Friday, December 27, 2019

The Blind Side Movie Review - 1083 Words

THE BLIND SIDE Movie Review ‘The Blind Side’ is the real life story about Micheal Oher, an Afro-American football player and his struggles from being an abandoned kid growing up in a foster home to a NFL (National Football League) player after being adopted by the family, the Touhys, who were white skinned Americans. What makes ‘The Blind Side’ such a compelling story is the fact that it tells the true life story of a boy with little or no prospects. It is a film about human relationships, the need to reach out to the ones less fortunate, but most importantly, its a film about believing in oneself and following one’s convictions even when the whole world might be against you. One only has to see the movie and absorb as well as digest†¦show more content†¦Sometimes you might not even know why you’re doing something. I mean, any fool can have courage. But honor, that’s the real reason you either do something or you don’t. It’s who you want to be. If you die trying for something important then you have both honor and courage and that’s pretty good. I think that’s what the writer was saying; that you should try for courage and hope for honor. And maybe even pray that the people telling you what to do have some, too.† It was necessary that he was carefully instructed and guided because it was in the characters nature that he lacks confidence and self-esteem because of the racism and the rejection he has faced time and again. He was also discriminated due to his height. The love and support from the Tuohys really changed him. This underlines the message that nothing is impossible if you have undying support love from yourShow MoreRelatedThe Blind Side Movie Review1072 Words   |  5 Pages THE BLIND SIDE Movie Review ‘The Blind Side’ is the real life story about Micheal Oher, an Afro-American football player and his struggles from being an abandoned kid growing up in a foster home to a NFL (National Football League) player after being adopted by the family, the Touhys, who were white skinned Americans. What makes ‘The Blind Side’ such a compelling story is the fact that it tells the true life story of a boy with little or no prospects. It is a film about human relationships, theRead MoreMovie Review - the Blind Side2732 Words   |  11 PagesMovie Analysis The Blind Side John Lee Hancock Submitted by: Redeem B. Tamayor BABA-1 A Summary The Blind Side was a 2009 American semi-biographical drama film written and directed by John Lee Hancock, and based on the 2006 book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis. It featured Michael Oher, an offensive linesman who played for the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL. Homeless and traumatized, Michael â€Å"Big Mike† Oher was absorbed in Wingate Christian School through theRead MoreCritical Review of the Blind Side Movie1461 Words   |  6 PagesA Critical Review of The Blind Side â€Å"A person’s self-concept is shaped by his/her communication with significant others.† Self-concept is how a person has the knowledge of oneself. According to the Social Issues Reference(n.d.), self concept is the accumulation of the knowledge about the self, such as beliefs regarding personality traits, physical characteristics, abilities, values, goals and roles. Self-concept is knowledge about how someone define themselves, either the similarity orRead MoreStages of Development: a Review of the Movie, the Blind Side1847 Words   |  8 PagesThis movie-The Blind Side talks about how Michael Oher achieved his self-esteem during his adolescent time. Between the plots of the movie, we also included some development theories such as Erik Erikson’s psychosocial cognitive theory; Maslow’s hierarchy needs theory and also the operant conditioning theory that associated with Michael’s development. As an introduction, Michael Oher was a famous Black American football player that came from a poor family that consist of thirteen childrenRead MoreStages of Development: a Review of the Movie, the Blind Side1838 Words   |  8 PagesThis movie-The Blind Side talks about how Michael Oher achieved his self-esteem during his adolescent time. Between the plots of the movie, we also included some development theories such as Erik Erikson’s psychosocial cognitive theory; Maslow’s hierarchy needs theory and also the operant conditioning theory that associated with Michael’s development. As an introduction, Michael Oher was a famous Black American football player that came from a poor family that consist of thirteen childrenRead MoreThe Blind Side1521 Words   |  7 Pagesholding the hand of an oversized football player leading him onto the field, the movie â€Å"The Blind Side† made skeptics of moviegoers. Challenged by most energy-packed movies that hit the screens in 2009, the movie at hind sight did not do much visual stimulation. However, being a movie that faithfully represents the real life experience of famed football star Michael Oher, it did not fail to raise a lot of eyebrows from both movie fans and critics. The fact that it is a success story of an African AmericanRead MoreEssay Critical Analysis of Blind Side Movie1089 Words   |  5 PagesThe Blind Side: Making All the Right Calls When asked to think of an inspirational drama in recent years, one movie comes to mind projecting lives of people that follow their dreams from a under privileged lifestyle to a well known role model. An inspiring movie has to give the audience that unique sense where they themselves have a different outlook on life. That outlook hits them right in the