The beliefs and practices associated with Holy Communion Essay Example

The beliefs and practices associated with Holy Communion Paper Holy Communion is a practice performed by Christians, for a number of reasons relating to belief and worship. While the ways in which Holy Communion is celebrated differ among the churches, communion prayers tend to revolve around the story of the last supper and the act of Christ giving his disciples bread and wine, and declaring it as his body and blood. This is the story of the last supper, the last meal Jesus shared with his disciples on the night of the Passover before he was betrayed by Judas, arrested and then executed. During the meal Jesus and his disciples were at the supper table and he broke some bread, gave it to his disciples and said, This is my body which is given for you. Every time you eat bread, think of me. Jesus took a cup of wine and gave it to the disciples and told them to drink from the cup and said, This wine is my blood that will be shed to remove the sins of all who come to believe in me and it is the start of a new agreement between God and mankind. The significance of this event, has been interpreted by the churches in different ways, which in turn has led to the variety of ways in which Communion is practiced among the churches. We will write a custom essay sample on The beliefs and practices associated with Holy Communion specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The beliefs and practices associated with Holy Communion specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The beliefs and practices associated with Holy Communion specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Both the beliefs and practices associated with Holy Communion differ significantly from church to church. While the majority of churches practice Holy Communion, there are a few churches that dont practice it at all, such as the Salvation Army and the Quakers. While there are some differences in the way that Communion is celebrated between the Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches (both high churches) the difference between the Roman Catholic church and Methodist church (low church) is far more substantial. There are two fundamental differences. The first and perhaps the most important difference is in the interpretation by each church of the way in which celebrating Holy Communion affects the individual taking part. This is known as the issue of belief associated with Holy Communion. This is explained in more detail in the paragraphs below. The second important difference, one that is easier to recognise, is in the way in which churches prepare for and perform Holy Communion. While some churches continue to adopt traditional methods to perform Holy Communion others adopt a far more informal approach. The high churches, such as the Roman Catholic and Orthodox, stick to very traditional methods and attach central importance to taking Holy Communion. By contrast low churches such as Baptist and Methodist, while they do celebrate Holy Communion, they do not regard it as being any where near as important as the higher churches, and tend to celebrate it in a much more relaxed and informal manner. The following are examples of how individual churches perform Holy Communion and the reasons they attach different levels of importance to it. Catholics refer to Communion as the Eucharist and practice it in a very traditional way. The first thing to note is that while some churches celebrate Communion on a weekly or more infrequent basis, Catholics can take Communion every day. It is not a requirement for Roman Catholics to go every morning but it is strongly encouraged by the church to attend Communion (Mass) as often as possible and at least once a week. This explains why Communion is so very important for Roman Catholics and is often described as the central form of catholic worship. The only person allowed to administer Communion is a validly ordained Priest acting in the role of Christ. In other words, the Priest represents Christ and his body and his blood are represented by wafers made from wheat (called the host) and wine made from grapes. Catholics believe that the Holy Spirit is contained within the wafers and the wine and that in the act of receiving communion the congregation is taking in the Holy Spirit. It is therefore central to the Catholic faith, so much so that they believe that by taking communion they are