The broader Christian tradition - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 36 Words: 10742 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? Introduction Bible does not offer much information regarding Mary the mother of Jesus. Perhaps this is because Scripture centres around the person, of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Yet if we look closer to the Scriptures, they unravel a connection between the Old Covenant from the Old Testament and the New Covenant from the New Testament. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The broader Christian tradition" essay for you Create order Mary is the passage between both Testaments as she represents Israel and Jesus Church. Mary is historical as Christianity looks back to her presence as the daughter of Sion (Zephaniah 3:12) where Zephaniah declared the freedom of Israel would commence, from a remnant of Israel, a humble and low-born daughter of Sion. Sion referred to a daughter in the Hebrew Scriptures and Virgin and Mother in the New Testament. Therefore a Scriptural text that links both Testaments and likewise Mary to God is found in Zechariah, Sing, rejoice, daughter of Sion, for now I am coming to live among you- Yahweh declares (Haffner. P. 2004. p. 28). St. Luke links this text in his version of the Annunciation; Rejoice, you who enjoy Gods favour! The Lord is with you. Mary do not be afraid; you have won Gods favour. Look! You are to conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you must name Him Jesus (Luke 1: 28, 30, 31). Therefore in the here and now, Mary was historical but in the era of the Old Testament, Mar y was prophetical where a Redeemer would come from a woman (Genesis 3:15). Yet according to Byzantine Liturgy within the Kontakion, Mary is eschatological because she is our steady hope and protection (Haffner. P. 2004. p. 19). This is to say that the yesterday of Israel and of the Church becomes present through liturgical memorial; today is marked by constant and active presence of Our Lady in the pilgrimage of the Church, towards its goal; tomorrow is a reality which is already imperfectly anticipated, and this offers confidence and hope (Haffner. P. p. 19). Chapter One Was Mary the Second Eve? You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die. (NRSV. Genesis 2: 16-17) Although God had commanded Adam not to eat from the tree of knowledge we also hear Eve explain to the serpent God said they were not to eat any of the fruit from the tree that stood in the middle of the Garden of Eden (NRSV. Genesis 3: 3). Eve was tempted by the serpent and the thought of gaining knowledge and in turn, Eve tempted Adam who also ate the forbidden fruit. From this fall of Adam and the moment of consumption, sin entered into the world. Although their sin was against God, ever since all humanity has been conceived and born with a sinful nature, Through one man sin entered the world, and death through son, and thus death spread to all men, because they sinned ( NRSV. Romans 5:12). Adams sin of disobedience and unbelief is owned by every human from the moment they are born regardless of ones righteous living, Behold said the inspired writer in the Psalm Miserere, Behold, I was conceived in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me.(Newman. H. J.). As Adam and Eve are our ancestors, humanity is also the heir to Adams penalty from his sin. Yet, as such humanity has lost the spiritual covering of Gods grace and holiness that was mans make-up at the time of creation by its Creator. There are thought to be only two ways that humanity can be released from this sin; through the Sacrament of Baptism and through the Blessed Virgin Mary. Justin Martyr one of the second century Church Fathers in A.D. 155 compared the Virgin Mary with the Virgin Eve. (https://www.americancatholictruthsociety.com/docs/ecf_mary.htm). The serpents word brought the fruit to birth through the Virgin Eve who though undefiled believed the word of the fallen and evil angel which led to death being introduced in creation (http//www.catholic.com/thisrock/2003/0309frs.com). However, the Virgin Mary was given faith and joy when the angel Gabriel brought her the good news that, The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God (Luke 1: 35). Therefore Mary was to bring the Word of God, the Logos into the world and because she had faith in the words of the good angel, Life as Christ Himself came into the world. The Annunciation Irenaeus from the second century contrasts Eve with Mary in his Against Heresies A.D. 190 through Eves disobedience even though she was a virgin and Marys obedience, I am the servant of the Lord, may it be to me as you have said (Luke 1:38). Whereas Eve became known as the reason for death for all humanity including Eve, Mary became the reason for salvation for both herself and humanity. Therefore Eves disobedience was freed by Marys obedience, What the virgin Eve had bound in unbelief, the Virgin Mary loosed through faith (https://www.americancatholictruthsociety.com/docs/ecf_mary.htm). Tertullian from the third century A.D. 210 recorded in his treatise, it was while Eve was still a virgin that the word of the devil crept in to erect an edifice of death. Though a Virgin, the Word of God was introduced to set up a structure of life. What had been laid waste in ruin by this sex was by the same sex re-established in salvation. Eve had believed the serpent; Mary believed Gabriel. That which the one destroyed by believing, the other, by believing, set straight. (https://www.cin.org/users/james/files/key2mary.htm). John Henry Newman the former Anglican believed that the similarities between Eve and Mary actually improved the opinion on Marys role in redemption. Like Eve, the Blessed Virgin Mary was put in the position to choose between obeying and disobeying the will of God. Whilst Eve was disobedient and lost her sense of wonder Mary returned it to humanity through her faith and obedience. Although Eve was a sine-qua-non the reason which enabled mans sin to happen, those three parties of man, woman and the serpent who had originally been present, would meet again. Yet this time it would be a second Adam and a second Eve, and the new Eve was to be, the mother of the new Adam (Newman. J. 1982. p.2). God had said I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers (Genesis 3: 15). Therefore the Seed of the woman is the Word Incarnate, and the Woman, whose seed or son He is, is His mother Mary (Newman. J. 1982. p.2). Even the Reform Fathers Martin Luther, John Calvin and Zwingli firmly accepted the dogma of Mary being the Mother of God as well as Marys perpetual virginity. Zwingli and Luther even supported Marys role as the new Eve whilst at the same time accepting Marys Immaculate Conception. Many Reformers continued to believe and accept this doctrinal definition of Mary as the second Eve during the Protestant Reformation but some Protestants today, refute this idea by stating that there is no term for a second Eve. In contrast they agree that there is a last Adam supported by Scripture in 1 Corinthians where Jesus is called the last Adam as both He and Adam were born supernaturally. Therefore instead of Mary bringing humanity back from the fall caused by Eve, surely it is Jesus and not Mary, who brings humanity back from the fall which then restores humanity to God? Rather than saying that Mary was the second Eve can we say instead that Mary the new Eve? Jesus had spoken rather roughly to Mary at the wedding at Cana, O Woman what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come. ( John 2: 4). Do we see at this point that woman is actually a reference to Eve who was the first woman to invite Adam to disobey Gods will? Then Mary could be seen to be asking Jesus to leave his divine timetable, to act in a messianic power before his hour has come (Wright. D. 1989. p. 220). Nevertheless Mary has been given salvation and so out of faith, Mary was able to say to the waiting staff, Do whatever he tells you (John 2: 5). St. John indicates Mary as a new Eve being united to John, a new Adam, a figure of the new humanity, upon whom Jesus will breather his Spirit (John 20:22). In this way Jesus is conferring the redemption from Adams sin on his disciples. Therefore it is hardly surprising that Mary is present at Pentecost alongside the disciples and waiting f or the Spirit to come upon them (Acts 2:3). It is clear from the doctrine of the early Church Fathers as well as Henry Newman that there is an undeniable parallelism between Mary as the second Eve and Jesus as the second Adam. If we suppose like Irenaeus and other Church Fathers, that Mary was the second Eve then we are enabled by the position and office of Eve in our fall, to determine the position and office of Mary in our restoration (Newman. J. 1982. p. 2) Does it make a difference to us as Christians by accepting that Mary as the New Eve parallels Jesus the New Adam? Or, should we accept Mary as the new Eve from Evangelical perspective? Whichever Eve Mary was; what is clear is Marys trust and obedience to God which is embodied in Marys trust and obedience to her son Jesus. Therefore this must surely be the focus and example that all Christians are called to follow as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. Chapter Two The Immaculate Conception and Its Significance The theological debate over the Immaculate Conception where Mary was born without original sin has been one of the significant points that have divided Roman Catholics and Anglicans. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception was unstated in earlier times but never denied. However in the Middle Ages this doctrine was denied by St. Thomas and St. Bernard where they placed the phrase within a different meaning to what the Church takes it today. Thomas and Bernard understood it with reference to Our Ladys mother whereas we do not speak of the Immaculate Conception except as relating to Mary (Newman. J. p.14). You and I are the children of Adam and as such have inherited the outcome of Adams sin (Psalm 51: 5). Because of this we have forfeited in Adam the spiritual covering of grace and holiness which the Creator God had given Adam at his moment of creation. As a result of this humanity has been conceived and born in this state of disinheritance, but Mary was never in this state; she was by the eternal decree of God exempted from it (Newman. J. p. 14). Mary, known from early Christianity as the second Eve was able to overcome the sin that the first Eve committed by having remained a virgin and in turn producing a virgin Son. (Jantzen. G. 1995. p. 235). It is evident that the virginal conception of Jesus (McManus. J. 2007. p. 86) was beheld by the Gospels according to Luke, Matthew and even John. Matthews Gospel highlights the fact that Joseph is Jesus father by way of bringing in Jesus genealogy where the ancestry of Joseph stems from the Royal ancestry of the house of David. (St. Matthew 1:1-16). Through Mary the Virgin, the prophet Isaiahs prophecy finds fulfilment, Look, the virgin is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14). The Christ child is the personification of Isaiahs prophecy who will come to redeem his people from sin and lead them to salvation. When the angel Gabriel hailed Mary with the words, Greetings, you are highly favoured (Luke 1: 28) Catholics literally took this as Biblical evidence that implies the sinlessness of Mary. In contrast, Protestants in general are against the idea of Mary being freed by God from her original sin at the moment of her conception. This is because Protestants believe that the Immaculate Conception creates Mary as a kind of goddess and is set apart in an improper way from the rest of humanity. However is it not rather odd for Protestants to minimize grace in the example of the Virgin Mary, when their whole theology for salvation is dependant upon grace alone? Mary herself must have pondered over these words. What does it mean to be highly favoured? One theory is that these words, kecharitomene are linked to Gods grace having been derived from the Greek word, charis which means grace. Therefore according Greek scholars, Mary being full of grace was actually endued with grace. Even the Protestant linguist W. E. Vine has clarified this as being endued with Divine grace comparable to Romans 5: 2. The Annunciation would have been an awesome and inspiring experience for Mary but not a crushing experience. Mary knew that the Lord was indeed with her and felt strengthened by Him to accept the challenge. But why was, Mary chosen and not another Jewish woman? Could, it be as