The Magnitude of Sin: A Biblical Perspective

Theological Essay
THEOLOGICAL ESSAY:
THE MAGNITUDE OF SIN
THEO 202–001
Statement of Topic The analysis of biblical data provides the best understanding of the nature,
source and consequences of sin. Sin is any evil action or motive that is in opposition to God. Sin has
very serious consequences when it comes to relationships between the sinner and God. Sin also has
severe consequences that affect the individual sinner, causing the individual to have social
implications. It is evident from both the Old Testament and the New Testament descriptions of sin,
that sin is universal. Both testaments describe the extent and intensiveness of sin. Obtaining a
contemporary view of the magnitude of sin incorporates a biblical perspective and the best ... Show
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45,79)." Basically, everything you do is right and wrong doesn't exist. Just accept yourself for who
you are. The bible on the other hand says that some acts of conduct is just not acceptable. For
example Amos 5:15 and Romans 12:9, hate evil love good. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is
good. How can we do this if nothing is any worse than anything else?
Psychology also often justifies sin in the name of freedom and ventilating feelings. Paul C. Vitz
writes about Donald Campbell, president of the American Psychological Association, criticized
psychology as follows; "There is in psychology today a general background assumption...that
repressive or inhibitory moral traditions are wrong (p. 49)." The secular psychologists advocate that
the clients should freely express what they thing and feel. For example, pornography is justified as
an outlet for sexual desires that might otherwise express themselves in violent assaults. The bible
teaches that people ought to control and discipline themselves to do God's will. In Galatians 5:22
self–control is listed as a fruit of the spirit that is to be developed.
The final issue secular psychologists have against the sin nature is that sin should not be condemned
or rebuked. Psychologists often say that sinful practices should be handled in a "non–directive, non–
judgmental" way. They are told to listen sympathetically, but never to tell people their conduct is
wrong or sinful, never rebuke them, never tell them they must
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The Three Key Points Of The Crusades
The Crusades both bloody and violent yet helpful to a certain cause. This paper will show three key
points of the crusades.The crusades went on for years. Causing the pointless death of many
people.and the three key points may be the most important and bloody of them all.
The First Crusade began 1096 and ended 1099. The first crusade was an attempt to recapture
Jerusalem after the capture from the Muslims in 1076. The Christians that stayed and payed the tax
for pilgrimage faced hard times. Muslims soldiers made the life of these Christians very difficult.
When the pope called on war volunteers for the war cut out red crosses and sewn the to their tunics.
As the knights made the journey to Jerusalem many died because of the hundred of miles travled on
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They could not use the sea because they did not control the ports. There were only four proper
armies of crusaders and a large number of unofficial "rag tag" armies fighting in the crusades. A
monk name Fulcher wrote "when the crusaders got over the walls of Jerusalem the Muslim soldiers
ran away. He also claimed the Crusaders cut down anybody and everybody in their path of
destruction to the Muslims. In this Seige of Jerusalem the Muslims that had their lives spared after
blood ran ankle deep, had to carry the bodies of 70000 of the people they used to call
friends,neighbors,and family.
Europeans remained committed to recapture Jerusalem and planned first by taking control of Egypt.
Crusaders believed break the unity of Egypt and the rest shall fall.Instead of the previous failures of
the crusades before. the Christian leaders feared another defeat the pope one not to give up easy he
made the fifth crusade be over seen by the church. The pope

Theological Understandings of Mediated Grace
Theological Understandings of Mediated Grace
When approaching the concept of grace, many people often assume that it is "other" – a mysterious
force that exists beyond human understanding. They believe that grace is a divine gift that cannot be
humanly grasped because of its supernatural nature. Others believe that mediated grace – God as
experienced through the senses in a purely human manner – is a vital way to bridge the ontological
gap (an extreme difference in being that separates the earthly and the divine). Christian theologians
from the beginning of the faith have debated the qualities attributed to this phenomenon because of
its sheer importance; when dealing with vastly different elements, such as humans and God, the ...
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While most theologians agree upon the existence and importance of mediated grace, they often
disagree upon the exact nature of its role. What this conflict yields though, is not a sense of discord
and disunity, but a greater appreciation of the immense horizon of grace as perceived by humanity.
Perhaps the most obvious example of this is the clash between Martin Luther and the tenets of the
Roman Catholic Church (represented here by their Decree on Justification that was presented at the
Council of Trent). Luther saw grace as the way to salvation, while the Catholic Church intimated
that grace itself was salvation. In his treatise on Christian Liberty, he said "very great care must
always be exercised so that no man in a false confidence imagines that by such works he will be
justified or acquire merit or be saved; for this is the work of faith alone."[8] He referred to this kind
of grace as "alien righteousness," which he claimed was "instilled in us without our works by grace
alone."[9] Unlike the Thomistic precepts that the Council of Trent was working from (Aquinas's
theory of deification), Luther did not believe that grace affected an ontological change in the person.
On the other side, the Trent decree maintained that "One truly merits salvation through good works
in grace."[10] Luther felt

