A Christmas Tale

Article: François Mauriac’s “A Christmas Tale”

Annotations: Sarah Kelchner

Summary:

(Kat Close)

A Christmas Tale by Francois Mauriac is an intriguing short story recounting the author’s perspective of a dreaded childhood event: realizing that Santa Claus, or in this case little Jesus, is not real. The story follows the author as a child and his innocent friend, Jean de Blaye, as they each discover this seemingly disheartening fact in two very different ways. During the night, the two both stay up at their respective houses in order to witness the miracle of little Jesus coming down to deliver gifts in their shoes. They are both excited to see this occurrence and wait, fully believing in the existence of little Jesus. Unexpectedly, the two boys discover that it has been their mothers laying the gifts upon their shoes rather than Jesus. Jean is devastated by this betrayal and, in that one night, angrily casts away his childhood and steps into a troubled future. On the contrary, the author understands the significance of the moment, knowing that it is ultimately Jesus delivering the gifts through his mother to him. He recognizes that Jesus is found within all, and this acceptance keeps the magic of Christmas alive for him throughout the rest of his life.

Opinions:

Kat Close: As someone who fully believes in the magic of Christmas, I relate with the author’s side of this experience. Despite knowing that the probability of a man on a sleigh traveling the world to deliver gifts to everyone in one night is slim, I also recognize that the magic is more than just Santa Claus. The magic is the experience, it is the feelings and the memories and the time spent hiding the gifts and setting up baby powder footprints through the house. It is watching the Norad Santa tracker while blasting Christmas music and writing letters that mysteriously are answered during the night. Although Santa as a person may not exist, his spirit exists within us all, just like the spirit of God and Jesus exists in us all too.

Matthew Cain: Even though I understand the realities of what Christmas is, I don’t see it as any less special than a child who believes in Santa. I see it as one of the most important ways parents show their love for their children in a way that the children will not be able to fully understand for years, which is a really special sentiment to me. In particular the quote “He wants to be loved without being seen” resonated with me because it made me think about how parents realize that their children won’t understand half of what the parents do for them, yet the parents still do it for love.

Nia Hope: At first I felt a sense of pride for knowing that Santa was not real. I could help my parents recreate the magic of Christmas for my younger brother. However, as I began to accept the truth I realized that I missed the magic of the lie. I can relate to Jean de Blaye, to a degree. For me, every Christmas since the discovery has been a bit tainted. I realize now that although Santa is a lie, the magic and joy around Christmas is not.

Sarah Kelchner: I can’t even remember how young I was when I realized that Santa wasn’t real. In fact, I think I stopped “believing” even before my older brother did. However, in no way did this detract from how I viewed Christmas and the hope of the Christmas season. I understood that the tradition of believing in Santa is only one aspect of the spirit of Christmas and that the concepts of giving without receiving, finding joy in even the unexciting flow of everyday life, and passing on hope to subsequent generations was what truly mattered. I still love Christmastime…so much that I listen to Christmas music all year long. For me, Christmas is a mindset and I tend to respond to it more like Francois Mauriac, not de Blaye–I don’t see the less factual aspects of the Christmas season as reasons become bitter toward childhood and how I was deceived as a kid. Rather, I look back and use my appreciation of those happy moments to look forward in my life.

Landon Clime: I did used to believe in Santa and the whole belief; however, I still love the Christmas time. Whether it is going out and getting gifts for people or blasting my Christmas music in October, I have always loved the season. I tend to agree with the story’s message that it is just about the times. I do not view my parents “lying” to me with spite but with joy. It inspires me to do it with my kids.

First blog post

Roman Catholic and Lutheran View in the Bible

By: Nia Hope

             The Bible is the sacred writings composed of Hebrew Scriptures to form the Old Testament and early Christian works to from the New Testament; the views on the interpretation of the Bible differ for various Christian denominations. Southern Baptists believe that it is through the individual interpretation of the Bible that they can come to understand the truth about God. Southern Baptists make the Bible accessible and available for all of its believers, including the average layperson (“Sola Scriptura”). This is based on the Protestant belief, which is accepted by Southern Baptists, of sola scriptura. Sola scriptura translates to “scripture alone” and explains that the Bible is the only authority for doctrine. It is a “sufficient basis for faith and practice” (“Baptist vs Roman Catholic Beliefs” ). As Reformed Protestants, the Southern Baptist emphasis on the Bible stems from one of the key components of the Protestant Reformation, the belief that the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church “wandered from the teachings of the Bible” (“Protestantism and the Bible”). As a result Martin Luther, the founder of Lutheranism, discredited the authority of the pope for interpreting the Bible and placed the Bible as the only authority; this belief is reflected in the doctrine of Southern Baptists. Southern Baptists believe that the sacraments are “’contrary to the teachings of the Bible and that grace is received directly from God”’ (Weeks). In the Helvetic Confession written by Henry Bullinger, Bullinger explains that Southern Baptists do not believe the Bible contains any error: “We believe and confess the canonical Scriptures of the holy prophets and apostles of both Testaments to be the true Word of God, and to have sufficient authority of themselves, not of men. For God himself spoke to the fathers, prophets, apostles, and still speaks to us through the Holy Scriptures” (Brown).

