Major World Religions: Beliefs, Practices, and History
Hinduism: Core Beliefs and Practices
Hinduism is a profound way of life, deeply embraced by its practitioners. Central to the Hindu worldview is the Karma-Samsara-Moksha doctrine, a foundational framework for understanding existence.
The Cycle of Rebirth and Liberation
- Atman (Self/Soul): The individual self is believed to be reincarnated into the world, cycling through various forms.
- Samsara (Cycle of Rebirth): This continuous cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth is driven by karma.
- Karma (Action
Alpha Phi Alpha Principles, History, and Notable Members
Sphinxman Principles and Values
The Sphinxman Credo
As a Sphinxman, I will uphold high scholastic standards, high moral character, brotherly love, personal progress, loyalty, and respect for womanhood to the best of my ability.
The Sphinxman Hymn
The mystic Sphinx for us the name does signify,
We love and guard its customs and ideals.
Our task is hard, our vigil long and dutiful,
Our hearts are ever mindful of our task.
And should we cross those burning sands that guard our aims,
We pledge ourselves as mandates
Holistic Development and Life’s Purpose: A Christian Perspective
Comprehensive Education: Fostering Human Dignity
Inclusive education aims at the internal and multidimensional development of the person, fostering the ability to:
- Learn to know
- Know-how (practical application)
- Knowing how to be (personal conduct)
- Ultimately, knowing how to exist (holistic being)
Knowledge, practical skills, and the ability to be are conducive to true understanding; knowledge is a task of being. Knowing how to do is a humanizing process. Teaching enables individuals to solve specific
Saint Augustine’s Philosophy: Truth, God, Creation, and Humanity
Saint Augustine’s Philosophy
The Nature of Truth and Knowledge
Saint Augustine’s philosophy addresses the skeptic by asserting that existence presupposes a first truth: truth itself. Knowledge is understood through two key aspects:
- Internalization: Sensible objects are characterized by instability and impermanence, making knowledge derived solely from them unreliable.
- Transcendence (Epistemological): True knowledge involves learning about stable and permanent objects. The soul, through internalization,
Religious Transformation: Medieval to Modern Eras
Theocentric Society: Medieval Age
Society in the Medieval Age was theocentric, explaining everything through the power of God and divine forces. The basic objectives were work and service to God, each from their estate. All life was centered on God’s will, expressed in the Bible and interpreted by ecclesiastical authority, especially the Pope. Science and art aimed to explain the action of God. Christian thought was universal and unique.
Anthropocentric Society: Modern Age
In the Modern Age, society
Read MoreRenaissance and Reformation: Europe’s Transformative Eras
A New Way of Thinking: The Renaissance
During the fifteenth century, a new way of thinking began to spread throughout Europe. It was in the sixteenth century that we can truly speak of the Renaissance, characterized by:
- The rejection of the medieval mindset, centered on the idea of God, and the exaltation of man as the only being endowed with reason and freedom.
- Inspiration from Greco-Roman culture. The renewed interest in the Greek language allowed the translation of great classical authors.
- A burgeoning