This document provides a historical overview of the development of organized religious life in the Roman Catholic Church from the 4th century to the 16th century. It describes how various religious communities originated independently of the Church, influenced by traditions from Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. It then outlines the emergence of organized monastic communities in Egypt and Western Europe following the legalization of Christianity in the Roman Empire. Key figures who established early monastic rules and orders that shaped Western monasticism are highlighted, such as St. Benedict, St. Augustine, St. Francis, and the mendicant orders of the 13th century. The document traces how religious life was reformed after the 16th century with the Council of
The document summarizes the major religions practiced in the Philippines. It begins by stating that approximately 90% of Filipinos are Christian, mostly Catholic, but also including Iglesia ni Cristo, Protestants, and others. Prior to colonialism, animism was widely practiced among indigenous tribes. While most Filipinos are now Christian, some indigenous beliefs involving spirits and nature worship still exist. Other religions in the Philippines include Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism and the Mormon faith.
This document contains information about various roles in the Catholic Church, including deacons, bishops, and apostles. It discusses that deacons originally meant "servant" and described the duties of early deacons like distributing alms. It provides details on the apostles Peter, Paul, John, Matthew, Andrew, and Thomas, including where they preached and how they died. It defines apostolic succession as the line of bishops tracing back to the apostles and their role in preserving true doctrine. Finally, it mentions that the Archbishop of Philadelphia is Cardinal Justin Rigali and the roles and duties of bishops.
Early Filipinos practiced an animistic religion before the introduction of major world religions. Islam gained prominence in Mindanao and Sulu after Arab traders arrived, while Christianity took hold nationwide after the Spanish arrived in the 16th century. Religious practices in the Philippines often blend elements of introduced faiths with indigenous folk beliefs. The country's constitution established the separation of church and state, though clergy have advocated on social issues. Studies show Filipino religiosity is influenced by various demographic factors and remains an important part of culture today.
Session Viii Key Forms Of The Church In Historykelbud
1. Eastern Orthodox ecclesiology views the church as an icon of the Trinity, focusing on salvation through deification and deliverance from corruption rather than Western views of guilt and sin.
2. Lutheran ecclesiology sees the church as both just and sinful, consisting of saints and sinners, and emphasizing the priesthood of all believers and the means of grace through Word and sacrament.
3. Pentecostal/Charismatic ecclesiologies developed as grassroots, experiential movements emphasizing the empowerment of believers by the Holy Spirit in worship, with no single model but generally viewing the church as a fellowship rather than an institution.
The early church leaders had to consolidate and establish the legacy of the gospel as the Christian movement rapidly grew. They evolved a distinct Christian identity separate from Judaism. They established institutional structures by defining leadership roles and uniform doctrines and practices. They also encouraged believers to endure the "growing pains" of persecution by persevering in hope through the example of Christ. The New Testament writings helped with these efforts to consolidate the gospel's legacy in the church.
5 challenges for mission and ministry from postmodern assumptionsjoshva raja john
This document discusses challenges and opportunities for Christian mission and ministry from a postmodern perspective. It outlines how postmodern assumptions have led to the end of the modern era and Christendom. New models of mission are emerging that focus on personal spirituality, community, social justice, and using various media. The document also notes potential weaknesses like lack of biblical reflection and holding personal views over doctrinal truths.
Appendix B: The Richness of Our Heritage KenBoa.org
This document provides an overview of the appendix titled "The Richness of Our Heritage" which explores Christian spirituality throughout history. It outlines the contents which examine spirituality in the Ancient, Medieval, and Modern Church in four parts. It also lists some of the goals of exploring Christian spiritual heritage such as exposure to key figures, providing broader perspective and continuity. The document then previews some of the topics to be discussed in each time period including ancient church fathers, eastern and western medieval approaches, and Protestant and Catholic figures in the modern era.
The document discusses Christian witness in a postmodern world. It summarizes several resources that address this topic, including works by George Carey, Roger Lundin, Lieven Boeve, and David Smith. Some of the key themes discussed are finding new frontiers for witnessing, emphasizing service over power, and how to approach truth and interpretation in a postmodern context. The resources explore how Christianity can adapt to postmodernity while maintaining its core teachings, and how the church can engage in mission through dialogue, contextualization, and working for justice.
The document summarizes the major religions practiced in the Philippines. It begins by stating that approximately 90% of Filipinos are Christian, mostly Catholic, but also including Iglesia ni Cristo, Protestants, and others. Prior to colonialism, animism was widely practiced among indigenous tribes. While most Filipinos are now Christian, some indigenous beliefs involving spirits and nature worship still exist. Other religions in the Philippines include Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism and the Mormon faith.
This document contains information about various roles in the Catholic Church, including deacons, bishops, and apostles. It discusses that deacons originally meant "servant" and described the duties of early deacons like distributing alms. It provides details on the apostles Peter, Paul, John, Matthew, Andrew, and Thomas, including where they preached and how they died. It defines apostolic succession as the line of bishops tracing back to the apostles and their role in preserving true doctrine. Finally, it mentions that the Archbishop of Philadelphia is Cardinal Justin Rigali and the roles and duties of bishops.
Early Filipinos practiced an animistic religion before the introduction of major world religions. Islam gained prominence in Mindanao and Sulu after Arab traders arrived, while Christianity took hold nationwide after the Spanish arrived in the 16th century. Religious practices in the Philippines often blend elements of introduced faiths with indigenous folk beliefs. The country's constitution established the separation of church and state, though clergy have advocated on social issues. Studies show Filipino religiosity is influenced by various demographic factors and remains an important part of culture today.
Session Viii Key Forms Of The Church In Historykelbud
1. Eastern Orthodox ecclesiology views the church as an icon of the Trinity, focusing on salvation through deification and deliverance from corruption rather than Western views of guilt and sin.
2. Lutheran ecclesiology sees the church as both just and sinful, consisting of saints and sinners, and emphasizing the priesthood of all believers and the means of grace through Word and sacrament.
3. Pentecostal/Charismatic ecclesiologies developed as grassroots, experiential movements emphasizing the empowerment of believers by the Holy Spirit in worship, with no single model but generally viewing the church as a fellowship rather than an institution.
The early church leaders had to consolidate and establish the legacy of the gospel as the Christian movement rapidly grew. They evolved a distinct Christian identity separate from Judaism. They established institutional structures by defining leadership roles and uniform doctrines and practices. They also encouraged believers to endure the "growing pains" of persecution by persevering in hope through the example of Christ. The New Testament writings helped with these efforts to consolidate the gospel's legacy in the church.
5 challenges for mission and ministry from postmodern assumptionsjoshva raja john
This document discusses challenges and opportunities for Christian mission and ministry from a postmodern perspective. It outlines how postmodern assumptions have led to the end of the modern era and Christendom. New models of mission are emerging that focus on personal spirituality, community, social justice, and using various media. The document also notes potential weaknesses like lack of biblical reflection and holding personal views over doctrinal truths.
