Longfellow's a Psalm of Life the Rainy

Longfellow's "A Psalm of Life," "The Rainy Day," and "The Children's Hour."

Henry adsworth Longfellow is known for his poetic imagination and diversity. The subjects of his poems range from serious to light-hearted, all written with perfect rhyme and meter. In fact, Cecil illaims maintains that Longfellow was "not only extraordinarily versatile in his prosody; he was equally venturesome in types of poetry" (illiams). This paper will examine Longfellow's style and techniques in the poems "A Psalm of Life," "The Rainy Day," and "The Children's Hour."

An example of one of a Longfellow's psalms is the poem "A Psalm of Life." Cecil illiams refers to this poem as one of Longfellow's most controversial poem. In fact, he states the poem was "Burlesqued and ridiculed in modern times, it was extravagantly praised when it was published and long afterward" (illiams). It is easy to see why the poem became popular. It…… [Read More]

Longfellow's Poem A Psalm of Life Which

Longfellow's poem "A Psalm of Life," which was originally published anonymously, John Greenleaf Whittier stated, "It is very seldom that we find an article of poetry so full of excellent philosophy and common sense," (cited by Carpenter, 1903, p. 166). Whittier appreciated Longfellow's poem because of its overt celebration of the human potential, and its advocacy of living with drive, energy, and passion. In the poem, Longfellow makes clear statements like "Be not like dumb, driven cattle!" (line 19). The poet therefore criticizes the pace of life in a modern, industrialized society. Paradoxically, though, the poet urges his readers to set lofty goals, achieve those goals, and leave a legacy. To be a "hero in the strife" means to step away from the madness of the rat race while still achieving great things.

In fact, Longfellow advocates a worldview more akin to Buddhism than to the type of Christianity that…… [Read More]

Sermon of Psalm 51

change your life in light of Psalm 51

The bible gives us so many beautiful psalms, each a call to arms in its own right. Psalm 51, though, is one of the most action-inducing of any of the psalms.

Psalm 51 is our call for repentance and, essentially, saying sorry. And it is a call-to-arms. The concept of repentance or apologizing seems, on its surface, a passive one, but Psalm 51 turns it into something much more aggressive and pro-active: Under the tutelage of Psalm 51, an individual cannot truly be repentant without having taken several steps to mollify God and earn that repentance.

Psalm 51 takes the story of David and athsheba and elevates the concept of repentance to a whole new level.

Psalm 51 asks us to change our lives by constantly reevaluating our actions and following certain steps of repentance to combat our transgressions. Psalm 51 asks…… [Read More]

Imprecatory Psalms and Christian Ethics

Christians pray the imprecatory psalms

Imprecatory refers to invocation of judgment, calamity, or curses on God's enemies, and one's enemies. In the ible, many people chanted imprecatory, for example, Moses, Deborah, and Jeremiah.[footnoteRef:2] The morning prayer of Moses qualifies as an imprecatory, which aimed to scatter the enemies of God, and Moses. Deborah's song and arak ends with an imprecation that God's enemies will perish. In regards to prophet Jeremiah, the prophet, in the ible uses repeated imprecations against his enemies. The imprecations are not only evident in the Old Testament, but also in the New Testament. [2: Laney, J Carl. "A fresh look at the imprecatory Psalms." ibliotheca Sacra 138, no. 549 (1981): 35-45]

However, some other portions of the New Testament are considered as imprecations, even though, some of these verses do not have particular prayers to the lord that there would be a possible judgment. Nonetheless, in…… [Read More]

Psalm 1

Psalm 1 read in different translations.

The New International Version (NIV), The American Standard Version (ASV), The New Living Translation (NLT), The King James Version (KJV), The Contemporary English Version (CEV), The Message (MSG), and The Harper Collins Study Bible, New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

I read the NIV the most often because I grew up reading the NIV and am comfortable with its language and cadence. I find that, of the Bibles I read, it is the one that feels the most familiar. I actually found reading MSG a little disconcerting; I do not know that it conveyed the feelings that the other translations conveyed. It actually made me think about the number of times the Bible has been interpreted and how connotation and denotation both impact the meaning of different passages.

To me, Psalm 1 is a reminder that sinners have no place in Lord's kingdom. It was…… [Read More]

Psalm 62 Is Introduced The

" The gatekeepers are thus attempting to protect the fortress by expressing to those who attempt to tear at it that He who dwells inside will have none of it.)

The purpose of this action, as the next verse tells us, is to bring down a "person of prominence." Prominence is thus granted to that individual from without, through his trust in God. ut the word "prominence" is also etymologically linked with "highness, height," which is why translations of this verse refer to the person as being in a "high place." Perhaps that high place that the person belongs to, that gives them prominence, is the fortress of the second verse - the fortress whose walls the perpetrators are attempting to knock down.

Verse four ends with the following characterization of the perpetrators:

They take pleasure in falsehood; they bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse.

This calls to…… [Read More]

Psalm 1 Happy Are Those

Therefore, one should be mindful not to adopt even the superficial or apparently innocuous habits of non-Believers because they are dangerous in that respect. The second passage refers to the fact that relishing the inherent beauty and perfection of the Lord's laws provide a consolation and a safe refuge from sinful temptations.

The third and fourth passages go together and suggest that Believers must remember that any apparent benefits, advantages, or joys that come with sinful behavior or non-belief are illusory and transitory at best. They have no real value and do not last because they are like the chaff that cannot withstand the slightest breeze. Conversely, the benefits and value of true Belief in the Lord's laws and teachings are long-lasting, substantial, and fully capable of withstanding the strongest challenges, let alone mere winds that are sufficient to reveal the sinfulness of non-belief.

