the conclusion that Anthony Burgess is one of the greatest literary genius's of the twentieth century. His
masterpiece, A Clockwork Orange, is unrivaled in obvious depth, insight, and innovation. The novel is a work of such quality, such perfection, that it
seems to be genuinely written by a literary demigod.
The novel's main theme deals with free choice and spiritual freedom. More specifically, "[The ethical promise that 'A man who cannot choose ceases
to be man'] can be taken as both the explicit and implicit themes of the novel" (Morgan 104). Anthony Burgess expresses his view that no matter how
"good" one's actions are, unless one has free moral choice, he is ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
While Alex is in the hospital following his suicide attempt, the tragedy of his oppression is highly publicized, in an attempt to stop public criticism, the
state "fixed Alex." He once again has freedom of choice.
Through these series of events, Burgess shows another conviction of his. "The 'spiritual death' can also be seen in the wider context of a political or
philosophical sterility which afflicts whole countries given over to the totalitarian view of life". Burgess believes that totalitarian governments take
away one's individual choice and therefore suffocate his soul. The state in "A Clockwork Orange" is a general parallel to any overly oppressive or
totalitarian government.
Alex is a representative of the common man. "Burgess' attack on behaviorists and on totalitarian states is obvious". By showing what torment Alex
went through when rehabilitated by the state, Burgess shows his strong sentiment against governments taking away the choice of individuals, and
therefore condemning the individual's spirit. Burgess's strong convictions on the subject of individual moral freedom seems odd and even backwards
to some. But it is incredibly right when one grasps its full meaning. "Burgess replies...No matter how awful Alex's actions become, he should be
allowed to choose them".
To be forced to do good is truly wrong. If one is forced to do right, and he does what is right, it

How Did St. Augustine Contribute To Christianity
The writings of St. Augustine are still a very important part of Christianity today. It took him many years of pursuing his faith in God and asking for
forgiveness for him to finally convert to Christianity. St. Augustine was born on the thirteenth of November of year three hundred and fifty–four, in a
village in North Africa called Thagaste. To a middle–class family. His mother Monica, was a Christian and his father Pagan. (Conf. 8). St. Augustine
was born during the time of the Roman Empire. The "conversion" of the Emperor Constantine, changed the church. The church became more
acceptable to people, and people of all "classes" were now practicing Christianity (CH 33). Constantine had three sons and when Constantius the last of
the Constantine's three sons died he was succeded by his cousin Julian. (CH 36). Julian hated Constantius, because the people who followed him and his
Augustine was born to Monica, she was a Christian and spent her life ensuring he would become one as well. His father was a Pagan but did not
disapprove of his wife instilling Christianity in their son. His family was most likely poor. His father saved money so St. Augustine could go to
school and become wealthy. St. Augustine was sent to school where he was forced to learn Latin and Greek. He states numerous times in Confessions
that he hated Greek and Arithmetic but loved reading Latin. He was also very fond of games and shows, which later he would ask forgiveness for from
God (Conf. 23).
St. Augustine became sick when he states, "I was suddenly seized with stomach pains and as my fever mounted, came near death" (Conf. 24). His
mother Monica did not baptize him now, even though he wanted to be. He later questions God about this. St. Augustine did believe that baptism
should be done early. As he believes that babies are born sinners. He makes a statement that "the only innocent features in babies is the weakness of
their frames; the minds of infants are far from innocent" (Conf.

Analysis Of Pelagius 's ' Pelagius '
Pelagius taught that because God commanded men to live good and morally perfect lives, it can be assumed he also gave man the ability to do so.
He rejected the idea of original sin causing man to be in a state of depravity. Pelagius' focus was on the "capability of human nature to achieve
perfection." There was no excuse to allow for anything less than perfection, for since he had the will and the ability, it was possible. Pelagianism is
driven by the thought that man can work, through the power of goodwill, to a state of holiness to earn a place of communion with God. This thought
creates a "self–righteous piety" that minimalizes the work of Christ, reducing him to a wise man and prophet because man can accomplish communion
with God ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The letter expressed concerns regarding the Pelagian teachings. The monks were concerned that Augustine's teachings would minimalize the ideas of
free will, merit and divine judgment, making their mission to turn mankind from a love of the world to the love of God, obsolete. They were willing
to accept that God had a part in the reformation of man but were not willing to go so far as Augustine that God had total control in the process of
reformation.
Augustine's Philosophies
For Augustine, coming to faith was a three–step process; preparation by reason, practicing acts of faith, and understanding of faith. Christ is both a
divine authority and an inner teacher and guide, as he reflects on in On the Teacher. The words of scripture are nothing by themselves, but God uses
them to reveal Himself to man "in his soul."
Grace
The grace of God is a necessary component of man being able to exercise his free will correctly and choose to do good. In On Grace and Free Will,
Augustine says that the reason there are divine commands in scripture is so that man will not be ignorant of grace and free will. Therefore, God
cannot be blamed when a man sins or deny the achievement of will when he chooses good, keeping the hope of reward for his good works alive.
Augustine taught that when men do good it is because grace gives them the power to do

