My Church

My Church
Is There a Right and a Wrong When it Comes to the Way You Worship
For most of my life, a typical Sunday morning for me consisted of me almost sleeping through all of
my alarms, scurrying back and forth from my bedroom to the bathroom in an effort to try and make
myself look presentable, and finally running out the garage door into whatever vehicle my
impatiently waiting family members were sitting in. The crazy whirlwind of a morning routine I just
described was my typical getting ready for Sunday Catholic Mass routine. I would just like to point
out that participating or mimicking this type of morning routine is not taught or mandatory by
Catholics.
St. Joseph Parish is the Catholic church in my hometown that I attended almost every ... Show more
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In the front of the church you can find the tabernacle: a golden locked box where the
Eucharist(bread) is kept, the altar: the table in where the bread and wine are prepared, and a
Crucifix: a cross with an image of crucified Jesus. The crucifix may seem pretty intense, but it's a
reminder of the great sacrifice Jesus made for us. There is no dress code for our church, but I feel
like there is an unspoken rule to dress more formal than your casual attire as a way to show respect.
Although, I have seen people sporting their flannel or even Batman pajamas at mass before. I mean
the letter board out front reads "All are welcome" so I get why you'd do it but I feel like the pajamas
would counteract the whole purpose of the wooden pews, therefore uncomfortable fitting clothes it
is for me. Every Catholic mass follows a specific order in which the service is conducted. It starts
with the introductory rites, next is the liturgy of the word, then the liturgy of the Eucharist, and
lastly the concluding rites. The songs, readings, and homily are different for each mass, but the
order in which the mass is conducted in has been the exact same every time I've attended mass.
In the more recent years, I've wondered what It would be like to attend a mass that was ran different
from the way I've grown up knowing it to be ran. I thought of attending an Islamic Mosque, but
ruled that option out since praising a different God is a sin in the Catholic religion. I wanted to
attend a place
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Protestant Reformation: a Prologue to Christian Civilization
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
PROTESTANT REFORMATION: A PROLOGUE TO CHRISTIAN CIVILIZATION
A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO
THE FACULTY OF THE DIVISION OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES
IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF DIVINITY IN CHAPLAINCY
BY
SULEIMAN ABBA
LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA
MARCH 2013
Abstract
The Early Church was a minority religious movement which faced significant threats of persecution
in their daily practice of faith. As a result there was no detailed structure of worship as seen in the
present day Christian worship. However, worship in those days paved way for the current settings of
various churches which have greatly evolved over time. Worship was characterized by several
aspects such as ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In Rick Warren's book titled 'Purpose Driven Life' he noted that every part of a church service is an
act of worship. These include, Praying, Scripture reading, singing, confession, listening to sermon,
taking notes, giving offering, baptism, communion, ushering and etc.
Early Christian Worship
Being a crucial and important factor of worship during the early days of Christianity, the Lord's
Supper was conducted mostly during church meetings and assemblies where the ceremony was
conducted in addition to giving thanks to the Lord and singing his hymns. Generally, worship
involves religious actions or devotion to a higher power which for Christianity means God.
Christian worship is typified by various aspects such as praying in various designated venues,

singing religious hymns and reading the Bible and engaging in communion or Eucharist among
others. This paper critically analyzes the various practices of early church such as the singing of
psalms and hymns, gathering in church assemblies, vocal thanksgiving, the Lord's Supper as well as
the practice of baptism.
Christian worship is the adoration and contemplation of God and is defined by various elements
such as meeting in venues such as churches in order to offer prayers, reading the Bible, singing and
engaging in communion or Eucharist, collecting offerings as well as teaching and listening to
sermons. These aspects of worship have evolved

Hinduism, Christianity, And Islam Essay
It is understood that each of the Abrahamic religions have tradition as interpreted through scripture.
These traditions typically manifest through the practice of worship and ritual, which may be unique
to each religion. The purpose of worship and ritual in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam is to show
service and submission to the one all–powerful, infinite God through prayers unique to that faith,
weekly worship gatherings, and various traditions. However execution of worship and ritual varies
as a result of historical influences and how that religion decides to display their "service" to God
through the aspects of prayer and traditions. The main intention of worship and ritual is to show
"service" to God, which is known for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as "avodah," "liturgy," and
"ibada" respectively. Each sentiment holds a strongly similar meaning to each of the Abrahamic
faiths. While the interpretation of how exactly to execute "service" deviates with each religion, the
reason for it remains constant: to pay homage and show surrender to God. Worship then "is the
ongoing personal translation of faith into forms of devotion suited to the activities and
responsibilities of a person's daily life" (JCM 157). Prior to the destruction of the Second Temple,
the Jewish people partook in sacrificial rites as a means of worship and ritual. However these rites
could only be done in a holy temple by a priest and, since the second Temple was destroyed, the
Jewish people could

Contrast: The Eucharist
3.3.3 Eucharist
The Eucharist is the central and most fruitful sacrament of the saving healing grace of God in Christ
and in the Church. The Eucharist is an efficacious sign of healing faith, hope and love that enables
the each believer to radiate wholeness and peace, to serve the poor, to care for the sick and to heal
the depressed and the suffering. It is memorial celebration through which we meet Christ in grateful
remembrance of how reached out to the outcast and the sick while proclaiming the good news. In
this memorial celebration, as we thank and praise him for having borne our burden, he inscribes in
our hearts and memories his mandate to bare a part of the burden of others, especially of the sick.
Thus we participate in his caring–healing ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
St. James also mentions in his letter about the anointing of the sick and the restoration of health
(Jam 5:13–16). Today many of the Catholics would like to have anointing of the sick while some
dislike this sacrament. Through the celebration of the sacrament, the sick person encounters our
Lord himself and experiences his saving and healing presence. Pastors today, have the sole
responsibility of taking care of the sick or those who are not able to come for the church. This is
very much insisted in the Vatican II, "Pastors of souls will take every care to make it possible for the
sick and aged to receive the Eucharist frequently even if they are not gravely ill or in danger of
death" (SCR9). Therefore, the faithful must be properly catechized with regard to this sacrament to
restore the spiritual and physical health. The sick person must be encouraged to open his/her whole
life to the grace of God and the priest should encourage the sick to offer themselves

Greek Orthodoxy Research Paper
The first meaning of Orthodoxy was "true teaching," which means that the Orthodox Church
believed that tradition was the most important way to practice their tradition. However, the Greek
Orthodox church prefers to define Orthodoxy as "true praise." This means that they think praising
and glorifying God through certain activities is more meaningful. The Greek Orthodox church also
puts an emphasis on the Holy Trinity and believes that the Holy Spirit can unite humans with Jesus
Christ (Fitzgerald 2590). The fundamental ideas of Greek Orthodox include tradition, baptism,
Eucharist, and Theosis. St. George's church in Des Moines embodies these central practices and
even engenders their own specific ways to practice Christianity.
Tradition is ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The process of theosis is meant to bring Christians closer to God and become more holy. There is a
common belief among Christians that there should be a relationship with God throughout life, and
not just after death. Therefore, theosis is the "movement of love toward God which begins for each
Christian with the rites of Baptism and which continues throughout life, as well as the life which is
to come" (Fisher). The theosis that the Eucharist embodies is lived during mass at St. George's in
Des Moines. Greek Orthodox Christianity is lived in Des Moines today in the church of St. George.
During the services, it is typical to have chanting of both English and Greek. The amount of Greek
has slowly lessened. At this time, the service is about half Greek and half English. Although the
languages differ for Greek Orthodox and Catholics, the sign of the cross is prominent for both
religions. At any time during the service, implementing the sign of the cross is completely
acceptable.(Greaver

