Same Sex Unions Essays - John Boswell, Same-sex Marriage

Same Sex Unions Book Review: Same Sex Unions in Premodern Europe by John Boswell The question of same-sex unions and their legitimacy in many different societies is a topic that has been hotly debated for centuries. One society in particular is pre-modern Europe. Noted author and historian Dr. John Boswell looks extensively at the topic of same-sex unions in his book Same Sex Unions in Premodern Europe. Dr. Boswell argues extensively in his book that the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches not only sanctioned unions between partners of the same sex, but actually sanctified them. This critique examines some specific aspects of the book, and analyzes them. Before an analysis of the Same Sex Unions in Premodern Europe can be evaluated, it's important to know a little about the author himself and what he stood for. Dr. Boswell was a professor at Yale University and Chairman of Yale's history department for many years. He was an award winning scholar, author and historian. In addition to writing Same Sex Unions in Premodern Europe he also wrote several other works such as Christianity, Social Tolerance and Homosexuality. Two of his greatest professional achievements included being a Woodrow Wilson Fellow and a Fulbright scholar. It is his extensive training as a Historian and an understanding of his own homosexuality that gave him unique insight into the writing of Same Sex Unions in Premodern Europe. In Same Sex Unions in Modern Europe, Boswell takes a highly controversial position in saying that the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches actually sanctified same sex unions, while at the same time, presenting his viewpoints in such a way that any well educated historian would? very carefully. He almost contradicts himself at several points in the book and mentions that his ideas are subject to debate among his peers. Boswell, in writing this book has essentially established a Premodern Europe where heterosexual marriage was largely ignored by pagans and discouraged by the church. Also, according to Boswell, men would essentially pair off in order to perform duties that were considered essential to society such as war, trade, education, friendship, etc. As Boswell puts it ?it is hardly surprising that there should been a Christian solemnizing same sex unions.? I do not agree with him on this premise, although homosexuality has existed in animal species and in humans since the beginnings of our existence, how can he be so bold as to assume that the majority of these supposed pairs were homosexual? In my opinion that broad of a statement is like saying that any two men that shake hands or embrace must automatically be gay. There is a second specific point that I wish to point out with regards to medieval priest and the monastic life. Boswell points out in Same Sex Unions in Premodern Europe that young boys caught performing homosexual acts were ?punished? by being sent to a monastery. Was this meant as ?punishment? to deprive these boys of their youth or to isolate them from the supposed forces that made them perform these acts? Boswell points out ?in any event, being placed with monks was likely to provide the best environment to locate other men romantically interested in their own gender.? That's all well and good, but he undermines his own thesis here. If the Christian Right of the time so vehemently supported same sex unions, then why would boys who engaged in same-sex acts be ?punished? at all? Should not they be encouraged to be homosexual? Boswell not only mildly contradicts himself here, he goes a step further and practically destroys his own thesis. Through reading Same Sex Unions in Premodern Europe, relating it to my own experiences as a history major, and gay male, not to mention discussions in class, I do not believe that same sex unions were as heavily sanctioned in Premodern Europe by churches as Boswell would have us believe. It is my opinion that there have fluctuations between then and now as to exactly how much homosexuality is tolerated by the so-called mainstream society. There were places such as Ancient Greece where it was accepted and modern day liberal locations such as San Francisco, California that have a large gay/lesbian population. In both places both in the past

