The Roots of Religious and Social Opposition between Catholicism and Pentecostalism

The question of opposition between religions is rather controversial because religions are based on the system of beliefs which are associated with the human spirituality, but not with any rationales and efforts to achieve the definite goal. In reality, religions in their association with such institutions as churches have more similarities with the market brands than with the aspects of the people’s spirituality.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Roots of Religious and Social Opposition between Catholicism and Pentecostalism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More From this point, modern churches compete within the market of the people’s beliefs, and this statement is not a metaphor because the victory in the competition guarantees the progress of the church not only in the religious sphere but also in the social and economic fields. Today, churches are closely connected with the social aspects of the p eople’s life within communities. As a result, it is possible to speak about ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ of the religious competition. This idea is discussed in detail in the book The Churching of America, 1776-2005: Winners and Losers in Our Religious Economy written by Finke and Stark. According to the authors, traditional religions or mainline denominations lost their positions when upstart sects developed in the field as ‘winners’ (Finke Stark, 2005). Although Catholicism is one of the largest and most popular religions in the USA, it is losing its position because of conservative ideals and norms which cannot be relaxed immediately with the help of definite reforms; on the contrary, Pentecostalism develops and attracts more followers because of the orientation to the people’s interests. In spite of the popularity with the public and a great number of followers, Catholicism in the USA can be referred as the ‘loser’ in the rivalry of religions and churches which become â€Å"competitive organizations prepared to seek souls† (Finke Stark, 2005, p. 75). Catholicism can be discussed to be effective as the traditional religion oriented to help people save their souls. As a result, the principles and strategies of Catholicism are ineffective to compete within the church market. In their work, Finke and Stark explain the causes for the decline of those religions which were popular during a long period of time as, for instance, Catholicism which was the first religion spread by the Europeans at the American territories. The authors state that the mainline denominations â€Å"were failing to offer credible religion †¦ they had become so accommodated to the secular culture that people could no longer satisfy their need for the sacred by attending services† (Finke Stark, 2005, p. 245). On the one hand, Catholicism remains to be one of the largest religions in the country, and it is a co ntroversial point to speak about its decline.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, the Catholic Church in the USA undergoes a lot of transformations and reforms associated with the necessities to respond to the social changes or people’s vision in relation to the religion’s function. Today, Catholicism is not stable, and many new currents appear along with the significant assimilation of the church within the society. It is possible to speak about these factors as contributing to the religion’s progress, but Catholicism in its pure form is declining. Catholicism is based on the strict developed doctrine, and much attention is paid to the church’s organization. The main focus is on stability and tradition. Finke and Stark state that these features are characteristic for the mainline denominations, and the concentration on these aspects is the first step toward the decline because present-day energetic sects have more chances to become popular with the public. The problem is in the fact that many sects are at risk of declining when they become the mainline churches (Finke Stark, 2005). The Catholic Church operates the beliefs and norms which are shared by the significant part of the American population because it focuses on the human dignity and moral principles which are valued within society. Nevertheless, Catholicism is characterized by the definite features which are discussed by the public as too conservative. During a long period of time, the services in the Catholic Church were strictly organized and regulated, and priests’ speeches were performed in Latin. These aspects were reformed later in order to meet the interests of the religious communities. However, there are a lot of aspects associated with the religious and moral principles which are rather difficult to follow in the modern society. For instance, Catholics are against abortion, euthanasia, and death penalty which are supported in the modern American society by a lot of people (Ahlstrom, 2004). Focusing on the ideals of the human dignity, moral fairness, and family life, Catholics may be challenged by the realities of the American society. Today, many people join the definite religion in order to receive the support. From this point, Catholicism provides more limitations than support (Corbett Hemeyer, 1997). As a result, people are inclined to choose the modern sects according to their interests and principles. The Catholic Church does not provide the effective ‘promotion’ for the organization and religion in general. Thus, people choose to follow the religious movements which organizational principles are correlated with the rules typical for the market or which are more close to the aspects of the social life.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Roots of Religious and Social Op position between Catholicism and Pentecostalism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The next important factor is the ‘market value’ of the church. According to Finke and Stark, â€Å"the high membership costs and clear group boundaries produce these collective goods by example and exclusion† (Finke Stark, 2005, p. 250). People need to feel the exclusion of their church and community. Following the market patterns, the cheapness of the services, including the religious services, can provoke questions about their reliability. Pentecostalism in the USA is the religious movement which developed from the sect, and it can be discussed today as one of the ‘winners’ in the religious market. Pentecostalism differs from Catholicism not only in the aspects of the religious vision because the followers of Pentecostalism emphasize the role of the Holy Spirit but also in the approaches of organizing the public’ s meetings. According to Hemeyer, â€Å"the experience of highly emotional worship and religious ecstasy is the foundation of Pentecostalism† (Hemeyer, 2010, p. 198). The followers of Pentecostalism are not afraid to demonstrate their emotions because their religion is the way to understand their role in this life and society. Pentecostals believe that their actions are directed by the God with references to the Holy Spirit. From this point, it is important to listen to oneself and follow the inner intentions. The religious vision is studied through experience, but not through much consideration. Focusing on these few details, it is possible to state that Pentecostalism can be more effective in the modern society than Catholicism because of the connection with the people’s contemporary approaches to organizing their life. Thus, it is possible to determine two main factors which can explain the decline of the mainline denominations and popularity of the new churches not during a long historic period, but today. Modern people are used to think according to the market and business categories, and their life is more dynamic than it was earlier. From this perspective, it is not enough today to declare religious norms and interpret the Bible in order to treat the soul. It is more effective today to state the value of the religion with references to the membership costs. Moreover, the Bible should be interpreted in relation to the public’s interests because joining the definite church, people seek for achieving the certain purpose. In modern churches, God as well as priests is closer to followers (Hemeyer, 2010). The main belief shared by Pentecostals is that the Holy Spirit can contact them even physically and provide with the definite knowledge. God is close to believers and can be felt with references to experience provided. That is why, action is necessary during the worship. Hemeyer states that â€Å"Pentecostal worship is emotional and ent husiastic† and it is based on the energetic action which is associated with experience (Hemeyer, 2010, p. 204).Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Pentecostals feel that they belong to the community which is directly ruled by God. The choice of Pentecostalism as the religion to follow is based on the decision of a believer to follow God’s will and share the knowledge provided by the Holy Spirit. Adult baptism supports the idea of the conscious choice. The upstart sects became the leading religious movements in the USA because they connect the idea of innovation with spirituality. In spite of the fact Finke and Stark’s argument is rather controversial and provocative, it is correlated with the modern social tendencies. The number of people who join the church in the USA increases each year. Is this the reason to speak about the growth of the public’s spirituality? It is possible to state that people need concentration on their spiritual life and morality, but the real causes for the process can be more ordinary. People join the church because the modern church satisfies the needs of the community in relatio n to the spiritual and social life (Ahlstrom, 2004). Furthermore, modern churches are more flexible in their doctrines and principles as any other contemporary institutions. Catholicism is grounded on stability, and it is rather difficult for this religion to reform the basic norms and services to respond to the modern people’s needs (Corbett Hemeyer, 1997). The life changes and those churches succeed which can change along with the followers to meet their interests. From this point, it is possible to speak about a lot of similarities of religions with market brands which develop according to the rules of the market economy. The opposition of Catholicism and Pentecostalism can be discussed as the opposition of the outdated and new approaches to regulating the spirituality of the public. Although Catholicism is followed by a lot of believers, it cannot compete effectively in comparison with Pentecostalism because the strategy of attracting new followers is not correlated with the modern tendencies. It is inappropriate to speak about the decline of spirituality in the US society. People need to join the church and become closer to God, but they are inclined to choose churches which ideals are more understandable for them. References Ahlstrom, S. (2004). A religious history of the American people. USA: Yale University Press. Corbett, J. M., Hemeyer, J. C. (1997). Religion in America. USA: Prentice Hall. Finke, R., Stark, R. (2005). The churching of America, 1776-2005: Winners and losers in our religious economy. USA: Rutgers University Press. Hemeyer, J. C. (2010). Religion in America. USA: Prentice Hall. This essay on The Roots of Religious and Social Opposition between Catholicism and Pentecostalism was written and submitted by user Moira MacTaggert to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Compelling Reasons to Privatize Social Security essays

