Thomas Kempis Writings: The Role Of Christian Women In Minister

In the United States in the 19th century women were expected to act in a particular manner and were destined to fill a certain sphere of society apart from men. Men being expected to live a public life, whether it was work or socializing with other men, while women were expected to live mostly at home, taking charge of the household and rearing children. Education was not portrayed as a necessity either; very few women were given the same opportunities as men. The Kingdom of Matthias presents this theme of sexism in many instances, and in addition, it served as a base for “The Kingdom”. Matthias was seen by some as a “woman-hating Prophet,” (Johnson, 101), this was seen repeatedly in both his treatment of women and his general thoughts of them. When speaking at his nightly meetings, in the days before ‘The Kingdom’, he stated, “Every thing that has the smell of woman will be destroyed. Woman is the cap sheaf of the abomination of desolation – full of all deviltry.” (Johnson, 93). This is but one of his many declarations against the entirety of

In the 1800s a Market Revolution began, changing the way in which America operated and in the midst of all that was a Second Great Awakening, causing people to once again, question their religious beliefs and practices. Paul Johnson and Sean Wilentz tell the story of Robert Matthews, or the Prophet Matthias and his followers. Matthias had an unconventional childhood, he became an orphan at a young age and was raised by church elders. He worked under one of the elders to learn the carpenter’s craft. He easily found work but had trouble keeping it because he was always preaching at his fellow workers about their sinful ways. Matthias was eager to make good but continually fell into misfortunes, “which led him on a prolonged and erratic religious journey” (49). The Kingdom of Matthias gained and lost members, had changes in beliefs, and was full of ever changing marriages. Although looking back on it now, Matthias’s messages and beliefs seem almost laughable, but at they time his followers found his message, ministry, and lifestyle very compelling.

Throughout my selected text, Johnson focuses on the church along with the subsequent androcentric image of God, and how it impacts woman around the world. She explains that throughout history, with the help of the church’s patriarchal nature and society’s values as a whole, woman have been seen “as a ‘defective male’…that must live in obedience to her [male counterpart,]…[ and who are often also referred to as the] ‘second sex’” (Johnson 92). This

As a text written in the early middle ages, the Canon Episcopi by Regino of Prüm was revolutionary in the fact that it exemplified a growing skepticism for magic within the Christian community, and most importantly, it served as a strict call to arms for church officials to identify and eliminate practices of magic within parish communities. As a major theological text in the time where Christianity is finally solidifying doctrine, the Canon Episcopi should both draw upon existing ideas of its predecessors and shape the theological works of its successors. While the works of other theological minds show evidence of a common theme or influence, there is still extreme variability and sometimes even direct opposition to Regino’s themes. While

The first chapter of Christian Thought and Practice, by Natalie Kertes Weaver introduced theology of Christianity. This was broken up into five major topics. The topics are: terms used in the study of religion, a functional understanding of Christian theology, facets of Christian theology, types of theology, and audiences and practitioners of Christian thought. The author explains the importance in detail of all of the above points.

As I thought about all the topics we have read and studied in this class there was one topic that I really did enjoy and changed the way I thought about the topic and gave me a whole new perspective on how I look at religion now. I chose the topic of feminism and Christianity and how the authority of the women gender role in religion has been a struggle for many years. I think Lynn Japinga did a very good job in writing about this topic in her book, “Feminism and Christianity: An Essential Guide”. Japinga includes in her book the use of the male dominated language in the Bible, the blame for the original sin, and the lack of women gender clerical role authority within the religion world.