Chicago Referencing †How to Cite a Book

Chicago Referencing – How to Cite a Book Chicago Referencing – How to Cite a Book The Chicago Manual of Style actually sets out rules for two separate citation styles: in-text â€Å"author–date† citations and a footnote/bibliography system. Depending on your outlook, this dual system is either admirably versatile or unhelpfully confusing. Nevertheless, whichever approach you’re using, it’s vital that you know how to cite a book correctly. On our academic blog today, we run through the basics for doing this using both approaches. Author–Date Citations As with many parenthetical referencing systems, Chicago-style author–date citations require you to provide the author’s surname and the date of publication in the main text when referencing a source. A citation of a book by cheeky French philosopher Paul Ricoeur would, therefore, appear as: Interpretation involves the metaphorical and speculative domains of meaning (Ricoeur 1978). If the author is named in the text, only the year is required in the citation. The only other thing you’ll need to provide in in-text citations are relevant page numbers when quoting a source: Ricoeur (1978, 17) states that â€Å"metaphor is defined in terms of movement.† All cited texts should then be added to a reference list at the end of your document, with sources listed alphabetically by author surname and full publication details provided. For a book, this includes: Author Surname, First Name. Year of Publication. Title. City of Publication: Publisher. In Ricoeur’s case, this translates to: Ricoeur, Paul. 1978. The Rule of Metaphor. London: Routledge Kegan Paul. Footnotes/Bibliography The other form of Chicago referencing places citations in footnotes, as indicated by superscript numbers in the main text (e.g., 1, 2, 3). The information required for the first citation of a book is: n. Author Name, Title (City of Publication: Publisher, Year), Page Number(s). Returning to our philosopher friend, the first footnote for The Rule of Metaphor would therefore appear as: 1. Paul Ricoeur, The Rule of Metaphor (London: Routledge Kegan Paul, 1978), 24. Subsequent citations of the same text can be shorted to just author surname, a shortened version of the book title and the relevant page number (or â€Å"pinpoint reference,† as it is otherwise known): 2. Ricoeur, Rule of Metaphor, 112. As well as footnotes, this version of Chicago referencing lists all cited texts in a bibliography at the end of the document. The information required is similar to the first footnote, but with slightly different punctuation and the author name reversed so that sources can be listed alphabetically by surname: Ricoeur, Paul. The Rule of Metaphor. London: Routledge Kegan Paul, 1978. A Final Thought Since these two versions of Chicago referencing are very different, the single most important thing you can do before you begin writing is check which version is specified by your style guide. Also, it’s worth mentioning that Paul Ricoeur would probably have rejected being described as â€Å"cheeky.† Nevertheless, it’s how we prefer to think of him.

What is the view of mission presented by the Book of Acts Essay

What is the view of mission presented by the Book of Acts - Essay Example The stages also show that the nature of missionary in the church emerges from the involvement of the community in particular events with the guidance of the spirit of God. These seven stages are: before the Pentecost, during the Pentecost, the time of Stephen, Samaria and the Ethiopian Eunuch, Cornelius and his household, the apostles in Antioch and the mission to the Gentiles. This episode is found in the book of Acts chapter 1. From this chapter, it is evident that the mission of Jesus in the world was to preach to all people, serve them and to witness about the goodness of God. As Luke explains in the beginning of the book of Acts, Jesus appeared to the twelve disciples after his resurrection. Before he ascended to heaven, he gave them instructions not to leave the City, Jerusalem, before they receive the Holy Spirit. The disciples then ask Jesus if the arrival of God’s Spirit meant that the Kingdom of God will reign on earth. Jesus answers them by saying that they need not to know of the right time of the Kingdom of God but instead they will receive power through the arrival of the Spirit of God. He tells them that they will be witnesses in Jerusalem, Samaria, and Judea and to every part of the world for Christ. The commandment of Jesus to the twelve disciples as Luke describes shows the guidance of the spirit of God to the community in the majo r mission and its identity (1:3-8). After the ascension of Jesus, the disciples did not immediately go to Samaria and Judea; instead, they waited in Jerusalem for the reign of God through the second coming of Jesus. In Jerusalem, they made the number complete by replacing Judas the traitor with Mathias through an election. They ensured that Mathias was like them and was a witness to Jesus. Mathias was with Jesus from the baptism of John until his death and resurrection. This was a preparation for the fulfilment of the great mission that Jesus had ordained. This is because the

