Spiritual Isolation: Suffering

Isolation is an individual or place being separated, to be or remain alone or apart from others. In “The Scarlet Letter,” by Nathaniel Hawthorn, Reverend Dimmsdale and Hester Prynne committed an unacceptable sin during the prutain times, adultery. The major punishment Hester had to face was to serve many months in prison, attach a scarlet letter, “A” on her chest, and stand on the scaffold for couple of hours under public scrutiny. "Thus the young and the pure would be taught to look at her, with the letter flaming on her chest…. as the figure, the body and the reality of sin"(73). Holding onto the sins you’ve committed can lead to isolation and alienation.

In the following short stories Eveline written by James Joyce, The Story of An Hour written by Kate Chopin, and A Rose For Emily written by William Faulkner we find that isolation is a popular theme throughout the stories. There are several factors in each one of the stories that makes us feel the isolation that each one of the women in the stated stories felt. Weather it is Eveline feeling stuck at home due to a request for her to tend to her family and resume the place of her deceased mother. Or Mrs. Mallard with her feeling that “it was only yesterday that she felt that life might be too long” (228). Along with Miss. Emily who seemed isolate her self form the word by closing her door for good. In the three

Did you read anything that caused you to reflect on the roles of women in the church

I engulf the feeble victim in seemingly unescapable loneliness, overtaking the joys of their heart and ensnaring them in a pit of desolate solitude. The sense of bleakness will overcome the senses and suck out all the bliss they hold close. Because it appears most of humanity rely on one another for comfort and joy, the unavoidable reality of being unaccompanied is enough to drive a man mad. I describe the sense of separation that strikes a soul, sucking out every ounce of remembrance and comfort the past attempts to bring. Yesterday will never return, just as tomorrow always comes; it’s inevitable. Once I reach you, it’s a struggle to get rid of this parasite that I am, called isolation. There comes a point where the victim will decide

The punishment for bad behavior in correctional institutions usually is that of solitary confinement, forcing the individual to not having any interactions between his peers. Although not causing any physical trauma to the inmate, the act of isolating them from everyone and everything proves to be the most feared method of punishment. A primarily social species, humans crave the interaction between themselves and others, relying on them for not only comfort and validation, but also to escape the fear that can be created from ones own mind. The film Pontypool uses such an idea, isolation the protagonists from direct knowledge of ongoings that threaten the world around them, depriving them of any sense of security and creating a far darker reality mentally than what could theoretically exist.

One of the many issues addressed by literary works is that of isolation. Namely, one finds the separation of one character from another, and the resulting sense of solitude, to be a recurring theme in certain works. Such works include the unrelated, yet equally masterful novels, As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner, 1984 by George Orwell and The Awakening by Kate Chopin. This theme, however universal as it may be, differs between each novel both in its appearance and its purpose. As I Lay Dying mainly utilizes isolation in order to emphasize the distance between the members of the Bundren family, and of course between said members and those outside of the family.

What ideas are developed by the author about isolation and its effect on an individual?

As there is much debate about the role of women in the church, I believe that we should, as in all circumstances, rely on the Word of God to instruct us as to God 's will. In many religious circles, this is a hot-button subject and everyone will not easily accept this teaching. Nevertheless, because it has become a church dividing issue, it demands an appropriate review.

Mary has brought a very tough predicament to the table, one that is definitely not easy to solve. I do not know if I will be able to give her the correct advice, but I will share with her what I know. The accepted role of women in the church has been a highly debated argument for centuries. Acceptable roles have changed quite a few times, usually with the denomination. Even the Scriptures can lead to different interpretations that cause the debate to continue. The debates include women being elders or deacons, and whether or not they can be ordained and hold leadership positions in the church.

In today’s society the controversial subject of what positions in the church a woman can hold; has become incredibly debatable among the nation. Some people believe that women have equal rights with men and can uphold any position that a man can. Today’s society also believes that because a woman can be in political and business power, then a woman can also be in authority in the church. However, that could not be farther from the truth a women’s positions in the church are defined by God.

Humans tend to spend their lives surrounded by family, friends, coworkers, and acquaintances. Breaking these connections and being removed from society is known as isolation. Isolation can be by choice, but in literature is often due to circumstances beyond the character’s control. Long periods of forced isolation can cause emotional and mental distress or trauma. However, there are those who choose to isolate themselves to meditate and be alone with their thoughts.

Should women be allowed to be priest, or even in clergy? The places women have gone and been removed from has often been questioned. Women wanted to get more involved so they joined in the clergy or religious part of the community. How women joined religious communities, issues that arose and what happened after are many issues that were discussed.

Gender roles, and the mere existence of a gender binary, has been a recent topic of conversation for many churches, theologians, and individual believers. As the cultural pressure to remove gender-specific limitations builds, many of those aforementioned have turned to scripture for answers. Seldom are women’s roles in the Old Testament characterized by decision making or personal merits. Rather, a woman’s capacity to produce an heir for their husband complements his dominance and responsible faithfulness and allows God’s plan to be fulfilled through their combined efforts. In the New Testament, through the transformative power of Christ, prominent women became less of an anomaly, but were still held to a different set of standards and expectations than men and were usually still praised according to their actions and their faith. The Pauline epistles, written in the context in which the Church still exists today: the age to come, provide a basis for today’s understanding of women’s roles in marriage and in church leadership. Although there are many instances of women fulfilling God’s plans and proving their worth among the community of Christians, the biblically normative role of women is to avoid authoritative church leadership positions and remain submissive in situations of teaching and interpreting the Word.

The purpose of this brief is to provide you with an overview of how the Catholic Church view women being ordained in the church. The views are based on the traditional and doctrinal references that the Catholic religion is based on. The views are from various resources such as the Roman Catholic Church in the Vatican, Pope John Paul II, and the newly elected Pope Benedict XVI. The views described in this brief are based on the traditions of old and their refusal to change the traditions to fit for the twentieth century.

Another protestant denomination that considers the current cultural setting when debating female ordination is the United Methodist Church. The United Methodist Church has a rich history of female leadership, and allowed females full clergy rights in 1956 according to the United Methodist Church’s website on Higher Education and Ministry. The United Methodist Church’s official statement in the “Book of Resolutions,” Every Barrier Down: Towards Full Embrace of All Women in Church and Society, explains that God calls females to participate in all church roles: “preachers, teachers, administrators, mission workers, treasurers, lay leaders, trustees, peace-with-justice advocates, voting rights' workers, Christian educators, and evangelists.” The official statement begs the questions of why the United Methodist Church permits female ordination. One commentary on female ordination explains, “One reference from Paul may appear to rule out the ordination of women, but United Methodists also take into account other scriptural references