English
中文What is meant in Buddhism by referring to the “Four Truths” (or the “Four Noble Truths”)?
Introduction Buddhism is a Western term used to describe those who follow the religion or philosophy of Siddhartha Gautama, a prince of the Kingdom of Lumbini (born circa 563, BCE), which is now known as Nepal. Siddhartha’s mother died in child birth and it was foretold by a sage known as Asita that Siddhartha would […]
How influential was Lollard thought in the Theology of William Tyndale?
Introduction The relationship between Lollardy and the theology of William Tyndale crosses a vast array of interpretative and historical purviews. Firstly, the idea of Lollardy in itself is a difficult and problematic one to ascertain: these issues stem from the fact that Lollardy was a term used by the Catholic Church and monarchy to describe […]
Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of reason as a way of knowing
The discussion of reason in relation to knowledge has been the focal point of debate ever since the early days of philosophy. The formulation of the concept “reason” and the enquiries into its inner workings have changed the way we think of knowledge and the process of knowing. Depending on the importance attributed to reason, […]
Explain the notion of Dharma and how it relates to ‘Class’ (Varna) and ‘Stages of Life’ (Asrama)
The Laws of Manu is an influential text in Hinduism and, consequently, in Indian society. There is, however, disagreement about its relevance and importance. The present analysis will look specifically at the concepts of Dharma, Varna and Asrama, which are central to the Hindu religion, and discuss their relation to the Laws of Manu. It […]
Why are a number of New Religious Movements characterized by extremism and violence?
The phenomenon of violent New Religious Movements (NRMs) is problematic for a number of reasons. Firstly, what exactly qualifies as an NRM? For simplicity’s sake, I will here adopt Barker’s comparatively broad definition: “an NRM is new in so far as it has become visible in its present form since the Second World War… it […]
The contribution of modern critical scholarship to the study of either the Hebrew Bible or the New Testament
Originally the preserve of Christian theologians, the study of the Bible has in recent decades been expanded by the application of modern methods of criticism, usually developed in other fields such as literary criticism or social anthropology. Many of these fields grew out from or overlap each other, but the main fields of modern criticism […]
The Incarnation of Christ
The earliest Christians called Jesus of Nazareth, “the Word made flesh”, in order to signify, and praise, how in the human person of Jesus, God and divine wisdom, or Logos, became incarnate in human form (Miles 2005: 1). Nowhere more than in Luke 1 and John 1, is the doctrine of the incarnation more clear, […]
Analyse a film focusing on the theme of religion
Religion and cinema are intrinsically linked. Although the two are not formats that one would necessarily associate as sharing a relationship, it was crucial to keep in mind when researching this brief that in essence, religion and cinema are one in the same, in that they both allow, albeit in different formats, some form of […]
Can History decipher religious practices from the past? Discuss
In the process of investigating the changing ways in which religious meaning has been imagined and disseminated among generations, and then either assimilated, negotiated or resisted, historical analysis is elemental. However, it is only one component of an analytical complex, which in co-ordinating a variety of social scientific perspectives can decode past ritual and practice. […]
