Category: Religion and Theology

 
Topic:
Is the idea of God innate? Compare Descartes and Locke on this question. What reasons does Descartes provide for the claim that our idea of God is innate?(See both Descartes’ Meditations On First Philosophy and include at least 1 objection to the Meditations and Descartes’s Replies)
What is the best argument that Locke provides against this claim (See both Book I, Chapters II and IV by Locke)? Which author has the better case?
Why or Why not?(Read these four books carefully)

These kind of discussion should be in this paper:
1. Explain the views that you are discussing in enough detail to make the points you wish to make. By ‘Explain’ I mean give an account of the reasoning the authors you are discussing have used to establish their conclusions. Assume that the person reading your paper does not already know what you are writing about. In other words, demonstrate that you understand the material.
2. Then evaluate the views you are considering.What are their strengths and their weaknesses? Are the weaknesses enough to show that the position is not acceptable? Whose view is best? Is either view acceptable? Why or why not? And this too will require that you provide a rationale for why you have come to these conclusions.
3. Explain why your verdict(s) on the views discussed follow(s), i.e., what are the reasons why the person reading your paper should accept your conclusion(s).
4. Use a consistent method of citation, and when quoting, or paraphrasing or otherwise making reference to a text, include page numbers in the citation! (2 additional academic resources)

 
Kamo no Chomri’s Hojoki/Record of My-Ten-Foot-Square Hut (in Kenko and Chomei: Essays in Iddleness and Hokoki, pp.vii-18 plus notes on pp. 147-152)

Themes:
1. the feeling of mappo (“end of dharma”/”end time”) in Hojoki/Record of My Ten-Foot-Square Hut
2. Kamo no Chomei’s love for the quiet and stillmess of his one-room thached hut as a form of attachment/grasping (Biddhism warns against all forms of attachment/grasping)
3. the artist (in this case musician and poet/writer) as a Buddhist monk)

(Rohingya Muslims)
Minority Rights in Myanmar (Rohingya Muslims)

1) History of Myanmar
Myanmar has been ruled by military juntas for over 50years until recently in 2011 when power was transferred to quasi-civilian government. The military juntas use to implement harsh policy of internal repression and international isolation. Myanmar has experienced a series of immigration throughout history. These migrations resulted to occurrence of various ethnic groups especially those from Central Asian Plateau. Rohingya is a minority ethnic Muslim group living in Myanmar.

2) the population of the Rohingya and if they a minority or not
Number of Muslim is 15%their population estimates to one million. They are a minority group because 80%-90% of the population in Myanmar is Buddhist.

3) What rights they have as minority,how the country of Myanmar deal with those minority?
As a minority group, Rohingya do not have any rights because the government has denied them access to basic human rights and freedom. The country of Myanmar deals with Rohingya minorities by subjecting them to persecutions and inhuman treatment. The government has denied them citizenships and forced them into camps. The state has labelled the practice of Muslim religion and their ethnicity as a crime committed by Rohingya because it does not recognize their faith and ethnicity.

4) How the UN help and international law as well and what declaration will support the Rohingyasituation?
The UN and other International community offer humanitarian aid to the Rohingya in Myanmar. They help Rohingya people by providing them with basic human rights. Additionally, they provide support to Rohingya people by speaking out their persecution to the International court. The UN declared that, Myanmar government needs to recognize Rohingya as an ethnic group and identify them as part of Myanmar as well as provide them with fundamental human rights and freedom.
The international law provides for protection of rights of Muslim minority in Myanmar. The law states that everyone has equal rights and freedom. This right is provided in article 2 and 3 of the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). ICCPR is an international human right treaty that protects the civil and political rights of the minority groups. ICCPR forbids forcible removal of a person from a country or state. In addition, the treaty provides that the government should ensure safety of the personbefore removing a person from a state or country. This is to protect the person from exposure to risks such as torture, inhuman treatment, punishment, or threat of life. Therefore, it is the right and freedom of Rohingya Muslims to uphold the religion of their choice.

5) Isthe Rohingya have a rights to self-determination or not and why ?
Rohingya have a right to self-determination but since they are a minority group with no citizenship, they relay on International aid for their freedom

 
Consider Augustine’s City of God, when examining the question of how important are politics to Christians? Also, what are the differences between what the wise Pagans teach (Plato, Cicero) and what Christianity teach with regard to virtue and ethics?
If you could use three quotes, from whatever version of the text you choose, I will need no other citations.

 

 

My Research Question : What causes the stability of monarchies in the Middle East during the period of Arab Spring in 2011?

The Hypothesis : Monarchies more stable than republics during Arab Spring in 2011

The Key Independent Variables :
The form of Goverments
Wealth
Patronage
Cross cutting collations

The Dependent Variable : Political stability

The Units of Observation : Countries

 
You will complete this assignment using the attached template and grading rubric provided. This assignment will be used as a spring board in the research for a final Research Project.

