In your paper, analyze and summarize the 3 stages of discipleship. Give ideas and suggestions for each stage and discuss how you plan to develop and implement those ideas in your church ministry context.PLEASE, NO FORM PLAGIARISM WILL BE TOLERATED.
SAMPLE ANSWER
The Three Stages of Discipleship
The concept of discipleship first came about in the New Testament during the time when Jesus was selecting followers who would help him to run the affairs of his ministry and then further it when he resurrected and ascended to heaven. In today’s Christian circles this concept is still alive and well with people deliberately deciding to dedicate their lives for the furthering of ministry work. While there are no clear stages in the Bible for discipleship, it is widely accepted and believed that this concept is indeed supported by scriptural examples. There are three main stages of discipleship. These are the basic stage, intermediate stage and finally advanced stages of discipleship (Grover, 2012).
The basic stage of discipleship is more of an introductory phase where one has just been introduced to this idea and it entails a lot of familiarization with the core aspects of discipleship. One learns to define discipleship, describe what it is composed of (Grover, 2014). In my local church ministry, I believe it will be important for this concept to be well explained with spiritual backing.
The intermediate stage commences as soon as one has adequately grasped the concept of discipleship. It entails a lot of planning and analysis of opportunities where discipleship can apply in real life. It is crucial that new disciples learn through the accomplishment of attainable goals rather than lofty ones whose failure may discourage new disciples in the ministry (Hull, 2012).
The third stage of discipleship is advanced discipleship. The process that takes place here is similar to the deployment of soldiers to the field (Hull, 2014). One gets to put into practice the things he or she has learnt and also the things that were planned. While action is important at this stage, it is also highly necessary to engage in evaluation by comparing the actions being undertaken with the basic concepts so as to ensure one does not go or lead other members of the ministry astray while doing things in the name of discipleship.
For this distinct project, imagine you are writing a series of short articles for a Bible Dictionary.Bible dictionaries are useful tools to learn more about the books, people, and places we encounter in Scripture.
Your task will be to write:
1. Three concise 200–250-word essays about a book, person, and setting/place from the New Testament (Due at the end of Module/Week 8).
Content Guidelines: Choose 1 book, person, and place from the list of the provided topics for each of the 2 projects.
Your essay must include the following per item:
Book:
Your biblical book essay must include: The basic literary genre, authorship, date written, key themes, purposes, major events, and main personalities.
Person:
This essay must include: The dates of the character’s life, place of birth, summary of their role or positions held, defining events in their life and work, contemporaries (other biblical characters they are associated with, etc.), and their legacy. If they are a biblical author, list the related works.
Setting/Place (i.e., municipality, kingdom, empire):
This essay must include: The keys dates (i.e., founding, demise, etc.), clarification of the location (regional description, the relevance of the place from a biblical/Ancient Near East (ANE) perspective, associated biblical books where it is a backdrop or central location), key attributes (religion, commerce, key figures, etc.), and associated biblical books.
Formatting Guidelines:
• Use 1 Word document for each stage of submission (That is, all of your Old Testament Bible Dictionary Project will be on 1 document, and all of your New Testament Bible Dictionary Project will be on 1 document).
• Use 12-point, Times New Roman font.
• Save your document according to the following filename formats:
TOPICS:
Book: Gospel of John
Person: Jesus
Place/Setting: Golgotha
SAMPLE ANSWER
GOSPEL OF JOHN
Whereas a gospel is an account of an individual’s life, it differs from a biography in that it is intended to influence the believe system of the reader. It is thus founded on a precise purpose that is projected to make a life-changing decision possible from lessons learnt (Yoo, 2013). The gospel of John is a gospel that has managed to capture the account of Jesus’ life vividly – John manages to bring forth in a simple manner the relationship between human and divine.
In his statement “The Word became flesh and made dwelling among us” John reveals to any reader how divinity can ever be united with humanity. It on this premise that Jesus dies appear in human form making it possible to relate to him and thus an example to be followed (Yoo, 2013). In his human nature, he lives a normal life bereft of any extraordinary powers. This makes it easy to appreciate Jesus’ will which is in complete harmony with the will of God.
John treats miracles in a different way from the other gospels. He uses only seven miracles not as evidence to support the claim of Jesus as the true messiah, but to bring forth spiritual lessons (Yoo, 2013). As a result of this strategy, the Gospel of John emerges as having a great presentation of the meaning of Christianity – without having necessarily to depend on the historical verification or scientific accuracy.
JESUS:
Jesus also known as Christ which means a messiah or king, is a man who was born about 2000 years ago. The significance of his birth is such that modern civilization marks it by dividing time between B.C (before Christ) and A.D (Anno Domini). After working for his farther as a carpenter apprentice until age thirty, He engaged in itinerant preaching for the next three years. Despite not authoring any book, holding any office, not owning a home, never visiting a big city or travelling more than 200 miles from his birthplace, His teachings affected the life of man so profoundly. This was achieved without ever having done anything that was associated with greatness then (Langley, 2014).
He courted controversy wherever he went. From claiming to be the God, to directly violating Jewish law – working on Sabbath, he was viewed by the religious leadership then – and rightly so, as a threat to their powers (Langley, 2014). Not knowing what to do to curtail his growing influence, the religious leaders conspired with the political leadership – the Roman government, to have him executed in the most vile and public manner. This they hoped would end his influence once and for all.
