Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Catholic Church from Apostolic times until the present Essay Example for Free

Catholic Church from Apostolic times until the present Essay The development of priesthood within the Catholic Church from Apostolic times until the present has resulted in various improvements and changes in the sacrament of holy orders. This paper traces the roots of priesthood,   the duties and responsibilities of the ordained priest, and his forms and functions in the Catholic Church. One good excerpt is the saying from Spiderman: â€Å"With great power comes great responsibility. † We can replace the first word in the profession of priesthood and say: â€Å"With great faith comes great responsibility.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What is the Catholic Priesthood? It is   a divinely instituted sacrament that Christ Himself instituted as how the same Council of Trent explains in relation to the events of the Last Supper. â€Å"The Catholic priesthood is a state of life.† It follows logically on what the Church teachesthat   the priesthood is a sacrament that imprints an indelible character. Given that fact it must also be to say the least a permanent state of life. That requires a special divine vocation. (Hardon, 1998)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Priesthoods origin is from Jesus Christ, the great High Priest, who, according to the Hebrew Chapter of the Bible 7:26 and 8:2,   â€Å"[w]as holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners of the world, exalted above heavensa minister in the sanctuary which is set up not only by man but by the Lord.† Being the heavenly and high priest above all men, he offered himself as a sacrifice by being crucified on the cross and conferred his priesthood to his apostles (John 20:21-23; Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-18; and Acts 2:33, King James Version).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The unbroken chain of priesthood was passed on from the apostles of Christ to the first first ordained clergymen and through their successors. It was called an Apostolic Succession and was considered as a fundamental teaching on the Orthodox Church. Only through the Apostolic Succession can the clergymen receive the authority to become real representatives of Christ and the Apostles of the Church. (Orfanakos, 2008).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As successors of the Apostles and representatives of Christ in His Church, clergymen  Ã‚   continue the work of Jesus. They teach the word of God; offer the Holy Eucharist and administer the other sacraments; they govern the Church and take care of the spiritual needs of the members of their congregations. (Orfanakos, 2008).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Being a priest is never easy. It requires time and devotion, especially great spirituality. A man who is weak from temptation in doing earthly things and desires more cannot enter this vocation of lifetime devotion to faith.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Priesthood falls under the sacrament of Holy Orders wherein a man goes through ordination and decides to do their part in serving the Church and its people. It is a ministry of meditation between man and God above as he performs the following functions: forgiveness of sins, blessings and casting away evil spirits. Priesthoods foundation began on the declaration of God about priesthood to St. Peter in the region of Caesarea Philippi: â€Å"To thee I shall give the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; And whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven† (Sacraments, 2008). This event also led to the formation of the priests responsibility: â€Å"Feed My lambs. Feed My sheep. Feed My ewes† (Sacraments, 2008). Its completion and perfection from that He breathed on them saying: â€Å"Receive ye the Holy Spirit; if ye forgive a man his sins, they are forgiven to him; and you withhold forgiveness of a man’s sins, they shall be held†. (Sacraments, 2008)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the old times, priesthood was considered as one of generations and mans own choice to go in such ministry wherein their way of living is not merely a basis. In contrast to the new Priesthood by Apostolic succession, Ordination involves laying of hands to those chosen people to become priest granted that a thorough examination of their past life before entering the congregation as well as their thoughts about God is done. Once they are found blameless, they are qualified and blessed to become priest all through their lives.   Former priesthood was done by the use of Material oil but now, it is done through the spirit and laying on of hands (Sacraments, 2008).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to the Assyrian Church of the east,   there are certain qualities that a man must possess before entering priesthood. First he, must be blameless. If he was ever married, he should  Ã‚   never have committed adultery. he should also be â€Å"alert mentally, modest, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt at teaching; not given to wine, not hasty to strike, but patient, not quarrelsome, not greedy of lucre† (Sacraments, 2008). He should also be a great father, â€Å"[o]ne who rules well his own house, having his children under submission to bring them up with all purity† (Sacraments, 2008). He should also a devote Catholic since birth. Similarly, deacons should also maintain a life of purity (Sacraments,2008).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A clear examination of conscience should be done by men who desire to enter this lifetime vocation. According to St. Paul, â€Å"choosing priesthood is desiring to have a good work with the spirit of God† (Fitzgerald, 1996). Once the decision is made, the full conviction of giving special service to the church and the people of God is expected from people who are ordained as priests.