Misplaced Pages

#707292

172-757: The specific beliefs and practices varied sharply between the various sects of Molokans. Some built chapels for worship, kept sacraments, and revered saints and icons, while others (like Ikonobortsy , "icon-wrestlers") discarded these practices in the pursuit of individual approaches to scripture . In general, they rejected the institutionalized formalism of Orthodoxy and denominations with similar doctrines in favor of more emphasis on "Original Christianity" as they understood it. They emphasized spirituality and spiritual practice; such sacramental practices as water baptism have been permitted only as tangible signs and symbols of more important spiritual truths. Similar to Presbyterians among Protestants, and considered heretical by

344-480: A graduate and post-graduate degree. A Pew Center study about religion and education around the world in 2016, found that Christians ranked as the second most educated religious group around in the world after Jews with an average of 9.3 years of schooling, and the highest of years of schooling among Christians found in Germany (13.6), New Zealand (13.5) and Estonia (13.1). Christians were also found to have

516-695: A Russian headstone which will commonly go back to the use of the Russian naming protocol regardless of what name the individual used while alive. If translated correctly, one should learn the names of an individual's father and grandfather from a male's headstone. If it is displayed in English at the bottom it most likely will not contain the information. In Russia, the Molokane historically maintained close relations with Baptists . Sola scriptura Sola scriptura (Latin for ' by scripture alone ')

688-469: A centre of learning. While Princeton University was a Presbyterian foundation. Protestantism also initiated translations of the Bible into national languages and hereby supported the development of national literatures. A large number of mainline Protestants have played leadership roles in many aspects of American life, including politics, business, science, the arts, and education. They founded most of

860-591: A great variety of fine scholars and natural philosophers, including Robert Grosseteste of the University of Oxford , an early expositor of a systematic method of scientific experimentation; and Saint Albert the Great , a pioneer of biological field research The Catholic church has always been involved in education, since the founding of the first universities of Europe. It runs and sponsors thousands of primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities throughout

1032-593: A group broke away from Pobirohin's disciples. It was led by his son-in-law Semyon Uklein, who did not share the mystical spirit and self-deification of the former leader and defended the need for reliance on the Gospel texts in the organization of church life (Margaritov, 1914). This group (called "Molokans") became a "rational" direction of Spiritual Christianity, as opposed to the "mystics" - "christoverchestvo" adherents, "Doukhobors" and " skoptsy "." Uklein's Molokans from Tambov energetically proselytized in settlements along

1204-578: A higher level of contemporary architectural style and the work of accomplished craftsmen, and occupy a status both ecclesiastical and social that an ordinary parish church does not have. Such a cathedral or great church is generally one of the finest buildings within its region and is a focus of local pride. Many cathedrals and basilicas, and a number of abbey churches are among the world's most renowned works of architecture. These include St. Peter's Basilica , Notre Dame de Paris , Cologne Cathedral , Salisbury Cathedral , Prague Cathedral , Lincoln Cathedral ,

1376-556: A leading medical school, translating the work of Greek and Arabic physicians into Latin. Bologna University became the most influential of the early universities, which first specialised in canon law and civil law . Paris University , specialising in such topics as theology, came to rival Bologna under the supervision of Notre Dame Cathedral . Oxford University in England later came rival Paris in Theology and Salamanca University

1548-643: A manifestation of the Holy Spirit, and this new smaller Molokan sect began a revival with intense zeal, reporting miracles that purportedly rivaled those of Christ's apostles. The "Constant" Molokan sect condemned the new sect to authorities, resulting in betrayals and imprisonment for many of the Molokan Jumpers. Some of these Molokan Jumpers called themselves "New Israelites", when one Prygun leader Maxim Rudomyotkin in Nikitino, Erivan Guberniya

1720-670: A mirror, the pilgrim Church contemplates God, the source of all her riches." For the Eastern Orthodox too, "the Holy Bible forms a part of Holy Tradition, but does not lie outside of it. One would be in error to suppose that Scripture and Tradition are two separate and distinct sources of Christian Faith, as some do, since there is, in reality, only one source; and the Holy Bible exists and found its formulation within Tradition". Catholics apply to apostolic tradition many of

1892-463: A multitude of innovative virtuosos sponsored by the Church. British art historian Kenneth Clark wrote that Western Europe's first "great age of civilisation" was ready to begin around the year 1000. From 1100, he wrote, monumental abbeys and cathedrals were constructed and decorated with sculptures, hangings, mosaics and works belonging one of the greatest epochs of art and providing stark contrast to

SECTION 10

#1732782400708

2064-765: A number of families in Western Australia and a small group residing in Queensland . Over 1,000 reside in Canada in the province of British Columbia and hundreds more in Alberta , keeping their traditional communal lifestyle. A group of Molokan families are also living in Latin America in the Guadalupe Valley, Mexico and in the country of Uruguay . A small Molokan community was located in

2236-576: A painting, from Orthodox Christianity . Christianity has used symbolism from its very beginnings. In both East and West, numerous iconic types of Christ, Mary and saints and other subjects were developed; the number of named types of icons of Mary, with or without the infant Christ, was especially large in the East, whereas Christ Pantocrator was much the commonest image of Christ. Christian symbolism invests objects or actions with an inner meaning expressing Christian ideas. Christianity has borrowed from

2408-425: A review of Nobel prizes award between 1901 and 2000 reveals that (65.4%) of Nobel Prizes Laureates, have identified Christianity in its various forms as their religious preference. The Bible has had a profound influence on Western civilization and on cultures around the globe; it has contributed to the formation of Western law , art , texts , and education. With a literary tradition spanning two millennia,

2580-735: A separate political unit. Major Constantinopolitan churches built under Constantine and his son, Constantius II , included the original foundations of Hagia Sophia and the Church of the Holy Apostles . As the Western Roman Empire disintegrated and was taken over by "barbarian" peoples, the art of the Byzantine Empire reached levels of sophistication, power and artistry not previously seen in Christian art, and set

2752-653: A shared adherence to diet based upon their religious beliefs. Upon their arrival in the USA, the Molokans and their religious observances seemed very strange to Americans. The Molokan colonies and communities were labeled "cults" and Molokans were harassed by Americans with the creation of the derogatory term "Molokan Slackers". The Molokans were given this moniker primarily because they did not want to serve in World War I , as they were conscientious objectors . On June 8, 1917,

2924-399: A single deposit , and considers the magisterium as the living organ which interprets said deposit. The Roman magisterium thus serves Tradition and Scripture as "one common source [...] with two distinct modes of transmission", while some Protestant authors call it "a dual source of revelation". Many Protestants want to distinguish the view that scripture is the only rule of faith with

3096-502: A single exception, the great artists of the time were all sincere, conforming Christians. Guercino spent much of his mornings in prayer; Bernini frequently went into retreats and practised the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius ; Rubens attended Mass every morning before beginning work. The exception was Caravaggio , who was like the hero of a modern play, except that he happened to paint very well. This conformism

3268-478: A single sacred deposit of the Word of God." The Tradition here in question comes from the apostles and hands on what they received from Jesus' teaching and example and what they learned from the Holy Spirit. (The Catholic Church distinguishes Sacred Tradition from lesser ecclesiastical traditions—local customs that may be retained, modified or even abandoned.) As explained by Athanasius of Alexandria , "Let us look at

3440-512: Is a Christian theological doctrine held by most Protestant Christian denominations , in particular the Lutheran and Reformed traditions, that posits the Bible as the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice. The Catholic Church considers it heresy and generally the Orthodox churches consider it to be contrary to the phronema of the Church. While

3612-643: Is also a considerable history of aniconism in Christianity from various periods. An illuminated manuscript is a manuscript in which the text is supplemented by the addition of decoration. The earliest surviving substantive illuminated manuscripts are from the period AD 400 to 600, primarily produced in Ireland, Constantinople and Italy. The majority of surviving manuscripts are from the Middle Ages , although many illuminated manuscripts survive from

