Religion Essay Example for Free

Religion Essay 1.) As a person of goodwill, explain the necessity of establishing rapport, amity, and concordance among the various religions in Asia and the world; and more specifically among Muslims and Christians in the Philippines. Why is religion a positive contributor towards peacemaking but at the same time can be a source of societal turmoil? In what way can Asian religions transcend divisiveness by standing side by side with other religions, without losing their very own unique creeds or belief-systems? Based on the films about Muslim Filipinos shown in class, please explain in what way Christians and Muslims can utilize their respective religions for peace and harmony in Mindanao? Answer these questions by citing concrete cases to prove your point (30 points). It is necessary to establish rapport, amity, and concordance among the various religions in Asia and the world more specifically among Muslims and Christians in the Philippines in order to better understand their systematic beliefs, values, and behavior, acquired by people as a member of their society. These patterns are systematic because their manifestations are regular in occurrence and expression: they are shared by member of a group. It is also necessary to build friendship and connection among diverse religions in Asia and the world to build a better society and to have peace in every nation. In such a society it is very important to have harmony and respect amongst the different religions. We must distinguish between belief and respect. Belief refers to total faith, which you must have in your own religion. At the same time you should have respect for all other religions. This tradition of believing in ones own religion and having respect for others. In every religion, there are transcendent things that are beyond the grasp of our mind and speech. For example, the concept of God in Christianity and Islam and that of wisdom truth body in Buddhism are metaphysical, which is not possible for an ordinary person like us to realize. This is a common difficulty faced by every religion. It is taught in every  ­religion, including Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam, that the ultimate truth is driven by faith. As far as the Muslims are concerned it is appropriate for them to have complete devotion to Allah while praying in the mosques. This is also the same with Buddhists who are completely devoted to the Buddha when they pray in Buddhist temples. A society, which has many religions should also have many prophets and sources of refuge. I want to emphasize that it is extremely essential to sincerely believe in their respective religions. Usually, it is very important to distinguish between belief in one religion and belief in many religions. Religion is a positive contributor towards peacemaking but at the same time can be a source of societal turmoil because religion is a perennial and perhaps inevitable factor in both conflict and conflict resolution. Religion, after all, is a powerful constituent of cultural norms and values, and because it addresses the most profound existential issues of human life (e.g., freedom and inevitability, fear and faith, security and insecurity, right and wrong, sacred and profane), religion is deeply implicated in individual and social conceptions of peace. To transform the conflicts besetting the world today, we need to uncover the conceptions of peace within our diverse religious and cultural traditions, while seeking the common ground among them. Traditionally many people focus on how wars and conflicts are seemingly undertaken for religious reasons, or at least undertaken in the name of religion. A significant problem with organized religion and belief, as this relates to peace and conflict, is individuals and groups often confuse the map (their socially-learned version of reality or culture or religion) with the territory (or ultimate reality). Thus people believe that their personal or subjective version of reality or religion is valid, while other views are invalid. Instead it can be argued that the many maps are different, but possibly equally valid interpretations and attempts to understand the same underlying reality or territory. Asian religions can transcend divisiveness by standing side by side with other religions, without losing their very own unique creeds or belief-systems through banding together in interfaith dialogue, cooperation, and religious peacebuilding. The first major dialogue was the Parliament of the Worlds Religions at the 1893 Chicago Worlds Fair, which remains notable even today both in affirming universal values and recognition of the diversity of practices among different cultures. The 20th century has been especially fruitful in use of interfaith dialogue as a means of solving ethnic, political, or even religious conflict, with Christian–Jewish reconciliation representing a complete reverse in the attitudes of many Christian communities towards Jews. Christians and Muslims can utilize their respective religions for peace and harmony through sharing the main morals and conducts that are for the benefit of humanity and nature. They believe in the same basic morals that are important for people to follow in order to live in peace, harmony, and love in communities with different faiths and cultures. And to through tolerance, respect and cooperation with respect in each other’s religions. 2.) Explain why Islam is considered the â€Å"most misunderstood religion†. What are some historical, sociological and cultural reasons that paved the way for a misunderstanding of the true nature of Islam among non-Muslims and even among Muslims? Islam means â€Å"submission to the will of God in all areas of one’s life†. Muslim means, â€Å"One who submits to God’s will†. These Arabic words are actually non-sectarian terms if we look at the context of these words in the Qur’an. Can we use the term â€Å"Muslim† in its universal implication to include all believers in One God? Can we use the term â€Å"Muslim† to any person (irrespective of religions) who strives sincerely to submit to the will of God in his life? [Hint: Consider the Islamic doctrine of Risalah (Progressive Revelation) and the Islamic view of the universality of God’s calling of prophethood] (30 points). Islam is considered the â€Å"most misunderstood religion† because most of the time it is considered as a violent religion and is likely â€Å"to encourage violence among believers†. And there is also some outright falsehood for example, â€Å"God sent prophets to every nation for their guidance.