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Based on the Apostolic Customs of the church,   there are three major orders of priesthood: Bishops, Priests and Deacons, each of which requires a special ordination. The Bishop is viewed as the successor of the Apostles while the Priest and the Deacon act in the name of the Bishop. Each order is distinguished by its pastoral responsibilities. Only a Bishop may ordain. Often, other titles and offices are associated with the three orders. The Orthodox Church permits men to marry before they are ordained. Since the sixth century, Bishops have been chosen from the celibate clergy (Fitzgerald, 1996).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bishop is the highest order of priesthood. The name episcopos was given to the successors of the Apostles (Acts 20:28; 1 timothy 3:1-2; Titus 1:7, King James Version). The term â€Å"episcopos† means overseer and is also called as the Archpriest. This makes him the chief of the priest within a specific territory. There are many bishops worldwide and they are all equal among themselves since they own the same degree of priesthood. However, they are graded in their titles which depend on their administrative power.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Priest occupies the second order of the Holy Priesthood. He is in charge of the community to which he gives spiritual services and where he administers all the sacraments, except ordination. He is the main celebrant during the Eucharist and leads the whole community of God into prayer and blesses them in the name of the Lord .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The third order belongs to the Deacon or â€Å"diakonos† which means assistant (Matthew 20:26; Acts 6:1-7 King James Version). His main responsibility is to assist the priest during the celebration of sacraments and other church services. He often recites the litanies, gospel readings and other prayers .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Catholic priesthood is an institution necessary for Christianity. According to Fr. Hardon (1998), without priesthood, Christianity would cease to exist. If there is no priesthood,  Ã‚  Ã‚   Jesus Christ would not be present in the Eucharist. It is also the duty of priests to give penance to sinners and anoint the sick and dying in the world. They are also the ones who reveal the divine truth to the world. â€Å"In a world without priesthood, Christianity would be a memory but no longer a reality. It would cease to exist on earth in this admittedly, difficult valley of tears† (Hardon, 1998). Controversies in Catholic Priesthood   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The last part of this research discusses the office of priesthood as retrieved from the Jesus is Lord website which will give a clearer view of what the office of priesthood really is:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the early 1970s, we who gloried in being priests were shocked to read the word of one of our best Roman Catholic Scripture scholars, Raymond E. Brown: When we move from the Old Testament to the New Testament, it is striking that while there are pagan priests and Jewish priests on the scene, no individual Christian is ever specifically identified as a priest. The Epistle to the Hebrews speaks of the high priesthood of Jesus by comparing his death and entry into heaven with the actions of the Jewish high priest who went into the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle once a year with a offering for himself and for the sins of his people (Hebrews 9:6-7).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   But it is noteworthy that the author of Hebrews does not associate the priesthood of Jesus with the Eucharist or the Last Supper; neither does he suggest that other Christians are priests in the likeness of Jesus. In fact, the once-for-all atmosphere that surrounds the priesthood of Jesus in Hebrews 10:12-14, has been offered as an explanation of why there are no Christian priests in the New Testament period.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Later in the same chapter Brown argues for a priesthood like that of the Levitical class in the Old Testament. He makes his case for the development of such a doctrine by means of tradition. Even those of us who knew very little of the Bible knew that the Pharisees counted tradition superior to the clear Word of God. Brown did more to demolish the conviction that we were indeed priests than to ease our troubled minds.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Now I see that what Brown stated in the section quoted is biblically and absolutely true. Other than the royal priesthood, which applies to all true believers in Christ, there is no office of priesthood in the New Testament. Rather, as Hebrews states so clearly of the Old Testament priests, And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them (Hebrews 7:23-25)   Unchangeable priesthood means just that in the Greek: aparabatos means nontransferable. The reason it cannot be transferred to men is that its essence is Christs own, ..who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens (verse 26).   (Bennett, 2008)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are many claims regarding the divinity and authenticity of Priesthood and being a priest. Depending on ones religion and belief, I can say that Priesthood is one noble job that will continuously challenge every mans faith and their capacity to handle responsibility guaranteed by strong faith and conviction to God. References Bennett, Richard (2008) The Priesthood. Introduction to the Priesthood by a Converted Priest   Ã‚   retrieved January 15, 2008 from: http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/priestho.htm Fitzgerald, Thomas (1996). The Sacraments (Holy Orders). Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   America Department of Religious Education. Retrieved, January 15, 2008 from:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.annunciationwi.com/Main/Our_Faith_Articles/Sacraments.html Hardon, John A. (1998) What is the Catholic Priesthood. Inter Mirifica Archives. Retrieved   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   December 15, 2008 from:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.therealpresence.org/archives/Priesthood/Priesthood_020.htm Orfanakos, Peter (2008). The Sacrament of the Holy Priesthood. Retrieved, January 15, 2008   Ã‚  Ã‚   from: www.annunciationwi.com/Main/Our_Faith_Articles/Priesthood_Orfanakos.html Sacraments: Priesthood (2008). Assyrian Church of the East. Retrieved January 15, 2008 from:   Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.assyrianchurch.com.au/priesthood.htm

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

France Essay -- essays research papers fc

Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  France, which is the largest nation in Western Europe, is a presidential republic. France is a very important nation in Europe and it continues to be involved in contemporary policy issues. Helping the world as one of the great trading nations, France is a very important trading partner with the United States. Not only is France important to the United States, they are also important to countries all over the world. Their abundance of both mineral and agricultural resources make them a very important supplier of products all over the world. I chose to report on France because it is an interesting county and I wanted to learn more about it. Geography   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  France is located in Western Europe and has an area of approximately 211,000 square miles. Along with being the capital, Paris is also the largest city in France. Spain borders France in the south, Italy and Switzerland in the east, and Germany, Luxembourg, and Belgium in the northeast. The French Alps are located in the east where snow capped peaks, such as Mont. Blanc reach heights of 15,781 feet. About one-half of France’s total border is formed by coastline, with the Mediterranean Sea on the Southeast and the Atlantic and the English Channel on the west and northwest. Many rivers and canals run through France forming a vast network, tying different regions and cities together. The Seine is the country’s largest navigable river. It flows northwest from eastern France through the city of Paris, and empties into the channel at Le Harre. The Rhone River is the largest in the country in terms of volume of discharge. Along with its tributaries, it drai ns the French Alpine region. Although France has many rivers, it only has a few lakes. One of the lakes in France is Lake Geneva (also known as Lake Leman), but in lies mainly in Switzerland.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  France is richly endowed with an excellent balance of both mineral and agricultural resources. The nation produces substantial amounts of iron ore. In addition, France has sizable deposits of antimony magnesium, pyrites, tungsten, salt, potash, radioactive materials, lead and zinc. Coal mining has decreased significantly since the 1960’s, as many mines have been depleted and are now closed. Currently, the production of natural gas and sulfur is being developed. History Franc... ...he origination of France, they have many fascinating features. Their government is in many ways similar to the United State’s government. The three branches of government do their best to help make and carry out the law.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Not only is France a beautiful country, it is also the home to many interesting people. It is a very prestigious nation that is constantly changing and growing economically and politically. France will continue to have strong international influence and will strive to keep on forming and carrying out policy that will benefit their country and the rest of the world. Works Cited Dell, Dick, ed. People and Places. Vol. 2. Chicago: World Book Inc., 1996. Dr. Warmenhoven, Henri. â€Å"France.† Grolier Global Studies. 1991 ed. Famighettie, Robert, ed. World Almanac Books. New Jersey: World Almanac Books, 1997. â€Å"France.† Encyclopedia Britannica. 1998 ed. Lands and Peoples. Vol. 3. Connecticut: Grolier Educational, 1999. Murphy, C. â€Å"France Almost Goes Capitalist.† Fortune 21 September 1999: 46-48. Sancton, T.A. â€Å"French revolution.† TIME October 1999: 76. World Mark Encyclopeida of the Nations. Edition 7. New York: Worldmark Press, LTD. 1988. France Essay -- essays research papers fc Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  France, which is the largest nation in Western Europe, is a presidential republic. France is a very important nation in Europe and it continues to be involved in contemporary policy issues. Helping the world as one of the great trading nations, France is a very important trading partner with the United States. Not only is France important to the United States, they are also important to countries all over the world. Their abundance of both mineral and agricultural resources make them a very important supplier of products all over the world. I chose to report on France because it is an interesting county and I wanted to learn more about it. Geography   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  France is located in Western Europe and has an area of approximately 211,000 