SECTION 20

#1732782400708

3784-722: Is complex given that the Bible contains a collection of manuscripts and manuscript fragments that were written and collected over thousands of years. For example, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America teaches that "Lutheran Christians believe that the story of God's steadfast love and mercy in Jesus is the heart and center of what the Scriptures have to say." As Lutherans confess in the Nicene Creed ,

3956-590: Is due to the educational facilities that were created by Christian missionaries during the colonial era for fellow believers. Christian literature is writing that deals with Christian themes and incorporates the Christian world view . This constitutes a huge body of extremely varied writing. Christian poetry is any poetry that contains Christian teachings, themes, or references. The influence of Christianity on poetry has been great in any area that Christianity has taken hold. Christian poems often directly reference

4128-486: Is generally regarded as an institution that has its origin in the Medieval Christian setting. Prior to the establishment of universities, European higher education took place for hundreds of years in Christian cathedral schools or monastic schools ( Scholae monasticae ), in which monks and nuns taught classes; evidence of these immediate forerunners of the later university at many places dates back to

4300-500: Is given "by the apostles who handed on, by the spoken word of their preaching, by the example they gave, by the institutions they established, what they themselves had received – whether from the lips of Christ, from his way of life and his works, or whether they had learned it at the prompting of the Holy Spirit". There remains some confusion on the matter among both Catholics and non-Catholics. This confusion can be seen in those who interpret Catholic researcher James Keenan to claim that

4472-575: Is given as evidence for Augustine's adherence to the notion that Scripture is of a uniquely infallible authority in contrast to the writings of all other men. It is also noteworthy that Augustine attributes his view to Jerome. I admit to your Charity that it is from those books alone of the Scriptures, which are now called canonical, that I have learned to pay them such honor and respect as to believe most firmly that not one of their authors has erred in writing anything at all. If I do find anything in those books which seems contrary to truth, I decide that either

4644-532: Is independent of the scriptures, and is, therefore, subject to reform when compared to the teaching of the Bible. Sola scriptura is a formal principle of many Protestant Christian denominations, and one of the five solae . It was a foundational doctrinal principle of the Protestant Reformation held by many of the Reformers , who taught that authentication of Scripture is governed by

4816-514: Is not God's word, and no human authority can invest it with divine authority. Scripture, regarded as the word of God, carries the full authority of God in Lutheranism: every single statement of the Bible calls for instant, unqualified and unrestricted acceptance. Every doctrine of the Bible is the teaching of God and therefore requires full agreement. Every promise of the Bible calls for unshakable trust in its fulfillment; every command of

4988-583: Is not possible. The Roman Catholic Encyclopedia of Theology notes that, since the 27 books that make up the New Testament canon of scripture are not based on a scriptural list that authenticates them to be inspired, their legitimacy would be impossible to distinguish with certainty without appealing to another infallible source, such as the magisterium of the Catholic Church , which assembled and authenticated this list at Synod of Rome and

5160-579: Is one of the five solae , considered by some Protestant groups to be the theological pillars of the Reformation. The key implication of the principle is that interpretations and applications of the scriptures don't have the same authority as the scriptures themselves; hence, the authority of the church is viewed as subject to correction by the scriptures, even by an individual member of the church. Martin Luther , 16th-century friar and figurehead of

5332-425: Is self-referentially incoherent, as the Bible itself does not teach sola scriptura , and therefore the belief that the scriptures are the only source of Christian belief is self-contradicting given that it cannot be supported without extra-scriptural doctrine. In the 2008 book Catholicism and Science , the authors Peter M. J. Hess and Paul Allen wrote that sola scriptura is "inherently divisive", citing

Molokans - Misplaced Pages Continue

5504-544: Is still a church called ‘New United Molokan Church.’ Though some Spiritual Christian faith groups fled Russia in the early 1900s to avoid the military draft, all eligible Molokan boys registered for the Selective Service Act of 1917 , but were disqualified as aliens who did not speak English. During World War II, 136 eligible American Molokan boys enlisted during World War II, and two were conscientious objectors . Being prohibited from winning converts under

5676-405: Is sufficiently taught therein." Sola scriptura may be contrasted with prima scriptura , which holds that, besides canonical scripture , there are other guides for what a believer should believe, and how he or she should live. Examples of this include the general revelation in creation, traditions, charismatic gifts , mystical insight, angelic visitations, conscience, common sense,

5848-466: Is the formal principle of the faith in Lutheranism, the final authority for all matters of faith and morals because of its inspiration, authority, clarity, efficacy, and sufficiency. Lutheranism teaches that the Bible does not merely contain the Word of God, but every word of it is, because of verbal inspiration, the word of God. Most Lutheran traditions acknowledge that understanding scriptures

6020-471: Is unpronounceable in English. Also, like members of other pacifist communities, some Molokans changed the spelling of their names to avoid deportation. Many chose to use American versions of their names. So "Vasilli Bukroff" becomes "Bill" or "William Bukroff" or "Ivan Metchikoff" will become "John Mitchell" and "Dunya Tikunov" will be "Julie Tyler". They also sometimes use "first names" that are not their legal names and are based on nicknames from childhood within

6192-579: The Arizona Republic reported that the Molokan community in Glendale, Arizona, refused to register under the selective service act of 1917 . The likely result would be the arrest of Molokan men who refused to sign the order. Molokans claimed that their religious precepts forbade them from signing such an agreement. The Czars had forced them into the military, and that is why they fled Russia for

6364-845: The Basilica of St Denis , the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore , the Basilica of San Vitale , St Mark's Basilica , Westminster Abbey , Saint Basil's Cathedral , Washington National Cathedral , Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception , Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis , Gaudí's incomplete Sagrada Familia and the ancient church of Hagia Sophia , now a museum. Hagia Sophia has been described as architectural and cultural icon of Byzantine and Eastern Orthodox civilization . The earliest large churches date from Late Antiquity . As Christianity and

6536-613: The Byzantine Empire were culturally influenced by it, without actually being part of it (the " Byzantine commonwealth "). These included Bulgaria, Serbia , and Kievan Rus' , as well as some non-Orthodox states like the Republic of Venice and the Kingdom of Sicily , which had close ties to the Byzantine Empire despite being in other respects part of western European culture. Art produced by Eastern Orthodox Christians living in

6708-626: The Catholic and Orthodox Christians. In his 2001 The Shape of Sola Scriptura , the Reformed Christian writer Keith A. Mathison mentions several recent examples of such critics. In response, Mathison distinguishes what he considers to be the true doctrine of sola scriptura from the "subjective and individualistic version" of the doctrine that most Protestants have adopted. The American Roman Catholic author and television presenter Patrick Madrid wrote that sola scriptura

6880-606: The Catholic Church is "at the center of the development of the values, ideas, science, laws, and institutions which constitute what we call Western civilization." The Eastern Orthodox Church has played a prominent role in the history and culture of Eastern and Southeastern Europe , the Caucasus , and the Near East . The Oriental Orthodox Churches have played a prominent role in the history and culture of Armenia , Egypt , Turkey , Eritrea , Ethiopia , Sudan and parts of

7052-601: The Doukhobors because they thought that the Doukhobors neglected the Bible in their belief that God had placed the Word directly into their hearts. The Molokans, however, held the written Bible in the highest regard. The founder of the Molokans, Semyon Matveevich Uklein (1733-1809), was a son-in-law of the Doukhobor leader Ilarion Poberokhin (1720-1792) as explained by O. Beznosova: "Soon (approximately in 1779-1780)

Molokans - Misplaced Pages Continue

7224-653: The Eastern Church . Byzantine art became increasingly conservative, as the form of images themselves, many accorded divine origin or thought to have been be painted by Saint Luke or other figures, was held to have a status not far off that of a scriptural text. They could be copied, but not improved upon. As a concession to Iconoclast sentiment, monumental religious sculpture was effectively banned. Neither of these attitudes were held in Western Europe, but Byzantine art nonetheless had great influence there until