He argues female preacher is not appropriate light on the bible, and says, “vocation is spiritual, but it is also scriptural” (3). He even asserts that female’s calling is “confounded a human impulse with the Spirit’s vocation” (3). As he uses Titus 2: 4 and 5 to support his assertion, he put women in domestic limitation. He says that women should use teaching function for their younger sisters, and also he regards women as “a loving subject to husband” (4). He believes that double headed is not good for “a foundation for social order” because of “human finitude and sin”, thus, he insists the importance of “ultimate human head” and he only regards men as “ultimate human head” (4). Moreover, while Dabney insists on “Christ-like” as a woman is caring for children, he points that women’s work in public is “sinful and selfish ambition” (5). Lastly, he criticizes women’s preaching as “simply infidel”

Most times women were not taught how to read and write so the fact that Gliki took inspiration from her childhood and her father’s teachings she was able to become the woman that she was. Reading about this in our book made my view on the subject widen more than ever before, rather than just looking at one gender and how that one gender affected the seventeenth century. Women in the Jewish religion were able to do more than women who practiced other religions. One example, Catholic women could not do many things like for example, “Although every convent had to have a priest available to say Mass and hear confessions because the Catholic Church ruled these were functions that no woman could perform, all of the other administrative duties and much of the spiritual counseling of novices and residents were carried out by women” (209

In 1988, the Council for Biblic¬al Manhood and Womanhood published the Danvers Statement, affirming that "In the church, redemption in Christ gives men and women an equal share in the blessings of salvation; nevertheless, some governing and teaching roles within the church are restricted to men." I am hesitant to single out one organization for focused argument, but this statement accurately represents a sentiment within the faith that I find disturbing. In this paper, I will use the redemptive trend hermeneutic to deconstruct the CBMW's affirmation, while providing my own views on why I find both women in ministry and the redemptive trend hermeneutic as valid.

Many people would agree that without faith, the world would be in chaos. The book Christian Foundation by Kathleen Fischer and Thomas Hart gives an interpretation on faith in our time. Many people would question the definition of faith. Faith is a gift, which is given by God to have trust in him and belief in him. This book is a great entry in anyone's life that has speculation on his or her own faith. The book has many ways into understanding ones own religion. It discusses the Bible, Jesus, Church, God's existence and Images of God. All of these chapters helped me get a better interpretation of what my religion entailed.

The Imitation of Christ – This piece is authored by Augustinian monk, Thomas a Kempis, which appears to be a devotional work that is directed to young monks. Kempis addresses a variety of topics which one would assume to be important enough to be pillars of the Christian faith such as: the imitation of Christ, the contrition of the heart, solitude and silence, human misery, judgement and reward, and death. In regards to imitating and following Christ’s example for His elect, Kempis adamantly states that one cannot go about this half-heartedly. A Christian must give everything (whether physical or mental strength, material resources, etc.) as well as have an indwelling of the Holy Spirit in order to even begin to imitate Christ. It is not enough to simply

Religion in the Middle Ages takes on a character all of its own as it is lived out differently in the lives of medieval men and women spanning from ordinary laity to vehement devotees. Though it is difficult to identify what the average faith consists of in the Middle Ages, the life told of a radical devotee in The Book of Margery Kempe provides insight to the highly intense version of medieval paths of approaching Christ. Another medieval religious text, The Cloud of Unknowing, provides a record of approaching the same Christ. I will explore the consistencies and inconsistencies of both ways to approach Christ and religious fulfillment during the Middle Ages combined with the motivations to do so on the basis of both texts.

Feminist theory and Christian worldview can be integrated but to what extent? Too much emphasis on the abstract, detached mind leads us astray. To be fully human does not require sex or gender but it does require God’s image. That, it seems, does not disappear with gender or sex, for both God and the angels are personal yet without sex or gender. As such, the thin essential properties of humanity, being rooted in God’s creative work, remain forever whereas the human cultural creations of gender and sex do not. In the beginning we are sexed and gendered (Genesis). In the end, we are neither (Galatians), hence the solution to the apparent contradiction of the Christian scriptures on gender.

The Christian religion finds its foundation on the Word of God and the work of Jesus Christ. Christianity finds its beginnings with Jesus Christ about 2,000 years ago. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came down to earth to teach, heal, and die for the sins of humanity. When God created man, he openly rebelled against God, causing a rift in their relationship. Since humans cannot save themselves, a perfect and completely innocent sacrifice was necessary in order to purify and restore mankind. Christianity is all about Jesus’ death and resurrection, as well as denying oneself and following Christ.

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