the Protevangelium of James from the 2nd century, would have us believe, that Mary was chosen by God because her mother Anne was thought barren and out of desperation, called upon God for the gift of a child. A child and pattern that echoes Hannah and her son Samuel from the Old Testament (1 Samuel 1: 11- 28 ) who also dedicated her God -given child to the service of God. Alike Samuel, Mary, the daughter of Anne and Joachim had been taken by her parents to live in the Temple where Mary danced on the Temple steps and was beside the Lord, like a little child rejoicing before him always (Proverbs 8: 30). Does this lead us to see Marys role as the one who will both shelter and reveal the Lord who is about to dwell in her? (Boss. Sarah. Jane. 2007. p. 48). Can we really believe that a council of priests remembered Mary as the pure little child who was from the tribe of David and took her to the Temple where the pure purple and scarlet fell to Mary? (Boss. S. p. 49 ). After hearing the angel speak to her, Mary is said to have returned to the Temple and was then blessed by the priest who said to her, Mary, the Lord God has magnified your name, and you shall be blessed among all generations of the earth (Boss. S. p.49). Yet the Bible tells us that it was Mary who said this in her song From now all generations will call me blessed (Luke 1: 48). Therefore the prophecy of the Protevangelium of James and Marys own prophecy are in contrast because the Lutherans and Calvanists agreed that Marys self-prophecy was continually being realized in the church. The dogma of the Immaculate Conception indicates that Mary is believed to have been born without any primary sin. This idea has been argued over for centuries in the Christian Church. While the Franciscans encouraged this doctrine in the Middle Ages the Dominicans opposed it and carried their opposition through to the 17th century. Early Christianity believed that Mary had not actually committed any sins during her life which became incorporated into the Churchs worldwide teaching. The Western Church during the 5th century agreed that the doctrine of original sin to be orthodox teaching and in 1854, a definition of the Immaculate C Conception was made an article of faith in the papal bull Ineffabilis Deus. ((Boss. J. S. p. 208). However the Dominican Thomas Aquinas objected to the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception and disputed that while Christ had no need to be redeemed, the children of Adam needed salvation. So as Mary was a child of Adam, Mary also had been saved by Christ. Yet the main argument for Aquinas was that if a person was redeemed then they had to be snatched from the devils grip so at some moment Mary must have been in the devils grip and therefore in a state of sin. Or if Mary was sinless, then the sins that she needed to be redeemed from must have been committed by her forebears. But surely Anne and Joachim were righteous Jews? Yet even if Mary was not smeared with any past sins from her forebears then Mary did not need salvation from Christ. If this is true then how can Christ be the world-wide Redeemer we believe in? Therefore in the eyes of Thomas Aquinas, Mary cannot have been born without original sin. Aquinas argument spilled over to the next century where it was contested by an English Franciscan called William of Ware in 1305. Ware believed that there were two kinds of debt, that which is contracted and must be paid and that which is not contracted when it could have been (Boss. J. S. p. 212). Although most of humanity would find themselves in the first group, Mary who was sinless is placed into the second group because Mary debt of sin was remitted before any incurred by the Passion of Christ. In the Orthodox tradition Mary is continually referred to as, panagia, all-holy, panamomitos, without blemish and achrantos, without spot or immaculate (Stacpoole. A. 1982. p. 176). Some Greek theologians such as Elias Miniati, the Bishop of Kernitsa and Kalavryta in 1669-1709 accepted the Roman dogma of Marys Immaculate Conception whilst contemporary traditional and orthodox school of thought believe that Mary was subject to the consequences of original sin, even though she was free from actual sin (Stacpoole. A. 1982. p. 176). Although Orthodox Christians have freedom to believe the Latin doctrine privately in doing so they may be swimming against the current of the clear consensus of modern Orthodox theology. But why would the Orthodox Church be so aloof towards this doctrine? It is thought that there are two reasons; the role of Mary and her connection between the Old and New Covenant which actually detaches Mary from the other heirs of Adam and places Mary in another class from the previous religious men and women from the Old Testament. Therefore this would obliterate the continuity of sanctified history. The second reason is that the Orthodox considers that the 1854 explanation of the Immaculate Conception entails an understanding of original sin (Stacpoole. A. p. 177) that, they can not share. During the era of St. Augustine the concept of the Immaculate Conception and original sin was more appropriate to that era and Western theologians. Ever since Augustine the West, has been inclined to see original sin more as a fault that is perpetrated by all humanity in Adam. This involves all new-born babies who inherit guilt and therefore are deserving of the wrath and punishment of God. Yet Christianity in the East during Patristic and contemporary times had placed far less importance on this idea of inherited guilt and in some views the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception is thought to be pointless. Yet there are many who have claimed to have been spiritually enlightened from the Immaculate Conception. For example, Hildegard of Bingen experienced visions where the Church is known as the Bride of Christ who is a virgin and its key figures are the virgin clergy, monks nuns (Jantzen. G. 1995. p. 235). Therefore it is understandable that Marys Immaculate Conception was inspirational to Hildegard and others who believed that the way to spiritual perfection compelled virginity. This was further highlighted by Hildegards vision, the Ordo Virtutum where the jubilant ranks in heaven, the virgins find their place with the apostles, prophets and martyrs (Jantzen. G. p.235). Roman Catholicism and their dealings with Mary are a current significant issue for Protestants because of a wide range of theological issues. The primal reason being of the authority of Scripture, the authenticity of interpretation and the authority of tradition and the teaching office within the Church on grace and incarnation. Yet, it was comparatively slight during the Protestant Reformation where Reformers such as Luther and Calvin preached on Mary. Henry Newman a former Anglican believed that the Immaculate Conception has uncovered the great truth that Mary was conceived in the womb of her mother, St. Anne without original sin (Newman. H. J. 1849 Discourses to Mixed Congregations). In the Reformation, the Orthodox, Catholic and Protestants were in agreement that Mary was indeed a virgin at both Jesus birth and throughout her entire life. Whereas Calvin believed that Jesus brothers were really His cousins (www.kencollings.com) Zwingli highlighted Marys perpetual virginity and Lu ther taught that Mary was born without sin. There has always been debate between Catholics and Protestants on what the Bible is really teaching. We only have to look to the theological difference in the sacrificial nature in the Eucharist. However, since the official description of the Immaculate Conception in 1854, even some Roman Catholic theologians queried a weakness in the biblical justification that was presented in support of the Dogma. They began to claim that the doctrine, though unwitnessed in the Bible, had been handed down from apostolic times by unwritten, oral tradition (Stacpoole. A. 1982. p. 51). While Mary is honoured as the Virgin and the chosen one to give birth to the Christ-child, was virginity in Marys era highly prized or could have been a sign of sterility and therefore a weakness? Even the Bible is known to express despair and misery of people by comparing the people to a virgin. We only have to look in the Lament for Israels sin Hear this word, O House of Israel, this lament I take up concerning you: Fallen is Virgin Israel, never to rise again, deserted in her own land, with no one to lift her up ( NIV. Amos 5: 1-2). If Mary had been chosen by God because of her barrenness, was it because God chooses the vulnerable, the poor, the rejected and the outcast? Mary responded to God by saying, Be it unto me according to thy word ( NIV.Luke 1:38) because she had been inspired by Gods favour which prompted Mary to accept the challenge. Although Mary was certainly one of the Lords poor whom the Psalmist celebrated, she was in no way pauperised (Stacpoole. A. 1982. p. 30) a s is shown in the exultation of the Magnificat. Contrastingly, Luther implies that because Mary may have been an orphan, the Despised stump from Isaiah 11:12, the divinity of God bonded with Marys poor status. Luthers belief was that rather than the Magnificat exulting Mary, it emphasizes her low degree (Wright. D. 1989. p. 165). For many Evangelicals today, the idea of the Immaculate Conception is questionable as there is no mention of the Immaculate Conception in the Bible so tradition does not come into the argument. This theological debate on attitudes towards Mary and the diversity in our respective doctrines of original sin has been debated for centuries and is still a topic for debate among Roman Catholicism, Orthodox and Protestant traditions. So who has got it right? Surely the focus needs to be on our core understanding of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in the person and divinity of Jesus Christ? Was there any expectation by the Jewish people that their expected Messiah would be born of a virgin? Was it even necessary for the virgin birth to take place? Why, has the Church always been so quick to defend Marys virginity? I suggest that in defending Marys virginity, the divinity of Marys son is defended, because the virgin birth is a symbol of this divinity, the new beginning and the new Adam. The Virgin birth was deemed important enough to be included in the Creeds because it occurred, is Scriptural and an indicator to Christ and his saving works. Within the various thoughts on original sin there does seem to be a difference in the way Protestants and Catholics view grace. Grace for Protestants is where an exterior approbation is bestowed by God upon a soul that is still internally fraudulent. In contrast Catholics view grace as a feature of changing and explanatory beauty, a real inward condition or superadded quality of the soul (Newman. J. 1999. p. 64). This then explains h ow Mary achieved the constructive quality of supernatural grace that Eve is known to have had before the fall from grace (Genesis 3: 6). Therefore this is the reason for the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception being significant for Catholics. On the other hand the significance of the Immaculate Conception for Christianity could be that while Marys virginity is confirmed as the human origin of Jesus the Son of God (McManus. J. 2007. p. 91) the Church is also affirming the sinlessness of Jesus humanity and Jesus Christs divine origin which is a sign of Gods grace and plan in humanitys salvation. Chapter Three Mary, Forever Virgin? When the Son of God came into the world born of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, the early Church Fathers believed that the birth was without any pain and incurred no loss of Marys virginal integrity during the birth (https://www.davidmacd.com/catholic/mary_perpetual_virgin.htm). Augustine describes this as Jesus passing through the womb of Mary as a ray of sun passes through glass and therefore as Marys Hymen did not break and she had no other children, therefore remained a virgin. Joseph was also to play a part in being Marys husband and the earthly father of Jesus. We are not told in Holy Scripture of the exact details of the marriage between Mary and Joseph but the early Church believed that they lived their marriage without a normal sexual relationship (McManus. J. 2007. p. 92). Although Joseph evidently loved Mary he acknowledged that Mary was consecrated to God and so rather than take the role of a marital husband, Joseph took the role as provider and nurturer for Jesus to grow up in a stable Holy family. According to Catholic tradition Mary bore no children to Joseph