Christianity Part 2 I Interpreting the Bible 07 23 2013 a As literal interpretation and as moral tales b The Bible is an inspired word by God but expressed in human language and according to human understanding II Arius and the Formation of Nicene Creed a Arius around 300 C E was a Bishop of Egypt who held the view that Jesus was human being b Though he was a great and an ideal human being but nonetheless he was not son of God The title Son of God was a courtesy title c This created a great confusion among the Christian communities d Therefore the council was called at Nicea around 325 C E in which more than 300 Bishops were present They formulated the Nicene creed which reads on p 375 or 376 2nd paragraph o Essence Ousia Substance III Development of the Eastern Orthodox Church a Eastern Orthodox Church developed in Greece Bulgaria Ukraine Romania and Russia b This happened when Constantinople Byzantine was made new capitol of the Roman Empire by Constantine c Eventually the Empire split into two divisions East and West d Thus we find many doctrinal differences and differences in practice between the two Church traditions e Latin speaking Western church began to develop independently on f Greek speaking Eastern church continued on its own course g The Eastern church has always held to a decentralized consensus o Decisions regarding doctrines and practices made by local community members in consultation with patriarchs and its own based model bishops h In the Western church centralized authority is vested in the Pope The Western church includes at this point the Christians in the West as yet we had no Catholics and Protestants i The Eastern church holds that Jesus had two separate natures not united in single person o Thereby they emphasize the divinity of Jesus j The Western church held that divine and human were united in a single person o Thus they emphasize more on human aspect of Jesus k The Eastern church emphasizes on Monasticism o They have great monastic centers l The Eastern church allows only icons in the worship whereas the Western church allows statues m The Eastern church allows the marriages of bishops and ministers o In the Western church ministers are not allowed to marry n In the Western church it is held that Father and Son generated the o In Eastern church one holds that Father generated the Holy o According to the Eastern church the Latin word filioque from the Son was added for no reason o In the Eastern church when one is baptized his whole body is sunk o In the Western church it is done by sprinkling the holy water on the forehead p In the Sacrament of Eucharist Lord s Supper the Eastern church uses both wine and bread symbolizing body and blood of Christ o In the Western church bread alone was used for many hundreds of years today it is changing Holy Spirit Spirit into water IV The Protestant Reformation a To protest bring the evidence b Western Church establishment had become rich from bequest of the rich and collection from local parish churches c Endowments of land and money was a natural form of piety in the hope that rich people and aristocrats would benefit in after life d The indulgences became widespread e Instances of sex offence committed in the Church became common place f Saint veneration became wide spread g All these factors contributed to the formation of Reformation which began with Martin Luther V Martin Luther 1483 1546 a Martin Luther presented his objections in the form of Ninety Five theses the main contentions of which are o Live by Faith sola fides and live by Scripture sola scriptura o No authority of pope is required Everyone is a minister and relate to God directly VI The Essentials of Christian World View a God the Father o This universe is the expression of the power and love of God o It embodies also the Judaic concept of God as being all knowing powerful and one b Jesus Christ o He is ideal human being as well as manifestation of divinity o He is word logos substance that expresses the divine nature and origin of Jesus c We humans are sinners and born in sin o For our sins Jesus was crucified d Holy Spirit o We as humans understand Godhead or Godhood as Holy Father Son and Holy Spirit o They are three ways of understanding the same God e Life after Death o Heaven is the reward of the good which is being in the o Being in his presence and beatitude is the greatest enjoyment presence of God we can ever have Islam I Islam 07 23 2013 a Islam is the religion and Muslim means the one who believes in the religion of Islam b It is the second largest religion in the world i There are about one billion Muslims in the world II The Muslim World a Comprised of i 22 Arab Countries 20 of Muslim population 200 million ii Largest segment of Muslim population is in Indo Pakistan subcontinent 200 million iii iv Indonesia is the largest Muslim country 100 million Iran Turkey Afghanistan each has 50 million 50 million and 40 million 140 million v Five Republics of former Soviet Union 50 million vi China 50 million vii Africa Nigeria Ghana Kenya 100 million viii Comprised of diverse groups of people Race ethnicity languages local customs and traditions ix United by the religion of Islam Evidenced in performance of Pilgrimage to Mecca by Muslims Ex Malcolm X Afghani Symbol of Islam is Shahada III Islam peace a Islam means submission to the will of God Does NOT mean b Monotheistic religion falls within Judaic Christian tradition c The children of Abraham Who is Abraham i Jews Christians Muslims ii Origins of Islam traced through son Ishmael iii Animal sacrifice relates to willingness to sacrifice his son d God of Jews Christians Muslims is same i He is Jahweh in Judaism ii Theos Greek iii Deos Latin iv Allah Arabic Islam v El Elohim in Hebrew i Monotheistic ii Prophets iii Scripture Quran f Day of Judgment g Heaven and Hell ii Hell also a place h Angels and Lucifer i Heaven a geographical place Paradise i Jesus in Judaism Christianity and Islam e Similarities and Differences between Islam and Judaism Christianity i In Islam a Prophet not God incarnate IV Arabia Before Muhammad a At the time before Muhammad was born i They were idols worshipers It is said there were 360 pagen gods Some goddess were cherished highly They are Al Lat Al Manat Al Uzz b Used to hold on to customs of forefathers had tribal mentality Were very conscious of their last name held patriarchal identity c Used to drink heavily d Carried on fights and battles against each other