However, when in the third day he rose from the dead, their well laid plans were all laid to waste. With over 500 witnesses of his resurrection, he spent a further 40 days journeying throughout the provinces of Israel before finally ascending to heaven from the City of Jerusalem where they had executed him (Langley, 2014). His teaching influence was such that, there exists an account of how over 3000 people became his followers on one occasion. Over the next 100 years, his teachings influenced and made followers all over the Roman Empire. When Emperor Constantine ascended to the throne of the Roman Empire, Christianity became the official religion courtesy of him being a convert to Christianity.
GOLGOTHA:
This is the name used in the bible to point out the place where Jesus was crucified. Controversy does exist about its true location presently. Some Christians hold that it is within the area presently occupied by the Church of Holy Sepulcher. The word Golgotha is a derivative of the Aramaic word Gulguta which means the place of skulls. History shows that that change to Calvary was as a result of the choice of the word Calvaria in the first translation of the bible into latin – Calvaria means skull.
Many explanations do exists that try to explain why Golgotha was named the place of skull. Some argue that the site which was on a hill or next to a rock had the shape of a human skull (Langley, 2014). Third-century scholars did argue that it referred to the place where Adam’s skull was buried. The bible writers did not see it important to point out the precise location of Golgotha. Instead they the bible offers three specific clues found (John 19: 41-42, Hebrews 13:12, Matthew 27:39).
References
Langley, J. B (2014) Called by Jesus Name: The Connective Value of the Divine Appellate Between the Testaments, Regent University, Ann Arbor.
Yoo, J. W (2013) The Rhetoric of Truth in the Gospel of John “Truth” as Conter-Imperial Reality in the Face of Conflict and Stress, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, Ann Arbor.
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The basic iconography of Shiva and Parvati is in the form of yoni and linga. Yoni symbolically means womb and a place to give birth. Yoni Linga is the origin of power. The two implies source of power and life in terms of regeneration. In some temples, the two are represented in various stages of life in their sexual orientation and unity.
Both sculptures and paintings are used to describe the nature of both Shiva and Parvati. There are similarities and differences in the way the two characters are depicted using both sculptures and paintings. To begin with, sculptures portray Parvati as being a very beautiful woman with a very dark skin. She is presented sated on a wild animal like a lion or tiger. Seating a lion symbolizes her ability to rule nature. In most instances, she is portrayed seated on mountains or near mountains. Seating on mountains reminds people of her earlier role as a goddess. Other sculptures represent Shiva wearing silk clothes with bracelets. The sculptures show her with her son who she is feeding.
On the other hand, the sculptures present Shiva as a limitless person who never changes. He comes in different forms which are very scaring. Shiva is the main God in Hinduism. He is among the five Gods who are very influential. He is therefore regarded as a destroyer and also a transformer. He is regarded as being present everywhere and lives on the mountain. In addition, the sculptures depict him as being a family man with a wife and two children. So as to portray his fierce nature, the sculptures show him with a sword trying to cut demons. He is therefore recognized as the leader of god of yoga. The sculptures show Shiva as having a third eye on his forehead with a snake tied around his neck (Brown,20).
Paintings are equally used to describe the nature of both Shiva and Parvati. Paintings describe Shiva and Parvati together. They both form a relationship which is referred to as Sira-Sakti. The illustration of the two characters is found both in the wall paintings and in the miniature paintings. The paintings display Shiva and Parvati as great lovers who are always seated together. The two lovers are shown seated together on a bull or together with a bull.
Similarly, the paintings have portrayed the two as people who enjoyed each other’s company. In some instances, they are shown in their respective attires. The paintings show Shiva with his common characteristics like the crescent of the moon, snake. Furthermore, the paintings show them in love positions seated on top of an elephant.
The similarities in both artworks are the fact that the theme is the same. Both sculptures and paintings portray the two characters as great leaders. However, paintings portray the two as great lovers. Sculptures portray Shiva as being a fierce leader and Parvati as being a very beautiful woman.
The artworks describe Shiva and Parvati as being different. Parvati represents the important virtues in the society which are respected by the Hindu community. Some of the characteristics of Parvati which are portrayed in the artworks include fertility and dedication and also being very holy. The art work main theme is Parvati’s main significance in terms of her relationship with the husband. She is described as a householder. Her character attracts Shiva who is a lonely man without a family. Shiva is attracted into the world of giving birth. Both artworks therefore describe Shiva and Parvati as being different. Shiva is a fearless leader who is very unruly and destroys everything. On the contrary, Parvati is portrayed as being very humble and corrects the unruly character of her husband. Moreover, in both artworks, Parvati stands for a very civilized person in the society. This is contrary to the mountains and wilderness which are used to describe Shiva. Despite the fact that she is brought up in this environment, she is able to withstand all the challenges and cope up with the husband. This is done through convincing the husband to marry her. Parvati prevents the husband from engaging into controversial activities. Therefore, the couple represents the power of a woman and the blessings that come with marriage. This is especially when both the husband and the wife are held together by love. Parvati’s dedication to serving her husband is outstanding which attracts her husband (Sanderson &Alexis, 349-492).