The Spanish Reconquista
Spain has always been a melting pot of ethnicity and culture. From the Celts and Visigoths that
came from the north to the Africans and Arabs from the south to the Romans from the East, empires,
kingdoms, and tribes all over the world have recognized and tried to take advantage of the benefits
of Spain. War, conquest, and reconquest are frequent throughout the entire history of Spain, and the
history of Moors in Spain is no exception. It began in the year 711 when the Moors first crossed
over to the Iberian Peninsula, until their expulsion from Granada in 1492 which marks the end of the
Reconquista, they influenced the native Iberians in many ways including culture and religion. The
Moors were people of Berber, Black African, and Arab ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Christians and Jews were heavily taxed for the right to practice their own religions. Those who
converted to Islam, however, paid lesser taxes and had more privileges. Around 718, Pelagius, a
Visigoth nobleman, established an independent Christian state in opposition to the Moorish
dominance in Spain. Due to his opposition of Muslim control, Pelagius and a group of 30–some
men were exiled and lived in a cave, refusing to pay taxes and harassing the Moors. Between 718
and 722, Pelagius and his small band of warriors fought and triumphed against the Moors at the
Battle of Covodonga. This is considered the beginning of the Spanish Reconquista. The Reconquista
was a period of around 774 years where the Christian kings reclaimed the Iberian Peninsula from
the Islamic Moors. The Reconquista was not carried out by the Spanish alone, however. King
Charlemagne of France reclaimed the western Pyrenees and formed the Marca Hispanica to defend
the border between the Frankish Kingdom and the Muslims. Christians from all over Europe
traveled to the Iberian Peninsula to participate in the reclaiming of Spain in the name of God. The
Reconquista was not all war and conquest, but also the re–population of Christians on the peninsula.
As the Berbers abandoned towns and fortresses, the Christian kings took their people and re–
inhabited those areas. In some places, Christian peasants, monks, and nobles were granted lands by
their king or lord to

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
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

A Great Philosopher
A great philosopher once stated that if man were to be left alone for any period, man would create a
multiple of highly controversial practices that invite slavery more than freedom. When one opens a
new bag of shredded cheese or fresh salad, the vacuum releases it grasp of compressed air allowing
the contents to breath monetarily with easy. The fall of any Empire brings into succession
dissolutions and renewal of society, plus decay and the extinction of religious systems. The
conquering barbarians were changing court policies, manners, customs, and laws, in addition to
governmental heads of state. Therefore, allowing the opportunist the means to profit from the
discoursed people that inevitably return to false heresies. At the end of the fourth century, the
Church experienced strong forces pushing for a clear line between orthodoxy and heterodoxy, for
institutional consensus and unity. However, Constantine enjoyed having favorability of general
councils of the bishops to produce consensus. At the young age of 30 Gregory honed his skills as the
chief administrative official of Rome, responsible for finances, police, provisioning and public
works that afford him in educating him in creating six monasteries. However, Gregory was
dissatisfied with his progress until his father's death in 574, when he converted his own home into a
monastery and retired to a life dedicated to studying the scripture. It was only three years of what
made Gregory the happiest he had been in

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 ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
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

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

St Augustine Research Paper
Saint Augustine is undoubtedly one, if not, the most important theologian in church history. His
writings have greatly influenced Christian theology and understanding of God. Saint Augustine laid
out some theological doctrine that has helped shaped Christian's perceptions of sin, grace and
salvation. Ironically, some of his theological postulation emerges from his controversies with
different opposing camps on the aforementioned subjects. However, in this paper, the primary focus
will be on his controversy with the Pelegians. The Pelagians taught that God's given grace before
the fall, combined with the willingness of man to choose good over evil, is enough to earn man
salvation. The Pelagius position places emphasis on man's ability to work out his own salvation, ...
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It is obvious from The Confession that Augustine was a man who struggled endlessly to extricate
himself from the bondage of sin, but the more he tried, the more he failed and sinks deeper into its
abyss. And with every failure, comes a sense of disappointment and despondency, until he had a
strange experience. In AD 386, while sitting in his garden, Augustine heard a voice from some
children playing not far away urging "him" to pick the book–the Bible, and read. What he read from
Apostle Paul's letter to the Roman Christian in Chapter 13 transformed, not only his understanding
of the hopelessness and despair man encounters in trying to solve the problem of sin on his own, but
he saw the provision that God has made to remedy the consequences of sin and the grace he has
graciously provided to live a life that is acceptable to God. That moment was the turning point in
Augustine's life and how he developed his sotoriological