Circumcision Of The Heart Essay
"Circumcision of the Heart" – This is one of Wesley's earlier sermons from 1733 that serves as an introduction to what he calls "Christian Perfection" (a
different sermon in of itself), or the doctrine of holiness. This circumcision of the heart is most profoundly manifested in the love that the Christian has
for God and neighbor. Furthermore, the love that Wesley describes is the mark of a true Christian. The circumcision is not brought about by some
outward act like baptism, but rather it is the embracing and accepting of certain internal qualities such as humility, faith, hope, and love being the most
important. The true Christian has an unclouded knowledge of himself, recognizing his lowliness outside of Christ and therefore realizing his desperate
need of Christ. Once humbled, the faith in Christ is what guides the Christian in day–to–day life, all the while having the assurance that Christ's
sacrifice atones for his own sins. All of this is to say that love is the most crucial affection of the heart that Christians must possess. "Christian
Perfection" – This sermon of... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He actually argues that many Christians do not even know what true Christianity is. In addition to this, he attributes the cause of the disparity between
what Christianity promises and what it actually gives out to a lack of Christian discipline in the church. So few in reality practice self–denial, which
Wesley sees as a great act of love and obedience. They are reluctant to give all that they have to others once their own needs are met. In one last jab,
Wesley states that many of the Methodists have forgotten how to deny themselves and take up their crosses daily because so many of them have
grown rich and are hesitant to give up what they have

Heresy In The Middle Ages
In twelfth century Sicily, an illustrated manuscript of the Byzantine Synopsis of Histories was produced. Within this copy of John Skylitzes' depiction
of events (811–1157) are 500 plus miniatures. One is the massacre of Paulician heretics in 843/844 (figure 1). Although this depiction is not wholly
historically accurate, it does exemplify the Christian stance on heresy in the Middle Ages. Harsh treatment was occasionally necessary, to those who
promoted Lucifer's teachings. Hereby heresy was seen as a major threat to Christ's Church and His people. Nevertheless, as will be shown, whatever
means were put into practice by the Church failed since beliefs held at the beginning of the Middle Ages were still evident in the fifteenth century.
Regarding ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
On one level this was theological. Exemplifying this was Henry of Lausanne, a twelfth century French heresiarch. Weaved throughout his preaching,
was a Pelagian stance on original sin. Hereby man was not tainted by the Fall, so only fell through his own actions. From this, Henry concluded
there was no need for the sacraments. Subsequently orthodox salvation was attacked, arguably showing the Church was controlling the people.
Moreover some taught the complete removal of the clergy. Thus anarchy would ensue as services, tithing and Rome's supremacy would be
scrapped. Moreover since this Henrician stance was widespread, validated by the Free Spirit movement later and Messalianism earlier, heresy as a
whole in this period can be seen as a major threat. Indeed the Church was also under attack regarding their secular influence too. The Twelve
Confessions of the Lollards proves so. Within this manifesto is the declaration, 'he that hath taken him to the one (a temporal or a spiritual office)
should not meddle ... with the other'. Therefore, a desire for division between the two existed, reducing the Church's political influence. This was not
necessarily a widespread belief among Lollards though, as its author John Purvey represented Lollardy's greatest minds. Nevertheless this was the face
the world saw (as it was sent to Parliament) and even if a minority, was a threatening one. Furthermore, since heretics' theology was applied practically,
they were incredibly threatening. The Waldensian preachers, who after the Third Lateran Council disobeyed Pope Alexander III and continued
preaching, prove so. Subsequently Moore is justified when he proclaims that heresy attempted 'to subvert the Christian order and bring ... chaos', since
through their actions, the clergy were attacked. Yet Moore was wrong to see the issue as beyond doctrinal disputes and Church made. Heterodox beliefs

The Early Days of the Christian Church: Sin and Salvation
Introduction In the early days of the Christian Church, the focus was on defining what it meant to be a Christian. At the same time, the church was
plagued with controversies on the nature of God and Christ. While the church worked to establish doctrine on the nature of God and, Christ a
controversy arose concerning human nature. The controversy started in the 5th century when Pelagius a British spiritual director heard a bishop quote
from Augustine's Confessions. The quote stated, "Grant what you command and command what you will". Pelagius believed the quote allowed
humans to avoid taking responsibility for choosing to sin. Pelagius' views on the nature of sin and grace not only conflicted with Augustine's views but
they conflicted with the church's views. Prior to the controversy, the church's main concern had been for Christians to resist evil thoughts and desires.
Moreover, like Augustine the early fathers believed that Adam's fall was the reason for human sin and death. As a result, the controversy required a
response from the church on the nature of sin and grace. Sin – Pelagian View Although, Pelagius and Augustine agreed that evil is a product of human
will they disagreed on the nature of sin and grace. Pelagius believed evil thoughts originate from the devil, which cause us to sin. In addition, he did
not believe sin resulted from the fall in the Garden of Eden. In his debate with Augustine, Pelagius argued that, "Evil is not born with