heart where some people leave the movie theaters with tears of joy in their eyes. In John Hancock’s â€Å"TheRead MoreArt in Raw Form1434 Words   |  6 Pages The movie industry is for entertainment purposes. For many people, going to the movies is an escape; time to sit back and become someone else. However, once in a rare moment then a movie comes out that is not just foe entertainment and dares to address a controversial issue. â€Å"The Blind Side† and â€Å"Precious† are two movies that I was very surprised at my reaction to them. My reasons for wanting to see both movies were as different as night and day. I went to see the â€Å"Blind Side† because itRead MoreThe Great Escape Movie Review1001 Words   |  5 PagesThe Great Escape Movie Review Yash Desai *POW = Prisoner of War â€Å"The Great Escape† directed by John Sturges is a movie of high standard and excellence. This action packed adventure, released in 1963, takes place in Germany at the peak of World War II. Taking us back to 1942, The Great Escape documents the escape of 76 prisoners from a special Stalag (prison camp), designed specifically for them. By contrasting color cinematography with a classical soundtrack, the movie successfully blends theRead MoreFilm Study of the Blind Side2000 Words   |  8 PagesPeter Shelton Film Case Study of The Blind Side The Blind Side was based on the life of Michael Oher a teenage African American boy whose mother was battling drug and alcohol addictions, in the projects of Memphis Tennessee. Mike as he is know in the movie was in foster care several times and always ran away to his Mother, thinking that no one could ever love him the way his Mother could, even with her ongoing addiction. Mike often slept at his fathers friends home, but even he could not give

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Taking a Look at the Amish Culture - 1109 Words

Anthropology can be defined as the comparative study of human societies, cultures, and their development. Through Anthropology, we have been taught about numerous cultures and there relevance to society. One culture that has peaked my interest is the culture of the Amish people. The Amish culture was founded on the teachings of Jacob Ammon. This culture began in Europe and did not migrate to North America until around the 19th and 20th century. The Amish culture is driven by the Amish religion which teaches that they must be separate from â€Å"worldly† sin to receive any salvation. For Example, the communities that make up an Amish society are divided into church districts geographically. There is not a governing body for the entire Amish population. Instead, the church districts decide for themselves what they would like to accept or not. Even though each district can decide rules for itself, they base their regulations on an interpretation of the Bible and a set of rules c alled the Ordnung. The Amish society strays away from the modern world by repressing the need for individualism and pride. Although the Amish resist cultural influences, they do compromise with the modern technology for work and communication purpose as long as they do not intertwine or disrupt family stability. The population as a whole revolves around family, community, humility, and separation from the modern world. Looking into the Amish culture, gender roles, marriage, and their religious beliefs playShow MoreRelatedWitness: Amish World Essay868 Words   |  4 PagesThe thriller film ‘Witness’, directed by Peter Weir in 1985, tells about cultural conflicts between the Amish of Western Pennsylvania and Modern American corruption and violence. Philadelphia Police officer, John Book was obligated to hide from the three brutally and corrupt police officers as they were looking for a little Amish boy, Samuel Lapp. The boy witnessed the brutal killings and identified t he killer as the three police officers. The ‘Witness’ strongly displayed many images of people andRead MoreMarriage As A Union Between Women And Amish America1702 Words   |  7 Pagescountries, marriage is seen to be a union between same sex, or different sex couples. People get married in different ways depending on where they are from and their culture. In some culture, the man finds the girl he wants and kidnaps her and forces her to say yes to his proposal. How different or similar will Westernized America and Amish America be when it comes to marriage customs? White weddings are used to describe weddings in the United States. White wedding originates from the color of what theRead MoreThe Book The Devils Playground 1510 Words   |  7 Pages1. The Documentary â€Å"The Devils Playground† is based on the lives of Amish youths who go on a journey called rumspringa and try and decide whether or not to devote their lives to the Amish church. This documentary explained that the Amish religion is a branch of Catholicism in which the members do not get baptized until they are adults. The reasoning behind this is that the Amish live a very minimal and secluded lifestyle and they feel that before committing their life to the church and to ChristRead MoreUtopia Vs Dystopian Society1473 Words   |  6 PagesAs time goes on, attempts at a utopian society have failed and that means that not only have utopias been created but that dystopias have arrised. Each one is set and planned to be a utopia that only ends up taking another course and tur ning into a dystopian society. Utopia simply means â€Å"an ideal place or state†, where as a dystopia is the opposite (â€Å"utopia†). Dystopias is â€Å"a society characterized by human misery, as squalor, oppression, disease, and