which has only been disputed by Tertullian. Yet we hear of Jesus having brothers and sisters ( Mark 3:31) which is acceptable to Protestants as it supports that Mary and Joseph made children together and therefore had a sexual relationship. In contrast these brothers are explained as cousins in the Greek language, as there is no Greek word for cousins. Yet Catholic teaching is that these brothers and sisters are in fact Jesus first cousins and the children of Joseph by his previous marriage. There seems to ne no specific Scriptural explanation of this and it may simply reflect the Patriarchal idolising of female virginity. Yet so strong is Catholic belief in Mary perpetual virginity that it became incorporated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, The deepening of faith in the virginal motherhood led the Church to confess Marys real and perpetual virginity even in the act of giving birth to the Son of God made man. In fact, Christs birth did not diminish his mothers virginal integrity but sanctified it. And so the liturgy of the Church celebrates Mary as the Ever-virgin (McManus. J. p. 93). The Greek Orthodox Church also supports Mary as a perpetual virgin and gave Mary the title, Aeiparthenos Ever-Virgin in 553 at Constantinople during the 5th Ecumenical Council. Martin Luther the Augustinian monk was instrumental in the rise of the European Reformation but was completely devoted to Mary. Although Luther challenged the Catholic Church in the abuse of Indulgences in his 95 thesis, Luther strongly believed in the perpetual virginity of Mary. Also other founders of Protestantism such as Calvin, Cranmer and Zwingli were known to have taught the Perpetual Virginity of Mary using the phrase, Ever Virgin in their confessional writings. The most surprising fact was that Luthers belief in Marys Immaculate Conception was not even declared as dogma by the Catholic Church until 1854. Calvin is also known to have encouraged his congregations to venerate Mary. Zwingli defended the perpetual virginity of Mary by saying, to deny that Mary remained inviolate before, during and after the birth of her Son, was to doubt the omnipotence of God (Potter. R. G. Zwingli. 1976. pp. 88-9, 395) Since the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, the place of Mary has changed due to the confusion on Marian Devotion which we will look at in later chapters. Yet although the first generation of Protestant Reformers kept their devotion to Mary it is in contrast to the Protestant worship of the twentieth century where Mary was formally divorced from worship and prayer and was lucky if she was even mentioned in the Nativity story at Christmas. There are strong voices among Protestants which also include some Anglicans who believe in the clarity of Scripture and in its sole sufficiency in matters immediately related to salvation (Boss. J. S. p. 342). However these Protestants do not accept that Christians should be bound to accept through faith and conscience any doctrine that has no written evidence in Scripture. So in the dogma of the virgin birth of Mary, Evangelicals and Protestants have no trouble as it is taught in Scripture. In contrast though, the dogma of the perpetual virginity of Mary is another matter altogether. This is because traditional and evangelical Protestants claim that the perpetual virginity of Mary is a literal reading which is directly contradicted by Scripture and with those of the Immaculate Conception and Assumption (Boss. S. p. 342). In fact some would argue that the former is in conflict with the teaching of Paul in that all have sinned (Romans 3: 12; 5:12) and the latter because there is no ev idence in Scripture that relays the life of Mary after she had been in the upper room at Pentecost awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit. Therefore for Anglicans there is the problem following demise of Biblical Literalism, on which all can agree. Whereas Roman Catholicism teaches that Scripture is to be read in the light of the tradition of the Church (Boss. S. J. p. 342) and adopt the same Magisterial pattern that they have had for centuries and of which was firmed up in the 19th Century. So which tradition is theologically correct and does it really matter? After all Marys perpetual virginity is not historical but is outside history as eternal. Marys defining characteristic as the Virgin Mary is so unique and special that even if she had gone on to have children with Joseph, it would not have been lost because Marys virginity does not mean using the technical sense but more in the spiritual and historic sense. Chapter Four Mary Mother of God The broader Christian traditions today, are united in their acceptance and belief in that the Blessed Virgin Mary was in fact the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 2:7) Yet when it comes to the question of accepting Mary as the Mother of God, there is a diversity of opinion that dates back to the Reformers. Yet before we look at this great theological debate, let us determine how exactly did Mary become known as Theotokos the Mother of God? In the second century Christianity had already begun to revere Mary. By 451 and the Council of Chalcedon, Marian doctrine and devotion was already well and truly thriving. It is believed that central to Mariology school of thought, is for Mary to be rightly called the Godbearer of her son Jesus Christ, who is God incarnate. Central to Christianity is the doctrine of the Incarnation where the Word of God who is God himself, through all things created, became a part of his own creation when he was conceived, gestated and born of the Virgin Mary (Boss. S. 2007. p. 50). Therefore the Word of God is concurrently the human male Jesus of Nazareth as he has a mother who is fully human. Pope John Paul II writes in his book that the early Church Fathers and the earlier ecumenical councils focused more on the identity of Jesus Christ whilst leaving the other features of dogma aside. Yet the truth about Mary from a Catholic perspective has unravelled down through the centuries as Mariology would always take its direction from Christology. (Pope J.P II. 2000. p. 25) When Marys maternal function became more universally known, Mary became venerated in the teaching and worship of the first centuries as the virginal Mother of Jesus Christ. ( Pope J.P II. 2000. p. 25) At the close of the second century, St. Irenaeus pointed out all that Mary had added to the labour of salvation; recognising in Mary, the worth of her consent in the annunciation and her obedience and faith in the angel Gabriels message, the perfect antithesesis of Eves disobedience and belief, with a beneficial effect on human destiny. (Paul. J. II. 2000. p. 26) Whereas Eve was the instrument of death, in contrast Marys yes to God was the means of salvation for herself and humanity. However although Irenaeus doctrine was not enlarged upon by other Church Fathers, it became worked out in the tenth century by John the Geometer, a Byzantine monk. John wanted to show that Mary is unified with Christ in the entire labour of redemption according to the will of God and through the sharing in the cross and suffering for humanitys salvation. Therefore in this way Mary stayed united to her Son, Jesus Christ in every deed, attitude wish (J.P.II. p.26). Arnold of Chartres offers us insight to Marys spiritual offering of her soul in unity with the Christ who sacrificed His flesh at Calvary. Marys sacrifice is different to that of Christs self-emptying sacrifice because although she was sinless, was not divine. Mary shares in the divine mystery in modelling both complete at-one-ness with Gods will in her acceptance of becoming Theokotos and in her anguish as she stood at the base of the cross, as Christs mother. Therefore Mary saw all the glory of Gabriel initial promise coming to nothing, in anything like the usual, humanly expected terms of parenting and yet still trusting that, grief-stricken though she is, it is how it should be as Gods will. The Pieta The compassion and humanness of Mary sharing in Christs passion and the drama of the cross has enabled Christians to enter the mystery. For Marys love for her Son is thought to make known the passion of the Son. Therefore Marys spiritual and worldwide motherhood has become widely recognised. Whereas John the Geometer in the East calls Mary, You are our Mother which develops into a thanksgiving for all the pain and suffering Mary bore for humanity, St. Anselm from the West developed Marys spiritual motherhood by declaring, You are the mother of reconciliation and the reconciled, the mother of salvation and the saved (cf. Oration 52, 8: PL 158, 957 A). In this way by seeing Mary within her motherhood, has opened a new path for Christians to become close to Mary. In the previous paragraphs I have tried to show how Mary the Mother of Jesus made the transition to become the Mother of God. The Mother of God comes from the Greek translation Theotokos which more clearly is portrayed as God-bearing, the God-bearer (Wright. D. 1989. p. 121). Theos translates into God while tokos translates to give birth to. This title for Mary as Theotokos is both very old and revered and expresses a very close and physical relationship between the Mother of God and the infant Jesus. The Theotokos title was affirmed by the council of Chalcedon in its predication of Mary being Theotokos and was included in church doctrine regarding the person of Christ. Therefore Theotokos became incorporated into ecclesiastical language in a context that was through and through Christological (Wright. D. p.122). The term Theotokos arose from a need to counter the heresy of Nestorianism. Nestorius, Bishop of Constantinople overstated the difference between the human and divine nature of Christ by proposing that Christ was not one but two, Son of God and son of Mary (Wright. D. p. 122). Nestorius was apprehensive of the term Theotokos as he thought it indicated that the Sons divinity started with Mary who was without question the mother of Christs humanity but not Christs divinity. Nestorius believed that if this title was used then it would suggest, that God had a beginning as if he were a pagan god, or some other created being (Boss. S. 2007. p. 54). Nestorius was adamant that the Word of God was in fact everlasting and therefore did not have a beginning. However Nestorius was quite content to accept the term Theodochos which translated into God-receiving or Christotokos, Christ-bearing. However the bishops of Ephesus who were led by Cyril of Alexandria were determined to settle for nothing less than Mary as Theotokos. In this way, the significance of the incarnation was preserved and Theotokos was authorized as a title for Mary. St. Gregory of Nazianz was adamant, that if anyone does not agree that Holy Mary is the Mother of God (Theotokos), he is at odds with the Godhead. If anyone asserts that Christ passed through the Virgin as through a channel, and was not shaped in her both divinely and humanly, divinely because without a man and humanly because in accord with the law of gestation, he is likewise godless (https://www.bringyou.to/apologetics/num28.htm). It is interesting that it was only from the end of the sixth century that the Greek Christians writers began to use the term Mother of God with any regularity. The last of the Greek Fathers who was known as John of Damascus was probably the first Greek writer to routinely use the this term, Mother of God and can be seen in his homilies on Marys nativity and dormition (Wright. D. 1989. p. 124). Although the Reformers within the 16th century agreed to the four ecumenical councils doctrine which made up part of the Christian faith within the true Catholic Church, they were not however ready to accept the decorum in the designation of Mary as Mother of God. It is thought that generally speaking, the Reformers preferred the Nestorian stance which denied Mary the term Theotokos. Even Calvin was not in favour of calling Mary the Mother of God as it was not a biblical expression, any more than blood of God or death of God were (Wright. D. 1989. p. 130). Although the term Theotokos has a singularity about it, it has not been widely used in the English language of prayer and worship. Whereas the term God-bearer has been successful in keeping close to its original Christological context (Wright. D. p. 131) the title Mother of God has not been able to accomplish it. Karl Barth was keen to keep the designation of Theotokos towards a more concrete Christological focus. This is evident in Barths quote, To a certain extent it amounts to a test of the proper