In both artworks, Shiva and Parvati are not portrayed as being equal. Shiva is portrayed as a leader who is very fearless. This is clearly described through use of physical features like the mountain. Shiva is described as being a supreme being who is after destroying. On the contrary, Parvati is portrayed as a house maker. She is described as a life giver who respects the husband. Her character attracts her husband who decides to marry her. She eventually becomes the source of blessing in Shiva’s life. The artworks portray them as being dissimilar so as to convey the message to the people (Haag 15-24)
Works cited
Ananda Coomaraswamy, Saiva Sculptures, Museum of Fine Arts Bulletin, Vol. 20, No. 118 (Apr., 1922), pp 15-24
James W. Haag (2013), The Routledge Companion to Religion and Science, Routledge, ISBN 978-0415742207, pp 491-496
Robert Brown (2012), Ganesh: Studies of an Asian God, SUNY Press, ISBN 978-0791406564
Sanderson, Alexis (2004), “The Saiva Religion among the Khmers, Part I.”, Bulletin de Ecolefrangaised’Etreme-Orient, 90-91, pp 349-462
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First, illustrate the chaplains’ ministry Strengths and Opportunities while serving in the U.S military pluralistic environment.
2.Second, illustrate the chaplains’ ministry Weaknesses and Threats while serving in the U.S military pluralistic environment.
NO COPYING OR PLAGIARISM PLEASE
SAMPLE ANSWER
Military Chaplaincy in the United States
Strengths and Opportunities in the Military’s Plurialistic Environment
Strengths
One of the key strengths of Chaplaincy in the Military’s pluralistic environment is the fact it has the full backing of the federal government in terms of funding as well as strong historical ties with the military. While Chaplaincy does not contribute to the tactical strength of the United States Military, the contributions that have been made by those who have served in this office remain an important factor. Funds provided by the federal government help to provide remuneration for those who serve as Chaplains (Bergen, 2004).
As far as opportunities go, it is known that a vast majority of the individuals who are employed by the military have some form of prior spiritual exposure mostly due to their families professing Christianity and other religious faiths. This means that the Chaplain’s services will mostly serve to compliment already existing beliefs.
Threats and Weaknesses of Chaplaincy
One key weakness of the Chaplaincy in the military’s pluralistic environment is the fact that the current and potential congregants are likely to identify with their specific denomination or religious faith. Majority of the Chaplains in the Military are sourced from evangelical churches and this means that their services will be best appreciated by military personnel with an evangelical background.
A key threat to Chaplaincy in the military’s pluralistic environment is the growing number and influence of individuals whose beliefs and lifestyles are on a collision course with the key values held by chaplains regardless of the religion they are sourced from. These groups continue to lobby against the existence of Chaplains by claiming that it is unconstitutional for such an office with strong religious connotations to be funded by the Federal government.
Reference
Bergen, Doris L. The Sword of the Lord: military chaplains from the first to the twenty-first century. Univ of Notre Dame Pr, 2004.
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Compare/Contrast the worldview of the Religious Right, at the time of its founding, to your current worldview. Your answer must be at least 250 words.
SAMPLE ANSWER
Christian Worldview
With its origin in the early eighties, the Religious Right was initially an amalgam of Evangelical Pentecostals. It initially emerged from the biblical higher criticism in the theological colleges and divinity schools, the teaching of Darwism in public schools system, the existing and or perceived threat of communism. The Religious Right thus includes Catholics, Jews and Mormons who hold very conservative views on politics in addition to the occasional Secularists. This have joined together and taken over the Religious Right. The Religious Right can thus be said to be a the meeting point between the evangelicals with a penchant for politics and were bold enough to politicize the pulpit and the non-evangelicals who saw the opportunity to work with the religious to play politics.
One can thus draw the conclusion that the Religious Right increasingly finds that political goals are the overarching aspects that gel them together. This can be traced to the changes that happened in the early and late 60’s that affected the national psyche – civil rights conflicts, Vietnam protests, the alternative youth culture, the women’s liberation movement, the sexual revolution, and the rise of the new religions (ancient religions emerging from obscurity) (Hansen, 2008). When the glue that joins Religious people together changes from the word of God to politics then society is going down a slippery road – in 1962, the Supreme Court banned prayer and bible reading in schools, legalized first trimester abortion in 1973 and regulated government involvement in private Christian academies.
Presently, the Religious Right is based on four cornerstones; the assumptions, that moral absolutes exists as surely as mathematical or geological absolutes, that metaphysics, morals, politics and mundane customs stand on a continuum, that government’s proper role is to cultivate virtue, and not to obstruct the activities of the marketplace, and that all successful societies need to operate within a framework of common assumptions (Hansen, 2008). This explains why liberals are increasingly major actors in the present Religious Right.
References
Hansen B. S (2008). Religion and Reaction: The Secular Political Challenge to the Religious Right, Rowman & Littlewood Publishers, Inc., Plymouth, UK.
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-Presentation: ‘The Professionalization of American Chaplains: 1865-1950.”