The fifth passage provides reassurance to…… [Read More]

Psalm 94 A Message of

This meaning would fit more with the call for vengeance in the first section of the Psalm.

Verse 11 concludes this section addressing the evildoers. Like the previous section, it summarizes the passage with a declaration of the power of God and the weakness of man. At the end of the last verse, we learned that God is the source of knowledge for man. At the end of this verse, we learn that the thoughts of man are vain, futile, or worthless, depending on the version that one chooses. egardless, all of these translations imply that the thoughts of man are nothing compared to the thoughts of God. The Psalmist is attempting to make the evildoers recognize a power greater than themselves.

Verses 12-15: The Psalmist addresses the righteous about God.

In verse 12, the audience switches to the righteous, the group to which the speaker belongs. A comparison of…… [Read More]

Psalm 91 Exegesis

Psalm 91

Exegesis of Psalm 91:1

Hayes and Holladay (2007) state that exegetical works are an exercise in "leading" readers of Scripture, in the sense that they act as interpretive signposts designed to assist readers in comprehending the Word of God (p. 1). This paper provides an exegetical analysis of Psalm 91:1-16 and discusses how the writer of the Psalm shows that God favors those who show complete faith in His ability to look after His faithful sons.

The Book of Psalms is a poetic collection of songs written by David, the shepherd boy who grew up to be a king, chosen by God to rule over His chosen people. The psalms are hymns expressing a range of thoughts, prayers, joys, pains, gladness and wonder. David's life was filled with such range -- from his slaying of Goliath, to his persecution by his family and friends, to his triumphant guidance…… [Read More]

Psalm 1 Nobody Knows Why

However, there is a progression inside of the Psalm that needs attention. First of all, the message of verse one is telling us that the company that we choose to have around us can affect our happiness to a large extent -- that is, the people that we choose to have in our lives can have a big influence on our own happiness, whether we are aware of it or not.

The first passage is Psalm 1 isn't necessarily saying that the "wicked" are those people who are actively pursuing evil, rather, the Psalm is talking about life, in general, and how it is filled with immorality and immoral people. There is deceit and lies all around us and that is what the Psalm is warning about.

Psalm 1 warns us that there are friends of God (whom he calls righteous) as well as enemies of God (whom he calls…… [Read More]

Psalm 77 and Its Interpretation Today

Psalm 77, demonstrate speaks relevant church culture North America specific. Paper: write a paper a minimum 5 secondary sources.

Psalm 77 is, for many, a psalm that teaches people how to relate to God, particularly when it seems that life is putting forward a significant amount of difficulties for the individual. Psalm 77 comes from the Old estament, so it is particularly interesting because it is not solely related to Christianity, but rather comes into the present from the very distant past, from the ancient histories of Israel, of Abraham and the Holy Land.

From this perspective, it is all the more interesting and relevant to analyze and look into how Psalm 77 was embraced into American church culture today, given the various religious representations that exist. he Presbyterian Church, the Church of the Latter Day Saints and other churches gave different representations to fit into their religious beliefs and…… [Read More]

Psalm 45 and Psalm 51 The Role of the Psalms in the Role of Israel

Psalms in the Life of Israel: Psalm 45 and 51

Instructions: Complete the matrices by answering the questions regarding Psalm 45 and Psalm 51. Be sure to answer in complete sentences. Cite your sources. Incorporate the information of the Superscription of the Psalm in your responses.

Psalm 45

What role did this psalm play in the life of the author and the recipient? (5)

Psalm 45 opens with the Superscription, 'To the chief musician upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Maschil; a Song of Love,' which is a clear indication that it is a song written for the Israelites in celebration of love. The term Shoshannim is Hebrew for 'lily', the beautiful flower that brings delight and happiness; in the same way, love was supposed to bring delight and happiness to God's children (Dunn & Rogerson, 2012). To the author and recipient, therefore, both of whom belonged to the…… [Read More]

Salient Theological Themes Psalm 51

Psalm 51: Salient Theological Themes

Salient Theological Themes: Psalm 51

Psalm 51 is a penitential psalm presenting David's prayer for confession after he was confronted by Prophet Nathan for conspiring against Uriah and taking his wife Bathsheba. It is organized into four distinct sections, beginning with a plea for restoration, and ending with an intercession for the psalmist's people. This text identifies the salient themes in Psalm 51, and the specific strategies used by the psalmist to deal with his guilt and confession.

Psalm 51: Salient Theological Themes

Psalm 51 is a confession Psalm that basically presents David's prayer for forgiveness after he was rebuked by Prophet Nathan for plotting against Uriah, and taking his wife, Bathsheba, for himself. David organizes his prayer in four distinct sections, beginning with a plea for mercy (51: 1-14), followed by a plea for restoration (51: 5-12), a promise to do better (51: 13-17),…… [Read More]

Apocrypha Psalm 151 in Terms

Storfjell states that verse one which: "speaks about the size and age of David in comparison to his brothers and about his appointment to the work of Shepherd" (1987) is confirmed in verse 10 "which contrasts the fact that size and age are not criteria for being appointed to the position of leaders over Israel.