square miles. Along with being the capital, Paris is also the largest city in France. Spain borders France in the south, Italy and Switzerland in the east, and Germany, Luxembourg, and Belgium in the northeast. The French Alps are located in the east where snow capped peaks, such as Mont. Blanc reach heights of 15,781 feet. About one-half of France’s total border is formed by coastline, with the Mediterranean Sea on the Southeast and the Atlantic and the English Channel on the west and northwest. Many rivers and canals run through France forming a vast network, tying different regions and cities together. The Seine is the country’s largest navigable river. It flows northwest from eastern France through the city of Paris, and empties into the channel at Le Harre. The Rhone River is the largest in the country in terms of volume of discharge. Along with its tributaries, it drai ns the French Alpine region. Although France has many rivers, it only has a few lakes. One of the lakes in France is Lake Geneva (also known as Lake Leman), but in lies mainly in Switzerland.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  France is richly endowed with an excellent balance of both mineral and agricultural resources. The nation produces substantial amounts of iron ore. In addition, France has sizable deposits of antimony magnesium, pyrites, tungsten, salt, potash, radioactive materials, lead and zinc. Coal mining has decreased significantly since the 1960’s, as many mines have been depleted and are now closed. Currently, the production of natural gas and sulfur is being developed. History Franc... ...he origination of France, they have many fascinating features. Their government is in many ways similar to the United State’s government. The three branches of government do their best to help make and carry out the law.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Not only is France a beautiful country, it is also the home to many interesting people. It is a very prestigious nation that is constantly changing and growing economically and politically. France will continue to have strong international influence and will strive to keep on forming and carrying out policy that will benefit their country and the rest of the world. Works Cited Dell, Dick, ed. People and Places. Vol. 2. Chicago: World Book Inc., 1996. Dr. Warmenhoven, Henri. â€Å"France.† Grolier Global Studies. 1991 ed. Famighettie, Robert, ed. World Almanac Books. New Jersey: World Almanac Books, 1997. â€Å"France.† Encyclopedia Britannica. 1998 ed. Lands and Peoples. Vol. 3. Connecticut: Grolier Educational, 1999. Murphy, C. â€Å"France Almost Goes Capitalist.† Fortune 21 September 1999: 46-48. Sancton, T.A. â€Å"French revolution.† TIME October 1999: 76. World Mark Encyclopeida of the Nations. Edition 7. New York: Worldmark Press, LTD. 1988.

Monday, January 13, 2020

Professional Value in Ethics and Islam

BUS240: Professional Work Values in Islam Instructor: Dr. Hisham Adam Group Names: Yousef Al Khamis Khalid Al Dabbous Hamad Al Sayegh Mohammad Jamal Professional Work Values Introduction Religion plays an important role in the development of work and professional ethics the world over. All religions, Christianity, Islam, and Hindu among others all inform on work, work values and work ethics in an effort to promote harmony, togetherness, tolerance and hard work. They also advocate for such good practices to ensure cooperation in employer employee relations at the work place.Such religious teachings are entrenched and supported by most constitutions around the world. The Quran and its teachings play an important role in the development of a Muslim. The Quran guides the way of life, it gives insight into relations between brothers, kin, employees and their employers, the individual and the state, and the Muslim and non-Muslims. This holy book above all gives insight into life as Allah w ished. Discussion The Quran gives life lessons on employees and employers.It gives teachings on values required at the work place; some of these values include trust, humility, loyalty, hard work, fairness, justice, kindness, and charity among others. Trust refers to the belief in the strength of truth coming from a person other than yourself. The workplace is akin to a second home for most people in adulthood. Relations form that either strengthen or destroy this environment. Relations built on trust have a positive impact on the work environment and result in success while relations formed with distrust merely lead to frustration and losses.Trust comes alongside truth. With truth, employees and employers have an easier time working together. The Quran puts truthfulness and honesty as some of the best traits that a professional Muslim should possess. They imply that a true Muslim should be fearful of the almighty and true through his actions and words. It goes ahead to say that fai thfulness is directly related to righteousness. In addition to this, all Muslims will be judged and held accountable for their actions whilst on earth.Concerning work and business, it indicates that a good businessperson is one who is honest; hence, he is put in the same category as the prophets. Honesty supersedes respect. An honest boss is one that communicates effectively with his employees and lets them know of the goings in the company. Such an action begets an equivalent reaction from employees hence creating a cordial work relationship between them. All Muslims are supposed to be charitable. Charity here refers to spending what Allah has given an individual usually in the form of resources, monies, energy, talents and possessions for the good of other people.Charity fosters a relationship between man and other men. It also promotes a relationship with the almighty. In modern day, the most common