How Did St Augustine Religion Influence Teens
When you think about Augustine's confession, you think about the new generation. In other words,
the conversion that happened over a thousand years ago can be closely related to teenagers of the
21st century. Before Christianity was developed, a lot of people, especially the Roman emperors
could not accept it. They condemned and harassed the Christians who would claim their faith. When
Christianity was finally accepted, there were still people who contradict with the Christian faith.
Teenagers today find it difficult to come to God, they do not take a straight path. This is similar to
what St Augustine did, teenagers of today try to find meaning in life by being experimental with
different religions or cults. Augustine experimented with the Manicheans, a Persian dualist cult that
believed in two competing gods. The only difference between teenagers of today and Augustine is
that teenagers of today do not go to extreme as St Augustine did rather, they experiment with some
of the main religions. Augustine later saw through the Persian dualist cult and abandoned it. His
mother, Monica, was a big ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He became influenced into Christianity very soon after his birth to a Catholic mother. "And I was
already signed with the sign of the Cross and seasoned with salt from the time I came from my
mother's womb. She greatly put her trust in you." (Book. 1. XI. 17). Although, he had a pagan as a
father, he did not do anything to influence his son away from the teaching of Christianity. His
mother rather held the main religious influence over him and he admits in regards to that, "I then
did..." (Book1. VI. 8) Parents are known to be highly influential in their children's lives. St
Augustine makes many references to his mother, her beliefs, and her prayers. It would be near
impossible to try to downplay his mother's role into a negligible

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 more
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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

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
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(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 to Christianity, 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

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 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

Taking a Look at the Original Sin
Original Sin In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth ex nihilo (out of nothing). After
God created the earth he made "the adam" out of the dust of the earth and by breathing into his
nostrils made the man living. Everything God created was Good, the man was also good but only
with woman was man complete. God created woman from the rib of Adam. Both Adam and his
partner Eve were both placed in the Garden of Eden where they were to live and eat from,
everything in the Garden except from the Tree of Knowledge, Good, and Evil. However one day a
serpent came to Eve and asked made her question the command of not eating from the tree. The
serpent told her that she could have knowledge and become like God if she ate from the tree. Both
Adam and Eve ate from the tree and disobeyed God's divine command. God in turn cursed the
serpent as well as Adam and Eve. He told Adam that he would struggle and toil with the land and
also that he will return to the dust just as he was created from it. God had to punish Adam and Eve
for the disobedient act from where human corruption became apparent. After a British monk named
Pelagius fled Italy in 409 to escape an invasion and moved to Carthridge in North America, a clash
between this monk and Saint Augustine became inevitable. Both of these men who were teachers
and involved with the church had two completely opposite and opposing doctrines that were bound
to class. This inevitable debate finally occurred in what is known as the

The Doctrine Of Original Sin
INTRODUCTION
The doctrine of original sin refers to in Christian doctrine, "the condition or state of sin in which
each human is born; also the origin of this state." It is often viewed as one of the most difficult parts
of Christian theology. The idea that Adam's sin was imputed to the whole human race and that we
are personally implicated with Adam, is a good example of a doctrine that has generated a great deal
of debate.
Some theologians go as far as to view the doctrine of original sin as 'offensive' or 'a perversion of
the Biblical doctrine of sin' and 'quite incompatible' in its traditional form. However, they would
also admit that it accurately emphasizes the foundational Biblical truth that "sin is a dominant force,
and that all men are connected in the solidarity of sin."
Although the term original sin is not specifically found in the Bible, it is a doctrine that threads
through the entire Bible. The significance of this doctrine however, lies not only in the Biblical
content, but that it is foundational to matters of theological and practical importance. "These include
the ideas of grace and salvation, the atonement, the nature of mankind, the function of baptism and
evangelism."
Over the years, many theologians and laity have attempted to understand the complex subject of
imputation. The apostles in the New Testament are very emphatic of its truth and convey it in
surprising simplicity. The Apostle Paul makes it clear when he says, "Therefore, just as through

How the Catholic Church Held Up During the Middle Ages Essay
The Middle Ages was a long period of time. It started in about the 500 A.D. and ended in about
1500 A.D. Not many things can last for this long period of time, but at least one thing did, and that
was the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church consists of Popes, Bishops, Clergy, and Monks, and
Nuns were also part of the Church. Also during the Middle Ages, it also produced many great
philosophers (Funk & Wagnall's, 275). From the Middle Ages to the 13th century, the church played
important role as authority, influence. The Catholic Church held up due to the power of the Pope,
Pope Gregory's policies, and the Church was a part of the citizen's daily lives.
In the Middle Ages houses of the poor and wealthy were often alike, ... Show more content on
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The Churches held town meetings, guild meetings, and town council sessions (Gies, 291). It also
became the main provider for civic administration, education, and law. "Tithes, were a form of
taxation, but it was used to pay for church management, public services, hospitals, and schooling"
(Cavendish, 649). Every person would pay taxes and abide by the church's laws (mnsu.edu). The
church added new religious and ethical concept and gave people new moral responsibilities (Funk &
Wagnall's).
The church had an organized, elaborate hierarchy with the pope as head. The head of the hierarchy
in the church was the pope. The pope was the supreme power of the church and his followers. The
pope was a representative of God. "The pope also had the power to influence the king and its
advisors," (mnsu.edu). Each church had its own hierarchy within. Next in line of power is the
Bishop, he is the leader of the church. Bishops were usually very wealthy and dressed very nice.
The bishop had its own duties to fulfill, for example he had the power to adjust the taxes, and also
had the power to annul marriages. Next in line of power is the Parish Priest. The Parish Priest was
the Priest of the church; he would say Mass, which was done in front of the church. He also had the
duty of collecting taxes for the church. Also the Priests were usually the only ones who could read
and write in the village (thinkquest). "Many