IV. The Attitude of deSilva Toward the Apocrypha

The work of deSilva reveals his attitude toward the Apocrypha in his statement of:

the Apocrypha, while not of the status of sacred Scripture have much to teach us about God, ethics, challenges to faithful living, and the developments in Jewish history, culture, and though that provide the matrix for the early church' (p.40) deSilva is stated to have summarized "the various genres contained therein which are those of:

1) History;

2) Wisdom literature;

3) Liturgical pieces;

4) Thematic essays; and 5) Apocalyptic texts"

Summary and Conclusion…… [Read More]

Exegesis of Psalm 1

Exegesis of Psalm 1:1-6
1 Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
4Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction. (NIV, 2018)
Cultural information of the book
The old testament of the Holy Bible holds some of the most inspiring and historically…… [Read More]

Teaching in the Digital World

Psalm 119: 97–103
Learners can know more than their teachers in the sense that they are filled with a sense of God. As God knows all things and is the end all, be all, the learner who realizes this truth is like the Psalmist—wiser than all others. The educator who, like the Psalmist, also keeps the Word of God with him at all times is actually in the same boat—so it is important to remember that in Psalm 119:97-103 what we are talking about is a spiritual wisdom, not an earthly or academic wisdom. The spiritual wisdom of David, for instance, is what allowed him to be so near to God in the first place—to be after God’s own heart. That kind of wisdom surpasses all other knowledge because it makes one holy and beautiful to God.
In terms of earthly wisdom and understanding, however, the role of the educator…… [Read More]

Student Individuality in the Classroom

Psalm 139:13-18 reminds us that we have all be created uniquely by God—that He saw us completely before we even saw ourselves. He knows us more deeply that we know ourselves and even in spite of all our faults and questionable acts, He still keeps us in existence and even made us in spite of our mistakes so that we could love Him in return (Sheen, 2008). As Kaiser (1995) notes, the Old Testament is filled with references to the coming Messiah, and here we are reminded of the great gift of life that is ours, thanks to God, and the great mercy He shows us just for having given us life.
Just as we our created uniquely, every learner is also unique—each one learns in different ways. Some learners are visual. Some are experiential. For some, hearing is all that is required—for others, they must perform. Some benefit when…… [Read More]

Metaphysical Poetry Journal Exercise 3 1A

The Lord will lead one to safety always. One can simply believe in something higher to get the meaning of this; it doesn't have to be Jesus. Psalm 127, contrarily is confusing because it states that unless the Lord builds the house, it is built in vain. This seems to be more literal, but I do get the idea. Unless the people building the house are doing it with the love of the Lord in their hearts, or building it for him, then what is the point?

Didactic poetry can be quite comforting as seen in Psalm 23 or it can be much too literal and seen as both confusing and condescending. Psalm 127 isn't very instructive spiritually speaking, unlike Psalm 23.

Updated Proverb: A broken toe can hurt, but a broken heart can kill.

Metaphors: Obscure or Illuminate? Didactic literature with its use of metaphors can sometimes obscure the…… [Read More]

King James Bible One Example

The Bay Psalm Book's version of Psalm 23 reflects a more passive version of the Lord. The verbs come at the end of the sentences. For example, it opens by saying, "The Lord to mee a shepheard is," immediately making the Lord's role more passive. This is continued later in the Psalm, where it recites, "they rod, and staffe, my comfort are." Overall, the language simply does not convey an active image of the Lord.

In contrast, the King James version of Psalm 23 portrays a very active Lord. It opens with "The Lord is my shepherd," making it clear that the Lord is actively watching over his flocks of followers. Furthermore, the Lord's rod and staff are not merely a comfort. Instead, the King James version of the Psalm proclaims, "thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me." Here, the person is not merely finding comfort in the rod…… [Read More]

Loss Read P 305 Leaving

" The differences in these two lines seem to be only a matter of syntax but in actuality, it also differs in the meaning. The King James Bible version makes it seem like the Lord is making the individual do something, as if by force or obligation, while the Puritan version states that the Lord causes the individual to do something, as if out of their own will. This alone relays the message that faith itself is driving the action, not a perceived obligation.

Another distinction between the two translations can be found with the lines "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: / and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" (King James Bible) and "Goodness and mercy surely shall / all my days follow me. / and in the Lord's house I shall / dwell so long as days…… [Read More]

Elizabethan Love Poetry Is Laden

He "almost" despises himself but still seems not to think that his actions were absolutely wrong. Furthermore, the narrator of the Shakespeare Sonnet finds solace and comfort in thinking of his lover. By thinking of the one he loves, a human being, the narrator feels absolved of any wrongdoing. The narrator of the Shakespeare Sonnet is more concerned with the consequences of his actions, such as being an outcast, than with whether the action was right or wrong. For Herbert, morality is quite the opposite. Herbert suggests that the human condition is itself a state of sin.

Therefore, a central difference between secular and religious morality as expressed in Elizabethan poetry is between absolute and situational ethics. For Herbert, morality is based on a set of absolute values that God and only God can create. God is the "Just Judge" and God's judgments transcend any human laws (l 12). Moreover,…… [Read More]

Sons of God

Sons of God" in Genesis 6 are human, by using the following verses as background on the subject: Deuteronomy 9:18, Joshua 7:6, Psalm 112, Genesis 4:26, Numbers 13:33, Job 1:6, 2:1. The Sons of God referred to so briefly in Genesis 6 are indeed human, because they have the distinct human vice of "wickedness," which in the end seals their fate. They are Sons of God who came to Earth to create a race of "giants," but in the end, God removed them all for their wickedness, and replaced the population with the relations of Noah, whom He favored above all at the time. In Deuteronomy 9:18, the Bible alludes to this sin, when Moses beseeches his people not to bring down the anger of the Lord upon them. Implied here is the anger of the Lord that came before, when he flooded the land for forty days and nights…… [Read More]

David Powlison's Book Seeing With

hile Powlison may not agree with those approaches, he does acknowledge their existence. Therefore, in the second part of his book, Powlison examines psychological knowledge of human behavior and motivation.