Roman Catholics have various views on the inerrancy of the Bible. Some Roman Catholic theologians claim that the original version the Bible is without error (“Biblical Inerrancy as Viewed by Roman Catholics”). Some Roman Catholic churches teach that the Bible has limited inerrancy in certain matters: “faith, morals and the criteria for salvation” (“Biblical Inerrancy as Viewed by Roman Catholics.”). 

The Roman Catholic Church contains the Apocrypha within the Old Testament, which is not included in the scripture of Southern Baptists (Dow and Mercatante). The Roman Catholic doctrines are based on the Bible, church traditions (Brown), and teachings of the Pope (“Baptist vs Roman Catholic Beliefs”); the Pope’s interpretation of the Bible holds “authority for doctrine” (Matthews 300). The authority of the Roman Catholic Church stems from several beliefs: Jesus founded the church to continue His ministry and teachings, and the Holy Spirit was given to the church to guide it (Bransfield). Monsignor Bransfield further explains, “The Revelation of Jesus is thus extended to the Apostles and handed on through two means: Sacred Scripture and Tradition” (Bransfield). Roman Catholics believe that the Bible, when interpreted by the church, contains the truth about God.

Word Count: 500

Works Cited:

“Baptist vs Roman Catholic Beliefs.” Baptist vs Roman Catholic Beliefs, http://www.baptistcatholic.com/. Accessed 7 Dec. 2017.

“Biblical Inerrancy as Viewed by Roman Catholics.” Religious Tolerance , http://www.religioustolerance.org/inerran1.htm.

Bransfield, J Brian. “Bible at Core of Catholic Beliefs.” Bible at Core of Catholic Beliefs, http://www.usccb.org/bible/understanding-the-bible/study-materials/articles/bible-at-core-of-catholic-beliefs.cfm. Accessed 7 Dec. 2017.

Brown, Stephen F. “Branches of Protestantism and Their Basic Beliefs.” Protestantism, Third Edition, Chelsea House, 2009. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/417310?q=sacred text lutherans . Accessed 7 Dec. 2017.

Dow, James R., and Anthony S. Mercatante. “Bible.” The Facts On File Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, Third Edition, Facts On File, 2004. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/425626?q=roman catholic view on bible. Accessed 7 Dec. 2017.

Matthews, Warren. “Christianity.” World Religions. 6th ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2008. 289-290. Print.

Melton, J. Gordon. “Protestantism and the Bible.” Encyclopedia of Protestantism, Second Edition, Facts On File, 2016. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/259495?q=roman catholic view on bible. Accessed 7 Dec. 2017.

Melton, J. Gordon. “Sola Scriptura.” Encyclopedia of Protestantism, Second Edition, Facts On File, 2016. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/259154?q=sola scriptura. Accessed 8 Dec. 2017.

Weeks, Lee. “How Do Catholics & Baptists Differ?” Baptist Press, 18 Apr. 2005, http://www.bpnews.net/20599/how-do-catholics-and-baptists-differ. Accessed 7 Dec. 2017.

Christian Ethics

John Patrick Nora

Ms. Weidner

IB World Religions II – Gold 1

8 December 2017

Christian Ethics

            One of Christianity’s most significant ethics is the 10 Commandments. These are some of the most prominent guidelines in all of Christianity, and were created by God. These 10 Commandments include: You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make idols. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Honor your father and your mother. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet. The Commandments themselves are not difficult, as they list basic guidelines such as not having other gods, keeping in mind God’s day, respecting your parents, no killing, no stealing, etc. However, it can be difficult to simultaneously and properly follow all of these guidelines. One must keep in mind that these commandments were spoken by God Himself, and this truly shows the significance of them and how we must truly follow them.

Another one of Christianity’s ethics is to follow guidelines and complete certain actions with the mind, but more importantly, with the heart. This means that one should not be doing an action simply because it is required, but rather that a person genuinely wants to do it. One example of this is going to weekly mass. Weekly mass is required, as part of the 10 Commandments, and people do go. However, even if a person goes to mass every week, there is no real purpose in doing so if a person is only doing it if is required. If that is the case, then a person will not be able to build a real and genuine relationship with God. Building a relationship with God is one of the most important aspects of Christianity, and identifying how it can so negatively be affected merely by doing something because it is required rather than actually wanting to should show how important it is to do everything a person can with all of his or her heart.