7396-528: The Great Fast (Lent)— when drinking milk was prohibited by Christian Orthodox ecclesiastical authorities. The practice of milk-drinking during these fasts was first sanctioned by the Nestorian Church in the 11th century in order to accommodate the conversion of some 200,000 Turkic Christians , who lived on meat and milk, to Nestorian Christianity. Two theories emerge regarding the formation of

7568-731: The High Middle Ages , and remained very popular long after that, with vast numbers of icons of the Cretan School exported to Europe as late as the Renaissance . Where possible, Byzantine artists were borrowed for projects such as mosaics in Venice and Palermo . The enigmatic frescoes at Castelseprio may be an example of work by a Greek artist working in Italy. The art of Eastern Catholicism has always been rather closer to

7740-524: The Late Antique period iconography began to be standardised, and to relate more closely to biblical texts, although many gaps in the canonical Gospel narratives were plugged with matter from the apocryphal gospels . Eventually the Church would succeed in weeding most of these out, but some remain, like the ox and ass in the Nativity of Christ . An icon is a religious work of art, most commonly

7912-475: The Mainline Protestantism , as were later Carleton , Duke , Oberlin , Beloit , Pomona , Rollins and Colorado College . According to Pew Center study there is correlation between education and income, about (59%) of American Anglican have a graduate and post-graduate degree, and about (56%) of Episcopalians and (47%) of Presbyterians and (46%) United Church of Christ , have

8084-546: The Marburg Colloquy where Martin Luther and Huldrych Zwingli debated the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist on scriptural grounds but were unable to reach agreement on sacramental union . Hess and Allen argue that, when scripture is seen as the only source of infallible teaching, its interpretation is subject to fallible interpretation, and without an infallible interpreter, a certainty of Christian belief

8256-574: The Middle East and India . Protestants have extensively developed a unique culture that has made major contributions in education, the humanities and sciences , the political and social order, the economy and the arts, and many other fields. Christianity played a prominent role in the development of Western civilization , in particular, the Catholic Church and Protestantism . Western culture, throughout most of its history, has been nearly equivalent to Christian culture, and much of

8428-532: The Molokans has been used with two different intentions. By original Molokans who either refused to be evangelized by Protestant denominations or insisted that they will retain their faith unchanged by the "Jumper" revivalist movement in the 1830s. They originally constituted the by far largest segment of Molokanism. In 1833, a schism took place within the Molokan faith. This event was framed by collective cataclysms of disease, famine, and persecution. A portion of

8600-836: The North Caucasus , Southern Ukraine , Armenia , and Central Asia , where their ancestors had been exiled long ago. Approximately 25,000 Molokans reside in the United States, of whom about 5,000 "ethnically" identify as "Molokans". The majority live in or near Los Angeles , particularly in East Los Angeles , Boyle Heights , and Commerce . During the 1960s other Molokans settled in southern Alaska and Australia . Molokans are said to be numerous in Australia . The majority are in South Australia , with

8772-553: The Ottoman Empire is often called "post-Byzantine". Certain artistic traditions that originated in the Byzantine Empire, particularly in regard to icon painting and church architecture, are maintained in Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Russia and other Eastern Orthodox countries to the present day. Roman Catholic art consists of all visual works produced in an attempt to illustrate, supplement and portray in tangible form

SECTION 50

#1732782400708

8944-614: The Protestant work ethic ), natural law (which would later influence the creation of international law ), politics, architecture, literature, personal hygiene ( ablution ), and family life. Historically, extended families were the basic family unit in the Christian culture and countries . Christianity played a role in ending practices common among pagan societies, such as human sacrifice, slavery, infanticide and polygamy. Scientists such as Newton and Galileo believed that God would be better understood if God's creation

9116-547: The Synod of Carthage , both of which took place in the fourth century. Before this, a compiled and authenticated Bible as it is now known did not yet exist. The American Roman Catholic writer Dave Armstrong wrote that there are several examples of Jesus and his Apostles accepting oral and extrabiblical tradition in the New Testament: Christian culture Christian culture generally includes all

9288-710: The United States , first settling on the east side of Los Angeles . Most seeking rural isolation moved to Baja Mexico, then Arizona, Central California, and some other parts of the West Coast and Canada. Other Jumpers received a land grant from the Mexican government and settled in the Guadalupe Valley in Baja California , Mexico . In Los Angeles, a small number of the Molokan Jumpers joined

9460-415: The Volga River and Russia's south-eastern frontier, spreading the Molokan faith in Orenburg , Saratov and Astrakhan provinces and organizing congregations until his death in 1809. From the intervention of Count Nikolay Zubov in 1795, Molokans (бесшапочники) were tolerated under Catherine the Great but constrained by strict rules imposed upon them intended to curb community growth. Those who ignored

9632-405: The [Wesleyan] quadrilateral are (1) Scripture, (2) tradition, (3) reason, and (4) experience. For United Methodists, Scripture is considered the primary source and standard for Christian doctrine. Tradition is experience and the witness of development and growth of the faith through the past centuries and in many nations and cultures. Experience is the individual's understanding and appropriating of

9804-438: The cultural practices which have developed around the religion of Christianity . There are variations in the application of Christian beliefs in different cultures and traditions. Christian culture has influenced and assimilated much from the Middle Eastern , Zoroastrianism , Greco-Roman , Byzantine , Western culture , Slavic and Caucasian culture. During the early Roman Empire , Christendom has been divided in

9976-492: The development of science . Some scholars state that Christianity contributed to the rise of the Scientific Revolution . Protestantism also has had an important influence on science. According to the Merton Thesis , there was a positive correlation between the rise of English Puritanism and German Pietism on the one hand, and early experimental science on the other. The cultural influence of Christianity includes social welfare , founding hospitals , economics (as

10148-469: The 15th-century Renaissance , along with a very limited number from Late Antiquity . Most illuminated manuscripts were created as codices , which had superseded scrolls; some isolated single sheets survive. A very few illuminated manuscript fragments survive on papyrus . Most medieval manuscripts, illuminated or not, were written on parchment (most commonly of calf , sheep, or goat skin), but most manuscripts important enough to illuminate were written on

10320-471: The 19th century the leadership in western art moved away from the Catholic Church which, after embracing historical revivalism was increasingly affected by the modernist movement, a movement that in its "rebellion" against nature, counters the Church's emphasis on nature as a good creation of God. Renaissance artists such as Raphael , Michelangelo , Leonardo da Vinci , Bernini , Botticelli , Fra Angelico , Tintoretto , Caravaggio , and Titian , were among

10492-471: The 35 men were sentenced, the Molokans in the courtroom broke out into ecstatic singing and dancing and some participants were slightly injured while being subdued. Molokans are known for having different spellings of last names within the same immediate family for a few reasons. When Molokans arrived in the United States, some family names were horribly misspelled by immigration officials who could not read Cyrillic—for example, "Сусоев" became "Sessoyeff," which

SECTION 60

#1732782400708

10664-399: The 6th century AD. Missionary activity for the Catholic Church has always incorporated education of evangelized peoples as part of its social ministry. History shows that in evangelized lands, the first people to operate schools were Roman Catholics. In some countries, the Church is the main provider of education or significantly supplements government forms of education. Presently,

10836-492: The Baskir call it azekay . This lends itself to the possibility of the second theory, as well as the first. 100 families of the original Molokan Karaits were settled in Halychyna (specifically Lviv) by hostage arrangement between Daniel of Galicia and Batu Khan in 1246 CE. The Judaizers preceded the modern day Molokans. Although they are sometimes also called "Molokans", they constitute an independent movement. Their leader Matvei Semyonovich Dalmatov (Матвей Семёнович Далматов)

11008-439: The Bible is one of the most influential works ever written. From practices of personal hygiene to philosophy and ethics, the Bible has directly and indirectly influenced politics and law, war and peace, sexual morals, marriage and family life, toilet etiquette , letters and learning, the arts, economics, social justice, medical care and more. The Gutenberg Bible was the first book printed in Europe using movable type . Since

