Christian Reflection Paper

Christian Tradition course exposed me to the Christian Tradition based on Biblical and church history. The course taught me the differences and similarities of Christian Tradition from other major world religions. I learned about the significance of God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the Trinity based on the teachings of the Bible. The course also briefly covered 2,000 years of church history but with emphasis on the impact of the Council of Nicea, Council of Chalcedon, and John and Charles Wesley on Christianity. The professor emphasized the importance of the reformation that sparked a revolution in the church.

The course began by distinguishing Christianity from other major world religions both in similarities and differences. Major religions included Judaism, Buddhism, and Taoism just to name a few. All religions are similar in that they believe in a higher power. They have doctrines and teachings about salvation and a code of conduct for living. Christianity is unique in that the people believe in theism. Theism is the belief that God created the world and actively rules over and cares for the world. Christians also believe in deism which is the belief that God is absent in the world that he created but allows his creation to develop with direct interference and no revelation or miracles. Another belief that makes Christianity special is the belief in pantheism. Pantheism is the belief that God and nature is one and the same. All these distinctions make Christianity the most unique religion compared to other major religions.

The course emphasized the significance of God. God created the earth, heavens and living creatures of the world. God also created the first people on earth, Adam and Eve who bought sin into the world. God is father to his children or people that believe in him. He is caring, eternal and infinite. He asks us to trust him and ask him for forgiveness when we sin. His forgiving ways are revealed in Genesis 3 when he looks for Adam and Eve after