A third example of ethics in Christianity is to participate in the Sacraments. Although the number of Sacraments is dependent on the denomination, the two main Sacraments that nearly all denominations of Christianity include are Baptism, and the reception of Holy Communion. Baptism refers to the Sacrament in which a person is first welcomed into the Church. In addition to the welcoming, a person is also washed clean of original sin. Baptisms generally include some form of immersion in water, or others a sprinkling of water. This mainly depends on the denomination. Water is the most important factor of Baptism, as it represents when Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan River. The second main Sacrament is known as Holy Communion. There are many names for this, but the most general term that many denominations accept is Holy Communion. This is when a person receives the bread and wine, either representing Jesus’ body and blood, or what is believed to be His actual body and blood. This belief depends on the denomination, as some believe that the bread and wine represents His bod and blood, whereas others believe that it is actually transformed into it. Christians receive the body and blood so that a person can become closer to God and become more unified with Christ.

Word Count: 560

 

Works Cited

Cochran, Clarke E. “Christian Social Ethics.” Encyclopedia of American Religion and Politics, Updated Edition, Facts On File, 2008. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/169890?q=christianity ethics. Accessed 7 Dec. 2017.

Duval, R. Shannon, and Susan Terkel. “Christian Ethics.” Encyclopedia of Ethics, Facts On File, 1999. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/429176?q=christianity ethics. Accessed 7 Dec. 2017.

Matthews, Warren. “Christianity.”World Religions. 6th ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2008. 311. Print.

Authority of Scripture in the Southern Baptist and Roman Catholic Churches (Sarah Kelchner)

Sarah Kelchner

According to Southern Baptists, the Bible is the ultimate authority on matters of spiritual truth. The Bible is the definitive Word of God: perfect, divinely inspired, and “unconditioned by time or cultural circumstances” (Balmer 11). Southern Baptists believe in the doctrine of biblical literalism because since the Bible is divinely inspired and inerrant, biblical statements must be accepted as unconditionally and literally true; in conjunction with the doctrine of sola scriptura, this means that Scripture therefore holds ultimate authority and should be believers’ only source of spiritual truth (Rogers). Since biblical messages are evident and literally true, the Bible is deemed to be easily accessible and understandable by all (Farnsley 40). Therefore, Southern Baptists uphold the autonomy of each individual in interpreting Scriptures; this idea that each believer has the authority to interpret the Scriptures for himself/herself is known as the “priesthood of the believer” (Farnsley 41). Accordingly, the Southern Baptist Church is characterized by a democratic polity, which is a governance structure which relies upon “the competency of a…believer to interpret the Scriptures rightly under the guidance of the Holy Spirit” rather than on Church authorities to establish acceptable explanations of the Scriptures (Farnsley 42). The Southern Baptist Church acknowledges that remaining committed to the ultimate authority of the Scriptures and to the resultant freedom of individuals to interpret them personally can lead to a degree of subjectivity and even inaccuracies amongst various interpretations. However, the Church roots itself in the conviction that it is even more dangerous to place the authority to interpret Scriptures in the hands of a select few; rather, each “believer-priest” should receive whatever individual message God seeks to convey through the Scriptures and the guidance of both the Holy Spirit and the pastors and ministers available to guide believers to accurate and applicable spiritual truths (Pinson).

Catholics believe that the Bible is absolutely true, but that since it is a compilation of human-made documents, interpretation and guidance from the Church are necessary to accurately determine the meanings of the Scriptures (“Catholics and the Bible”). The Catholic Church points out that while the Bible was divinely inspired and therefore is imbued with some degree of authority from God, the very formation of the scriptural canon was coordinated by the Church when the scriptural canon was established in the late third century (Flinn, “Inerrancy of Scripture;” Matthews 289-290). Therefore, the authority of the Bible depends on the authority of the Church (“Catholics and the Bible”). Since, according to Pope Leo XIII’s statements in the Providentissimus Deus, the sacred writers sought not to provide factual accounts of science or history through the Scriptures, the Bible cannot be assumed to be literally true on all accounts; however, this does not discount the credibility of the Bible in any way on topics of spiritual truths (“Catholics and the Bible”). Rather, this simply means that Church experts use exegesis to disentangle potentially misleading statements from fundamental spiritual truths by examining the cultural and historical context of the Scriptures (“Catholics and the Bible”). In this way, the Catholic Church emphasizes the importance of recognizing both the divine and human aspects of the Bible (Flinn, “Inerrancy of Scripture”). While individuals are encouraged to read the Bible and learn from God’s Word, they must also rely upon the Church’s authority to interpret Scripture and utilize the tools provided by the Church for guidance in reaching complete and accurate conclusions about spiritual truths (“Catholics and the Bible”). Specifically, Catholics are encouraged to follow the missal, which contains readings and responses, during each mass and then listen to the homily, or the priest’s interpretations and explanations of the Scriptures based on Church doctrine (Flinn, “Roman Missal”). There are also commentaries available from theological experts who create detailed explanations for Bible passages to help readers understand the meaning and appreciate the richness of the Scriptures.

Word Count: 599

Works Cited

Balmer, Randall. “Why Southern Baptists Insist on Biblical Literacy.” The Lakeland Ledger 22 Jun. 1991: 11. Print.

