Christian Speculation about the End of Times - 1807 Words

Religions do not only relate to the past but also to the future: beliefs about resurrection or further rebirths, hopes of a better future, or even fears of apocalyptic tribulations. In this essay, various religious ‘futures’ will be investigated: the evolution towards spiritual individualism and consumerism, the success of yoga and the Christian speculations about the end of times. It will be easily demonstrated that each of these ‘futures’ is highly controversial – but are they controversial primarily because of the way in which they reinterpret the past? The essay will argue that the reinterpretation of the past should better seen as a legitimating force rather than the primary cause of the controversy. Sociologist Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) described religion as ‘a unified system of beliefs and practices (†¦) which unite into one single moral community called a Church’: for him, ‘the idea of religion is inseparable from that of the Church’ (Durkheim cited in Harvey, 2013, p. 8). This definition fits well with established religion in the past – a strong cohesive force within society, bounding its members together, most often centralised and institutionalised (as the Roman Catholic Church). By contrast, in our modern society, individual choices tend to be prevalent in religious matters, allowing people to freely shift their religious affiliation or even build up their own spirituality – a trend sometimes labelled ‘the privatisation of religion’. People are increasinglyShow MoreRelatedChristian Allegory in Beowulf1027 Words   |  4 Pagesback into a time long past; one of family, fate, and fealty. Beowulf offers a glimpse of a society struggling between two different paths, one path being the assimilation into the new Christian traditions and the other is the fast fading past of glorified warriors and family ties. In the poem, the reader can see the attempts of the poet to convey the values and stories of Judeo-Christianity in a society of Anglo-Saxon paganism. The poet illustrates the infiltration of the Christian teachings andRead MoreOld Testament Apocalyptic By Daniel. Daniel1176 Words   |  5 Pageswere crushed all at the same time and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth(2:34-35). Daniel s interpretation was the foretelling of future kingdoms and empires starting with the Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans. Since Daniel s dream interpretation was part of a narrative from the time of Nebuchadnezzar s (Da.2)Read MoreTh e Book Of Hebrews Has Long Left Readers With Various Unanswered Questions1553 Words   |  7 Pageson how the book came into being. From the author to the intended audience, and from the land of its origin, to its travel across the ancient world, and its eventual acceptance into the compilation of scripture, much of what we know about the book of Hebrews is speculation. This article seeks to delve deeper into the questions regarding the book s origin and to the overall purpose of the book which led to its inclusion in the New Testament. The book of Hebrews was written with the intention of makingRead More Jewish ROles in Medieval Europe Essay521 Words   |  3 Pagesin medieval civilization became apparent to the Christian and Islam peoples of the time. Various time periods are claimed by various different authors, however in this particular case I have utilized the historical writings of Louis Finkelstein. In one of his many books, we find that his perception of Jews in this time are from about 1000 AD to 1603AD. These dates seem to encompass the entire Middle Ages much better than some of the other speculations made by various other Jewish authors. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;ManyRead MoreOptimism as a Theme for Candide Essay1121 Words   |  5 Pagesopposite of pessimism, is a lifeview where the world is looked upon the as a positive place. Optimists generally believe that people are inherently good. These people are said to have a positive outlook on life, believing that given time, things will work out in the end. Also according to Wikipedia, In philosophy, optimism is linked with the name of Gottfried Leibniz, who held that we live in the best of all possible worlds, a theodicy for which he was famously mocked by Voltaire in his satiricalRead MoreShirley Jacksons The Lottery Essay examples1067 Words   |  5 PagesShirley Jacksons The Lottery After reading Shirley Jackson’s short story â€Å"The Lottery† several times over the many years, this story has many meanings beyond simply the words on the pages. These are left up to the speculation of the reader for the most part, which lets each individual come up with his or her own opinions to fuel an argument. I feel that much of the symbolism revolves around religion, in particular Christianity. To take the story at face value would nearly be an exercise in futilityRead More`` The Handmaid s Tale `` By Margaret Atwood And Gary Ross1542 Words   |  7 Pages‘Speculation on the future reveals the present’ The 1986 Novel ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ written by Margaret Atwood and Gary Ross’ 2012 film ‘The Hunger Games’ are dystopian texts that reflect the genre of dystopian literature and the context in which they were composed. The conventional themes through which they do this are uniformity, technology and removal from present time as well as how these concepts are manipulated to create new meanings. In Atwood’s 1986 novel ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ the themeRead MoreThe Emperor Constantine Is One Of The Major Figures Of1253 Words   |  6 PagesThe Emperor Constantine is one of the major figures of Christian history (89). After his transformation, Christianity moved quickly from the separation of the tombs to the esteem of castles. The development began the fourth century as an oppressed minority; it finished the century as the built up religion of the domain. Consequently, the Christian Church was joined to the energy of the state and accepted an ethical accountability of the entire society. To serve the state, it refined its principleRead More The Rise Of Christianity Essay1320 Words   |  6 PagesBut only Christianity had the right combination of ingredients to appeal to both the masses and also eventually the ruling elite. Based on ancient scriptures, with a solid creation myth, its own collection of inspired writings, a convincing story about the ap pearance of God as a man (e.g. Jesus), a morality based upon personal maturity rather than harsh punishment, role models for both men and women, and a good organizational structure. Christianity was destined to grow to become the dominant religionRead MoreSt. Patrick As A Middle Class Deacon And Tax Collector1480 Words   |  6 Pagesdreams about the Irish people needing him to come to Ireland. Patrick was then ordained as a bishop and journeyed back to Ireland to preach the gospel. Today, St. Patrick is seen as the missionary who brought Christianity to Ireland. Some believe that St. Patrick went to Ireland to truly preach the gospel and save souls. Others believe that St. Patrick wanted to bring Roman Catholic order to the Christians and non-Christians of Ireland. Both of these views are based on the knowledge about St. Patrick