understanding of the incarnation of the Word, because as Christians and theologians we do not reject the description of Mary as the mother of God, but in spite of its being overloaded by the so-called Mariology of the Roman Catholic Church, we affirm and approve of it as a legitimate description of Mary as the mother of God was and is sensible, permissible and necessary as an auxiliary Christological proposition ( Barths views on Mary in Wright. D. p. 132). On the other hand John Henry Newman was so caught up in the exultation of a meagre creature that he questioned what mystery was more beyond belief that God could become man without ending being God or Mary in becoming the Mother of God. Newman felt that no honour, compatible with the nature of a creature, is too exalted for her, no praise too great (Newman in Boyce P. 2001.p. 68). Evangelicals, and some Anglicans as well as Lutherans, Methodists and Presbyterian hardly ever refer to Mary as the Mother of God. Some fundamentalists are aghast if the Virgin Mary is called Mother of God. Yet does their reaction come from a misunderstanding of what the term Mother of God indicates as well as who Jesus was? After all it was through Mary rather than Joseph who came from the line of David (Romans 1:3). Karl Barth explains his theory of the Virgin Birth in that God rejected Joseph to be the father of Christ as God preferred to set aside the strength and maleness of men. Karl Barth believed that God desired a new creation and as Jewish identity is well known to be passed through the mother, it was logical for God to work with Mary rather than Joseph. So while Matthew hints at Josephs ancestry coming from the House of David ( Matthew 1: 1- 20) Barth suggests that it was more a case of Marys Jewishness that God required and used for the birth of the Messiah. So in this wa y, if Joseph had been implicated in the conception of Jesus then Jesus would have been made by man. Additionally the Creeds would not be able to state, who was incarnate with the Holy Ghost and the Virgin Mary and was made man. It is worth noting that while the use of Mary Mother of God is a loyal paraphrase that is acknowledged worldwide from the solid dogmatic authority of the Ecumenical Council, it raises the question of whether it should be used as the standard part of Protestant terminology as used in the Roman and Orthodox language? Catholics have always accepted and believed that Mary is the Mother of God commonly shared in Marianism between the Orthodox, Roman Catholicism and Anglo-Catholicism. Nevertheless the question is raised in whether Catholics gone too far and even flirted with the notion of Mary as co-medatrix or co-redeemer which flies in the face of Scripture, the unique and singular work, nature and value of Christ. One could say that it misses the point and even leads down the road of overstating to say the least. By stressing that Mary bore Christ as Theotokos has no doubt emphasized the divinity of Jesus Christ but it raises the problem with the idea of God having a mother, for by definition, God is God, and above and beyond, although stooping in wonderful grace in Christ. Surely, all heresy is a piece of the truth taken too far or even a bit of the truth left out some partial version of the truth of God? Here is an example; Jesus as social and moral example but not redeemer or as Man but not as God; a wise teacher, but nothing about his identity and mission to go to the cross. I could even add taking tradition over Scripture as a danger? Mary was a wonderful and humble example of a willing but chosen vessel. John Paul IIs Mulieris Dignitatem jogs our memory that the Council Fathers of Ephesus were primary in according such majesty to Mary where in 431 CE Mary was first declared the mother of God. Why was such so powerful vocabulary used though? It appears that they had to use this type of influential language because they had encountered an extreme situation. The Council Fathers had to defend the divine nature of Jesus was born as well as the human nature (Byrne. L. 1999. p. 113). However the only way they could achieve this was by affirming Mary as both the mother of the human Jesus and of the Eternal Word within Jesus deity. Yet, was Mary the literal Mother of God in the sense of being more than human, herself? Has the language of Mary in being referred to as Gods mother from the English account of Vatican II records and Pope John Paul II Marian encyclical, Mother of the Redeemer orchestrated Mary as being seen as a divine mother? Surely it is more correct to say that Mary was not the literal Mother of God but she bore the Christ in humility and submission to the greater plan and will of God? For Mary, proclaimed and rejoiced in God her Saviour in the Magnificat. (Luke 1: 46-55). Whether Mary is Theotokos or the Mother of Jesus, there can be no other Christ, lovely though Mary was. On the one hand we cannot dispute the fact that because Mary is the mother of Jesus, then Mary must also be the Mother of God because this is a logical syllogism. In this way the celestial motherhood of Mary actually defends the doctrine of the Incarnation as well as conserves Catholic faith from a false humanitarianism. However Mary as the Mother of God cannot be known as His mother in the way a mother is normally older than her children, nor is Mary the source of her Sons deity. The Old Testament prefigures the New Testament and the New Testament fulfils the Old Testament (https://www.angelfire.com/ok3/apologia /saintbenedict/maryark.html ). So in this way the Ark from the Hebrew Scriptures is changed for the Ark of the New Testament. Mary symbolizes this Ark of the New Covenant where as the Mother of God, Mary carries the deity Jesus Christ in her womb (2 John 7; John 1:14). In contrast though the fundamentalists would insist that Mary had not carried God within her womb but the human nature of Christ which surely echoes the Nestorian heresy? From an Evangelical perspective, does the term Mother of God make Mary over-honoured? Yet in contrast surely this title refers to Jesus, more than Mary, as it declares that Jesus Christ is really God and therefore protects against any false doctrine which cou ld play down Jesus divinity. In conclusion of a theological debate that seems certain to continue, I believe that more importantly Mary herself, would be the first to agree that Christianity must be pointed to Jesus rather than herself so that we are ready to do whatever He says. (John 2:5). Chapter Five Marian Devotion I cannot mention the Immaculate Conception without mentioning the Assumption. Both doctrines are part of the cause that separates Catholics and Protestants. Catholics believe that Marys body and not just her soul were taken up into heaven when she died. Therefore Mary would not have spent time asleep in the grave like the other Saints who await the last day and resurrection. In one sense this sounds incredible but not when we refer back to Elijah of whom God took up into heaven in a whirlwind (2 Kings 2: 11). There are no trustworthy records of where, how or when Mary died. Whilst the early Church Fathers; Jerome, Ephram and Augustine accepted Marys death without question, in contrast Epiphanius ended the discussion, by saying Nobody knows how she departed this world (https://www.therealpresence.org/archives/Mariology/Mariology_025.ht) Newman believed that two motives in believing in Marys Assumption is because her Divine Son loved her too much to let her body remain in the grave and that she was so transcendently holy, so full, so overflowing with grace (Newman. J. 1982. pgs, 2728). Newmans argument rests upon his theory in that supposing Eve had never sinned, therefore Eve would never have become dust. So Mary who was sinless must have kept hold of the gift that Eve had forfeited. Although many Evangelicals today refute the theory of Our Ladys Assumption, I feel that while the Incarnation demonstrates Gods longing to be with us the Assumption of Our Lady hints at Gods desire for humanity to be with Him. Although there is no Biblical evidence for Marys Assumption, one could argue that if God had not taken Mary up into heaven alive then, where are the remains of Marys earthly body? Where is the tomb, relics or the records for her death? Gregory I in the 5th century (540-604) chose to honour the Assumption of Mary into heaven on August 15th. This feast then replaced the theory and previous feast of January 18th of Marys Dormition (her falling asleep). Although the Assumption has never been proved it did however put Mary in a different place from the other saints. It also gave reassurance to the many faithful who sought her intercession and help as she sat alongside her son there (Rubin. M. 2010. p. 139). In this way we begin to see how Mary became the connection of hope between earth and heaven. Additionally the Assumption has been linked with her Coronation in heaven and together with other images and icons had led to the Assumption, representing an image, gesture and song the triumph and promise of salvation through the Incarnation worked in Marys body that never died. (Rubin. M. p, 143) Although the Blessed Virgin Mary was ultimately given the principal place in Christian tradition, it was not until the second century that we can glimpse any form of devotion to Mary, as Irenaeus of Lyons and the Protevangelium of James attest (Boss. S. 2007. p. 130). However within the fourth century we start to see a kind of Marian cult and prayer emerge as people began to offer their prayers to the Virgin Mary. Around the same era the veneration of other saints began to emerge; becoming quickly organised and visible. There is evidence from many resources such as homiletics, hagiography and archaeology from the Roman provinces of a thriving cult of the Virgin. Marian piety emerged from intercessory prayer which has been identified by a papyrus from ancient Egypt as, Sub tuum praesidium We take refuge in your mercy, Theotokos. Do not disregard our prayers in troubling times, but deliver us from danger, O only pure one, only blessed one (Boss. S. p. 130). During the Middle Ages Mary remained the predominant figure within devotional practise and theory. Mary became the subject of numerous sermons, songs, art work and doctrine where she became known as mother and virgin, bride and second Eve, type of the Church, divine intercessor and Throne of Wisdom (Boss. S. P. 177). Although Mary is rarely mentioned in the New Testament what has come from patristic authority is the notion that Mary was descended from the House of David as she was the cousin of Joseph. This is also supported by the apocryphal tradition who state that Mary was from the kin of Joseph. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Anselm was known to be among the first to dedicate a series of prayers to the Virgin as grieving mother (Boss. S. p. 182). Such piety encouraged that resonated with the passion of Christ and the grieving mother inspired many mystical authors such as Bernard of Clairvaux and the Cistercians during the twelfth century. It is worth noting that in the 12th century there was a spectacular augmentation of Marian devotion because of an overlap with the increase of clergy and monastics along with an intensified campaign for clerical celibacy. (Newman. B. 2003. p. 253) Although Marian godliness was practiced by the monks and nuns, lay people were also through the sacred art, preaching and vernacular texts. Therefore Mary succeeded in being all things to all people (Newman. B. p. 253) who inspired the peoples attitude and became the example they were to emulate. During the thirteenth century, most parish priests were instructed by the Pope and church council on what to teach their congregations. Amid the foundational teaching were the Ava Maria and the Creed which conveyed the place of Mary in Christianity. This was evident by the writings of a parish priest, William of Shoreham and his poem on the five joys of the Virgin (Rubin. M. 2010. p. 217). Yet there were Jewish voices in Europe who did not accept Mary conceived Christ by the Holy Spirit, maintained her virginity and was a figure to be revered. St. Francis of Assissi and the friars were enthused by the human side of Christ where Christs suffering is found at the core of the Christian faith. Mary is believed to be the one who felt Christs agony more than anyone and because of this Mary, is thought to resonate and have pity on the lowest of all the sinners. Up until the eve of the Protestant Reformation, the Marian cult had literally blossomed. If you prayed to Mary then she would be able to offer the promise of consolation in this world miraculous intervention during times of crisis and of salvation in the next (Parish. H Naphy. W. 2002. p. 25). Yet such devotion to Mary was mocked by the Protestant Reformers. Martin Luther was convinced that the Pope and his monks had encouraged Christian people to make a god out of Mary (Parish Naphy. p. 25). Furthermore, it was commonly thought that Mary had been given all power in heaven and earth (Parish Naphy. P. 25). So to address Mary as Mediator when the Mediator can only be Chri st alone was deemed as blasphemy. Luther was so aghast that he stated, to invoke the Virgin Mary and the saints may make a beautiful show of holiness; but we must stay together under the head, or we are eternally dammed. What will become of those. Who crawl for shelter under Marys cloak? (Parish Naphy. p. 25). Any previous rites that were thought to bring Marys help were now condemned as superstitious and idolatrous. Even the repetition of the Hail Mary was deemed useless by Luther and the Salve Regina and Regina caeli were eliminated as they were considered to dishonour Christ. The whole Protestant stance was summed up in 1593, by the Reformer, Nicholas Gryse in his Spegel de Antichristischen Pawestdomsvnd Lutherischen Christendoms which refers to saying the Hail Mary, using rosary beads, candles, holy images and blessed herbs at the feast of Purification and the Assumption as, superstitious, vain and powerless things (Parish Naphy. p.26). Until the Protestant Reformation, medieval Catholic Marian devotion in the sixteenth century was very popular in England. The arrival of the Reformation in England brought with it a reaction, to the place of Mary and other saints within Anglicanism. This reaction was followed in turn by swiftly and harshly removing the Marian devotions; guilds, shrines and prayers that respected Mary, religious Orders that had encouraged Marian devotion were dispersed and calendar feasts and occasions of Marian festivity were reduced. However Marys place within Scripture within Anglican dogma were not in question as it made certain of Marys position in the Anglican comprehension of the format of salvation. Also this gave the Anglican Prayer Book the room to add variety or development after the radical and political changes during the sixteenth century such as the 1552 Prayer book and the 42 Arcticles of 1559 and their extreme limitation of Marian devotion Although Luther and Zwingli were brought up within Marian devotion, they rejected any Marian devotion that was focused on the incantation of Mary but to the omission of Christ. Luther believed that, in the perversion of true religion the cult of Mary had played an inescapable .role and deserved to be branded as idolatry (Wright. D. 1989. P. 162) During the reign of Queen Mary, Calvin believed that prayers to Mary were in opposition to Scripture and to ask Mary to acquire grace for an individual was deplorable blasphemy. Mary could not be our advocate because Mary also needed Christ like all humanity. Calvin was convinced that by referring to Mary as hope, life and light was to make Mary into an idol and therefore detract from Gods respect. Yet in contrast Calvin was content for Christians to venerate Mary and imitate her for she was a true teacher. Most 16th century English Reformers had been brought up in an atmosphere of overblown, Marian devotion (Boss. S. P. 318). Although Mary was no longer referred to as the Queen of Heaven, our advocate, she was viewed as the perfect model of obedience and humility. Mary was a mother and wife who knew how to keep a good house and bring up her son as well as understand grief, sorrow and loss. Additionally Mary was viewed as playing a part in the history of salvation because she was a humble and obedient woman who had been called by God to a special role in Gods redemption for humanity and therefore was worthy of honour. In contrast Hugh Latimer saw extreme devotion to Mary as a way of dishonouring her because Mary never exalted herself above her son (Boss. S. p. 318). Chapter Six Marys journey is one that is both historic and religious. The Marian doctrine has been instrumental in moulding the Roman and Anglican Church which in turn has determined the different place of Mary within each tradition. Yet there are issues surrounding Marian doctrine such as; to what degree does the Church, as an institution, have freedom and authority in deciding matters of faith? The traditional Church of England line that all things necessary to salvation are contained in the Holy Scriptures seems, to me at least, to contrast with a Catholic doctrine of the magesterium which allows the teaching office to state definitively truths that must be believed. This is particularly noticeable in the case of Marian doctrines, like the Assumption and the Immaculate Conception, which have more recently been defined by the Catholic Magesterium. Thus, many Catholic Anglicans might believe in the truth of these doctrines without believing that they must be held as a matter of faith. However, maybe there are good reasons why these two should be held as a matter of faith, given the importance of Mariology for Christology. So maybe even with a different view of the Churchs relationship to Scripture and freedom to teach we should regard these doctrines as matters of faith. Anglicanism has problems following the demise of Biblical Literalism, on which all can agree, while Catholics adopt the same Magisterial pattern that they have had for centuries and of which was firmed up in the 19th Century. Although Anglicanism is correct in teaching their inherited belief of the Reformation that Mary is the perfect role model of humility obedience, a type of Church, (Seattle Statement ARCIC. P. 151) is there something more to be grasped? The Church of England and the worldwide Anglican Communion has always held Mary in high esteem yet down through the centuries Anglican belief in some of the Marian theology has come into questioning. Whichever tradition one is from in Christianity, we cannot deny the Blessed Virgin Mary has played a significant role in the life of Jesus Christ, Son of God because of Scriptural evidence. Yet the Marian Doctrine has created division between Roman Catholicism and Anglicanism. However the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission recognises that although there remain theological differences, they are committed to enabling Christians to encounter the person of Mary and strengthen individual faith. Their aim has never been to substitute Jesus Christ our Redeemer with Mary. Instead the ARCIC has tried to explain that in having Mary as the core of a Christians devotion actually leads the Christian to Christ so that we like Mary can be ready to, Do whatever he tells you (John 2:5). Mariology has also been the focus of the Ecumenical Movement where Anglican, Protestant and Orthodox theologians are currently trying to find a way where the doctrines of the Immaculate Conception the Assumption can be incorporated into the Christian faith although they are not explicitly made known Biblically. The Ecumenical Movement acknowledges that the doctrine and the place of venerating Mary present a huge challenge in the hope for Christian kiononia. For although Prejudices can be dissipated in fraternal discussion, doctrine can be centered anew upon its Christological character, and worship can be modified, reformed or spiritualized the doctrine and veneration of Mary create extreme difficulties for ecumenical thought. ( ). Yet the Ecumenical Movement are convinced that to resolve this problem is by being dependant on the prospective bringing together of a torn apart Christianity. Protestants within contemporary Anglicanism have inherited the Protestantism of the reformers from the 16th century. This is the inheritance of the new role for Mary that was brought about during the Reformation who had to find a new role rather than the previous Marian devotional role. Therefore Marys role was exchanged from being revered to the perfect model of discipleship and obedience for all Christians to aspire to. Yet is this considered a blessing or a curse, in that it is impossible to live up to? Protestant and evangelical Anglicans are still extremely wary of letting Mary become a focal point of their devotion and rebuff the custom of praying to Mary and the other saints as part of their worship to God. The superstition that surrounded Marian devotion during the English Reformation has certainly not helped matters yet there still seems to be confusion on Marian devotion today and in the person of Bloody Mary somehow connected to the Virgin Mary. If Anglicans revere Mary or have devotion to her does that take them further away from Jesus Christ? In contrast the Anglo-Catholic wing of the Anglican Church practises Marian devotion and praying to Mary and the other saints as part of their worship of God. This developed from the Caroline Divines and an acknowledgement of the position of Mary among Anglican scholars in the 16th century. Their readiness to reflect afresh the importance of Mary within Christian practice was shown through their poetry and sermons. Indeed King James I was not only an enthused theologian but an avid admirer of the Blessed Virgin Mary. During the 19th century the Oxford Movement enhanced the Marian devotion to come to fulfilment by their emphasis on patristic studies which inevitably led to a fresh appreciation of the role of the Theotokos within the Christian tradition (Boss. S. p. 331). In particular John Keble was instrumental in 1823 through the beginning of his hymn Ave Maria. Keble had been inspired to write this poem after the death of his mother. Marian devotion was further represented by none other than B.F. Westcott, J.B. Lightfoot E.W. Benson who visited the Marian Shrine at La Salette in 1865. With the aid of the Oxford Movement in the 20th century who gathered speed, there has been a gradual revived interest in Marian devotion, shrines, images, liturgy and feast days such as August 15th ( the Virgin Mary is honoured) which has re-appeared on Anglican calendars. Marian theology continues to be taught in Anglicanism today through the lens of Anglo-Catholic parishes and the Anglican Franciscans whereas the more Protestant Anglicans teach about Marys obedience. I believe that since the Reformation, Anglicanism has lost something treasured in their misunderstanding and belief of turning Mary into a god through Marian devotion. This is echoed by George Herbert from the 16th century, through his poem, Thou art holy Mine, whence came the Gold, the great restorative for all decay in young and old- Thou art the cabinet where the jewel lay; chiefly to thee I would my soul unfold (Boss. S. p. 326). The poem goes on to express Herberts apologia- of pity and longing for the mother neglected because of the strict demands of the Son (Boss. S. P. 327). In catholic theology Mary is inextricably linked with her son Christ. The closer we find Mary is to Jesus, the more readily Mary can point us to Him. As Mary is a portal into Christ it is logical that Mary needs to be located close to Him. Yet through our proximity to Mary, our own discipleship in Christ is actually strengthened rather than compromised as Evangelicals would have us believe. St. Francis of Assisi was unique in history in calling Mary, Virgin made Church (A Salutation of the Blessed Virgin Mary). This identifies Mary as a type for the church and enriches the other titles given to her: Mother of the Church/ Mother of us all. Yet it is through this Motherhood that we also retain the beautiful imagery of the Church (all of us) as being the Bride of Christ. To remove Mary and these titles from our piety alters the nature of the church from an intimate relationship as bride, to being a more diffuse, even functional and organisational relationship as merely the people of God. For the unity of the Godhead to be infused with this Immaculate yet human love of Mother and Son only deepens my sense of theintimacy Our Lord shares with us. To suddenly as it were demote Mary from this unique role to just being one of us denies us this avenue of mediation which Our Lady opens up for us. We absolutely should seek to emulate Marys yes to God and her pattern of discipleship, but I think we should also retain the particular honour and devotion which is hers alone. May contemporary Anglicans recover the cherished gift in Mary and be drawn closer to Christ and in their understanding of Christs redemption and salvation. Jantzen. M. G. 1995. Power Gender and Christian Mysticism. Published by Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.

