ChristianityChristianity

Michelangelo, The Creation of Adam

• The Creation of Adam is a fresco on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, in the Vatican City painted by Michelangelo circa 1511. It illustrates the Biblical story from the Book of Genesis in which God the Father breathes life into Adam, the first man. Chronologically the fourth in the series of panels depicting episodes from Genesis on the Sistine ceiling, it was among the last to be completed. It is arguably one of the most famous and most appreciated images in the world.

• God is depicted as an elderly bearded man wrapped in a swirling cloak that he shares with some cherubim. (is a supernatural entity mentioned several times in the Old Testament)

• His left arm is wrapped around a female figure, normally interpreted as Eve, who is not yet created and, figuratively, waits in heaven to be given an earthly form. God's right arm is outstretched to impart the spark of life from his own finger into that of Adam, whose left arm is extended in a pose mirroring God's. Famously, Adam's finger and God's finger are separated by a slight distance. It took about three of the four years to paint.

• The similar poses of God and Adam—according to Genesis 1:27, God created man in his own image. At the same time, God, who is airborne and appears against ovoid drapery, is contrasted with earthbound Adam, lying on a stable triangle of barren ground. The name `Adam is Hebrew for 'man' (and 'mankind'); the feminine form, `adamah, means 'earth'..

• The inspiration for Michelangelo's treatment of the subject may come from a medieval hymn called Veni Creator Spiritus, which asks the 'finger of the paternal right hand' (digitus paternae dexterae) to give the faithful speech, love and strength.

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BackgroundBackground

• Jesus of Nazareth, (Nazareth, city of Galilee) called the Son of God and Christ (The Greek term for Messiah, or the anointed one) was born in Judea around 6-4 B.C.

• At that time, Israel was subjected to Rome and rebellion and unrest were simmering/ almost at the boiling point.

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• Signs and wonders were reported surrounding Jesus’ birth and childhood, but history knows virtually nothing about his life until Jesus was approximately 30 years old, when he began his public ministry.

• After his baptism, by a desert prophet, John and a period of wilderness fasting, he gathered 12 disciples and began walking about the land, teaching, healing the sick and performing miracles.

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Baptism of Jesus By JohnBaptism of Jesus By John

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Background,2Background,2• His presence and message were

compelling, and crowds followed him everywhere.

• Jesus taught love of God as Father, love of neighbor, self-sacrifice in the service of both., and the imminent arrival of the Kingdom of god.

• His frequent references to himself as the Son of Man and his entry into Jerusalem on a donkey both reflected his conscious acceptance of a messianic role.

• Established Jewish authorities saw him as a threat, both to civic peace under the Romans, and to their own authority.

• His overturning of the currency exchange and animal dealers’ tables in the Temple courtyard after arriving in Jerusalem was the last straw, and he was arrested soon after by the Jewish authorities.

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Background,3Background,3• Political maneuvering led to Jesus’

death sentence under Roman law, and his crucifixion on the eve of the Jewish Passover.

• Jewish religious festival commemoration the liberation of Jewish from slavery in Egypt.

• On the Sunday morning after Passover, women visiting his tomb found its empty, and Jesus began appearing among his disciples in bodily form, telling them to spread the good news of his resurrection abroad to all who would hear. (Easter Sunday)

• Christianity began as a small group of Jewish men and women who believed that Jesus was the Christ and Son of God.

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Background,4Background,4

• In their eyes, his resurrection was proof of his identity, promising that all who placed their faith in Him would also overcome death.

• Not long after Jesus’ final departure into heaven/ ascension, his disciples experienced the promised spiritual empowerment by the Holy Spirit (the Pentecost) and began preaching throughout Israel and all the known world.

• A handful of believers grew into an underground religion that spread rapidly across the Roman Empire, suffering persecutions both by Jews and Romans.( crucifixion, stoning, beheading, scourging, beaten, drags to pieces etc..)

• It was only when the Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity in the early 4th Century that its survival was assured.

