World History- Europe

World History- Europe

(1) TOPIC: Rise of ISLAM – 600-700
How do Islam & Christianity differ in political, religious, and social terms?
The principles of Islam are based on the five pillars that include praying five times a day, giving charity to the poor or Zakat, fasting in the month of Ramadhan, and the lifetime pilgrimage to Mecca[1]. The Christian teachings require Christians to attend Church every Sunday, which is regarded as the seventh day of the week when God rested after creating the Earth in six days. In addition, Christians believe in the confessions of their sins in the name of Jesus Christ.
One of the main beliefs in Islam is that there is no god but God, who is called Allah, and Mohammad is his prophet. There is also a belief that the holy book, the Koran, is a direct interpretation of the God’s word. Muslims are supposed to obey God just as it is portrayed by the name Islam which means submission to God[2]. On the other hand, Christians believe in God and his son Jesus who was sent to save them from sin. There is also a common understanding among the Christians that those who believe in the existence of God, Son, and the Holy Spirit will be rewarded through eternal life.

Although Muslims believe in the existence of one God, they do not believe that God exists in three persons. In this case, they perceive Jesus to be an ordinary prophet and not a son of God as Christians believe. The Trinity, as it is referred to in Christianity is therefore totally rejected in Islam. For the Muslims, there is only one God who is also the creator of the universe. According to Islam, It was this God who created Jesus and that is why Jesus referred to Him as God.

While Christianity views the prophets mentioned in the Bible as divine, Muslims perceive Mohammad, Jesus, and Moses as prophets and God’s messengers.  The term messenger in Islam is used to describe prophets who were sent by God to bring the Holy Scriptures to the people. According to Islam, these prophets were human beings and should not be worshiped since they were not divine. It is also added that nothing special made Jesus to be referred to as the son of God since all human beings were created by God. For this reason, Muslims believe that Jesus should not be worshipped[3]. Additionally, Muslims hold similar views on angles who they believe are just servants of God. They were also created by God and hence should not be taken to be divine.

Christians hold the belief that Jesus died on the cross after he was crucified in order to save the mankind. He also resurrected on the third and ascended to heaven. This is however different with Islam where the Quran categorically states that Jesus did not die on the cross but it was God who made it appear that way.

Muslims and Christians have varying opinions on sin with the Christians having the concept of original sin to imply that all human beings are born as sinners. In principle, the explanation for this is that human beings had to bear the burden of the original sin that was committed by Adam and eve. However, Muslims do not believe on the issue of original sin because God forgave Adam. Furthermore, it is mentioned in the Quran that people should not be made to bear the burden of others as this is unfair.

Islam and Christianity have conflicting beliefs on the issue of judgment. According to Islam, an individual will escape the God’s punishment for the judgment day due to his positive achievement in obeying God’s will and in following the Quran.  Specifically, Muslims believe that God shall weigh the wrongs and the rights done by individuals[4].  On the Contrary, Christianity believes that God gave His only son as a sacrifice for the human sins.  For this reason, the judgment on the final day shall depend on whether one has accepted Jesus to be his savior. Due to the love that God had for his people, he decided to come to the Earth in the form of Jesus so as to convince mankind into accepting the teachings of Jesus. All the Christians who have faith in Jesus are expected to meet Jesus in heaven where they shall rejoice forever.

When it comes to marriage, a Muslim man is allowed to marry as many as four wives.  Moreover Islam allows a temporary marriage called Muta that can last for less than one day[5]. It is however forbidden for a Muslim to marry a non-believer or allow his daughter to be married to a non-believer. A Muslim man is also allowed to marry a Christian or a Jewish woman but a man of another faith must convert to Islam before marrying a Muslim woman. On the contrary, Christianity allows a man to marry only one wife who is also supposed to be submissive to the husband. Unlike in Islam, a Christian woman is allowed to marry a man from other faiths so long as he believes in God.

In the contemporary society there, there are some social issues that are being accepted in Christianity although they were previously seen to be against religious values. For instance, homosexuality is largely becoming acceptable in some Christian churches[6]. To some extent, some gay marriages are held in Churches with some religious leaders also being reported to be gay or supporting homosexuality. This is quite different in Islam where homosexuality is strictly forbidden.

In dressing, Muslim women are not allowed to expose their bodies and hence wear long dresses or Hijab. In addition, most women who are not married are supposed to wear dresses that only reveal their eyes in order to avoid any sexual attraction[7]. Women in Islam have limited rights, unlike their men counterparts. In fact men are allowed beat their women if they suspect that they are disobedient. Women are regarded as domestic servants and this is supported by the Koran and hadiths, which purports that in hell there are many women than men. However, in Christianity, women and men are equal before God. It is not surprising to spot Christian women dressed in trousers or some clothes that would be considered to be indecent in Islam.

With regard to politics, in most of the Muslim states, democracy does not exist. It is very hard to see the peaceful changes in the government through election process. Women do not the have the right to participate in the voting of their leaders. This is not the case in Western democracies where Christianity is deeply rooted and maximum democratic freedom prevails. Thus, freedom is something that is very common in West, but is very limited in the Muslim world.

The growth of Islam in the first three centuries was mainly through the use of sword. The spread of Islam mostly, throughout the Middle East was through force and conquest. As is seen in most of North Africa and Middle East countries, the leaders of the states are military men not civilians. The leaders use the law of Allah in governing their people. Unlike Islam, Christianity was spread through preaching of the gospel combined with the working of the Spirit to get more people into the religion. People were never forced to convert into Christianity, but they willingly and voluntarily became Christians.

In governments of the West, where Christianity prevails, there is separation of the church and the state. The church seldom has influence in the running of the government meaning that it has no political power.[8] However in Islam, the issue is difference, because the religion is meant for the people that are in authority.