Example Of Pelagius Research Paper
By the beginning of the fifth century, the rate of growth for Christianity was increasing
exponentially. However, there was a negative result of this rapid growth. What might have simply
been a different interpretation of one person, spawned into indifference among the entire population
of Christian followers. The Church wished for elimination of these indifferences to maintain the
strength of true worship. However, they saw it essential to put down the beliefs of one man in
particular, Pelagius. His views were observed as a true threat to Christianity's entire existence . With
the very foundation of Christianity in jeopardy, Saint Augustine aggressively disputed, with the
support of his own past religious struggles, the arguments of ... Show more content on
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Pelagius explains that performing a good deed became so difficult for some because "the long
custom of sin which begins from childhood and gradually brings us more and more under its power
until it seems to have in some degree the force of nature." This quote explains Pelagius' notion of
how sin can become a habit which is done unconsciously without a second thought.
Not surprisingly, many of those who knowingly commit sin are quick to develop excuses for their
actions. Pelagius eventually became irate of the assortment of excuses he would hear: "It is hard!"
"It is difficult!" "I am not able!" In particular, the excuse, "I am not able!" created outrage within
Pelagius. He took this as a criticism of God, as the Creator, to beget men who were "insufficient for
the keeping of His law." He felt that "God could teach us the true way; God could set us a holy
example; but God could not touch us to enable us to will the good." Pelagius saw these conscious
sinners as being insufficient within themselves; as they were expecting more from God than what
was needed.
The basis of Augustine's rebuttal to Pelagius' views began with his opposing beliefs of original sin.
Augustine argued that if children were born free of any sin, why were newborn infants baptized? He
concluded that this common practice was to purge the child of what must have been the original sin
inherited from

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

Biography of Augustine the African Essay example
Biography of Augustine the African
Augustine was born in Tagaste (modern Souk Ahras, Algeria) in 354 and died almost seventy–six
years later in Hippo Regius (modern Annaba) on the Mediterranean coast sixty miles away. In the
years between he lived out a career that seems to moderns to bridge the gap between ancient pagan
Rome and the Christian middle ages. But to Augustine, as to his contemporaries, that gap separated
real people and places they knew, not whole imaginary ages of past and future. He lived as we do, in
the present, full of uncertainty.
Augustine's African homeland had been part of Rome's empire since the destruction of Carthage
five hundred years before his birth. Carthage had been rebuilt by Rome as the metropolis of ... Show
Augustine set out to make himself more Roman than the Romans and to penetrate to the center of
the culture from which he found himself alienated by his provincial birth. But that was only the
beginning of his story.
Augustine was born on 13 November, A.D. 354, in Tagaste, a town large enough to have its own
bishop but too small for a college or university.[[1]] His parents, Patricius and Monica, belonged to
the financially imperilled middle class. They were well enough off to have educational ambitions for
their son, but too poor to finance those ambitions themselves. The fourth century was an age of
mixed marriages at this level of society, in which devout Christian women like Monica were often
to be found praying for the conversion of their irreligious husbands. Her prayers were not
unavailing; Patricius accepted baptism on his deathbed. Though Patricius offered no direct impulse
towards Christianity for his son, he must not have been much more than a passive obstacle.
Of Augustine's childhood we know only what he chooses to tell us in the highly selective memoirs
that form part of the Confessions. He depicts himself as a rather ordinary sort of child, good at his
lessons but not fond of school, eager to win the approval of his elders but prone to trivial acts of
rebellion, quick to form close friendships but not always able to foresee their consequences. He
studied Latin with some enthusiasm but never loved Greek. While he was leading what he wants us
to think was

