?Peeling back the layers in Genesis 1:1-2:4a, provides a much deeper insight to the story of creation in the Old Testament. It provides the essence of understanding and grasping the theological message behind the passage. In order to grasp the Priestly writers conception behind the story, one must l...

In the days of King Arthur, religion was one of the most important aspects of life. Literature from this period reflects that strong faith and reliance that people had in God. People looked to God for answers, protection, and comfort. To these people, God worked in mysterious ways, so it was not har...

Perfume: The Story Of A Murderer, written by Patrick Süskind, is a novel based in 18th century France that explores the concept that olfactory sense as sovereign over any other factor of life, and is the channel towards supremacy. The protagonist, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, possesses a superhuma...

In Dostoevsky's work, the Inquisitor presents his case with many wordy arguments. He cleverly discusses the issue of Catholicism, the freedom inherent in oppression and the joy and peace of submission to the iron will of another. The Inquisitor speaks from the position of a dictator; an entit...

The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Bible In comparing the Epic of Gilgamesh to the Bible, it is best to analyze The Book of Genesis. These two works have many similarities, and their basic ideas are very similar. Some of the smaller details in the works are also remarka...

I will describe and explain the teachings Christianity holds about the relationship between humanity and the rest of creation. I will discuss the relationship different areas of humanity should have with the areas of creation they interact with most. These areas are the relationship with the environ...

Descartes meditations are based on the epistemological theory of rationalism: that is if someone truly knows something then they could not possibly be mistaken. He provides solid arguments for what his meditations stand for, and how he obtained a clear and distinct perception of "innate" ideas. In h...

The challenge facing theologians is the problem of evil that questions the existence of an all-good, omnipotent God when evil co-exists. The theologians suggest solutions as to the co-existence of an all-powerful, all-supreme God and evil, which seems to contradict everything that God promotes. In ...

TO BE EVIL OR NOT TO BE...IS THAT THE QUESTION? "The man who walks with god always knows in what direction he is going" (qtd. in Punch Lines, Hutson). This quote has a direct irony in correlation to Nathaniel Hawthorne's tale of "Young Goodman Brown". Hawthorne's ...

Hindu Gods and Goddesses Brahma In Hindu mythology, Brahma is the senior member of the triad of great gods, which also includes Vishnu and Shiva. In later Hindu mythology, he became symbolized as the supreme eternal deity whose essence makes up the cosmos. But that was not to be. Like...

Following the "Roman Road" to the "Door of Salvation" and reciting the "repeat-after-me" magic words that mysteriously transform a person into one of the "saved" was an experience that caused me great bewilderment for many years. Convinced in his heart...

The Social and Spiritual Dilemmas Among Women When we stop and consider the fact that women in our country were not able to vote until 1920, it is staggering to imagine the obstacles facing women during the Middle Ages. The 19th Amendment to our Constitution was ratified only after women foug...

Milton's Depiction of the Serpent as Satan John Milton's use of the serpent to represent the evil of Satan captures the depth and detail that is implied in the Bible pertaining to the Beast that is Satan. (Rev 12:3-18, 13: 1-8) Milton first introduced the reader to the character Satan...

Evil, a God which is omnipotent and a God which is morally perfect; the problem of evil is the problem that revolves around the co-existence of the above. Arguably, when any two of these exist, it would be impossible for the third to co-exist. For if God is morally perfect, he would have created a w...

Plato's Euthyphro is a complex work that was carefully written and carefully crafted to present and consider a series of arguments, as well as to force its reader to consider broader issues that are not explicitly brought to their attention in the dialogue of the text. These broader issues are ...

Religion in Crime and Punishment: -Raskolnikov's Pilgrimage Towards Salvation- "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"...

The rite of passage that children go through to enter adulthood is a difficult one. Their task is to find themselves, and grow into the adult they will become. This is a daunting and difficult journey filled with new things, difficult situations, confusion, and a loss of childhood's innocence. ...

Rappaccini's Daughter is Nathaniel Hawthorne's interpretation of the Biblical tale of the Garden of Eden written i9n Genesis. The connection between the two accounts lies in Hawthorne's masterful use of symbolism, diction, and theme. While retelling the original story, he injects mal...

Religion In examining the concept of monotheism in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions, two major points of reference need to be remembered. First, and foremost, that all three of these religions worship the same God, that being the God of Abraham. . Second, it is equally i...

At the very beginning of the book Night by Elie Wiesel, Moshe the Beadle claims that "man raises himself toward God by the questions he asks Him" (2). This statement by Moshe sets the tone for the way Eliezer deals with his faith throughout the rest of the book. Eliezer starts off a very r...

The wind was blowing harder then usual, but it didn't seem like it could bring anything bad upon us. The tepid rain drops were falling down from the roof onto my nose as I walked down the stairs of my old house. The stairs squeaked a little, which brought back the memories from my past, and some gue...

An explicit religious inclination is an experience that expresses itself through the realm of myths. It does not reveal stories that are not true, but rather the truth embodies the myths in a different manner from the doctrines of theology or philosophy. A personal religious experience is the teachi...

Abstraction of Love In the symposium, Plato discusses the many strong meanings of love through the conversation of characters at a symposium, or dinner party, in which the guests take turns on stating their views on love. Before the discussions begin the guests eat and afterward ...

In the movie The Pledge, director Sean Penn delivers a suspenseful and compelling mixture of murder and faith. Not only does he force us as viewers to examine our own opinions of good and evil throughout the twisted plot of the film, but he also keeps our attention with his unique editing style. ...

"Lift Every Voice And Sing" is a high-spirited gospel song that was written by the famous black poet and civil rights leader, James Welden Johnson. Performed by Melba Moore and a few others, I downloaded a version of the song to play. Originally in honor to celebrate Lincoln's birthday, it was perfo...