Compelling Reasons to Privatize Social Security essays The Social Security Act became law in 1935 and since that time, Americans have been contributing a portion of their wages to the Social Security Administration to pay benefits to retirees in their golden years. Today, Social Security benefits are paid to adults and children who are disabled, and spouses of Social Security beneficiaries. The program has always been funded by individual payroll contributions. Everyone in the country, except government workers, pay into the Social Security fund, and then the funds are paid out to retirees. The system seems simple enough, but many believe the system is doomed to failure, and because of this, the system should be privatized before the government has to spend billions of dollars to shore up the system and keep it solvent.Many people do not believe privatizing the Social Security system is the right answer to save the system. Most experts agree that the Social Security system needs reform. One writer states, "According to the social security system's board of trustees, social security will be insolvent by 2029, one year sooner than was stated in last year's report. This represents the eighth time in the past ten years that the insolvency date has been brought forward" (Tanner 19), and this report was updated in 1996. With the coming rush of "baby-boomers" to retire, the system will be severely strained, and some fear it will go bankrupt attempting to pay benefits to the millions of baby boomers set to retire beginning in 2007. Many reformers believe tinkering with Social Security can keep it solvent, and some of that tinkering has already begun. The retirement age has risen to 67 years of age for most retirees, and benefits are reduced if most retirees have any other forms of retirement income. Experts believe this is only the beginning, and that retirement ages and the amount contributed through pay roll taxes will have to continue to increase to keep the plan solvent and viable, too. ...