overcrowding† (â€Å"dystopia†). Utopias usually endRead MoreThe Amish Culture And Beliefs2406 Words   |  10 PagesThe Amish have been around since the early 1700s in the United States. They first migrated to Pennsylvania when they came from Switzerland and Germany. The Amish have spread to many other states, but today are primarily in the states of Ohio and Pennsylvania (Hostetler, 2009). The Amish have a unique way of life and have strong beliefs rooted in their faith. Today, the Amish are continuing to grow, because they are having such large families (Hostetler, 2009). The elderly population within the communityRead MoreWitness Analysis3405 Words   |  14 Pagesmay receive considerable rewards. There are many factors that can affect the relationship between people like clash of cultures, their inability to conform to alternate societies and the fundamental values upon which they base their lives. John Book and Rachel Lapp could never have a successful permanent relationship. â€Å"Witness† (1985) directed by Peter Weir. The clash of cultures between Rachel and John is a major factor that affects their relationship deeply. Their inability to conform to alternateRead MoreWitness by Peter Weir Notes12043 Words   |  49 Pagestraditionalism; individuality; tradition; reality amp; appearance; violence amp; nonviolence, justice, freedom amp; commitment. Camera angles: * High anglestaken from above to make a character look small, lost, inferior * Low anglestaken from underneath the character looking up towards them to make them look imposing, superior or threatening * Point of view shotA shot made from the camera position close to the line of sight of one of the characters, implying that we are seeing what he/she seesRead MoreEssay on Learning about Another Tribe: The Amish2635 Words   |  11 Pagesthat might know one else not to fight one else. The God not just created males and females to life in their area and death; he tells us to share other cultures and know other nations. The Amish people are one of these nations and tribes that we respect them. The Amish group is of European origin that has great traditions and unique culture that gives us the mean of American pluralism. Their ability to disallow the view of technology, where they did not research into using the modern improvementRead MoreTo What Extent Does Education Liberate People Within The Social Classes2662 Words   |  11 PagesThis essay will discuss to what extent does education liberate people within the social classes. It will also discuss how Paulo Freire’s theory on how education can liberate people, furthermore considering how the Amish community may fail to be liberated through education. The definition of education is ‘the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life’. AlsoRead MoreAPHG Chapter 4 Questions1419 Words   |  6 Pagespopular cultures? 1. We define culture as the way of life of a particular people, it is what defines us as people, language, religion, food, and sports are all aspects of culture. 2. The difference between folk culture and popular culture is folk culture is the practice of a custom by a relatively small group of people in a focused area, popular culture is the practice of customs that span several different cultures and may even have a global focus. 3. The book uses the term local culture instead

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Gung Ho Film Analysis Cultural Encounters in a Globalizing World

Question: Discuss about the Cultural Encounters in a Globalizing World for An Analysis of Gung-Ho Film. Answer: Introduction: Multinational organizations trying to setup a business in a foreign country face the problem of adjusting to the nations culture. Adapting to a foreign culture is a bilateral process which means arriving at a middle ground from both the foreign corporation and the host country, to make the process smooth and achievable to bring about stability and efficient organization performance. Compromises include formulating a context-sensitive and efficient management of human resource plan, a professional structure for resolution dispute and transformational and consultation leadership. Because of rapid progress in globalization, much prominence have garnered by the international management. To improve the global competitiveness of domestic market maintaining a comparative advantage, independent countries must follow a set of rules established by International trade. Many countries including those from third world countries rely on FDI or foreign direct investment to make advancements in the economy. Globalization opens up an opportunity for exchange of cultures while minimizing the effects of a geographic barrier. Difficulty in controlling two different cultures in a similar working environment was portrayed in the movie Gung Ho (working together) which is a 1986 drama-comedy. The prominent roles in the movie are Michael Keaton, who played Hunt Stevenson, and Gedde Watanabe played Takahara Kazuhiro, who tried their very best to restore friendly relations to mitigate differences the two cultures bought. Stevenson took the responsibility of convincing the workforce of America to adapt to the ethics and philosophies of Japanese work culture. On one hand he had public employment, and on another had many failed attempts to reconcile the differences, the two left those to work on a shared goal. They set examples and so their peers started following, which they accomplished in creating their desired output. Through the example of cultural openness they set, Americans understood the meaning of