Christianity Essay
Christianity religion was founded in Palestine by the followers of Jesus. One of the world's major
religions, it predominates in Europe and the Americas, where it has been a powerful historical force
and cultural influence, but it also claims adherents in virtually every country of the world.
Central Beliefs
The central teachings of traditional Christianity are that Jesus is the Son of God, the second person
of the Trinity of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In Latin Trinity is define as
threefoldness, fundamental doctrine in Christianity, by which God is considered as existing in three
persons. While the doctrine is not explicitly taught in the New Testament, early Christian
communities testified to a perception that ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Today there are three broad divisions, Roman Catholic, Orthodox Eastern, and Protestant; but within
the category of Protestantism, there are a particularly large number of divergent denominations.
The Roman Catholic Church is headed by the pope, the bishop of Rome. Its commonest title in
official use is Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. "Roman Catholic" is a 19th–century British
coinage and merely serves to distinguish that church from other churches that are "Catholic". The
term "Roman Church," when used officially, means only the archdiocese of Rome (Weaver, 58).
Roman Catholics may be simply defined as Christians in communion with the pope.
The chief teachings of the Catholic church are: God's objective existence; God's interest in
individual human beings, who can enter into relations with God (through prayer); the Trinity; the
divinity of Christ; the immortality of the soul of each human being, each one being accountable at
death for his or her actions in life, with the award of heaven or hell; the resurrection of the dead; the
historicity of the Gospels; and the divine commission of the church. In addition the Roman Catholic
Church stresses that since the members, living and dead, share in each other's merits, the Virgin
Mary and other saints and the dead in purgatory are never forgotten (Craig, What Chrsitians Believe
32).
The church is seen as having from God a system of conveying God's grace

Christianity: Developing Faith
Christianity
Historical Facts Where & How Does This Faith Perspective Originate? Christianity began within the
Jewish faith. In 63 B.C.E., the Roman Empire made it's way to Palestine. The Romans stated they
would stay out of the Jewish affairs, as long as they paid their taxes and aspired peace. However,
many individuals, the Zealots, desired to overthrow the Romans. The common people believed a
new king would save them from the Roman tyranny. In 6 CE, Judas, the Galilean led a revolt, but
the Romans ended quickly, along with 2,000 Zealots' lives. Then in 66 CE an open revolt developed
in Jerusalem, which the Jews won, but in 70 CE the Romans returned defeating the Jews, and began
to make their lives intolerable. It is in this political, social, and spiritual climate that Christianity is
born. This history is the special plan of God that is the apex in the birth, life, death, and resurrection
of Jesus. Founder & Followers: The founder of Christianity is Jesus, who was born outside
Bethlehem in a manger in about 6 B.C.E. Jesus's early life is unknown, besides a few stories. It is
the last three years of his life that provides the focus for most Christians. When Jesus is baptized by
John the Baptist in the Judean countryside, and it marked the beginning of a ministry that centers on
preaching, teaching, and healing. Jesus seemed the sick, the poor, the dying, and the sinners. Jesus is
also considered Messiah ("the king") and had 12 disciples who were hand selected

Russian Orthodox Religion
The denomination that I have chosen to research is Russian Orthodox. The reason that I chose to
write on this religion is because I have been interested in learning about the Russian Orthodox
religion and all that it entails. The main points of this research paper is a quick history, some of their
beliefs, and how does their cross compare to the Roman Catholic cross.
The first point of Russian Orthodox is their history. The Russian Orthodox Church was founded in
988 AD, thus, being in existence for a little over one thousand years. According to tradition, St.
Andrew the First stopped at the Kievan hills to bless the future city of Kiev. The Byzantine Empire,
contributed to the spread of Christianity in Russia. Majestic churches began to ... Show more
Marriage in the Orthodox Church is forever. It is not reduced to an exchange of vows or the
establishment of a legal contract between the bride and groom. In the Orthodox marriage ceremony,
the bride and groom offer their lives to Christ and be willing to die for Christ first then for each
other. The Church extends their mercy to divorcees, the Orthodox Church is grieved by the loss of
the marriage and the pain divorce causes. Marriage is understood as a sacrament in the Church. The
Church does not deal with divorce legal side of divorce. The Church will give with compassion and
the grace of god. After appropriate pastoral counsel, divorce may be allowed when reconciliation
have been tried and nothing else has worked. If people want a remarriage there are some service that
they have to go through for a second marriage includes prayers of repentance over the earlier
divorce, asking God's forgiveness and protection for the new union. A third marriage is generally
not granted. Clergy who are divorced may be removed at least for a short period of time from active
ministry, and are not permitted to remarry if they want to remain in the ministry. In the Catholic
Church they have the same idea about marriage but they have different idea about divorces.
Divorces in the Catholic Church are a little bit different: people can get an annulment. If they do get
the divorce in the Catholic Church people cannot receive Communion

Is There Life After Death? Essay
What is going to happen to us when we die? Throughout history we've questioned if there is a life
after death. Many religions have different views on what happens to us after we die but something
they all have in common is that they offer hope of another life to those who believe. In this essay I
will be looking at two of the biggest religions, Catholic and Islam, and how they respond to the
significant religious question "Is there life after death."
Muslims believe that the present life is a trial in preparation for the next realm of existence. "And
Allah grants respite to none when his appointed time comes. And Allah is All–Aware of what you
do." ‫المنافقون‬ ‫سورة‬ , Al–Munafiqoon, Chapter #63, Verse #11. This quote from the Qua ran tells them
that Allah is always watching them and sees what they do in their lives and he will judge them on
that when their time comes."Allah is all in all. Allah sees you, and is with you, wherever you are,
whatever you do." Muslims believe in the continued existence of the soul and a transformed
physical existence after death. Islam teaches that there will be a day of judgment when all humans
will be divided between the eternal destinations of Paradise and Hell. Until the Day of Judgment,
Muslims souls remain in their graves awaiting their resurrection. Muslims believe they begin to feel
immediately a taste of their destiny to come. Those souls bound for hell will suffer in their graves
"In front of such a one is Hell, and he is given, for

Background of the Catholic Church Essay
Background
In the Western world, the schism within the Catholic Church has made its most significant impact
due to rapid changes in social standards. Of greatest importance is the evolution of modern society
and their response to the reverberated traditions of the Catholic Church as well as the evolving
Protestant sects. In consequence of increases in technology and science, modern society has
redefined its acceptable and moral behavioral standards within a social setting, whereas, the
Catholic Church stands firm in its doctrines despite social and moral movements in the twentieth
century. Except for the Second Vatican Council and the Council of Trent, the Roman Catholic
Church has not worked to revise its religious traditions in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
I don't believe that religious conversions need to take place, rather religious communication and
understanding. The intolerance perpetuated by Catholicism is a feeling that I had at one point
entertained in accordance with my Church's attitude. It is only now, after exploring other religious
services, I realize the ignorance that intolerance perpetuates and I have grown spiritually from this
revelation.
Upon these grounds I propose that it is reasonable and necessary to draw parallels between
Protestant and Catholic religious services as a start to narrow the gap between Catholics and
Protestants. It is in this acknowledgment of apparent similarities in worship that Protestants and
Catholics would be able to appreciate each other for what they believe both religiously and socially.
Whether or not people realize this point, religion even while separated from the state, influences
how each individual approaches and interacts with another. The split between religion and state
widened a gap within humanity. By fostering new relationships and new parallels within differing
religions, this gap will begin to close.
Since the Protestant Churches arose due to the Reformation and a separation from the authority of
the Roman Catholic Church, there may exist Protestant rituals that parallel Catholic rituals.
Moreover, by