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Research Paper Format Research Paper Format Research Paper Format While writing research paper, you should keep in mind three essential parts of the research paper format: introduction, body, and conclusion. Research paper outline is your guide for organizing parts of your research paper writing into a coherent project.   You need to consult your tutor to get detailed instruction on research paper format. Body is the largest part of research paper writing.   While writing a research paper main body, you need to choose a strategy and keep it through the writing.   If you are able to link description with argument, it functions in a similar way to a quotation.   Research paper reader expects you to discuss it in relation to the content and purpose of writing. You may describe two laws or two kings of England.   Research paper topic determines the research paper format you need to use.   Sometimes, chronological order cannot be applied to theoretical analysis, while the historical research should be presented in chronological order. You may describe a social problem or a scientific discovery prior to going further into discussion of its implications. Research paper is about critical analysis and interpretation. Sure, interpretation should be based on reliable sources.   As essence of research paper writing holds, you have to research something (an issue, an event, etc.).   You should be very careful with the choice of materials and devote a lot of time and efforts to description, analysis, and planning of the research paper format.   You should make points, construct arguments, and remain critical of your own writing. You may analyze pros and cons of what has already been noted on the issue.   For example, you may note that some of the studies have lost their actuality and can no longer be used as a foundation for current research.   Any tutor will advise you to focus your writing on recent publications and be attentive to the personal biases.   Do not let your personal opinion distort the facts! .com Our research paper writers are available 24/7 to assist you with any assignment. Custom written research papers will definitely meet academic requirements and be up to the academic level.   Every writer we employ is capable of following the instruction.   We ensure proper research paper format and logical organization of ideas.   You may have good understanding of the topic, while we know how to put your knowledge and research findings on the paper. Custom written research paper of high quality is your chance to get an A+ on your assignment.

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Seminar question unit 4 - Assignment Example Nutrition screening can benefit the prevention of heart diseases through identifying the nutritional characteristics related to the heart diseases (Bernstein & Luggen, 2011). Studies have indicated that one of the key prevention measures to reduce the alarming rate of mortality due to heart diseases is through good understanding of the right diet for the body. Consequently, nutrition screening in this area will identify individuals with high level of density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol that is responsible for accumulation of plaque in the arteries increasing the risks for heart attack. The identification of the heart related nutritional problems would use a criteria based on diet, height and weight, obesity, and diagnosis to determine the blood pressure level. This will benefit the patient by primarily determining their vulnerability to the heart diseases (Bernstein & Luggen, 2011). In addition, the patient will learn on how to adopt an appropriate diet strategy for sufficient vitamins, nutrients, and calories in the body. Consequently, patients will not only reduce risk of heart diseases, but also improve the body’s immune

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Clinical objectives - Essay Example Patients in the health care system who are at high risk include pediatric and elderly patients. The management should put up safety environment measures such as the orientation of patients and their visitors about the movement in the wards and rooms. Furthermore, the nurses can be within call so that they can respond fast to any fall incidences. These are some of the available safety measures at the disposal of the healthcare givers to achieve fall prevention. The healthcare administrators bear the greatest responsibilities of ensuring that the incidences of falls in their facilities are reduced. For starters, the administrators ensure that all the patients in their facilities are provided with no slip footwear that minimizes incidences of falling down. The administrators should also encourage the healthcare givers such as the nursing staff to keep reinforcing hospital regulation, such as those making sure that they attend to the patients on a continuous basis (Carroll, Dykes, & Hurley, 2010). Moreover, the administrators can influence the design stage of a health facility to ensure that systems that will be used by the patients and the healthcare givers are carefully designed. A suitably designed healthcare facility minimizes the risk of falls and in the end, it reduces the rate of fall occurrences at such