However, it is important to keep in mind that the Bible is the basis for all of Powlison's discussions. hile he may develop a personality theory, it is a personality theory based on Scripture. According to reviewer Bob Kelleman:

"the strength of this section is found in Powlison's insistence on building a view of human nature not coram anthropos (from the perspective of humanity), but coram Theos (from the perspective of God). e can understand people via people, or we can understand people via God. Powlison rightly chooses to understand the creature not through the creature but through the Creator (Kelleman).

To do this, Powlison uses x-ray questions, which he says reveal what God sees when he looks at an…… [Read More]

Christians Struggle With the Dichotomy

Accoding to the autho, the passage indicates that the authos of the Bible wote unde the inspiation of the Holy Spiit, but that they did not eceive exact dictation fom God. They wee inspied to wite as they wished, but the outcome was still detemined by God's ultimate will: "Fo the pophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they wee moved by the Holy Ghost." (2 Pete 1:21). In the same way, the wods of the pophets wee thei own, but the message behind these wods was inspied by God. This is the natue of the inteaction between God's will and human feedom in tems of the Bible.

In this way, Feinbeg uses the Bible to substantiate eveything he says about divine and human will, and I am theefoe convinced that his aguments ae supeio to those of Reichenbach…… [Read More]

Prophets Abraham Heschel Passionately Challenged

According to the Psalms (Psalm 132:1-18) and Samuel (2 Sam. 7:2), God "swore an oath to David" that he and his descendants would remain on the throne, as long as they kept His statutes, forever. David embodied five characteristics of the monarchy: (1) He took the Ark of the Covenant brought by Moses, which had been carried around under a tent since Moses' time, and set it up in the temple (built by Solomon), as the symbol of God's choosing this people and this land as His own. (2) David became the "firstborn son of God" and God promised that he and his descendants would forever be on His throne. (3) He was a priest performing priestly duties as God's representative on earth. (4) He was mortal. He had sinned, yet God allowed him to live and remain king. (5) He had a special relationship, a covenant with God himself,…… [Read More]

Paul Celan's Poem Todesfuge or

It is interesting thus that many of the symbols that usually have a positive meaning in the literary tradition, such as the starts which are shining brightly in the sky or Margaret's golden hair which makes her resemble an angelic figure, have negative connotations in the poem through the reversals that Celan proposes. Also, the blue eyes of the German master and the fact that he writes love letters to Germany might beguile the reader for a moment and make him or her believe that these are the symbols of purity and innocence in the text. Both the commander and Margaret symbolize the Arian race which was considered by Hitler as absolutely faultless. The fact that Margaret is corrupted and destroyed by evil in Faust is a hint at the way in which the Nazi regime turned the qualities of the Arian race into an instrument of evil. Sulamith, by…… [Read More]

Christian Tradition Biblical Questions Quite

Greek bishops could also marry, although such alliances prevent them from rising in position in the church, where Roman priests took celibacy vows. Regarding doctrine, some could Latin approach as more practical and judicial, while the Greek was more speculative about the nature of the Godhead.

Question

Martin Luther founded the Lutheran branch of Protestant Christianity. Luther rejected the authority of the Catholic Pope. The Bible alone was the ultimate authority for Luther. Salvation was by grace and by faith alone in Jesus Christ. Luther retained the sacraments of baptism, penance and Holy Communion and he held that in the Holy Communion the consecrated bread and wine are the Body and Blood of Christ

However, he rejected the ideas of purgatory, indulgences, invocation of the Saints, and prayers for the dead.

In contrast, while John Calvin also rejected the Pope, he believed that God alone could dispense salvation, holding to…… [Read More]

Jesus' Teachings Prayer & Christian Life He

Jesus' Teachings, Prayer, & Christian Life

"He (Jesus) Took the Bread. Giving Thanks Broke it. And gave it to his Disciples, saying, 'This is my Body, which is given to you.'" At Elevation time, during Catholic Mass, the priest establishes a mandate for Christian Living. Historically, at the Last Supper, Christ used bread and wine as a supreme metaphor for the rest of our lives. Jesus was in turmoil. He was aware of what was about to befall him -- namely, suffering and death. This was the last major lesson he would teach before his arrest following Judas' betrayal. Eschatologically speaking, the above set the stage for the Christian ministry of the apostles, evangelists and priests. Indeed, every Christian is called to give of him or herself for the Glory of God and the Glory of Mankind. The message at the Last Supper was powerful. People have put themselves through…… [Read More]

Messiah in Old Testament the

In Genesis 3:15, God said, "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel." According to some biblical experts, this is an oblique reference to the coming of Messiah.

This is taken by many as one of the earliest Messianic prophecies describing Satan's brief victory over the Messiah and the Messiah's ultimate victory over Satan. It is mentioned here because the offspring (Messiah) is described as being of the woman (Eve). This is extraordinary as the nation of Israel has always been patriarchal; people are mentioned in terms of their fathers, not their mothers. Because of this, many see this verse as also being a prophecy of Messiah's birth through a virgin

Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus)

The Book of Genesis also makes reference to the importance of the lineage or the heritage…… [Read More]

Concept of God in Judaism and Christianity

history medical studies have concluded that prayer helps to heal the sick. Many political meetings begin with a prayer and American currency has the words "In God We Trust" imprinted on its face. Around the world God is a powerful deity and one that has historically led entire societies to make decisions based on God's word. While God has been the single deity that leads and guides societies in their decisions both on an individual and collective basis there are many different concepts of what God is and entails. Two large worldwide faiths have many similarities and differences in God and its meaning. The faith of Christianity as well as the faith of Judaism both believe in a single God. The faiths are based in the word of that God and their followers respect and revere the God of their faith. While both faiths believe in a single God there…… [Read More]