Appendix B: The Richness of Our Heritage KenBoa.org
This document provides an overview of the appendix titled "The Richness of Our Heritage" which explores Christian spirituality throughout history. It outlines the contents which examine spirituality in the Ancient, Medieval, and Modern Church in four parts. It also lists some of the goals of exploring Christian spiritual heritage such as exposure to key figures, providing broader perspective and continuity. The document then previews some of the topics to be discussed in each time period including ancient church fathers, eastern and western medieval approaches, and Protestant and Catholic figures in the modern era.
The document discusses Christian witness in a postmodern world. It summarizes several resources that address this topic, including works by George Carey, Roger Lundin, Lieven Boeve, and David Smith. Some of the key themes discussed are finding new frontiers for witnessing, emphasizing service over power, and how to approach truth and interpretation in a postmodern context. The resources explore how Christianity can adapt to postmodernity while maintaining its core teachings, and how the church can engage in mission through dialogue, contextualization, and working for justice.
The Second Great Awakening occurred between the 1790s-1840s and was characterized by emotional preaching that appealed to feelings rather than just the mind. It featured large camp meetings with preachers from different denominations and an emphasis on the imminent Second Coming of Christ and social transformation. As a result of this revival, Baptist and Methodist membership grew as they overtook other denominations, and new denominations such as AME and Mormons emerged.
The religious vows of poverty, celibacy and obedience emerged in the 4th century when some followers of Jesus Christ, inspired by the Holy Spirit, advocated for a new lifestyle in the Church that was closer to the spontaneous inspiration of the Gospel. They wanted to follow the example of Jesus and his first disciples more closely. These vows are outward expressions of the religious life project, which involves total self-donation and radical availability, excluding marriage and exclusive relationships. Living these vows is meant to free people for intimacy with God and enable them to serve the Church and society. The human and biblical foundations of vowed life include Jesus living simply, celibately and obediently, inspiring religious communities to live radically as he
This document provides an overview of key concepts in Christianity, including its history, beliefs, sacred texts, important figures, rituals and observances, and divisions. It discusses how Christianity began with the teachings of Jesus Christ, and the Holy Trinity belief in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Major events and festivals like Easter and Pentecost are also summarized. The document outlines Christian doctrines, symbols and sacraments, as well as views on topics like sexuality, family and divorce.
The document provides an overview of the Church in Asia, highlighting several key points:
1) Christianity has a long history in Asia dating back to the 1st century, but Asian churches still struggle with perceptions of being foreign imports from the West.
2) Asian Catholics represent a small minority, about 2.4% of the population, living within multi-religious societies.
3) Dependencies remain on Western "mother churches" for funding and direction, posing obstacles for inculturation and relations with other faiths.
4) Inculturation of theology, liturgy, and formation is important for Asian Christianity to take root, though must be guided by gospel compatibility.
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. It recognizes Jesus as the promised Messiah and Savior who established God's kingdom through his resurrection. The New Testament contains the canon of the Christian faith which is spread by churches. According to the Christian faith, God revealed himself through history and Jesus Christ fulfilled this revelation. Christianity is now the largest religion in the world with over 2 billion adherents divided among Catholicism, Protestantism, and Eastern Orthodoxy.
Brian McLaren Christian Faith as a Way of Lifejodimclaren
The document discusses Christian faith as a way of life that involves both personal and social transformation. It argues that spiritual formation involves intentional practices that develop disciples who then act as apostles working to transform the world. The church's purpose is not just membership in an institution but to join God in bringing about the kingdom of God through healing the world on all levels of society.
This document summarizes the early history and spread of Christianity from the 2nd to 5th centuries AD. It discusses periods of persecution under Roman emperors like Decius and Diocletian, as well as the martyrdom of figures like Perpetua and Polycarp. It also covers the development of heresies such as Gnosticism, theological debates, and the work of early Church fathers and apologists. Constantine's Edict of Milan ended persecution in 313 and Christianity became the official state religion under Theodosius I in 380. The document traces the spread of Christianity to areas like Armenia, Ethiopia, Italy, France, and England during this time period.
Mary Magdalene played a significant role in the development of Christianity by supporting Jesus during his ministry, being the first witness to his resurrection, and spreading the news of his resurrection. She had a major impact by causing divisions in the church over interpretations of her role, inspiring feminist theology that critiques patriarchal views of women's roles, and serving as a role model for women's leadership and repentance. Her story has led to renewed study of early Christian texts and sparked ongoing debates around power structures in the church.
The document summarizes key aspects of several religious movements and utopian communities in the United States between the late 18th and mid-19th centuries. It describes the beliefs and practices of Deism, Unitarianism, Methodism, the Second Great Awakening revivalism, Mormonism, and various utopian communities like the Shakers and the Oneida community. It provides biographical details on influential religious figures like Charles Finney, Joseph Smith, and Brigham Young during this period of religious and social change.
1) St. Mary of Egypt parish serves a diverse community and draws people through its multicultural and inclusive atmosphere.
2) The priest, Fr. Paisius, draws inspiration from Archbishop Anastasios of Albania's model of respecting all people.
3) The parish is expanding its social services to address neighborhood needs through a counseling center and support groups, grounded in Orthodox tradition.
Eastern Christianity developed from Christianity that originated in the Middle East and spread eastward. It is comprised of four main communions: the Assyrian Church of the East, the Oriental Orthodox churches, the Eastern Orthodox churches, and the Eastern Catholic churches. The Eastern Catholic churches, like the other Eastern Christian churches, developed unique theological traditions and liturgies but are in full communion with the Pope in Rome.
The document provides an overview of the field of missiology. It defines missiology as the formal study of the theology, history, philosophies and strategic implementation of Christian missions. It discusses key topics in missiology including the meaning and terminology of missiology, trends in mission theology, philosophies of mission, and factors to consider in cross-cultural strategy. The document also summarizes changes in the current global context that impact approaches to mission work.
A New Pentecost for Catholic Social WorkersMark Ginter
The document discusses how the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church illustrates the new moral life called for in the new evangelization. It outlines how the Social Doctrine provides principles for reflection on human dignity and the common good, and directives for seeing justice, judging situations, and acting with love in the world. The Compendium presents the content of living out faith through social doctrine and morals.
This document discusses the political influence of religion and religious organizations. It defines religion as a system of beliefs, practices, and documents that shape people's way of life. The church is defined as a community of believers in a specific religion that also represents a social structure. Religious groups have motivated political actions like revolutions. In pluralist democracies like the Philippines, religion is an important part of political culture and churches can be involved in elections, policymaking, and interest articulation within the separation of church and state. The major politically influential religions in the Philippines are Catholicism, Islam, and Protestantism, with the Catholic Church historically playing a prominent political role and religious groups influencing elections.
