Author Archives: ecasini

Team 1 Question 1, Casini

Posted on by under global christianity

The history of Christianity in colonial and postcolonial Africa worked together to capitalize and convert the people of Africa to the western way of life. They particularly came together when it related to education in Africa. “Missionaries started schools as a way to win converts for Christ, and European governments befitted from an educated native workforce that could help them run their colonies. Because most missionaries provided these services at no cost to the state, governments frequently gave missionaries near-monopoly control over education in colonial Africa” (Jacobsen, 49). The understanding of Christianity that they introduced to Africa were the necessary components of Christian living according to the European Protestants: literacy, hard work, time consciousness, democracy and self-discipline. However, the beliefs and practices of the AICs were different from Western Christianity. The AICs “proclaimed a gospel of ‘good news’ for Africans in contrast to what they viewed as the anti-African message of Christianity being spread around the continent by many Western missionaries”(Jacobsen, 50). The postcolonial age had a great effect on these churches. African Christianity and the AIC movements heavily influenced these people to take on leadership positions and take advantage of lack of Europeans during World War II. Additionally, they “had shifted their emphasis away from Western-style reason and orderliness toward a more free-wheeling focus on the Spirit” (Jacobsen, 52).

The idea of “Ubuntu” was “the foundational assumption… that every human life has value and that all human beings are interconnected” (Jacobsen, 64) and “it serves simultaneously as a statement of face and as a moral ideal” (Jacobsen, 62). This idea was applied to many aspects and situations where people either needed inspiration and guidance or in order to explain intangible phenomena. Specifically, it was applied to the theological ideals such as reconciliation, communication with the ancestors, and the African vision of God. Ubuntu illustrates a context of addressing the violence that has plagued the continent by encouraging people to confession to their actions so they may be forgiven during the South African apartheid. When issues continued to worsen between the Muslims and Christians in Liberia. The women took action to encourage “these young men to regain their souls and reintegrating them into the larger community. Justice… was set aside as socially dysfunctional” (Jacobsen, 66). When it came to the issue of life after death, the Africans used Ubuntu to accurately express their beliefs. “These two realms intersect in ways that allow the ancestors to continue to play a role in the world of the living. They remain part of the network of human interrelations” (Jacobsen, 67). Lastly, it helped explained God and his interaction with all things on Earth. “Every living entity on the planet has its source of life in God. This means that Ubuntu is not merely a human concern; it includes all of creation” (Jacobsen, 70). Ubuntu really helped the people with understanding ideas that weren’t easily understood.

 

Modern Western Christianity can learn a lot from African Christianity, especially in regards to Ubuntu. This idea of honoring each other’s dignity and that of the Earth, modern Western Christianity would be more accepting of each other and the earth around us. Ubuntu takes away the issue of race, beliefs, intellect, etc and just takes each person as a human that deserves dignity and acceptance.

Group 1 Question 1 Casini

Posted on by under puritans

Winthrop encourages his fellow Puritans to remain a community defined by the beliefs of the people despite distance between them. They must find comfort in living in a community bonded together by love and the common goal of living for and in the teachings of Christ, and therefore keep each other accountable. Explaining to them that they must improve their life and the lives of others by doing the service of God. Not only does it help lead to your salvation, but more importantly benefits those of your community which you love and look after. The definition of love is explained as “love is a bond of perfection. First it is a bond or a ligament. Secondly, it makes the work perfect. There is no body but consists of parts and that which knits these parts together, gives the body perfection”. Love is the caring and helping of other people. It seems as if Winthrop wants to encourage the mentality of putting the concerns and well-being of others before yourself. In this, there is a bond that is created and through these bond, the community becomes function by abiding by the laws of the religion and the land, but also of God. Each individual is inherently good or has the potential to be good alone, but by creating a community, perfection can be met. The visual that is created is that of a scarf or any other item that is knitted. The yarn has been produced by someone or some factory in order for someone to make something of it. Therefore, like people, all yarn has the potential to be made into something greater, like a scarf. A few stitches are good because they are the beginning of something else, but when all the stitches come together, there is a completely different product.

The relationship with God in which Winthrop has envisioned for the community is one that will be admired by others and the standard in which others will try to abide by. God will be “delight[ed] to dwell with us” meaning that the community properly fulfills the will of God and so God is proud to call them his children. He advises the group to not fail under God’s curse by living truthfully and transparently. By living under falsehoods and ulterior motives, the work and will of God done by the people will be tainted. This in turn will cause the community to not be the example of a perfect community that God is delighted to dwell in. However, a life in which one conforms to God’s will will bring peace from God and God will ratify the covenant.

This passage in Matthew 5:14-16 influences Winthrop’s understanding of the role the new community will play in the world by verbalizing a reward for living properly under God. Matthew describes a city on a hill in which people light candlesticks to see all that are present in the house. Usually, when people are placed physically above others, it is representative of their superiority and in this case saying that they are superior in following God’s will. Almost as if those in the city on the hill are the golden children that God is most proud of. By saying that people will light candlesticks to see all that are present in the house, this insinuates that the totality of the town will be good and perfect and therefore be the example by which others will base their communities and own lives on. Mostly because not only is it rare to have such open support of God, but to have everyone perfect with not even one person to mess things up is unheard of. (Also it is actually the definition of perfect.)

Winthrop’s speech would have great effect on me as I take a huge leap of faith by leaving everything I know and love behind in order to participate in a new socio-religious experiment. This would confirm that my decision was a good one, especially if my community would be so highly regarded that it would be the example for all other communities.

Team 1 Question 1

Posted on by under reformation

Luther’s understanding of repentance challenged the idea and practice of repentance that the church encouraged and preached. He does not believe that he sacrament of penance is legitimate for a few reasons. Luther takes issue with any practice that is regarded by the church as a sacrament besides baptism and communion, and penance is no difference. Additionally, “the pope [or any other members of the clergy] neither desires nor is able to remit any penalties except those imposed by his own authority or that of the canons” (“Ninety-Five Theses” Luther, 5). Luther is very adamant that the church and its clergy hold too much power that only truly belongs to God. He argues that priests do not truly have the ability to absolve people of their sins because “[God] willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance” (“Ninety-Five Theses” Luther, 1). In addition to people needing to devote their life to repenting for their sins, Luther explains that repenting and the sacrament of penance are not the same thing. The Catholic church’s view of sin is that if one receives penance after confessing their sins, they are absolved of their sins. But, according to Luther’s 2nd Theses, they are not one in the same because God wants us to spend our lifetime seeking forgiveness for our sins.

The specific historical events that led Luther to raise questions about purgatory and indulgences was when Pope X decided that he needed to raise funds to complete Saint Peter’s Basilica in 1517. He then did so by selling indulgences to the people of the church. This allowed them to then skip purgatory and be admitted direct entrance into Heaven to receive salvation. People could also purchase indulgences for their departed loved ones so they may leave purgatory. Luther has strong views on indulgences; he explains that the papacy does not have that sort of authority to absolve sin and the like. Additionally, believing that one thing purchased with money will bring salvation is completely misinterpreting what God wants for us to do during our lives.

Luther’s ideas challenge the church’s claim to authority by revoking most of their power. After examining Scripture, he realizes that the people of the clergy are over stepping into the role of God. He explains that it is untrue that the clergy and people of the church have the authority to make promises such as entrance into salvation from purgatory. Activities such as this and the fact that most people cannot read the Bible for themselves to make their own conclusions, they have no way to combat the actions of the clergy. The papacy was infuriated by the theses and did all they could to get Luther to revoke them.

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