Hooston Catholic Church
The Ascension Catholic Church is located in 2950 North Harbor City Blvd Melbourne Florida. The
close proximity of the church from my home enabled me make a visit to the church last Sunday for
the morning mass at 9.30 am. My neighbor who is a member of the church had earlier invited me to
visit the church with him on Wednesday evening. He further informed me of the church's dressing
code and even suggested that I accompany him to the church. However, since I wanted to get more
exposure I declined this offer. Instead, we resolved to attend the Sunday service since it had higher
attendance from the congregation (Ascension Catholic Community1).
The Ascension Catholic Church is a member of the Diocese of Orlando that consists of other
churches within Florida. The church is located in a serene environment that makes it an ideal
location for worship. The actual church building has a sitting capacity of approximately one
thousand two hundred people. On the right at the entrance, I dipped my finger and made a ... Show
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On the left of the altar, there is a baptismal font where baptismal rites take place on occasional basis.
In addition, there was a cabinet containing three vessels of oil. One is for blessing and strengthening
those preparing for Baptism, another for the sick and the third is used in giving sacraments to the
faithful. The tabernacle is used to keep holy Eucharist used in communion. The lamp hanging above
this small place further represents Jesus presence in inside the special house. Therefore, the catholic
take the tabernacle to be the holiest place in the church. The Pascal candle is a symbol of Jesus
resurrection and is therefore replaced every Easter. Finally, the canopy hanging above the altar
represents the time Jewish were wandering in the desert. Moreover, the canopy serves to remind
Catholics of their journey with the Lord (Ascension Catholic

Analysis Of Tsuji's Rites Of Passage
Rites of Passage
Relativism reminds us that all culture has customs that seem bizarre or repugnant to outsiders,
though we tend to favor and support our own culture. Cultural relativism grew out of recognition
that cultures can be quite diverse in the meanings they assign to the same behaviors and values they
embody (Crapo, 2013 sec 1.2). In other words, what is required of us is that we should not confuse
our feelings about such a custom without investigating the real understanding of that particular
culture. Unlike moral relativism, cultural relativism is not the claim that "anything goes" and does
not imply that we must abandon our values or accept customs that are personally repugnant to us
(Crapo, 2013 sec 1.2). Ironically, every rite of passage is significant to its culture, to confront and
respect the ethnocentrism is sometimes a struggle, though, in a give–and–take way, it is vital to
understand the required fieldwork of Anthropologist before passing judgment on other cultures.
Liturgy varies from culture to culture, making the point that each religion performs the rite of
passage traditional to their beliefs (William & Lapsley, 2014). Notably, I will examine and explain
in the contents of this paper, the comparison, and similarities of Tsuji's Rites of passage to death and
afterlife in Japan. Besides, I will also examine through an etic perspective my own culture of
Baptism, and how the culture has evolved over the years. Ceremonies such as christenings,

Dr. Koch's Religion In America
With the mention of religion, what first comes to mind? Despite the initial thought, image, opinion,
or experience that makes itself known, the response likely varies, even across time and place, and
this can be reflected in the fact that America has no specific definition for religion. However, to
assist in laying a foundation, the definition made clear in Dr. Koch's Religion in America class
lecture is "a discourse, a set of practices, a community, and/ or an institution" in which allows for
analysis, discussion, practice, and thought to then take place in order make sense of how this man
made principle was woven into the foundation of American society (Koch). Studying the history of
religion in America, a common theme prevails: the relationship ... Show more content on
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Agnes, but has been an age old battle as religious communities try to find the balance between
tradition and adapting to the times. We can see the contrast of religion to modern America through
the movements of Christian Science and Pentecostalism as they both arose during a time of extreme
medical innovation that had growing popularity. As a result, these denominations focused on their
own unique ways of healing, offering individuals a chance to not have to jump on the bandwagon of
modern medicine of that time. In addition to Christian Science and Pentecost's relation to
modernization, Mary Antin's story displays how her family struggled to keep their Jewish traditions,
beliefs, and values as they assimilated into American culture of that time. Her story exhibits the
difficulty of keeping one's religion alive not only in a changing culture, but an entirely new,
modernized culture. This idea can even relate to the traditional African religions that came with the
slaves to America, and the Native Americans, who both ended up adapting to the adversity and
adopting new traditions and ideas. Whether it be Pentecostalism opening its doors to healing and
new waves of diversity or Native Americans combing with Protestantism to create an entirely new
church, the loss and the alteration along with the adaptation and the combination of religious
traditions was present throughout history just as it is

Essay on The Anglican Communion Church
Anglicanism is a denomination within Christianity comprising the Church of England and churches
which are historically tied to it or have similar beliefs, worship practices and church structures.
Anglicans base their faith on the Bible, traditions of the apostolic the concept of apostolic
succession, and writings of the Church Fathers. Anglicanism forms one of the branches of Western
Christianity, having fully declared its independence from the Holy See at the time of the Elizabethan
Religious Settlement. (Sentamu, 2012) The Anglican Church of Southern Africa is the province of
the Anglican Communion in the southern part of Africa. This diocese is made up of both "low" and
"high" churches. The former referring to parishes that do not ... Show more content on
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In modern times, the emergence of Anglo–Catholic traditions have widely been attributed to the
general emphasis of formal worship and resistance to "modernisation". Father Dane Elsworth, an
Anglican priest in Durban, stated in an interview that the Anglican church has largely been effected
by "liberal minded people", which he asserts has lead to many losses in terms of liturgical practice.
The modern day Anglo–Catholic movement can be traced back to the Oxford Movement of the
Victorian era. One of the main objectives of the Oxford Movement was the assertion that the Church
of England was a "divinely–founded" institution, which adheres to the Apostolic Succession and of
the Book of Common Prayer acting as its "rule of faith". The prime idea was that Anglicanism was
not at all a Protestant denomination, but rather an off–shoot of the Catholic Church, together with
the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox churches. It was argued by the

The Second Great Awakening
Many people see American religious behavior or movements as similar and even identical–looking
(at some times) to each other. This understanding is, however, simply inaccurate as best. Religious
stirrings have spread throughout history in various different ways and channels. It is evident that the
first European settlers in America developed colonies that prized religion very dearly. Many new
colonists had even formed their colonists due to persecution in other countries where they could not
practice what they were strongly convicted of. Once free to worship in the way they wished,
religion, in many colonies, became strict and ritualistic. Many believed in one single faith, such as
Puritanism or Separatism, and would not allow any heretical or contrary behaviors to be pursued.
The people who had resented religious oppression would not allow other people in minority to
practice what they felt was true. On the other hand, the Second Great Awakening, which
materialized during the late 1700s and early 1800s, was a stark contrast to the stringent values the
Massachusetts colonies had nurtured. Free thinking and new ideologies arose and abounded in the
early 19th century. These two religious movements were far from being alike, even though they both
centered around Christianity. The differences arose in the various doctrines, denominations, and
dogmas the people held to in those two situations. These differences are important to understand in
order to truly appreciate our