include helping the needy through corporate social relations; avoiding hurting pe ople and helping strangers find their way. Many companies in the world today engage in philanthropic activities, helping the needy, children, the elderly and the poor in fulfillment of their obligation as human beings to Allah. The Quran also advocates for hard work. Hard work for any Muslim is a mandatory exercise.In one of Prophet Mohammed’s quotations, he refers to hard work as an obligation. He goes ahead and explains that it is better for an individual to carry his own firewood than have a friend do it for him. Hard work is linked directly to honesty in which the Quran indicates that it is not moral for one to beg. It directs the Muslims to work and creates a belief that one would receive a better reward for working hard. It asks them to desist from deceiving others, hoarding goods and begging and instead work hard.Dignity and honor are attached to income acquired in a rightful manner whereas sources of unearned monies are revered against; such as betting and playing cha nce games. Forgiveness is a highly cherished trait for professional Muslims. A Muslim is bound to accept an apology from a fellow Muslim not unless such an apology has been given dishonestly by the one offering it. More often than not, relations are destroyed within the workplace. It is often best to seek forgiveness from a fellow employee than engage in constant battle.Forgiveness ensures cooperation is maintained whereas hatred brings forth inconsistency and outright bias leading to losses. Good conduct to others. This trait requires that an individual wish for the best for his Muslim brother. This is a two-way concept where an individual wishes good tidings for his friends just as he would wish to have done to him. In an employee-employer working environment, many employees do not have a desire to see their friends excel. As a result, many of them work to ensure their friends fail and are fired.Maintaining good conduct towards others ensures cooperation and in turn ensures mutual success. Organisational culture refers to the behavior of human beings as being part of an organisation as well as the meaning that they attach to different actions in that environment. Culture is a combination of several things including norms, values, symbols, beliefs and habits among other things that are shared by a people. Organisational culture is also a pattern of behavioral traits and behavior that is taught to members of an organisation to promote co-existence and harmonious living.Such cultures define the appropriate behavior for different situations and environment. An organisational culture affects the way individuals interact with each other in the organisation, how they interact with the customers and stakeholders and have a role in creating a good or bad image for the organisation. Such Muslim professional values revolve around oneness. They represent a constant need to create a good employee-employee and employee employer working relation that ultimately bring succe ss. The Quran is particular in creating equity among individuals working together.Contemporary organisations are composed of individuals from a wide range of religious backgrounds. Professional ethics as stipulated in the Quran do not only apply to the Muslims but may be used by any other person regardless of his religious inclination. Entrenching such traits into the organisational culture will go forth to create a lasting bond (Mats 2002) among employees characterized by cooperation and trust. In addition, it will withdraw elements of doubt and foster trust among employees for the mutual benefit of the company.Conclusion The Quran gives a huge list of ethical traits that a Muslim ought to possess in his day-to-day life. These traits form the basis of any Muslim life. These traits are universal in that, people regardless of their religious inclination may use them. Their use in modern day organisations to inform on organisational culture is widely acknowledged, and appreciated. Mod ern day organisations are multicultural and such traits would be great to bridge this cultural gap and bring harmony to the organisation.

Sunday, January 5, 2020

The s Ontological Proof For The Existence Of God Essay

In his Proslogion, written in 1077-1078, St. Anselm of Canterbury, introduced the first formulation of his ontological proof for the existence of God. In an effort to gain a deeper knowledge and acquaintance with his creator, Anselm set out to logically deduce God’s existence from the very definition of God. In the Proslogion he writes, â€Å"God is that which a greater cannot be thought. Whoever understands this properly, understands that this being exists in such a way that he cannot, even in thought, fail to exist† (Anselm, 101). Anselm uses this definition as the fundamental argument for his proof of God’s existence. He argues that if the â€Å"fool† or disbeliever denies the existence of God, he is still capable of understanding the definition of God, thereby God exists in his mind as a mental image but not necessarily in reality. However, since the very definition of God is â€Å"that which a greater cannot be thought† and surely what exists both mentally and in reality must be greater than what exists only mentally, then God’s existence in the fool’s thoughts must inevitably imply his existence in reality, as well. If that’s not true, than the thought the fool has cannot be of God, since if that thought only exists mentally then there must be something greater than it is and that goes against Anselm’s definition. Ultimately, according to Anselm’s definition, it would be self-contradictory to deny the existence of such a being. About two centuries after the writing ofShow MoreRelatedAugustine s Ontological Proof For