In his book, The Making of the Self, Valantasis proposes a new definition of asceticism. While most definitions focus heavily on the negative nature of asceticism, Valantasis asserts that the nature of asceticism is inherently positive and fulfills a more collective purpose. Although his definition is unlike previous understandings of asceticism, ultimately his approach is one more academics should consider. After analyzing multiple primary texts such as Musonius Rufus’s Lectures, The Acts of Paul and Thecla, The Gospel of Thomas, Theodoret’s Life of Symeon, and Pachomius’s Rules, I agree with Valantasis’s definition because it presents a universal function of asceticism, is inclusive of the various types of ascetic practice, and places …show more content…
He defines ascetic practice as “any performance resistant to an externally projected or subjectively experienced dominant social or religious context specifically intended (almost as a cognitive impulse) and purposefully performed in order to inaugurate a new and alternative subjectivity” (101). The fact that any practices deviant from the perceived dominant culture that help construct the new identity are possibly considered ascetic allows the scholar to not be restricted by specific, traditional actions of asceticism. For instance, oftentimes scholars debate the ascetic nature of The Gospel of Thomas because it lacks discussion of celibacy, a characteristic considered to be a requirement for asceticism by some scholars. However, under Valantasis’s re-application, Thomas must be ascetic because of its performances that reject the current world order and promote the adoption of a new subjectivity. One of the early verses of the gospel states, “He who seeks, let him not cease seeking until he finds; and when he finds, he will be troubled, and when he is troubled he will be amazed, and he will reign over the All” (Thomas 117). The ascetic performances in this specific quote are seeking, suffering, and finding. While not considered traditional ascetic actions, the ascetic goal is accomplished. Through these activities, the ascetic builds a symbolic universe …show more content…
The pre-ascetic actively chooses this deviant life and undergoes a metamorphosis individually, socially, and symbolically that ultimately makes the ascetic performances worth accomplishing. Without providing a function for asceticism, I worry that the definition of asceticism becomes an overly ambiguous, yet oddly specific paradox that just compiles a list of miscellaneous renunciation tactics into one word. If scholars cannot properly define the meaning of a category and explain its universality, then maybe it is time to drop the category or reinvigorate the ones already
“Religion Gives Meaning to Life” outlines how life is given meaning through theistic religion in Louis Pojman’s opinion. In this short reading, autonomy is described as in the meaning of freedom or self-governing and argues how it is necessary for ideal existence. By being honest and faithful with ourselves shows how we can increase our autonomy. “I think most of us would be willing to give up a few autonotoms for an enormous increase in happiness” (553) shows our willingness to practice good purpose.
...sts within me a sense of gratitude. I feel that I have received a better understanding of how we evolved to conceive the current belief of what it means to be a child. The essay brought to my attention the difficulty that is associated with trying to conjure up an image of minuteness and powerlessness in a society that is bent on creating divine representations. It was also made clearer to me that the Greek culture found little value in people or objects that could not contribute to their culture as a whole. There is a sense of reverence toward items that depict the Greek culture as formidable, dominant, and divinely favored.
INTRODUCTION The medieval theologian Julian of Norwich was a mystic, writer, anchoress and spiritual director for her time. She is gaining in popularity for our time as she provides a spiritual template for contemplative prayer and practice in her compilation of writings found in Revelations of Divine Love. The insightful meditations provide the backdrop and basis for her Trinitarian theology’s embrace of God’s
During his lifetime and in the centuries following, the dualism and mechanism of Descartes' philosophy gave rise to a great number of objections and discussions. In this article, I would like to consider a response to Descartes' views which is somewhat less well-known than others, that of Anne Conway. Conway's reaction to Descartes is interesting because she speaks from out of a metaphysical tradition different from those of many other philosophers who discussed his ideas. (1) In addition, she makes use of a pre-modern, non-abstract idea of spirit, a conceptualisation of spirit which has been lost or sidelined in the philosophical tradition after Descartes. On the basis of an entirely different ontology of matter and spirit from that of Descartes, Conway questions the presuppositions of dualism as well as its abstract view of spiritual substance.