The Azusa Street revival of 1906 to 1909
The Azusa Street revival of 1906 to 1909 was an event that popularised the practice of charismatic
worship first in the United States and eventually throughout the Christian world. However,
representations of the revival in the early years of the 20th century were biased, and distorted the
events that occurred. Early believers portrayed the revival as an eschatological narrative in which
the power of God came down to earth and revolutionised the church, especially with the gift of
tongues. Pentecostal historians later mythologised Azusa Street representing the revival as the
birthplace of Pentecostalism. On the other hand, conservatives portrayed the events of the revival as
unbiblical and sinful, while secular critics depicted the revival ... Show more content on
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Furthermore such powerful claims were backed up with personal testimonies and letters which gave
the periodical more credibility on top of accessibility seeing as it was distributed for free. According
to Gaston Espinosa 'The Apostolic Faith paper was chock full of stories', which described divine
healings and spirit possession that became a driving force in attracting people to the mission.
Blumhofer adds that this periodical was also an effective representation as it was able to 'resonate
with widely scattered people'. She continues that it also gave independent Charismatic's , a context
in which to relate their beliefs. However the periodical itself later changed its tone in the hands of
later writers who represented the movement in a negative light, especially after Seymour, the
founder of the mission, lost control of the paper. In Parham's hands the Apostolic faith journal
ridiculed the leader of Azusa Street, William Seymour, claiming bluntly 'he is not the leader of this
movement of Azusa mission'. Parham later used the paper to condemn the Azusa street revival
altogether as a 'darky camp meeting' However, After Parham disassociated himself from the
mission; the paper lost credibility and authority. Thus the early oral traditions and later Pentecostal
writers continued to shape the way that Pentecostals perceived themselves, silencing critics from
within.
Historical accounts in the early years of the 20th century, took the representation

The 2nd Vatican Council Essay
The 2nd Vatican Council
Starting with the First Council of Nicaea in 325 the Catholic Church established a tradition of
ecumenical Council meetings to help decide on and shape the future of the Church. The most recent
Council, called Vatican II, is considered to be both the largest ever in scope and also the most
ground breaking in the amount of change it yielded. The changes in doctrine, dogma and procedure
they enacted had major effects both inside and outside the Catholic Church and continue to today.
Before the Vatican II the Catholic Church was an aging dinosaur, still crippled by the Reformation
and unable to relate to contemporary man. It emerged from it a modern Church, tolerant and
accepting of other religions, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
That alone doubled the amount of documents created by the previous twenty councils combined.
Many were concerned that when the council officially began it would be so weighed down by the
breadth of its task that the bishops would be unable to make changes significant to the contemporary
man. That concern would soon be dispelled.
In recent times, the Curia had grown very confident in their authority over the rest of the Church's
bishops since the decree of papal infallibility made at the 1st Vatican Council. They expected the
rest of the church's leaders to arrive in Rome and essentially "rubber stamp" their decisions.
However, despite the Curia's attempts to keep it hidden there was a great deal of discontent in the
church. That was illustrated by the thousands of submittals that were sent to the church for possible
inclusion in the council.
On the first day of meetings during the first session in October 11th 1962 it became clear that real
introspection would be inevitable and that the Curia would not be placidly followed. Cardinal
Lieneat of France and Cardinal Frings of Germany took the first step by successful challenging the
pre–selection of the members of the ten committees that would be in control the council voice. Once
that happened, the assembled leaders and the world at–large knew that this would be more than a
"rubber stamp" council.
That first session lasted until December 8th and did not end with any documents approved or
consensus found. Of

St John 's Lutheran Church
St John's Lutheran Church, Ipswich, was built in 1961 after the designs of architect Karl Langer as
the primary church for the Lutheran community in Ipswich. It is home to a very active parish that
incorporates both modern and traditional rites.
The Ipswich region was home to the Yagara peoples during centuries previous to European
colonisation, and the area was occupied by the Jagera, Yuggera and Ugarapul clans. (Community &
Cultural Services Department, 2015).
The area was firstly explored by John Oxley shortly after the establishment of the penal settlement
of Moreton Bay, first in Redcliffe and now in current–day Brisbane, in 1824. The area was
developed after 1826 with the establishment of Limestone Station, which became a common stop in
the road between Brisbane and the Darling Downs (Ipswich City Council, 2016a).
The region was open to free settlers in 1842, with the township of Ipswich established in 1843
(Ipswich City Council, 2016b). From that date onwards, the town competed in importance with
neighbouring Brisbane, its economy being based around the extraction of limestone and coal, as
well as farming. (Erbacher, 2016). In 1860, Ipswich was officially proclaimed a municipality and it
became a Customs port. Four years later, the state government decided to open the Ipswich railway
workshops as a pioneer technological centre, event which would result in the construction of the
first railway line of the state, opened in 1867 between Ipswich and Grandchester

Modern Music Research Paper
In Greek mythology, the genius, of poets, musicians, dancers, and artists is said to be inspired by a
sisterhood of nine mythical female deities, each of whom act as the wellspring of cultural life,
energy, and inspiration. Accordingly, these female gods purportedly dominate the creative moments
of any artist's imagination. In turn, artists use their inspiration to create the various elements of
culture such as music and literature. Because music is a temporal commodity, culture can be
captured and made to serve God in Christian worship; however, God can never be captured and
made to serve culture. This fundamental truth constantly eludes the thinking of pastors and church
leaders today. Today's Church no longer ministers in Elizabethan territory, yet churches stubbornly
feed off the Elizabethan animal even though it is now just a carcass. Consequently, there has been so
little recent evolution of the historical context of modern hymnody! Is not Eric Clapton's gift of
music the same gift that God gave Beethoven? Does not God work out his purpose most powerfully
in Christian worship within the norms of the host culture? Isn't music temporal and thus constantly
in transition....and disposable? Habitualists will argue incessantly that older hymns, no matter how
obsolete, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Around the turn of the Twentieth Century, out of the loose partially improvised music sung by
blacks, the Blues was born and subsequently evolved into the smorgasbord of musical styles
indigenous to today's culture. This new genre spawned the rhythm section (i.e. guitar, bass,
keyboard, and percussion), which continues to anchor every other form of modern music. Each of
these musical languages commands a large and loyal following. Each form, in union with the others
contained in the contemporary musical landscape, represents a realistic and fitting alternative to
classic

The Story of Worship Essay
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
" THE STORY OF WORSHIP"
SUBMITTED TO DR. LAVON L. GRAY
IN PARTIAL FULFULLMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COURSE
WORSHIP
510
BY
TERESA L. DAVIDSON
ELY, IOWA
March 13, 2013
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION................................................3
I.) OLD TESTAMENT PRINCIPLES FOR WORSHIP
Creation......................................................4
Three Worship Wars.......................................4
Patriarchs....................................................6
Books of History............................................9
Three Kings..................................................9
II.) NEW TESTAMENT PRINCIPLES FOR WORSHIP
Christ's example..........................................12

The Early Church..........................................14 Revelation...................................................15
III.) PRINCIPLES LEARNED ABOUT WORSHIP FROM THE
PSALMS..........................................................16 ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I personally have to ask for His forgiveness for my pride and selfishness daily. I have to submit to
His authority when my friends wrong me and I want to hold a grudge. This attitude negatively
affects our relationship with God, which then affects our worship. Only in total submission to His
authority and sovereignty can we worship as He created us to. In the second worship war, Satan
tricked Eve into thinking "worship is all about how you feel." While worship is a response to how
we feel about God, and can generate feelings of intense closeness to Him, "how we feel" during our
worship experience should not be the lone barometer on how it's judged. If we only judge worship
by how it makes us feel, we will be judgmental of the ways others prefer to worship. We also won't
focus on the right things in worship...giving God praise and glory. It's not about us, it's about Him.
True worship should not be measured by things such as atmosphere, raising hands, applause,
congregational readings, etc., but by the believer's heartfelt response to God. The transformation of
the believer's life is a true measurement of authentic worship. He/she has been in the presence of
God and therefore forever changed! God provides us with several important lessons on worship
through the third worship war in the story of Cain and Abel. While God accepted Abel's sacrifice of
an animal, Cain's sacrifice of fruit was not accepted.