11180-451: The Bible is the directive of God himself and therefore demands willing observance. What is said here of "every statement of the Bible" does not represent the faith of all Lutherans: a 2001 survey showed that 72 percent of members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America do not accept that everything in the Bible is literal, but that it may contain scientific or historical errors or describe events symbolically. Lutheranism teaches that

11352-411: The Bible is widely considered to be the best-selling book of all time. It sells approximately 100 million copies annually, and has been a major influence on literature and history, especially in the West , where the Gutenberg Bible was the first book printed using movable type . In Byzantine literature , four different cultural elements are recognised: the Greek , the Christian, the Roman , and

11524-500: The Bible presents all doctrines and commands of the Christian faith clearly; that God's word is freely accessible to every reader or hearer of ordinary intelligence, without requiring any special education. It also teaches that readers must understand the language God's word is presented in, and not be so preoccupied by contrary thoughts so as to prevent understanding. It teaches that, consequently, no one needs to wait for any clergy, and pope , scholar, or ecumenical council to explain

11696-499: The Bible, while others provide allegory . While falling within the strict definition of literature, the Bible is not generally considered literature. However, the Bible has been treated and appreciated as literature; the Bible is a corner stone of Western civilization. The King James Version in particular has long been considered a masterpiece of English prose, whatever may be thought of its religious significance. The Authorized Version has been called "the most influential version of

11868-434: The Bible. In this view, all secondary authority is derived from the authority of the scriptures and is therefore subject to reform when compared to the teaching of the Bible. Church councils, preachers, biblical commentators, private revelation, or even a message allegedly from an angel or an apostle are not an original authority alongside the Bible in the sola scriptura approach. The Roman Catholic Church , against whom

12040-423: The Catholic Church professes that apostolic tradition and scripture are both the word of God, Catholics can affirm that many of these propositions apply equally well to tradition: It is the work of the Holy Spirit, which cannot be reduced to human insight or heightened consciousness. This ties in with the question of what constitutes apostolic tradition. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that this tradition

12212-429: The Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system. Many of Western Civilization's most influential universities were founded by the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church founded the West's first universities, which were preceded by the schools attached to monasteries and cathedrals, and generally staffed by monks and friars. Universities began springing up in Italian towns like Salerno , which became

12384-622: The Holy Spirit "spoke through the prophets". The Apology of the Augsburg Confession identifies "Holy Scripture" with the Word of God and calls the Holy Spirit the author of the Bible. Because of this, Lutherans confess in the Formula of Concord , "we receive and embrace with our whole heart the prophetic and apostolic Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the pure, clear fountain of Israel". The apocryphal books were not written by

12556-854: The Jewish Old Testament . The earliest surviving art works are the painted frescoes on the walls of the catacombs and meeting houses of the persecuted Christians of the Roman Empire. The Christian Church in Rome was influenced by the Roman style of art and the religious Christian artists of the time. The stone sarcophagi of Roman Christians exhibit the earliest surviving carved statuary of Jesus, Mary and other biblical figures. The legalisation of Christianity transformed Catholic art, which adopted richer forms such as mosaics and illuminated manuscripts. The iconoclasm controversy briefly divided

12728-580: The King James Version as being "a giant step in the maturing of English literature" and "a great work of literature", respectively, with Dawkins then adding, "A native speaker of English who has never read a word of the King James Bible is verging on the barbarian". Several retellings of the Bible, or parts of the Bible, have also been made with the aim of emphasising its literary qualities. With estimated sales of over 5 billion copies,

12900-517: The Mexican format. Accordingly, one will see what would have been a Russian name like "Ivan Pavilovich Pabloff" (Ivan son of Pavil (Paul) (Pavlov)), whose mother's maiden name is "Samarin," become "Juan Pablo Pabloff de Samarin" or "Juan Samarin Pabloff". In all these instances, tracing family history can be very difficult. Otherwise, they adhere to the common naming practices. A lot can be learned from

13072-419: The Molokans during this time began to experience a charismatic outpouring of the Holy Spirit, similar to later Pentecostal faiths. Eventually this sect evolved into what is known today as the "Molokan Jumpers". The old Molokans were termed Constants ( Postoyaniye ), and the newly evolved "Molokans jumpers" ( Pryguny ), also called Skakuny (leapers). The Molokan Jumpers believed they were visited by

13244-663: The Oriental. Byzantine literature is often classified in five groups: historians and annalists, encyclopaedists (Patriarch Photios, Michael Psellus , and Michael Choniates are regarded as the greatest encyclopaedists of Byzantium) and essayists, and writers of secular poetry. The only genuine heroic epic of the Byzantines is the Digenis Acritas . The remaining two groups include the new literary species: ecclesiastical and theological literature, and popular poetry. And it

13416-711: The Orthodox Church, they elect a council of dominant elders who preserve a sort of apostolic succession in their view. Molokans had some practices similar to the European Quakers and Mennonites , such as pacifism , communal organization, spiritual meetings, and sub-groupings, but they arose in Russia together with the Doukhobors and Sabbatarians (also known as Subbotniks ) and similar Spiritual Christian movements of Duhovnye Kristyanye and Ikonobortsy. They migrated into central Russia and Ukraine around

13588-591: The Orthodox art of Greece and Russia, and in countries near the Orthodox world, notably Poland, Catholic art has many Orthodox influences. The Black Madonna of Częstochowa may well have been of Byzantine origin – it has been repainted and this is hard to tell. Other images that are certainly of Greek origin, like the Salus Populi Romani and Our Lady of Perpetual Help , both icons in Rome, have been subjects of specific veneration for centuries. Although

13760-589: The Pope, new revelations , or present-day development of doctrine . Sola scriptura in the Reformed faith possesses the same characteristics to those of Lutheranism: inspiration, authority, clarity, efficacy, and sufficiency. Article 3 of the Belgic Confession , a Reformed confessional of faith, teaches the divine inspiration of Scripture, "We confess that this Word of God was not sent nor delivered by

13932-542: The Protestant Reformation, stated that "a simple layman armed with Scripture is greater than the mightiest pope without it". The intention of the Reformation was thus to correct what he asserted to be the errors of the Catholic Church, by appealing to the uniqueness of the Bible's textual authority. Catholic doctrine is based on sacred tradition , as well as scripture. Sola scriptura rejected

14104-544: The Protestants directed these arguments, did not see Scripture and the Sacred Tradition of the faith as different sources of authority, but that Scripture was handed down as part of Sacred Tradition (see 2 Thessalonians 2:15, 2 Timothy 2:2). The Catholic Church holds that the Gospel was transmitted by the apostles by their oral preaching, by example, and by observances handed on what they had received from

14276-655: The Rus' lands with the 13th century Tatar (Mongolian) invasion of Batu and Möngke , the practice was adopted by other Christian groups, who had pastoral communities on the Eurasian plains. The second theory proposes that King David the IV of Georgia converted 40,000 Cuman - Kipchak tribal families to Christianity and resettled them in Georgia between 1118-1120 CE. King David the IV assimilated these northern Turkic tribes because he

14448-475: The Scriptures was seen as part of the faith of the Church and seen indeed as the manner in which biblical authority was upheld (see Book of Acts 15:28–29). The meaning of Scripture was seen as proven from the faith universally held in the churches (see Phil. 2:1, Acts 4:32), and the correctness of that universal faith was seen as proven from the Scriptures and apostolic Sacred Tradition (see 2 Thes. 2:15, 2 Thes. 3:6, 1 Corinthians 11:2). The Biblical canon itself

14620-888: The Tatar tribes into the Mongol Empire. The Keraite resided upon the Orkhon Steppes, south of Lake Baikal and north of the Gobi Desert, also referred to as the Altai-Sayan region. The Nestorian Metropolitan , upon the conversion of the Turco-mongolic people, asked the Patriarch John the VI, also known as Prester John , what the appropriate fast for lent should be for the new converts and it was decreed that

14792-518: The United States. The Molokans feared that history would repeat itself in America. On August 9, 1917, The Daily Missoulian reported that 35 Molokans were arrested and given sentences of one year each for disobeying the Selective Service Act of 1917. Thirty-three other Molokans were arrested for creating a disturbance outside of the jail house; women struck police with their umbrellas and a knife-wielding man had to be overpowered. After

14964-620: The Virgin , parts of the Old Testament, and, increasingly, the lives of popular saints . Especially in the West, a system of attributes developed for identifying individual figures of saints by a standard appearance and symbolic objects held by them; in the East they were more likely to identified by text labels. Each saint has a story and a reason why he or she led an exemplary life. Symbols have been used to tell these stories throughout

15136-575: The Volga River and in the Orenburg, Saratov and Astrakhan provinces were mostly of Slavic descent. Tambov Oblast had been completely settled by Slavic people by the 17th century. The regions they proselytized in all had or still have high populations of Islamic adherents and people of 'Tatar' or Turkic ancestry. Between the 1600s and late 1800s, intermarriage between ethnic Russians and Tatars (Tatar at this point meaning anyone of Turkic background)

15308-608: The Western world, Christianity has had an influence on various cultures, such as in Africa and Asia. Christians have made a noted contributions to human progress in a broad and diverse range of fields, both historically and in modern times, including science and technology , medicine , fine arts and architecture , politics, literatures , music , philanthropy , philosophy , ethics , humanism , theatre and business. According to 100 Years of Nobel Prizes

15480-470: The architecture of churches designed many centuries apart. Christian art is sacred art which uses themes and imagery from Christianity. Most Christian groups use or have used art to some extent, although some have had strong objections to some forms of religious image, and there have been major periods of iconoclasm within Christianity. Images of Jesus and narrative scenes from the Life of Christ are

15652-421: The assertion that infallible authority was given to the magisterium to interpret both Scripture and tradition. Sola scriptura , however, does not ignore Christian history, tradition, or the church when seeking to understand the Bible. Rather, it sees the church as the Bible's interpreter, the "rule of faith" ( regula fidei ) embodied in the ecumenical creeds as the interpretive context, and scripture as

15824-512: The basis of our belief of the value of art until today". Later, during The Renaissance and Counter-Reformation , Catholic artists produced many of the unsurpassed masterpieces of Western art – often inspired by biblical themes: from Michelangelo's Moses and David and Pietà sculptures, to Da Vinci's Last Supper and Raphael's various Madonna paintings. Referring to a "great outburst of creative energy such as took place in Rome between 1620 and 1660", Kenneth Clarke wrote: [W]ith

15996-475: The benefits of conversion, only to convert back to Islam later. Molokans, being constrained to endogamy and marrying within their religion, would marry converts indiscriminate of their genetic background. Roughly 3,500 Molokans left Russia between 1901 and 1911 in search of religious freedom, escaping the persecution inflicted upon them by the Russian Orthodox Church and state. Starting around

16168-574: The best quality of parchment, called vellum , traditionally made of unsplit calfskin , although high quality parchment from other skins was also called parchment . Christian art began, about two centuries after Christ, by borrowing motifs from Roman Imperial imagery, classical Greek and Roman religion and popular art. Religious images are used to some extent by the Abrahamic Christian faith, and often contain highly complex iconography, which reflects centuries of accumulated tradition. In

16340-539: The bible allegorically or "spiritually", they see the sacraments "spiritually", reject the use of icons, images of the cross and Church hierarchy along with venerating the saints. The Molokans advocate for pacifism, congregate in their own homes, do not drink or smoke, oppose contraception and modern technology. The Molokans follow the Old Testament laws, refusing to eat Pork, shellfish or unclean foods, they additionally refused to obey Orthodox mandates on fasting. The Molokans from Tambov who proselytized in settlements along

16512-630: The central role of the Western world and Western culture . Outside the Western world, Christianity has had an influence on various cultures, such as in Africa, the Near East, Middle East, Central Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. Scholars and intellectuals agree Christians in the Middle East have made significant contributions to Arab and Islamic civilization since

16684-427: The church that stuck with people as adults. For example, "Hazel Valov" became known as "Percy Valov", for being very "persistent". Another naming custom that can confuse those who are unfamiliar with the community was practiced by Molokans who settled in the Guadalupe Valley, Mexico. Many settlers adopted the Mexican versions of their names, so Rodion Pavlov became "Rodolfo Pabloff," and they named their children following

16856-561: The common stock of significant symbols known to most periods and to all regions of the world. Religious symbolism is effective when it appeals to both the intellect and the emotions. Especially important depictions of Mary include the Hodegetria and Panagia types. Traditional models evolved for narrative paintings, including large cycles covering the events of the Life of Christ, the Life of

17028-414: The construction of churches and cathedrals spread throughout the world, their manner of building was dependent upon local materials and local techniques. Different styles of architecture developed and their fashion spread, carried by the establishment of monastic orders, by the posting of bishops from one region to another and by the travelling of master stonemasons who served as architects. The styles of

17200-563: The contrary, manualists were co-operators in the necessary historical development of the moral tradition". According to Noonan, "history cannot leave a principle or a teaching untouched; every application to a situation affects our understanding of the principle itself." Following the Protestant churches' separation from the Roman Catholic Church, the relatively new idea of sola scriptura came under serious critique by

17372-466: The converts should abstain from meat eating and instead of drinking "soured" milk should consume "sweet" milk. Meat and fermented horse milk were staples of the Turco-Mongolic diet prior to the conversion to Christianity and instead of eliminating a long-held tradition of the nomadic people it was Christianized. Soured milk refers to fermented milk and sweet milk refers to fresh milk. Arriving in

17544-472: The country's leading institutes of higher education. The Ivy League universities have strong White Anglo-Saxon Protestant historical ties, and their influence continues today. Until about World War II, Ivy League universities were composed largely of WASP students. Some of the first colleges and universities in America, including Harvard , Yale , Princeton , Columbia , Dartmouth , Williams , Bowdoin , Middlebury , and Amherst , all were founded by

17716-563: The curiosity and passion of the pagan world of old. Although Western culture contained several polytheistic religions during its early years under the Greek and Roman Empires , as the centralized Roman power waned, the dominance of the Catholic Church was the only consistent force in Western Europe. Until the Age of Enlightenment , Christian culture guided the course of philosophy, literature, art, music, and science. Christian disciplines of

17888-601: The development of the American Revival called "the Pentecostal Azusa Street Revival ." The founder of The Full Gospel Business Men's Association associates this Pentecostal Revival to a child prophet of the Molokan Jumpers, E.G. Klubnikin. About 20,000 people identify as Molokans, at least ethnically, in the former Soviet Union. There are approximately 200 Molokan churches, 150 of them in Russia and Azerbaijan . They also lived in

18060-463: The discernible excellence of the text, as well as the personal witness of the Holy Spirit to the heart of each man. By contrast, the Protestant traditions of Anglicanism , Methodism and Pentecostalism uphold the doctrine of prima scriptura , with scripture being illumined by tradition and reason. The Methodists thought reason should be delineated from experience, though the latter

18232-475: The doctrines given by apostolic tradition have changed. Keenan reviewed the history of moral theology, and in particular a change in the approach of moral theologians, specifically in the twentieth century. Keenan noted that Mark D. Jordan said that medieval texts he had reviewed appeared to be inconsistent. This refers to medieval traditions and not to apostolic tradition or doctrine. Keenan, however, says that John T. Noonan Jr. demonstrated that, "despite claims to

18404-556: The early 1900s (mostly 1905-1912), many of whom settled near other non-Orthodox immigrants from Russia in an ethnic enclave on and near Potrero Hill , San Francisco, California , where they built a prayer hall in 1929. A second prayer hall was established near Sheridan, California to serve those scattered in Northern California. There has been a population of Molokans in Whittier, Southern California. As of 2022, there

18576-694: The early 1900s, many Molokans settled in the Potrero Hill neighborhood of San Francisco, California. The Potrero Hill Neighborhood House was built in 1922 by the California Synodical Society of Home Mission, Inc. and the Presbyterian Church , in order to support the community and provide adult education classes, provide a community center, and a kindergarten. By the time of the 1970s, the Potrero Hill community