Grace, Free Will, and Human Nature: Three Significant...
When the Renaissance dawned over Europe's Dark Ages, half a millennium of intellectual thought,
long unchallenged, found new opponents on all sides. Aided by the printing press, fresh ideas in
science, art, and religion spread freely across the Western World, falling under the scrutiny of an
ever–expanding population of the literate. With this widespread intellectual excitement came greater
individualism, more celebration of human achievement, and stronger focus on the secular world–a
major shift from the heaven–focused outlook of the Middle Ages, in which people felt they were
little more than the feeble playthings of fate. But are human beings really able to change their
destinies through their choices? Are they capable of good? Three ... Show more content on
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He then explains that with the proper preparation, fate can be held at bay, and he provides an
example of a river that often floods. Although nothing can be done when the flood has already
come, the calamity can be prevented altogether if dikes and dams are built up in strategic places
beforehand (Machiavelli 85). In this chapter, he also mentions that, in general, men are successful
when their methods are suited to the circumstances. Therefore, if a man can adapt to new situations
by becoming flexible enough to know when his usual methods will not work, he will have more
power to navigate changing affairs (Machiavelli 85–86). The attitude presented in The Prince brings
up an interesting paradox: although Machiavelli champions the free will and cunning of the elite
prince, he seems to hold the autonomy of the masses in low esteem, assuming throughout his book
that mankind in general is selfish, simple, and unreliable–the opposite of the cool, calculating prince
that Machiavelli idealizes. In fact, almost all his advice to the aspiring leader seems to be based on a
completely pessimistic view of human nature, perhaps because Machiavelli thinks it safest to
assume the worst. For example, on page 59, he writes, "For this may be said of men generally: they
are ungrateful, fickle,

Crusades Turning Point
For this assignment I decided to write about the Crusades. The crusades were a series of religious
wars between Christians, Jews and Muslims. There were 9 different crusades over a 200 year period
from the late 10th century to the late 12th century. The first crusade begin in 1096 and lasted till
1099. The purpose of the war was to help the Byzantine empire and recapture the Holy Land of
Jerusalem back to the Christians from the Muslims. A group of crusaders massacred Jews in many
towns across modern–day west Germany in 1096, this marked an important turning point in the
relationship between the Jews and Christians. Pope Urban II lead the Christian army and Emperor
Alexius I controlled the Byzantine army. Stating that killing is in the name of God is acceptable as
long as it was ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Before invading Jerusalem or Egypt, both Muslims and Christians soon agreed on a treaty deal in
1192 ending the crusade; Jerusalem stayed under Islamic control. Pope Innocent II called for
another crusade in 1198. With not not enough knights to go in to war Enrico Dandolo, the doge of
Venice lead forces to aid. In 1203, the crusaders invaded Constantinople and made Alexius IV king
of Byzantine Empire. Not much later, the king was overthrown by Alexius V. Crusaders responded
by taking control of the city ultimately causing Constantinople to fall dividing the Byzantine Empire
up in 1204. The Fifth Crusade started in 1217, when Andrew II of Hungary attempted to take over
Acre (in Italy). Beginning in 1219, Cardinal Pelagius drove a crusade into Egypt. Forces overtook
Damietta but where stopped at Cairo by al–Kamil (Saladin's nephew); causing the crusaders to
retreat, ending the crusade in 1221. Frederick II, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire began another
crusade in 1228. Later in 1229, a treaty was negotiated with al–Kamil giving Jerusalem to the
crusaders. A decade later, the treaty ended and Jerusalem fall under Islamic

Comparison of Two Films About King Arthur Essay
Few works of literature or legend are as varied as that of King Arthur and his round table, forever
retold by each generation. Without question, the defining work of Arthurian Literature is Sir Thomas
Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur. Morte d'Arthur is a compilation of all the King Arthur legends that
existed before Malory. Malory tried to bring all the stories together into one cohesive whole. Morte
d'Arthur is a trove of stories about magical encounters and various quests that is loosely centered on
the rise and fall of King Arthur.
Since it was written, there have been countless interpretations and adaptations. Today, we not only
have countless Arthurian books, but many movies on the subject as well. In this paper I hope to
compare and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Whoever wields the sword, wields England. It is a symbol of the King's union with the land, the
main point of the film. L'etat c'est moi, Arthur and the land are one.
In the film, the sword is first given to Uther, who then becomes King. Besides for this, the story of
Uther and Igraine is straight out of Malory. Uther starts a war with the Duke of Cornwall because
Uther so openly desires Cornwall's wife, Igraine. Merlin agrees to give Uther the semblance of
Cornwall so Uther can sleep with Igraine. In exchange for this service, the baby that will come from
the adulterous union will be given to Merlin. An addition of the film is that before Uther walks into
the castle as Cornwall, little Morganna has a vision that her father has died. When Uther comes into
the room where Morganna and Igraine are, Morganna knows who he really is. Later on in the story,
little Morganna watches as Merlin takes baby Arthur away. These scenes work to develop the
character of Morganna and explain why she becomes such a hateful creature
When Uther dies, he thrusts the sword into a stone to prevent his enemies from obtaining it and
using it to claim the throne of England. Whoever pulls the sword from the stone will be king. The
land is then plunged into chaos as various kings and knights fight for the throne of England. The
scene where Arthur pulls the sword from the stone is almost exactly as it is in Malory. When Kay
goes to