taking in the strength of the Holy Spirit which will help them lead a life free of sin. The quotation from John 6:53 sums up the overall belief held by Roman Catholics In Communion, we are eating the True Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, without which you shall not have life in you. Their interpretation of the story of the bread and wine is very literal. Communion can only be taken by those who have been baptised into the Catholic faith and have taken their First Holy Communion. This usually happens around the age of 7 or 8. The traditional Catholic church service (mass) follows a set format (liturgy) and concludes with the taking of Communion. During Communion wafers are used instead of bread, fermented wine is used which is taken from a shared chalice. The priest holds up the wafer as he says, the body of Christ and hands it over to the person receiving communion at which point this person would say, Amen. Then the priest pours out the wine and says, The blood of Christ at which point the person receiving communion takes the chalice and says, Amen. Any leftover bread or wine is either eaten by the priest or kept as reserved sacrament for the infirm in the parish. This routine tends to differ only very slightly between the high churches. The low churches have a much less traditional way of celebrating communion, which tends to link to the fact that they believe the bread and wine only represent the body and blood of Christ in a metaphorical sense, but that by performing communion they are only reminding themselves of Jesus, and believe that his spirit is no more present than usual. For example, Baptist and Methodist churches also hold Communion, which they call the Lords Supper, but they use less traditional methods of practice and hold it in lower regards. The members of these lower churches do not actually accept the belief that Jesus spirit is present within the bread and wine, and so do not take the service as seriously, but they do perform the Lords Supper with the intention of remembering Jesus. The argument used by these lower church members to support their views is that Jesus meant the bread and wine was his body and blood in a metaphorical sense, and the phrase they value most during the Last Supper is when Jesus said, Do this in memory of me. A typical Baptist communion takes place monthly and the only qualification necessary to receive The Lords Supper is a membership with the church. Examples of how the Baptist version of communion differs from the higher church versions of communion are the fact that a table is used instead of an altar, there is no set form (Liturgy), there is no main service and there is no need for an ordained minister. Bread is used but instead of wine they either use unfermented wine or fruit juice and instead of drinking this from a shared chalice they have individual glasses. The people receiving the Lords Supper remain in their seats while receiving it and they all drink at the same time. Any bread left over is given away and any unfermented wine or fruit juice is returned to the bottle. It is clear to see that from the differences in practice, the lower churches believe Communion to be less important. For example, the fact that they return the wine or juice to the bottle shows that they do not believe it to be the blood of Christ, as otherwise they would treat it with higher respect. Methodists also receive communion in a less traditional way but they do have a main service while taking Communion and an ordained minister is necessary. They also would have to go up to the table to receive The Lords Supper and do not all drink at the same time. Other churches, such as the Church of England would celebrate Communion, or as it is known in the Church of England, Eucharist, in an almost identical way to the Roman Catholic church, the only differences being that they use both an altar and a table and they may also use bread instead of wafers. This almost identically shared practice displays almost identical beliefs shared by both members of the churches regarding communion. Christians that do not have a specific building in which to worship and attend communion often practice their religion at home alone or with others in what is called a house church. The practices will remain roughly the same from house to house, due to a lack of an altar or ordained minister, but the beliefs will vary depending on the individual receiving Communion.

