Bethlehem: The Oldest Religion In The Christian World

When thinking about the history of the world, one must always consider that merchants as well as trade have played an immerse role in shaping the world as it is today. They are responsible for many of the cross-cultural interactions that we have had in the past. Christianity and Islam, the two predominant religions of the world today, have both grown and spread through merchants and trade also. These two chief religions both have attitudes towards merchants and trade that have either developed or decreased overtime. According to these documents, from up to the year 1500, Christianity went from a negative view of merchants and trade to a positive view while Islam went from a positive view to a negative view, but both sides

The myth of the United States of America, having been founded as a Christian nation has long been circulated throughout our country’s history. Christian historians were the first to put forth this narrative and in today’s world, website writers and editors have taken up the cause. On the website, WhatChristiansWanttoKnow.com, Robert Driskell peddles the myth in an article entitled, “Was the United States of America Founded As A Christian Nation? A Look at the Facts.” Driskell quotes a number of Founding Fathers out of context and uses them as evidence for a Christian nation as well as uses the first amendment to claim that the Constitution did not intend for a strict separation between Church and State.

The Pilgrim Galilee Christian Church Praise Team just finished singing the church happy now it’s time for the announcements. Curtis Bracy, the announcement clerk stepped up to the podium and begins the announcements. I was thinking to myself, I should write the announcements so I will not be clueless when another member what day is a particular event on. Curtis Bracy said the words SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS NEEDED FOR ADULT CLASS, I sat up straight it was like music to my ears. I know what I can do to serve in my church I can be a Sunday School Teacher. He announced members who are interested please speak with the Sunday School Superintendent after morning worship service. I was excited I was going to be a Sunday School Teacher, how hard could it be? I was a member of Toastmaster and I spoke at different functions at different occasions. I already study faithfully and come to Sunday School on a regular basis. I love study the word of God so teaching a Sunday School should not be a problem that’s what I thought.

Christianity originated from Judaism and began as a cult 2,000 years ago. As monotheistic religion developed, Christianity was founded in the first century A.D. by Jesus Christ and his twelve disciples in Judea. In the first century, the Roman Empire controlled the land of Judea, which is now present day Israel, and was the home of the Jewish people. During this time, Jesus traveled throughout Judea spreading his message of peace, love, and repentance while gaining disciples. Many of his followers believed he was the messiah who would deliver them to freedom. However, most of the Jews in Judea did not share this point of view at the time and Jesus was arrested as a political rebel and he was executed by crucifixion. Three days after he

Have you ever wondered how Christianity was spread in the early stages? and what influenced it? Rome held a huge part in both of these things. The Roman emperors, culture, and the Roman religion all were things that influenced early Christianity very much.

Jerusalem is important for Christians because it is the place where Jesus lived his last days and experienced his suffering and crucifixion, death on the cross, and resurrection. Precisely in the city of Jerusalem is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which was built on what is considered the tomb of Christ. For the Jews, Jerusalem is sacred because of the Wailing Wall, which is the remains of the second temple built by Herod the Great, king of Judea. (The first temple was built by King Solomon). Finally, Jerusalem is also holy to those who profess faith to Allah (al-Quds in Arabic). The mosque, Dome of the Rock, was built upon the very place that the prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven, according to the Muslim religion. I found it fascinating and interesting to see that all three religions profess that their holiest place on earth are all in close proximity to one another. Does this mean anything?

After reading the title, I thought it might discuss the constraints citizens felt in Bethlehem on being able to fully participate in occupations and recreational activities. I assumed one of these restrictions included the time curfew implemented in the town that inhibited individuals from doing the thing they wanted to do when they wanted to do them.

Between 1000- 1750, Christianity maintained authority over the people due to religious and political power, thereby greatly influencing art and education, however exposure to new knowledge from the Islamic world led to changes in the way the church was perceived and depicted in Western Europe.

