At the end of each year the return that Costco realizes on equity capital can either be reinvested back into the business or paid out to investors as dividends and common stock repurchases. If no dividends or share repurchases were made and earnings were reinvested back into the business at the same incremental rate of return, the company's return on equity would hold constant over time.…
When interested in the religious culture of medieval Europe in late antiquity, “The Cult of Saints” by Peter Brown is a magnificent source to turn to. Among receiving honorary degrees, prizes and book awards, Brown is also a historian at Princeton University who focuses on social and religious aspects of medieval Europe. Brown critically analysis the significance of saints and their holy remains to the people of Europe following the fall of the Roman Empire. These sacred figures in Christianity heavily influenced many aspects of society. His writing style is dense and one may encounter a few words in Latin throughout the book. However, the book is supported with a range of sources from the bible to other authors themselves which can be found at the notes section at the very back of the book. Brown highlights his intentions for the book in his updated, Preface to the 2014 Edition, here he includes the title of each chapter and gives a brief overview of what to expect in them. In reviewing Peter Brown's work, he exemplifies the role of the cult of Saints and relics and their contribution to development of medieval Europe among other concepts; while thriving in addressing modern ideas such as the “two-tiered” model that commonly misrepresents the true nature of the cult of saints.…
In his book, Francis of Assisi, William R. Cook seeks to provide a better understanding of St. Francis of Assisi as an individual rather than in conjunction with the order he founded. Cook divides the book into six sections, each section concentrating on an important aspect or experience in Francis= life and spirituality. The six sections focus on his conversion; his relationship to the created world; the creation of the Christmas crib at Greccio; the role of learning; the relationship between the active and contemplative life; and his stigmatization at LaVerna in 1224.(pg. 18) In order to provide a general understanding I believe that these six sections can be narrowed down into three major themes that Cook sets forth; full surrender to God, a balance between world and self through an understanding of God=s will, and the importance of experiencing scripture over studying it. To support these themes Cook utilizes a number of reliable resources, both written and visual.…
Gordon provides a detailed account of da Costa’s life before and during the trials in his investigation, “Confessing Sodomy…Luiz da Costa.” Gordon not only elaborates on his analysis of the trials and da Costa’s life, but includes the actual, translated transcripts of the trials of Luiz da Costa. Gordon, who is an accomplished author, historian, and journalist, is very-well versed in Latin American studies, and begins the account by providing a detailed account of who da Costa was, and what he might have encountered during the trials. Gordon’s commentary and analysis is an excellent way to provide background information for the next segment of the chapter, the transcript of the trials. The transcripts are the materials that were taken directly from the time period of the Inquisition, and translated into English, defining them as a primary source. We can come to the understanding that a primary source is any piece of material that comes directly from the time period of the material of interest. Some may argue that since the material was translated, it is therefore not authentic by definition. However, many prominent sources, including the University of Maryland Libraries, agree that it still maintains its status as a primary source since it is an original material deriving from the time period at…
Bibliography: An Autobiography of Martyrdom: Spiritual Writings of the Jesuits in New France. Translated by Sister M. Renelle, S.S.N.D. Sel. Francois Roustang, S.J. St. Louis: B. Herder, 1964.…
Santo Trafficante, Jr. (November 15, 1914 – March 17, 1987) was one of the last of the old-time Mafia bosses in the United States. He allegedly controlled organized criminal operations in Florida and Cuba, which had previously been consolidated from several rival gangs by his father, Santo Trafficante, Sr. Reputedly the most powerful mafioso in Batista-era Cuba, he never served time in a United States prison…
When viewing characters in stories they can either be viewed as flat or round; in this way flat meaning characters that have no change through the story and are usually uncomplicated in understanding who they are as a reader and round in contrast meaning that they are complex and change throughout the story, whether it may be relatively large or small. The narrator in the story is a part of a time where being “bad” was believed cool by those of the adolescence age group. His character is framed in the beginning when he says: “We were bad. We read Andre Gide and struck elegant poses to show that we didn't give a shit about anything" (P 1). This quote is substantial to the plot because it shows the reader that if they were really the bad characters they were trying to be then they wouldn’t be trying so hard doing all these things that aren’t even bad, which is apparent by the end of the story.…
Patria, Sor Mercedes, as she liked to call herself, would walk around the halls of her childhood home with a plain white sheet wrapped around her head, clutching an imaginary rosary to her heart. At fourteen, Patria received her wish and was sent to Immaculada Concepcion, in order to further her knowledge of His word. Many people viewed this as a “pity” (p.45). Patria was “such a pretty girl” (p.45), with her “high firm breasts and sweet oval face.” She did not let the words of others stray her from the path of the Lord, and put all of her energy into bettering herself through Him.…