“Catholics and the Bible.” Catholic Education Resource Center, Catholic Evidence Guild, 1921, http://www.catholiceducation.org/en/culture/catholic-contributions/catholics-and-the-bible.html. 7 Dec. 2017.

Farnsley, Arthur Emery. “Ambiguity without Consensus: The Development of Procedural Polity.” Southern Baptist Politics: Authority and Power in the Restructuring of an American Denomination, Pennsylvania State University Press, 1994, pp. 40–43.

Flinn, Frank K. “Inerrancy of Scripture.” Encyclopedia of Catholicism, Second Edition, Facts On File, 2016. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/263443?q=catholic scripture. 7 Dec. 2017.

Flinn, Frank K. “Roman Missal.” Encyclopedia of Catholicism, Second Edition, Facts On File, 2016. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/263187?q=missal. 7 Dec. 2017.

Matthews, Warren. “Christianity.” World Religions. 6th ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2008. 289-290. Print.

Pinson, William M. “The Authority of the Bible.” Baptist Distinctives, 20 Jan. 2015, http://www.baptistdistinctives.org/resources/articles/the-authority-of-the-bible/. 7 Dec. 2017.

Rogers, Adrian. “The Baptist Faith and Message.” Southern Baptist Convention, 2017, http://www.sbc.net/bfm2000/bfm2000.asp. 7 Dec. 2017.

The Bible in the Catholic and Southern Baptist Churches

Matthew Cain

Although there are many different editions and translations available, Catholics typically use the New American Bible, with 46 books in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. The Catholic Bible includes the Apocrypha (the books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and I & II Maccabees), and Church leadership has explicitly stated that these books are of equal reverence as the rest of the Bible (Saunders). Catholics believe that the Scripture is sacred, but that it is not the entire word of God, and thus they do not “limit their understanding” of faith to solely the Bible. Rather, Catholics also look to the teachings of priests, bishops, the Pope, and Church councils for authority in interpreting Scripture when it is unclear or silent on certain topics (Harden). Catholics believe that the authority to interpret Scripture and to teach Church doctrine has been passed down through Church leaders since Jesus’ Apostles, and that the fullness of teachings is found through “both Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition” (Harden).

The Catholic Church was officially formed through the centralization of power in Rome under leaders who traced their authority back to Peter, and thus this Church has a tradition of looking to Church leaders for authority (Matthews 296). Catholics believe that the Bible was inspired by God and written by humans to teach humans about God and how to act as His people, but they do not believe that this logically means that the Bible should be the only authority on faith (Harden). Catholics understand that the Bible, as stated directly in John’s Gospel, cannot contain all information about Jesus’ life, the nature of God, and humans’ relationship with Him: “Scripture is most certainly a part of Divine Revelation, but it is not the fullness of it” (Harden). Catholics emphasize that Jesus did not write any Scripture or compile a canon, and that rather he started the tradition of the Church through Peter. He did not confine his teachings to a book, but rather he sent forth his human followers to spread the faith (Harden).

Southern Baptists typically use the King James Bible, which does not include the Apocrypha (Saunders). Baptists believe that the most essential teachings of the Bible are clear enough for all believers to understand, so they reject a centralized authority charged with interpreting and explaining Scripture. When a Bible verse is unclear, clearer passages are often used to interpret the more ambiguous verses (Geisler). Baptist Church services are heavily focused on the reading of Scripture, and the most focal aspects of a Baptist church are the pulpit, for reading Scripture, and the choir, for singing Scripture.

Baptists adhere strictly to the doctrine of Sola Scriptura, which states that “Scripture alone is the primary and absolute source for all doctrine and practice,” including faith and morals (Geisler). The Protestant Reformation began largely as a reaction against the corruption of Church leaders, and thus the Baptist Church formed from a tradition of a rejection of a centralized authority over believers (Matthews 299). The Bible is divinely inspired: its words are God’s words, so Baptists hold it as the only ultimate and necessary authority for Christian teachings. The Church leadership is fallible, and only the Bible is infallible (Geisler). The Baptist Bible does not include the Apocrypha because Martin Luther did not believe these books to be equal to the rest of Scripture (Saunders). Furthermore, verses within these books support the doctrines of Purgatory, the authority of the priesthood, and merited salvation, which the Baptist Church rejects (Gantly). Church services focus on Scripture readings because reading the Bible is only way to know God’s revelation, learn about the sufficient grace of Jesus’ sacrifice, and understand salvation.

Word count: 598

Works Cited

Gantley, Mark. “The 7 Books Removed by Martin Luther.” Global Catholic Network, 1 May 2005, http://www.ewtn.com/v/experts/showmessage.asp?number=438095.

Geisler, Norman. “What is Sola Scriptura?” Christian Research Institute, 8 Apr. 2009, http://www.equip.org/article/what-is-sola-scriptura/.

Harden, John. “The Bible and Tradition.” Bible Study for Catholics, Ascension Press, 4 Feb. 2016, biblestudyforcatholics.com/bible-tradition/.

Matthews, Warren. “Christianity.” World Religions. 6th ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2008. 296, 299. Print.