The Existence Of God1456 Words   |  6 PagesAugustine’s Ideo-Ontological proof for the existence of god. However, as with most things of a philosophical nature, there is no simple right or wrong, A or B reading of the Ideo-Ontological proof. Despite any possible contention that may occur over the interpretations of the Ideo-Ontological proof, there is no doubt tha t the proof contributed greatly towards the development of western philosophy, as started by Plato centuries prior. The primary concept behind the Ideo-Ontological proof is that god is a thinkerRead MoreThe Cosmological Argument For The Existence Of God Essay1556 Words   |  7 Pagesconcerning the existence of God. If God exists, we probably have to make him accountable. The universe would probably have a meaning and a purpose. Also, our very existence may not be cease after physical death. But if God does not exist, we are probably here by chance and we have no accountability to any transcendent. This life is probably all we have, so we should live as we please. The question arises - Does God exist? At first glance, it seems contradictory to prove the existence of somethingRead MoreHeidegger, Kant, And The Ontological Argument985 Words   |  4 PagesHeidegger, Kant, and the Ontological Argument In the introduction to The Basic Problems of Phenomenology, Martin Heidegger explains that throughout the history of philosophy, there has been many discoveries of the â€Å"domains of being† viz., â€Å"nature, space, and soul†. However, none of these discoveries could be appreciated in a way that clarifies â€Å"their specific being.† As an example, Heidegger interprets this problem, as the reason Plato understood why the soul, along with its logos, was a differentRead MoreEssay on Hegel and Kant on the Ontological Argument1748 Words   |  7 PagesKant on the Ontological Argument ABSTRACT: I intend to present Kants refutation of the ontological argument as confronted by Hegels critique of Kants refutation. The ontological argument can be exposed in a syllogistic way: everything I conceive as belonging clearly and distinctly to the nature or essence of something can be asserted as true of something. I perceive clearly and distinctly that existence belongs to the nature or essence of a perfect being; therefore, existence can be statedRead More Gods Existence Essay1554 Words   |  7 Pageshas challenged the existence of God. This may happen for a number of reasons. For example he or she might have been at a point in their life when their faith alone was just not enough for them to believe. Humans have a natural instinct to find reasons for events that canamp;#8217;t be explained. For some, the existence of God may help give them the answers they are looking for. Philosophers spend a great deal of their time trying to prove or to disprove the existence of God. One philosopher thatRead MoreValidity And Effectiveness Of Anselm s Ontological Argument On The Existence Of God1095 Words   |  5 PagesSkeen Essay 1 Assignment Phil 141 Fall 2016 Frank In this philosophical paper I will be examining the validity and effectiveness of Anselm s Ontological Argument on the existence of God. I will begin by presenting Anselm’s Ontological Argument from the ground up. This includes the argument, basic idea, initial assumptions, Anselm’s definition of god, and Anselm s distinctions which are needed to completely understand the nature of my argument. Furthermore, I will present concepts of logic and defineRead MoreAnshelm ¬Ã‚ ¥s Proof of God ¬Ã‚ ¥s Existence1466 Words   |  6 PagesThe question about the existence of God or, more generally speaking, of a supernatural entity that steers the course of the world, is probably as old as humanity itself. Many great philosophers were concerned with this basic and yet so important question which remains to be a controversial issue to this day! In the following I will commit myself to the above-mentioned question by firstly reconstructing Anselm ´s proof of God ´s existenc e and secondly considering his position in the light of the critiqueRead MoreOntological Argument For The Existence Of God1083 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout this paper I will discuss the argument of Anselms ontological argument for the existence of god. His basis of his argument being an analytical breakdown for the reason fot gods exsistence. While also establishing that Anselms inferences found with his use of deduction and logical means to prove the existence of a higher being are indeed true. In addition I will defend Anselms argument by depicting other people’s objections against his argument. Specifically the argument made by GauniloRead MoreThe Arguments For The Existence Of God1056 Words   |  5 PagesNovember 2015 Rough Draft for The arguments for the Existence of God. The question Does God Exist? is a well-known asked question in the world. Most people believe they know the answer to it. The religious people would say, well of course he does, while the non-religious people or atheist would say no He does not exist. Because evil exist and chaos exists, God cannot be all-powerful. In the modern world, there are many different opinions as to whether a God exists or not. This has been an issue of greatRead MoreEssay on Anselm’s Ontological Argument1217 Words   |  5 PagesThe ontological argument for God’s existence is a work of art resulting from philosophical argumentation. An ontological argument for the existence of God is one that attempts the method of a priori proof, which utilizes intuition and reason alone. The term a priori refers to deductive reasoning. Deductive reasoning is the type of reasoning that proceeds from general principles or premises to derive particular information. The argument works by examining the concept of God, and arguing that it implies