Topic:
Biblical Qualifications for Local Church Leadership: “husband of one wife.”
The paper will biblically prove what a particular qualification means and how it should be implemented in our current culture.

***Please make your final product reflect the template and grading rubric.***

IMPORTANT NOTE: These questions are designed to stimulate a careful review of all course materials. The answers may be found in the lectures, readings, and/or the New Testament itself. Check those resources first before contacting the professor with any questions.
You should be able to identify and explain the significance of the following names or terms.

Alexander the Great Ezra Ptolemies
Antiochus Epiphanies Nehemiah Qumran
Apocrypha Herod Antipas Sadducees
Diaspora Maccabean Revolt Samaritans
Hellenization Herod the Great Zerubbabel
Cornelius Zacchaeus Seleucids
Apocalypticism Pentecost Septuagint
Essenes Temple Torah
Synoptic gospels Synagogue Zealots
Scribes Pharisees Second Temple Judaism

You should be able to answer the following questions:

Second Temple Judaism and Political Landscape Prior to NT

• What are the dates generally given for the Second Temple Period?
• What events mark the beginning and ending of the Second Temple Period?
• Who lead the three separate returns to Jerusalem after the exile and what did each of these individuals emphasize in terms of Israel’s post-exilic identity?
• Describe some aspects of Hellenization (Greek culture), which threatened Israel’s identity in the period between the testaments?
• What were the two responses by Israel to the Hellenization under Greco-Roman rule?
• What was significant about the translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek?
• What is the attitude of the Psalms of Solomon towards the Roman general Pompey?
• What are the four pillars of Jewish faith according to N.T. Wright? How was each significant to Jewish identity?
• List five aspects of the Temple’s significance.
• How did the early church redefine the four central pillars of the Jewish faith?
• Which group within first century Judaism had control of the high priesthood?
• Which group within first century Judaism were the precursors of “rabbinic Judaism”?
• What are the two “keynotes” of Pharasaism?
• Why is the intertestamental literature important to our understanding of the New Testament?
• Describe the “promise” and the “peril” in at least three categories of the Roman Imperial system in the first century.

Canon, Gospels and Acts

• What eventually became the criteria for determining a book’s canonicity?
• What is meant by the statement that the gospel writers match historical reliability with careful composition?
• How much material is shared between the three synoptic gospels? How much material is shared between the synoptics and John’s gospel?
• How do we deal with apparent discrepancies in the gospel accounts?
• What is the difference in the two genealogies given in Matthew and Luke?
• Name the two gospels in which the birth of Jesus is recorded.
• Who are the rather surprising additions to Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus?
• Why does Jesus get baptized?
• According to the lectures, what does Jesus see as the center of Torah?
• What four categories summarize Jesus’ public ministry?
• Give three types of “mighty works” performed by Jesus during his public ministry.
• According to some scholars, which event most likely triggered Jesus’ death?
• Which gospel has the greatest amount of discourse (teaching) material?
• Which gospel was most likely written for a Jewish audience? What clues tell you that?
• How exactly does Matthew present Jesus as Israel and as a new Moses?
• How would you summarize the gospel of Matthew?
• In which gospel does the Sermon on the Mount appear?
• The beatitudes draw inspiration from which Old Testament book and chapter?
• What is the key hermeneutic for understanding the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount?
• In Matthew’s apocalyptic discourse, which two themes does Jesus meld and why?
• Why do we emphasize that “make disciples” is the only imperative in the Great Commission (Matt 28:16-20)?
• Jesus’ death ushered in what might be termed “inaugurated eschatology.” What does this actually mean?
• Which gospel is characterized more by the deeds of Jesus than by his teaching?
• Which gospel appears to have been written first according to most contemporary scholars?
• What are some distinctives of Mark’s gospel?
• What are some important themes in the gospel of Mark?
• According to the lectures, the theme of purity unites which two stories in the gospel of Mark?
• What is the significance of the jar of spikenard in Mark 14?
• What are some characteristics of the jar of spikenard in Mark 14 that add interest and depth to the story?
• Which gospel was addressed to an individual?
• How would you summarize the gospel of Luke?
• What are some of the major themes of Luke-Acts? (NOTE: In the outline notes, Lecture 4, II, it only states Major Themes of Luke’s Gospel but should read Major Themes of Luke-Acts)
• How do Luke’s infancy narratives contribute to the overall themes of Luke-Acts?
• How does Luke demonstrate the conflict and crisis in Jesus’ ministry and that of the church? Provide concrete examples.
• How does Luke demonstrate that God is bringing about a new, inclusive, Spirit-filled community?
• With which saying does Jesus conclude the episode with Zacchaeus?
• How does Luke foreshadow the Book of Acts at the end of his gospel?
• In what chapter of what book does Jesus demonstrate that the entirety of the Old Testament teaches about him?
• Why does John echo the words of Genesis 1 when he begins his gospel?
• How do we reconcile John’s narrative of the cleansing of the temple at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry vs. at the end in the synoptics?
• List the “I am” statements in John’s gospel.
• Which gospel is characterized by the interplay of signs, discourses and feasts?
• Name four Jewish feasts, which are referred to in John’s gospel.
• List six “signs” which Jesus performs in John’s gospel.
• Which four geographical references in Acts 1 form a kind of outline for the book as a whole?
• The Pentecost event in Acts 2 stands in contrast to which important Old Testament story?
• The Pentecost event (the Spirit falling on a group of people) is repeated four times in the Book of Acts including a very dramatic first time. Name the chapter and the people group where we see the Pentecost event repeated in Acts.
• How do we know that the Cornelius episode is important to Luke? And how does this event contribute to the overall themes of the Book of Acts?
• What is the importance of the speeches in Acts?
• What is significant about the Jerusalem council (Acts 15) and how does this contribute to Luke’s overall theme in Acts?
• List some important pastoral principles found in Paul’s speech to the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:17-38).
• How does Luke tie Jesus and Paul together?
• What are some church planting characteristics that we identified in the Book of Acts?
• Compare and contrast the way that Paul preaches to Jews in Acts vs. the way he preaches to Gentiles.

