theo thoughts

I know what you are thinking. Finally! But i hate to dissapoint his is just my theo homework and some random thoughts. I have so much to type we will see how much i get done... anyways I am new at this whole blogging thing so forgive me. Without further adjo- my random thoughts from theology.

hopefully soon to follow will be roman and greek adventrues...

Hugs and kisses- me

4 November 2008

I was quite surprised when we began class today by taking a political poll to see how our votes stack up against what will happen in America tonight. We are taught from an early age that there is a separation of church and state in America and I found it somewhat ironical that we were talking politics. So we had a poll and it was closer than I thought, but in the end Obama won. Professor Stefanos told us about the importance of voting in Greece and how it is actually required by Greek law. It made me think about why people vote or don't vote. Which is a strange topic for a theology of the eastern church course. But more and more I find myself seeing that things are more and more connected. As Professor Stefanos says if America sneezes the whole world feels it. So maybe there isn't such a huge wall between religion and politics as I might have thought.

In class we learned a lot about the history of the eastern church. To be perfectly honest I had no idea as to the geographical range of the eastern church. We learned that Assyrian missionaries went all the way to China to spread the good news. We learned that the apostles didn't go just west to spread the news, but went south and east too. Mark is reported to have gone to Egypt and Andrew is said to have gone to Byzantium. Thomas went to India and Peter and Paul went to Rome. But what does it mean? The message that was to become the religion known today as Christianity was so appealing and so powerful that it spread in a relatively short time throughout the known world. I try to imagine exactly why this is and I could pretend to understand but I don't really. But, I will work on it.

We also began to learn about the 5 great centers of Christianity. Rome was the first among equals until the schism between the eastern and western churches. Then, it was Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. I thought it was interesting to learn this because I never really learned that these cities were bastions of Christianity.

We learned of the variety of sects in the eastern churches. Including the Greek orthodox, Coptic, Chaldean and more. Professor Stefanos stressed to us the importance of protecting Christians where ever they are and called our attention to the Palestinian Christians and the Chaldeans in Iraq. This was somewhat confusing to me because it seemed to suggest that the duty of Christians everywhere is to protect Christians everywhere. I see the value in this, but I think it is better to not get into situations where people need to have to save others. And limiting the “saving” of people to Christians is problematic. But, I am sure this is not what our professor was saying. So now we are back to politics and religion and how they seem to be separated but they are not.

I thought the class was very interesting and it made me think. I don't agree with everything that was said but then again who ever agrees 100 percent. It made me think and that is what is important.