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(09/17/14 1:00pm)
Youth around America embrace different kinds of music, from R&B; to Alternative to Gospel Rock. How does this affect the church? It is quite simple. Churches have to change their musical style in order to attract young people. Many songs like, "Amazing Grace," "To God Be The Glory", and even the traditional Doxology are replaced by newer songs, or alternative versions of the same songs. Is this a problem?
(09/09/14 2:54pm)
Religious differencesChristianity, Judaism, and Islam are the three major religions in the world. They are known as Abrahamic religions because their founders, or major figures, are descended from Abraham. People in one of the religions can sometimes dislike people in one of the other religions. This comes partly from lack of knowledge or extreme radicalism. Below, I have provided a brief overview of the three main religions. IslamIn Islam, Muhammed is said to be the final prophet sent by God to fulfill the covenant that he had made with Abraham. Muhammed is said to have united the tribes of Arabia and converted a vast majority of them to Islam. In Mecca, he destroyed pagan statues that were placed inside the Ka'aba, a sacred cube-shaped structure built for God. The city of Mecca was established around the Ka'aba, because those who took pilgrimages to the sacred place settled there. Muhammed was born in Mecca and grew up there. Muslims are required to visit the city of Mecca in their lifetime. The Quran is made up of Muhammed's teachings, which he spoke to his close friends and followers. His teachings were later written down to become the sacred text.There are five pillars of Islam. The pillars are to Muslims, what the ten Commandments are to Christians.Five pillarsShahadah means to profess faithShalah means to pray five times a dayZakat requires giving up a certain amount of possesions to the communitySawm means fasting during the required time.Makah is the pilgrimage to mecca.The Quran provides more in-depth information about the religion and the people's beliefs.JudaismJewish people, like the Muslims, believe that Jesus was not the Messiah. Their founder is Abraham. The first five books of the Bible, the Torah, is the history of the Jewish faith, and the rules that govern Judaism. For those unfamiliar with Judaism, consider reading Genesis and Exodus.ChristianityChristians are told to love one another, as written in John 13:34.Christians believe Jesus is the son of God. They believe God is three persons. For the sake of everyones minds, I will not delve into the intensity that is the Trinity.That outlines the three major religions. What is next? Where do we go from here? Do you have a basic understanding of the principles of each religion?I would like to summarize this by saying that no person truly hates the mainstream of each faith. There will always be radicals who hate other religions, just because they think the one they worship is the one true religion. In a later post, I will delve deeper into the theological differences between the three. I welcome all suggestions in terms of theological corrections, or if you would like to "school" me on one of the above faiths, then I look forward to your input.Reach the columnist at ssydnor95@gmail.com or on Twitter @stephon146.
(08/28/14 11:50pm)
Christian denominations are experiencing rapid change. People are leaving denominations for unaffiliated places of worship. These non-denominational churches offer no specific "set in stone" beliefs other than worshipping God. There are no creeds, bureaucratic law-making processes, or specific liturgical calendars that the church is forced to follow.
(08/27/14 11:30am)
Ever wondered, "Where is the Church? What happened to it? Why is it not as powerful as it once was?" Have you ever wanted to find out the inner workings of the church bureaucracy? Do you want to find out what your role is in the new Church, Mosque, or Temple? Then this is the right place for you. Before you go off thinking really deep into this, let me tell you a bit about myself. My name is Stephen. I am a freshman at Arizona State University, majoring in journalism at The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. My father is a Presbyterian Minister at Trinity Presbyterian church in Mansfield, Texas. He has been a minister for over 15 years. I have been by his side during much of that time, learning about the inner workings of the church. I have always wondered about why the church is struggling. As you learn about what is going on, I will be pursuing a theoretical journey into the hearts and minds of the newest generation and their relationship with the church. Why it matters. Religions in the world are experiencing a changing of the guard. Islam is the world's fastest growing religion. Christianity is losing many followers due to the economic troubles, and disagreements between members and denominations. Religion is involved with many influential worldly decisions that affect situations such as; The Palestinian- Israeli conflict, Gay marriage, and human rights. Our morals, whether you are Christian or not, are centered on religious teachings. With a new generation, comes a new set of morals. Let us face it, this is a new church for a new generation. This blog is about the current events within the church. I will cover the new role of the youth. I will cover the changes in church culture, like the secular issues that we are facing, for instance gay marriage, and the crisis in Israel. I will cover every denomination, and find out what is going on within said denomination.Reach the writer at ssydnor95@gmail.com or on Twitter @stephon146.