Paul, Galatians and 1 / 2 Thessalonians

• Why is Paul such an important figure within the New Testament and in relation to the New Testament writings?
• Why must we pay attention to the particular situation in which Paul wrote his letters?
• In the scholarly community, which letters are considered genuine Pauline epistles?
• Why do some state that Paul’s “missionary journeys” should be characterized more as establishing missionary outposts?
• Why is it important to track Paul’s journey’s as it relates to his writings?
• Why would some argue that Paul hijacked Christianity?
• What are some Pauline emphases in his epistles?
• What is the problem being addressed in Galatians?
• Why does Paul feel it is so critical to confront Peter as he relates in Galatians?
• How are Paul, Silvanus and Timothy all related to the Thessalonian church?
• What is the occasion for the writing of 1 Thessalonians?
• What is the purpose of Paul’s description of the second coming in 1 Thessalonians?
• What is the main theme of 2 Thessalonians?
• What is the New Testament perspective regarding eschatology? How is it used?

 

The paper will have 5- sections
1.) Introduction, 2.) Description of Ante-Nicene Worship, 3.)Comparison of Ante-Nicene Worship to Current Worship Practices.4.)Suggested Changes to Worship practices, and 5.) Conclusion
Must use Turabian Style with a 12 – point Font double-spaced. in own words, use quotation and footnotes sparingly, must have a Cover Page and bIBLIOGRAPY.

i PREFER AN AMERICAN WRITER FROM THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES.

Assignment

Remember: All I am asking is for you to tell me how authors make use of theoretical ideas that come from some of the thinkers we are analyzing.(Karl Marx)
with the five sources here is what you have to do:
a. You will have a heading that indicates the source:
i. For a journal article give the name of the author, title of article, name of the journal, volume number, edition number, and date of publication, along with page numbers
ii. For a book give the name of the author, title of the book, name of the publisher, date of the publication, and page numbers.
iii. If the book is an edited collection with many authors, you will give the name of the author, the editor(s) of the book, the title of the book, the name of the publisher, year of publication, and page numbers.
b. Then you will write a one to two-paragraph summary in which you will tell us
i. What the author is talking about (say, reality tv)
ii. What aspect of the thinkers writing (Marx’s concept of class, say) is being applied to the thing under study (say, reality tv)
iii. The way that author is applying that concept (say, a specific reality television program “Project Runway” or “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo”)
Note: not that Marx inspires them, but how they are inspired by Marx.

 

“How much or Do cultural background influences journalists’ views and ethical beliefs?” but I have changed the topic to a more specific target of “Do different cultural backgrounds in Thailand and Australia influence a journalist’s views and ethical beliefs and affecting the way in which news is reported in the media?”
Instructions for this order is to write Annotated Bibliography & Literature Review relating to it.

Part 1. Annotated Bibliography.

Identify at least eight (8) scholarly/academic readings/texts that will form part of the final review of the literature relating to it.For each text, write an 80-100 word paragraph that explains how the reading relates to your work. Questions you might address include: What is the text’s main focus? What argument does the writer present? How does their work relate to your own research/creative/work project? Does it support your own argument? Does it model and/or justify your research design choice(s)?

Part 2. Literature Review example paragraph

Then write a 100-150 word paragraph that may form part of your final literature review. This paragraph is a formal piece of academic writing that should draw on some of the readings you have discussed in your annotated bibliography. This will provide your marker with an opportunity to provide feedback on the writing you will produce within your final essay or exegesis.The ideas you present in this paragraph should be carefully referenced using Harvard style referencing. ****students will be marked down for inadequate or inaccurate referencing
-Please don’t choose entries that all cover the same idea. Show you’re being quite critical and analytical about the ideas and information you’re going to draw on in your final paper.
– Make sure you do clearly explain why and how each entry relates to your work.