Important Biblical People Events and Places

Biblical Events Which Were Significant in the Development of the Bible

Book: Psalms

This is a collection of praise songs or poems that were meant to praise God. It was an honest communication with God as well as response to Him. The psalmist was so open with his praise to God that it has over the years been considered the best praise that there is offered to God, with many believers in the Bible referring to it constantly for praise verses or quotes that they would like to give to God. Indeed, it is one of the books that are referred to severally even in the New Testament. Two thirds of the book of Psalms is attributed to David. David was known to be a good poet, musician, founder and organizer of temple music as well as a singer who often used stringed instruments to accompany the psalms/praises when he…… [Read More]

Hindrances to Prayer in the

"You came near when I called you, and you said, "Do not fear." O. Lord, you took up my case; you redeemed my life. You have seen, O LORD, the wrong done to me. Uphold my cause!." (lamentations 3: 57-59)

What hindrances of prayer do you have?

The hindrances to prayer that I experience are mainly due to a lack of faith at times. Like many people, I sometimes on occasion feel that I do not have sufficient faith and belief in the reality of prayer. However, prayer has proven to be a powerful force in my life and I feel that God responds to our prayer according to that way we act and adhere to His word and guidance.

4. Do you identify with any of these authors?

Yes, I identify with the general views expressed in Isaiah and in many of the other extracts. I believe that very…… [Read More]

Christ's Use of the Old Testament

Christian religion, the Old and New Testaments form a whole upon which its belief system is based. The transition between the Old and New Testaments resides in the person of Christ, who came to earth as the fulfillment of the Old Testament Messianic prophesy.

This transition then occurs not only through the ultimate sacrifice of Christ at his death and resurrection, but also in his ministry during his lifetime. Christ uses the Old Testament in various ways in order both to establish the new order of the New Testament, but also to validate the authority of the Old.

As the son of God, Christ shows his relationship to the Father through his respect for the validity and authority of the Old Testament. He does this in various ways, of which one is his acceptance of the history of the Old Testament. Jesus refers to various persons of the Old Testament,…… [Read More]

How King David Falls Bathsheba and Uriah

King David as Described in 2 Samuel 11

Samuel 11 describes the events surrounding the sin of King David with regard to Uriah, whom he essentially had executed so that David's adultery with Uriah's wife would not be made known to him. This shameful action on the part of David displeased the Lord immensely, which is described in the following chapters. This chapter, however, reveals a side of David's character that prior to this incident had not been explored before. Much of what is known about David's character is celebratory -- from his time as the boy who slays the giant Goliath, to his handling of the Ark of the Covenant. David is described as a man after God's own heart (1 Sam 13:14) and most of his actions support this idea. His "humility and innocence" in his approach to Saul, playing for him on his lyre and soothing the…… [Read More]

Rastafari Rastafarianism and Reggae

46). Nowadays, Rastafarianism is a strong Jamaican tradition.

Reggae Music

Also tied to the experience of social oppression was the growing popularity for the emerging Reggae music. Reggae music came directly out of the religious fervor of the Rastafarians and their desire to remove themselves from the constraints of traditional society through forms of protest. Jamaica had long been experiencing tumultuous political tensions, which proved the perfect breeding grounds for Rastafarianism and the musical traditions which came with it. Early in the 1950s, a new musical sound named Ska came out of Jamaican indigenous music, American jazz, and rhythm and blues. According to research, "On the surface, ska was happy content -- even cheery -- music. But if one listened closely between the polrhythmic pulses of the music, ska was as deceptive as the government's attempt to paint the country with a color-blind palette of national unity," (King et al.…… [Read More]

Prayer Stripped Down to Its

" The desire of the humble is to be one with God and to heed God's Word without being demanding. To have faith and be humble means internalizing the words of God, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven," (Matthew 6:10). Trusting that God's kingdom is far greater than any person could imagine is the meaning of Christian faith. Likewise, Christian faith means praying for God's will to be manifest on earth rather than the will of human beings. Human beings are fallible, whereas God is not. To have faith in a person is good to an extent, but having faith in God is far more reliable and meaningful. "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man," (Psalm 118:8).

Jesus reiterates the importance of faith throughout his life and teachings. Faith and prayer remain closely linked in…… [Read More]

Dead Sea Scrolls

Dead Sea Scrolls

According to Michael aigent and Richard Leigh, the Dead Sea Scrolls, since their discovery in the Judaean desert and their arrival at the various institutions that retain them today, have created "a contradiction. . . between the Jesus of history and the Christ of faith" and have indicated "how explosive a non-partisan examination of the scrolls might be for the whole of Christian theological tradition" (xii).

With this in mind, it is clear that the Dead Sea Scrolls contain historical information that could, in essence, upset the entire scheme of things in relation to the life of Jesus Christ and his role in the history of his people, being the Israelite Jews. Thus, the overall importance of the Dead Sea Scrolls lies in the fact that what theologians and religious historians currently accept as the truth concerning the history of Palestine and the role of Jesus within…… [Read More]

Zionism the Concept of Zionism

In 300 BC, Jews were again exiled to Egypt by Ptolemy. His capture of Jerusalem led to the deportation of thousands of individuals to Egypt, and still others left of their own accord. Those that were left were often assigned to Ptolemy's garrison, since they were extremely loyal. These exiled Jews formed the Jewish colony in Alexandria, but again, the Jews were spread even further apart into the Diaspora (Harding, 58).