How to Write a Character Analysis

How to Write a Character Analysis Being mindful of subtle hints, like mood changes and reactions that might provide insight into your characters personality, can help you write a character analysis. Describe the Characters Personality We get to know the characters in our stories through the things they say, feel, and do. Its not as difficult as it may seem to figure out personality traits based on a characters thoughts and behaviors: Say cheese! the exasperated photographer shouted, as she pointed her camera toward the group of squirming children. Margot displayed her broadest, most convincing fake smile as she inched ever-closer to her younger cousin. Just as the photographers finger twitched over the shutter button, Margot leaned into her young cousins side and pinched hard. The boy let out a yelp, just as the camera clicked. You can probably make some assumptions about Margot from the brief segment above. If you had to name three character traits to describe her, what would they be? Is she a nice, innocent girl? Doesnt seem like it from this passage. From the brief paragraph, we can assume that shes apparently sneaky, mean, and deceptive. Determine the Character Type of Your Protagonist You will receive clues about personality through a characters words, actions, reactions, feelings, movements, thoughts, and mannerisms. Even a characters opinions can help you learn more about the individual, and you may discover that the person fits one of these stock character types: Flat character. A flat character has one or two personality traits that dont change. The flat character can play a major or a minor role.Round character. A round character has many complex traits; those traits develop and change in a story. A round character seems more real than a flat character because real people are complex.Stock or stereotype character. Stock characters are stereotypes, such as hot-tempered redheads, stingy businessmen, and absent-minded professors. They are often found in genre fiction (romance novels and mysteries, for example), and are usually flat characters. They are often used as a tool to move a plot forward.Static character. A static character never changes. A loud, obnoxious background character who remains the same throughout the story is static. A boring character who is never changed by events is also static.Dynamic character. Unlike a static character, a dynamic character does change and grow as the story unfolds. Dynamic characters respond to events and experience changes in attitude or outlook. The character might go through a transformation during the course of the storyline, and grow as a result of actions that took place. Define Your Characters Role in the Work Youre Analyzing When you write a character analysis, you must define that characters role. Identifying the character type and personality traits can help you better understand what the larger role of the character is within the story.  The character either plays a major role, as a central element to the story, or a minor role to support the major characters in the story. Protagonist. The protagonist of a story is another name for the main character. The plot revolves around the protagonist. There may even be more than one main character. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck Finn is the protagonist.In Little Red Riding Hood, the little girl is the protagonist. Antagonist. The antagonist is the character who represents a challenge or an obstacle to the protagonist in a story. In some stories, the antagonist is not a person but rather a larger entity or force that must be dealt with. In Little Red Riding Hood, the wolf is the antagonist.In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, society is the antagonist. Society, with its unfair laws and rules, represents the obstacle to Hucks development as a person. Foil. A foil is a character who provides contrast to the main character (protagonist), in order to emphasize the main characters traits. In A Christmas Carol, the kind nephew, Fred, is the foil to nasty Ebenezer Scrooge. Show Your Characters Development (Growth and Change) When you are asked to write a character analysis, you will be expected to explain how a character changes and grows. Most major characters go through some kind of significant growth  as a story unfolds, often a direct result of dealing with some sort of conflict. Notice, as you read, which main characters grow stronger, fall apart, develop new relationships, or discover new aspects of themselves. Make note of scenes in which character changes become apparent or the characters opinions on a topic change. Clues include phrases such as she suddenly realized that... or for the first time, he... Understanding the journey of your character and how it relates to the story as a whole can help you better understand that characters motives and better represent the person in your overall analysis. Article edited  by  Stacy Jagodowski

Sir Francis Drake Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sir Francis Drake - Essay Example Sir Francis also paved a way for trade to many other nations, including Far East, which made England a spice trade central point. Participation in trade helped Britain gain more popularity and wealth for a long period. Sir Francis was able to raid Spanish successfully through its ports and carried away much wealth to England. Raid activities made him gain a lot of wealth for his nation which was indirectly supported by Elizabeth 1. Sir Francis was also the first adventurer and captain to sail all over the world. 2He had qualities of a leader, since he was able to influence people into obtaining wealth and raiding nation successfully. He had a known behavior of eliminating people who stood on his way towards implementation of his plans. Sir Francis raided ports belonging to other nations, carrying away gold and silver back to his country. Raiding activities made Britain strong in power at the expense of the other nations. Countries like Portugal and Spanish were highly affected and their economy was left unstable. New trade was established to many countries, which acted as an exit for many surplus products produced in several states. Sir Francis was important to Britain for his achievement in bringing more wealth to the country in terms of gold and silver. This move was achieved through raids executed on specific ports where cargo ships were found. 3He also became important to his nation by enabling it control strategic routes on sea to far areas of the world. He made more victories than failures which gave his country a chance to gain great power. Sir Francis was never a victim of failure in any assignment which was ever undertaken on behalf of his country. He was never held back by conscience in attaining victory compared to other adventurers who would retreat due to their inner self. He attained fame through his enemies and not from Englishmen who walked with him. His uniqueness was also based on experience in plundering which substituted