working together and the Japanese understood the importance of personal life and family besides work. The movie may have been a success but not without its share of criticism. The weakness of the both the cultures is often pointed out by critics. Emphasized were the American inefficiencies and the inscrutability about Japanese. The film in spite of the criticism received critical acclaims from the academics for portraying dynamics of a work culture in a multicultural environment. Implementing the theories proposed by Helen Deresky, Japanese tend to have the polychromic culture however the Americans have a monochronic culture. While the former specializes in continual improvement and multitasking, the latter would tend to best practices and specialization. The author will use Geert Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions Theory in analyzing the movie and applying the same in mitigating conflicts arising in modern organizations to complement the theories set by Deresky. Six quantified elements found in theory of Hofstedes Cultural Dimension are: collectivism versus individualism, pragmatic versus normative, restraint versus indulgent, feminity versus masculinity, uncertainty avoidance index and power distance index. The computability of these given points is necessary for modern organizations and their heavy dependency on quantitative searches and statistics. Lenses as cultural dimensions, used for providing the fertile framework to a resolution of conflict, effective management of human resource and continuous improvement and development for businesses having the different mixture of enterprises. Opposing Poles: A Comparison of the Japanese and American Culture Power Distance Index From the viewpoint of those belonging to the lower social standings, the acceptance degree of unequal power distribution is defined as PDI or Power Distance Index. Influenced by cultural fabrics, such inequality is not only suitable but is of desire by both inferiors and superiors. Americans scored 40 in PDI, which is low compared to the 54 score by the Japanese in an analysis made by Hofstede. It means the value of equality and freedom is preferred by Americans, while the order of hierarchy is glorified by the Japanese. Strict obedience, without reservation or questions, is portrayed as a cultural difference in the Gung Ho movie by Kazuhiro when superiors ordered him to increase productivity level to match the standard of the Japanese. On the side of workforce of America there were a lot of demands from the management including labor privileges, authorized leave, incentive and overtime pay. The Americans think that constitutional rights enable them to utter their mind. On the other hand, the Japanese who emphasize on positional worth views it as a sign of disrespect and counts it against the workers. Participation in the corporate decision-making process is affected due to the lack of presence of the avenues for the Japanese, and it was illustrated in their high power distance index. It was desirable for the Japanese but the Americans it was a major violation of labor rights. The informal communication network is always open between the employees and employer except, at times when sole discretion and wisdom from top management is required. Japanese are more exclusive Stevenson while Stevenson meets workers in addressing labor concerns. Collectivism versus Individualism Collectivism dimension vis--vis individualism is in contradiction with index of power distance, which is an insight generated by the critical appreciation of Hofstedes theory. Japanese put the premium on group action and collective commitment even though the hierarchical order is given emphasis. Americans are individualistic, yet they value equality and openness. Fulfillment of the work makes the Japanese work. They always want to be the most productive component of the company and therefore, they are work dedicated and are motivated in improving their skills. Therefore, the Japanese are loyal to their company. Workers and managers find the success likewise the companys growth. Rather than pieces and bits they see its entirety. Americans individualistic tendencies, on the other hand, lead them to practise skills they find themselves efficient in doing so. They seek skills improvement, not for the corporations growth but to increase stock of theirs advancement in career in the company. Better compensation translates from the greater promotional aspect of growing expertise. The desire of higher compensation comes for their families as well as for themselves. They will look for alternative employment if job promotion or increased salaries will take a lot of time or are unlikely. Loyalty is therefore, not in the society, general interest or company but rather on individual success, family and profession. A scene exemplified as a cultural difference where a worker wanted to be with his son sought leave on the account of his tonsillitis removal procedure. Disagreed by the Japanese manager saying, it will create interruption the workflow and harm the companys overall productivity. A scene from another depicted the difference, where a janitor was transferred from his old designation to the same compensation of the janitorial position. The decision of reassigning the worker borne out of his incapability about other works as put by the company's management. It is viewed as an insult by the American worker but to the Japanese, it was all right. Americans being individualistic finds the transfer as an insult personally in respect to his reputation and prestige, achievement and his work designation seeming of lower social status, which to them is undesirable. However, it is seen as a totality by the Japanese. They see it the transfer to the janitorial position is an efficient one. Rather than putting a premium on individual achievements they put it overall on the productivity. From the view of the collectivist tendency, the Japanese see it as a transfer instead of seeing it as a mean to get directly fired. All organization members are a complete group and a big fami ly to them. Lastly, the dichotomy of individualist-collectivist of the two cultures was shown as a clear indicator at the start of the film. For developing a group spirit, morning calisthenics were performed when the management gathered the workers. It was a laughing matter for the Americans. When Stevenson joined the workers finally joined to perform. Feminity versus Masculinity According to Hofstedes database, the Japanese being mostly male-oriented display greater masculinity even though both are patriarchal. Omen in America seem to have a significant presence in public life while the Japanese women had secondary roles in society and are mostly limited to household activities. In the scene where Stevensons girlfriend, Audrey, decided to get a glance on the companys operation, while the Japanese women paved the way for business discussion which is males-only. Notably, the scene depicted a picture of the Americans system of low-context communication as opposed to the high-context communication of the Japanese. Americans speak their mind, and they do not shy from being informative. On the other side, demeanors, body language and way of spoken words are emphasized by the Japanese. Cultural misunderstanding crops up due to the lack of this awareness. Individualist-collectivist dichotomy is connected with the varying level of masculinity of both the cultures and is an important point woarth noting. The promise of guiding economic recovery of the town while being a town hero, a role donned by Hunt Stevenson. Inclination towards a heavy priority on work and perfectionism, are expressed by Japanese masculinity. They work for long hours and is not unusual for workers to have 60 hours a week. But they consider a minor embarrassment to be disastrous. Uncertainty Avoidance Index Cultural variation measure indicates the order to which the society prefers predictability and order. According to the Hofstede's analysis, Japanese society scored high based on their rich social and cultural heritage. As a cultural result of dictation, the UAI score was low for the Americans. Cultures with a low UAI score appreciates heterogeneity as a necessary component for the advancement of society, differences for high tolerances and are very fluid because they can incorporate themselves into another culture. Since the Japanese have norms regarding society and expectations are systematically coded in various laws and a rigorous society, and hence, the opposite is expected of them. Example being the Japanese culture is compartmentalized and nested. Power distance index and UAI are closely linked. Americans value equality, and hence they have low PDI; Lower index of uncertainty avoidance, results in a preference for unpredictability and equality. They see unpredictable situations as a way to measure their acquired skills so far and provide challenged for them, and opportunities perceived as a way of career and personal growth. When it comes to decision making process of an organization, cultures with high UAi typically tend to make the decision-making process a lengthy one but one which has a fast and smooth implementation. It is because decisions are collected from people of various authorities, who provide insights and build themselves among a consensus. The implementation, however, is simple and effective as the workforce strictly follows the managements new order without any reservation or question. China and Japan are such cultures. On the other side, the tendency of decision-making in the US is limited to a handful of authorities, and resolutions are met mostly times by informal methods. In the movie, Japanese were showed to have the propensity to avoid uncertainty is served as an example, especially in the scene when the general manager gave Hunt Stevenson work expectations and corporate philosophies manual, that he will be relaying to the workforce. As expected, Hunt was not interested and insisted from not implementing the principles of Japanese but to implement theirs instead. In a different scene where Hunt showed to visit Japan without being acutely aware of their culture and Assan Motor's exact head office location, demonstrated the high tolerance of the Americans. Only after arriving at a farm and asking directions from the locals he got to visit his destination. Pragmatic versus Normative The Pragmatic culture is considered far-sighted; being collectivists. As a result, long-term planning is a preference for them. On the other side, normative cultures place great emphasis on current and short-term objectives. According to Hofstedes research, Japanese are pragmatic while the Americans are normative. An individualist-collectivist dichotomy is a result expected as part of a result proposed by the earlier measures. Americans being individualistic, their failure of acquisition in a small time frame will result in an immediate alternate employment since they see economic advancement only by skills acquisition. On the other side, Japanese look to the future for a bigger picture. Hence, it is for this reason why the Japanese dont value youthful idealism but rather length and dedication of their work. In the film Gung Ho, this difference in culture is seen when the Americans thought of their current life being employed at Assan Motors and the daily rigors needed to survive there. On the other side, the Japanese are far-sighted. They carry a macroscopic vision of how they will fare and their performance in the coming years. Indulgence versus Restraint Cultures that tend to show indulgent are those who have a low uncertainty avoidance index and are an individualist. Self-worth and individual accomplishment are valued by Individualist cultures. Acquisition of material possession is considered to be of high social stature. In this culture, the people often purchase luxury items and accessories like fancy cars which ostensibly show the persons material affluence. Americans do consider the possession and indulgence of such luxury items as a reward for their career growth and hard work. On the other side, the Japanese think showing such indulgence in material affluence to be more restrictive and explicitly shows them. This difference of the design of Japanese households is shown in the film. In respect, they are more serene and simpler. However, the American-style urban living was eventually acquired by them. Appreciation of Differences over Ethnocentrism However, had there been open communication and substantial prior knowledge of each culture before it is encountered, the clashes arising from the differences in culture shown in the film could have been avoided or the very least handled effectively. Without compromising their culture, every culture must know and learn how to respect their counterparts and adjust accordingly. Management at the top must also be aware of the truth that the ever increasing trade globalization does require cultural intercourses. The truth is that even human capital at present is already globalized only highlights this fact. Blue-collar workers and professionals are from different cultures and countries. Therefore, the need for devising a human resource management and development plan and a framework of context-sensitive communication in an efficient manner is necessary. Had both American workforce and Japanese management were able to respect each other's cultural differences, the conflicts are shown in the movie would have been avoided. Being polite and showing respect for one another is a solution to many of the prevalent problems. Conclusion Illustrated in the film, explained the difficulty of reconciling differences and the dynamics of different cultures for the organizational stabilitys sake. The film concludes where Takahara Kazuhiro and Hunt Stevenson adapted to the opposing cultures values to succeed, for the efficient human resource management and encapsulating the requisites of it, composed from the cultural backgrounds of many. To have productive cultural encounter respect and research are needed. When globalization was accepted by the countries globally as the new game rule, consequently, they also needed to be aware and take the values, views, tendencies and philosophies of diversity. In an organization, common goals must be relayed and emphasized to all of the members so that they operate by a common ground and not as an individual. Relationships have to be symbiotic. And most important of all, when cultures see that there is the need to learn the differences from the counterparts cultures, it welcomes them an d sees it as a learning aspect which they have been missing rather than seeing them as deterrents. These learning points serve as the solution for their existing cultural loopholes and managing diversity becomes easy. The analysis of this movie therefore serves as a reference to the Testament of the modern practice of managing the diversity of mixed cultures in a workplace. References Deresky, H. (1994).International management: Managing across borders and cultures. Pearson Education India. Hofstede, G. (2013). Dimensions of national cultures.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

The Rise of Western Christendom

Christendom refers to the medieval phase, in the Christian world.[1] The medieval period may be described as the phase that connected ancient times and modern times. The phase represented a shift from the culture of Graeco−Roman to Romano-Germanic, through Christianity.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Rise of Western Christendom specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This paper argues that early medieval Christianity derived its character more from the universal church than local communities. The paper asserts this point through exploring elements that made medieval Christianity, the genius of medieval Christianity and nations of medieval Christianity. Genius of Medieval Christianity Medieval Christianity may be seen as a legal extension and further enlargement of prehistoric Catholicism, from one perspective, or a set up for Protestantism, from another perspective. Initially, Christianity involved states wit h high civilization, although, later Christianity became forced to lay the ground for a new civilization amongst the barbarians. Followers established churches in several cities of the Jews, Romans and Greeks. These followers used the word pagan to refer to those who did not belong to these churches. The followers used large vocabularies both in writing and speaking. The towering roads of the Roman masses paved their advancement. In most places, the apostles found well built societies and administrations, thus their mission was to inculcate a new spiritual life into the early civilization and ensure that it was compliant to superior and moral objectives. Missionaries of medieval times travelled to unreached places in order to teach primitive nations how to write and to lay the establishment for art, culture and literature.[2] Christianity acted as a preparation school and a powerful disciplinary body, for young nations, which required guidance. These facts demonstrate the hierarchic al, legalistic, romantic and ritualistic trait of the universal church. The middle age was an age of passion unlike modern times, whereby thought and meditation act as main arbiters of human beings. The barbarians did not conform to the written Roman laws, since they could not understand these laws.[3] However, the barbarians appreciated the spoken law, which became derived from the living word of God. They found pleasure in bending this law as it lacked any documentation. Therefore, the church turned into law, in the territory, and influenced the establishment of all political and social systems. The medieval ages became referred to as the dark ages when compared with prehistoric Christianity, or contemporary Christianity.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Medieval Christianity acted as the light that burnished in the gloom of encircling heathenism and barbarism, displacing this gloom sl owly. Diligent monks and priests safeguarded Holy Scriptures, classical literature and patristic writings from the wrath of the Roman Empire and preserved them for use in future. The medieval beam acted as the borrowed moonlight and star of Christian tradition, but not the apparent sunlight from the divine work in the New Testament. Nevertheless, the medieval beam became embraced as the eyes of most people could bear it, and this beam did not stop to shine until it vanished in the dawn of the reformation. There were representatives of Christ in all ages, and the representatives of Christ during the dark ages shone brightly as they became surrounded by darkness. Religious leaders flourished in traditions of saints that contained the allure of religious tales. These leaders alleged to have a set of doctrines and mores which became derived from true hubs of Christian knowledge and practice in the broad world.[4] Everyone had faith in miracles and the supernatural world similar to prese nt children. Faith became integrated with superstitions, and people were reluctant to criticize or judge. As a result, illogical legends obtained acceptance with no criticism. However, people’s morality did not get better, and incidences of impoliteness and ruthlessness were on the rise. The church, though, an evident institution was not in a position to control people’s minds. Nevertheless, the church directed all sectors of life starting from the cradle to the cemetery. The church dominated all learning institutions and integrated sciences and arts with church doctrine. The church initiated all progressive associations, established universities, inspired crusades, constructed many cathedrals, created and renounced kings and bestowed curses and blessings to entire states. The Jewish theocracy became re-endorsed by the medieval hierarchy, which focused on Rome, on a further inclusive scale. The medieval hierarchy acted as a carnal expectation of Christ’s, millen nial supremacy of Christ. This grand structure took as much time to build as to demolish. The antagonism originated partially from the anti-Catholic groups, which, despite the brutal persecution, did not stop to disapprove the frauds and oppression of the papacy. Also, antagonism was due to the force of nationality which surfaced in resistance to an all enthralling hierarchical centralization. Besides, antagonism arose due to the restoration of biblical and classical education, which destabilized the supremacy of customs and superstitions.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Rise of Western Christendom specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Lastly, antagonism arose due to the profound existence of the Catholic Church, which stridently supported reformation, and fought through the brutal authority of the law to the illumination and liberty of Christianity. The medieval Church played a crucial part in ensuring that many men believed in Christ. Reformation became seen as a recapture of liberty that happened after the liberation of Western Christendom from the oppression of the law â€Å"where with Christ has made us free.†[5] The Nations of Medieval Christianity The Romanic states were the descendants of the ancient, Latin Christianity. They conformed to Roman customs laws and transmitted Christianity to the succeeding barbarians. The Gauls, Picts, Scots, old Britons, Welsh and Irish became embraced by the Keltic race. The Keltic race formed the earliest light wave of the massive Aryan resettlement from the strange bowels of Asia. This race emerged some years before Christ and swept to the boundaries of the far West. Caesar subjugated the Gauls, although, they later joined with the organizers of French monarchy. Similarly, the Romans dominated the Britons before the Anglo-Saxons forced them to Cornwall and Wales. Gaels in highlands maintained their Keltic culture, although, the group integra ted with the Normans and the Saxons, in the lowlands. Initially, Keltic Christianity was sovereign from Rome. Keltic Christianity opposed Romans in some rites until the time when Norman and Saxon encountered defeat. However, Romans forced the Keltic community to conform following this defeat and from the era of the