Christian Worship : Principles And Practice
Candidate No: 000648153
TMM2617 Christian Worship: Principles & Practice
Essay
Martha Grace Weatherill
Christian Worship: Principles & Practices
Draft ––– Essay
Word Count ––– 1290 Words
Question: In what ways does the baptism service of Common Worship differ from that of the Book
of Common Prayer (1662)?
Discuss with reference to structure, theology and performance
This essay discusses the differences in the baptism service of Common Worship and the Book of
Common Prayer (BCP)1662 in terms of structure, theology and performance.
The BCP views the sacrament of baptism and understands it as a ?moment? model[footnoteRef:1]
and it is administered with this view, while Common Worship complements this model by a ?
process? or ?journey? ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The parents, adults and candidates who can respond all respond to God?s grace and initiative. For
the infants that are unable to respond, the godparents respond on their behalf with the hope that the
children will take on that responsibility when they get older.
The contents in Common Worship also affirms that as the church recognises those that have been
called by God, and as the church welcomes them into the Christian community, those that are
already part of the Christian community are inspired to renew their commitment to the mission of
the church of God. Thus affirming that the covenant is God given to infants and adults and the
obligation it gives is gradually unfolded.
Common Worship also emphasises the ?social aspect? of baptism and not just the individual aspect
of baptism. This is done by an active participation of the gathered congregation in the liturgy thus
enabling the congregation to reflect on their role as God?s holy people, prompted to renew their
understanding of why they are gathered. The increased participation of the congregation helps to
affirm and symbolise that the baptism of the individual is for the whole church and not just for the
individual.

Common Worship also has in its liturgy, rites that emphasis the catechumenal process because it
makes the stages on the way and it gives the church community the chance of appropriating them.
The theological framework in Common Worship emphasises the reception into the ecumenical

The Coptic Orthodox Christian Community
Preface
"One has to consult the sayings of the Fathers of the Church, as well as other ancient writers. This
helps us understand the historical changes which have occurred over the years. Reading the Fathers
can give meaning to many of the rubrics, many of which are not carried out properly because of lack
of understanding of their meaning".
The Coptic Orthodox Christian community is the largest and oldest Christian minority in the Middle
East today. While there is no accurate consensus of their size in Egypt, numerous accounts place
them between 8 to 12 percentages of Egypt's current population.2 And may be more.
Actually, Coptic people are the native Egyptians and the pure children of pharaohs.3
Historically, the word "Coptic" is derived ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The foundation of institutes of Coptic studies independently and within the framework of noted
universities came as a natural response to this growing pursuit of knowledge. Coptology was
established as perhaps the newest branch of the humanities, parallel to the other disciplines of
Egyptology, Papyrology, and Islamology. Then in 1976, the Coptologists of the world were
convened in Cairo by the Egyptian Department of Antiquities, and there they created the
International Association of Coptic Studies for the coordination of the expanding activities in the
exploration of the Coptic heritage. It was also on that occasion that the project of the Coptic
Encyclopedia was hailed as a much needed and long overdue research tool in an unusual field and
as a means of diffusing knowledge concerning one of the most glorious chapters in the story of
Christian

Catholic Funeral Ritual
The funeral ritual is a public tradition that is symbolic to all cultures. It expressing our beliefs,
thoughts and feelings about both our religion and the deceased. It helps to recognise the deceased
for who they were and it reinforces the reality of a loved one's death. All take comfort from it and
value it's importance to the grieving process.
The Catholic funeral rite is split into several different stations. These are the vigil service, the
funeral liturgy and the rite of committal. The Vigil is a service that commends the life of the
deceased. It includes scripture readings, reflections and prayers. The service however, can be in the
form of a prayer usually from the Liturgy of the Hours specifically the Office for the Dead. It
usually ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The body is put within its resting place (referring to Ecclesiastes 12:7 "and the dust returns to the
ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it."). Hope is expressed through the
form of a mark on the grave. Through this the connection that exists between the Church on earth
and the Church in heaven can be seen. The deceased passes with the farewell prayers into the
welcoming arms of God. Both Catholics and Christians believe that there is an afterlife and that
once a person dies they will see God face to face without a shadow of doubt. A person who has
committed a grave offence however will not enter into heaven because they have not repented for
their sins although they can do so in the form of purgatory where these acts take place. The Catholic
funeral rite expresses the view of meeting Jesus within Heaven. There the living and the dead are
both judged for their sins and born into eternal life.
When a death occurs and a love of ours has passed away it is the funeral service that plays a
significant part in the grieving process. It's purpose is to acknowledge the death that has occurred
and remember that persons life. It helps survivors face the reality of death. It can support a person
by allowing them to express their pent up grief on the and It gives friends and relatives an
opportunity to support each other and console those

The Gospel Message, And God 's Revelation Through The...
RESEARCH PAPER
Introduction to Research Because the Gospel Order communicates the gospel message, and God's
revelation through the message is what leaves us awestruck with a desire to respond, God's story
should shape Christian worship. Nevertheless, throughout time, disagreements about styles and
music have permeated the spectrum of worship practice. Dr. Castleman says that "it is vital to keep
in mind that it is God 's story that is central to worship, and this keeps the focus on God 's presence,
mediation, and blessing and not the style preferences of or a self–generated generated experience for
the congregation."
"Anthropomorphic worship" has taken the place of the belief that we gather in God 's presence to
express our gratitude, recognize our need for forgiveness, and redemption as well as to listen to God
's voice for guidance to be sent out to tell the good news to others. An inadequacy of Biblical
foundation and knowledge of the development of Christian worship practices has allowed for
popular religiosity to take center stage. According to Dr. Cherry "Christian worship is a God–
instituted gift to the church for nurturing our relationship with God and others. Worship is above all
to God, with God, and for God."
When worship centers on style and experience driven practices, worship orders tend to focus on
personal needs and wants. Consequently, the worship service will thrive not on God and the Gospel
message, but on the trends and "novelties" of the time. There is

Islam : Christianity And Islam Essay
Islam is one of the second largest religions in the world with Christianity as the first (Catholicism
being the largest denomination). A report from the Vatican, in 2008, stated that 19 percent of the
world's population is made up of Islam, while Catholics make up only 17.4 percent of world's
population. Both Catholicism and Islam have branched off Judaism and share many similarities such
as the idea of life after death. Just like Catholicism, Islam is a monotheistic religion which means
that they believe that there is only one god or higher power. However in Islam, Muslims call God
"Allah" whereas in Catholicism, God is mainly called and referred to as "God" In Christianity, the
holy book is the Bible and in Islam, it is the Qur'an. Though in both religions, there is a similar
belief of life after death. Both Christianity and Islam share many of the same prophets from the Old
Testament and Qur'an like Abraham (Ibrahim), Moses (Musa), Elijah (Ilays) and Elisha (Alyasa).
Catholics believe that Jesus was God's son but in the Islamic faith, Jesus is considered to be a
respected prophet. In both religions, there is the shared acknowledgement and belief of the
annunciation to Mary and the virgin conception. Islam was founded by Muhammad, in Mecca.
Muslims believe that Muhammad received the revelations from angel Jibril (Gabriel) which he later
added to the Qur'an. A few of the fundamental beliefs of Muslims are:
– Allah is the only God.
– Belief in the scriptures, revelations