In 70 AD, Judea was yet again destroyed when Titus, son of emperor of Rome Vespasian, destroyed the Temple. Jewish captives were put to death, or taken to Rome (Harding, 92). Following the revolt of Bar Kochba in 136 AD, even more Jews were exiled. Still more Jews left due to economic conditions, and were scattered in Cyprus, Syria, Alexandria, and elsewhere (Isseroff, 1).

The resulting Diaspora produced a longing for the Jewish homeland, and an overall sense of…… [Read More]

Providence Debate

Providence Debate

According to J.P. De Caussade, God speaks "today as he spoke in former times to our fathers when there were no directors as at present, nor any regular method of direction."

In other words, Fr. De Caussade asserts that God maintains and has always maintained a personal relationship, or a providential relationship, with mankind. However, the exact way in which God exercises control over the world and the lives of humans in the world has been debated for many centuries. Indeed, in the realm of God's providence, there are numerous variables and nuanced positions, which have been argued by Christians since the time of the Apostles through to the Protestant Reformation right up to today. This paper will consider the two broader views of recent centuries -- the Arminian and the Calvinist -- and evaluate whether there might be alternative views that incorporate both perspectives of how Providence…… [Read More]

African Beginnings Africa Was the

This can be traced to the conservative view that lacks have in fact no real history in comparison to the richness and significance of European history. "As astonishing as it seems most of the prestigious academics and universities in Europe and America have ridiculed the idea that blacks have any substantive history."

This derogatory view has its roots as well in the colonial attitude that tended to see all lack people as inferior in status and 'ignorant' in order to justify the intrusion and invasion of their lands and territories.

In other words, the justification for conquest and what was in reality the theft of African land and wealth was provided to a great extent by the ' rewriting' of iblical texts. lacks were cast as 'heathen' people who had not achieved the enlightenment that the white group had attained through the ible and Christianity and therefore lacks were seen…… [Read More]

Theology Religion Christian

Lewis

Relativist said, 'The world does not exist, England does not exist, Oxford does not exist and I am confident that I do not Exist!' When Lewis was asked to reply, he stood up and said, 'How am I to talk to a man who's not there?'" (Schultz, 1998)

Lewis: A iography

This quote shows how, in truly CS Lewis style, the writer took the everyday questions about religion and faith, tacking them head-on. Lewis was a Christian writer who was deeply influenced by the teachings of God and His Scripture.

CS Lewis was born, in 1898, in elfast, Ireland. He was educated at various schools throughout England (Hooper, 1996). In 1914, he began studying Latin, Greek, French, German and Italian and later moved to Oxford. His education was disrupted by the first World War but within two years, he resumed his studies.

In 1924, Lewis became a teacher of…… [Read More]

The Promises Made to David in the Davidic Covenant

King David and the Covenant

The covenant that God makes with David, also known as the Davidic Covenant, contains a series of promises to David and Israel, the most important being that the Messiah (of the New Testament) will come through the House of David. This is the promise of a Redeemer that the Jews were to look forward to and recognize by the signs, as given through the various prophets, such as Isaiah. God promises that the Messiah will establish a kingdom that will have no end, thus making a connection between the rule of David who is after God's own heart to the reign of Christ the King who will rule over men's hearts. God also describes how Solomon will come and build a House for the Lord while simultaneously conveying a deeper message about the Son of God: "I will be his Father, and he shall be…… [Read More]

Why Wright Does Not Always Understand God

God I Don't Understand: Reflections on Tough Questions of Faith

Preface and Introduction

The Preface explains why Wright chose to write this book. He felt that it could be a more personal and humble approach to God than that achieved in his other books, which were about "knowing God." In this book, Wright wants to address some of the more confusing aspects of God. He justifies this approach by showing how God Himself points out that His ways are not our ways in Scripture. This is a valid point, and what Wright is doing is drawing attention to the fact that we are not God's equals and therefore should not try to humanize Him but rather should try to understand that He knows and sees all and therefore has a good reason for why He commands and does things that might seem disturbing or odd to us.

However, in Wright's…… [Read More]

David a Man After God's

Solomon's name is not tainted in cruelties and crimes like that of David. He exhibited the passion to delight God sincerely starting his life in a worthy manner. Worshiping of God was his delight and he exhibited devotedness in the temple construction. Solomon's utterances during devotion are ranked remarkably among the literature of pre-Christian devotion when he was praying at the temple dedication. But when we learn of his heart being turned away after other god we see the reason. 1 Kings 11:4 says, "As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of his father David had been." Solomon's heart was not perfect with God because it was turned away towards other gods. His heart was the trouble and not his head. A theological opinion change was not the reason for…… [Read More]

Egyptian Influence on Judaism and

. This was to lead to the inevitable interaction and cross -- cultural pollination between the cultures. Kline states that; " No wonder that such a large number of Egyptian loan words, phrases and intellectual ideas should be preserved in the Old Testament, along with a large number of idiomatic expressions, and two Egyptian units of measure" (Kline). However, while cultural interaction and the adoption of various phrases and words is not denied by most scholars, what is contested and debated is the extent to which this cultural interaction influenced and impacted the development of the religious foundations of both Judaism and Christianity.

4. How Egypt influenced customs and practices; fact vs. myth

There are numerous examples in the literature that refer to a more extensive cultural intersection and interaction with the Egyptian civilization. One can refer to the view that the name of the Divine Unity in this regard.…… [Read More]

Melchizedek Who Was Melchizedek And

2009. "The Jewish Jesus." First Things: A Monthly Journal of eligion and Public Life, no. 193, pp. 5+.