-Website: “The Military Chaplaincy”… Chapters 1-3
II. Writing: Reflection Paper
The Civil War revealed much about the need to professionalize the American military chaplaincy. No doubt, chaplains provided spiritual care for the warrior’s soul of both the North and South. However, the lack of organizational structure and inconsistencies in commissioning, regulations, uniforms, pay, expectations, and mission were clearly exposed as hindrances to ministry. To this concern,, following the Civil War military and religious leaders moved forward to create a professional chaplain corps that met its full development by WWII. After completing your readings you will need to do the following exercise:
Write a 3-page paper (following the current Turabian edition) analyzing the professionalization of the U.S. military chaplaincy following the Civil War to 1950. This assignment is designed to help you appraise the historical principles that resulted in the U.S. military chaplaincy becoming a professional organization. This assignment will require at least 3 distinct sources.
ANY FORM OF PLAGIARISM WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!!!
SAMPLE ANSWER
The Professionalization of American Chaplains: 1865-1950
For the better part of history, ministers of the Gospel have always paid an essential role. Up to date, I think Chaplains still have an influence in the United States Armed Forces. This is so because in July 29, 1775, the military chaplaincy was formed by the Continental Congress.[1] It was viewed that being a good soldier was a mandatory aspect, but being involved in divine services was important as one should not be inattentive to the highest duties of religion. Chaplains were to work with each other and respect the beliefs of others. Dating back to the beginning days of the United States, the Colonial forces took with them a local minister. The minister was viewed as a figure of authority within the people, and according to my thinking, he or she had to be very educated for such a position.[2] His or her counsel and motivation for those going to war was a major deal, and no military operation was to be carried out without such. Chaplains saw the need to minister to people who were isolated in camps and training areas, spiritually embrace those who were frightened at battlefields, sick and injured or imprisoned at war camps.
Contrastingly, the chaplaincy was not a proud lot at all. Various times, they were viewed with suspicion, or misunderstood in respect to their role and needs to survive in their work.[3] Many times people would make them feel unappreciated and unwanted; supporting their reactions towards them with the fact that chaplaincy was a branch like no other in the Army. Such feelings towards the ministers of the Gospel made it uneasy for them to carry out their activities in the desired environment. Chaplains did not emerge as battlefield heroes, or supporters of the idea of an unjust war and encouraging soldiers to arm themselves with weapons and kill.[4] They were, at times, caught in between the demands of religious conviction and the need for military activities. For them, religious foundation for the soldiers was of dire need as spiritual growth in times of war was important.[5] These individuals had a lot in their hands in the sense that they had to work out solutions to the existing problems as well as spiritual realms. The War Department recognized their place in the society and the spiritual need for their troops and, therefore, saw it fair to pay them allowances and acknowledge them with the rank of captain of cavalry.[6] Chaplains held no rank at all but were still considered for pay as military members. Their uniforms had the ranks inscribed in them and this at times made people mistaken them for command officers.
The ordainment of the ministers of the Gospel was put through several mishaps that made them realize that there was indeed an importance in professionalizing their chaplaincy. Congress made it seem like a long journey to become ordained as a minister. It required clergymen who wished to become chaplains to produce credentials from their particular denominational bodies, which ascertained their fitness for the position. More so, shortcomings were met when arranged worship services were to be held. Issues like movements of the army and bad weather made it strenuous to be there for army troops. Its members viewed themselves as ministers in uniforms instead of professional soldiers like the rest of the armed troops. In the history of the American Army, Chaplain Moody stated that it was the first time that any attempt was made to organize the work of chaplains. He viewed the United States as “unorganized at the end of the war as at the beginning of the war.” I see this as a basis of lack of organizational structure, which may have hindered other problems from being corrected. It is also due to this that incase of any issue that arose, chaplains had nowhere to turn to for help, and could neither appeal to anyone for assistance.
For any profession, promotion means a lot. A higher regard from other individuals as a greater level of authority is bestowed on an individual. It also results in more pay, for a more comfortable living. For most people, chaplains may not be regarded for promotion as their work is to serve God and carry out spiritual care for people.[7] Many think that they are disinterested in such and therefore need not promotion. Promotion for various levels meant a lot in the Army but it was very slow.[8] For the chaplaincy, it was even worse as there were neither chaplaincy school nor clear regulation covering duties and responsibilities. The chaplains were still required to carry out duties and responsibilities that out of their regiments.
There was constant pressure to consider them as officers and not ministers. This was due to being assigned work that was not of their intellect or skills or ordainment by their religious body. Some chaplains did not agree to commanders assigning them to tasks that had little or no correlation to their training. Some would be posted as librarians while others as morale officers. All in all, chaplains saw the need to address these hindrances to the success of their work. They felt it right to move forward and create a professional chaplain corps that eventually met its full development later on in World War 2.
The chaplaincy organized a definition of their responsibilities and regulation of their duties, a school was started, manuals used to guide them in their training, and more so, their status as officers was sufficed and allowances stabilized together with pay. The increased professionalism was of a great deal that saw those involved having more to what they actually desired in doing their duties.
Bibliography
Cox, Matt. n. d. “Serving Two Masters: The Development of American Military Chaplaincy, 1860-1920.” Trinity Seminary Review 26, no. 2: 138. Literary Reference Center Plus
Ebel, Jonathan. “The Development of American Military Chaplaincy, 1860-1920 (Book).” Journal of Religion 83, no. 3 (n. d.): 439. Literary Reference Center Plus.