Pelagius Vs Augustine
http://www.iep.utm.edu/augustin/
http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/theologians/augustine–of–hippo.html Augustine vs
Pelagius
Pelagius argued that all men have the chance to live a perfect life(sinless) even after the fall of
Adam. He also took issue with Augustine saying that men need the grace of God to obey his
commands. He said that if God commands someone to do something then they have the ability by
themselves to obey that command. http://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/pelagian–controversy/
Manichaeism: "For nine years he sought truth within the sect of Manichaeism, fascinated by their
materialism and dualism. They addressed the problem of evil by combining thought from
Christianity, Buddha, and Zoroaster (a Persian sage). ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Augustine did not agree with that. Also in reaction against the Donatists, Augustine developed a
distinction between the "regularity" and "validity" of the sacraments. Regular sacraments are
performed by clergy of the Catholic Church, while sacraments performed by schismatics are
considered irregular. Nevertheless, the validity of the sacraments do not depend upon the holiness of
the priests who perform them (ex opere operato); therefore, irregular sacraments are still accepted as
valid provided they are done in the name of Christ and in the manner prescribed by the Church. On
this point Augustine departs from the earlier teaching of Cyprian, who taught that converts from
schismatic movements must be re–baptised.[95] Augustine taught that sacraments administered
outside the Catholic Church, though true sacraments, avail nothing. However, he also stated that
baptism, while it does not confer any grace when done outside the Church, does confer grace as
soon as one is received into the Catholic

Fourth To Sixth Crusade Summary
The Fourth to Sixth Crusade
The Fourth Crusade began in 1198, due to conflict for controls for power between Europe and
Byzantium. This changed the Crusader's mission of reclaiming Jerusalem from Egypt's command, to
overthrow Alexius IV, whose attempts to submit the Byzantine Church to Rome was met with
hostility in 1204. While he was placed in palace coup, war was waged on Constantinople, with the
Fourth Crusade ending with the subjugation and ransacking of the Byzantine capital later that year.
Following the capture of Constantinople, valuable art work, statues and other treasures were pilfered
or wrecked. The Byzantine Empire never really recovered from the ransack caused by the war. The
Fourth Crusade deeply angered Pope Innocent III, as the Crusaders had attacked their own fellow
Christians. The Crusaders were by now unpopular and had yet to achieve their initial goal of
regaining control of Jerusalem.
Before his death in 1216, Pope Innocent III commissioned the Fifth Crusade to accomplish the
mission of the Fourth, to free Jerusalem from Egyptian command. The Crusaders travelled to Acre
in 1217 and joined the ruler of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, King John was aware that attacking
Jerusalem while Egypt was at full strength was not possible, so they collectively planned to take
Egypt under Latin control, thus forcing the Muslims ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
While King John and a large number of Crusaders were keen to accept the terms and head home,
Cardinal–Legate Pelagius, who argued that the Crusaders were under the Church's control, refused,
and the fighting continued, with thousands of men losing their lives.The Crusaders left Acre, and set
sights on Egypt, but first launched an attack on Damietta, an Egyptian settlement which guarded the
central route to the Nile river, which lead to

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

Pluralism In America
America is no longer a primarily Christian nation. This has manifested itself in a multitude of ways,
including but not limited to: rampant sexual immorality, abuse of mind–altering substances,
disregard for human life, and an overall hatred of the concept of authority. All of these things stem
back to a faulty understanding of the Biblical concept of Salvation. This faulty understanding
ultimately has existed since the beginning of Christianity. All throughout church history, the false
teaching regarding man's spiritual condition has reared its ugly head. One of the first recorded false
teachers in this area was a British monk by the name of Pelagius. Pelagius taught that man is
inherently good and that the sacrifice of Christ was ultimately ... Show more content on
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We think that Jesus was just a good teacher, or an example we should follow, and all we have to do
is simply live a good life and we will get to heaven. This is false on so many levels. But it is not the
only heresy in which we have to deal with to get to the root of American unbelief and/or
nominalism. The next heresy that we must cover is that of "pluralism". Religious pluralism is the
belief that all roads lead to heaven. This belief has been propagated by such prominent figures such
as, Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Joel Osteen, and Pope Francis. This is a toxic idea that upon
reaching its conclusion, destroys truth. If everything is true, then why believe anything at all? Now
we must move to the final heresy plaguing America. The final heresy that America has at large
fallen prey to, is that of antinomianism, or "easy–believeism" which has been propagated by such
men as Charles Ryrie, and Billy Graham. This believe purports that all one needs to do to enter the
kingdom is to simply believe historical facts about Jesus and you will be saved. It is often adjoined
to a "sinner's prayer" that is repeated en masse, and then the person who repeated the prayer is then
told that they are saved and their ticket is punched for heaven. This is a damnable heresy from the
pits of hell. The Bible no more teaches antinomianism than it does homosexuality. So what does the
Bible