 

Bibliography

Catherwood, C. (2007). A God Divided: An Understanding the Differences Between Islam,           Christianity. New York: David Cook.

Renard, J. (2011). Islam and Christianity:Theological Themes in Comparative Perspective. New   York: University of California.

Stephens, W. (2004). Christianity and the Islam: The Bible and the Koran. Boston: Kessinger.

 

(2) TOPIC: Kingdoms of Western Europe- 500-1000
-Analyze the importance of the monasteries in early medieval Europe.

Monasteries in the medieval Europe were buildings where people stayed and devoted their lives to worshiping God. All the people who lived in monasteries were referred to as monks and everything they required was provided for by the monastery community. In order to focus more to God, the monks remained isolated from the society by growing their own food and making their own clothes so that they could not move out of the monasteries[9].  For the purpose of serving as many monks as possible, monasteries were spread out throughout Europe during the Middle Ages.

During the Middle Ages, the monasteries were important because monks were the only people in the society who could read and write. As such, they offered educational skills to the other parts of the world. Their educational skills were exercised in writing books and recording of events. Therefore, it would have been almost impossible to have the information about what happened to the monasteries if the monks did not write the books about it.

Although monks mainly focused on worshipping and other Godly work at the monastery, they were also helpful in the communities where the monasteries were situated.  For example, travelers during the middle Ages used monasteries for staying since there were few hotels during that time.

In the Medieval monasteries, regulation of labor was done according to the rule of Saint Benedict. It was also a requirement for the monks to give the fruits of their labor to the monastery[10]. In addition, at times the medieval monasteries were also used by the deposed kings, criminals, and other clergy who had been convicted.

The medieval monasteries were the theological seminaries responsible for the supply of priests to the Church. In addition, the monasticism had other religious, social, political, educational, and industrial roles. For instance, the monks who belonged to the medieval monasteries saved the Church by promoting its teachings to the world. Indeed, the promotion of the higher Church such as purity and humility was done through the medieval monasteries[11]. Unlike a priest, a monk of the Middle Ages taught people and nations about the simple Christian life that was promoted by the Gospel.

Medieval monasteries were also a good home for the poor and the unfortunate since they felt loved and appreciated at the monasteries. It was an agenda of the monasteries to promote equality among the people in the society by engaging in charity work. The hungry and the sick people were prone to death were also taken care off in the monasteries. Through effective organization, medieval monasteries enhanced democracy as was experienced from the many monks who were among the best statement in various European governments. Additionally, monks were very active in various forms of government where they were engaged in defending the vassal against the noble.

Actually, the medieval monasteries played a critical role in the preservation of civilizations during the Dark Ages[12]. To put this in a better perspective, monks produced the first painters, sculptors, architects, and other professionals in Europe. Monks from the medieval monasteries were also considered to be among the best thinkers in the society who contributed to the development of learning by laying the foundation for most universities. Apart from developing of the various professionals, the monks were significant in promoting manual labor as part of the monastery’s life and hence became the role models for the farmers in Europe.

However, it may be argued that medieval monasteries contributed in disrupting family relationships and lowering the marriage life by promoting celibacy. It may also be considered that medieval monasteries failed to value the social structure in Europe by making the monks to be perceived as the ideal men of the Middle Ages[13]. But in general, the medieval monasteries were instrumental in the development of Christianity and the Medieval Church.

The monastery’s role in learning and education was critical in Christianity because this religion was based on written texts. In relation to this, the skills acquired by the monks enabled them to fulfill their obligations. In the early Middle Ages, literacy in the secular world was mainly a preserve for the priests who could not have enough impact in their society because they were too few and isolated. On contrary to this, monasteries were literate communities that also served as educational centers.  Indeed monastic schools were quite influential during the Middle Ages since other educational institutions were not as effective a situation that prompted some secular students to enroll in schools managed by monasteries.

 

Bibliography

Ferzoco, G. & Muessig, C. (2001). Medieval Monastic Education. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group.

Forgeng, J. (1999). Daily Life in Medieval Europe. Michigan: Greenwood Publishing Group.

McKitterick, R. (1992). The Uses of Literacy in Early Medieval. Cambridge: Cambridge    University Press.

[1] Renard,J. (2011). Islam and Christianity:Theological Themes in Comparative Perspective. New            York: University of California.

 

[2] Catherwood, C. (2007). A God Divided: An Understanding the Differences Between Islam, Christianity. New York: David Cook.

 

[3] [3] Catherwood, C. (2007). A God Divided: An Understanding the Differences Between Islam, Christianity. New York: David Cook.

 

[4] Stephens, W. (2004). Christianity and the Islam: The Bible and the Koran. Boston: Kessinger.

 

[5] Catherwood, C. (2007). A God Divided: An Understanding the Differences Between Islam, Christianity. New York: David Cook.

 

[6] Stephens, W. (2004). Christianity and the Islam: The Bible and the Koran. Boston: Kessinger.

 

[7] Stephens, W. (2004). Christianity and the Islam: The Bible and the Koran. Boston: Kessinger.

 

[8] Stephens, W. (2004). Christianity and the Islam: The Bible and the Koran. Boston: Kessinger

[9] Forgeng, J. (1999). Daily Life in Medieval Europe. Michigan: Greenwood Publishing Group.

 

[10] McKitterick, R. (1992). The Uses of Literacy in Early Medieval. Cambridge: Cambridge

[11] Ferzoco, G. & Muessig, C. (2001). Medieval Monastic Education. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group.

 

[12] Ferzoco, G. & Muessig, C. (2001). Medieval Monastic Education. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group.

 

[13] McKitterick, R. (1992). The Uses of Literacy in Early Medieval. Cambridge: Cambridge

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