Olive Garden Essay - 1561 Words

Olive Garden Project Marketing Plan: Phase I During week two, Learning Team B will take a thorough look at the Olive Garden Italian Restaurant chain. Team B has decided that a new appetizer item should be added to the restaurant menu. The appetizer item being considered is cheese filled breadsticks served with Marinara sauce. The team will begin this marketing plan by giving an overview of the Olive Garden Restaurant, along with a detailed description of the new menu item being considered. They will also explain why marketing plays an important role in the restaurants success. A SWOTT analysis will be given to introduce all the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, and trends that should be considered prior to†¦show more content†¦If customers have tried breadsticks from these companies and did not like them, then they may think the same of the stuffed breadsticks from Olive Garden. 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The Origin Of Diversity Within Species - 1361 Words

According to Charles Darwin, he suggested that all organisms were descendants from a common ancestor that was once existed in the past (Darwin 1859). As organisms share a lot of common characteristics due to common ancestry, the history of evolution of different species can be known through comparing how closely their genes and body structures were. The more similar those characteristics are, the more closely related those species is. However there is a wide range of diversity between every single species and between every single individual. Diversification allows organisms to occupy different niches in the ecosystem. In this essay, the origin of diversity within species, the origin of diversity between the species, the significance of†¦show more content†¦Every single individual will not be genetically identical unless they are identical twins. Variation within individuals could be caused my crossing over or independent assortment during the process of fusion of two gametes . !!!! Origin of diversity between species A common ancestor gave rise to all organisms on earth. However, every individual species developed their own distinct character that allows them to play a specific role in the ecosystem. Diversity is caused as species are being isolated by geographic barriers or by sexual selection. The diversity between species can be present as there is a difference in the species heritable trait. Those organisms that contain an advantageous allele that allows them to be better adapted to the environment survive and reproduce. As a result, the advantageous allele will be inherited by the offspring and the frequency of the advantageous allele will increase within the population. In the example of Strepsirhini, it was one of the linages that was evolved form the earliest primates together with tarsiers (e.g. monkeys and apes) (Hickman, et al. 2011). When Madagascar was separated from the southeast coast of Africa at about 120million years ago, the Madagasy prosimians where separated from the rest of the population of apes and monkeys. The Madagasy prosimians where geographically isolated form the rest of the primate populationShow MoreRelatedDiscuss the origin and significance of diversity within and between species in a named taxonomic group of your choice(Ants).1888 Words   |  8 Pages150 million years ago(2006 Chuck Lydeard)1. Due to their long ecological dominancy amongst insect and short life span they have undergone a high rate of adaptive radiation. Leading to a reasonably large amount of species and inter- species diversity. There are at least 12000 different species of Formicidae (2008 Edward O. Wilson)2 which have colonised almost every landmass on the planet(Alice S. Jones 2006)3 This unique dominancy and prevalence means that Ants presently account for an incomparable 15Read MoreThe Origin And Significance Of Diversity Within A Named Taxonomic Group Of Your Choice1264 Words   |  6 Pagesthe origin and significance of diversity within and between species in a named taxonomic group of your choice.† The stability of biodiversity over millions of years of evolution has been one of the most persistent puzzles of ecology and evolution (Hutchinson, 1961). Different species had evolved from their ancestral and were not created in their present forms (Darwin, 1859). This essay will explore how diversity arises within andRead MoreCreationism And Evolutionism - Explaining Life1344 Words   |  6 PagesCreationism and Evolutionism – Explaining Life Imagining the whole world, it seems to be a sheet made of small pieces of different tissues. The countless diversity of species existing in the world makes everyone think about how all species appeared. So, some scholars became interested to explain how the species originated, and then they began a diligent study around this topic. Consequently, some theories such as Creationism and Evolutionism have arisen and started a big debate to highlight theirRead MoreNatural Selection Paper1502 Words   |  7 Pagesthe most important processes for a variety of species and the environment which allows the fittest organisms to produce offspring. To prevent a species from extinction, it is necessary for them to adapt to the surrounding environment. The species which have the ability to adapt to new surroundings will be able to pass their genes through reproduction. Within the process of natural selection, it is possible for the original genetic make-up of a species to become altered. The team w ill report on theRead MorePhylogeny Is The Study Of Evolutionary Relationships1395 Words   |  6 Pagesintroduced as a method of phylogenetic analysis. A phylogenetic tree made in the manner of cladistics that connects ancestors to descendants is known as the tree of life. Charles Darwin completed the first known drawing of a tree of life in his book ‘Origin of Species’. Unrooted trees can be made, but these are not as useful as they simply connect descendants and do not plot a common ancestor. Phylogeny is linked to taxonomy – the hierarchical classification of organisms. The groups represented in the treeRead MoreSources Of Environmental DNA1530 Words   |  7 Pagesprecisely, intraorganismal eDNA describes microbe and small organisms living in the soil, water or air, whilst extraorganismal eDNA include shedding cells or faces dispersed in the environment (Turner et al, 2012). Traditional methods of crayfish species detection are often time-consuming, costly, potentially dangerous to the organism (electrofishing) and often the collection of data can miss accuracy (Qu and Stewart, 2017). eDNA is a potentially powerful tool in inaccessible habitats or in combinationRead MoreCharles Darwins Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection Essay1027 Words   |  5 Pagescame to the same conclusion. Wallace being relatively unknown was not respected for having the same conclusion because the fact that people were so apt to listen to the theory’s of Charles Darwin. After time Darwin published a book On the Origin of Species, and it was a big success: it’s first printing sold out immediately and a second printing sold out a month later. Darwin’s Theories found their way out of the scientific world and into the business world, eventually ending up in everyday societyRead MoreRealistic aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems are constantly adapting to v arious disturbances of600 Words   |  3 PagesRealistic aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems are constantly adapting to various disturbances of anthropogenic and natural origin. According to the â€Å"Alternative stable state theory† ecosystem has various states and can switch from one state to another when ecosystem conditions are changing (Holling, 1973; Scheffer, 2001). When the magnitude of such disturbance is negligible, the shift in the ecosystem structure and functioning does not occur. In this case the ecosystem resilience allows it to returnRead MoreThe Human Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Essay770 Words   |  4 PagesAIDS is characterized by two single stranded RNA and uses enzyme reverse transcription to integrate into the hosts DNA. The AIDS virus is transmitted through sexual activity with someone that is infected with the virus. HIV has the most genetic diversity seen in viruses. HIV enters the immune system through bodily fluids from an infected party. Upon entering the body the virus (two single strand RNA strands) it replicates using reverse transcription to get into the DNA. HIV favors entering cellsRead MoreAvian Influenza Diseases1062 Words   |  5 PagesOrigin and Mutations Avian influenza A (H7N9) is thought to have arisen from gene reassortment of multiple avian virus lineages. Hemagglutinin (HA) gene segments from H7 influenza viruses were determined to come from migratory wild ducks along the East Asian flyway encompassing Eastern China, South Korea and Japan [19]. Between 2009 and 2010, H7 virus strains were found in domesticated duck farms in Jiangxi province, China and then subsequently in market birds (chickens). The strain persisted for

Vampire Academy Chapter 9 Free Essays

string(35) " wrong as using magic as a weapon\." NINE I SNAPPED INTO HER MIND, once again seeing and directly experiencing what went on around her. She was sneaking into the chapel’s attic again, confirming my worst fears. Like last time, she met no resistance. We will write a custom essay sample on Vampire Academy Chapter 9 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Good God, I thought, could that priest be any worse about securing his own chapel? Sunrise lit up the stained-glass window, and Christian’s silhouette was framed against it: he was sitting in the window seat. â€Å"You’re late,† he told her. â€Å"Been waiting a while.† Lissa pulled up one of the rickety chairs, brushing dust off it. â€Å"I figured you’d be tied up with Headmistress Kirova.† He shook his head. â€Å"Not much to it. They suspended me for a week, that’s all. Not like it’s hard to sneak out.† He waved his hands around. â€Å"As you can see.† â€Å"I’m surprised you didn’t get more time.† A patch of sunlight lit up his crystal-blue eyes. â€Å"Disappointed?† She looked shocked. â€Å"You set someone on fire!† â€Å"No, I didn’t. Did you see any burns on him?† â€Å"He was covered in flames.† â€Å"I had them under control. I kept them off of him.† She sighed. â€Å"You shouldn’t have done that.† Straightening out of his lounging position, he sat up and leaned toward her. â€Å"I did it for you.† â€Å"You attacked someone for me?† â€Å"Sure. He was giving you and Rose a hard time. She was doing an okay job against him, I guess, but I figured she could use the backup. Besides, this’ll shut anyone else up about the whole fox thing, too.† â€Å"You shouldn’t have done that,† she repeated, looking away. She didn’t know how to feel about this â€Å"generosity.† â€Å"And don’t act like it was all for me. You liked doing it. Part of you wanted to – just because.† Christian’s smug expression dropped, replaced by one of uncharacteristic surprise. Lissa might not be psychic, but she had a startling ability to read people. Seeing him off guard, she continued. â€Å"Attacking someone else with magic is forbidden – and that’s exactly why you wanted to do it. You got a thrill out of it.† â€Å"Those rules are stupid. If we used magic as a weapon instead of just for warm and fuzzy shit, Strigoi wouldn’t keep killing so many of us.† â€Å"It’s wrong,† she said firmly. â€Å"Magic is a gift. It’s peaceful.† â€Å"Only because they say it is. You’re repeating the party line we’ve been fed our whole lives.† He stood up and paced the small space of the attic. â€Å"It wasn’t always that way, you know. We used to fight, right along with the guardians – centuries ago. Then people started getting scared and stopped. Figured it was safer to just hide. They forgot the attack spells.† â€Å"Then how did you know that one?† He crooked her a smile. â€Å"Not everyone forgot.† â€Å"Like your family? Like your parents?† The smile disappeared. â€Å"You don’t know anything about my parents.† His face darkened, his eyes grew hard. To most people, he might have appeared scary and intimidating, but as Lissa studied and admired his features, he suddenly seemed very, very vulnerable. â€Å"You’re right,† she admitted softly, after a moment. â€Å"I don’t. I’m sorry.† For the second time in this meeting, Christian looked astonished. Probably no one apologized to him that often. Hell, no one even talked to him that often. Certainly no one ever listened. Like usual, he quickly turned into his cocky self. â€Å"Forget it.† Abruptly, he stopped pacing and knelt in front of her so they could look each other in the eye. Feeling him so close made her hold her breath. A dangerous smile curled his lips. â€Å"And really, I don’t get why you of all people should act so outraged that I used ? ®forbidden’ magic.† â€Å"Me ? ®of all people’? What’s that supposed to mean?