Team as an Ideal Design of Job Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Team as an Ideal Design of Job - Essay Example The paper will try examining issues that revolve around the work of the team and their significance in working with the managers. It is possible for managers to create a work unit by just bringing together many individuals with different skills. Before a manager designs a task that they need to be handled, it is always clear that they have a picture of the nature of the outcome they desire. They also have idea on which kind of input is required and what would be the process needed to realize the objective. It is through this understanding that the manger may decide to have a group of individuals to execute the work. This kind of approach has been associated with an authoritarian guidance by some manager. Workers who are involved in a process like this are always denied their autonomy and have very low worker interdependence. The study shows that the productivity of a work force is usually increased when workers have a high sense of interdependence as opposed to when workers are just pulled together to execute certain tasks. It is therefore right to say that team task design is a good design that managers can use to push for results to be gotten but only if the worker interdependence is enhanced. It should not be assumed that team interdependent is the sole mechanism that can be used by mangers to help in utilizing the team and produce successfully. There are some other ways through which teams can be used to realize the objective of an organization. A team as a unit requires some level of self direction and self management to realize certain objective. When teams have control of themselves, then they tend to engage in participatory approach of work, which also relieves the top management from micromanaging the teams and ever getting concerned with small matters that can be addressed at lower levels. It is imperative that mangers delegate duties to the juniors so that they may get

Leadership Plan to Facilitate Prof. Dev. focusing on BrainSMART Essay

Leadership Plan to Facilitate Prof. Dev. focusing on BrainSMART strategies - Essay Example Some of the brain exercises that is necessary for people at different facets of life facing different problems are also discussed. Brain learning system has become an important tool in the hands of educators for increased professional development of the students. Through this system iit is possible to improve concentration, participation, social skills, language ability, ability to express ideas eyc could be improved a lot. In order to use this system, the educators have to be properly trained and should understand the concept behind this. But most of the educators are unaware of this fact and many of them would not like the idea of connecting this to the lesson plans. Research has revealed that it is possible to increase the levels or scores of the student by incorporating this system into the class room instructions.( Chiappetta, 2009). Leadership is a quality, which could be developed by proper brain exercises. This is a quality that require tremendous ability to communicate, understand emotions of the people, control one's own emotions, social interaction, skills for speech and to get the attention of audience. The success in this aspect depends on how brain is processing the intelligence and through proper brain exercises it is possible to improve IQ of a person and thereby his leadership ability (Dickmann & Stanford-Blair, 2002) The brain research has started in full swing after the innovation of technologies for electroencephalograms, positron emission tomography, functional magnetic resonance imaging etc, which have enabled scientists around the world to understand the changes that are taking place in the brain at each and every moment. The brain exercises have been perfected based on such studies and therefore are reliable. A person, whether he is a student or an employee at a lower level or a business executive, he could benefit a lot from brain exercises (Dickmann & Stanford-Blair, 2002). The overall advantages of doing brain exercises could be summarized as follows (Bailey, 2009). It would increase the potential of the brain by improving the span of attention, increase social skills and improve social behavior and it would reduce fight for power. Thus it would help in building bonds with people rather than disrupt it. Most of the mental disabilities could be masked by brain exercises. Different students have different learning style. The teacher should allow the students to adopt their learning style to learn. This is because a student who is learning in his or her own learning style would be able to learn better and the topic would be more meaningful to her/him (Conyers and Wilson, 2005, p.45). Thus it is very important that the teachers should understand how brain affects learning and incorporate their knowledge in the classroom so that the place would be regarded as a safe place by students and would lead to positive development emotionally and socially. There are five different learning styles for any student (Given, 2002), which should be understood by the educators for making them to learn more effectively. They are

The Light Of Sight :: essays research papers

In this universe there are many thing that we cannot explain. Among these many things is light. Light, as far as we know, come in different wavelengths and the size of the wavelength determine what type of light it is. The middle wavelength lights are what gives us the seven basic colors of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Beside these visible lights there are the lights that cannot be seen by the human eye. These invisible lights can be grouped into two other groups the long waves and short waves. The first group of waves is the longer wavelength of light including infrared and radio waves. Radio waves, the longest wavelengths, alternate and can be volatile. Arthur C. Clarke said in the essay "The Light of Common Day" that since radio waves fluctuate so much no animal has ever been able to sense them. He goes on to say that if you had an eye big enough to see radio waves your eyes would be millions of times larger than a normal eye. The next longest wave is the infrared light waves. Infrared light is used nowadays to see in the night. Special goggles are designed to pick up infrared light making it possible to see at night. The next group of light waves are the shorter waves of ultraviolet and x-rays. Ultraviolet light, sometimes referred to as UV, is right next to violet and is just beyond sight. UV light is what causes sunburns and can be very painful. In Arthur C. Clarks essay it states that even though UV light is not visible the retina of the human eye reacts powerfully to it. He compare the human eye to a camera and says that a good camera need may types of lenses made out of different types of glass to take a good picture. The human eye has only one lens and cannot possible see UV light. The last type of light is the x-ray. The x-ray is the smallest wave and is used in the medical field greatly to take pictures through flesh of bones. Even though x-rays are very useful they can be very dangerous. They have been know to disrupt radio waves and can poison a human body to the point of death.