† But, According to the â€Å"Doctrine of Progressive Revelation†, Islam is very universal since it admits that Allah sent prophets to everyone whereas Jews believe that prophets only come from them because they are the â€Å"chosen people of God.† Another example, â€Å"One of the missions of the Prophet of Islam was to bring peace and unity to the feuding tribes, the Jahiliah or the ignorant Arabs of the pre-Islamic days. This he succeeded in doing as narrated in several verses of the Qur-an†. The message of Allah were brought by one Prophet and recorded in one holy Qur-an. There is no other Qur-an, or versions or it, or editions which carry different texts. The hold Qur-an is not in the form of Gospels by Muslim saints or ulama. The holy Qur-an is just the record of the messages of Allah in the Arabic of the period. Translations of the Qur-an may be different in minor ways, but they are not accepted as the holy Qur-an. Only that in the original Arabic is accepted. So there can be no differing text or Gospels or versions which can result in differences in the messages or teachings of Islam. Yet, clearly there are differences, serious differences, so serious that Muslims are divided sometimes into warring sects. One of the reasons that paved the way of misunderstanding the true nature of Islam among non-Muslims and even Muslims are the â€Å"media†. Media is the greatest factor on how people view their surroundings. Somehow, criticizing the Islam brings them more readers/viewers. We tend to judge and generalize things without knowing the exact story behind those issues. Infact, the worl Islam means peace, purity, submission and obedience. In the religious sense, Islam means submission to the will of God and obedience to His law. Yes, we can use the term â€Å"Muslim† in its universal implication to include all believers in One God, as well as, to any person (irrespective of religions) who strives sincerely to submit to the will of God in his life because â€Å"Muslim† believe that God is eternal, transcendent, absolutely one (the doctrine of tawhid, or strict or simple monotheism), and incomparable; that he is self-sustaining, who begets not nor was begotten. 3.) Write a â€Å"reflective synthesizing essay† that answers the following questions: In the future prospect, will the Asian religions move from rhetoric unity and act as one to solve the common problems affecting humanity? As for Asian countries, will they achieve political independence from the clutches of Western neo-colonialism? Is there a need to abandon our cherished worldview and values in the name of development? How will the Asians reconcile their adherence to Asian ethos and at the same time open to the demands of globalization? How will the differing Asian worldviews and religions be properly harnessed to promote nationalism among Asians and global cooperation among countries in the world? (30 points) Yes. In the future, the Asian religions will move from rhetoric unity and act as one to solve the common problems affecting humanity to have a better nation, to have a respect on one another, to fix the unjust and destructive situations. There is no need to abandon our cherished worldview and values in the name of development but rather preserve it and continue following those values to build a progressive and advance nation. With their differing Asian worldviews and religions they can create different ideas and new innovations but with respect with one another’s point of view, and to accept what other countries have made, to promote nationalism among Asians and global cooperation among countries in the world. 4.) Explain what made Japanese civilization unique in its approach to establishing a pro-active Asian civilization capable of having positive ethical patterns as fountainhead of their development? Explain why it is not just enough to simply support one’s parents for one to be called â€Å"filial†; what are therefore the other requirements to be able to truly say that one has completely conducted oneself as â€Å"filial son/daughter† to one’s parents? What makes Indian civilization stuck into conservatism? What are some of the positive role that the caste-system plays in Indian civilization? What are also the negative aspects of the caste system to Indian civilization? Explain in what way did Japan show a purposive and planned-out blueprint for development in their history? (30 points) It is not just enough to simply support one’s parents for one to be called â€Å"filial† because we owe our parents a lot- because of them we able to eat three meals a day, sometimes even more. They give us clothes and sometimes the things that are beyond our needs. They send us to school. But more than simply supporting us in the most basic sense of supporting, our parents loves us. It now becomes something different because when we love them back, we do not do so out of indebtedness. We give our love freely, and not as a payment with a certain interest. Most of all, because of this special filial relationship with them that we had since birth, we also respect and obey them. We not only support our parents, but serve them. The Indian â€Å"caste system† made it stuck into conservatism. The positive roles that the caste-system plays in Indian civilization, provides a sense of community and belongingness. And the two main strands of thought: Divine will- the belief that a hierarchical social structure is part of the divine intention for natural order, and the Purity- the need to emphasize the importance of ritual purity and impurity. But there is also a negative aspect of caste-system to Indian civilization. For example, marrying someone from a different caste, whilst not officially outlawed, is generally discouraged. They only lived, ate, and worked within their group. This was based on the idea that people are different and should have different roles. And a person born into one caste never changed castes and very seldom mixed with members of other castes. Castes were unchanging groups but people from the lowest caste were told that they have to serve the other castes so that they can be reborn into a higher caste in their next life.