Use of Social Media Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Use of Social Media - Research Paper Example This paper tells that social media has been flagged as a potential threat if used inappropriately. Issues of privacy, unnecessary information, negative influence, devaluation of human values are some of the negative issues associated with social media. For proper utilization of social media, governments should take control on managing social media so that issues like privacy, dangerous outcomes, and endless distractions can be maintained. Certainly, social media connects millions of people across the world. Among these people are genuine users as well as hackers and other malicious identities. Social media such as Facebook is a good avenue for accessing a large pool of people of all kinds. This makes it an attractive haven for any person with personal interests. For instance, politicians have often used social media to propagate their political ideologies some of which may trigger hatred among the target groups. North Africa an Arabian region revolution that began in Tunisia is a goo d example of overwhelming political usage of social media. Advertisers and business entities are always crawling through social media in search for opportunity to exploit. Whereas everybody is looking at an opportunity to benefit themselves, it poses a serious privacy risks to social media users. Certainly, â€Å"Breaches of privacy and security are frequently mentioned topics and so is identity theft, online bullying, and disclosure of potentially damaging or embarrassing personal information† (Shneiderman et al, 2011).  Perhaps one of the most potentially dangerous technologies is social media. Due to the high degree of penetration, wide usage, freedom, anonymity, and interconnectivity, social media is potentially dangerous if not properly regulated. Politically, social media, particularly Facebook, has been a prime platform for the propagation of political and religious views. It does not come by surprise that the recent revolution in Tunisia, Egypt, and other Islamic co untries was made possible by social media. The hazardous nature of social media stems from the fact that it supports anonymity. People have different thoughts and ideologies that they would like others to adopt. Whereas some people have well-meaning ideologies, others such as extremists, pose a danger to the population. According to Shneiderman et al (2011), â€Å"the potential for more polarized discussions as users selectively view only materials aligned with their world view and scientists retreat to narrow research topics.† Terrorists have also been using social media platforms to propagate their ideologies. In order to protect users of social media against uncontrolled use, the relevant authorities need to put measures into place (Madhava, 2011). For example, it may be necessary and important for all social media platforms to keep electronic and retrievable copies of all web activities. This way, it would be easy for the relevant authorities to keep track of potentially harmful use. Additionally, user information may be required to be incorporated within the usage of the media platforms so that users can be held accountable for wrongful use of social media.  

Evolution and Natural Selection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Evolution and Natural Selection - Essay Example However in the mid-nineteenth century, scientist like Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace sought to explain this process of adaptation and change as a natural one without attributing it to the influence of higher beings and spiritual powers. Fossil records are perhaps the best natural evidence of evolution. While the fossils of simpler organism are found among older rocks, the newer ones have fossils of more complex organisms.. (GCSE, BBC) Evolution is of 2 main types: Microevolution and macroevolution. Microevolution emphasises on genetic change from one generation to another while macroevolution deals with the process of gradual change in the physical form of living creatures. (The Process of Speciation, Global Change Program, University of Michigan) This paper will focus on the theory of evolution put forth by Charles Darwin. Key aspects of evolution like the process of Natural Selection and Variation will be discussed. Also, with reference to reference to 'Darwin's finches', the paper will describe how geographical isolation has caused new species to evolve from a common ancestor Darwin was influenced by observations made during his voyage as naturalist on the survey ship Beagle. After studying several plant and animal species, Charles Darwin published some of his key observations and ideas in his book, "The Origin of Species." His theory of evolution comprises 4 parts: 1. As fossils records shows the world is constantly changing. Several organisms have become extinct and others have changed over time are are rather different from their previously existing forms. 2. All organisms share a common ancestor and hence certain common features. 3. The process of change is a gradual one 4. The mechanism of evolutionary change is natural selection. (Evolution and Natural Selection, Global Change, University of Michigan) Natural Selection: The concept of Natural Selection according to Darwin is the mechanism for evolutionary change. He discussed Natural Selection in the context of an organism 'struggle for existence'. Every organism Darwin believed tended to produce far more offspring than can actually survive. Limited resources often caused several of these to perish. As a result, there was intense competition between these organisms and only some survive to live and reproduce further. Darwin also believed that the population within a species remained more or less constant over time. However these species do show a wide variation in features and these variations are passed on from one generation to another. (Ridley, 2003). The following chart describes the process of Natural selection. Source: Evolution and Natural Selection, Global Change, University of Michigan For natural selection to occur, reproduction is a very important aspect. Offspring's inherit certain important features from their parents, which help them in the struggle for existence. Besides there are 2 essential requirement, namely a. heritable variation of some trait like the beak or skin colour The differences in these traits could b a result of environmental factors and could often be significant for survival in that environment. differential survival and reproduction of that trait is essential to ensure that (Evolution and Na