Parker, Hershel. 1990. Reading Billy Budd. Evanston, Ill: Northwestern University Press.
[1] Cox, Matt. n. d. “Serving Two Masters: The Development of American Military Chaplaincy, 1860-1920.” Trinity Seminary Review 26, no. 2: 138. Literary Reference Center Plus
[2] Parker, Hershel. 1990. Reading Billy Budd. Evanston, Ill: Northwestern University Press.
[3] Parker, Hershel. 1990. Reading Billy Budd. Evanston, Ill: Northwestern University Press.
[4] Ebel, Jonathan. “The Development of American Military Chaplaincy, 1860-1920 (Book).” Journal of Religion 83, no. 3 (n. d.): 439. Literary Reference Center Plus.
[6] Cox, Matt. n. d. “Serving Two Masters: The Development of American Military Chaplaincy, 1860-1920.” Trinity Seminary Review 26, no. 2: 138. Literary Reference Center Plus
[7] Ebel, Jonathan. “The Development of American Military Chaplaincy, 1860-1920 (Book).” Journal of Religion 83, no. 3 (n. d.): 439. Literary Reference Center Plus.
[8] Cox, Matt. n. d. “Serving Two Masters: The Development of American Military Chaplaincy, 1860-1920.” Trinity Seminary Review 26, no. 2: 138. Literary Reference Center Plus
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My Assignment is the same as your description Stage 4
SAMPLE ANSWER
Developing a Biblical Studies Program
Stage 2
Introduction
The following is an exercise that details the plan of how A Biblical Studies Program for Stage 4 is going to be executed. It is a plan for a program that will run for a total of one year. The plan is divided into different sections that indicate the guiding principles to be followed coupled with the actual steps that will be implemented on the ground for the students. These are guidelines that will be used mainly during the organization of specific classes and also the measures that will be taken to measure the effectiveness of the programs as they are being taught to the learners. Assessment guidelines for investigating the manner in which the students are understanding the content will also be detailed in this exercise. The second component of this exercise will detail the manner in which this one year program is going to be implemented on a Biblical Studies Program Stage 2 group of learners whose main focus will be primary participation in the different practical elements of Christianity according to the scriptures. The content of this course plan will reflect the foundation statements that has been prepared and presented in the first section.
Foundation Statements
Vision Statement: To become the region’s most positively influential religiously affiliated school based on the outstanding morals of the students who have passed through the institution and the endeavors they engage in.
Mission Statement: To deliver high quality Bible Education to each and every student who sets foot into the institution through the use of highly qualified personnel, a conducive learning environment and a student-centered curriculum based on empirical data and international best practices in the area of instructional processes.
Specific objectives of the mission statement
Employment of highly qualified an experienced personnel.
Open door policy for students from all backgrounds.
Timely and relevant assessments for the students.
Subjective handling of the students in appreciation of their different strengths and weaknesses.
Mentorship programs that will be accessible to all students.
Rationale
It is very important to impart upon children skills that will empower them to make sound decisions good for them as well as the society they live in. Many a times it is stated that the youth put together are a lost generation due to the profound extent of moral decadence that they exhibit in their actions on a daily basis. Parents and other stakeholders who have a responsibility to guide these children often ask themselves where they went wrong and the blame quickly goes to the many negative influences that this population is exposed to during their formative years. These sources include mass media, the entertainment industry, the advertising industry and also video games. Many have tried and failed to curb these forms of media from negatively influencing the young generations and it is by now clear that it will be impossible to stop these industries from this. The alternative that parents are left with is to ensure that their children are given the capability to effectively distinguish right from wrong. This is based on wisdom that is found in Proverbs 22:6 which states “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” This concept is therefore not just based on folk wisdom but also on writings from the wisest man who ever lived. What better way to do this than to teach them how to use the Bible on their own? The Bible is undoubtedly the most appropriate source of information on how one can live a life that is morally and spiritually upright in a world as chaotic as this.
Aims of the Program
The purpose of stage 2 education is to impart upon the young learners skills that will enable them to get the most out of Bible stories and see beyond the narrative aspect of these stories. To the average child, Bible stories will be nothing more than fairy tale narratives or stories about heroes and villains. There is usually little if any reflection upon the stories and as a result they have a greater chance on missing out on the moral implications of the different Bible passages. When the children learn that they can derive moral lessons from the stories in the Bible, they gradually develop skills on how one can learn basic lessons from scripture. By and by, the Bible becomes the child’s most important moral compass since it is a habit that they will have developed at a young age. These moral lessons that they learn are simple and they include teachings against deceit, stealing and even hatred. The sourcing of these lessons from the Bible has the effect of cementing the morals that have been gained. Moral lessons are not the only things that can be derived from scripture by these children. The program also promises to ensure that the children get to learn spiritual lessons which will go a long way in defining their personalities and their Christianity. The content of this stage two bible study program will empower learners to derive the spiritual lessons that are contained in the Biblical Passages. These include lessons on the importance of prayer, trusting God and loving one another among many others. The skills they will get in this stage will help them to appreciate the value that the Bible has in their lives. This way they will get to learn the significance that historical biblical events have on the manner in which Christians express their culture today. Given that the derivation of spiritual as well as moral lessons takes place in a subjective non-uniform manner, these skills need to be acquired at an early age so as to empower the child to make informed moral and spiritual decisions in the present as well as the future.