18748-475: The eastern and western churches, after which artistic development progressed in separate directions. Romanesque and Gothic art flowered in the Western Church as the style of painting and statuary moved in an increasingly naturalistic direction. The Protestant Reformation produced new waves of image-destruction, to which the Church responded with the dramatic and emotive Baroque and Rococo styles. In

18920-639: The eastern province of Kars , Turkey . They are known as Kars Molokans . Most of the community returned to Russia years ago; in the 21st century only one family of Molokans is left in Kars. The Molokans have been compared to the Anabaptists that originated through the Radical Reformation and to the Quakers . They have a protestant-like view of the authority of scripture, however interpreting

19092-494: The exclusion of other sources ( nuda scriptura ), from the view taught by Luther and Calvin that the scripture alone is infallible, without excluding church tradition in its entirety, viewing them as subordinate and ministerial. Augustine of Hippo is frequently cited by Protestants as a Church Father who espoused the doctrine of sola scriptura . The following is a passage in Augustine's letter (82) to Jerome , which

19264-409: The faith in the light of his or her own life. Through reason the individual Christian brings to bear on the Christian faith discerning and cogent thought. These four elements taken together bring the individual Christian to a mature and fulfilling understanding of the Christian faith and the required response of worship and service. Sola scriptura rejects any original infallible authority, other than

19436-489: The first modern universities. The Catholic Church established a hospital system in Medieval Europe that vastly improved upon the Roman valetudinaria . These hospitals were established to cater to "particular social groups marginalized by poverty, sickness, and age", according to historian of hospitals, Guenter Risse. Christianity also had a strong impact on all other aspects of life: marriage and family, education,

19608-410: The great church buildings are successively known as Early Christian , Byzantine , Romanesque , Gothic , Renaissance , Baroque , various Revival styles of the late 18th to early 20th centuries and Modern . Overlaid on each of the academic styles are the regional characteristics. Some of these characteristics are so typical of a particular country or region that they appear, regardless of style, in

19780-543: The history of the Church. A number of Christian saints are traditionally represented by a symbol or iconic motif associated with their life, termed an attribute or emblem , in order to identify them. The study of these forms part of iconography in Art history . The dedication of Constantinople as capital in 330 AD created a great new Christian artistic centre for the Eastern Roman Empire , which soon became

19952-579: The humanities and sciences, the political and social order, the economy, and the arts. Christianity had a significant impact on education and science and medicine as the church created the basis of the Western system of education , and was the sponsor of founding universities in the Western world as the university is generally regarded as an institution that has its origin in the Medieval Christian setting. Many clerics throughout history have made significant contributions to science and Jesuits in particular have made numerous significant contributions to

20124-461: The influence has often been resisted, especially in Russia, Catholic art has also affected Orthodox depictions in many respects, especially in countries like Romania, and in the post-Byzantine Cretan School , which led Greek Orthodox art under Venetian rule in the 15th and 16th centuries. El Greco left Crete when relatively young, but Michael Damaskinos returned after a brief period in Venice, and

20296-795: The introduction of Islam , and they have had a significant impact contributing the culture of the Mashriq , Turkey , and Iran . Eastern Christian scientists and scholars of the medieval Islamic world (particularly Jacobite and Nestorian Christians) contributed to the Arab Islamic civilization during the reign of the Umayyad and the Abbasid , by translating works of Greek philosophers to Syriac and afterwards, to Arabic . They also excelled in philosophy, science, theology, and medicine. Historian Paul Legutko of Stanford University said

20468-652: The laws of the Russian Empire, they adopted endogamy and were classified as an ethnic group under the Bolsheviks. From 1904 through the 1920s, many different faith tribes in the Caucasus immigrated to North America under the guise of "Molokan". In 1899, when about a third of all Dukhobortsty left the Caucasus to central Canada, the Canadian government also gave permission for "Molokans" to migrate and get

20640-532: The learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them". In the same chapter, "efficacy" is ascribed to the doctrine of Scripture. The sufficiency of Scripture is also taught in Article 7 of the Belgic Confession, "We believe that those Holy Scriptures fully contain the will of God, and that whatsoever man ought to believe unto salvation

20812-476: The lips of Christ, from living with Him, and from what He did, or what they had learned through the prompting of the Holy Spirit; as well as by those apostles and apostolic men who under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit committed the message of salvation to writing. "This living transmission, accomplished in the Holy Spirit, is called Tradition, since it is distinct from Sacred Scripture, though closely connected to it." "Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture make up

20984-484: The living agreement of faith. The Smalcald Articles affirm, "in those things which concern the spoken, outward Word, we must firmly hold that God grants His Spirit or grace to no one, except through or with the preceding outward Word". Lutheranism teaches that the Bible contains everything that one needs to know in order to obtain salvation and to live a Christian life. There are no deficiencies in scripture that need to be filled with by tradition , pronouncements of

21156-418: The manner of life". In the 14th century, Marsilius of Padua believed that the only authority for a Christian is the scriptures, instead of the pope. The same point was made by John Wycliffe who foreshadowed the sola scriptura doctrine in the 14th century. Johann Ruchrat von Wesel , Wessel Gansfort and Johannes von Goch also foreshadowed the Protestant view of sola scriptura : they viewed

21328-484: The milk-drinking practice during Lent: The first one suggests that the Keraite Khan, Markus Buyruk Khan (formerly Sadiq Khan , prior to Christian conversion), had converted to Nestorian Christianity along with around 200,000 of his Turco-Mongolic nomadic tribespeople in 1007 CE. The Keraite people were one of the five dominant Turco-Mongol tribes of the Tatar confederation prior to Genghis Khan. Genghis Khan united

21500-483: The monotonous and cramped conditions of ordinary living during the period. Abbot Suger of the Abbey of St. Denis is considered an influential early patron of Gothic architecture and believed that love of beauty brought people closer to God: "The dull mind rises to truth through that which is material". Clarke calls this "the intellectual background of all the sublime works of art of the next century and in fact has remained

21672-524: The most common subjects, and scenes from the Old Testament play a part in the art of most denominations. Images of the Virgin Mary and saints are much rarer in Protestant art than that of Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. Christianity makes far wider use of images than related religions, in which figurative representations are forbidden, such as Islam and Judaism . However, there

21844-529: The most influential book in the world, in what is now its most influential language", "the most important book in English religion and culture", and "the most celebrated book in the English-speaking world ". David Crystal has estimated that it is responsible for 257 idioms in English, examples include feet of clay and reap the whirlwind . Furthermore, prominent atheist figures such as the late Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins have praised

22016-460: The only final authority in matters of faith and practice. As Luther said, "The true rule is this: God's Word shall establish articles of faith, and no one else, not even an angel can do so." Bible Translators Theologians Lutheranism teaches that the books of the Old and New Testaments are the only divinely inspired books and the only source of divinely revealed knowledge. Scripture alone

22188-402: The population of the Western hemisphere could broadly be described as cultural Christians . The notion of Europe and the Western world has been intimately connected with the concept of Christianity and Christendom , many even consider Christianity to be the link that created a unified European identity , although some progress originated elsewhere: Renaissance and Romanticism began with

22360-581: The position of prima scriptura are Anglicanism and Methodism . In the Anglican tradition, scripture, tradition, and reason form the "Anglican triad" or "three-legged stool", formulated by the Anglican theologian Richard Hooker . With respect to the Methodist tradition, A Dictionary for United Methodists states: Building on the Anglican theological tradition, Wesley added a fourth emphasis, experience. The resulting four components or "sides" of

22532-486: The pre-existing Greek East and Latin West . Consequently, different versions of the Christian cultures arose with their own rites and practices, Christianity remains culturally diverse in its Western and Eastern branches . Christianity played a prominent role in the development of Western civilization , in particular, the Catholic Church and Protestantism . Western culture, throughout most of its history, has been nearly equivalent to Christian culture. Outside