Story of Mary Magdalene

Story of Mary Magdalene A continued interest and associations with Mary Magdalene provided for further examination. The relevance of her time as a example of inspiration to all who still find their paths of sincerity and goodwill marked by scandal and controversy. The following personal journal entry may serve to clarify this interest. One of the most interesting and inspirational women of the bible, is Mary Magdalene. Her apparent dedication to Jesus despite ridicule, jealously and un-acceptance amongst his friends can be related to by many women throughout history. The importance of whether she was a prostitute, Jesus wife or both becomes less relevant than the conflicts she faced in her times and her steadfast dedication to Him, regardless of definition of relationship between and degree of intimacy expressed. Many women throughout history and today find themselves judged in societal situations in which they have to determine their dedication and faith within their relationship and would find Mary Magdalenes decisions and actions inspirational and reassuring to see that they are not alone in their situation. Mary Magdalenes influence and role in the bible seem to be one of the best influences in humanize Jesus. Showing us some the personal and emotional challenges that Jesus faced as a person and therefore having his life experience expressed in a way everyone, at some point in their lives can relate to. While the recount says that all of the disciples fled, out of fear, when Jesus was crucified, it is only Mary Magdalene that is recounted in all 4 versions of the Gospel to be near or by Jesus side during this horrific experience. Guess you know who your friends are when the chips are down. This brief recap of a previous journal entry was used to outline what is recognized as the most personally relevant stories of the bible and the observations regarding them. The following stories of Mary Magdalene from the bible are as powerful and relevant to the lives of many and in addition work to help me appreciate, understand and complete my initial observations. The following is taken from http://www.womeninthebible.net/2.2.Mary_Magdalene.htm Mary Magdalenes story is contained in four different events: Mary Magdalene as a disciple of Jesus (Luke 8:1-3) Mary is mentioned as the woman whom Jesus cured of an unspecified illness. She was expelled of seven different demons. The number seven may have been used to emphasize the severity of the illness. She led a group of women who provided for Jesus and his followers from their own financial resources. The following is quoted from http://www.biblebb.com/files/kss/kss-mmag.htm She was committed. MAR 8:34, 35 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. she had followed Him from Galilee, her home (Mat 27:55; MAR 15:41; LUK 23:49). LUK 23:49 But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things. MAT 27:55, 56 Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedees sons. she cared for Jesus needs (MAT 27:55; MAR 15:41). MAT 27:55 Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedees sons. MAR 15:41 In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there. *she gave whatever she could to further Gods cause- This is a demonstration of Jesus acceptance of the independent woman. This was revolutionary in and of itself given the perceptions of woman of the times. Mary at the crucifixion (Mark 15:40-41, Luke 23:49, Matthew 27:55-56, John 19:25) In each of the four gospels of the crucifixion Mary was present, either standing at a distance with other women, or standing near the cross. Mary prepared Jesus body for burial (Luke 23:55-56, Matthew 27:61) Mary watched as Jesus body was sealed inside the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. She could confirm that he was really dead. She and the other women prepared the spices needed for proper burial of a body. Jewish tombs: Jews followed the custom of burial in natural and artificial caves. Generally only the rich used tombs, with the poor using pits, cisterns, caves, and earthen graves outside their cities. Tombs were located in gardens attached to homes, within city walls, on elevated sites, on hillsides, and in caves (natural and hand hewn). this information is from The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, vol. 5, pg.772. Prophets and kings were buried within the city limits; everyone else was buried outside the city limits. Wealthy tombs were often cut into rock, some containing several chambers. The entrance was closed by rolling around rolling-stone down an inclined plane in front of the mouth of the sepulcher. this information is from Manners and Customs of Bible Lands, by Fred H. Wright, Moody Press, co. 1953, pgs. 144,145. 4 Mary witnesses the resurrection (Mark 16:1-11, Luke 24:1-11, Matthew 28:1-10, John 20:1-18). Mary found that Jesus body was no longer in the tomb. She received a message from an angel and was the first person to see the risen Jesus. She was thus the first witness of the resurrection. The ethical cultural and political environment surrounding the people of this time played a strong influence on the interpretation of Mary Magdalenes life. Even with the stark contrast of todays environment of Middle America the relevance of interpretation of the power and influence of this women offers as an example for todays woman. The people of Jesus time lived in a state occupied by Roman rule, law and allegiance to Cesar, King of the Roman Empire. The Jewish state in this region was allowed certain amount of religious tolerance provided that legal and economic sanctions were upheld by the Jews with regard to Roman rule. The following quote is taken from http://www.womeninthebible.net/2.2.Mary_Magdalene.htm Greek philosophy was greatly admired at the time of Jesus, and it had a profound impact on the way that people saw their world. One of the greatest philosophers, Plato, proposed the theory of dualism, suggesting that everything in the cosmos had an equal and opposite other. This theory had a profound impact on the way that women were viewed, and it was not to womens advantage. Woman was placed in a category containing elements that were viewed as negative: Civilization was the ideal; Nature was mistrusted and potentially dangerous. Logic and reason were admired, and emotion was to be subordinated. Goodness was always preferable to evil. Light, especially in the pre-industrial world, was preferred to darkness These are examples only, but they show that Platonic dualism placed women in a negative category. They were seen as closer to the natural/animal world than men. By nature they were irrational and untrustworthy, and therefore unfit to make their own decisions and govern their own lives. They had to be looked after and controlled, never treated as equals. This differed from the traditional Jewish way of looking at the world, which saw all things in creation as integrated and complementary, rather than as opposites of each other. An example of this is the creation story of Eve, which relates that the first woman was created from a rib taken by God from Adams side, thereby suggesting that a man could never be fully complete unless he was in partnership with a woman. Jewish and Jewish/Christian women resisted the ideas of Platonic dualism, which patronized them and diminished their status. While Christianity remained a Jewish sect, the status ofwomen within the Christian communities was high. But as the ideas of Christianity moved out into the Gentile, Hellenised world, the first Christians found they had to use the Greek philosophical framework to explain their beliefs and be accepted.So Jesus original ideal of mutual respect between the sexes was watered down and changed. Women found they were given roles that were acceptable in the outside, Hellenistic culture. In doing so, the Christian church stepped back from the radical ideals of the first Jewish/Christians. The following excerpt was taken from http://www.watton.org/wftk/teaching/mary_magdalene.htm Jesus sees women as they were created equal reflectors of Gods image. God created us in his image we mirror a family resemblance of Him. 2 Cor.3:18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lords glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. This doesnt mean our physical nature but our spiritual and moral nature. We are able to communicate. We are creative, and that gives us joy and satisfaction. We experience emotions and feelings. We know the difference between right and wrong. We are responsible for our actions. Even though the original relationship between God and man was cut by the fall, God has pursued his children through the ages, sending his son Jesus so that we might be reconciled to God and become his sons and daughters. His image is reflected in us. Because of Jesus the image is brought back into focus so that his glory shines from the reflection. Jesus is in each one of us, you and me, and His glory shines out. This examination of Mary Magdalenes life and times has offered clarity in relating to those hardships and challenges and has served as an inspiration to women of all times. WORK CITED Biblical References have been noted as used throughout this document. http://www.womeninthebible.net/2.2.Mary_Magdalene.htm http://www.biblebb.com/files/kss/kss-mmag.htm http://www.biblebb.com/files/kss/kss-mmag.htm Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, vol. 5, pg.772. Manners and Customs of Bible Lands, by Fred H. Wright, Moody Press, co. 1953, pgs. 144,145. http://www.womeninthebible.net/2.2.Mary_Magdalene.htm http://www.watton.org/wftk/teaching/mary_magdalene.htm