† â€Å"You can play all innocent if you want – and you do a pretty good job – but I know the truth.† â€Å"What truth is that?† She couldn’t hide her uneasiness from me or Christian. He leaned even closer. â€Å"That you use compulsion. All the time.† â€Å"No, I don’t,† she said immediately. â€Å"Of course you do. I’ve been lying awake at night, trying to figure out how in the world you two were able to rent out a place and go to high school without anyone ever wanting to meet your parents. Then I figured it out. You had to be using compulsion. That’s probably how you broke out of here in the first place.† â€Å"I see. You just figured it out. Without any proof.† â€Å"I’ve got all the proof I need, just from watching you.† â€Å"You’ve been watching me – spying on me – to prove I’m using compulsion?† He shrugged. â€Å"No. Actually, I’ve been watching you just because I like it. The compulsion thing was a bonus. I saw you use it the other day to get an extension on that math assignment. And you used it on Ms. Carmack when she wanted to make you go through more testing.† â€Å"So you assume it’s compulsion? Maybe I’m just really good at convincing people.† There was a defiant note in her voice: understandable, considering her fear and anger. Only she delivered it with a toss of her hair which – if I didn’t know any better – might have been considered flirtatious. And I did know better? ­right? Suddenly, I wasn’t sure. He went on, but something in his eyes told me he’d noticed the hair, that he always noticed everything about her. â€Å"People get these goofy looks on their faces when you talk to them. And not just any people – you’re able to do it to Moroi. Probably dhampirs, too. Now that’s crazy. I didn’t even know that was possible. You’re some kind of superstar. Some kind of evil, compulsion-abusing superstar.† It was an accusation, but his tone and presence radiated the same flirtatiousness she had. Lissa didn’t know what to say. He was right. Everything he’d said was right. Her compulsion was what had allowed us to dodge authority and get along in the world without adult help. It was what had allowed us to convince the bank to let her tap into her inheritance. And it was considered every bit as wrong as using magic as a weapon. You read "Vampire Academy Chapter 9" in category "Essay examples" Why not? It was a weapon. A powerful one, one that could be abused very easily. Moroi children had it drilled into them from an early age that compulsion was very, very wrong. No one was taught to use it, though every Moroi technically had the ability. Lissa had just sort of stumbled into it – deeply – and, as Christian had pointed out, she could wield it over Moroi, as well as humans and dhampirs. â€Å"What are you going to do then?† she asked. â€Å"You going to turn me in?† He shook his head and smiled. â€Å"No. I think it’s hot.† She stared, eyes widening and heart racing. Something about the shape of his lips intrigued her. â€Å"Rose thinks you’re dangerous,† she blurted out nervously. â€Å"She thinks you might have killed the fox.† I didn’t know how I felt about being dragged into this bizarre conversation. Some people were scared of me. Maybe he was too. Judging from the amusement in his voice when he spoke, it appeared he wasn’t. â€Å"People think I’m unstable, but I tell you, Rose is ten times worse. Of course, that makes it harder for people to fuck with you, so I’m all for it.† Leaning back on his heels, he finally broke the intimate space between them. â€Å"And I sure as hell didn’t do that. Find out who did, though? ­and what I did to Ralf won’t seem like anything.† His gallant offer of creepy vengeance didn’t exactly reassure Lissa? ­but it did thrill her a little. â€Å"I don’t want you doing anything like that. And I still don’t know who did it.† He leaned back toward her and caught her wrists in his hands. He started to say something, then stopped and looked down in surprise, running his thumbs over faint, barely there scars. Looking back up at her, he had a strange – for him – kindness in his face. â€Å"You might not know who did it. But you know something. Something you aren’t talking about.† She stared at him, a swirl of emotions playing in her chest. â€Å"You can’t know all my secrets,† she murmured. He glanced back down at her wrists and then released them, that dry smile of his back on his face. â€Å"No. I guess not.† A feeling of peace settled over her, a feeling I thought only I could bring. Returning to my own head and my room, I sat on the floor staring at my math book. Then, for reasons I didn’t really get, I slammed it shut and threw it against the wall. I spent the rest of the night brooding until the time I was supposed to meet Jesse came around. Slipping downstairs, I went into the kitchen – a place I could visit so long as I kept things brief – and caught his eye when I cut through the main visiting area. Moving past him, I paused and whispered, â€Å"There’s a lounge on the fourth floor that nobody uses. Take the stairs on the other side of the bathrooms and meet me there in five minutes. The lock on the door is broken.† He complied to the second, and we found the lounge dark, dusty, and deserted. The drop in guardian numbers over the years meant a lot of the dorm stayed empty, a sad sign for Moroi society but terribly convenient right now. He sat down on the couch, and I lay back on it, putting my feet in his lap. I was still annoyed after Lissa and Christian’s bizarre attic romance and wanted nothing more than to forget about it for a while. â€Å"You really here to study, or was it just an excuse?† I asked. â€Å"No. It was real. Had to do an assignment with Meredith.† The tone in his voice indicated he wasn’t happy about that. â€Å"Oooh,† I teased. â€Å"Is working with a dhampir beneath your royal blood? Should I be offended?† He smiled, showing a mouth full of perfect white teeth and fangs. â€Å"You’re a lot hotter than she is.† â€Å"Glad I make the cut.† There was a sort of a heat in his eyes that was turning me on, as was his hand sliding up my leg. But I needed to do something first. It was time for some vengeance. â€Å"Mia must too, since you guys let her hang out with you. She’s not royal.† His finger playfully poked me in the calf. â€Å"She’s with Aaron. And I’ve got lots of friends who aren’t royal. And friends who are dhamps. I’m not a total asshole.† â€Å"Yeah, but did you know her parents are practically custodians for the Drozdovs?† The hand on my leg stopped. I’d exaggerated, but he was a sucker for gossip – and he was notorious for spreading it. â€Å"Seriously?† â€Å"Yeah. Scrubbing floors and stuff like that.† â€Å"Huh.† I could see the wheels turning in his dark blue eyes and had to hide a smile. The seed was planted. Sitting up, I moved closer to him and draped a leg over his lap. I wrapped my arms around him, and without further delay, thoughts of Mia disappeared as his testosterone kicked in. He kissed me eagerly – sloppily, even – pushing me against the back of the couch, and I relaxed into what had to be the first enjoyable physical activity I’d had in weeks. We kissed like that for a long time, and I didn’t stop him when he pulled off my shirt. â€Å"I’m not having sex,† I warned between kisses. I had no intention of losing my virginity on a couch in a lounge. He paused, thinking about this, and finally decided not to push it. â€Å"Okay.† But he pushed me onto the couch, lying over me, still kissing with that same fierceness. His lips traveled down to my neck, and when the sharp points of his fangs brushed against my skin, I couldn’t help an excited gasp. He raised himself up, looking into my face with open surprise. For a moment, I could barely breathe, recalling that rush of pleasure that a vampire bite could fill me with, wondering what it’d be like to feel that while making out. Then the old taboos kicked in. Even if we didn’t have sex, giving blood while we did this was still wrong, still dirty. â€Å"Don’t,† I warned. â€Å"You want to.† His voice held excited wonder. â€Å"I can tell.† â€Å"No, I don’t.† His eyes lit up. â€Å"You do. How – hey, have you done it before?† â€Å"No,† I scoffed. â€Å"Of course not.† Those gorgeous blue eyes watched me, and I could see the wheels spinning behind them. Jesse might flirt a lot and have a big mouth, but he wasn’t stupid. â€Å"You act like you have. You got excited when I was by your neck.† â€Å"You’re a good kisser,† I countered, though it wasn’t entirely true. He drooled a little more than I would have preferred. â€Å"Don’t you think everyone would know if I was giving blood?† The realization seized him. â€Å"Unless you weren’t doing it before you left. You did it while you were gone, didn’t you? You fed Lissa.† â€Å"Of course not,† I repeated. But he was on to something, and he knew it. â€Å"It was the only way. You didn’t have feeders. Oh, man.† â€Å"She found some,† I lied. It was the same line we’d fed Natalie, the one she’d spread around and that no one – except Christian – had ever questioned. â€Å"Plenty of humans are into it.† â€Å"Sure,† he said with a smile. He leaned his mouth back to my neck. â€Å"I’m not a blood whore,† I snapped, pulling away from him. â€Å"But you want to. You like it. All you dhamp girls do.† His teeth were on my skin again. Sharp. Wonderful. I had a feeling hostility would only make things worse, so I defused the situation with teasing. â€Å"Stop it,† I said gently, running a fingertip over his lips. â€Å"I told you, I’m not like that. But if you want something to do with your mouth, I can give you some ideas.† That peaked his interest. â€Å"Yeah? Like wha – ?† And that was when the door opened. We sprang apart. I was ready to handle a fellow student or even possibly the matron. What I was not ready for was Dimitri. He burst in the door like he’d expected to find us, and in that horrible moment, with him raging like a storm, I knew why Mason had called him a god. In the blink of an eye, he crossed the room and jerked Jesse up by his shirt, nearly holding the Moroi off the ground. â€Å"What’s your name?† barked Dimitri. â€Å"J-Jesse, sir. Jesse Zeklos, sir.† â€Å"Mr. Zeklos, do you have permission to be in this part of the dorm?† â€Å"No, sir.† â€Å"Do you know the rules about male and female interactions around here?† â€Å"Yes, sir.† â€Å"Then I suggest you get out of here as fast as you can before I turn you over to someone who will punish you accordingly. If I ever see you like this again† – Dimitri pointed to where I cowered, half-dressed, on the couch – â€Å"I will be the one to punish you. And it will hurt. A lot. Do you understand?† Jesse swallowed, eyes wide. None of the bravado he usually showed was there. I guess there was â€Å"usually† and then there was being held in the grip of a really ripped, really tall, and really pissed-off Russian guy â€Å"Yes, sir!† â€Å"Then go.† Dimitri released him, and, if possible, Jesse got out of there faster than Dimitri had burst in. My mentor then turned to me, a dangerous glint in his eyes. He didn’t say anything, but the angry, disapproving message came through loud and clear. And then it shifted. It was almost like he’d been taken by surprise, like he’d never noticed me before. Had it been any other guy, I would have said he was checking me out. As it was, he was definitely studying me. Studying my face, my body. And I suddenly realized I was only in jeans and a bra – a black bra at that. I knew perfectly well that there weren’t a lot of girls at this school who looked as good in a bra as I did. Even a guy like Dimitri, one who seemed so focused on duty and training and all of that, had to appreciate that. And, finally, I noticed that a hot flush was spreading over me, and that the look in his eyes was doing more to me than Jesse’s kisses had. Dimitri was quiet and distant sometimes, but he also had a dedication and an intensity that I’d never seen in any other person. I wondered how that kind of power and strength translated into? ­well, sex. I wondered what it’d be like for him to touch me and – shit! What was I thinking? Was I out of my mind? Embarrassed, I covered my feelings with attitude. â€Å"You see something you like?† I asked. â€Å"Get dressed.† The set of his mouth hardened, and whatever he’d just felt was gone. That fierceness sobered me up and made me forget about my own troubling reaction. I immediately pulled my shirt back on, uneasy at seeing his badass side. â€Å"How’d you find me? You following me to make sure I don’t run away?† â€Å"Be quiet,† he snapped, leaning down so that we were at eye level. â€Å"A janitor saw you and reported it. Do you have any idea how stupid this was?† â€Å"I know, I know, the whole probation thing, right?† â€Å"Not just that. I’m talking about the stupidity of getting in that kind of situation in the first place.† â€Å"I get in that kind of situation all the time, Comrade. It’s not a big deal.† Anger replaced my fear. I didn’t like being treated like a child. â€Å"Stop calling me that. You don’t know even know what you’re talking about.† â€Å"Sure I do. I had to do a report on Russia and the R.S.S.R. last year.