What a fascinating adjustment in perspectives, motive, and determination from the once deeply connected to God the unprofessed theologian. The man who we admired for his crafty dexterity to be a Christian Apologetic emerges to be torn from the foundations of his faith and experiences of how to respond to the unspecified. This book is openly troubling for the believer because all too often we know that this is a very real situation that our author is experiencing. However, while it may appear that a staunch believer has lost his way were hastily reminded that this not the case at all. In the book "A Grief Observed" by C. S. Lewis we see, what I call, a defining mature Christian transition, disruption to the norm, or bump in the road all Christians
Logos plays a relatively minute role in this paper due to logos being about rational or logical appeal and because this essay is about Thomas’s religious beliefs and the belief in God is not based rational or logical facts, it is based on faith and faith does not fall under logos. Also logos is hard to have in this case because everyone has different religious beliefs causing a religious statement to be true fact for some and ghastly lie to other. This makes religion views seen as that of opinion which ...
Francis of Assisi is one of the most influential personalities in the entire world. In the book ‘Francis of Assisi: Performing the Gospel Life,’ Cunningham recounts the life of this humble monk who lived in the medieval times, and shaped the Christian life, which spread in Western culture throughout the rest of history. I believe Cunningham accurately accounts for the life of Francis of Assisi, and in doing so; he provides a trajectory of the Christian faith from its early and historical proponents through its fusion with western culture, and its subsequent spread throughout the world.
The authors Charles Colson and Nancy Pearcey's essay is credible because they both have knowledge and experience regarding the topic and researched various parts of the topic using reliable sources. Along with this essay, Charles Colson has written thirty books which have received much praise among the Christian community. He has also received many awards including the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion in 1993, the Presidential Citizen's Medal
"EXPLORING THEOLOGY 1 & 2." EXPLORING THEOLOGY 1 2. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 May 2014.
The Pluralists want to reconcile everything that they perceive through their senses with the Parmenidean idea of an uncreated, eternal, unchanging whole. The problem of such a task lies in the fact that Parmenides’ notion of being goes against everything that our sense experience tells us. With our eyes we see motion and change every day, be it our own self-motion or that of others around us. Furthermore, we experience coming-into-being and perishing through the cycle of birth and death. The Pluralists would had made better progress in extrapolating their own ideas if they would have either sided completely with Parmenides or taken means to discredit his work.
The thesis of this paper is that, setting aside the question of moral offense that has disturbed commentators from Thomas Paine (The Age of Reason) to William Empson (Milton's God), agape to neighbor makes sense only under monotheistic or specifically Christian assumptions, and therefore, the old saw, "Christianity may not be factually true, but it has a sublime ethical teaching", is problematical.
...s distributed in Theology 101 at the University of Notre Dame, Fremantle on 22 April 2008.
When reading Nietzsche, we can pick up from him that he was very educated often better than most philosophers. Or so he thought. Although he had a very poor outlook on his culture and everyday society, he had very strong opinions when it came to humans and their actions. He made strong assumptions whether people agreed with him or not. An assumption such as, he believed most philosophers and researchers were not as educated as he was, which we pick up in his writings. Nietzsche’s main goal in his essays are to educate those on morality. First, Nietzsche believed that specific words and human actions have evolved over time to things they were never intended to become. Nietzsche
The essay “Self-Reliance”, by Ralph Waldo Emerson, is a persuasive essay promoting the ways of transcendentalism. He uses this paper to advance a major point using a structure that helps his argument. In the paper, Emerson begins his concluding thoughts with a statement that greater self-reliance will bring a revolution. He then applies this idea to society and all of its aspects, including religion, education, and art. This brings Emerson to a new, more precise focus on how society never advance, rather it recedes on one side as fast as it gains on the other. This shocking, yet intriguing, idea is supported and augmented using tone, metaphor, example, and the consequence of ignoring his opinion. The final result is a conglomeration of ideas into the major points that, “Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles.” With the major points and devices used by Emerson defined, it is now possible to examine in greater detail how he persuades the reader, starting with the use of tone.
Kerr, H. (1990). Readings in christian thought (2nd ed.). H. T. Kerr (Ed.). Nashville: Abingdon Press.