Defining And Understanding Common Sense Justice

Defining And Understanding Common Sense Justice The delivery of the black-letter law has not been satisfactory to both the society and the jurors. Jurors coming to the box may walk out dissatisfied with how the verdict is delivered and the verdict itself. Of interest in particular is how the law deals with death penalty and insanity cases. Commonsense justice is viewed as a possible alternative to resolving these cases, as it is considered to be rational and highly nuanced. This paper will focus on understanding the theory of commonsense justice, the view of jurors of commonsense justice versus the black-letter law, and comparing the outcomes of using these laws in resolving insanity and death penalty cases. Introduction Common sense justice is a reflection of what people think is just and fair. According to Finkel (1995), there are two types of law; the law of the books which refers to the constitutional law, the enactments by parliament, the law that evolves through common law cases and appeal decisions, taught in law school and applied in the courts and common sense justice (p.669). Different from the law of the books, common sense justice refers to the pre-existing beliefs about laws, the legal system and other issues that may be relevant to the trial process bringing with them to the jury box when judging both a defendant and the law. In essence, commonsense justice is concerned with peoples everyday concepts of fairness and justice. The jurors find it hard to apply black- letter laws since they are inconsistent with what they know as fairness and justice. The view that commonsense justice is that judges, being the conscience of society ought to use what society views as fair and just as opposed to the dictates of black-letter law which is not in tandem with the conscience of society. Theory of commonsense justice There was evidence in some cases jurors were not following the law. The jury is required to strictly follow the instructions given to the judge and reach a verdict based on evidence and the law. This is a consequence of their coming into knowledge that the black-letter law in some varying degrees is in disagreement with commonsense law. Therefore jurors tend to reject these rigid and objective rules and adopt subjective views. Though jurors are given instructions to make judgment using the objective criteria, they often resort to base the judgments on the subjective views of defendants and viewers. In addition, jurors base judgment on context and construing, by using hindsight to justify events and interpreting facts in order to identify what led to the cause as well as ascertain the intentions. Following this, critics have claimed that jurors do not comprehend the judges instructions while others assert that jurors deliberately disregard or nullify the judges instructions. . Centrally and critically, Finkel adds, the question that arises is whether we should follow the path laid by community sentiment, or should community follow the path the law has laid? (p.1). It is what ordinary people think the law ought to be. Hence, Finkel (2001) says that the courts have turned gradually to objective ways of considering community sentiment, in order to determine if the punishment for a crime disproportionate at least, according to the community (p.4). The quest for common sense justice is prompted by the observation that common sense justice and the black-letter law could be disparate in their view of human nature, culpability and punishment. The differences lie in the framing of the cases, how the delimiting of the factors of culpability is done and how the factors are weighed. Admittedly, Finkel (1995) says that common sense justice culpability analysis does not match that of black-letter law. CSJ harshest critics have described it as fusing, confounding and confusing, especially when a wrongful decision was made. On the other hand, critics of black-letter law insist that the approach used in the structures that provide justice in the society could themselves be the source of oppression, since the innocent party may be to a case falsely accused. In fact, Kumachiro (2004), gives commonsense even a wider perspective when he intimates that oppression sometimes manifests itself in ways that are easily recognized and condemned by mos t people (p.15). There is more to oppression than what we know: injustice based on the structure of everyday life, exemplified by the assumptions underlying major and minor institutions, rationales that support personal and collective choices. Kumachiro (2004) argues that those who benefit from the decisions made in courts and other structural institutions by accepting the dominant group common sense are actually abusing justice, while they remain oblivious of the more dangerous and pervasive type, which is structural oppression (p.102). Application of commonsense law to death penalty and insanity trials Common sense justice has been applied in cases involving insane defendants with a degree of success. According to Mitchell(1999), Common sense notions of justice stipulate that those who create the conditions for their own defense should be held more culpable, exemplified by those whose incapacity has been caused by automatism or self-induced intoxication (p.597). The law holds that insanity can only be used as a defense if at the time of committing the crime; the defendant had a mental condition that impaired his cognitive abilities to the extent that the defendant was unaware of the nature and the quality of the act, or the knowledge that the act was wrong. Mitchell (1999) argues that according to this law the defendants are treated as innocent actors under the influence of a condition over which they have no control (p.598). The results of a study done with 263 mock jurors without instructions, who were required to use their own best judgment to decide four insanity cases showed t hat jurors do make discriminations among cases in terms of constructs, which are