22704-469: The preaching of the Gospel to the apostles, who handed it on orally and in writing, and according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church , "the apostolic preaching, which is expressed in a special way in the inspired books, was to be preserved in a continuous line of succession until the end of time. "Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture make up a single sacred deposit of the Word of God in which, as in

22876-603: The present. It is said that, in 1900, despite the persecution there could have been about a half-million Spiritual Christians in the Russia empire. These figures appear, however, to be vastly exaggerated. In 1912, there were only 133,935 Molokane and 4,844 Pryguny counted in Russia (census of the Department of Spiritual Affairs; see Glenn Dynner : "Holy Dissent: Jewish and Christian Mystics in Eastern Europe", 2011). Fewer than one thousand Molokane fled Russia in

23048-452: The prophets, by inspiration; they contain errors, were never included in the Palestinian Canon that Jesus used, and therefore are not a part of scripture. The prophetic and apostolic Scriptures are said by the Lutheran church to be authentic as written by the prophets and apostles, and that a correct translation of their writings is God's Word because it has the same meaning as the original Biblical Hebrew and Koine Greek . A mistranslation

23220-511: The qualities that evangelicals and other Protestants apply to scripture alone. For example, the 1978 Evangelical declaration Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy , states: "We affirm that inspiration was the work in which God by His Spirit, through human writers, gave us His Word. The origin of Scripture is divine. The mode of divine inspiration remains largely a mystery to us. We deny that inspiration can be reduced to human insight, or to heightened states of consciousness of any kind." Since

23392-467: The real meaning of any part of the Bible. Lutheranism teaches that scripture is united with the power of the Holy Spirit and with it, not only demands but also creates the acceptance of its teaching. This teaching produces faith and obedience. Scripture is not a dead letter, but rather, the power of the Holy Spirit is inherent in it. Scripture does not compel a mere intellectual assent to its doctrine, resting on logical argumentation, but rather it creates

23564-466: The respective arts have subsequently developed into Christian philosophy , Christian art , Christian music , Christian literature , etc. Art and literature, law, education, and politics were preserved in the teachings of the Church, in an environment that, otherwise, would have probably seen their loss. The Church founded many cathedrals , universities , monasteries and seminaries , some of which continue to exist today. Medieval Christianity created

23736-569: The restrictions were punished in Tsarist Russia as heretics . Molokan evangelists and missionaries suffered imprisonment, banishment and other forms of punishment. Prohibited from winning converts, the Molokans were forced into endogamy . The government's policy was to send the Molokans away from the center of Russia into the Caucasus (1833), and other outlying areas to prevent their having influence on other peasants; they were sent to Armenia , Azerbaijan (1834), Ukraine (1830s), central Asia , and Siberia , where many communities have survived into

23908-579: The same privileges (land, communal, non-military). To take advantage of this generous privilege, many different faith tribes of spiritual Christians in the Caucasus all claimed to be "Molokan" while leaving Russia for Canada. Most all were diverted from Canada to Los Angeles by Peter Demens , where they clashed, never uniting. Many descendants of those different tribes still claim the coveted Molokan heritage label which perpetuates confusion. The Russian term "constant" (invariable, steadfast, unchanged, original: postoyanniye  : постоянние ) applied to

24080-598: The same study, Christians have a significant amount of gender equality in educational attainment, and the study suggests that one of the reasons is the encouragement of the Protestant Reformers in promoting the education of women , which led to the eradication of illiteracy among females in Protestant communities. According to the same study "there is a large and pervasive gap in educational attainment between Muslims and Christians in sub-Saharan Africa" as Muslim adults in this region are far less educated than their Christian counterparts, with scholars suggesting that this gap

24252-457: The same time. As such, the Molokans have been compared to certain kinds of Protestants (such as Anabaptists and Baptists) because they have multiple similar aspects since they reject the Orthodox priesthood and icons, have their own presbyters, hold the Bible as their main guide and interpret the sacraments "spiritually". They are thus in many ways similar to Anabaptist and Quaker Christians. There are approximately 200 fasting days —especially

24424-433: The same way; moreover, I say, I do not believe that you want your books to be read as if they were those of Prophets or Apostles, about whose writings, free of all error, it is unlawful to doubt. Protestants also argue that Augustine professes the sufficiency of Scripture in this sentence from On Christian Doctrine , "among the things that are plainly laid down in Scripture are to be found all matters that concern faith and

24596-403: The scripture as being the only infallible authority and denied the authority of the pope or the church as infallible. Peter Abelard believed that human reason was a means of understanding the scriptures, instead of submitting to everything the Catholic Church defines. Some elements of sola-scriptura are also foreshadowed by William of Ockham and Girolamo Savonarola . Sola scriptura

24768-408: The scriptures' meaning is mediated through many kinds of subordinate authority—such as the ordinary teaching offices of a church, the ecumenical creeds , councils of the Catholic Church , or even personal special revelation— sola scriptura in contrast rejects any infallible authority other than the Bible. In this view, all non-scriptural authority is derived from the authority of the scriptures or

24940-425: The second highest number of graduate and post-graduate degrees per capita while in absolute numbers ranked in the first place (220 million). Between the various Christian communities , Singapore outranks other nations in terms of Christians who obtain a university degree in institutions of higher education (67%), followed by the Christians of Israel (63%), and the Christians of Georgia (57%). According to

25112-455: The southern European tradition and the humanist art produced during the High Renaissance . In turn, the Catholic Counter-Reformation both reacted against and responded to Protestant criticisms of art in Roman Catholicism to produce a more stringent style of Catholic art. Protestant religious art both embraced Protestant values and assisted in the proliferation of Protestantism, but the amount of religious art produced in Protestant countries

25284-439: The spread of Christianity from the Levant to Asia Minor , Mesopotamia , Europe , North Africa and Horn of Africa during the early Roman Empire , Christendom has been divided in the pre-existing Greek East and Latin West . Consequently, different versions of the Christian cultures arose with their own rites and practices, centered around the cities such as Rome ( Western Christianity ) and Carthage , whose communities

25456-432: The standards for those parts of the West still in touch with Constantinople. This achievement was checked by the controversy over the use of graven images , and the proper interpretation of the Second Commandment, which led to the crisis of Iconoclasm or destruction of religious images, which racked the Empire between 726 and 843. The restoration of Orthodoxy resulted in a strict standardization of religious imagery within

25628-413: The study, Christians in North America, Europe, Middle East, North Africa and Asia-Pacific regions are highly educated since many of the world universities were built by the historic Christian Churches , in addition to the historical evidence that "Christian monks built libraries and, in the days before printing presses, preserved important earlier writings produced in Latin, Greek and Arabic". According to

25800-402: The teachings of the Catholic Church . This includes sculpture, painting, mosaics, metalwork, embroidery and even architecture. Catholic art has played a leading role in the history and development of Western art since at least the 4th century. The principal subject matter of Catholic art has been the life and times of Jesus Christ , along with those of his disciples, the saints, and the events of

25972-411: The term "Molokan" appears in the 1670s, in reference to the people who had the practice of no fasting and eating dairy products during the 200 fasting days stipulated by the Orthodox Church. ( Moloko means "milk" in Russian). Nonetheless, these were "Spiritual Christians" not directly related to the group later known as "Molokans". The "Molokans" that are known today by that name split in 1779/80 from

26144-462: The text is corrupt, or the translator did not follow what was really said, or that I failed to understand it. But, when I read other authors, however eminent they may be in sanctity and learning, I do not necessarily believe a thing is true because they think so, but because they have been able to convince me, either on the authority of the canonical writers or by a probable reason which is not inconsistent with truth. And I think that you, my brother, feel

26316-632: The truth of God". Chapter 1.7 of Westminster Confession of Faith , another authoritative Reformed confession, speaks of the use of "ordinary means" (such as turning to pastors and teachers) for reaching an understanding of what is contained in scripture and what is necessary to know, while still espousing the doctrine of the clarity or perspicuity of Scripture; "All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all, yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded, and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only