Scourging

• Pentecost (Ancient Greek: πεντηκοστή [ἡμέρα], pentekostē [hēmera], "the fiftieth day") is one of the prominent feasts in the Christian liturgical year, celebrated the 49th day (7 weeks) after Easter Sunday—or the 50th day, inclusively, whence its name is derived from the Greek. Pentecost falls on the tenth day after Ascension Thursday. Historically and symbolically related to the Jewish harvest festival of Shavuot, it commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus as described in the Book of Acts, Chapter 2. Pentecost is also called Whitsun, Whitsunday, or Whit Sunday, especially in the United Kingdom.

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What is the Basis for Christian What is the Basis for Christian Ethics?Ethics?

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What is the Basis for Christian Ethics?What is the Basis for Christian Ethics?• For a Christian, Jesus Christ is the only perfectly

ethical person;• He is the perfect man, always making right

choices, and to believe him to be flawed is to abandon Christianity completely.

• Jesus calls us to follow Him, become his disciples and inherit eternal life.

• If Jesus is the ideal human being, and were called to imitate Him, then we are called to an ethical life.

• Christian ideas of right and wrong originate in revealed truth, i.e.. They stem from what God has taught us through Jesus and the prophets and Apostles- This primarily means the Bible.

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What is the Basis for Christian Ethics?,2What is the Basis for Christian Ethics?,2

• Christians must obey the Bible because the teachings come from God.

• Christian ethics may be contrasted with Utilitarianism (Utilitarian ethics allowed the Holocaust, slavery, and totalitarian communism).

• Because Christians do not believe humans made themselves or occurred ‘naturally’.

• They do not believe they’re free to do whatever suits them. This is because God is the author of life. He also determines that standard of behavior for those members of His creation with free will.

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How does Free Will Fit in? What is it?How does Free Will Fit in? What is it?

• Free will is a gift of God.• It means human being have been given

the ability to choose between right and wrong.

• Christians do not believe God runs their lives like a puppet show.

• They’re completely free to choose, but are not shielded from the consequences of their actions as they interact with rest of the humans (also with free will).

• Some people feel that Christians do not have free will because God punishes them for the choices He does not happen to like.

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How does Free Will Fit in? ,2How does Free Will Fit in? ,2• Christians’ answer to that is God

determines the standards of behavior because He is God, the Creator.

• Rather than punish, God simply allows people to choose to reject Him.

• As there is no happiness apart from God, permanent rejection of God results in permanent unhappiness.

• Without free will, no opportunity for choices between right and wrong exist.

• Creatures without free will cannot have ethics because they’ve no choice.

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What ethical Rules have been revealed?What ethical Rules have been revealed?• When the rich young man asked

Jesus what must be done to inherit eternal life, the response was:" you know the Commandments...”

• When Jesus was pressed further, he offered the chance to follow Him as a disciple

• Taking these together, following Jesus while keeping the Ten Commandments would seem to be the revealed answer.

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How do Christians determine How do Christians determine right and wrong?right and wrong?

• The 10 Commandments and the prophets carry most ethical force.

• Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount sets the New Testament standard:

• He counsels compassion, meekness (mild, patient unresisting), a hunger for righteousness, mercy, purity of heart, peace and faith in the face of persecution.

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The Sermon on the Mount/ The Sermon on the Mount/ The BeatitudesThe Beatitudes

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The Golden RuleThe Golden Rule• The Golden Rule may be Jesus’ best-

known ethical guide:

“ In everything do unto others as you would have them do to you’ for this is the law and the prophets.”

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How do Christians determine right and How do Christians determine right and wrong?wrong?

• Love is the Key to Christian ethics.• God’s love (is displayed by taking the bodily

form of human / Jesus) prompted the incarnation; love of humankind brought Jesus to this death; love for Christ motivates Christians.

• “This is my commandment,” he said, “that you love one another as I have loved you.”

• This love is the motivating force behind Christians, like Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King, who dedicate their lives to easing suffering and seeking justice.

