The Influence of Christianity on Society and Ethical Practice: A Syriac (Aramaic) ViewpointReligion and SpiritualitySyriaca.org: The Syriac Reference PortalThe National Endowment for the HumanitiesThe International Balzan Prize FoundationDavid A. Michelsoncbsc_adminRecord added to Zotero bycbsc_adminSyriaca.org: The Syriac Reference Portalhttp://syriaca.org/cbss/YIUIAE8G/tei
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CREATED: This bibl record was autogenerated from a Zotero record.Boutros ToumaIssaThe Influence of Christianity on Society and Ethical Practice: A Syriac (Aramaic) Viewpointhttp://syriaca.org/cbss/YIUIAE8Ghttps://www.zotero.org/groups/a_comprehensive_bibliography_on_syriac_studies/items/YIUIAE8Ghttps://www.zotero.org/groups/4861694/items/YIUIAE8GGloriaSimpsonSpencerPayneReligion and EthicsHauppauge, New YorkNova Science Publishers20131-48Religion and SpiritualityThis chapter focuses on the idea of how Christianity influenced society as a whole. Though influences are clear, nonetheless, this has been an area of immense debate, especially with Neusner (1988) contending that the academic study of religion faces enemies on two fronts: secular and theological. No matter how many scholars, theologians or philosophers are interested in this debate, and in the words of Sawyers (2002) who analyses Thomas Moore, the Soul's Religion: Cultivating a Profoundly Spiritual way of life, opines that no matter how rich and sophisticated the analysis of the spiritual malaise in the twenty-first century, Moore neither coddles the ego nor offers a fast and easy solutions to life's problems but instead encourages being open to mystery. Recently, Pearce (2011) in an attempt to assess the claim that an education rooted in a simple commitment to scientific progressivism will be inadequate to the demands of the 21st Century. Thus, there needs to be a solution to this dilemma. Drawing from the Holy Bible, and Syriac (Aramaic) Church's tradition, the influence of Christianity on society is examined in a way that is relevant to the current debates on the role of Christianity in such a dynamic and complex world, where diverse philosophies and ideologies are sweeping to takeover the traditional Christian way of life. The main aim of the chapter, deriving from the Holy Bible is to present evidence from the Holy Bible on the basis of morality and moral actions. In recent times there have been increased calls to worship 'rationality' or 'reason' urging individuals to abandon the traditional way of worshiping God the Almighty Our Lord Jesus Christ. Their argument is based on their inability to believe or be 'rationally' convinced of the great miracles that form one of the pillars of Christian beliefs. As a result, wisdom needs to prevail. Indeed, no matter how developed, educated, and experienced the human kind has become in research, innovation, development and other fields. No matter how impressive are the ways considered, though manipulative, in controlling, and dominating everything, there is a need for individuals to always decorate themselves with 'virtues'. Virtues will result in enlightenment, highlighting the truth, which allows individuals to live in peace, harmony and contentment. No matter how sophisticated the laws and directives that legislators set up those are still done by humans, and would definitely have their loop holes that others will be imperfect and incomplete to safe-guard the human kind. For example, on discussing the impact of Sarbance Oxley on business and society Sullivan (2010) posits that the several corporate scandals at the beginning of the twenty first century had highlighted the lack of ethical decision making among business leaders. Sullivan tries to identify reasons for such a failure, and suspects that reasons for this deficiency vary from an absence of ethical teaching in the home to a failure of American Corporate culture, which is originally based on the Jodeo-Christian traditions. There are several questions that not only scholars would ask, but rather individuals as they are faced with ethical dilemmas. In this chapter, we intend to advise those individuals to seek guidance through humbleness (Lamsa, 1933, 1 Peter 3: 15 and 16), the need to love their enemies (Lamsa, 1933, Matthew 5:44), and most importantly the 'Golden rule' in its Christian interpretation (Lamsa, 1933, Matthew 7:12). In light of the above, this chapter will conclude with the confirmation that the individual is composed of body and soul who maintains free will to conduct either good or a bad deed; nonetheless, this freedom is limited when it affects others in the society, which, if left unchecked might destruct the society. Thus, guided by the sayings from the Holy Bible, the individual would be able to direct their moral compass towards the good deed for the benefit of the community and society.
Issa, Boutros Touma. βThe Influence of Christianity on Society and Ethical Practice: A Syriac (Aramaic) Viewpoint.β In Religion and Ethics, edited by Gloria Simpson and Spencer Payne, 1β48. Religion and Spirituality. Hauppauge, New York: Nova Science Publishers, 2013.
Boutros Touma Issa, The Influence of Christianity on Society and Ethical Practice: A Syriac (Aramaic) Viewpoint, in Religion and Ethics, ed. Gloria Simpson and Spencer Payne, Religion and Spirituality (Hauppauge, New York: Nova Science Publishers, 2013), 1β48.XIX-XXI CEethics