This group of writers echoes many of the statements made by Thomas, as well as the Psalm passage that mentions Melchizedek multiple times: "You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek" (Psalm 110:4). But this article actually says that while Christians are indebted to the Jews for Christ, Jews and Christians alike are indebted to the Gentile Melchizedek for Jesus' priesthood. In their words, Christ's priesthood can't be traced to Aaron, "but to Melchizedek, the mysterious non-Jewish 'priest of the Most High God' (Heb. 7:1).

Melchizedek is a mysterious figure; his appearance in the Old Testament is strikingly brief. However, he has become a central, honored figure among Christian and Hebrew scholars. Personally, I choose to believe Thomas' interpretation of the story of Melchizedek. To think of him as a…… [Read More]

Religion the Truth of the

The messiah, or "anointed one" is referred to also in the book of Psalms: "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows," (Psalm 45:6-7). These and many other Old Testament references illustrate the importance of the messiah for the Israelites, and the role that the messiah would play as a spiritual leader.

Because of the abundance of historical and prophetic material substantiating Christ, countless Christians have spread the word of the gospel around the world. From the personal testimony passed down for two thousand years, individuals like me have been able to develop our own relationship with Christ. We draw upon the wisdom of those who have gone before us, reading scripture and participating in the Christian community. It…… [Read More]

Christian Canon for the 21st

The books the researcher would first and foremost include the following books which currently constitute the Old and New Testament of the Bible:

Old Testament

Pentateuch - 5 books

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

Historical Books - 12 books

Joshua, Judges, Ruth, First Samuel, Second Samuel, First Kings, Second Kings, First Chronicles, Second Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther.

Poetical - 5 books

Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon

Prophetical - 17 books

Major Prophets - Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel

Minor Prophets - Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah

Historical Books - 12 books

Joshua, Judges, Ruth, First Samuel, Second Samuel, First Kings, Second Kings, First Chronicles, Second Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther.

Poetical - 5 books

Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon

Prophetical - 17 books

Major Prophets - Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel

Minor Prophets - Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

New Testament…… [Read More]

Paintings Colors and Self-Portrait Introduction

Pissarro took a special interest in his attempts at painting, emphasizing that he should 'look for the nature that suits your temperament', and in 1876 Gauguin had a landscape in the style of Pissarro accepted at the Salon. In the meantime Pissarro had introduced him to Cezanne, for whose works he conceived a great respect-so much so that the older man began to fear that he would steal his 'sensations'. All three worked together for some time at Pontoise, where Pissarro and Gauguin drew pencil sketches of each other (Cabinet des Dessins, Louvre).

Gauguin settled for a while in ouen, painting every day after the bank he worked at closed.

Ultimately, he returned to Paris, painting in Pont-Aven, a well-known resort for artists.

X...for pic

Le Christ Jaune (the Yellow Christ) (Pioch, 2002) Still Life with Three Puppies 1888 (Pioch, 2002)

In "Sunny side down; Van Gogh and Gauguin," Martin…… [Read More]

Sacred Music in Religion in

This style is best represented by composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525 to 1594) and was written primarily for a cappella choirs without instrumentation and was always sung in Latin, the official language of the Roman Catholic Church (Robertson, "Music Through the Centuries," Internet).

During the Reformation, sacred music became very closely linked to the congregational singing of psalms and hymns in Calvinist and Lutheran churches as a way of "collectively affirming church doctrine and experience which was later adopted by Roman Catholicism" and then in the successive Evangelical revivals, such as with Methodism and Wesleyanism (Predmore, 267). At the same time, traditional polyphonic settings and themes related to the Mass and other liturgical texts was greatly extended and developed and reached its conclusion during the aroque Period with the great Passions, motets and cantatas of Johann Sebastian ach (1685 to 1750). With the refinement of the church pipe organ…… [Read More]

Bible Inerrancy the Bible for

He indicates that even what Paul writes to people through his epistles is the Word of God. He is (again presciently) aware that the words might be twisted and misunderstood). But he has no doubt that Paul's writings (more prolific that his own were) as well as his own are divinely inspired Scripture. Paul, writing in Corinthians sums up the closeness of the role of the Holy Spirit in the furtherance of God's Words. He indicates that what he preaches does not come from him. hey are not his teachings, but directly the teaching of the Holy Spirit, which manifests itself in the form of words.

In recognizing Scriptures as the unadulterated Word of God, one must also consider biblical references of what Jesus, his apostles, prognosticators and epistle-writers thought of scripture. Simply put, what do the primary characters of the New estament think of the Old estament? Several centuries…… [Read More]

Philosophy Reason and Faith the

"(32) Through faith, a man or a woman entrusts his or herself to another, and thus a human bond is formed.

Therefore, it can be concluded that philosophical reasoning is as vital as faith for diaconal ministry. The unity of truth, that is, the importance of realizing that both philosophy and religion lead to the same ultimate truths, shows that reason and faith are more related than they are usually considered to be: "The unity of truth is a fundamental premise of human reasoning, as the principle of non-contradiction makes clear. Revelation renders this unity certain, showing that the God of creation is also the God of salvation history."(35) as Fides et Ratio emphasizes Christian philosophy points to this unity of truth by showing that the God of creation is also the God of history and that God is at the same time the transcendental truth and the historical, immediate…… [Read More]

Pierre Schaeffer's Musique Concrete Pierre

The basic materials might include tin cans, fragments of speech, a cough, canal boats chugging or natural snatches of Tibetan chant (all these are in a work called Etude Pathetique).