relevant, complex and flexible (p.287). This realization opens the door for the use of commonsense justice. Possibilities of exclusion of fault upon the raising of the insanity defense were suspected. Mitchell (1999) interprets that; a defendants criminal responsibility may to a certain extent be under autonomous control (p.598). This is due to the fact that not all defendants with mental disorder lack autonomous component in their judgment. Meta-Responsibility (MR) is the term used to describe the notion that a defendants criminal responsibility could to some degree be attributable to autonomous control. In that connection, it . A Case of meta-responsibility arises from such issues as medication non-compliance, substance abuse, which results from not taking responsibility over ones situation. This is termed as consensual meta-responsibility. According to Mitchell, (1999), Purposive meta-responsibility arises from the antipsychiatric notion that the mental disorder represents strategic and willful behavior on the part of the patient in an attempt to influence his personal and social situation (p.598). The law that stipulates when insanity can amount to a defense was accepted only to the extent that the absence of mental control on the side of the defendant is not produced by his own default. Causal process is observed only in intoxication that has brought out the insanity in appellate cases, even when there is adequate legal machinery to consider absence of mental control inflicted on others. Involuntary intoxication is excused but in a case of voluntary intoxication, one is deemed to have created the conditions for his defense hence he will be criminally answerable to the injury he may do while in this condition; and will be found of recklessness. In reference to Mitchell (1999), the case R. v Caldwell (1981), ruled that self- induced intoxication is not a defense to any crime in which recklessness is enough to constitute the requisite mens rea (p.600). The law gives the jury sentencing discretion when it comes to capital offences. The eighth amendment states the circumstances under which a persons life may be terminated According Donohue (2006), data analysis on the deterrent effect of death penalty, the results were not significant. While the argument that death penalties is qualitatively reasonable, its quantitative significance may be minimal (p.3. Social science has shown that the act if killing is for others to learn, or deter others from killing, then, the mission of the death penalty is lost, since it does not produce the anticipated results. As far as death penalties are concerned, common sense justice theories of causation and culpability appear rational and highly nuanced. In reference to Finkel (1995), common sense justice is at once legal, moral and psychological (p.669). The verdict is that the jury should play a role in correcting the legal excesses of the legislature using commonsense justice since the latter is more deliberative and conscious, and quite sensitive to foundational issues of justice (p.5). In conclusion, Baldus assertive position that the death penalty experience for the last twenty years was a failure and that the system should be declared unconstitutional sounds convincing. This position was influenced by the cumulative evidence of arbitrariness, discrimination, and miscarriage of justice documented over the twenty years considered.

Essay --

The entire book is told from the view of Robert D. Hare, PhD., a psychologist and researcher of psychopathy. Hare decided to write this book to shed light on the many psychopaths that live among all of us from day to day. Hare does this by using evidence from case studies, stories told to him, and the private meetings he had with the psychopaths that he has met along the way. Hare’s account was an excellent read because he was very modest, even admitting to being fooled by some of the psychopaths he encountered, which made him seem more like a real person. The mind of a psychopath is still far from being explained, however Hare feels the best way to figure out a psychopath operates is to stop them before they are able to cause any damage. Doing so, victims would not be harmed; mentally and physically, saving tax payers money due to court costs, rehabilitation and parole programs that simply don’t work. Psychopath 1 The Mind of a Psychopath Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Among Us describes how Hare began his career in a prison and first realized he was face to face with a psychopath named Ray, who was a prisoner. At that time, Hare believed the inmates could be rehabilitated. Ray was Hare’s first patient and they worked together for several months before Hare realized Ray was manipulating him. Hare used his own practices, diagnoses, as well as interviews from serial killers to let readers know what a psychopath was really like. Hare also believed a psychopath is not crazy or insane, but the decisions made by a psychopath are conscientiously made. Hare goes onto stress that not all serial killers are psychopaths, that some are actually insane. According to Hare, â€Å"psychopathy cannot be understo... ...sychopaths should integrate their persistent self-interest, pointing out how time after time their anti-social behavior is not ultimately in their best interest. As shocking as it may sound, so many people have either come face to face, or know of someone that has met a real life psychopath. Unfortunately, most won't know it until it's too late, and even then, it could be almost impossible to understand that it has happened. These aren’t just the Manson’s or Jeffrey Dahmer’s of the world. Psychopaths are not always killers, and some are not even violent. As Dr. Hare pointed out in this book, some of the best trained and most experienced mental health professionals can and will be fooled at least once in their lifetime. This book was very easy to read and to comprehend, leaving someone prepared to handle a situation if dealt with a psychopath a little bit easier.

