Historical and Social factors on Christian thought Flashcards
What was the protestant reformation?
.Began with Martin Luther
.Religious movement that swept through Europe in the 1500s
.Resulted in the creation of the Protestant branch
.Used for separation from the Catholic Roman church due to differences in doctrine
How was Christianity before the protestant reformation?
. Christian teachings taught through the clergy (Church)
. Bible written in Latin, due to lack of ability to read they were told what the Bible said
. Catholic church gives equal authority to the Bible + church- Apostolic tradition
How was Christianity after the Protestant reformation?
.Protestants read + studied the Bible in their won languages
.Bible translation became more widely available- able to form own opinions about it/ Challenge traditional views
.Considered the Bible, not the church as their guide to belief and practice- Solar Scriptura
What is Liberal Theology?
An approach to theological thinking, aimed to analyse the Bible and Christian teaching using modern thought informed by reason and science
What was the Enlightenment period?
An intellectual movement in the 18th Century that emphasised science and reason
What is Biblical criticism?
.Intends to find the truth expressed without assumptions
.Examines the original languages and the background of passages
What are criticism of Liberal Biblical criticism?
.Some believed it was wrong to treat the Bible as an ordinary text that could be analysed
.Karl Barth- ‘Human reason cannot be used to judge scripture. Instead Scripture is the judge of human reason’
What are the challenges to Biblical criticism?
-Rejected by the Christian fundamentalist movement in USA - early 19th century
.First half of 20th century, some Protestant US groups emphasised a straightforward + literal interpretation of scripture- claimed, everyone, inspired by the holy spirit, should be able to read, understand and interpret scriptures
. God’s word was clear, studying the Bible ‘Critically’ would undermine its meaning- did not need to conform to modern attitudes
What does 1 Timothy 2:8-15 state?
What are the 2 responses to the issue of gender within the scripture & Early church?
Egalitarians- Believes all are equal before Christ + should be treated as such regardless of sexuality, gender, race. Men + women should permit equal roles.
Complementarian- Believes men + women are equally important yet have different roles that complement each other in marriage, family, society.
What 3 aspects of the mission have been typical of the Christian church right from the start of existence?
Proclamation of the Gospel- Committed to sharing the message of salvation through Jesus, apostles were instructed to preach the Good news to all nations
Baptism + discipleship- Consistently emphasised baptising new believers and teaching them to follow Christ’s teachings, as seen in the Great commission
Service to poor- Early church prioritised charity, caring for widows, orphans, and following Christ’s example of compassion and service
How has the focus of Christian evangelism in today’s world changed from the 19th century evangelism?
19th- focused on large-scale missionary efforts to non-christian regions (Asia/Africa), emphasising the conversation of individuals + entire communities to Christianity
Modern- shifted to more personal + relational forms, focus on sharing faith through relationships, social justice. Stronger emphasis on evangelism through actions as service to the poor + advocating for social issues like climate change + human rights
Outline the work of Christian street Pastors
. Christian volunteers who go out into urban areas, particularly at night, to offer practical support to those in new
. Aim to be a positive presence in local communities, helping to prevent crime often working alongside the police
What is ecumenism?
.Refers to efforts aimed at promoting unity among different Christian denominations- seeks to foster cooperation and understanding between various Christian traditions- Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox, with ultimate goals of restoring unity of the Christian church- respects doctrine differences
How were women like in the church before the 19th century? Paul + Tertullian
- In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he refers to Phoebe as a ‘deacon and patron of many’ + describes Junia as an apostle
. In Western parts of the Roman Empire, Christianity developed a sense of loathing for the physical body- Tertullian- ‘the devil’s gateway’
How were women like in the church before the 19th century?
. 2nd-5th centuries the sexist view became more pronounced
. 5th- women played a significant role in the organisation of the church, seen as a threat
. Resulted in several church councils banning the ordination of women as deacons
. Women could go to convents to escape men-dominated society, could study, in art, + rise to positions of authority
. Protestant reformation changed the way some women saw themselves church
How were women in the 19th Century? Inequalities between men and women
. Men started travelling to work in factories + offices, wives would stay at home but single daughters would go to wealthy houses to work ‘in service’
.Women seen as physically weaker than men + they should focus on the home and education of children whilst men were sent out to perform manual/ military tasks
How were women in the 19th Century?
.1848 colleges in London established to train women to become teachers
.1970 Education Act provided universal primary education for boys + girls
. Women’s rights movements began + feminism spread, accepted in medical professions
. Very few could vote in elections, sue in court or own property
. Married women see as husband’s property