Musical instruments are not taboo: one piece used a flute that was both played and struck. Differences in balance or performance can also be used to extend the range of materials. All of this is very similar to the way that the sample integrated into popular music have included news actuality, political statements and fragments of other people's compositions." (2003) Nisbett additionally relates that the "preliminary concrete recording was described analytically in terms of a variety of sound qualities" as follows:

Instantaneous content - frequency spectrum or timbre (which might contain separate harmonics, bands of noise or a mixture of the two);

The melodic sequence of successive sound structure; and Its dynamics or envelope (the way sound intensity varies in…… [Read More]

American and Asian Music as

This, along with the older Psalter by trenhold and Hopkins, was the main influence of the Bay Psalm Book printed during 1640 in Massachusetts. This can be compared with the first musical influences on and compositions by Li Jinhui. The traditional forms were explored thoroughly before new ideas in music were explored.

Culturally, the new Americans at the time were deeply religious, following the Puritan tradition on which they based their way of life. Their music therefore reflected this tradition, and the earliest genres were mainly religious in nature. As such, the musical format was unaccompanied by musical instruments, as these were viewed as secular and therefore sinful. The same type of division can be seen in the later genres of Asian music, where Cantopop began to lose its popularity in the face of new and more trendy developments. In contrast, however, the Chinese does not have as clear a…… [Read More]

Jewish Humor Is Often Secularized

Job 34, for example, reveals some of the lamentation embedded in Jewish humor: "here were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?" Sarcasm is a prevailing tone in Biblical literature. In Exodus 14:11: "as there a lack of graves in Egypt, that you took us away to die in the wilderness?" Sarcasm has made its way firmly into modern Jewish humor.

More lighthearted types of Jewish humor can also be located in Biblical texts. Puns, for instance, are inherently lighthearted. Giving rise to "groaner" jokes in a modern context, the Bible's puns are cute when considered in context. The Book of Proverbs also contains lighthearted humor, sometimes in the form of slapstick or hyperbolic descriptions. In Proverbs 11:22, for example: As a gold ring in a swine's snout, so is a beautiful woman from whom sense has departed." Similarly, situational comedy occurs on several occasions in the Bible.…… [Read More]

When Is a Person Truly in the People of God

People of God

When Is a Person Truly "In" the People of God?

When Is A Person Truly "In" The People Of God?

"Inclusivism" is a term that encompasses a fairly wide range of positions, as J.A. DiNoia notes in his book, The Diversity of eligions. DiNoia's definition is broad enough to encompass both a minimal and a maximal form of inclusivism. The maximal form is asserted by those who believe that "all religious communities implicitly aim at the salvation that the Christian community most adequately commends." Non-Christian religious bodies may think and act as if their ultimate goals are distinctively different from the church's. However, their goals in fact orient them to some degree towards Jesus Christ, and to the extent that they do, their concrete identities may be truthful and their way of life leads to salvation. A minimal version of inclusivism says little or nothing about the…… [Read More]

Heaven and Hell Really Exist

The literal meaning of the word is the place for the dead. Literal meaning of both words is the grave. This can be confirmed with a comparison of the Old Testament and the New Testament (West 34). For instance, it has been mentioned in the Psalms 6.10;

"For You, will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption." This verse has been referred in Acts 2.27 by the apostle Paul saying that the verse talks about Jesus Christ.

If the Old Testament is taken into account there are many who have highlighted that there is no mentioning of hell to the Israel by the God. There is no place in the Old Testament where God has said to the Israel that if they follow the teachings of the God, they will see and remain in heaven and if otherwise, they will seek…… [Read More]

Life and Works of Edward Taylor

Edward Taylor

Education

Private Life

Profession

Purpose of orks

Intended audience

Central goal of writings

riting Style

Early works

Comparison between writings in England and America

Comparison to other authors

Personal Style

Use of Imagery

Major Themes

Major orks

Preparatory Meditations

God's Determinations

Other works

Taylor's orks Compared

The Life and orks of Edward Taylor

No study of Puritan literature would be complete without the works of the man often called the best Puritan writer of them all, Edward Taylor. Except for a brief few, the works of this great Puritan author remained unpublished during his lifetime. In 1939, they were discovered by Thomas H. Johnson at Yale, and have since become a valued and praised addition to the other works from the Puritan era. So important are these works that the Norton editors refer to them as "one of the major literary discoveries of the twentieth century" (Rowe). These…… [Read More]

American Pastoral Lutheranism Originated as

All human beings are considered corrupt and sick and, because of the original sin, are in close relations with the powers of evil, rending them unable to make a significant contribution to their liberation. Ironically in some way, it can be said that Lutherans believe in faith. Faith is understood as trust in God's love and is viewed as the only appropriate way for man to answer to God's initiative. "Salvation by faith alone" is the distinctive and criticized (by catholic adepts) slogan of Lutheranism. Opponents of this doctrine argued that this position does not do justice to the Christian responsibility to do good works; the answer was that faith has to be active in love and that there is an indivisible connection between good works and faith: the former follow from the latter as a good tree produces good fruit.

Worship. The Lutheran church is, by its own definition,…… [Read More]

Spirit in the Church

Pneumatologists and theologians have long sought to define the role of the Holy Spirit within the Christian faith. These scholars' understanding of the Spirit differs greatly, not only in terms of the role of the Holy Spirit, but also in terms of whether those roles are central to the Christian church (yrie, 1997). Even the base concept of the perception of the Spirit differs among scholars and religious leaders.

This paper discusses the various notions of the role of the Holy Spirit in the Christian Church, as expressed by modern theologians and pneumatologists. Additionally, this paper will discuss the differing views of whether those roles are central to the Church, or if they are to be applied on a more diverse level. Finally, this paper will discuss ways in which the Spirit is celebrated and displayed in the lives of those who believe.

To understand the role of the Holy…… [Read More]