Augustine's Confessions Essays
Augustine's Confessions The content of my paper will be an analysis of Augustine's Confessions. I will focus on the first nine chapters of the book.
First, I will write an introductory page about Augustine. Second, I will explain why Augustine wrote the Confessions and the importance of the
Confessions as a philosophical work. I will analyze Augustine's view of God and show the main theme of his book, which is, the sovereign God of
grace and the sovereign grace of God. I will focus on Augustine's view of God and His grace. Augustine was born Aurelius Augustinus on November
13, 354 in North Africa. He received a classical Latin education and went to study rhetoric at the age of twelve in Madaura. He later studied at Cathrage
The Confessions is divided into thirteen books. I will focus my analysis on the first ten books, which are his autobiography. The other three books are
important but they do not have to do with his life story. The book expresses three main concerns. One is Augustine's frank and detailed
acknowledgment of his personal sinfulness and the power he came to recognize as God's provident grace–protective, creative, salvific–in every
moment of his life. He also wrote in order to confess his own Christian faith and clearly repudiate any supposed lingering connections on his part
with Manichaeism. Finally, The Confessions are a heartfelt paean of praise and thanksgiving in honor of God's glory. Augustine begins his
autobiography with a prayer and meditation. This is fitting because the main theme of The Confessions is to praise and thank God. He begins by
saying that God has, "made us and drawn us to yourself, and our heart is unquiet until it rests in you." This is a very good point because it is a
reflection of Augustine's struggle to find piece with himself. Throughout the rest of the book Augustine is constantly changing his beliefs and looking
for the truth, his heart is restless. And it is not until he finds the Catholic faith and has his conversion that he finds piece. Augustine like all
philosophers is a lover of truth. He is unsure how he should call upon the Lord (3). He points out that it is his faith,

Ben Quash And Michael Ward
In the book Heresies and How to Avoid Them, authors Ben Quash and Michael Ward present eleven Christian heresies, their origins, and ways to
avoid them, and ending the book by arguing for orthodoxy through an explanation of Biblical Trinitarianism, why it is important, and why Christians
should defend it. The majority of the heresies discussed deal with the nature of Christ and his personhood, including Arianism and Docetism. The rest
of the discussed heresies deal with issues of the Christian life and the church, such as Marcionism and Pelagianism. The goal of this book is to explain
a number of basic heresies in order to show why it matters what Christians believe. The authors of this book presented an argument for Christian
orthodoxy by presenting eleven heresies, refuting them, and then presenting a case for Biblical Trinitarianism. Within each refutation, the authors
gave an overview of the origin of the heresy, including "Key Scriptures" that were used as evidence for the heresy or were important in refuting the
heresy and backing orthodoxy. After giving a brief history of each heresy, the authors detail the main defenders of orthodoxy against a given heresy.
Each chapter ends with reasons the heresy is a heresy and affirmations of orthodoxy. For example, after talking about the origins of Donatism in North
Africa because of the 'unholy' consecration of Caecilian, Augustine's defense of orthodoxy against Donatism is covered detailing how he argued since a
sacraments

Essay on A Review of Peter BrownвЂ™s Augustine of Hippo
A Review of Peter Brown's Augustine of Hippo
Peter Brown's Augustine of Hippo is a dense, scholarly work outlining the entire life of the Catholic bishop. The University of California Press in
Berkeley, California published the work in 1967. My version was the 1973 second paperback printing, found in the University library. Its smallish,
scholarly, serifed, typewritten font allows for a instant respect for the subject matter: the words are at first imposing, but then revealing as their serious
tone complements the complexity of the text. The pages are studded with footnotes, filling out this work with evidence of Brown's exhaustive research.
There is a three–page preface before the work, and, after the work, a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This want of something more concrete but metaphysical leads straight into the fifth chapter, "Manichaeism." This details the future bishop's obsession
with the mysteries and dualism of the Manichean teaching, as well as Augustine's work at spreading the Manichee philosophy, as well as his love for
what it made him, rather that what it actually taught. "Friends," the sixth chapter, details his life with his unnamed concubine among his celibate
Manichee comrades. Next, the seventh chapter, titled "Success," outlines Augustine's first taste of fame as a writer and as a public speaker. Thus,
Brown ends part I.
Brown begins part II, after the chronology, with a chapter on Ambrose, the bishop of Milan that helped Augustine to convert with his interpretation of
the pagan philosophers and the similarities in the Hebrew prophets that the future bishop had misread, and their influence on the great Greek minds.
Chapter nine, titled "The Platonists," describes Augustine's influence by the Plato revivalists Plotinus and Porphyry, who brought back the old master's
works into the mainstream mindset, and how Augustine reconciled Christianity with this existential thought, leading directly to the next chapter,
"Philosophy." It describes the problems that arose in and around Augustine with such reconciliation; the Platonist teaching

The Freedom Of The Will

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