The Effects of Divorce on Children Essay -- Divorce and Adolescent Dep

Introduction In America, about one in every two marriages will end in divorce. Around 60% of those divorcing couples have children. (Cherlin, 2012). Half of the marriages in America end in divorce, and more than half of those couples have children, which means that about every other divorce that is filed in America, a child is impacted. Between 850,000 and 950,000 divorces occur each year. (National Center for Health Statistics, CDC., 2014). Given that roughly 60% of those divorcing couples have at least one child, at least 510,000 children are affected a year. Estimates have been done to suggest that in the near future, 70% of divorces could involve children under the age of eighteen. (Block, Block, and Gjerde, 1986). Because of the large number of children in America having broken families, it is important to understand the effects of divorce on children’s' day to day lives so that they may be provided for in a proper and beneficial way. Changes in the Family There are many different outcomes that the effect of a divorce may have on a child. Though divorce isn't always a positive thing, sometimes there are scenarios where a family is better off this way. According to research, the bond maintained between parent and child is the main change that plays a factor on the child's outcome when a divorce happens. The relationships between parents and their children were found to be more influential than the parents’ marital status. Negative effects were null if relationships remained intact after the divorce. However, sometimes the ability to keep these relationships closely knit just isn't as simple as it was before the divorce. Keeping a relationship intact is especially difficult for the non-custodial parent. (He... ...du/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2012/02/Cherlin_JMFmarriagepaper.pdf Harvey, J. H., & Fine, M. A. (2004). Children of divorce stories of loss and growth. Jeynes, W. (2002). Divorce, family structure, and the academic success of children. New York: Haworth Press. Jost, K., & Robinson, M. Children and divorce. CQ Researcher, 1, 349-368. Stuart, I. R., & Abt, L. E.,. (1972). Children of separation and divorce. New York: Grossman Frank Trovato, (1987). A Longitudinal Analysis of Divorce and Suicide in Canada. Journal of Marriage and Family., Vol. 49., No. 1, pp.193-203. Robert H. Aseltine, Jr. (1996). Pathways Linking Parental Divorce With Adolescent Depression. Journal of Health and Social Behavior., Vol. 37, No.2., pp.133-148. Satoshi Tsujimoto, (2008). The Prefrontal Cortex: Functional Neural Development During Early Childhood, Neuroscientist 14:345.

A Time To Kill (Movie) Essay -- essays research papers

A Time to Kill   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Are things the same now in your life than 5 years ago? Everything in our life is based on change. We would not be where we were today without changes. We have to deal with these changes in our everyday life whether they are bad or good. People do not like some changes that occur and revolt against them to slow down the changing process. We are still not over some of the issues in the Civil War when it’s been 140 years since it ended. We can only presume that changing takes time. As seen in the movie â€Å"A Time To Kill,† issues from our Reconstruction Period after the Civil War, are still being dealt with today. Three of these issues are: Ku Klux Klan, Lack of Payment, and African Americans in Politics.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Ku Klux K...

Tennyson Speech

Alfred Lord Tennyson was the poet laureate of the United Kingdom from 1850-1892. His duty as poet laureate was to reach out to the common folk of the time by raising issues/concerns with society and life through his poems meanings that they could relate to. His ability to use the context of his poems to provide a greater meaning to the reader is what made him valued as a great poet. Although the way he manages to transcend the themes of his poems such as unrequited love, passing of youth and patriotism to suit and relate to a modern day society is why he continues to be valued as one. These themes are present through Tennyson’s poetic masterpieces such as ‘The Lady of Shalott’, ‘The Eagle’ and ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ in which he uses poetic devices and techniques to compare and contrast the deeper meaning of the poem to real life concerns and issues. Unrequited love is love that is not returned or is unnoticed. This theme is prominent throughout Tennyson’s poem ‘The Lady of Shalott’, as in the poem the Lady of Shalott dies from a curse which is triggered when she leaves her tower because of her love for Lancelot. The Lady of Shalott’ was first published in 1833, when the romantic movement was at its peak, so Tennyson writing about the journey of a women in love makes ‘The Lady of Shalott’ a prime example of Tennyson’s romantic poetry. The poems plot metaphorically represents the pain of unrequited love and the risks involved in sharing your feelings. An example o f unrequited love within the ‘Lady of Shalott’ is when the lady’s dead body floats in the boat to Camelot and Lancelot says â€Å"She has a lovely face†. This shows how oblivious Lancelot is in regards to the lady’s feelings for him and that the love she gives is not returned. Passing of youth is a theme that associates with Tennyson’s poem ‘The Eagle’. The first line of the poem; ‘He clasps the crag with crooked hands’, illustrates to the reader that the creature is holding on to life, and inevitably in the last line ‘And like a thunderbolt he falls’, it has died. In contrast with real life Tennyson uses personification like ‘crooked hands’ and context throughout the poem, to compare an Eagles daily doings to the mortal life of a human being. The last line in particularly implies how quick and sudden death is, with the comparison of an Eagle catching its prey. Also structurally the poem is only six lines long; Tennyson uses this shortness to reinforce (like an Eagle catching its prey) how quickly life goes by. ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’, is another one of Tennyson’s masterpieces in which contains the theme ‘patriotism’. This theme is exploited throughout the poem as the poem is a tribute to all of the lives lost at the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War. To reinforce the patriotism of the soldiers in the poem, Tennyson uses the repetition of the phrase ‘valley of death’ which implies that the death of the soldiers is inevitable but yet they still approach it patriotically. In the poem where it says ‘Cannons to the left of them, Cannons to the right of them, Cannons in front of them’ is an example of imagery which also illustrates to the reader that the death of the light brigade is inevitable and that they are walking straight into it. The final line of the poem ‘Noble six hundred’ is used to portray the soldiers as highly respected because of the deeds that they have committed to on behalf of their country. In conclusion Tennyson’s poetic works are highly valued among society for Tennyson’s ability to pinpoint a specific audience for each of his poems by using the themes like unrequited love, passing of youth and patriotism as found within the ‘The Lady of Shalott’, ‘The Eagle’ and ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’. Although these themes intertwine to make a greater theme in which a majority of Tennyson’s poems relate to, and this is the preciousness of life. This is the sort of ideology of romanticism where Tennyson critiques society’s traditional values and expectations of living and fulfilling traditional gender roles, and promotes the idea of following your heart and make the most out of life. Tennyson’s ability to transcend these themes from suiting the people of the Victorian era to suit and relate to a modern day society is what continues to make Tennyson be valued as a ‘great poet’.

Consider the Topic of Sexual Ethics Essay

A. Introduction The issue of sexual ethics is concerned with the intimate relationships which we form. Three aspects currently under debate are cohabitation, polygamy and same sex relationships. B What do you think are the key issues in the debate? Any debate regarding sexual ethics lies in whether or not our behaviour is contrary to the teaching of Scripture. The difficulty for Anglicans however, lies in the fact that we also look to tradition and reason to guide us. 1. Cohabitation The question here is whether cohabitation is acceptable. Scriptural teaching regarding the sanctity of marriage[1] and the unacceptability of premarital sex[2] appears clear, but there are Anglicans who argue that a faithful and committed relationship with another person is acceptable in the eyes of God. 2. Polygamy This debate demonstrates the tension that exists between cultural practices and Christianity. It is an issue of particular significance within the West African Province where polygamy is common. The debate centres on what happens when a polygamist converts to Christianity, both in terms of their own practice and what it means for their spouses. Within the Old Testament, there is evidence that the practice of polygamy was acceptable[3] but there is no explicit teaching within the New Testament. [4] 3. Same Sex relationships This debate addresses whether homosexuality is acceptable according to Scripture and whether or not active homosexuals should be ordained or even consecrated, and whether those in same sex relationships should be allowed to be married or have their relationships blessed in Church? This debate also reminds Anglicans within the United Kingdom of the tensions between Church and State. The government’s Civil Partnerships Act 2004 allows registration of same sex relationships, and this has been followed up by the Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Approved Premises)(Amendment) Regulations 2011, which allows civil partnership ceremonies in places of worship.[5] The teachings of Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13; I Corinthians 6:9-10 and Romans 1:26-27 are often used as evidence against homosexuality, though there are some who argue that the relationships of Ruth and Naomi and David and Jonathan contradict this. C How is the Church going about debating these issues (what is the process and how is it going)? 1. Global Processes Anglicans rely on three Instruments of Communion, to provide guidance for global issues affecting the Anglican Church, with the Archbishop of Canterbury acting as the focus of unity: 1. The Lambeth Conferences, held every 10 years 2. The Primates’ meetings 3. The Anglican Consultative Council. I. Lambeth Conferences In 1998, the Lambeth Conference issued Resolution 1.10 On Human Sexuality. [6] This laid out the position of the Church, affirming the sanctity of marriage and celibacy as an alternative. However the 2008 Conference did not re-open the debate, with Archbishop Rowan writing to the Primates before it to say: â€Å" In my judgement, we cannot properly or usefully re-open the discussion as if Resolution 1.10 of Lambeth 1998 did not continue to represent the general mind of the Communion.† I. Primates Meetings These are called at the request of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and can bridge the gap between one Lambeth Conference and the next. Primates’ Meetings were called in 2003 following Gene Robinson’s election as Bishop of New Hampshire, in the Episcopal Church of the USA. (ECUSA) This led to the reaffirmation of the Anglican Communion’s position as set out in Lambeth 1.10. It called for the voluntary withdrawal of the Anglican Church in Canada and ECUSA until the next Lambeth Conference in 2008, and for a Commission to look into the issue, resulting in the Windsor Report of 2004. II. Anglican Consultative Council. This meets every two to three years moving between the Provinces. It is composed of clergy and laity [7] . Its role can be shown by its response to the issue of polygamy. In 1984 it passed Resolution 18: â€Å"Be it resolved that this ACC-6 requests the Council for Anglican Provinces in Africa (CAPA) to study the issue of polygamy and the Christian family further in both its theological and pastoral dimensions and asks CAPA to co-ordinate the studies and to make available its findings to the Lambeth Conference of 1988.† 2. Local Processes In addition, Provinces and Dioceses also hold regular synods which provide an opportunity for issues specific to that body to be debated, such as the issue of polygamy. These are attended by representatives from the clergy and the laity. It was within this structure that the issue of same sex relationships became more prominent with the request of the Diocesan Synod of New Westminster Canada for the production of a rite of blessing for same sex unions and the election of Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire in 2003. In response to the Primates’ Meeting and the Windsor Report, the General Convention of ECUSA met in 2006 & passed 6 Resolutions. 3. Informal Processes Besides these formal processes, there are also a number of informal ways in which this debate is being carried out amongst other members of the Anglican Communion. These include a number of internet websites and forums as well as through publications. Indeed the most prominent place for debate is often via the world’s media, though the reporting is not always as balanced as one might like. D And how do you think this discussion might in due course be resolved, without being untrue to the character of Anglicanism? The Anglican way would be to seek a compromise which would allow all parties to continue within the Communion.[8] In theory this would allow the various Provinces, to hold true to their beliefs. In 2008, Archbishop Rowan proposed a way forward which had been suggested in the Windsor Report (2004), namely the Anglican Covenant.[9] Although this seems to offer a possible solution, it is clear that in so doing it will fundamentally alter the nature of the Anglican Communion, with those who sign up accepting the consensus view on any issue. Perhaps this is true to the character of Anglicanism after all-for if we look back to the Reformation, underpinning it was the belief of churchmen at the time that â€Å"Ecclesia semper reformando† (the Church is always in need of reform). E. Conclusion The issue of sexual ethics is so complex because it generally provokes an emotional response in us. It is an issue where the tensions between church and state and Christian values and those of society are often at odds. For Anglicans the key challenge is how to keep a balance between Scripture, Tradition and Reason. Appendix 1: Lambeth Resolution 1.10 This Conference: a. commends to the Church the subsection report on human sexuality; b. in view of the teaching of Scripture, upholds faithfulness in marriage between a man and a woman in lifelong union, and believes that abstinence is right for those who are not called to marriage; c. recognises that there are among us persons who experience themselves as having a homosexual orientation. Many of these are members of the Church and are seeking the pastoral care, moral direction of the Church, and God’s transforming power for the living of their lives and the ordering of relationships. We commit ourselves to listen to the experience of homosexual persons and we wish to assure them that they are loved by God and that all baptised, believing and faithful persons, regardless of sexual orientation, are full members of the Body of Christ; d. while rejecting homosexual practice as incompatible with Scripture, calls on all our people to minister pastorally and sensitively to all irrespective of sexual orientation and to condemn irrational fear of homosexuals, violence within marriage and any trivialisation and commercialisation of sex; e. cannot advise the legitimising or blessing of same sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions; f. requests the Primates and the ACC to establish a means of monitoring the work done on the subject of human sexuality in the Communion and to share statements and resources among us; g. notes the significance of the Kuala Lumpur Statement on Human Sexuality[10] and the concerns expressed in resolutions IV.26, V.1, V.10, V.23 and V.35 on the authority of Scripture in matters of marriage and sexuality and asks the Primates and the ACC to include them in their monitoring process. Appendix 2: The Kuala Lumpur Statement on Human Sexuality – 2nd Encounter in the South, 10 to 15 Feb 97 God’s glory and loving purposes have been revealed in the creation of humankind (Rom. 1:18; Gen. 1:36, 27). Among the multiplicity of his gifts we are blessed with our sexuality. 