Life in Bethlehem had many facets. One of main things that separated the jews from the rest of the world was what they eat, or more importantly what they did not. For Jews, it was forbidden to eat pork. This is due to the fact that the Torah says pigs are unclean. As Scott Korb states in his book, "perhaps the most obvious thing to say about food... would be that the people did not eat pigs, which to them was essentially how it had always been. The law came down from God, through Moses himself, and was first recorded in the Torah."(book)

Ezra and Nehemiah played a significant role in the formation of Jewish religious traditions and reconstruction of Jerusalem. As a result, Ezra is commonly considered the “Father of Judaism” due to his efforts to assist the post exile Jews with differentiating their religion from their forefathers, the ancient Israelites (Tullock & McEntire, 2006, p. 201-202). Therefore, Ezra initiated the renewal of the Jews covenant with God and instituted several important religious rituals to ensure the people were reminded of God’s laws, repented for their sins, and remembered the hardships and errors of their ancestors. Furthermore, Ezra called for the elimination of marriage to non-Jews, which resulted in the divorce and subsequent banishing of all non-Jewish

To examine firsthand accounts of early Christians we are left to recognize them through the communities to which they belong and to witness their lives through the narratives illustrated in historical texts. As such, a greater significance has been placed on the seven unequivocal letters by Paul. These texts represent the earliest of all Christian writings in existence. Yale 's Professor of Biblical Studies, Wayne Meeks, suggests there are two characteristics that occasion these texts as decidedly fruitful for our social-historical inquiry. . In a literary style that loosely imitates the Markan sandwich, Paul moves quickly from the discourse of food - meat sacrificed for idols - to the conduct of Christians in worship - then back to food (abuses of the Lord 's Supper). This interpolation of ideas illuminates a division among the Strong/Weak; the Haves/Have Nots. Despite the latitude of concerns harbored in the larger periscope the aspiration of this essay emanates from verse 14:

Though the exhibition Jerusalem: Every People Under Heaven discusses the religious, ethnic, and political conflicts that have been (and which have continued to be) present in Jerusalem, the “Diversity of the People's” gallery focuses instead on the intellectual conversations strengthened by cultural exchange. Additionally, this facet of the exhibition speaks to the extent of the religious, ethnic, and cultural diversity of Jerusalem.

Throughout history, Christianity always had a reputation, or a “name” following it. Different perspectives approached the reputation that was attached to Christianity in different manners. Justin Martyr and Porphyry had objectives when defining whether this “name” really defined Christianity and the past. They wondered whether the past really represented Christianity. Additionally they honed in on the question of was the past that people represented as Christianity really the roots of Christianity? All around Porphyry and Justin was perceptions of what Christianity rooted from and stood for.

After returning from the Holy Land, Francis conceived the idea of reenacting Christ’s birth in Bethlehem. By doing this, pilgrims would not have to take a dangerous trip to the Holy Land (controlled by the Turks) and could see “the hardships a newborn babe must endure: how he was placed in a manger, and how he lay on straw between an ox and an ass.” At Greccio (60 miles SSW of Assisi) on December 25, 1223, Francis created the first "living crib." This dramatization continues to the present day and conveys God the Father’s universal message that “Jesus came for each and every person in the world.” As Francis picked the lifeless Baby Jesus up in his arms from the manger, there were witnesses who testified that it appeared Baby Jesus opened His eyes as if awakened from sleep.

Imagine if you will, a terrible situation in which you find yourself struggling with a problem. Should you find yourself in such a place, even just a small sentence claiming you can do it will help you through your problem. Christian encountered many people and problems throughout his journey to the Celestial City, such as The Vanity Fair, Apollyon, and many more. Not only was he pushing past these problems and obstacles, he also had ‘friends’ that he must cut himself away from. While he and Faithfull were conversing, Faithfull explained to Christian that should he carry on, he would disappoint his friends, like Pride, Worldly-views, Self-conceit, and Arrogancy. Yes, Faithfull was true in his words; this posed another problem for Christian. He would have to overcome these temptations. He must not become arrogant in his ways and let worldly views cloud his objective.