The Acts of the Apostles and Religious Intolerance

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Recommended: Theological perspective Essay

The Acts of the Apostles and Religious Intolerance The Acts of the Apostles is the geographical and political story of

the development of the Christian Church under the impulse of the Holy

Spirit. Although many of us may think that the issues of sectarianism

are new, the Acts of the Apostles shows clearly religious intolerance

over two thousand years ago. In this respect, it is comparable and

informative for moral life in the twenty-first century. One of the

most influential characters in Acts, who is closely linked to the

issues of sectarianism, is Peter. However, before I look at his role,

the word sectarianism has been defined by Joseph Liechty and Cecelia

Clegg as,

‘a system of attitudes, actions, beliefs and structures … which arises

as a distorted expression of positive, human needs especially for

belonging, identity and the free expression of difference … and is

expressed in destructive patterns of relating’,

The task of saying what sectarianism is, becomes complex because the

system of sectarianism is itself one of extraordinary complexity.

Sectarianism is about what goes on in people’s hearts and minds, and

it is about people’s attitudes to one another, about what they do and

say and the things they leave undone or unsaid. In order to see

sectarianism, this question has to be asked, ‘Do I recognise these

dynamics in any form in my own life’. It is quite obvious that a

better understanding has indeed facilitated movement. When people

think of sectarianism, we mostly relate it too its raw or violent

expressions in, for e...

... middle of paper ...

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* F.F. Bruce, Eerdmans

* James D.G. Dunn

* R.J. Knowling, “The Acts of he Apostles”

* Holy Bible, New International Version, Hodder and Stoughton,

Genesis12v2

* John Stott, “The Message of Acts”, IVP, P185

* Good news Bible, Acts1v8

* Good news Bible, Acts10v15

* Good news Bible, Acts10v34

* Good news Bible, Acts11v18

* Anglican Consultative Council, “Towards a Theology for Inter-faith

Dialogue”, 1986, P24

* Speech given to Ploughshare

* John Stott, “The Message of Acts”, IVP, P243

* Good news Bible, Acts15v8-9

* Good news Bible, Acts6v1

* Good news Bible, Galatians2v12

* Cecilia Clegg and Joseph Liechty, “Moving Beyond Sectarianism”,

Columba, P107

* Newspapers

* www.sectarianisminnorthernireland.com

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