Outcomes of the Program
The program will enable students to effectively complete various tasks such as responding to bible passages, sharing what they have learnt, pin-pointing the lessons contained in various stories, praying with respect to the content of select scriptures. Understanding Bible Chronology and also distinguish between different accounts of the same stories.
Responding to Bible passages refers to the learner reacting to a given story that they have either read or listened to. They do this by appropriately relating the lesson contained in the story with a given situation in their lives or environments. The most important aspect of these responses is the way forward that the learners give in relation to what they have read.
Pin-pointing the lessons found in the bible is done through a cause-effect approach to bible stories with the lessons learnt being more on the effect side. This should be given in a general manner that can be applied out of the context of these stories. These can be moral as well as spiritual.
The learners should also be able to make prayers that are done in light of what they have learnt from a given Bible passage. These are passages that touch on faith or God’s power.
The program should also enable learners to have a somewhat solid idea of the order of events in the Bible. While it is not mandatory for them to have the exact order of specific events, they need to be able to appropriately place major events such as Creation, the Exodus, Jesus’ Birth and he Revelation appropriately.
Learners should also be able to tell if there exist several accounts of the same events in the Bible. This is mostly applicable to the gospels whose content tends to overlap with the focus of the writers being different in each one.
Assessment Guidelines
The assessment of the student’s learning will focus on three core areas. These are the knowledge the students have, the attitude they have towards bible studies and finally the skills they have in conducting Bible Study. The knowledge component of their learning can be tested through written examinations that are issued periodically as Continuous assessment sat the end of every topic and final examinations at the end of the semester. These should ideally feature open ended questions so as to test the depth of knowledge.
Skills on the other hand can be tested through examinations as well as the students’ responses to bible passages read in the classroom. A Chapter from the book of Acts can be focused on to see if the students can tell what the author is saying about early Christians. The child’s ability to focus on specific areas of the narrative and use them as guidelines is an indication of his or her use of skills learnt in class.
The child’s attitude is something that will be tested mainly through observations by the teachers on how these students’ perceive the Bible. They should recognize its power and not just gather its content cognitively (The Church in Wales, n.d.).
A one year Primary Participant’s program for year 5
Learning Objective
Activities to accompany the objectives
Learning Chronology of the Bible
Discuss the significance of estimated dates to different events in the Bible. These include BC, BCE and AD. Possibly estimate when different Bible Characters lived.
Understanding the use of Figurative Language
Show where figurative language is used in Bible
Briefly use metaphors as in English language/literature teaching.
Show the same in the Bible with concrete examples as used in parables of Jesus.
Identify the use of figurative speech in the Bible, its applications then and its applications today.
Christ’s trial in the four Gospels
Analyze different accounts of Jesus’ trial as narrated in the four Gospels. Compare to contemporary legal procedures.
Study ancient world’s representation in Bible
The life of Jews under Roman rule, the conflicts that existed and also comparison to relevant examples today.
Establishing the sequence of events through Bible Study
Analyze similar stories such as Jesus’ betrayal and Joseph’s sale by his brothers.
Sodom an Gomorrah against the great flood. Find out similarities and differences in narration and the lessons contained.
You can use the information from the class modules and textbook, but you also need at least two additional, outside sources. Your sources should be peer reviewed; in other words, books or articles from J-Stor or other such databases. You must use the MLA style for all references and bibliography page. You must use parenthetical notations in your paper. Your paper can be no less than 1500 words (five pages, double-spaced, 12 point font) and no more than 2000. This word-count does not include your bibliography or cover page.
Since you don’t have the information from class… Please use 5 sources from databases as listed above…
SAMPLE ANSWER
Introduction
The difference between different religious faiths goes far beyond the names that distinguish them from others. This is a phenomenon that has been in existence since before the dawn of civilization. It is something that applies to contemporary examples of organized religion as well as ancient forms of religion. The differences in question here refer to the attitude and belief towards different spiritual concepts such as mortality, life, the manifestation of divinity, evil and also the relationship that exists between humanity and the deities that are worshipped. For this exercise, this analysis will be conducted on two ancient religions, namely traditional Egyptian Religion and the second being Mesopotamian religion. These are faiths that were practiced by the world’s pioneer civilizations such as the Egyptians known for their monarchies and great civil construction projects from millennia gone by. Mesopotamia on the other hand was home to the word’s first known urban settlement or city following the adoption of agriculture by the inhabitants of the land found between the rivers Euphrates and Tigris. These religions are termed as ancient because it is historically believed that they predate all of the world’s mainstream religions. These religions will be compared and contrasted on their respective theologies, beliefs about life and death, attitudes towards evil and finally the relation between the worshippers and the gods.
The Vision of Life and Death
The generic idea of life can be said to be the culmination of processes and experiences that take place between the time an individual is born and the time his or her death comes to pass. This however was not the case in the traditional Egyptian religion. According to them, a person’s life was more of a stage that he or she was passing through as they prepared for the afterlife. As such, the events that took place during an individual’s life on earth ultimately had a direct bearing on what he or she would experience in the afterlife. For the Egyptians, the elements of life that matter are both the spiritual and the tangible. This is why the pharaohs were buried with everything that defined their wealth wen the time came for those who had died to be buried.It is also important to note that Egyptian religion held that one could not attain their full potential while alive (Wilkinson, 2003).