† â€Å"U.S.S.R. And it is a big deal for a Moroi to be with a dhampir girl. They like to brag.† â€Å"So?† â€Å"So?† he looked disgusted. â€Å"So don’t you have any respect? Think about Lissa. You make yourself look cheap. You live up to what a lot of people already think about dhampir girls, and it reflects back on her. And me.† â€Å"Oh, I see. Is that what this is about? Am I hurting your big, bad male pride? Are you afraid I’ll ruin your reputation?† â€Å"My reputation is already made, Rose. I set my standards and lived up to them long ago. What you do with yours remains to be seen.† His voice hardened again. â€Å"Now get back to your room – if you can manage it without throwing yourself at someone else.† â€Å"Is that your subtle way of calling me a slut?† â€Å"I hear the stories you guys tell. I’ve heard stories about you.† Ouch. I wanted to yell back that it was none of his business what I did with my body, but something about the anger and disappointment on his face made me falter. I didn’t know what it was. â€Å"Disappointing† someone like Kirova was a non-event, but Dimitri ­I remembered how proud I’d felt when he praised me the last few times in our practices. Seeing that disappear from him? ­well, it suddenly made me feel as cheap as he’d implied I was. Something broke inside of me. Blinking back tears, I said, â€Å"Why is it wrong to? ­I don’t know, have fun? I’m seventeen, you know. I should be able to enjoy it.† â€Å"You’re seventeen, and in less than a year, someone’s life and death will be in your hands.† His voice still sounded firm, but there was a gentleness there too. â€Å"If you were human or Moroi, you could have fun. You could do things other girls could.† â€Å"But you’re saying I can’t.† He glanced away, and his dark eyes went unfocused. He was thinking about something far away from here. â€Å"When I was seventeen, I met Ivan Zeklos. We weren’t like you and Lissa, but we became friends, and he requested me as his guardian when I graduated. I was the top student in my school. I paid attention to everything in my classes, but in the end, it wasn’t enough. That’s how it is in this life. One slip, one distraction? ­Ã¢â‚¬  He sighed. â€Å"And it’s too late.† A lump formed in my throat as I thought about one slip or one distraction costing Lissa her life. â€Å"Jesse’s a Zeklos,† I said, suddenly realizing Dimitri had just thrown around a relative of his former friend and charge. â€Å"I know.† â€Å"Does it bother you? Does he remind you of Ivan?† â€Å"It doesn’t matter how I feel. It doesn’t matter how any of us feel.† â€Å"But it does bother you.† It suddenly became very obvious to me. I could read his pain, though he clearly worked hard to hide it. â€Å"You hurt. Every day. Don’t you? You miss him.† Dimitri looked surprised, like he didn’t want me to know that, like I’d uncovered some secret part of him. I’d been thinking he was some aloof, antisocial tough guy, but maybe he kept himself apart from other people so he wouldn’t get hurt if he lost them. Ivan’s death had clearly left a permanent mark. I wondered if Dimitri was lonely. The surprised look vanished, and his standard serious one returned. â€Å"It doesn’t matter how I feel. They come first. Protecting them.† I thought about Lissa again. â€Å"Yeah. They do.† A long silence fell before he spoke again. â€Å"You told me you want to fight, to really fight. Is that still true?† â€Å"Yes. Absolutely.† â€Å"Rose? ­I can teach you, but I have to believe you’re dedicated. Really dedicated. I can’t have you distracted by things like this.† He gestured around the lounge. â€Å"Can I trust you?† Again, I felt like crying under that gaze, under the seriousness of what he asked. I didn’t get how he could have such a powerful effect on me. I’d never cared so much about what one person thought. â€Å"Yes. I promise.† â€Å"All right. I’ll teach you, but I need you strong. I know you hate the running, but it really is necessary. You have no idea what Strigoi are like. The school tries to prepare you, but until you’ve seen how strong they are and how fast? ­well, you can’t even imagine. So I can’t stop the running and the conditioning. If you want to learn more about fighting, we need to add more trainings. It’ll take up more of your time. You won’t have much left for your homework or anything else. You’ll be tired. A lot.† I thought about it, about him, and about Lissa. â€Å"It doesn’t matter. If you tell me to do it, I’ll do it.† He studied me hard, like he was still trying to decide if he could believe me. Finally satisfied, he gave me a sharp nod. â€Å"We’ll start tomorrow.† How to cite Vampire Academy Chapter 9, Essay examples

Self Reflections on Issues of Environment-myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Write about theSelf Reflections on Issues of Professional Environment. Answer: Team Building Activity in Professional Environment While participating in this professional management project the participants were divided into 6 teams. Each team had to take part in the event and they were then asked to discuss their self-reflections. In order to discuss the self-reflective views, each team selected a team leader who was asked to share the reflective views of his team members. This full process of teamwork guided me in self-assessing this project. The management of building a team plays a very significant role in a professional environment. The building of a team is used frequently for the development of the organization that aims at cultivating the relationship between the firm and its employees (Mitchell et al 2012). The process of constructing a team undergoes various steps and situations. There are a variety of strategies that help an organization to construct a team effectively with respect to its present situations and challenges (Joham and Clarke 2012). It is the responsibility of a company to invest in forming a team to increase the efficiency of the productions of an organization (Khattak, Ku and Goh 2012). According to me, the construction of building a rig team needs huge surveys and leadership qualities. As the building of a team more or less refers to an individuals leadership qualities, it allows the employees to build trust on their leader. This bond between the employees and the firm is a vital requirement for the survival of the organization in the long run. During the construction of a team, the cooperation of each team member is necessary and this will take out the qualities of leadership within him or her. Another significant role of team building from my perspective is the trial of patience among the members of the team. Since there are tough competitions with other teams, there is huge opportunity for the team members to give their best effort for their own team (Erkutlu 2012). My view on building of a team values three main principles: the first one signifies the sensitivity of belonging to a social group that evokes a spirit working on behalf of the leader and his expectations. The second significance is the distribution of the charges and the hidden costs among the leaders and their employees and at times among various agencies. The third and the most important one is the determination of differences in the agents responsive effort (Goetsch and Davis 2014). This team building management in a given professional environment has huge benefits for students like me. This hypothetical process of building a team from my perspective will guide me for my future employment prospect. The leadership skills that have been attained by me while doing the practice classes are mentioned below (Batey and Lupi 2012): Charismatic Leadership: Individuals with charismatic behavior leads to the development of charismatic leaders. Individuals who have a charming behavior serve as a successful and accomplished leader (Kohorn 2012). These leaders encourage his team members to complete their assignments efficiently. A leader with his charismatic behavior inculcates pride, confidence and assurance and respects his subordinates. Individual Consideration: Leaders and managers practicing individualized consideration treat his team members as an individual and guide them in accomplishing their career targets. Intellectual Stimulation: In high-profile organizations, a leaders importance in technical proficiency and logical power is at times ignored. However, intellectual stimulation is a vital aspect of leadership that helps in spreading awareness among his subordinates in solving critical problems that may arise from different issues. Courage: An efficient leader always stands up for truth and do not avoid confrontations. A leader must have confidence in his ability and must work independently. Dependability: A leader must keep his commitments and take the responsibility of his actions and at the same time should abide by the laws and terms of his higher authority. Flexibility: A leader must be able to perform his duties in any given situations and conditions with stability. Integrity: An efficient and successful leader must adhere to his strict code of business ethics and moral values. Judgment: A leader always uses rational and intellectual judgment to provide a sound and logical decision for all and sundry. Therefore, from the above-mentioned points it is evident that building of team helps in developing a well-organized and successful team leader who can manages his team members efficiently. Cultural Awareness in Intercultural Communication Inter cultural communication is an approach that is integrated in individuals from diverse cultures in order to gain proper responses or behaviors from the individuals outside of his own culture. This includes a major diversity in the individuals taste and preferences, his linguistic skills and also in his modesty. In order to strengthen the communicative skills within the individuals it is important to arouse cultural awareness among different community (Baker 2012). In classes of intercultural communication, it was instructed by the instructor that each and every team must include students from diverse cultural backgrounds and it is the responsibility of the team leader to make all the members aware of every students unique cultural milieu. This practice helped me in obtaining the idea of cultural awareness. Over the last few decades, cultural awareness has emerged as a significant tool in the concept of teaching international students. An instance that can be made here is the acceptance of the English language as a globalized lingua franca (Xiaomei and Yushan 2012). According to me, Cultural awareness is a conscious understanding of the intercultural communication that leads to an ability to evaluate significantly based on explicit criteria, perspectives and practices (Thomas and Peterson 2017). Cultural awareness plays a crucial role in a professional environment. In an organization, there are employees from different cultural backgrounds (Pokhilko 2016). In order to accomplish the job role it is very essential for an employee to communicate with his co-workers and leaders in conveying his message to others. Here comes the role of cultural awareness that assists the employee in fulfilling his target (Hammer, Bennett and Wiseman 2012). In order to build a relationship of trust and assurance it is important to develop inter cultural communication skill (Barrett, Huber and Reynolds 2014). In my opinion, Cultural awareness also signifies the honor for each community and its cultures. It also symbolizes the Unity in Diversity and shares the spirit of brotherhood. References Baker, W., 2012. From cultural awareness to intercultural awareness: Culture in ELT.ELT journal,66(1), pp.62-70. Barrett, M.D., Huber, J. and Reynolds, C., 2014.Developing intercultural competence through education. Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publishing. Batey, J.J. and Lupi, M.H., 2012. Reflections on student interns' cultural awareness developed through a short-term international internship.Teacher Education Quarterly,39(3), pp.25-44. Erkutlu, H., 2012. The impact of organizational culture on the relationship between shared leadership and team proactivity.Team Performance Management: An International Journal,18(1/2), pp.102-119. Goetsch, D.L. and Davis, S.B., 2014.Quality management for organizational excellence. Upper Saddle River, NJ: pearson. Hammer, M.R., Bennett, M. and Wiseman, R., 2012. The intercultural development inventory.Student learning abroad, pp.115-136. Joham, C. and Clarke, M., 2012. Teaching critical management skills: the role of problem-based learning.Teaching in Higher Education,17(1), pp.75-88. Khattak, H., Ku, H. and Goh, S., 2012. Courses for teaching leadership capacity in professional engineering degrees in Australia and Europe.European Journal of Engineering Education,37(3), pp.279-296. Mitchell, P., Wynia, M., Golden, R., McNellis, B., Okun, S., Webb, C.E., Rohrbach, V. and Von Kohorn, I., 2012.Core principles values of effective team-based health care. Washington, DC: Institute of Medicine. 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