Chesapeake Bay Labors in Colonial America :: essays research papers

Looking at the early English colonies in the Chesapeake Bay region, it’s clear that the English had not learned any lessons from their experiences at Roanoke. Poor planning, a bad location, unrealistic expectations, flawed leadership, unsuccessful relations with the local Indians, and no hope of finding the mineral wealth the Spanish found in Mexico, all contributed to failure. The first colonists in the Chesapeake region were not only ignorant, lazy and unambitious, but their attempts were hampered before they had begun. However, a solution to these problems was found in a single plant: tobacco. Nevertheless, this cash crop ultimately created numerous problems for the colonists. The ignorance and indolent acts of the Chesapeake colonists to unsuccessfully restore the colony by themselves led to the demise of the colony as a whole especially regarding the planting of agricultural goods for food. With an eye toward finding precious metals, the Virginia Company, a joint stock company sent jewelers, goldsmiths, aristocrats, and the like, but not a single farmer. As the company had expected, the settlers spent their time searching for gold, and hoped to obtain all of their food by trading with the nearby Powhatan tribes. This made their settlement neither profitable nor socially stable, since individual colonists felt little attachment to their community but instead sought individual wealth. A lack of social bonds in the community was further exacerbated by the fact that all the initial colonists, and most of the later arrivals, were male. Without wives or children to protect, the colonists had little incentive to protect their settlement or work towards its long-term growth. The noblemen who made the journey to the Americas often came with their respective titles, but no wealth, because of the British custom of primogeniture. These second born sons intended to create their wealth through exploitation of the Native American population and the many indentured servants who came to work for them. However in the early colonial years, these nobles became great burdens on the society, due to their refusal and laziness to participate in the cultivation of the land. Instead of farming to produce food, these nobles came with the intention of feeding themselves by conquering nearby tribes and looting the precious stones, as the Spanish had previously done. â€Å"†¦the colonists were not growing enough to feed themselves and were still begging, bullying, and buying corn from the Indians whose land they scorched so deliberately†(Morgan 50).

Meaning of life †Mind Essay

The meaning of life is a question that is thrown around from person to person asking them what they think. Some people have an idea of what the meaning of life is and other has no clue. Some believe that you just live life and others believe while living life you discover the meaning. During this essay I will be talking about what other people think about this question. When I had a conversation with my father about what the meaning of life is all about he had the same response to the question that basically everyone else had came up with. The one difference that he said while we were chatting was that life is full of choices and decisions. I thought long and hard for a while about what he said thinking that there was more behind it then just what he had stated. What I came up with was that maybe he was implying that what we do during our term of living is what sets up the next thing that happens in life. So each choice that we make is important in that it’s not the meaning of life that’s so important but the concept of what we do during life is the meaning. Some might disagree and imp still thinking about what my father has said to, but its just another point of view and I have no problem looking at it from a different angle. Another big topic when it comes to the question of the meaning of life is music. Music is a great way to hear what other people and especially artist think about the meaning of life thought their songs. Sometimes it’s hard to hear but if you listen closely there is always a message somewhere that says something about the meaning of life. For example in the song â€Å"I don’t wanna be† By the artist Gavin Degraw he speaks out about what he thinks about the meaning of life threw what other people are and what he doesn’t want to become. â€Å"I’m surrounded by liars everywhere I turn Imposters everywhere I turn surround me I’m surrounded by identity crisis everywhere I turn Am I the only one who’s noticed? I can’t be the only one who’s learned I don’t want to be anything other than what I’ve been trying to be lately All I have to do is think of me and I’ve peace of mind I’m tired of looking ’round rooms wondering what I got to do Or who I’m supposed to be I don’t want to be anything other than me† (www. sing365. com) What these lyrics are basically saying is that he can see that everyone around him is acting like something that there not. Then he says that he doesn’t want to act like everyone else and not know who he is but he just wants to be he and live life the way he wants to. The next topic that is a good place to find out the meaning of life is the creative minds of artist and there art work. Art work is always a good place to find out the meaning of life because again the artist have a message in there work hidden and you have to find what there saying. The only difference from music is instead of saying the message they paint the message in a form of image weather it’s a paining or it’s a sculpture. There is many ways that you can discover meaning of life. In some ways its not what you find the meaning of life in its more about what you perceive of the meaning of life. When you look at something like a painting or a song what do you think it is trying to say? Does it paint a picture in your head and what does that picture look like? I find that the best way to see the meaning of life is threw movie. Movies are an image of the life that we live but it shows us the true meaning of life in a way that we can all understand. People are blind when it comes to what makes them in this world. In a movie the character is set up to live there life and threw events shows us what makes them unique. In one movie the Shaw shank redemption the main character Andy is convicted for a murder that he doesn’t commit and is forced to go to hail for life. In the movie you think that he has nothing to live for anymore but in a way they present what his meaning of life is and how it comes clear to the characters eyes. The character see’s that he needs certine things in life to live. Friends was one of the things that he discovered was important to live a happy and full life. Hope is another one; if you don’t have hope then you have nothing to look forward to so then what is the point of living. The main thought in the movie was get busy living or get busy dieing. What this is suppose to mean is if your not going to start living and doing all the things you want to complete in life you might as well start on dieing. The meaning of life is very complex and you can’t always pick up everything that it’s going to throw at you. That’s why movies, art and music in around so that other people who think about the topic more can show you there incite. If you listen and look at thoughts things you can learn things that will show you what the meaning of life is or at least what you can do to get started on living your life.