Saunders, William. “The Missing Books of the Bible.” The Arlington Catholic Herald, 19 Sept. 2016, http://www.catholicherald.com/Faith/Bishop_Loverde/Bishop_s_25th_Anniversary/The_Missing_Books_of_the_Bible/.

Exegesis of the Lord’s Supper/Eucharist. Landon Clime

Southern Baptist proclaim themselves to be the “people of the Book” (Elliff). Southern Baptists believe the Bible is the greatest teaching authority and put a greater emphasis on Bible study (Matthews 314). This stress on the importance of the Bible relates to the doctrine Sola Scriptura. Sola Scriptura can be directly seen in the practice of the Lord’s Supper in the Southern Baptist Church. The Southern Baptists’ exegesis of the scripture is that Jesus Christ ordered them to eat the unleavened bread and drink the wine as symbols of his resurrection. According to the Southern Baptist Convention, “The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming” (“The Baptist Faith and Message”). This act of remembrance is because of the way Southern Baptist interpret the Bible and the importance they place on it. Southern Baptists look towards the Bible to create their doctrines and structure their theological beliefs (Elliff). Specifically in 1 Corinthians, Paul proclaims that Jesus said to his disciples, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me” (New Oxford Annotated Version, 1 Corinthians 11). To the Southern Baptist, their exegesis of the Lord’s Supper is to solely do it in remembrance of Him, not to reenact the event. This interpretation of the Bible is why Southern Baptists have uniques views on grace, salvation, and faith.

Catholics infer from the Bible that the bread and wine are not merely signs of remembrance, but they are the true body and blood of Jesus Christ. Catholics do not take the Bible at its face value. Rather, they construct their doctrines and beliefs around the Patriarch’s view of the Bible. For example, the Catholics’ doctrine of transubstantiation was established in 1545 at the Council of Trent. A council of highly ranked Catholics had to congregate in order to come up with it; it did not solely come from the Bible. One of the most famous verses in the Bible that Catholics interpret as their proof of transubstantiation. Jesus claimed that “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world. . . . For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink” (New Oxford Annotated Version, John 6:51-55). This verse reflects the exegesis Catholics use to view their sacred text. However, it is not solely a word-for-word reading of the Scripture. Catholics typically generate their doctrines during important conferences or from higher authority and then find the evidence within the Scripture. This type of exegesis stems from the importance of the Church in Catholicism. The Pope is infallible and is in works with the Holy Spirit, so his perspective on the Scripture is followed by others. Because Catholics have a more holistic exegesis of the Bible, including the input from high ranked church official, their beliefs are distinct from other denominations.

Word Count: 527.

 

Ellif, Tom. “Understanding Baptism.” Journal of the Southern Baptist Convention,
http://www.sbclife.net/Articles/2006/09/sla5. Accessed 7 December 2017.

Fay, William. “The Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the Eucharist: Basic Questions and Answers.” United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/the-mass/order-of-mass/liturgy-of-the-eucharist/the-real-presence-of-jesus-christ-in-the-sacrament-of-the-eucharist-basic-questions-and-answers.cfm. Accessed 7 December 2017.

Matthews, Warren. “Christianity.” World Religions. 6th ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson/
Wadsworth, 2008. 313. Print.

“The Baptist Faith and Message.” Southern Baptist Convention. http://www.sbc.net/bfm2000/bfm2000.asp. Accessed 7 December 2017.

The Bible. The New Oxford Annotated Version, 3rd ed., Oxford UP, 2001.

 

 

Scripture in Lutheranism and Catholicism

Katherine Close

Mrs. Weidner

The books of the New Testament comprise what is known as the Christian Canon, the list of books which are universally considered Scripture despite differences amongst the denominations (Matthews 289). However, different denominations have different versions and methods of exegesis (theological investigation of the true meaning of Sacred Scripture) of this common base in Scripture, as evident when comparing Roman Catholicism to a Protestant denomination such as Lutheranism (Maas).

In Catholicism equal emphasis is placed on Tradition and Scripture, which means that the Church does not derive all of its revealed truths from Scripture alone, but also from the interpretations of the Church’s appointed teaching authority (Bransfield). Such exegesis involves the analysis of the literary structure and context of passages in order to extract the true sense of the words as applicable to desired situations (Kodell). The process involves the analysis of the literal, or explicit, sense and the derivative, or implicit, sense (Maas). While the explicit truths are easily found in the Bible, implicit truths exist because of the allowed interpretation and are thus usually unique to Catholicism (Bransfield). This is also extended to the Old Testament, which is read and interpreted in relation to the coming of Jesus in the New Testament despite having been written long before the latter half (Kodell). In the interpretation, Catholics avoid irreverence and respect the infallibility of the Scripture while respecting the Church’s set definition, the Patristic interpretation, and potential analogies of faith (Maas).