This document discusses interpreting the Bible in postmodern contexts. It provides a reading list on this topic and then covers several key aspects of postmodern biblical interpretation. These include viewing the Bible from God's perspective; the relationship between the Bible, history, and reality; structuralist approaches; and postmodern readings that focus on meanings constructed between texts and readers rather than meanings within texts. The document then discusses how this relates to mission and provides biblical examples of movements from particular to universal. It also notes tensions and counter-movements within the Bible and addresses postmodern spirituality. Finally, it explores how postmodern biblical interpretation can inform mission responses to various global issues.
The document discusses the mission of Jesus and the early church based on passages from the New Testament. It addresses several key points:
1) Jesus' mission was initially focused on the Jews, but the early church discovered a mission to the Gentiles after the resurrection.
2) Scholars have debated whether Jesus envisioned a mission to Gentiles during his lifetime. Views range from yes, to no but he intended it, to it emerging later from the early church's reflection.
3) The early Christian community defined itself and its mission based on its understanding of Jesus, but there were tensions around whether Gentile converts needed to follow Jewish practices.
4) Figures like Paul expanded the mission by
This document provides style guidelines for 2adpro's communication with clients, including sections on branding, grammar, tone, crisis communication, and presentations. It emphasizes consistency in language, grammar, punctuation and formatting. Specific guidelines address issues like sentence structure, word choice, punctuation, spacing, and phrasing to ensure clear communication for an international client base.
The document provides a summary of Lambis Dimitrakopoulos' work experience as a civil engineer and infrastructure engineer on various projects in Nigeria, Greece, and Chad between 1995-today. Some of the key projects mentioned include the expansion of the MGBEE road in Nigeria, underground intersections construction, and renovation of company estate buildings. Lambis has experience managing labor crews, subcontractors, and machinery for tasks such as road construction, drainage installation, and building renovations. He also has a background in quantity surveying, cost control, and project planning and organization.
This document provides an overview of the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. It begins by noting that while the concept of God as one being in three persons is not explicitly found in the New Testament, it emerged in the early Church. The document then examines passages from the gospels that point to Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and God as distinct persons. It discusses how baptism in the early Church involved confession of faith in God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Trinity is presented as the central mystery of the Christian faith, with each person of the Trinity revealed through their distinct roles in creation and redemption. The early Church is described as experiencing the inner divine life of love from the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and
This document provides contact information and pricing for various petroleum products from a fuel supplier in South Africa. It offers diesel, paraffin and petrol at competitive prices and will deliver orders within 48 hours of payment. Standard discounts are offered based on order volumes of 10,000 litres or more. The supplier also provides fuel management solutions like fuel consumption monitoring using flow meters and level sensors to help reduce fuel and maintenance costs.
This short document promotes creating presentations using Haiku Deck, a tool for making slideshows. It encourages the reader to get started making their own Haiku Deck presentation and sharing it on SlideShare. In a single sentence, it pitches the idea of using Haiku Deck to easily create and share slideshow presentations online.
The document contains copyright information for multiple images taken by Marco Zecchin of Image Center Photographic Design. Each entry lists the image number, copyright holder as The Hayes Group of Redwood City, CA, and photographer credit to Marco Zecchin and Image Center. Contact information is provided for Image Center Photographic Design in Los Gatos, CA.
The Second Great Awakening occurred between the 1790s-1840s and was characterized by emotional preaching that appealed to feelings rather than just the mind. It featured large camp meetings with preachers from different denominations and an emphasis on the imminent Second Coming of Christ and social transformation. As a result of this revival, Baptist and Methodist membership grew as they overtook other denominations, and new denominations such as AME and Mormons emerged.
The religious vows of poverty, celibacy and obedience emerged in the 4th century when some followers of Jesus Christ, inspired by the Holy Spirit, advocated for a new lifestyle in the Church that was closer to the spontaneous inspiration of the Gospel. They wanted to follow the example of Jesus and his first disciples more closely. These vows are outward expressions of the religious life project, which involves total self-donation and radical availability, excluding marriage and exclusive relationships. Living these vows is meant to free people for intimacy with God and enable them to serve the Church and society. The human and biblical foundations of vowed life include Jesus living simply, celibately and obediently, inspiring religious communities to live radically as he
This document provides an overview of key concepts in Christianity, including its history, beliefs, sacred texts, important figures, rituals and observances, and divisions. It discusses how Christianity began with the teachings of Jesus Christ, and the Holy Trinity belief in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Major events and festivals like Easter and Pentecost are also summarized. The document outlines Christian doctrines, symbols and sacraments, as well as views on topics like sexuality, family and divorce.
The document provides an overview of the Church in Asia, highlighting several key points:
1) Christianity has a long history in Asia dating back to the 1st century, but Asian churches still struggle with perceptions of being foreign imports from the West.
2) Asian Catholics represent a small minority, about 2.4% of the population, living within multi-religious societies.
3) Dependencies remain on Western "mother churches" for funding and direction, posing obstacles for inculturation and relations with other faiths.
4) Inculturation of theology, liturgy, and formation is important for Asian Christianity to take root, though must be guided by gospel compatibility.
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. It recognizes Jesus as the promised Messiah and Savior who established God's kingdom through his resurrection. The New Testament contains the canon of the Christian faith which is spread by churches. According to the Christian faith, God revealed himself through history and Jesus Christ fulfilled this revelation. Christianity is now the largest religion in the world with over 2 billion adherents divided among Catholicism, Protestantism, and Eastern Orthodoxy.
Brian McLaren Christian Faith as a Way of Lifejodimclaren
The document discusses Christian faith as a way of life that involves both personal and social transformation. It argues that spiritual formation involves intentional practices that develop disciples who then act as apostles working to transform the world. The church's purpose is not just membership in an institution but to join God in bringing about the kingdom of God through healing the world on all levels of society.
This document summarizes the early history and spread of Christianity from the 2nd to 5th centuries AD. It discusses periods of persecution under Roman emperors like Decius and Diocletian, as well as the martyrdom of figures like Perpetua and Polycarp. It also covers the development of heresies such as Gnosticism, theological debates, and the work of early Church fathers and apologists. Constantine's Edict of Milan ended persecution in 313 and Christianity became the official state religion under Theodosius I in 380. The document traces the spread of Christianity to areas like Armenia, Ethiopia, Italy, France, and England during this time period.
Mary Magdalene played a significant role in the development of Christianity by supporting Jesus during his ministry, being the first witness to his resurrection, and spreading the news of his resurrection. She had a major impact by causing divisions in the church over interpretations of her role, inspiring feminist theology that critiques patriarchal views of women's roles, and serving as a role model for women's leadership and repentance. Her story has led to renewed study of early Christian texts and sparked ongoing debates around power structures in the church.
The document summarizes key aspects of several religious movements and utopian communities in the United States between the late 18th and mid-19th centuries. It describes the beliefs and practices of Deism, Unitarianism, Methodism, the Second Great Awakening revivalism, Mormonism, and various utopian communities like the Shakers and the Oneida community. It provides biographical details on influential religious figures like Charles Finney, Joseph Smith, and Brigham Young during this period of religious and social change.