Variable naming rules in Visual Basic, Python, and Java

This paper will describe the variable naming rules of three different programming languages. These three languages are Visual Basic, Python, and Java. Each of these languages has different rules that apply to them and some similarities. I will describe the rules and the similarities and differences in the next few paragraphs.The first language and its rules I will describe is Visual Basic. Visual Basic has a few different rules and they are described on Microsoft’s website in a document. This document is called (â€Å"Visual Basic Naming Rules†) and they read as such: You must use a letter as the first character.You can't use a space, period (.), exclamation mark (!), or the characters @, &, $, # in the name. Name can't exceed 255 characters in length. Generally, you shouldn't use any names that are the same as the functions, statements, and methods in Visual Basic. Visual Basic isn't case-sensitive, but it preserves the capitalization in the statement where the name is declared. These are the variable naming rules are specific to Visual Basic and are essential to know if you program using Visual Basic.The second language I will describe is Python. This language has a few rules of its own and they are described on a site called programmr.com in an article called (â€Å"Python Variable Naming Rules†) and they read as such: Must begin with a letter (a – z, A – B) or underscore (_).  Other characters can be letters, numbers or _ only.  Variable names are Case Sensitive.There are some reserved words which we cannot use as a variable name because Python uses them for other things. These are: and, del, from, not, while, as, elif, global, or, with, assert, else, if, pass, yield, break, except, import, print, break, except, import, print, class, exec, in, raise, class, exec, in, raise, continue, finally, is, return, continue, finally, is, return, def, for, lambda and try. These are the naming rules for Python and are necessary to programming in this specific language.The third and final language I will talk about is Java. This program is no different than the other two languages and its rules are described in an Oracle document called (â€Å"Lesson: Language Basics†) in a sub article called â€Å"Variables† and they read as such: Variable names are case-sensitive. A variable's name can be any legal identifier — an unlimited-length sequence of Unicode letters and digits, beginning with a letter, the dollar sign â€Å"$†, or the underscore character â€Å"_†. The convention, however, is to always begin your variable names with a letter, not â€Å"$† or â€Å"_†. Additionally, the dollar sign character, by convention, is never used at all.You may find some situations where auto-generated names will contain the dollar sign, but your variable names should always avoid using it. A similar convention exists for the underscore character; while it's technically legal t o begin your variable's name with â€Å"_†, this practice is discouraged. White space is not permitted. Subsequent characters may be letters, digits, dollar signs, or underscore characters. Conventions (and common sense) apply to this rule as well.When choosing a name for your variables, use full words instead of cryptic abbreviations. Doing so will make your code easier to read and understand. In many cases it will also make your code self-documenting; fields named cadence, speed, and gear, for example, are much more intuitive than abbreviated versions, such as s, c, and g. Also keep in mind that the name you choose must not be a keyword or reserved word. If the name you choose consists of only one word, spell that word in all lowercase letters. If it consists of more than one word, capitalize the first letter of each subsequent word. The names gearRatio and currentGear are prime examples of this convention.If your variable stores a constant value, such as static final int N UM_GEARS = 6, the convention changes slightly, capitalizing every letter and separating subsequent words with the underscore character. By convention, the underscore character is never used elsewhere. The Java programming language is statically-typed, which means that all variables must first be declared before they can be used.