Lutheranism places a different emphasis on Scripture. As the first Protestant denomination to develop, Lutheranism was the first to advocate for a doctrine of Sola Scriptura. It places the doctrinal emphasis on Scripture; they believe that the Bible alone should be the basis of Christian faith and the sole authority when determining doctrine (Melton). This authority is facilitated by their belief in God as the true Author of the Scripture (Matthews). Their exegesis states that Scriptural passages have three different meanings: literal, moral, and anagogic (Martin Luther removed the mystical or allegorical interpretation from Lutheran philosophy). Later on, categories of doctrine were added to the process of interpretation (Grant). Lutherans refrain from extreme interpretation of the words to avoid inserting additional meanings into passages so that they may preserve the original significance of the Bible within their doctrine (“Authority”). This traditional philosophy lies in accordance with their concern for continuity with the Church of the past; Lutherans want to stick to the original Lutheran Church’s understanding of scripture as closely as possible (“Authority”).

The official approved english translation of the Bible in Catholicism is the New American Bible (NAB) while most popularly used Bibles in Lutheranism are the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) or the Revised Standard Version (RSV) (Kevin). The NAB does its translation with stringent observance of the rules of criticism and reverence for the words. It also includes eight additional books, collectively known as the Apocrypha, which only Catholics use (Vatican.va). The RSV, and now the NRSV, are the only major translations which include both the Protestant Canon and the Apocryphal books. They are offered in three different versions containing specific books for different denominations (BibleGateway).

Word Count: 520

Works Cited

“Authority of God’s Word.” Lutheran Core, 2017 ed., 15 Apr. 2007, http://www.lutherancore.org/what-we-believe/authority-of-god%E2%80%99s-word/. Accessed 2 Dec. 2017.

Bransfield, J. Brian. “Bible at Core of Catholic Beliefs.” United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, http://www.usccb.org/bible/understanding-the-bible/study-materials/articles/bible-at-core-of-catholic-beliefs.cfm. Accessed 2 Dec. 2017.

Grant, R. M., et al. “History of the Interpretation of the Bible.” The Interpreter’s Bible, by R. H. Grant, edited by Erwin L. Lueker et al., rev. ed., New York, Concordia Publishing House, 2000, pp. 106-41. Christian Cyclopedia, cyclopedia.lcms.org/display.asp?t1=e&word=EXEGESIS. Accessed 2 Dec. 2017.

The Holy Bible. New Revised Standard Version, National Council of the Churches of Christ, 1989. BibleGateway, National Council of the Churches of Christ, http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-Revised-Standard-Version-NRSV-Bible/. Accessed 2 Dec. 2017.

The Holy Bible. Edited by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, New American Bible, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2002. Vatican.va, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/__P1.HTM. Accessed 2 Dec. 2017.

Kodell, Jerome. “Basis of Catholic Interpretation of Bible Differs from Protestats.'” Catholic Diocese of Little Rock, 12 Jan. 2002, http://www.dolr.org/article/basis-catholic-interpretation-bible-differs-protestants%E2%80%99. Accessed 2 Dec. 2017.

Maas, Anthony. “Biblical Exegesis.” The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol 5 ed. New Advent, Robert Appleton Company, 1909, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05692b.htm. Accessed 2 Dec. 2017.

Matthews, Louis. “A Statement of Scriptural and Confessional Principles.” The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, 13 July 1973, http://www.lcms.org/about/beliefs/doctrine/statement-of-scriptural-and-confessional-principles. Accessed 2 Dec. 2017.

Matthews, Warren. “Christianity.” World Religions. 6th ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2008. 289. Print.

S., Kevin. “Denominations and Bible Translations.” NewEpistles, 25 Oct. 2007, newepistles.wordpress.com/2007/10/25/denominations-and-bible-translations/. Accessed 2 Dec. 2017.

Comparisons of Denominations’ Rituals and Beliefs (Sarah Kelchner)

Date: 12/4/2017
Note: notes taken during the first half of class consisted of continued discussion of the ideas of justification and grace between Lutherans/Southern Baptists and Catholics/ Eastern Orthodox Christians. These notes were consolidated with the previous class’s “Salvation in Lutheranism…” but were also copied below:

Regarding efficacy, Lutherans and Southern Baptists hold that your faith WILL make you change and bring you the grace that is given to us freely by God through Christ’s sacrifice. This grace is completely sufficient for salvation and therefore no specific good deeds are needed. Any religious practice is a SYMBOL of the salvation and grace you’ve already received. No transformation or inner renewal of the person occurs, and no human cooperation is required for salvation.

Regarding efficacy, Catholics and the Eastern Orthodox Church hold that your faith SHOULD make you change your way of living and bring you grace, but and individual still must perform good deeds that are deemed to be the most “efficacious” (effective) ways of bringing about intangible things (God’s grace that leads to salvation) by tangible means (such as receiving the Eucharist or serving the needy). Although grace is a free and undeserved gift from God, some human cooperation is needed in RECEIVING that gift and to merit the grace God gives us by performing good works. The grace given to us is “insufficient:” Christ’s sacrifice is the only way we have a chance at salvation, but once we have faith in Jesus, we do acts that effect the bringing of more grace. We are inwardly renewed/transformed and therefore we constantly act in a way that allows us to receive MORE grace and MORE transformation. Some of these actions include: praying, attending mass, participating in Holy Days, doing the Acts of Mercy, and receiving Sacraments. Nonetheless, grace cannot be merited WITHOUT faith.