Hungry for Worship Book Review Essay
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY HUNGRY FOR WORSHIP BY BOOK REVIEW SUBMITTED TO DR.
RODNEY WHALEY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
COMPLETION OF THE COURSE MUSC 610 – TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES FOR WORSHIP
BY KIANAN SMITH LYNCHBURG, VA JUNE 2014 Name: Kianan Smith Book Report # Spring
2014 Semester Hungry for Worship by: Frank S. Page and L. Lavon Gray Chapter 1: Summary: In
this text, Hungry for Worship, authors Frank Page and L. Gray write about the hunger for
worshipping God that all leaders should possess. In chapter 1, both authors begin the text with the
concept of how the body has fallen in love with the method of worship and not the actual act of
being in the Presence of God. They ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
They give examples from C.S. Lewis when discussing this subject. They quote Lewis with the term
"Chronological snobbery". This term means that while older generations only find value in the
traditions and heritage of our faith, the younger generations only find relevance in what is current.
They also write this type of separation between the young and old has effectively begun
dismembering the body of Christ limb by limb. The authors also put focus on the act of individual
preferences through church shopping. This according to Page and Gray, result in the encouraging of
churches to offer consumer–driven programming in order to keep members on their rolls. They give
scripture which identifies the importance of unity. Ephesians 4:14–16 shows how the body of Christ
should be unified in the midst of diversity. Leaders should work extra hard to keep the church
family worshipping together. The authors condemn chronological snobbery and suggest that both
the young and old come together. The young generation must grow up and the older generation
needs to adapt. Analysis: The authors point out a huge problem that is alive and well in the church.
Due to personal preferences, the church has separated itself from one another. Not only are different
cultures separate but the age differences within the church are separated amongst themselves. The
leaders of worship within the church whether they are pastors or worship band leaders must not

Liturgical Analysis Paper
This paper will set out to explore the implications of what it means to be liturgical in our current
time and space while considering the history of the church. More specifically, I will consider the
role of music and how it can aid as well as inhibit a congregation's worship life. To do such a task I
will focus on issues related to cultural specificity, didactic and evangelical effectiveness, and
catholicity and confessional faithfulness. Lutherans have a reputation of being "liturgical" and in
this age of liturgical renewal on the one hand, and support for what could be considered
entertainment evangelism and church growth "gimmicks" on the other, this label can be either an
honor or an accusation. To be sure, a conversation around "liturgical ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Many of them, such as latreuo, emphasize the religious rites performed to pay homage to or
venerate God (Greek–English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains, pg 531–
34). Others, such as proskuneo, means to literally "to kiss toward" or "to bow down," which focus
on the expression, by attitude or gesture that hold immense regard for God (Greek–English Lexicon,
pg 540–541). They convey a profound sense of humility, respect, and deep love for the God they
worship. Other words highlight bringing offerings, which has become a central component of our
liturgy. Within the Lutheran understanding as well as the early Christian church insists that every act
of worship should be understood as part of the Church's offering to God. All the music, from
prelude to postlude, offers to God instrumentalists' talents, "producing sounds that please God and
serve the purpose of helping people to worship God" (The Gift of Worship, pg 39). The prayers of
thanksgiving, confession, and intercession, whether silent or spoken corporately aloud, are
presented to God as a gift. When one preaches a sermon is not just the gift of the one preaching, nor
are choral and instrumental gifts simply the contribution of the choir or band, all involve the
offering of themselves by all members of the congregation. Therefore, it is important to keep in
mind all those present when one plans a worship service so that all persons may

The Greek or Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman...
The Greek or Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church
The Greek or Eastern Orthodox Church holds a great belief in the "word–picture" of the church
having believers in heaven as well as on earth, spanning time as well as space. The worship is
incredibly spiritual and mysterious and a huge amount of incense and candles contribute to this by
setting a frightfully heavenly aurora. Much belief relies on traditional methods of the church and
what ideas have been passed down through generations and are drawn also from the Holy
Scriptures. Both of these can be seen through the way the actual church as building is designed and
decorated.
The ceiling is a great dome, which is there to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The other panels show icons of saints form the Old and New Testament. The icon acts as a window
onto eternity and is intended as a medium of prayer for it isn't worshipped but venerated. This
means that it is treated with reverence because it points to the holy person or event depicted. These
are in turn images of God's power and many Orthodox homes have as icon corner, where lamps or
candles are lit and where the family goes for prayer. Other worshippers when in church devote
themselves to that saint or event alone for the duration of the service. The separation of the interior
of the church is alike the divide between heaven and earth in the way that once you are past the
royal doors you are within Gods presence.
Readings and sermons are preached from the pulpit for the voice is projected across the
congregation, which is usually standing due to the idea of no seats or pews in the Orthodox Church.
The high altar is Gods throne and the climax of orthodox worship is the Eucharist where the high
altar is used for the preparation of the bread and the wine that is taken to the communion table
through the royal doors during the uniting of heaven and earth.
The thurible's are used for the burning of incense and the lighting of candles is supposed to during
prayer arouse the senses and increase the level of holiness in the air throughout the

The Beliefs Of The Church, The Laity, And Society
"Dear Fathers, we should listen again to the lament of God proclaimed by the prophet Jeremiah:
"they have turned their back to me" (2:27). Let us turn again towards the Lord!" (Sarah qtd Cardinal
Sarah's Top 5 Quotes from Sacra Liturgia 2016 np). In a time when tradition is seen as something
distasteful and backwards, people have become increasing focused inwards, on themselves. In the
Catholic world, this has become increasingly apparent in the way Mass is celebrated. In order to
combat this self–focused mindset of the world, a return to the historical orientation known as ad
orientem would benefit the Church, the laity, and society. Ad orientem is one of two liturgical
orientations used in liturgical Christianity, and historically, ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
While the architectural reasoning for ad orientem is clear, there is a deeper reasoning underlying this
orientation. At the heart of ad orientem lies the symbolism of Christ returning from the east with the
rising sun. The parts of the Mass that are directed to God are said facing east, towards Christ's
return, and the parts directed towards the congregation are proclaimed towards the assembled
faithful. When the priest and the people face the same direction, with the priest at the head of the
assembly, he is fulfilling his job to represent them before God, and to intercede for his flock. At the
same time, the laity unite with the priest by facing the same direction, presenting their prayers in
union with the sacrifice he offers on their behalf. With this common orientation, the worship of the
entire church is focused vertically, towards God, instead of horizontally, where the priest and the
people appear to be talking to each other, instead of speaking together, to God. By shrouding the
personality of the celebrant, ad orientem facilitates both the priest's and the congregation's worship
better. Without having to think about the people in the pews watching him, the priest is free to enter
more deeply into the Mass. Likewise, with the priest's face obscured, the focus shifts away from the
particular priest's personality, and back to the action of the Mass. People naturally watch the faces of
others, and this biological instinct doesn 't cease the

The Spirit Of Christmas By Charles Dickens
The True Spirit of Christmas
The Spirit of Christmas, Part 1
Text: Luke 2; Matthew 2
Date: November 30, 2014
INTRODUCTION
Play intro video during offering – "Christmas Spirit (The Right Way)"
(Show series slide.) Today we begin a Christmas teaching series called "The Spirit of Christmas."
What do you think the "Spirit of Christmas" is? (Allow responses)
Perhaps it might be best to begin with what the Spirit of Christmas is not:
Fully–loaded eggnog or other drinkable "spirits"
The ghost of Christmases past, present and future as portrayed by Charles Dickens
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose, yuletide carols...
The smell of pine, cinnamon or gumdrops
Risking your life to hang the Christmas lights on your house
Waiting in line for hours so your child can sit on the lap of a complete stranger with bad breath
wearing a red suit
Hundreds of presents equaling thousands of dollars neatly stacked beneath a parched, highly
flammable pine tree
Fruitcake
Fighting your way through specials and clearance sales at the department stores
Eartha Kitt singing "Santa Baby"
Bath–robe clad children singing "Happy Birthday, Jesus"
It is not the belief–inspired ring of a jingle bell, a reformed Grinch, a lamp made out of a leg or an
oversized Elf looking for his real dad in NYC
Re–gifting fruitcake
It isn't even gift–giving, being with those you love, silent nights and harking angels. The truth is that
many people have missed the true spirit of Christmas and

