The Life and Contributions of Saint Jerome and Gregory of Nazianzus to the Early Church

Francis of Assisi was a poor man who astounded and inspired the Church by taking the gospel literally—not in a narrow fundamentalist sense, but by actually following all that Jesus said and did, joyfully, without limit and without a mite of self-importance. Francis was famous for his love of all creation. He called for simplicity of life, poverty, and humility before God. He worked to care for the poor. Thousands were drawn to his sincerity, piety, and joy. In all his actions, Francis sought to follow fully and literally the way of life demonstrated by Christ in the Gospels. My report is going to discuss the life and contributions of St. Francis of Assisi.

In history, understanding the past is key to foreseeing the future and understanding the roots of the present world. As such, understanding the beginnings of the early church gives us insight into the success of the Catholic Church today and its 1.2 billion followers. The major transformation of Catholicism today can be traced to its early days, in particular, the early first century AD. After the Ascension of Jesus into heaven, the apostles brought themselves to embrace the mission Jesus gave them, and in doing so, they began preaching the word of God to all nations. As Christianity was still developing, a man named Saul, once a persecutor of the early Christians, would experience a powerful vision of Jesus in heaven on the road to Damascus,

Marcion believed that the Jewish Scriptures only concerned the covenant between God and the Jews of Israel, and therefore was no longer valid for the Christian church. In his mind, these were two very separate Gods. When noticing that several of Paul’s writings made mention of the God of Israel, Marcion claimed that those writings were not Paul’s original texts, and should be considered counterfeit. Marcion’s views of Paul’s “forged” portions of his letters can be attributed to what many theologians today might call the Slippery Slope Argument. In this case, Marcion chose not to trust in the inerrancy of what God had spoken to Paul. Paul’s writing’s were flawed, or someone must have tampered with them. This lack of trust in inerrancy would ultimately allow Marcion to fall down a “slippery slope”, giving way to forsake other important Christian foundational truths.

The Apostle Paul, Saint Augustine, and Martin Luther have been three very important figures in the Christian church. Each went through a unique personal experience that changed the course of their lives. Those experiences were important to them and they should be important to anyone of the Christian faith. In this research paper I will explore these experiences and how they do and do not relate to each other.

The purpose behind this paper is to offer a brief review on a book called “Reading Romans in Context: Paul and Second Temple Judaism” . This review will focus on four major components, first being the editor’s information. The editor’s information will cover education, any positions they hold today, and whatever scholarship information that is currently available. The second thing that will be reviewed will be a concise summary of the major theme of the book followed by the third, an honest and courteous evaluation of the book. The fourth thing that will be added is a bibliography at the end of the paper for reference of the book.

St. Francis of Assisi was born in Umbria in the year 1182. He was a child every father hoped for, he was filled with life, a determined and courageous individual. He was gifted with rather good looks, qualities that attracted friends and a gift of leadership. His father was an extremely wealthy merchant in Assisi. But this son, his favourite, was the one who broke Peter Bernardone’s heart. The boy turned on his father, and in a vicious event that eventually resulted into a public scene. St. Francis of Assisi stepped away from his father, his business and left his father in a state of immense emotional suffering.

There are many different components that make up the Christian religion and ideology. The chapters and stories that made it into the Bible are what people see as the foundation of the different denominations of Christianity. However, what a lot of people do not realize is that there are several stories that did not make it into the Bible as well as a few denominations that have become “forgotten.” Those lost stories and denominations are the focus of Bart Ehrman’s book, Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew. The book was split into three parts and then each part had between three and five chapters. Part one discussed different discoveries that were made throughout Christian history. The second part covered the different types of Christianity that were fighting for power and competing against each other to be the successful form of Christianity. Lastly, the third section shows which texts and beliefs gained popularity and formed the Christian religion that is practiced today.

"What dear brothers, is more delightful than the voice of the Lord calling to us?" ~ Saint Benedict. Benedict was born on March 2, 480 in Norcia, Italy. As a child, Benedict attended primary school in his hometown. However, he then traveled to Rome to continue his studies in literature and law. Appalled by Rome's political issues, Benedict decided to leave the city and reside with a group of priests. In the ministry, he preformed his first miracle. Benedict restored a broken wheat sifter to its perfect condition. Astonished by his actions, Benedict set out to dwell in a cave isolated from society. Consumed by desolation, Benedict's only contact with the outside world was a fellow monk named Romanus. He bestowed Benedict with basic necessities

From the religious standpoint of the catholic church, a vital element to live under God’s eyes during this time era was the character of giving to the poor. Based on the the reading of

In Birth of a Worldview: Early Christianity in its Jewish and Pagan Context, Robert Doran attempts to analyze the development of Christianity in the early period of its formation and how it related to the Jewish and the pagan (Roman) religions throughout its development in early times. The text begins with a historical outline of the development of the early Christian world and then delves into a more theological analysis in the latter portions. The development of the book mirrors the development of Christianity itself, which was focused early on with finding ways to worship and expand the faith in a world that was very anti-Christian. Once it had become more accepted throughout the world, Christian writing and thought about

Gregory the Great is a man of great quality because he has “self-confidence and a strong will, and it was his desire to make the Roman Church powerful” . He gave up his “brilliant political career to enter a monastery” . “He then became Pope in 590 A.D.” . Gregory the Great was very wise and made something called a “Pastoral Care” , it was a book for the men that worked in the church that were unfamiliar with their duties and it would tell them what to do and how to do it. Gregory had made a very strong foundation for the

St. Benedict was important to Rome. He decided that it was more important to live for God. Then Saint Benedict turned his life to Christ. Many men loved Saint Benedict and tried to imitate his life. Then the people excitedly requested for him to become their leader. Confidently he conceded this request. Saint Benedict equipped a community on a tremendous hill called Monte Cassino. In 529, Saint Benedict circulated a rule for the monks. He thought that those who wanted to serve God could live in a building called a monastery. They would pray. They would work. They would study. When the monks did these three tasks they would do it alone. One of Saint Benedict’s rules was teaching lessons of civilization. He believed

Throughout the history of the Christian Church we often times hear of many indivdiuals who made several if not many significant contributions to the church. Names such as Dominic, Catherine of Siena, John Wycliffe, Martin Luther, and John Calvin are to name only a few. I want to tell you a story about an individual who made many contributions the Christian Church, and to this day his contributions and legacy yet remain. His name is Pope Gregory I, also known as St. Gregory or Gregory the Great.

Of all the early church fathers, only a few would stand up to the story, importance and work of Athanasius. Not only did he take over as Bishop in one of the most prominent cities of ancient Rome, he had a very tumultuous life and spent many years in exile for his defense of doctrine and he steadfast approach to understanding the Trinity, specifically the relationship of Jesus Christ to the father, and remains controversial to this day. This paper will take an overall look at the life of Athanasius, his upbringing, the stage that was set for him in Alexandria, and the controversies and work that surrounded his life, and most of all, showcasing, in their time, some of his most important works that are still used almost 2000 years

It seems strange that so little is known biographically about one of the most important figures in Christian history, but this only serves to add to the mystery and grandeur surrounding the Apostle Paul of Tarsus. Much, however, is known of the time after his conversion to Christ and what he did to contribute to Christianity in this period, and it is this that leaves a greater legacy than the simple facts of his life. The contributions that he made towards the cause of Christ and the spreading and formation of Christianity are what he is perennially remembered for.