———Comparison of Denominations’ Rituals and Beliefs——–
In the Roman Catholic Church:
-Ritual: Eucharist is received during every mass (should be at least once a week, can be once a day or even more than once a day ONLY if the liturgy is different in the two masses)
-Belief/Doctrine: in accordance with the doctrine of insufficient grace, Catholics must receive grace through performing religious rituals. Catholics aim to perform works that are efficacious means of receiving grace in order to receive as much grace as possible

In the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches:
-Ritual: Infant baptism
-Belief/Doctrine: grace must be earned through works, so it is best to start accruing grace and begin that inner transformation at the youngest age possible. The faith aspect of the transaction is supplied by the parents of the child being baptized

In Lutheranism and Southern Baptist Churches:
-Ritual/Action: Emphasis on Bible reading and singing of the Scriptures during church services
-Belief/Doctrine: in accordance with the doctrine of sola scriptura, the Bible is believed to be the only source of spiritual revelation. Since the grace provided to us through Christ’s sacrifice is completely sufficient for us, less emphasis is placed on the rituals and more on learning from the Bible that tells us about this grace and our salvation

-Ritual/Action: No initiation into faith/the Church (by contrast with the Catholic initiation processes of the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and the Catechumenate)
-Belief/Doctrine: in accordance with the doctrine of “sufficient grace,” no works or specific rituals are needed to help an individual merit salvation. If an individual reports to have accepted Christ and to believe in Him as his/her savior, he/she is automatically considered “saved” and need not go through any certain ceremony to become part of the Church (although it is expected that the new believer begin to partake in the studying of the Scriptures and in learning about basic Church doctrine).

In Southern Baptist Church:
-Ritual: Adult Baptism
-Belief/Doctrine: Baptism is merely a SYMBOL of your faith and of the unmerited grace you’ve already received. It must be performed as an adult when the recipient fully understands the symbolic meaning of the baptism. The baptism itself does not bring grace or additional merit since the individual has already been saved by his/her faith alone.

****Important “big idea” to consider: How do the doctrines and beliefs (regarding grace, transubstantiation/consubstantiation/memorialism, etc) of different Christian denominations influence rituals (Communion, Baptism, etc)?
—————————————————-
Parables:
-Jesus often used simple word-pictures to help his audience understand God’s nature and kingdom
-these word-pictures, called “parables,” used everyday images and stories to communicate extraordinary divine truths by comparing the Kingdom of God to certain items. For example, according to the Gospel of Mark, Jesus compared the Kingdom of God with a mustard seed
-the parables are rooted in the context of the culture in which Jesus lived and therefore require a bit of research and interpretation for us to understand today what Jesus was communicating, but the messages he conveyed are timeless and pervasive
-parables define the unknown using the known
-parables basically ALWAYS deal with the Kingdom of God in some way
-God only reveals the secrets of His kingdom to those who recognize their need for God and spiritual truth
———————————–
Note: Terminology when addressing various denominations:

Roman Catholics refer to meetings as “masses”
Eastern Orthodox Church: celebrations of the “Divine Liturgy”
Generally, all other denominations can use the term “church services”

Roman Catholics refer to officiants of masses as “priests,” but in a parish that has multiple priests, one priest is referred to as the “pastor” and the others are somewhat subordinate to the pastor.
Many Protestant denominations refer to the leaders of church services as “pastors,” while the Southern Baptists may refer to the pastor more specifically as a “minister.”

 

 

Salvation in Lutheranism and the Roman Catholic Church/Eastern Orthodox Church – Kat Close, Nia Hope, and Sarah Kelchner

TWO SIDES OF A COIN

Lutheranism and Southern Baptists

• Independent of all human cooperation
• God’s favor freely given which gives us the merit of Jesus
• Received by faith alone
• Eternal life is just a gift, not brought about by merit or good action
• Jesus’ sacrifice is sufficient grace
• SOLA FIDE: only through our faith are we justified before God. Faith gives you ALL the grace needed.
  • No merit or good deeds necessary
  • Faith will bring about salvation
    • Religious good works are a symbol of this salvation
    • No transformation of the person
• Not a matter of inner renewal or transformation
• If you have faith, you will do the works: good works are still emphasized strongly and it is expected that a true “believer” who has accepted Christ and believes in Him as his Savior will, accordingly, choose to attend church, obey God’s commands, serve the poor, etc.
• ANY religious practice (being baptized, receiving Communion, serving the needy) is a symbol of the salvation and grace you have already received
• God looks upon man and recognizes that they are naturally imperfect, but he chooses to overlook it.

Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox

• Freely given, but also must be freely accepted (human cooperation is needed)
• Inner renewal brought about by divine grace
  • This does not mean we are perfect after being transformed, but we are more capable of being an expression of God’s love
• This inner renewal does not occur if faith is unaccompanied by the good works and “merit” that must follow–a justified person, by doing good works, merits the reward of eternal life that they have access to through their faith and the freely given grace
• Grace imbued in us through Jesus’ sacrifice is insufficient: a person must show the effects of his provided salvation by transforming their life
  • Unearned grace, a gift of love
  • Justification is an inner renewal wrought by grace but cannot take place without hope, charity, and good works
  • We must continually act in ways that allows us to receive additional grace
  • Efficacy-brings about a certain result; in this context means that we do tangible things (receive Eucharist, serve poor, etc) to bring about intangible (reception of grace from God). Emphasis is placed on using the most efficacious means to bring about a constant deepening of this inner transformation and continue receiving grace
    • Effect a continuing change
  • Faith should bring about salvation BUT works are still needed:
• FAITH AND WORKS (opportunities for grace)
  • Redemption: Jesus’ sacrifice that allows us to receive grace freely from God
  • Salvation: transforming life to fit God’s will
    • Sacraments
    • Mass/Divine Liturgy (when two or more people are gathered together, God is present)
    • Holy Days of Obligation and Sabbath (community comes together for learned events that brought grace)
    • Acts of Mercy such as: visiting the imprisoned, freeing captives (not only in a literal sense but also from the bonds of loneliness, emotional abuse, and depression), burying the dead, and serving the poor and marginalized
    • Prayer (conversation with God; when we say “amen” we are acknowledging the prayer and affirming that we understand what we are doing and the significance of our conversation with God)
  • While it is an unmerited gift, we can justify it in some way – gain merit
    • Show that we understand and display our gratitude
• If you do the works, you show your faith

Unity School of Christianity-Landon Clime and Sarah Kelchner

Summary

-founded by Charles and Myrtle Fillmore in the early 20th century
-denies deity of Jesus-Jesus was just a man and an example for how we should live our lives
-God is an invisible, impersonal principle, not a person
-God is a divine universal consciousness. Man is included in that universal consciousness, so therefore humans are divine as well.
-Holy Spirit is rarely mentioned–Unity School of Christianity refers to “God’s spirit” that lives within every human and states that during Baptism, an “inflow of the Holy Spirit” occurs. Other than that, the Holy Spirit does not play a large role
-belief in reincarnation: humans are born again on earth when they “put on Christ” and undergo a mental and physical transformation. Accordingly, Jesus was “reincarnated,” not resurrected
-believe that religious experience is a more important and direct way of experiencing God than reading the Bible
-Unity School of Christianity known as a “metaphysical group”

Slick, Matt. “Unity School of Christianity”. Christian Apolegetics and Research Ministery. https://carm.org/unity-school-christianity. Accessed 23 November 2017.

Main Christian Beliefs/Trinity

Notes from 11/14 by Matthew Cain

Main Christian Beliefs:

• The trinity – the central belief of Christianity, although not present in all branches
• The Messiah
• Jesus Christ as God and man (Incarnation)
• Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection
• Jesus Christ as salvation
• The second coming
• The afterlife

Sacraments are tangible prescribed actions/rituals that bring out the intangible presence of God. They must come from scripture and be initiated by Jesus, as they are memorials of his actions. They take an ordinary action and add the extraordinary presence of God. They are prescribed to commemorate an action of Jesus in the Scripture and must be initiated by Jesus.

• Baptism corresponds with Jesus’ Baptism
• Confirmation corresponds with Pentecost
• Marriage corresponds with Jesus turning the water to wine at the marriage
• Anointing the Sick corresponds with Jesus raising Lazarus
• The Eucharist corresponds with the last Supper

Everything in Christianity centralizes around Jesus, but everything is the Father’s plan, and the Holy Spirit continues after Jesus left Earth. In the trinity, the Father is seen as creator, the Son as redeemer, and the Holy Spirit as sanctifier (makes us into God’s holy people). Some of the gifts of the Holy Spirit include wisdom, fortitude, courage, and piety.

Below is a list of passages in scripture which include further understanding/instances of the trinity, along with what aspect of the trinity they emphasize or expand on:

• Deuteronomy 6:4 – oneness
• Genesis 1:26 – the Father as creator
• Ephesians 4:4-6 – oneness
• john 17:11 and 21 – 3 persons in 1 God
• John 1:18 – the Son is incarnate
• John 14:16-17 – God sent the Holy Spirit as an advocate
• Matthew 3:16-17 – Jesus’ baptism, including aspects of each person
• Galatians 4:6 – God sent the Holy Spirit into our hearts
• 1 Peter 1:2 – Jesus redeems through sanctification of the spirit
• 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 – different workings/aspects of each person but all through the same one God
• Acts 2:32-33 – the Son pours forth the spirit unto the face of the earth