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
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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

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 in God.
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
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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

Gregory And Papacy Essay
When one thinks about the Pope today, there is an image of an elderly man in robes who kisses
babies, makes broad statements about the policies or beliefs of the church, and travels around the
world meeting with the leaders of the world and the church. If one confers with Merriam–Webster,
the word "pope" is defined as "the head of the Roman Catholic Church," a definition that falls in
line with the thoughts of many, perhaps even most, people today. For those who are familiar with
the history of western civilization, the papacy is a newer development. The papacy and the Christian
church are tightly aligned with the Roman Empire, but the Empire underwent a variety of changes
and no longer exists, and yet, the Roman Catholic Church and its head are still intact. If the papacy
and the church are "newer" developments in the grand scheme of western ... Show more content on
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It was Pope Gregory I, who never sought the papacy, that brought reform and scholarship to the
position. , Gregory held the papacy from 590 until 604. Born into an aristocratic family, Gregory
was well–educated. He gave up the life of relative prominence and pursued monasticism. During his
time as monk, Pope Pelagius II appointed him ambassador to the court at Constantinople. Pelagius
later required the help of Gregory and his monks, during a time of rampant flooding and disease, for
various projects throughout Rome, including sanitation, burial and feeding of the poor. , When
Pelagius died, the clergy and people unanimously elected Gregory to the empty see. While
unwanted, Gregory continued the city reformation projects that he began under Pelagius with an
admirable zeal. Pope Gregory the Great, only the second to receive the honorific "the Great", not
only helped rebuild the city, but he was also able to negotiate peace with Lombards and was a
prolific writer. He was heavily influenced by St.

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
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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

Jewish Human Nature
Human nature is an often debated topic. Some believe the natural state of humans to be good; some
believe it evil. Catholic doctrine teaches original sin: the idea that all people are born bearing the
primeval sin of Adam in the Garden of Eden. Jewish doctrine teaches differently: all humans are
born without sin just as was created without sin. The second is certainly more appealing because it
is far less damning of humankind. The Catholic belief teaches that humankind is born evil and is
evil by nature and Jewish belief is that humans are what they make of themselves. Both traditions
have similar origins and draw on much of the same scripture for their beliefs, though these traditions
have a vastly opposing view on this fundamental point. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
There is support in the scripture for each belief. Paul champions the idea that all of humankind is
responsible for the sin in the Garden of Eden. This holds no water in the context of Judaism because
it is in the New Testament. There is, however, the concept that, "...the sins of the father are to be laid
upon the children..." present throughout the old testament. In Isaiah, "Your first father sinned; your
spokesmen rebelled against me." The idea of punishment for the sin of a parent is nearly
synonymous with original sin because Adam and Eve are understood to be the father and mother of
humanity by both traditions. The ideology is present in Exodus, "You shall not bow down before
them or serve them. For I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God, inflicting punishment for their
ancestors' wickedness on the children of those who hate me, down to the third and fourth
generation." This exact ideology is repeated verbatim in Numbers and Deuteronomy. The quote in
Exodus is attributed directly to God. It follows logically then that, if God punishes future
generations for the sins of their parents, God would punish humankind for a sin committed by the
parents of humanity, Adam and

The Human Soul And The Soul 's Salvation
In his letter to the priest, Sixtus, Augustine claims that "...when [humans] suppose that free choice is
taken away if they agree that a human being cannot have a good will without the help of God, they
do not understand that they do not strengthen human choice..." he establishes one of the most
debated concepts of the Reformation period: The human soul cannot save its self. This idea of
Soteriology, expressed in his "Letter 194" presents only one side of the argument. On the other side
of the spectrum of soteriological ideology was Pelagius's argument that "to be just in God's sight, a
person must be pure in both body and heart." Through the use of Augustine's "Letter 194" as well as
Pelagius's "Letter to Demetrias" I will first summarize each author's argument on how much of a
role human free will can contribute to the immortal soul's salvation. Then I will explain why both
sides of the argument appealed to large groups, and why each view point remained debated all the
way into the Reformation period. Before either argument can be dissected however, some issues
with the sources must be addressed. Firstly, Pelagius's text "Letter to Demetrias" has been translated
from its original language into English. Pelagius was very learned in both Latin and Greek, meaning
that the original text was probably written in one of these languages. The translation into English
means that there was an opportunity for error, and for details to get lost. It is also known that
Pelagius was an