cathedrals :: essays papers

cathedrals Throughout the centuries, beautiful Medieval cathedrals have been towering above every building and till this day, still survive with their astonishing appearance. Their structure resemble the power and glory of heavens. Today, they are known as "prayers in stone" because they are respected as holy places. Taking literally hundreds of years to build these great Gothic buildings, the skillful carpenters and masons responsible for the construction are respected for constructing these powerful buildings that tell us about the past (Macdonald 1). The construction of the cathedrals were more than hundreds of years (Macdonald 14). The overall shape of appearance was planned out before any construction was started. The contractors were usually peasants of the low class. Cathedrals were built on old church sites throughout Europe and the world to spread the religion of Christianity. There were many architectural styles for the churches. Carpenters used long lasting materials such as stone and strong wood. Some of the best stone came from France. Cranes and pulleys powered by men and animals were used to haul these stones, especially in the dangerous job of quarrying. The appearance of the cathedrals were magnificent. As one of the largest buildings of its time period, they represented the heavens in which people believed was peaceful and serene. Walls and pillars were massive structures enclosing hundreds of yards. Stone arches and gargoyles were put in various places for decoration. The elevating towers on top of the cathedrals were called "fingers" pointing to heaven. Inside these enormous "fingers," immense bells and clocks were placed. Stained-glass windows on the sides describe the lord, Jesus, and his life. The ever going ceilings and their paintings represent heaven. Statues symbolized sacred priests of the church (Macdonald Intro.). The purpose of these cathedrals were to praise and thank God. People offer prayers and offerings to God at the great cathedrals thinking it would bring a prosperous and healthy life. In the Middle Ages, these "prayers in stone" were made to spread Christianity throughout the world. Being the Bishop’s church, the greatest centers of studies were inside the depths of the cathedrals. The pope answered the most theorized questions about Christianity. Cathedrals and the people inside implored that God is the most important part of a person’s life and should be thanked for everything.