26488-424: The very tradition, teaching, and faith of the Catholic Church from the very beginning, which the Logos gave (edoken), the Apostles preached (ekeryxan), and the Fathers preserved (ephylaxan). Upon this the Church is founded (tethemeliotai)"(St. Athanasius, "First Letter to Serapion", 28) The doctrines which constitute Sacred Tradition are also perceived by the Church as cohesive in nature. The proper interpretation of

26660-405: The views of experts, the spirit of the times or something else. Prima scriptura suggests that ways of knowing or understanding God and his will, that do not originate from canonized scripture, are in a second place, perhaps helpful in interpreting that scripture, but testable by the canon and correctable by it, if they seem to contradict the scriptures. Two Christian denominations that uphold

26832-503: The will of man, but that holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost , as the apostle Peter saith ( 2 Peter 1:21 )." Article 7 teaches the sole infallibility or unique authority of Scripture, "Neither do we consider of equal value any writing of men, however holy these men may have been, with those divine Scriptures; nor ought we to consider custom, or the great multitude, or antiquity, or succession of times and persons, or councils, decrees or statutes, as of equal value with

27004-413: The work of the Eastern Orthodox Church in the conversion of Tatar or Turkic Muslims, as Molokans taught that religious iconography was a sin. Molokans are well-known iconoclasts, which was heresy to the Orthodox Church. Muslims, also being iconoclasts, found a draw to the Molokan faith as it preserved some Islamic traditions. Muslim converts in Russia were also well known to convert to Christianity to receive

27176-450: The world. As the Reformers wanted all members of the church to be able to read the Bible, education on all levels got a strong boost. Compulsory education for both boys and girls was introduced. For example, the Puritans who established Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1628 founded Harvard College only eight years later. About a dozen other colleges followed in the 18th century, including Yale University (1701). Pennsylvania also became

27348-430: Was able to switch between Italian and Greek styles. Even the traditionalist Theophanes the Cretan , working mainly on Mount Athos , nevertheless shows unmistakable Western influence. Many Eastern Orthodox states in Eastern Europe, as well as to some degree the Muslim states of the eastern Mediterranean , preserved many aspects of the empire's culture and art for centuries afterward. A number of states contemporary with

27520-404: Was announced to be the "King of the Spirits" in 1853. The group, also known as Maximists", considered Efim Gerasimovich Klubnikin (1842-1915) in Romanovka, Kars oblast, a divinely inspired 12-year-old boy prophet. He prophesied a "coming time that would be unbearable and that the time to leave Russia was now." During the early 20th century under his leadership, about 2,000 Pryguny emigrated to

27692-506: Was at war with the Muslim Seljuk Turks to the South and desired to reform his army. Each Kipchak family was required to provide one soldier with a horse and weapons. Though David the IV is not reported as being a religious adherent he was a promoter of Christian culture . The Cumans, Kipchaks, Tatars , Mongolians, and Bashkirs (who descend from Kipchaks) all have the tradition of making fermented milk products. The Cumans call it kumis , Mongolians call it airag, Tatars call it azegay , and

27864-521: Was better understood. The architecture of cathedrals, basilicas and abbey churches is characterised by the buildings' large scale and follows one of several branching traditions of form, function and style that all ultimately derive from the Early Christian architectural traditions established in the Constantinian period. Cathedrals in particular, as well as many abbey churches and basilicas , have certain complex structural forms that are found less often in parish churches . They also tend to display

28036-415: Was called Western or Latin Christendom , and Constantinople ( Eastern Christianity ), Antioch ( Syriac Christianity ), Kerala ( Indian Christianity ) and Alexandria , among others, whose communities were called Eastern or Oriental Christendom. The Byzantine Empire was one of the peaks in Christian history and Christian civilization . From the 11th to 13th centuries, Latin Christendom rose to

28208-507: Was classically filed under the former and guided by reason, nonetheless this was added, thus changing the "Anglican Stool" to the four sides of the Wesleyan Quadrilateral . The Eastern Orthodox Church holds that to "accept the books of the canon is also to accept the ongoing Spirit-led authority of the church's tradition, which recognizes, interprets, worships, and corrects itself by the witness of Holy Scripture". The Catholic Church officially regards tradition and scripture as equal, forming

28380-438: Was common. For a Tatar, marrying a Russian was a way to increase social status or class. Muslim Tatars who converted to Christianity were exempted from taxes and gained other privileges. It is well known that a portion of ethnic Russians are an admixture of Middle Eastern or Mongolic Turkic and Slavic groups. Molokans as partially an admixture of Slavic and Turkic genetics is also supported by other accounts. Molokans complicated

28552-416: Was founded in Spain in 1243. According to the historian Geoffrey Blainey , the universities benefitted from the use of Latin, the common language of the Church, and its internationalist reach, and their role was to "teach, argue and reason within a Christian framework". The medieval universities of Western Christendom were well-integrated across all of Western Europe, encouraged freedom of enquiry and produced

28724-922: Was hugely reduced. Artists in Protestant countries diversified into secular forms of art like history painting , landscape painting , portrait painting and still life . Prominent painters with Protestant background were, for example, Albrecht Dürer , Hans Holbein the Younger , Lucas Cranach , Rembrandt , and Vincent van Gogh . World literature was enriched by the works of Edmund Spenser , John Milton , John Bunyan , John Donne , John Dryden , Daniel Defoe , William Wordsworth , Jonathan Swift , Johann Wolfgang Goethe , Friedrich Schiller , Samuel Taylor Coleridge , Edgar Allan Poe , Matthew Arnold , Conrad Ferdinand Meyer , Theodor Fontane , Washington Irving , Robert Browning , Emily Dickinson , Emily Brontë , Charles Dickens , Nathaniel Hawthorne , Thomas Stearns Eliot , John Galsworthy , Thomas Mann , William Faulkner , John Updike , and many others. The university

28896-639: Was in Alexandria that Graeco-Oriental Christianity had its birth. There the Septuagint translation had been made; there that that fusion of Greek philosophy and Jewish religion took place which culminated in Philo ; there flourished the mystic speculative Neoplatonism associated with Plotinus and Porphyry . At Alexandria the great Greek ecclesiastical writers worked alongside pagan rhetoricians and philosophers; several were born here, e.g. Origen , Athanasius , and his opponent Arius , also Cyril and Synesius . On Egyptian soil monasticism began and thrived. After Alexandria, Antioch held great prestige, where

29068-539: Was not based on fear of the Inquisition, but on the perfectly simple belief that the faith which had inspired the great saints of the preceding generation was something by which a man should regulate his life. The Protestant Reformation during the 16th century in Europe almost entirely rejected the existing tradition of Catholic art, and very often destroyed as much of it as it could reach. A new artistic tradition developed, producing far smaller quantities of art that followed Protestant agendas and diverged drastically from

29240-441: Was still in existence, but other smaller groups of the Molokans had become assimilated into the more broad Russian-American community. Today, Molokans in the United States are largely assimilated into the general mainstay of American culture. They do however work to preserve the uniqueness of their own traditions and culture, such as through the usage of Russian in their church services, community dinners (referred to as 'obed'), and

29412-558: Was thus viewed by the Church as part of the Church's tradition, as defined by its leadership and acknowledged by its laity. The first generation of Christians did not yet have a written New Testament, and the New Testament itself demonstrates the process of living Tradition. The Catholic Dei verbum and the papal encyclicals Providentissimus Deus by Pope Leo XIII and Divino afflante Spiritu by Pope Pius XII set out Catholic teaching on tradition versus individual interpretation. The Catholic Church teaches that Christ entrusted

29584-437: Was tortured to death in a monastery prison by breaking wheel . In 1428 Crimea became independent and supported the original Molokan-Subbotniks, the Crimean Karaites (Qara-Tatars / Karaylar), who had always played an important role in Mongol politics. The linguistically dominant Church of the East Karait-Tatars, who had similar origins to the Khavars, became “Karaimstvuiuschie” (or Molokan Karaits). The first recorded use of

#707292