1) St. Mary of Egypt parish serves a diverse community and draws people through its multicultural and inclusive atmosphere.
2) The priest, Fr. Paisius, draws inspiration from Archbishop Anastasios of Albania's model of respecting all people.
3) The parish is expanding its social services to address neighborhood needs through a counseling center and support groups, grounded in Orthodox tradition.
Eastern Christianity developed from Christianity that originated in the Middle East and spread eastward. It is comprised of four main communions: the Assyrian Church of the East, the Oriental Orthodox churches, the Eastern Orthodox churches, and the Eastern Catholic churches. The Eastern Catholic churches, like the other Eastern Christian churches, developed unique theological traditions and liturgies but are in full communion with the Pope in Rome.
The document provides an overview of the field of missiology. It defines missiology as the formal study of the theology, history, philosophies and strategic implementation of Christian missions. It discusses key topics in missiology including the meaning and terminology of missiology, trends in mission theology, philosophies of mission, and factors to consider in cross-cultural strategy. The document also summarizes changes in the current global context that impact approaches to mission work.
A New Pentecost for Catholic Social WorkersMark Ginter
The document discusses how the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church illustrates the new moral life called for in the new evangelization. It outlines how the Social Doctrine provides principles for reflection on human dignity and the common good, and directives for seeing justice, judging situations, and acting with love in the world. The Compendium presents the content of living out faith through social doctrine and morals.
This document discusses the political influence of religion and religious organizations. It defines religion as a system of beliefs, practices, and documents that shape people's way of life. The church is defined as a community of believers in a specific religion that also represents a social structure. Religious groups have motivated political actions like revolutions. In pluralist democracies like the Philippines, religion is an important part of political culture and churches can be involved in elections, policymaking, and interest articulation within the separation of church and state. The major politically influential religions in the Philippines are Catholicism, Islam, and Protestantism, with the Catholic Church historically playing a prominent political role and religious groups influencing elections.
This document discusses interpreting the Bible in postmodern contexts. It provides a reading list on this topic and then covers several key aspects of postmodern biblical interpretation. These include viewing the Bible from God's perspective; the relationship between the Bible, history, and reality; structuralist approaches; and postmodern readings that focus on meanings constructed between texts and readers rather than meanings within texts. The document then discusses how this relates to mission and provides biblical examples of movements from particular to universal. It also notes tensions and counter-movements within the Bible and addresses postmodern spirituality. Finally, it explores how postmodern biblical interpretation can inform mission responses to various global issues.
The document discusses the mission of Jesus and the early church based on passages from the New Testament. It addresses several key points:
1) Jesus' mission was initially focused on the Jews, but the early church discovered a mission to the Gentiles after the resurrection.
2) Scholars have debated whether Jesus envisioned a mission to Gentiles during his lifetime. Views range from yes, to no but he intended it, to it emerging later from the early church's reflection.
3) The early Christian community defined itself and its mission based on its understanding of Jesus, but there were tensions around whether Gentile converts needed to follow Jewish practices.
4) Figures like Paul expanded the mission by
This document provides style guidelines for 2adpro's communication with clients, including sections on branding, grammar, tone, crisis communication, and presentations. It emphasizes consistency in language, grammar, punctuation and formatting. Specific guidelines address issues like sentence structure, word choice, punctuation, spacing, and phrasing to ensure clear communication for an international client base.
The document provides a summary of Lambis Dimitrakopoulos' work experience as a civil engineer and infrastructure engineer on various projects in Nigeria, Greece, and Chad between 1995-today. Some of the key projects mentioned include the expansion of the MGBEE road in Nigeria, underground intersections construction, and renovation of company estate buildings. Lambis has experience managing labor crews, subcontractors, and machinery for tasks such as road construction, drainage installation, and building renovations. He also has a background in quantity surveying, cost control, and project planning and organization.
This document provides an overview of the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. It begins by noting that while the concept of God as one being in three persons is not explicitly found in the New Testament, it emerged in the early Church. The document then examines passages from the gospels that point to Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and God as distinct persons. It discusses how baptism in the early Church involved confession of faith in God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Trinity is presented as the central mystery of the Christian faith, with each person of the Trinity revealed through their distinct roles in creation and redemption. The early Church is described as experiencing the inner divine life of love from the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and
This document provides contact information and pricing for various petroleum products from a fuel supplier in South Africa. It offers diesel, paraffin and petrol at competitive prices and will deliver orders within 48 hours of payment. Standard discounts are offered based on order volumes of 10,000 litres or more. The supplier also provides fuel management solutions like fuel consumption monitoring using flow meters and level sensors to help reduce fuel and maintenance costs.
This short document promotes creating presentations using Haiku Deck, a tool for making slideshows. It encourages the reader to get started making their own Haiku Deck presentation and sharing it on SlideShare. In a single sentence, it pitches the idea of using Haiku Deck to easily create and share slideshow presentations online.
The document contains copyright information for multiple images taken by Marco Zecchin of Image Center Photographic Design. Each entry lists the image number, copyright holder as The Hayes Group of Redwood City, CA, and photographer credit to Marco Zecchin and Image Center. Contact information is provided for Image Center Photographic Design in Los Gatos, CA.
The document outlines the plans for constructing an outlet mall in Eastchester, NY. It includes sections on the objective, scope, amenities, organizational structure, layout, work breakdown structure, schedule, cost estimations, cost-benefit and risk analyses, marketing plans, and references. The mall will be 135,000 square feet housing 62 stores and cost $103.25 million to build. An analysis shows the project has a positive return on investment and will generate over $137 million in benefits over four years.
마이크로소프트웨어에서는 ‘유재석의 데이터 인사이트’ 인터뷰어 중 추상적인 데이터 이야기, 어려운 기술 이야기, 뻔한 툴 홍보가 아닌 현업에서의 관련 인사이트를 가장 잘 전달해주실 수 있는 연사분들과 함께 ‘데이터 인사이트 2015’ 컨퍼런스를 준비했습니다.
컨퍼런스 신청▶http://onoffmix.com/event/48788
This document describes using the finite element method to analyze stresses in a truss structure. It defines the truss geometry, elements, and nodes. Stiffness matrices are developed for each element and combined into a global stiffness matrix. Boundary conditions are applied and the system of equations is solved to determine displacements. Stresses are then calculated for each element using the displacements. Finally, reactions are computed at fixed supports.