The Rise Of The Papacy Essay
The Rise of the Papacy There many Roman Catholics worldwide, who looks up to the Pope's
authority. The great question is, what is the foundation of the Papacy? The rise of the papacy came
at a very important time in history, after the fall of Rome. In 380 CE, Emperor Theodosius I, made
Nicene Christianity the state church of the Roman Empire. After this establishment, and the church
was the top religion in Rome, order was a must. The head of the church normally known as the
bishop, now known as the pope. What does pope mean? "The word pope simply means "father", and
in early times was used to refer to any important and respected Bishop." The Bishop of Rome was
looked upon as the chief judge similar to the Supreme Court. This position was suited to keep order
in the church. "The first rise of the Papacy is undoubtedly to be sought for in the corruption of
human nature." Catholics believes that the papacy began with one of Jesus' disciple, Peter. They
hang this concept on one verse of scripture in the Bible. The Bible declares, "I also say to you that
you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church: and the gates of Hades will not overpower
it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have
been bound in heaven, and what every you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven." Since,
Christ have put this charge on Peter many believe the papacy started with him. "While some claim
that Clement was

In This Essay I Will Compare A Few Of The Major Points
In this essay I will compare a few of the major points in Christian theology from church fathers
from before the Reformation, Pierre Abelard, St. Francis of Assisi, Augustine of Hippo, and
Pelagius, with those of modern Christian theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer . This essay will discuss
the thought before and after the Reformation on how and why people sin. Next, it will discuss idea
of free will and how the church fathers and philosophers agree or disagree on the topic. Lastly, I will
compare the notion of unification of religion before the Reformation with the disconnection from
religion that Bonhoeffer proposes with his theory of "religionless Christianity." These points include
a combination of topics including grace, intention, and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Once that was mostly established, many, like Pierre Abelard went on to think about how or why
people sin. Do people sin by choice or are people completely helpless when it comes to resisting
temptation. Abelard thought believed that sin is subjective. Sin is inside us all and, and although we
choose to give into sinful desires, it is through divine grace that we seek out the love of Jesus. It is
not the sin itself but the intention in the heart of the person committing an act that could be
considered sin under certain circumstances. If a person kills another person, it is not the act of
killing that is a sin but the intent behind the killing. If the killing was an accident or self–defense it
is different from maliciously committing murder, or intending to kill another person.
St. Francis of Assisi would say that sin is objective: the act of sin without knowingly or deliberately
committing the sin. Intention has no part in whether or not an act is considered. Sin is sin regardless
of intent. With the legacy of St. Francis' ministry, the order called "The friars", it seems that St.
Francis was more concerned with good works as a means of salvation. However, works would mean
nothing if there was not good intent behind them.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer believes we are not judged by our works, but are saved by grace. A person must
first be called to a life of Christ. This call is His grace. Reject the call

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
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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

The Changes In The Medieval Church
Before the church deliberates missiology we need to go back to the creation of all things because the
glory of God is evident there. We must immediately fall back on the Holy Scriptures because they
witness to God's covenant and promises to humanity. It is a covenant that ranges from the formation
of a people, Israel, temporary through the New Testament, with the coming of Jesus, to one day the
complete manifestation of God's Holy Spirit reaching to all nations and cultures. Thus we will go
back in history reviewing the Medieval Church's mission in contrast with the Anabaptist and its
missiology.
The Medieval Church was prevalent and entire lives revolved around the church and its structure.
The Middle Ages was in European history lasting ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Anabaptists, through the Mennonite tradition, are recognized for their separation from the world
which includes a rejection of military service, pacifism, radical discipleship, and simplicity of life.
This is a stark contrast and difference as the Catholic Church us coercions and control to win souls.
The Catholics used crusades and "holy wars" to intimidate others to see its view as the only way to
salvation. The Anabaptist took a different approach and seen the world as an uncultivated field and
with the aid of the Holy Spirit others could be won through love and

Augustine Of Hippo Confessions
Introduction
Augustine of Hippo was a man who had a great hunger for knowledge and a passion is for sharing
what he learned. It began with his studies in rhetoric and philosophy as a boy and ended with a
passion for scripture and a desire for others to benefit from his experiences and knowledge. His
early quests for information and answers left him hollow and longing for more. He states in the first
paragraph of his Confessions "...Thou hast formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they
find rest in thee." Augustine felt that God used his sinful past as a call to humility while helping him
understand the depth of human corruptibility so he could fully appreciate the amazing power of
grace. By putting his old self aside, he ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Holding firmly to 1 Corinthians 5:9–13, the Donatists taught that the grace of God could only be
found in an "undefiled church." This belief caused them to separate from the Catholic Church and
limit their membership to those they felt had overcome the temptation of sin. They did not recognize
baptisms and Lord's Supper to be valid unless it occurred within their church. A legitimate baptism
in the Donatist church was believed to give new life, and when the priest was baptized he was also
given the ability to give new life to others. A person baptized outside the true church needed to be
re–baptized to ensure they received the proper blessing. They held martyrdom in very high regard,
valuing the opportunity to sacrifice to preserve the purity of the

Essay on A Review of Peter Brown’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

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