The two topics I have chosen to reflect on are “Comfort of God” and “Worship”. These two topics are very near to my heart and this course has given me a deeper appreciation and understanding of both the comfort of God and the act of worship.
Part One—Comfort of God
Theological Definition:
The theological definition of the Comfort of God can be thought of as encouragement or consolation by God in a time of suffering or a time of need. Some synonyms of comfort are soothe, reassure, or relieve. There are many times in life when we endure suffering, but the God of Comfort is always with us and can ease our suffering.
Biblical Foundation:
The scriptures about comfort that stand out to me the most are 2 Corinthians 1 3-7 which says: 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort ov...
In the first half of Theology 104, we went over many different topics. All these topics gave me a wonderful and better understanding of Theology and Christianity. I got a better understanding of Jesus claiming to be God, as well as our character development and how it plays a very vital part of our lives as Christians. By asking Jesus into our lives, we will be highly rewarded. For this I am
In the "great works" of ancient Greece and of Christianity, suffering alone is portrayed as something to be feared. Both Homer's Odyssey and the Gospel of Matthew contend that suffering is virtually unbearable when the sufferer has not outside support. If, however, the tormented can find support from others, these teachings continue, suffering becomes more tolerable. Both agree that we wish to find supporters when we are tormented. Unfortunately, these sources diverge on how one finds such support. Homer teaches that one can find support by knowing that all of mankind suffers together, ultimately tormented by the gods. The Gospel of Matthew, however, teaches that by placing faith in God, the tormented can find support from God. More, it teaches that God hears the calls for help from humans and, if asked in true faith, will give support to all sufferers.
Whenever I learned to trust and turn to God, I found His comfort to satisfy my soul. Almost two years ago, one of my best friends became extremely ill and had to leave home and go to a treatment clinic. (For her privacy, I will not say the illness). She had to immediately leave for she was due to die in two weeks if she did not find help. Whenever she told me the news, my whole world flipped upside down. My life had been pretty okay before this, just a few ups and downs. This was the first major trial in my life and I was not prepared. Of course, I prayed for her but I did not grasp the fact that God was going to save her. I was extremely emotionally unstable and I tried to fix myself on my own. This never worked, I may have had temporarily relief but the fear came back. One day I finally gave up trying to fix myself and turned to God. I asked Him to forgive me for not turning to Him first and I allowed him to fix me. I placed my trust in him and ran to him for comfort. Even when it was difficult, I knew I had to trust in Him. Once I placed my faith in Him, my comfort came. I had faith that He would heal her and she will not
Prior to reading this book I have to be honest and say that I had some false conceptions about worship. That sounds kind of scary to say but, through this booked I learned again and at a deeper level the importance of living in communion with God.
“Never came trouble in the likeness of your grace; for trouble being gone, comfort should remain, but when you depart from me, sorrow abides and happiness takes his leave”(1.1.80-83).
Psalm 16:9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest
...wledge of the Catholic Church and its rituals. In my life, I have always placed all of my interest towards life sciences such as chemistry and biology. That is the reason why I am studying chemistry on a pre-medicine route here at Saint Louis University. Although, after taking a tour of the Cathedral Basilica and almost completing Theological Foundations 1000, I have gained a better appreciation for the Catholic faith. It may seem at times as though I am uninterested in the topics discussed, but that is not always the case. Learning about faith to someone who did not grow up with it can be difficult and frustrating. It is all a learning process, and I am extremely grateful that I had the opportunities I did this semester. I hope in the future, I will be able to take more time to appreciate the Catholic faith, and to dig deeper into what it truly means to be a Catholic
Kidder, David S., and Noah D. Oppenheim. The Intellectual Devotional: Revive Your Mind, Complete Your Education, and Roam Confidently with the Cultured Class. New York: Rodale, 2006. Print.
into a richer experience of worship and a more effect life of service" (Crabb, 1977, p.31). The method to establishing an
Over the course of the semester, my knowledge of theology has grown from very little into something much larger. My curiosity for this class sparked a yearn for further education about theology. People do not seem interested about the topic but they should be because it makes you think about religion differently and to a Christian it can give perspective as well as further your walk with God. The two topics that have stuck out the most to me was Doubt and Character Development. Doubt and Character Development is a vital part of Christian’s faith as well as it is in their growth with God.
Spiritual care means putting people in touch with God through compassionate presence, active listening, witness, prayer, Bible reading and partnering with the body of Christ (the church community and the clergy). “It is never coercive or rude” (Shelly & Miller, 2006, p.265). My definition of spiritual care accords with the definition provided by Shelly & Miller. My religious beliefs promoted me to have a compassionate presence, be active listener, and pray with and for those in need of prayer, express empathy, humility and commitment to the others, even while sometimes challenging the ideas expressed. Compassionate listening often requires a personal vulnerability that leaves the listener open to rejects or ridicule. Sometimes a word of witness
The authors’ state in their introduction to the book they were “hopeful that laypeople and seminarians will find here an orientation to theological reflection that can be put to use right away and built over time.” At times this was a difficult read, which fortunately challenged my thinking and pressed me to read and concentrate on the information I was asked to understand, but this book is required reading for seminary. Many laypeople that I am in contact with would not engage this book for long and this is a point at which the book fails to reach its complete intended
This semester has proved to be a real awakening to what direction I need to be pursuing in my spiritual walk. I have learned so much through this course. Some of the things that I have learned that have become more important than they were in the past are; the need for silence, the need for community, the need for direction, and above all how utterly helpless we are when we try to “do” everything, including ministry without seeking God first.
In Unit 5, we studied the structure of the book of Psalms, and discussed Geneva College’s belief in exclusive Psalm singing. Singing Psalms is a relatively foreign practice to me, but I have learned that singing them helps me focus on the Word of God. It does not take long for one to realize that the book contains a wide variety of themes that are not always positive. There was definitely a lot for me to learn in this unit, and I have gained a lot of knowledge because of it.
In many religious traditions suffering surrounds the life of the almighty, but however, suffering is always overcome with prevailing happiness in the end. Individuals correlate the life of the almighty to their own, especially in times of hardship. During these times, the belief that as God suffered, so will I, but like him I will also overcome and prevail. Individuals also use the presence and belief in an almighty to assure security in ones life. For example, In Christianity the belief in God “helps them not worry when things don't go the way they expect. Jesus said we're not to fret, not to worry, not to let our hearts be troubled or afraid. He said we're to trust in you— and also in Him”