Este documento presenta los temas que tres alumnas estudiarán como parte de su asignatura de "Conocimiento de la entidad" en la Escuela Normal Experimental de El Fuerte, Sinaloa. Los temas incluyen la orografía, ríos y presas, climas, bahías, playas y puertos, albuferas, esteros, lagunas, salineras y humedales, manantiales, penínsulas, pantanos y ensenadas de Sinaloa, así como su vegetación, áreas naturales protegidas, grupos indígenas,
Glosario sobre la conquista, la colonización y el virreinato en mi entidadMaritza Vega
El documento presenta definiciones de términos relacionados con la colonización de México como encomiendas, misiones, novohispanas, virreinato y virrey. Explica conceptos como colonización, expediciones, frailes, jesuitas, jurisdicción, provincias, rendición y repoblación que fueron importantes durante el periodo de la Nueva España. Además, incluye breves definiciones de palabras como asumir, efímera, esplendor, huestes, procedente y someter que pueden ayudar a comp
This document provides instructions for using a MATLAB program to analyze 2D trusses. The program calculates and displays the stiffness matrix and displacements, internal forces, and reactions for each element and the overall structure. Key features include receiving input via an Excel file for ease of modifying inputs, calculating results for each element separately, and saving output to text files. Instructions are provided on defining degrees of freedom, naming conventions, entering input data in the proper units, and interpreting the output.
introduction of ceramic: A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid material comprising metal, nonmetal or metalloid atoms primarily held in ionic and all are made by firing or burning, often including silicates and metal oxides.
classification and types of ceramic, application of ceramic and innovations on it.
1. Self-acceptance is nurtured through recognizing how our life experiences and upbringing shaped who we are, and by understanding that God created us and loves us as we are.
2. We practice self-acceptance by focusing on our strengths rather than weaknesses, learning from mistakes without self-judgment, and handling relationships positively without inner criticism.
3. The advantages of self-acceptance are happiness free from guilt and self-hatred, being kind and compassionate towards others, and finding meaning and fulfillment through relationships with people and God.
World religion powerpoint presentation.pptxrobynauer90
Catholicism originated from the life and teachings of Jesus Christ in the 1st century CE. Core Catholic beliefs are found in the Nicene Creed and include the sacraments, the roles of the Bible and tradition, devotion to Mary and saints, and the papacy. There are 7 sacraments divided into categories of initiation, healing, and service/communion. Important Catholic saints include Michael, Christopher, Jude, Anthony of Padua, Joseph, Mary, Francis of Assisi, Thomas Aquinas, Peter, and Joan of Arc. The Pope, as the Bishop of Rome, is considered the successor of St. Peter and the head of the worldwide Catholic Church.
This presentation gives an insight into various religious cults that exist in the world & concludes showing how Christians(born-again children of God) can resist them.
The document provides background information on Christianity. It discusses that Jesus Christ is the founder of Christianity and was born in Bethlehem approximately 2000 years ago. It also outlines some key beliefs of Christianity, including the Holy Trinity, salvation through Jesus, and life after death. Major figures in the religion such as God, Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and saints are explained. The Bible, religious symbols, leaders, ceremonies, and festivals are described in the document as well.
The document provides background information on Christianity. It discusses how Christianity originated from Judaism during the 1st century CE in Roman-occupied West Asia, centered around the life, teachings, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is now the largest religion in the world with over 2 billion adherents. The key beliefs of Christianity include the Trinity of God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Bible is the holy text of Christianity, comprised of the Old and New Testaments. Major Christian festivals and rituals are also outlined.
The document discusses several key events and developments in the early Christian church between the 1st and 5th centuries CE. It notes that Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in 313 legalizing Christianity. The Council of Nicaea in 325 established the Nicene Creed rejecting Arian beliefs. The Council of Chalcedon in 451 defined that Jesus had two natures, divine and human. Heresies like Arianism, Gnosticism and others threatened the church, but early church fathers and theologians like Athanasius defended orthodox Christianity. Monasticism also grew as some Christians sought ascetic lifestyles in response to the church's growing worldliness.
The document discusses several aspects of life and the role of the medieval Catholic Church. It describes how the Church controlled the people and required them to pay tithes. It also discusses how the Church accumulated wealth and power. The Church was the sole recognized religion and its leaders played important roles in government. Churches were built by peasants from local materials and housed important religious ceremonies. The document also notes roles for women like Abbesses and nuns.
The document discusses several aspects of life and the role of the medieval Catholic Church. It describes how the Church controlled the people and required them to pay tithes. It also discusses how the Church accumulated wealth and power. The Church was the sole recognized religion and its leaders played important roles in government. Churches were built by peasants from local materials. The document also summarizes the roles of women like abbesses and nuns in the Church. It describes religious ceremonies and the Church's efforts to involve more laypeople.
This document provides an overview of Christianity. It begins with a review of Judaism and then examines Christianity in more detail. Some key points covered include: Christianity's origins and teachings are based on Jesus Christ; it is one of the largest religions in the world with over 2 billion followers; core beliefs include monotheism and the Holy Trinity; and important figures, texts, holidays, and doctrines are discussed such as priests, the Bible, Easter, and the Ten Commandments. The document also explores the history of Christianity's divisions and selected issues like sexuality, family/divorce, and capital punishment.
Philosophy and theology terms dante vocabulary colorizedgibb0
This document defines and briefly describes various philosophical, theological, and religious terms. Some key terms summarized are:
Philosophy is defined as the love and pursuit of wisdom through intellectual means and moral self-discipline. Theology is the study of the nature of God and religious truth. Catholicism pertains to the universal Christian church or the ancient, undivided Christian church. Protestantism refers to Christians who seceded from the Roman Catholic Church during the Reformation. Buddhism is the doctrine attributed to Gautama Buddha that suffering comes from existence but can be overcome through enlightenment.
This document provides diagnoses of the Catholic Church from historians, sociologists, psychologists, feminists and theologians. It discusses issues like clericalism, lack of reform, complicity with political powers, dysfunctional behaviors and exclusion of women. The marks of the church - oneness, holiness, catholicity and apostolicity - are also analyzed critically in light of these issues rather than being used to assert the church's perfection.
The document provides a brief history of the Catholic Church from the time of Christ and the Apostles to the Second Vatican Council. It describes how the Church was founded by Christ's command to spread the gospel to all nations. Key events included the persecution of early Christians under Roman emperors, the Edict of Milan legalizing Christianity, and the Great Schism that divided the Church into Western and Eastern branches. The Protestant Reformation led to new denominations but the Council of Trent initiated reforms and reaffirmed Catholic doctrine. The Second Vatican Council in the 1960s brought renewal and reforms to the modern Catholic Church.
Turning Points, chapter 13, Rise & Spread of Pentecostalismsandiferb
The document discusses the rise and spread of Pentecostalism in the 20th century, beginning with Charles Parham's teachings on spiritual gifts in the 1890s and the Azusa Street Revival in 1906, which sparked the global Pentecostal movement, resulting in over 500 million Pentecostal and Charismatic believers by 2000 as the movement continued its rapid worldwide growth.
This is to give us an image of the history of Christianity in the Dark Ages. It tackles how Christianity continually thrived during that period along with major persons, institutions, traditions, and movements that arose within that time that affected the Church.