The Mesopotamians on the other hand believed that life was something of God’s making. God was the source of life and gave it to mankind through the process of creation. God’s role as the creator went beyond the act of giving life. This God also had the intention of taking charge of man’s destiny and this took place through his providence for man’s daily sustenance in terms of health and wealth. Every individual was expected to be grateful for the provision of life as a divine gift. Man was to spend his days on earth paying homage to the different gods that existed in the faith. The kind of life one lived did not matter when it came to the determination of the fate they had in the afterlife (Oppenheim, 1977).
With regard to the afterlife, these two religions also differed completely in the beliefs they held. In the Egyptian religion’s model of the afterlife, things were quite complex due to the introduction of different configurations within which the soul would exist. These people believed that during the time of life an individual’s soul existed in the form of ka and this was sustained by food and drink. At death however, this ka left the body and left another soul known as the ba. Elaborate burial procedures had to be taken to ensure that the ba left the body to be reunited with the ka each night. Together these formed a spirit known as the akh which dwelt the universe each night. The fact that the ba needed somewhere to dwell in after its so to say ‘escapades,’ was the main reason why Egyptians went to great lengths to preserve the bodies of their departed. It wasmeant to appease the now much more powerful spirits whose abilities were much superior to mere mortals.
The Mesopotamian religion’s perspective on the issue of the After-life was way simpler relative to that of the ancient Egyptians. Unlike the Egyptians who believed that death brought about tremendous changes in the experience of the deceased’s souls, Mesopotamians have a more subtle conclusion to a person’s life. For them, the moment an individual perished, his soul went to the underworld. In this realm, the soul is nothing more than a spirit whose powers are severely limited. The Mesopotamians also believed that he placement of souls of people who had perished had to wait in the underworld or as they called it, the great below. It was believed in this religion that these souls would then come to reside here on a permanent basis. There would be neither reward no punishment(Oppenheim, 1977).
Comparing the two religions, it is evident that the Egyptians dedicated much more resources towards their dead in comparison to the Mesopotamians who left the fate of the dead with their gods.
The nature of Divinity
Another important factor about religions is the theology they have is something that differ them sets them apart from other groups while bringing them closer together. For most mainstream religions today, this is manifested through a belief in a single deity or god. For Ancient Egyptian religion as well as Ancient Mesopotamians, things were different. This is because both were polytheist religions and this means that they each had several gods who were to be held holy and worshipped (Frankfort, 2011).
Traditional Egyptian religion for instance had a very complex system of deities who were derived from environmental as well as social forces that surrounded the Egyptians. Forces of nature that were manifested as gods in this religion include the Sun, the Weather, Water, intangible forces, animals and even their Pharaohs. Ancient Egyptian religion was not homogenous throughout the land. There were different sects in existence and these paid homage to these gods in different manifestations depending on their environments. The deities in ancient Egyptian religion were interrelated though in a rather complex manner. This led to syncretism which saw some gods being worshipped as a single entity yet they were separate elements(Oppenheim, 1977).
When it comes to the Mesopotamians it needs to be noted down that they were polytheistic. They had a large number of gods that were either male or female in nature. Unlike the Egyptians who derived their gods from nature and the elements, the Ancient Mesopotamians derived their deities from actual or idealized versions of what humans looked like. Like the Egyptian’s ancient religion, this faith too was not homogenous and this means that different symbols were used in different parts of the land (Wilkinson, 2003).
It should be noted that Egyptians mostly preferred to use hieroglyphs to represent information about the different deities. This was a form of ideographic writing whose evidence was well preserved in the Pyramids of Giza. The Mesopotamians on the other hand made use of statues as representatives of the deities that they worshipped. The reasons for the representation were totally different. The Egyptian’s choice of representation was meant to do more of the documenting of the happenings of the day and this had to include religious information which was central to all life in Egypt at the time. The Mesopotamians’ use of human-like images was meant to provide the people with a tangible representation of the gods they worshipped so as to keep them convinced in the existence of these deities. Evidence of these statues is mainly found in archeological exploration sites in the areas previously inhabited by Mesopotamians(Oppenheim, 1977).
The Nature of Evil
Both Ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian religions acknowledged the existence of Evil in their respective societies. To a large extent, they also believed that evil was the result of a subversive spirit or spirits trying to have their way on earth through throwing things and people off balance and in the process letting evil manifest itself.
For the Egyptians, evil came into the world through a serpent god known as Apep. This god then influenced people to engage in actions that were considered evil, much to their own detriment and the benefit of the god. Mesopotamians on the other hand saw evil as something caused by demons which negatively influenced people, leading them to commit such evils.
The Relationships between people and their Deities
This relationship can be best explained through the mode of worship adopted by the respective groupings. The ancient Egyptians had a dynamic style of worship and this involved the construction of temples, shrines, the appointment of oracles, the worship of select animals, the presentation of prayers and also funerary practices among others. The aim of worship was to ensure good tidings for the people as a result of the respective deity’s grace (éCernây, 1979).
Mesopotamians on the other hand worshipped through the construction of statues depicting their gods, public devotion and also private devotion. Public devotion was done through the entire city’s participation (Jacobsen , 1963).