Gregory The Great's Formative Years Before The Papacy
Formative Years Before the Papacy
Gregory the Great was born as Gregory, sometime between 540 and 545, to parents of good station.
He grew up in Rome, and was educated as best as was possible. At the time, the (College of Rome?)
had fallen from prominence into ruin after losing all of its grants and incomes from the Emperor
Justinian and the educational culture of Rome was diminishing quickly as the city was torn between
wars and invasions. Still, Gregory was educated to the educational standards that remained and it is
important to remember that he was gifted with intellect and acumen and always showed the highest
prowess at his studies. The purpose of this paper is to delineate Gregory's pontificate, and the ways
in which he used or ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Gregory says, "with what idea can anyone grasp the post of intercession with God for the people,
who does not know himself to be in favour with Him through the merit of his own life?" He believes
that forgiveness and purity are obtained by going through the bishop to God, the average soul or
layperson cannot interface with God on their own, which implies that he also retains authority over
sacred rites and practices regarding the instruction, punishment and purification of souls.
Gregory often refers to the bishop of Rome as the "Supreme Ruler", implying that he alone, after
God, will be the ultimate governor of souls, which advances the idea that the see of Rome is the
primary see of religious authority.
Much can be learned about Gregory's view of papal primacy through various letters and epistles of
his that remain in circulation today. While his predecessor, Pope Leo the Great, had done much to
advance the theological arguments of papal supremacy, Gregory's papacy really marks the turning
point in the trend towards ever increasing papal authority, and his firm belief in universal power of
the pope is demonstrated consistently throughout his letters. There can be no doubt that he was
strong believer in what many casually refer to as the "Peter and the Rock" argument, in one letter he
writes,

The Jewish Roots of Christian Liturgy
I Introduction First Christian communities appeared in Jewish Palestine and Diaspora after the death
of Jesus of Nazareth, called the Christ, around 30 CE. Not only Jesus himself was a Jew, but also his
followers and very first members of the new growing community were mainly Jews. They all shared
the Jewish belief, the Sacred Scripture that Christians later started to call the Old Testament (OT),
and were not aware of founding a new religion. A closer examination of Jewish worship will let us
understand how it influenced the new Christian worship. We will have a closer look at places of
worship, liturgical sources and customs which were common at that time. A last task will be to ask
whether there are any significant Jewish elements ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
There are some references to this pattern in the gospels (e.g. Lk 2,38; Mt 11,25–30; Jn 11,41–42).
Further we will see how some of these prayers in connection with the domestic Jewish worship were
essential for the Christian liturgy of the Eucharist.
D. The third main place of Jewish worship was home, especially during the time of meal. In the OT
the communion of meal and feast was understood as a sign of covenant (eg. Gen 26,30). The
Sabbath as a day was a special sign of covenant with God (Ex 31, 13–15) and so was the meal. The
main meal of the year was the Passover meal, as a memorial day for the Lord's passover in Egypt
and deliverance from slavery (Ex 12). The weekly Sabbath meal on Friday evenings and the yearly
Passover meal thus became quite elaborate. Bradshaw reminds that there is unfortunately no
detailed evidence about meal–prayers in the first century, but according to the later evidence many
assume that every meal started with berakot (plural of berakah) and ended with them. The opening
berakot were pronounced over wine and bread, while the berakot at the end of the meal, called
Birkat ha–mazon, consisted of a berakah for food, a hodayah for revelation and a tefillah for
redemption (Bradshaw: 44f; Kavanagh: 621). For Christians the Last Supper with Jesus, which was
a Passover meal, assumed a new meaning (Eucharist) – as a thanksgiving and

Thematic Essay On Life After Death
For humans, we know the universal reality for us all is that in some point we will not escape death.
During the many years that humans have been on earth we have created the concept of an Afterlife.
The Afterlife is an idea created to fulfill the questioning and essential part of an individual's identity
after their death, in the thought that it will continue to exist after the death of the figure. Different
religions have different practices and beliefs regarding their life after their death. Some believe that
their body is reincarnated and others believe that after their death the soul is raised and united with
God. I will be focusing on the key beliefs of the Islam and Catholicism religions.
Catholics strongly believe in life after death and that humans were created to be in perfect with each
other and God before sin entered the world. They believe that Jesus was fully God and fully human.
His sacrifice upon the cross was the start of a new agreement. By doing this he restored the personal
relationship between humans and God. and that Jesus sacrificed himself when died on the cross for
us and rose from the dead 3 days later and sat down at the right hand of God.
They think that after the body has died the soul will live on and be lifted up to God, ... Show more
They look to The Quaran, the Holy Book of Islam states. The Islamic faith follow the 5 Pillars of
Islam: Shahada–The verbal pledge to Allah, Salah–Perform five Salats, Seyam–Fasting during
Ramadan, Zakah– Obligation to a charity, Hajj–Performance of a pilgrimage. The also have the six
pillars of faith: Belief in God(Allah), Belief in Mala–eka(Angels), Belief in the Books of Allah,
Belief in the Prophets of Allah, Belief of the Day or Judgement, Destiny–Devine Decree) Muslism's
also look towards the Prophet of Muhammad who was know for him sincerity, truthfulness and
generosity. Muhammad was very religious and encourage the Islamic faith to follow in his

The Similarities and Differences of Christianity Versus...
The Similarities and Differences of Christianity versus Judaism
Christianity and Judaism have many similarities and differences within their religions. Traditions
play various roles and integrate through their beliefs, values, cultures, and making political
decisions. Christianity and Judaism have changed historically throughout time. Judaism and
Christianity rely on the basic standard of obeying God, an adherence to his rules and intentions and
their faithful fulfillment.
Judaism and Christianity are both monotheitic religions. Christianity and Judaism both believe in
one God who is almighty. In Judaism, God is seen as having a contractual relationship with the
Jewish people where they must obey his holy laws in return for their status ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Our people believe that, even after death, the body, which once held a holy human life, retains its
sanctity. Our sages have compared the sacredness of the deceased to that of an impaired Torah scroll
which, although no longer useable, retains its holiness. In Jewish tradition, therefore, the greatest
consideration and respect are accorded the dead.
Jewish law and tradition have endowed funeral and mourning practices with profound religious
significance. To this end, Jewish funerals avoid ostentation; family and visitors reflect in dress and
deportment the solemnity of the occasion; flowers and music are inappropriate; embalming and
viewing are avoided; and interment takes place as soon as possible after death.
A Hevra Kadisha, a holy society traditionally supervises funerals in Jewish communities, consisting
of volunteers who aid the bereaved and ensure that appropriate practices are followed. In some
communities this is carried out by local cemetery societies or by funeral homes which observe
Jewish customs and traditions.
The preparation and burial of the body are highly valued mitzvot. It is a chesed shel emet, an act of
kindness performed without ulterior motive, for the dead cannot repay this service.
When a member of a community dies, it is the community's responsibility to lovingly assist the
deceased's family in this final act.
A Theology of Christian Burial:
As members of the Church, having been baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ,