The early Christian church spread rapidly throughout the Roman Empire in the first century AD. Christianity encountered many other religions in the cosmopolitan cities of the empire, including traditional Roman and Greek religions as well as mystery cults from Egypt and Persia. While other religions struggled to address questions of life's meaning and the afterlife, Christianity offered compelling teachings of love from Jesus Christ. Despite facing periods of persecution, the Christian faith continued to multiply in small communities across the empire, including in Spain where the religion was established by the third century AD. Many early Spanish Christians endured martyrdom for their beliefs.
Similar to God's Gift of Religious Life in the Roman Catholic Church (16)
God's Gift of Religious Life in the Roman Catholic Church
1. 1
God’sGiftof ReligiousLife inthe Roman Catholic Church
Jean-Marie HYACINTHE QUENUM1
,S.J.
Organizedreligiouslife hasbeenanunexpectedGod’sgifttothe Church.It appearedspontaneously
amongthe baptized asa call to follow passionately the poor,celibateandobedientChristwho
proclaimedthroughaconsecratedlife the reignof Godwithinthe contextof the Judaismof the Second
Temple.
Throughoutchurch’shistory,menandwomeninspiredbythe HolySpiritwere calledinto church’s
approved religiouscommunitiestoshare God’slove revealedinthe person andwork of JesusChrist.
Religiousmenandwomenimitate Jesusmore closelyandtheybindthemselvestohislifestyle bytaking
publicvows of religion.
Religious menandwomen professevangelical counselsof poverty,chastityandobedience asa
permanentstate of life recognizedbythe lawsof RomanCatholicChurch.
Independentfromthe structuresof the hierarchical ChurchandrootedinChurch‘slife andholiness,
organized andChurchapprovedreligiouslifecame fromGod’speople desiringtobe the livingand
fruitful memoryof the Gospel.
What are the motivationsof baptizedpeople calledtoshare the Spirit’sgiftof Churchapprovedreligious
communities?
What do we learnfromthe religiousexperience of the baptizedcalledtoconsecratedlife invarious
formsand families?
What isthe significantcontribution of religiouslifeintoday’sChurchandchangingcontemporary
global,multinationalanddiversified society?
We will addressthe issue of God’sgiftof religiouslife centeredinJesus inthe RomanCatholicChurch by
stressingthe factthat religiouscommunitiesare ecclesial communitieswithinthe frameworkof a
Gospel of love, communion andsolidarity.
By beingradicallyevangelical,religiouscommunities are meanttobe propheticsignsof the comingof
God’sreign of justand fraternal society.
Religiouscommunitiesintheiroriginal andfoundationaltraditionsshouldbringaboutanew way of
beingthe church intoday’sglobalizedworld.
Our reflectionwill be developedinthree parts.Inthe firstpart we will deal withthe historical
motivationsof religiouscommunities fromthe 4th
centuryto the 16th
century.Inthe secondpart,we will
assessthe resourcesof today’sreligiouscommunities inthe lightof post-VaticanIIchallenges.Andin
1 Jean-Marie HYACINTHE QUENUM is a Doctor in Theology and a Jesuit novices Master in BAFOUSSAM
(CAMEROON).
2. 2
the thirdpart, we will seektodrawthe new paradigmof beingreligiouscommunitieswithinthe new
wayof beingthe Church in a globalizedworld.
1. Motivationsfor organizedReligiousLife in the Roman CatholicChurch
The disciplesof JesusChristdidnotinventorganizedreligiouslife.
In 600 BC theywere Hinduhermitsdetachedfromthe worldandlivingingroups withoutobservingany
formof communal rule.
Some followers of MAHAVIRA calledJAINISTSinthe 6th
centuryBC in Indiawere organizedin
communitiesof monksandnuns.
Before the rise of the church, theywere inGreco-RomanworldandinHoly Land religiouspeople who
dedicatedincommunitiestheirlivesto highergoodssuchas God,the study and meditation of the
Scripture, the practice of the lawsof God and the pursuitof holiness.
In India,the disciplesof SIDDHARTA GAUTAMA calledthe Buddhaformedcommunities dedicatedtoa
serene life freeof worldlygoods andpossessive desire. Theymingledwithpeoplebeggingtheirdaily
foodand solicitingalmsfortheirmonasteries.
Organizedreligiouscommunities andpiousassociations were knownamongthe Essenes,the Pharisees
and various groupsof the main streamsof Judaism.
Piouspeople involvedinreligiousassociationsandcommunities designedformoral andspiritual
perfection were veryoftenmotivatedbythe desire toconsecrate theirlives toGod throughorganized
asceticpracticeslivedininitiationgroupsleadingtothe enjoymentof God’svalues.
In Holyland,God’speople were totallyconsecratedto the covenantGodof Israel. Samuel,Samson,
Elijah,Elisha, Johnthe Baptistwere consecrated andinspired leadersboundbyvowsof asceticlife.
Theywere intheirtimes, inspiringconsecratedpeople livinggodlylife amongGod’speople.
Duringthe firstthree centuriesof church’sexistence,the disciplesof Jesuswere severely persecutedby
Romanpublicpowers.
Livinginhostile environments,the disciplesof Jesusdeepenedtheirfaiththroughitinerantpreachers
whowere inmajority celibatesandledaustere life imitatingthe spiritof poverty andobedience of the
Gospel theywere announcing.
Christianwomenwhowere notmarriedexpressedtheir consecrationtoGodthroughtheirmystical
unionwithChristby theirstate of holy virginity livedinorganizedandchurchapprovedcommunities
underthe care of bishops2
.
2 Communities of consecrated virgins arefound in the second century AD.
3. 3
ChristianmartyrsconsecratedtheirlivestoGodand showedthe depthof theirfaithinthe midstof
persecutions.
But whenChristianitybecame astate religionin380 AD,the disciplesof Jesusfoundanew freedom to
respondtothe call of the Gospel byleadingasolitary life of prayerandmortification farfromcivilization
inthe desertof Egypt.
Early inthe 4th
century SaintAnthony 3
(270- 356) organizedthe hermitslivingnearbyinthe desertof
Egypt intoa sharedexistenceof worshipandcommunal meal once aweekonSundays.
The move to fully coenobiticmonasticismtookplace inEgyptwithPACHOMIUS (286-346) who
persuaded hermitstojoinhimunderacommonrule4
.
SaintMartin of Tours(316-397) broughtin WesternEurope the life of hermitsbyfoundingmonasteries
nearPoitiersandTours.Later fromthe 5th
centuryto 6th
century, ChristiansinGaul broughtto Ireland
monasticascetictraditionsrelatedtothe desertfathersinEgypt.
By the 6th
centuryIrishmonasteriesfoundedbycharismaticleaders suchas FINNIAN,CIARAN,
BRENDAN, COLUMBA and GALL carriedinFrance,in SwitzerlandandinItalythe Celticversionof
Christianity.
Early inthe 6th
century,SaintBenedict (480 -547), the most influential earlyWesternmonk, foundedhis
firstmonasteriesatSUBIACO.Laterhe wrote the rule for hismonks at MONTE CASSINO.Thisrule will
shape the communal life of monksandnunsinthe Roman CatholicEurope.