Theologically evaluate John Calvin’s account of divine providence.
To be written at 2nd year university undergraduate student level.
SAMPLE ANSWER
A Theological Evaluation of John Calvin’s account of Divine Providence
The term providence or divine providence is a theological term that is used to refer to God’s intervention in the world and the resultant care and foresight with which his influence is manifested. Given the complex nature of the universe and human existence, this term has different closely related applications which are distinguished through the way the word is written. If the entire word is capitalized and written as ‘PROVIDENCE,’ it is used in reference to God’s ability to direct and govern the universe as well as mankind through his immense wisdom. When only the first letter is capitalized making the word appear as ‘Providence,’ what is being referred to is God’s ability to see the future and the application of this in his care for all creatures in the world (VanderMolen, 1978). One of the most important contributors to the discourse of providence is John Calvin. His contribution to the then debate on providence was mainly focused on the manner in which this theological concept is manifested in people’s day to day lives.
Calvin’s understanding of divine providence contains three major themes. The first of these is the fact that divine providence is based on a mysterious and secret plan known to God alone. This secret plan that is intertwined with divine providence is designed in such a manner that necessitates faith on the part of believers. This is because Biblical scriptures acknowledge divine providence but not in a specific way. Much of it is covered up or too complex for humans to fathom yet they are still expected to believe in it. The second theme that comes out through his account is the unique and specific nature of divine providence. This is to say that God’s will is often manifested through specific events in a person or a group of people’s life experience. While God has control over virtually everything, he still pays attention to individual occurrences. The third theme arises from Calvin’s account of divine providence is that divine providence seeks to elicit the proper human response to God’s fatherly favor. According to Calvin (2001), the concept of providence goes well beyond theory and theoretic discussions. It is in fact a very practical thing give that God continues to care for people’s needs to this day. Because of this consistent care being given by God, it is in order for believers to exhibit their acknowledgement.
According to Calvin and Calvin (2008), Divine providence first saw the light of day at creation as recorded in the book of Genesis. According to him however, God’s role as the creator is not confined to the first six days of creation. God continues in his creative role on a daily basis and this is what is manifested as divine providence. Given that God possesses immense wisdom; he saw it wise to continue with his providence as this is the only way that the world would maintain order. If the world were to be left to its own devices, chaos would ultimately be reigning supreme, a situation that would reflect negatively on the creator.
From the scriptures, Calvin highlights the fact that Divine providence is something very different from luck whether good or bad. This is because good luck or fortune as well as bad luck or fate are random in nature and their occurrence is something that is more of superstitious than faith-based. Divine providence is in fact a very deliberate phenomenon. The reason why many people are led to believe in the existence of fate or fortune is the nature of many things that God created and the manner in which God’s secret plans are manifested through them. The apparent randomness of these events will often baffle humanity into thinking that these are isolated events, while in reality, they are all instruments that the creator uses so as to bring to fulfillment all the plans he has for humanity. The fact that humans experience acts of divine providence is not at all meant to baffle them. While he dismissed the idea of fate and fortune as being rooted in Pagan practices, he concedes to the fact that the mystery that surrounds them as an element of divine providence. This therefore leads to the conclusion that a person will experience Divine Providence whether he believes in its existence or not. The perspective one takes with regard to such issues therefore has a direct bearing on the spiritual experience he or she will have. They are designed in such a manner that will lead us to recognizing the creator for who he really is. This way, people will learn to put their trust in God since he is the one ultimately in charge of their destiny.
While God has the power to design laws that are to be obeyed by the tangible and intangible aspects of human life, Calvin highlights that God’s providence does much more than that. This is to say that Divine providence is active rather than passive and this means that its manifestation is highly subjective to the different scenarios that humanity experiences on a daily basis. This is because Divine Providence is a clear reflection of God’s nature of being omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient. The very definition of Divine providence is made possible because of a God who is ever-present, ever-powerful and also all-knowing.
Calvin’s account of Divine providence also discusses the purpose of God’s influence in today’s world. The main purpose of divine providence according to Calvin is for the purpose of redirecting human attention towards God and not on the things of this world as is the case. This is in light of the potential argument that will state that divine providence as defined here makes human responsibility obsolete. Humans should therefore bow in adoration of God’s plans which are unfathomable to them.
Another counter-argument that Calvin raises in his account is with regard to the problem of evil which is part and parcel of the human experience (Stump, 2011). From the perspective of theology, God is seen as the very manifestation of perfection. However in light of the concept of Divine Providence, it appears that God is also responsible for the Evil that exists. Calvin is quick to point out that even the Devil’s actions fall within the limits of Divine Providence. As humans we can neither condemn nor exonerate the creator since it effectively amount to us putting ourselves at a position higher than the Lord. Everything whether good or unpleasant is configured in such a manner that facilitates the fruition of the will of God
Reference
Calvin, J. (2001). Calvin’s Institutes. Westminster John Knox Press.
Calvin, J., & Calvin, J. (2008). Institutes of the Christian religion. Hendrickson Publishers.
VanderMolen, R. J. (1978). Providence as Mystery, Providence as Revelation: Puritan and Anglican Modifications of John Calvin’s Doctrine of Providence.Church History, 47(1), 27-47.
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