The Catholic And Catholic Church
Catholic Mass
In this spring break, I followed my Christian friend and visited a Catholic Church located in Seattle
and I had a chance to witness on how they conduct their worship in the form of Mass. The Catholic
Church has many practices and rituals such as Last Rites, praying the Rosary, receiving
Communion, Confession, Baptism, and Mass according to the members of this church. Nonetheless,
the Mass is the most crucial ritual as they consider it as the Lord`s Supper. The Mass is the
Catholic`s official formal worship service and is considered to be the most sacred and important
worship act in a Catholic church. According to the Catholics, going to the mass is considered as the
only way to fulfill the third Commandment of keeping the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
This set the tone for conducting Bible readings and other prayers during the Mass. During the
inquiry, I was informed that each day of worship has its own prayers and readings that are unique as
chosen by the church.
Upon the beginning of the Liturgy of the Eucharist which is the second section of the Mass, all the
saints remained seated as the deacons passed the baskets to them so as to collect offerings that were
in the form of monetary and non–monetary. The head deacon brought the offerings to the altar. He
was also carrying cruets that had plain drinking water and grape wine together with a container that
had unconsecrated hosts. The priest poured, into the chalice, wine and added drops of water that
symbolized humanity and divinity union in Christ. Then the priest lifted the hosts as an offering
presented to God. He also did the same using the chalice filled with wine. Ceremonially, the priest
washed his hands similar to how rabbis and priests did prior to ritual slaughters. This according to
one of the leaders in the church was a reenactment of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The Sanctus was
sung after which the congregation knelt down for the first time to mark the holiest section of the
Mass known as the Consecration. After the service I learned that Consecration of the wine and bread
meant that they become the blood and body of Jesus according to the transubstantiation miracle.
Imperative to mention is that prior to the

Christian Reformed Church
On March 26, 2017, I visited Palos Heights Christian Reformed Church, 7059 West 127th Street,
Palos Heights, Illinois. A Christian Reformed Church service is completely different than a Catholic
mass. I had been going to Palos Heights CRC since the beginning of the year and noticed that they
celebrate the Lord's Supper about once a month with pieces of bread and sparkling grape juice. The
Sunday prior to the Lord's Supper mass is dedicated to repenting and preparing the congregation for
the celebration of the Lord's Supper. There's an obvious theme for the entire service such as on
March 26 the theme was "God's victory and Him being one of us." There were five songs sung
throughout the service and every song referenced the Lord, the King, or ... Show more content on
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God has brought us into the community and it is our responsibility to include God into the
community He has given to us. Worship involved songs that all were relatively regarding God's
reign and community. The songs and Scriptures read/song had a meaning of how Christians will be
saved if we continue to be followers if we love God and keep his commandment, and if we preach
the Word we will be saved by grace. The covenant of grace has many significant meanings in the
Christian Reformed Church, "the covenant of redemption may be defined as follows: "The
agreement between the Father, giving the Son as Head and Redeemer of the elect, and the Son,
voluntarily taking the place of those whom the Father had given him" (Hoekema 187). The value of
keeping the covenant of grace is to preach the Holy Scripture but to also grow stronger in faith. The
covenants made between man and God are meant to keep commandments and to join in fellowship
with one another. The message of the importance of the covenant of grace in the reading of
Perspectives in the Christian Reformed Church is that "the covenant of grace, further, does full
justice to both the individual ad social aspects of Christianity. The covenant of grace requires man's
full–orbed service of God as God's covenant partner" (Hoekema 200). God alone is all powerful,
great, good, Creator, Redeemer, and the

Liturgy: Similarities And Differences Between Christianity...
Liturgy is the customary public worship performed as a 'work of the people' by a specific religious
group, according to its particular beliefs, customs and traditions. As a religious phenomenon, liturgy
is a communal response to, and participation in, the scared through activity reflecting praise,
thanksgiving, supplication, or repentance. Ritualization may be associated with life events such as
birth, coming of age, marriage and death. Methods of dress, preparation of food, application of
cosmetics or other hygienic practices are all considered liturgical activities. The most important
Christian rituals are called sacraments, sacred rites that convey God's scared power or Grace.
Baptism and Eucharist are the two most important sacraments, ... Show more content on
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Christians believe that there is one god: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, whereas Buddhists believe in
Buddha. Similarities between these religions are that they both believe in a significant person, both
have prayers and both pray. Another difference is that Buddhists can pray at home whereas
Christians pray at churches. Differences between Islamic and Christianity is that the holy book for
Muslims is the Quran and is the Bible for Christians. Another difference is that Muslims have a
journey to Mecca whereas Christians don't have this. Muslims also part take in Ramadam whereas
Christians don't. Christians usually pray once a day whereas Muslims pray five times a day.
Similarities are that they both pray, have a holy book and believe in a significant

Differences And Similarities Between Catholic Church And...
Title Here
To begin, the Catholic Church and Aboriginals share similarities in their lifetime milestone rituals.
In Catholicism, the sacrament of Confirmation is essential in the initiation of a Christian. In
particular, the rite of Confirmation "completes the grace of Baptism by confirming or 'sealing' the
baptized person's union with Christ" (Dailey 94). Evidently, Confirmation invokes a person's
willingness to practice their religion regularly. Furthermore, the ceremony emphasizes the transition
from childhood to maturity. Through Confirmation, a Christian must choose to commit to their faith,
and must be prepared to take their responsibilities. In a like manner, a vision quest has identical
aspects with a Catholic Confirmation. When a boy has reached a level of maturity, they must go
through ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In Catholicism, Christians attend worship service to practice their faith. During church, they do a
variety of traditions, which include, "prayers, scripture readings, the singing of pslams from the Old
Testament, the consecration of bread and wine, [and] communion" (Quinlan 275). Evidently, the
liturgy is organized on the basis of strengthening one's faith, by practicing on a weekly basis. Even
more so, the church exhibits its faith by involving the community to celebrate the Lord together. In
comparison, a powwow is very similar to a weekly Christian worship service. During a powwow,
the participants celebrate through song and dance, prayer, ceremonies, and acts of hospitality and
unity ("The Powwow"). Similar to the Holy Communion, powwow end their ceremony with a feast
as an act of honor. Moreover, powwows are a form of community and are considered social
gatherings in the Native American culture. Thus, the Christian Worship Service and an Aboriginal
powwow have common qualities. However, these ceremonies are not the only way they practice
their religion

This Assessment Is Based On Life After Death From A Roman
This assessment is based on life after death from a Roman Catholicism perspective. The Roman
Catholic Church is based on the teachings and life of Jesus Christ, his spreading of the word and all
the good he did. The belief of life after death is paramount to the church 's faith as it based of the
resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Roman Catholic Church 's beliefs about life after death can be
outlined in 4 sections: judgement, heaven, hell and purgatory.
The Roman Catholic Church
Judgement
One of the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church is that when we die we are judged by the Lord,
the Lord judges us on how we have lived our lives on earth; good or bad. It teaches us that
"Judgement Day" is the final and eternal judgment by God of the ... Show more content on
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This belief that the Roman Catholics have occurs on the day they call "Judgement Day" which is
when we die.
Heaven
The Roman Catholic Church teaches that Heaven is considered a state, a condition of existence,
rather than a particular place somewhere in the cosmos. Pope John Paul II declared: "The 'heaven '
or 'happiness ' in which we will find ourselves is neither an abstraction nor a physical place in the
clouds, but a living, personal relationship with the Holy Trinity.It is our meeting with the Father
which takes place in the risen Christ through the communion of the Holy Spirit." Christians who die
not purified must pass through a state of purification before entering into heaven.
This belief and teaching of Heaven is shown in the Roman Catholic Catechism #1023 Those who
die in God 's grace and friendship and are perfectly purified live forever with Christ. They are like
God for ever, for they "see him as he is," face to face:" This adds onto the idea that those who enter
heaven and die for God are "perfectly purified." It enforces the idea that you must be pure before
you can enter.
This belief is further followed up in the sacred texts and scriptures of Roman Catholicism in
Matthew 18:3. "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter
the kingdom of heaven" This emphasises that to enter the kingdom of heaven you must become like
a child, This supports the idea of being fully purified

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