The Reformation: Causes, Key Figures, and Impact
The Causes of the Reformation
In the 16th century, the Protestant Reformation shattered the religious unity of Western Europe, which had previously centered around the Catholic Church. The circumstances leading to this upheaval were multifaceted:
The Prestige of the Clergy
The Popes were often more concerned with earthly ambitions than fulfilling their roles as heads of the Christian Church. Bishops lived luxuriously, often neglecting their dioceses. The lower clergy frequently lacked proper training,
Read MoreSt. Augustine: Sociocultural Context, Philosophy, and Key Works
Sociocultural Context and Historical and Philosophical Framework of St. Augustine
Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire during the 1st and 2nd centuries. Initially, it was prevalent in Jewish communities in Palestine, but it extended to the Greek population of the Roman Empire. Constantine proclaimed the Edict of Milan, which legally tolerated Christianity. St. Augustine’s life took place during this period, in which Christianity had settled. Theodosius made Christianity the official religion,
Read MoreMichelangelo’s Pietà: Vatican Masterpiece (1498-1499)
Michelangelo’s Pietà: A Vatican Masterpiece
La Pietà (1498-1499) is a world-renowned marble sculpture by Michelangelo, housed in St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City. Its dimensions are 174 cm × 195 cm (68.5 in × 76.8 in). While the sculpture can be viewed from all angles, the preferred viewpoint is frontal.
The sculpture depicts a youthful, beautiful, and pious Virgin Mary cradling the body of her deceased son, Jesus. Her robes are expansive, with numerous folds. Notably, Jesus appears older
Read MoreBiblical Revelation: God’s Plan for the Nations
Essay Topics on Biblical Themes
Three Reasons to Study and Preach the Historical Books
The three reasons why we should study and preach the historical books are:
- They cover the whole counsel of God.
- They reveal God’s plan and show how His plan has been accomplished in history.
- They provide a framework for understanding the rest of the Bible.
Principles for Preaching from Old Testament Historical Books
There are several principles that should be followed when using Old Testament historical books in preaching:
Themes in Delibes’ Rural Tragedy: A Literary Analysis
Themes and Secondary Conflicts
This rural drama tragedy resolves a conflict between unequal samples, a conflict concerning the submission and innocence of the disinherited, a conflict between servants and masters, gentlemen. Delibes presents two ways of understanding the world and two conceptions of the relationship between man and nature.
- The servants, whose lives have always been in direct contact with the earth, in a spontaneous communion with the environment, have been allowed to understand what
Early Christian and Byzantine Art: Churches, Mosaics
Early Christian and Byzantine Art
Introduction: Principles of Christianity
The religion founded by Jesus Christ, and extended by his followers, was based on a set of principles that were openly and fundamentally opposed to the religion and socio-political structure of the Roman world. These principles are:
- Monotheism or belief in one God. This principle was totally opposed to the Roman religion, not only because it was polytheistic, but because the exclusivity of worship to God was against the deification