Benedict’srule differsfromthe ascetictraditionsof EgyptandIreland. Benedict’srule isbasicallya
collectionof preceptsfororganizedcontemplative religiouslife. Lesslegalisticandstressing common
sense inorganizingthe communal life of monksandnuns,Benedict’srule became bythe 9th
centurythe
basicguide forWesternmonasticism.
Spiritual code of Westernmonasticism,Benedict’srule appealstothe formationof the heartleadingto
the generousgiftof self toGod inpeace.It stresseshumility,peace andauthenticsearchof Godthrough
divine office andwork. Benedict’srule isaguide tounionwithGod infraternal love andindocilitytothe
shepherdof the monastery.
Amongthe great figuresof Westernmonasticismwe canmention,JohnCASSIAN5
( 360-435),
HONORATUSof Marseilles, 6
SaintPatrick, SaintBrigit7
, SaintAugustineof Canterbury,SaintBenedict,
SaintCOLUMBA andSaintBoniface.
3 SaintAthanasius spokeof himas an anchorite.
4 They worked, ate and worshipped in a shared spacecalled monastery.
5 About 410, John CASSIAN established two monasteries near Marseilles,onefor men and one for women. These
two monasteries attracted more than 5000 monks and nuns.
6 HONORATUS of Marseilles is thefounder of the monastery of LERINS, a center of monastic cultureand learning.
7 SaintBrigitwas the firstidentifiablefounder of a monastery in Ireland.
4. 4
Theywitnessedthe greatmutationsinEurope andtheyChristianizedthe continentthroughthe
expansionof monasteries.
Benedictines, TRAPPISTSandCisterciansobservethe rule of SaintBenedict. Forcenturies,monasteries
flourishedinWesternEurope.
Religiouslife inthe RomanCatholicChurch developed alsothroughthe rulesof SaintAugustine and
SaintFrancis.
The rule of SaintAugustine iswidelyusedbyreligiousordersandcongregationsof menandwomen.As
an instructiononthe religiouslife,the rule of SaintAugustinehasinspiredmany religious constitutions
inthe RomanCatholicChurch.
Religiouswithclerical status,canons,hermits,friarsof mendicantordersof the Middle Ages,Hospital
sisters, nunsandmonksand religiouswhocare forthose inneedhave foundinthe evangelical wisdom
of SaintAugustine goodmotivesforself-abnegation,mission,educationandhospitalwork.
The 13th
centurywiththe developmentof commerce andurbancentersinWesternEurope will give rise
to the mendicantmovement.Devoutpeoplewantedtoimitate the poorChristof the Gospel. Povertyis
seenasa virtue tobe practiced,not as an evil toeradicate.
Dominicans,Franciscans,Hermitsof SaintAugustine,Hermitsof MountCarmel andothernew religious
ordersof the RomanCatholicChurchwill promote the spiritualityof evangelical poverty againstthe
feudal type of Christianitygeneratedbyrichmonasteriesandthe abuses of the officials of the Church.
Withthe widespreadsuccessof the mendicantmovement,adyingreligiousfire burstsagainintoflames.
But unfortunately,the challengingsituationsof the GreatSchism(1378-1417), the bloodywars (1345-
1445) andthe blackplague stoppedthe developmentof religiouslife inEurope.
Monasteriesceasedtoflourishandnew mendicantreligiousordersappearedforthe comfortof the sick,
the poor and the pilgrim.
Devoutmodernpeople chose tolive evangelical life withoutthe traditional publicvowsof religion.
The renaissance movementbypromotingthe humanpersonasthe masterand centerof the worldhas
shiftedhumanconsciousnesstoward the abandonmentof the darkage of feudal society.
By the 16th
century,religiouslife wasnolongerimpressive andneededreform.
The Council of Trent will reformreligiouslifeunderthe directcontrol of Romanadministration.Rulesof
religiouslife mustbe approvedbythe HolySee andguidelineswere offeredtoregulate religiouslife in
the Roman CatholicChurch.
Religiouslife inthe Roman CatholicChurchappearedinearly4th
century. Men and womeninspiredby
the HolySpiritleft physicallythe worldof economy,powerandpleasurestoaffirmthe primacyof the
Gospel as a wayto witnesstoChristand to hiscomingKingdom.
5. 5
Monks andnuns livedininhospitable placesaroundwhichwere borncitiesthatlaunchedthe mendicant
movementgearedtowardthe renewalof evangelical povertythatreaffirmedthe importance of the
humanpersonover,money,powerandpleasures andthe needfora properdistributionof wealth.
Mendicantreligious,menandwomen of care and concern,witnessedtothe Gospel byhelping,the sick,
the poor, the marginalizedandthe dispossessedof all walksof life (Matthew 25,40).Mendicant
movementwassensitivetothe needsandfeelingsof poorpeoplehelpless victimsof feudal society.
WithRenaissance,the role of humanbeingsinthe universeisreassessedandnew religious orderswith
apostolicpurpose,chose nottoseparate physicallyfromthe worldasdidthe monksand nunsor morally
as didthe mendicantswhorejectedprivatepossession,buttoworkout a new humanismthat promotes
material,intellectual,moral andspiritual well-beingwithaninteriorknowledge of the Gospel opento
the search fora betterworld of justandfraternal society.
The Jesuitsand the daughtersof charity of SaintVincentde Paul incarnatedthe new spiritof religious
apostoliclife immersedinthe worldwithoutexternal distinctive signs.
The post-VaticanIIRomanCatholicChurchby updatingthe foundationalgiftsof religiouslifeclarified
the motivations of consecratedmenandwomen.
Consecratedmenandwomenare God’speople whohave the profoundexperience of the Godrevealed
by Jesus Christ.Theyare unitedtoJesusChristbypersonal love rootedinthe Gospel andnourishedby
contemplativeprayer.Guidedbythe HolySpirit,consecratedmenandwomenwitnesstothe coming
reignof God througha dedicatedlifeof poverty,chastityand obedience withinafraternal community
opento all formissionarywork.Theyare at the service of Churchand society.
Religiousmenandwomenare “the divinegiftsthatthe Churchhas receivedfromthe risenLord’s
Spirit.”8
The ReligiousExperience ofthe BaptizedCalledto ConsecratedLife inVarious Ecclesial Families
and their Unique Contributionto Church and Society
Baptizeddisciplesof Jesus Christwhoare calledtoconsecratedlifeinecclesial familiesapprovedbythe
Church have the missiontorenewthe life of the Churchthroughthe propheticpresence of the Holy
Spirittransformingtheirday- todaylivingintocompassionforthe world.
Theyare calledtoread the signsof the timesand to take care of the seeds of the Word of God growing
intheirlivesimpactingtheirsocio-cultural context.
