Pope John Xx III Impact On Christianity

What was the impact that Constantine had on Christianity after he conquered the Roman Empire?

Pope John XXIII played a vital role in shaping Christianity as we know it today. He contributed socially, politically and liturgically and was a major influence in the establishment of ecumenism and interfaith dialogue between other churches and religions. He advocated Christian unity, social justice, human rights and the promotion of world peace, and his openness to all people led to him obtaining the name “Good Pope John”.

expressed through both his human and divine natures. These caused an embarrassment to other Popes

A major factor in the emergence of the workers’ opposition movement also was the support of the Catholic Church and the Pope specifically. In September of 1976, the bishops of the Catholic Church in Poland called for the government and party to “fully respect civil rights and conduct a real dialogue with society” while also demanding that they stop all repression of workers involved in the protests of June 1976. (Doc 5) The fierce and somewhat scolding tone in which the demands are made show the Catholic Church’s unwavering support for the Polish workers’ opposition. It is not surprising, however, that a group of Catholic bishops would demand better treatment for the Polish workers because, as members of the church, they would naturally be in favour of social justice. The value of having the Catholic Church support the movement manifests itself in the fact that the Polish communist party begins to require all teachers to tell students that the pope is “an enemy” and “dangerous” man who only wishes to charm the crowd. (Doc 7) This response to the pope’s support demonstrates that the party itself realised that the church could have tremendous impact on the turnout of the opposition. By the 1980s, a coalition of independent trade unions, known as Solidarity, was established in Gdansk. The photograph of Lech Walesa and other

The Pope is the head of the Church: he represents the ultimate religious authority. However, as a Bishop of Rome, the Pope is also in command of certain secular affairs, including some military aspects. Certainly, the Pope is a link between the earthly and the divine realms. Problems arise when the imperfect world the Pope physically lives in interferes with his heavenly objectives. Taking Pope Gregory I as an example, I am going to look at his letters to analyze how he reconciled his political and spiritual goals, whether he valued one category over the other, and how he justified it.

Vast amounts of tea were dumped into the Atlantic Ocean, causing a revolt against a government who had the authority over the thirteen colonies. The Boston Tea Party influenced the impact the British government had on the thirteen colonies, similar to King John I’s power that became restricted because of the English people's’ uprising. King John I strived to lead his people well, but he imposed heavy taxation and restricted the freedom of the people, leading them to revolt. Forced into the signing of the Magna Carta, King John I abused his imperial power, but also impacted several generations after him.

As time constantly presses forward and the earth continues to revolve, the world will never stop progressing and adapting to better suit the needs of mankind. The evolution of religion has greatly enhanced the quality of life for humanity by providing individuals with a strong belief system that is now the foundation of many peoples’ core values. One universal religion that has undergone extensive amounts of reform is Christianity. In particular, the Catholic church is well-known for the development of their famous ecumenical council meetings that help determine the future of the church. Numerous Councils have been conducted throughout the course of history, but none more significant than the most recent, the Second Vatican Council or Vatican II. The Catholic church was operating as if it was still the medieval period and desperately needed to be modernized. As a result, every Roman Catholic Church official was gathered to meet and devise a plan for how to introduce the church to the modern world. Consequently, the following will reveal the Second Vatican Council and the ramifications of the agenda, history and theology evolution, significant texts, and new developments.

Pope John Paul the Second It was recently this year that the Catholic world had lost its leader,

Some men bring other men down while other men bring each other up. Pope John Paul II was one of the humblest leaders during his time. He respected everyone, no matter their skin tone, race or gender. He believed in everyone’s own will, he never doubted anyone. He believed in equal rights and human rights, he did not want people to bring each other down. He wanted every man to have the same rights as long as they live. Pope John Paul II help change the world in small ways, but made a big impacts.

“There is strength in numbers” (Mark Shields). This well-known quote emphasizes the importance of working together. However, “strength in numbers” would never be achieved without a great leader. Great leaders are the basis for success in all aspects of society because without someone to lead, plans cannot be executed and ideas remain mere thoughts in people’s minds. One such great leader was Martin Luther, a German theologian, who is credited with beginning the Protestant reformation. Part of the reason why his name is so readily associated with the reformation is because he had the courage to create change. Luther was not the first to have radical ideas about reforming the Roman Catholic Church: there must have been others who loathed indulgences or were cognizant that the papacy often corrupted its power. However, Luther was the one to gather his ideas and stand up against the Church, for the sake of Christianity and its followers. Even though he often faced the threat of harsh consequences, he never recanted his teachings or gave up hope. Despite encouraging mass violence, Martin Luther should be known as a great leader since he reformed the Roman Catholic Church and helped make Christianity more accessible to the common people.

The contribution of Pope John XXIII has been profound, as many of his initiatives and actions are still resonating today. His acceptance of Jesus’ words “I came to save all nations.” Represented his motivation to do well and bring peace upon the world. He was an advocate of Christian unity, social justice, human rights and the promotion of world peace. It is through his development of the Second Vatican Council, his contribution to ecumenism and his empathy for humanity that Pope John XXIII made a significant impact upon the development and expression of Christianity.

Of the many Christians at work during the 20th century, the three most influential people that I believe will be remembered the most throughout the history of Christianity are Pope John Paul II, Karl Rahner, and Karl Barth. During Pope John Paul II’s pontificate, he had to deal with issues that connected the church to views in the outside world. His first challenge was communism in the Soviet Empire. The communist government of Poland had begun to cause tension between the Catholic Church during an election which led to Poland independence from the Soviet Empire (pg. 448). Several other countries followed this victory in Poland and they eventually overthrew the communism government of the Soviet Empire (pg. 448). John Paul II also had to deal

religious authority figures, such as that of Pope John Paul II in the article, who states,

Eventually, the workers themselves began to organize and publicly demand rights. The last group in Polish society who was responsible for achieving success in the Solidarity movement was the religious sector. The religious support that the Solidarity movement possessed cannot be overlooked. On the protestor’s side, it’s easy to fight for your rights when you know that God supports you. On the other hand, it’s difficult for the government to fight against a religious institution that has such powerful influence over the people. Pope John Paul II, originally a Polish citizen named Karol Wojtyla, played a key role in not only broadcasting the Solidarity movement to the world, but also by giving the Solidarity movement a pseudo-divine right to exist . In 1978, Karol Wojtyla was elected to be the first non-Italian pope since the 1500s . Thus began the attention that he drew not only from the international Catholic community, but the international community in general. Furthermore, in his visit to Poland, he affirmed the Polish people’s right to organize themselves, and to protest against their mistreatment. In 1979, the year before Solidarity was officially formed, Pope John Paul II visited his home country once again and gave speeches concerning civil rights in Poland. The International Center on Nonviolent Conflict states, “During a pilgrimage that was broadcast on state TV and radio, the Pope spoke openly about human rights and the right to freedom of expression and conscience” . CNN confirms this statement and adds to it, stating that the Pope’s support was financial, as well. In discussing the fall of communism in Poland, it claims, “It took time; it took the Pope's support from Rome--some of it financial; it took several more trips in 1983 and 1987. But the flame was lit. It would smolder and flicker before it burned from one end of Poland

Pacem in Terris was read and accepted by readers outside the Catholic Church in a way that no other encyclical had been. One reason for this was undoubtedly the charisma of John XXIII himself, who addressed his encyclical not only to bishops, clergy and the faithful, but also to men of good will. Another was living with the constant threat of the Cold War thinking about where and when it would next lead.