1. Since the Fall (Gen. 3), life has been impaired and God’s purposes spoilt. Our fallen state has affected every sphere of our being, which includes our sexuality. Sexual deviation has existed in every time and in most cultures. Jesus’ teaching about lust in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:27-30) makes it clear that sexual sin is a real danger and temptation to us all. 2. It is, therefore, with an awareness of our own vulnerability to sexual sin that we express our profound concern about recent developments relating to Church discipline and moral teaching in some provinces in the North – specifically, the ordination of practicing homosexuals and the blessing of same-sex unions. 3. While acknowledging the complexities of our sexual nature and the strong drives it places within us, we are quite clear about God’s will in this area which is expressed in the Bible.   4. The Scripture bears witness to God’s will regarding human sexuality which is to be expressed only within the life long union of a man and a woman in (holy) matrimony.   5. The Holy Scriptures are clear in teaching that all sexual promiscuity is sin. We are convinced that this includes homosexual practices between men or women, as well as heterosexual relationships outside marriage. 6. We believe that the clear and unambiguous teaching of the Holy Scriptures about human sexuality is of great help to Christians as it provides clear boundaries.   7. We find no conflict between cleaer biblical teaching and sensitive pastoral care. Repentance precedes forgiveness and is part of the healing process. To heal spiritual wounds in God’s name we need his wisdom and truth. We see this in the ministry of Jesus, for example his response to the adulterous women, â€Å"†¦neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.† (John 8:11) 8. We encourage the Church to care for all those who are trapped in their sexual brokenness and to become the channel of Christ’s compassion and love towards them. We wish to stand alongside and welcome them into a process of being whole and restored within our communities of faith. We would also affirm and resource those who exercise a pastoral ministry in this area. 9. We are deeply concerned that the setting aside of biblical teaching in such actions as the ordination of practicing homosexuals and the blessing of same-sex unions calls into question the authority of the Holy Scriptures. This is totally unaccceptable to us. 10. This leads us to express concern about mutual accountability and interdependence within our Anglican Communion. As provinces and dioceses, we need to learn how to seek each other’s counsel and wisdom in a spirit of true unity, and to reach a common mind before embarking on radical changes to Church discipline and moral teaching. 11. We live in a global village and must be more aware that the way we act in one part of the world can radically affect the mission and witness of the Church in another Bibliography Chatfield, A. (2007) Something in Common. Nottingham, UK: St John’s Extension Studies. Coogan, M.D. (Ed.). (2007). The New Oxford Annotated Bible New Revised Standard Version. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. Bradshaw, T (ed) (1997) The Way Forward? London, UK: Hodder and Stoughton. Linzey, A And Kirker R (eds) (2005) Gays and the Future of Anglicanism: Responses to the Windsor Report. Winchester, UK: O Books. http://www.churchofengland.org/our-views/marriage,-family-and-sexuality-issues.aspx http://www.globalsouthanglican.org/index.php/comments/the_kuala_lumpur_statement_on_human_sexuality_2nd_encounter_in_the_south_10/ [4] The early Church perhaps provides guidance with St Augustine stating in On Good Marriage: â€Å" And yet it is not allowed; and now indeed in our times, and after the usage of Rome neither to marry in addition, so as to have more than one wife living.† [5] Though not as yet in our Churches-as this would require a resolution at General Synod. [6] See Appendix 1 for the full resolution. [7] The Anglican Communion website defines its purpose as follows: â€Å"to facilitate the co-operative work of the churches of the Anglican Communion, exchange information between the Provinces and churches, and help to co-ordinate common action. It advises on the organisation and structures of the Communion, and seeks to develop common policies with respect to the world mission of the Church, including ecumenical matters. The ACC membership includes from one to three persons from each province. Where there are three members, there is a bishop, a priest and a lay person. Where fewer members are appointed, preference is given to lay membership.† (http://www.anglicancommunion.org/communion/acc/about.cfm) [8] The Windsor Report of 2004 affirmed the rights of Provinces and dioceses to self-government. [9] â€Å"Second, the controversies of recent years have spotlighted the difficulties we have as a Communion of making decisions in a corporate way. The Windsor Report raised this as a major question, and we shall need time to think about the Report’s theological principles and its practical suggestions, particularly the idea of a ‘Covenant’ for our Provinces, expressing our responsibility to and for each other.† (letter to Primates 2008) [10] See Appendix 2 ———————– Consider the topic of sexual ethics currently under discussion in the Anglican Communion today. Answer the following three questions on it: A. What do you think are the key issues in the debate? B. How is the Anglican Church going about debating these issues (what is the process, and how is it going)? C. And how do you think this discussion might in due course be resolved, without being untrue to the character of Anglicanism?