8 Vatican II,LUMEN GENTIUM, n° 43.
6. 6
As a radical discipleship,consecratedlifeinvariousecclesial familiesprovidesspiritual means which
enkindleandignite the passion andzeal tomake the Gospel relevanttotoday’sworld.
The spiritual meansof consecratedlife are:prayerful readingof the Gospel incontextualizedsituations,
close relationshipwiththe risenLord incontemplativeprayer,supportivecommunityformissionary
work,a good religiousand effective leadership,dialogue asawayof beingdrawnto contemporary
people,opennesstothe poorand the marginalized, virtuouslife,spiritual guidance, ongoingspiritual
and theological formationandcritical attitudestowardreality.
As the numberof consecratedmenandwomenisdiminishing,there isaneedtoreformand to rethink
the institutionalstructuresof religiouslifetoaccommodate new partnershipswiththe wholepeople of
God withoutlosingthe special purpose of eachreligiousfamily.
Workingtogetherandhavingsharedmissionare the featuresof today’sworld more attuned to
networking.
What are thenreligiouslife resources available forthe renewalof Churchandsociety?
By livingdifferently inthe worldinspiredbythe Gospel values,religiouslife canmake a difference by
beingprophetic9
.
Beingpropheticconsistsinmakingthe Gospel message of love relevanttohumancritical situationsof
our time.In a rapidlychangingworld,religiousmenandwomenare calledtoslow downin ordertogain
incontemplative prayerdone atthe heart of the worldinsightsforpersonal andsocial growth. By
slowingdown,religiousmenandwomenexperience God’slove incontemplative prayer.
Contemplative attitudesallowthemtosee the worldaswonderfullymade byGod.Withwonder,joy
and awe,theyinhabitthe world,praisingGodandgivinghimthanks. The grateful heartof religiousmen
and womenleadsthemtocommitthemselvesforlife-givingvalues forthe praise,reverence andservice
of the giverof life andcreatorof all things.
To be prophetic,istogive glorytothe creatorof all things whochose religiousmenandwomentobear
fruitfor others(John15: 16).
Beingpropheticimpliesbeinginspiredbythe HolySpirit throughcontemplativeprayerandthrough
social criticismand social analysisof humansituations.
ContemplativeprayerallowsreligiousmenandwomentoexperienceJesus andtoknow himmore
intimately inhisunique ministryof the Kingdomof God.
The compassionate Jesushasdevotedhistimeandtalentsof healingandliberatingtopeople
encounteredduringhisministry.
9 Walter BRUEGGEMANN, Prophetic Imagination, Philadelphia:Fortress,1978,p.109-113.
7. 7
Religiousmenandwomenlongtoencounterthe risenJesusandtoexperience dailyhispowerof healing
that enablesthemtofollow himasliberatedpeople of God,fullyalive tobearfruitandto give God’slife
of love toothers.
Liberationoccurredincontemplative prayerdone infaith andlived atthe service of others.
Thispersonal experience of God’slove inJesusflowsintoministriesof compassion.
The compassionof Jesustowardthe poor andmarginalizedisthe source of ministriesforreligiousmen
and womenwhofindinJesusthe expressionof selflesslove forGod’speople(John10:10).Selflesslove
issensitive tothe needsof God’speople (Luke 10:29-37). Selflesslove iscompassionate,caringand
generous.ItisconcernedaboutGod’speople andtheirwelfare.
Thisselflesslove leadstothe preferential optionforthe poorlivedasa ministrywiththe poorandfor
the poor.
The sharedlife-style of religiousmenandwomenmayimpacttheireffectivenessinministries.Shared
life of prayerandmeals,communityeventsandbonding,senseof membershipandskillful leadership
withinthe communityare the mosteffective meansof communionforstrengtheningcommonpurpose
and mission.
ReligiousthroughtheirvariouscommitmentstowardChurchandsocietyare carriersof hope for a better
future leadingtoa justand fraternal world.
Today’sreligious,menandwomenare compassionate peopleof God whodo notgive up the message of
love of JesusChrist.Theystill have the courage toconfrontinjustice andidolatryof money,powerand
unrestraintpleasures. Theyare prophetsandevangelizerswholongtoputthe worldon fire of love.
Theirministriesare mainlydirectedtowardthe poorandmarginalizedof ourmulticulturaland
diversifiedworld. Theyreclaimandupdate the foundationalgiftsof theirvariousfamiliesfora better
witnesstothe comingKingdomof God. Encouragedby the profoundchangesof post-VaticanIIChurch,
religiouslife iscontributingtoecological issues,genderbalance,Justice andinterreligiousdialoguein
multicultural world.
2. ReligiousLife Contributionto a Life threatenedWorld
Religiouslife inaworldwhere lifeisthreatenedmustbe atthe service of a civilizationof life,love and
solidarity.The Justsocietyisthe one inwhichthe qualityof life ispromotedwiththe eradicationof all
formsof dehumanizingsituations.
Religiouslife mustfightforstructural change inculturesdesignedtodeteriorate the livingconditionsof
humanbeingscaughtup inpoverty,hunger,diseases,infantmortality,ignorance,genderimbalance and
degradationof environment.
8. 8
Religiouslife mustbe opentothe plightof migrants andrefugees.Insolidaritywiththe excluded,
religiouslife mustaimtocreate everywhere fraternalcommunitiesthatworkforfriendship,spiritual
diversityand reconciliation.
Religiouslife mustrise uptomeetthe challengesof ourtime.Brothersandsistersinconsecratedlife are
todaycalledto witnessGod’slove andmercyinwhateverdirectionthe HolySpiritisleadingthem.
To be religioustodayisa newwayof beingthe church, an ecclesial communitycalledtobe fruitful inthe
world.Religiouscommunitiesrequire fullyhumanbeings,fullyalive Christiansdedicatedtocommon
goodand carriersof hope fora betterworldof justice,fraternityandproperdistributionof the earth’s
wealth.
Conclusion:
Religiouslife isthe risenLord’sSpirit’sgifttothe Churchand society.Itisthe evangelizingleaventhat
fermentsnewecclesial communitiesforthe renewal of the Churchandsociety. Asa countercultural
wayof livingChristianvalues,religiouslifeisaministryof givinglife toadyingworldof money,power
and self-centeredpleasures. BychoosingJesusandhislife-givingvalues,religiousmenandwomen
respondtoGod’s love bybecomingusefulforthe comingKingdomof God. Theyare useful by offering
theirgiftsandtalentsforcommongood.By bringingjoy,peace andharmonyintothe livesof others,
religiousmenandwomen throughtheircompassionateministriesare livingdifferently,prophetically
and evangelicallyintoday’sworldmore concernedbypersonalsatisfaction. Bygoingbeyondthemselves
and bydoinggood,religiousmenandwomenare the enlightenedprophetsforthe hope fora better
worldof love,communionandsolidarity.
Religiouslife will keepflourishing aslongas those whoare called to thisstate of life upholdthe
greatnessof Jesusandthe powerof hisSpirit(Philippians2:11).