reformation, the Irish became more connected to the Roman Church than other races such as the Latin. Similarly, the French also embraced Gallicanism, which refers to a liberal Catholicism. However, the French finally surrendered liberal Catholicism to the ultramontanism of the Vatican. On the other hand, the Scotch and the Welsh followed the protestant restructuring in its Calvinistic firmness and became strong supporters and advocates of this religion. Only a small section of citizens in the North of Scotland failed to embrace this doctrine. The Galatians predicted the destiny of the Keltic states. Initially, the Galatians followed the sovereign doctrine of St. Paul, alt hough, they later converted to Judaism after they came into contact with false teachers of law. The Germanic states acted as progressing races during medieval times. Christianization among Germany nations commenced in the fourth century. These nations disregarded Romulus and Augustus and conquered the West Roman Empire. Germanic nations also destroyed institutions that were not straight, although, they enthusiastically embraced the faith of the dominated Latin provinces, and with naive submissiveness, surrendered to its educational supremacy.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The nations became preordained for Christianity, as Christianity controlled their wild forces and limited their aggressive passions. Also, Christianity fabricated their splendid instincts, love for individual freedom and respect for women. The Germanic states saw the Latin Church as a school of discipline, whose task was to organize them for an era of Christian maturity and autonomy. Liberation of Germanic tribes from the bondage of medieval and legalistic Catholicism led to the protestant reformation. This explains why Tacitus, a famous historian in heathen, romanticized the barbarous Germans, but not the disintegrated Romans of the time as seen in the words â€Å"in a fit of ill humor against their country.†[6] However, Tacitus involuntarily forecasted their future eminence, and his prophecy came to pass. The Greek population, which appeared prominently in ancient Christianity, merged with Slavonic elements. The Greek Church became destabilized by the influence of Mohammeda nism and lost control over regions that of ancient Christianity. Elements that made Medieval Christianity Christianity preserved favorable aspects of the old and formed new elements. This transition grew progressively because of the overriding anarchy of barbarism. The new elements continued to function simultaneously with systems of Roman world and old Greek. The barbarian forces prevailed before the savages of the north, which flounced through the Greek empire to Spain and Italy. These savages carried life, vigor, honor, love and respect, besides, which obtained purification and formulation by Christianity. Eventually, savages from the north became the overriding principles of a supreme culture than that of Rome and Greece. Salvian, a Christian monk, describes some negative traits of the orthodox Romans and speaks in favor of the barbarians â€Å"whose chastity purifies the deep stained with the Roman debauches.†[7] In conclusion, early medieval Christianity derived its cha racter more from the universal church than local communities. The church directed all sectors of life starting from the cradle to the cemetery. The church dominated all learning institutions and integrated sciences and arts with church doctrine. The church initiated all progressive associations, established universities, inspired crusades, constructed many cathedrals, created and renounced kings and bestowed curses and blessings to entire states. Missionaries of medieval times travelled to unreached places in order to teach primitive nations how to write and to lay the establishment for art, culture and literature. Thus, Christianity acted as a preparation school and a powerful disciplinary body, for young nations, which required guidance. Lastly, most nations embraced the faith of the dominated Latin provinces, and with naive submissiveness, surrendered to their educational supremacy. Bibliography Brown, Peter. The Rise of Western Christendom: Triumph and Diversity, A.D. 200-1000. Malden: Blackwell Publishers, 2003. Full text of â€Å"History of the Christian church,† Web. Full text of â€Å"University of California Chronicle,† Web. Hay, Denys. The Medieval Centuries. London: Methuen, 1964. New Jerusalem Bible. Ed. Susan Jones. New York: Doubleday, 1985. Robert, Dana. Christian Mission: How Christianity Became a World Religion. Hoboken: John Wiley Sons, 2011. Sanneh, Lamin. Whose Religion is Christianity? : The Gospel beyond the West. Grand Rapids, Mich: W.B. Eerdmans Publishers, 2003. Footnotes 1. Lamin Sanneh, Whose Religion is Christianity? :The Gospel beyond the West (Grand Rapids, Mich: W.B. Eerdmans Publishers, 2003), 23. 2. Dana Robert, Christian Mission: How Christianity Became a World Religion (Hoboken: John Wiley Sons, 2011), 123. 3. Denys Hay, The Medieval Centuries (London: Methuen, 1964), 65. 4. Peter Brown, The Rise of Western Christendom: Triumph and Diversity, A.D. 200-1000 (Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers, 2003), 359. 5. New Jerusalem Bible, Ed. Susan Jones (New York: Doubleday, 1985), Gal.5.1. 6. Full text of â€Å"University of California Chronicle.† 7. Full text of â€Å"History of the Christian church.† This essay on The Rise of Western Christendom was written and submitted by user Grayson J. to help you with your own studies. 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