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The Ten CommandmentsThe Ten Commandments

• The Ten Commandments, or Decalogue, are a list of religious and moral imperatives that, according to Judeo-Christian tradition, were authored by God and given to Moses on the mountain referred to as "Mount Sinai" (Exodus 19:23) or "Horeb" (Deuteronomy 5:2) in the form of two stone tablets. They feature prominently in Judaism and Christianity. In Biblical Hebrew language, the commandments are termed הדברים -translit. Aseret ha) עשרתDvarîm) and in Rabbinical Hebrew הדברות עשרת(translit. Aseret ha-Dibrot), both translatable as "the ten statements." The name "Decalogue" is derived from the Greek name δεκάλογος or "dekalogos" ("ten statements") found in the Septuagint (Exodus 34:28, Deuteronomy 10:4), which is the Greek translation of the Hebrew name.[2]

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The Ten CommandmentsThe Ten Commandments• The 10 commandments were given to

Moses over 3,000 years ago after the Hebrews/ Jews were delivered from slavery in Egypt.

• While the Law of Moses is made up of over 600 rules, the 10 commandments were a succinct (brief and clear) list of rules from which the others were developed.

• When Jesus was asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?:, he replied: “You know the Commandments, keep these and you will live.”

• Jesus attests (testify/certify)to the importance of the 10 Commandments.

• This is why Christians still accept them.• The Jewish tradition viewed the Law as a

gift from God.• Christian tradition views sin as

enslavement / make a slave of, rather than something fun we are denied.

• To accept salvation is to be freed from slavery to sin and raised to a new life.

• In the table later, you can see the commandments and how they free people from Sin and free them for a new life.

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Ten Commandments are Action-Ten Commandments are Action-guiding for Christians, 1guiding for Christians, 1

No. Commandment The Call Action

1 I am the LORD your God, you shall have no other Gods before me,

Faith (Trust in God)

All faith in God, Freedom from lesser gods: Wealth, sex, power & popularity.

2 You shall not take the Name of the LORD your God in vain.

RespectHoliness

Respect for God and the things of God: prayer, worship, religion.

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Ten Commandments are Action-Ten Commandments are Action-guiding for Christians, 2guiding for Christians, 2

No. Commandment The Call Action

3. Keep holy the Sabbath Day

Renewal Not just the Sabbath rest, but setting aside time for prayer, good recreation, quiet reflection.

4. Honor your father and mother.

Family

Loving care and respect for all family members, elders and younger siblings, too. Respect for elders in general.

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Ten Commandments are Action-Ten Commandments are Action-guiding for Christians ,3guiding for Christians ,3

No.

Commandment

The Call Action

5. You shall not kill.

Respect for life.

Courtesy to all, speaking respectfully to all, seeking the best for all. Respecting others’ freedom while still defending all human life.

6. You shall not commit adultery.

ChastityFaithfulness (fidelity)

Faithful actions beyond just abstaining from sexual contact outside of marriage. Respect for sex and marriage.

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Ten Commandments are Action-Ten Commandments are Action-guiding for Christians , 4guiding for Christians , 4

No. Commandment

The Call Action

7 You shall not steal.

Justice(honesty)

Concern for the rights of others, esp. when they get in the way of what we desire. A commitment to fairness and a willingness to suffer loss rather than depriving another.

8 You shall not bear false witness

Truth A dedication to what is real and true, even if that reality is against our interests.

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Ten Commandments are Action-Ten Commandments are Action-guiding for Christians , 4guiding for Christians , 4

No. Commandment The Call Action

9 You shall not covet (desire eagerly) your neighbor's wife

Purity A desire to want only what God wills. A single-hearted devotion to God’s way.

10 You shall not covet your neighbor's goods

Generosity

A cooperation in God’s own generosity that sees all goods as belonging to God and freely given for the good of all.

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The Greatest CommandmentThe Greatest Commandment

• When Jesus was asked, “What is the greatest commandment” , He responded with these:

i. Love Godii. Love your neighbor• In accord with this, the 1st 3

commandments as directed toward the 1st of these (love by God) and the last 7 as relating to the 2nd: love of neighbor.

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The Ten CommandmentsThe Ten Commandments• The Ten Commandments

GOD1.You shall have no other Gods but me. 2.You shall not make for yourself any idol,

nor bow down to it or worship it. 3.You shall not misuse the name of the Lord

your God. 4.You shall remember and keep the Sabbath

day holy.

MAN6. Respect your father and mother. 7. You must not kill. 8. You must not commit adultery. 9. You must not steal. 10. You must not give false evidence against

your neighbor. 11. You must not be envious of your

neighbor's goods. You shall not be envious of his house nor his wife, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor.