Write a 4 page essay on Revealed Religion.Download file to see previous pages... (Gatiss2005) Judaism, Christianity and Islam are examples of revealed religions. Revelation may be direct (insertion of

Write a 4 page essay on Revealed Religion.

(Gatiss2005) Judaism, Christianity and Islam are examples of revealed religions. Revelation may be direct (insertion of meaning directly into the heart of the prophet), behind a veil (as spoken to Moses), or through an agent — the angel Gabriel. In Christianity, the revelation is direct. “It is a union between the Soul of man and God to convey

the mind of God to man to be revealed in the Holy Bible.” Jesus was born at the height of Roman power, when Augustus Octavian was the emperor. Judea was by then a part of the Roman Empire, which being secular, required that the Emperor be looked on as divine. Judaism is a monotheistic religion, and its followers could not accept this. Apart from this, the Rabbis were divided on the issue of interpretation of the Scripture. Some also predicted the arrival of a messiah.

Not much is known of the historical figure, Jesus. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are dated around forty years after the death of Christ, and although they emphasize the events leading to Christ’s death, they also talk about the revelations by God to Christ. Christ was against the highly ritualistic practices of Judaism. He was against the accumulation of too much of wealth, stating that this came in the way of a person’s readiness to embrace the after-life. He preached the message of unconditional love — a lofty ideal indeed. After Christ, his apostles sought to spread his word....

Paul, the decline of the Roman Empire, and the abject poverty of many of its subjects was one of the factors that led to the popularity of Christianity. A religion that offered succor (everlasting life) from the daily grind, and did not subscribe to elaborate and costly practices appealed to the common man. In the latter half of the third century, Christians were persecuted, and many martyrs went willingly to their death.

In 313 AD King Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, which not only stopped the persecution of Christians, but encouraged the consolidation and spread of the religion, and the evolution of a distinct Christian identity. The first Ecumenical (worldwide) Council (called for by Constantine) held in Nicaea in 325 AD laid the basis for a uniform Christian dogma like the virgin birth, resurrection and the concept of the 'Trinity' (a union of the Holy Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit in Godhead) By the end of the fourth century, Christianity was established as the most important religion in Rome. The Bishop of Rome gained primacy in the Catholic Church, and Latin, the local language became the language of worship. The Roman legal system also became the basis for Church canon (law). In the western part of the Empire, the Roman Catholic Church established itself, and in the eastern, the Greek Orthodox Church gained strength. By the end of the 6th Century, Christianity had established itself as a powerful force, under the control of a powerful church. (Fiero)

A monastic order evolved in Christianity. The first order was set up in Southern Italy -sometime towards the close of the fifth century - by Benedict of Nursia. The doctrines of simplicity and poverty, celibacy, and the barring of women were established.