The Saint is a bad person that is always committing sins. The question is, will his prayers get answered? Panfilo, the protagonist says that God’s spirit of giving is so awesome that even prayers to a deception would be answered. Master Ciappelletto always give incorrect testimonies just for the fun of it. He hated church, he was a gambler, and he always cursed people out. He was not the type of the guy that any women would like to marry or have interest in because he was not a man of God. As I am reading all of the sessions I notice that all the stories and poems have a resemblance of God. It all speaks on having faith and believing in Him. Just like the story, “Of the Churl who won Paradise”. When Ciappelletto gets sucks. There were people which are the two Florentines discussing on what to do because they knew that he were going to die. Ciappelletto has been eavesdropping on the conversation that was being held and decided to take a few steps ahead of them. He made the Florentines call a friar so he can speak on everything he has done because he does not want his friends to be in pain because of him. As he was speaking out about his all the lies he has told the friar tells him that no sin is too big to be forgiven. As long as he means what he is saying and if he puts his trust in God. When Ciappelletto died, which was the very same day he confessed he was buried in his convent which the Friar had promised him. The friar was so dazzled by his humility. In conclusion the protagonist ends the story by saying that God still forgives no matter your situation. As long as you have in your heart that you believe in…
Francis of Assisi, occasionally regarded as the “hippie of the saints” and the lover of animals, lived from 1181-1226. At the beginning of his life, he lived a rather well-to-do lifestyle, with a carefree view on life. He partied, got drunk, and hung out with friends- Francis was your average medieval teenager, who had a generally happy view on life. In young adulthood, though, Francis was enlisted in a feud with a neighboring city, and was captured. There, he became ill and, once released, went home to recover. It was at this point in his life that he turned to the Church for guidance, and became a religious man. Years after he turned to God, Francis has was worshiping on a mountainside, when he had vision of a divine figure, and woke up with the markings of Christ’s stigmata on his hands, feet, and side. It is in this paper that I observe multiple views various historians have of Francis’s…
2. Develop at least three strategic objectives for each of the following four balanced scorecard areas identified above (Financial, Customer, Process, Learning and Growth). Your objectives should be selected, in part, based on an evaluation of a number of potential alternatives to the issues and/or opportunities identified in the SWOTT Analysis paper and table you completed in Week Three. Base your selections on a ranking of alternative solutions that include an identification of potential risks and mitigation plans, and a stakeholder analysis that includes mitigation and contingency strategies. You should also incorporate the ethical implications of your solutions into your selection.…
Catholicism was the main religion so it made it easy for Boccaccio to use religious satire and humor in his stories. In the story of Saint Ciapelletto, Boccaccio’s first story drew its humor from a religious criticism, “the issue with lying…
First, consider Guido da Montefeltro story: Guido, once a Ghibelline military strategist critical in the sacking of cities, became a friar to ameliorate the public’s opinion and try to achieve martyrdom. Pope Boniface VIII, however, required Guido’s help sacking the Ghibelline fortress Palestrina, and convinced Guido into helping him. Dante recognizes that Guido’s attempt to repent was fraudulent, and thus places him in hell. Repentance, according to Dante, must be sincere and complete; the repentant must suffer, bleed, and genuinely repent for their actions. Guido only repented to improve his “image,” and thus, when he was tested he followed his passions. Guido furthers this idea when he damns the high priest; when Guido damns the high priest he also damns himself and reveals that the conversion was not genuine, but a publicity stunt. Capparelli's actions are remarkably similar to Guido’s. Caparello, like Guido, changed his appearance to convince others that he was worthy of heaven—like Guido, he was not. Caparello claims that he “confessed at least once a week, is virgin even as when [Ciappelletto] issued from [Ciappelletto]’s mother’s womb, ” and that he fasts “at least three days in every week, taking nothing but bread and water,” which directly contradict Panfilo’s early claims that Carpello “was a profuse blasphemer of God and His saints, as fond of women as a dog is of a stick” and that he was “most…
Throughout the history of Christianity, there have been many documents displaying stories of martyrs. The word ‘martyrdom’ is derived from the Greek martyrein, meaning ‘to bear witness’. In Christian understanding this has meant witnessing to Christ and to the Christian faith, even under pain of death at the hands of others. Most of these reports show martyrs as men, who demonstrate courage and honor in the face of those challenging their commitment to their faith. The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicity expresses the account of two female Christian martyrs in 203 A.D. and their personal reflections in reaction to their oppression. Perpetua’s memoir reveals an insight unto her life and how these two model—in the mist of persecution—striving towards freedom against their family blood and male oppressors. Gender roles have played a huge role in society as far back as written history goes. Perpetua was not confined by how she was supposed to act as a woman and took a traditionally masculine role in several situations. Perpetua did not value her femininity as strength, rather she shed it and deliberately masculinized herself to be strong; upholding the false idea that the only way to be heroic is to be like a man. This story reflects about beliefs of the early church in correlation with the experience of a female martyr and provides insight into how the male-dominated culture of that time biasedly interpreted the actions of courageous Christian women merely as characteristic of men: Women can take on a masculine role for the sake of God to the point where they “become men” in the eyes of Christianity.…
Since medieval times people have been manipulating other people using religion. In the Canterbury Tales, the author describes a Friar and a Parson who on the outside it is likely to assume have very similar morals. When the story continues, the reader discovers how corrupt the Friar truly is. It becomes obvious the Friar is only interested in the money, while the Parson works honestly for his religion.…