Holy Grail Outline

Christopher Cain, professor and expert in Old English and Medieval Scandinavian literature and culture, published an essay analyzing the relationship between Beowulf and the Old Testament, as well as the presence of paganism in this poem. In the essay, it is noted that “the general tone of the poem and its ethical viewpoint are decidedly Christian;” the poet relied heavily upon the Bible, as can be evidenced by “allusions to Cain, the Creation, and the Deluge,” which are all Old Testament allusions (Cain). The characters themselves also serve to represent Christian ideologies, though references to Germanic culture appear frequently. For instance, this is embodied in the scene where Beowulf is fighting to rid Heorot of Grendel, and “Beowulf recognizes it to be God's will that determines the outcome of the fight—” not his own strength (Cain).

The Epic of Gilgamesh has been known to Christians ever since the nineteenth century and has brought great mystery to its existence allow me to explain why. The similarities shared between the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Book of Genesis are astounding. Now as bad as I want to list them all out for you its better if we go one by one. so the Book of Genesis is a recollection of stories from the bible pertaining to the story of Noah and the great flood, Gilgamesh is a similar story in some sense except the entire story isn 't based off this one event. The Book of Genesis starts with n named Noah living during one of the worst times in human existence, where mankind is corrupted by wickedness and sin, he is the closest thing to perfect in this imperfect

The Anglo-Saxon era is the beginning of modern English literature. The story of Beowulf was passed down orally for hundreds of years before it was written down by a Christian monk in 700 A.D. The story of Excalibur is a chivalric epic written in the Medieval era that shares some values with Beowulf. The characters in these stories have both similar and dissimilar traits. Beowulf, Sir Gawain, and King Arthur all show the qualities of heroism and honor, but Sir Gawain and King Arthur do not have the superhuman strength of Beowulf.

A large portion of the characters in the ballad—the Swedish and Danish regal relatives, for instance—compare to real chronicled figures. Initially agnostic warriors, the Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian trespassers encountered a huge scale transformation to Christianity toward the finish of the 6th century. Despite the fact that still an old agnostic story, Beowulf in this manner came to be told by a Christian writer. The Beowulf artist is regularly making careful effort to trait Christian musings and intentions to his characters, who as often as possible carry on in particularly un-Christian ways. The Beowulf that we read today is consequently presumably very not at all like the Beowulf with which the principal Anglo-Saxon groups of onlookers were well known.

Through “Utopia” he carefully crafts an argument for this reform by creating the Utopian’s belief system in a way that is is similar enough to Christianity to be relatable for his readers, but also different enough so that readers are forced to challenge their own ingrained beliefs and ideals. In this fictional society More upholds fundamental elements of Christianity, like the existence of a singular, almighty God as, like Christians, the majority of Utopians believe in a “single power, unknown, eternal, infinite…and diffused throughout the universe, not physically, but in influence”(More 634). Qualities that are associated with classical doctrine and depictions of God like sovereignty, etherealness, and omniscience are retained in the Utopian’s beliefs. However, while these ideas are associated with the divine, they are not limited to the Christian interpretation of God and are instead attributed to an entity called “Mithra”, a divine being that’s meaning is interpreted by each individual(More 635). Such an idea would directly correlate with humanist principles, as it suggests that each person has their own valuable interpretations to make about the divine, without straying from the fundamental principles of faith.

His propaganda against the practice of the Pope to have the authority to read and interpret the Bible only and make people believe and follow it. Luther said that everyone can and should read the Bible for themselves, and have their own conclusion and faith. He had a strong criticism about the church's wealth, called its leaders corrupt and immoral. He strongly disagreed with selling indulgences and simony, when people after facing and regretting their sins had to pay large fees to be able to get to haven instead of hell. This was a e very old “tradition” of the Catholic church, but by the 16th century it became abusive.

For many adherents, religion is holy and pure, rising above the concerns of everyday life, while politics is exactly the opposite, grubby in a way that displays the worst aspects of human nature. But although faith and government might not seem like a natural marriage, squaring this relationship is precisely what Jean-Jacques Rousseau and James Madison try to do in On the Social Contract and Memorial and Remonstrance, respectively. Madison and Rousseau wrote barely two decades apart, and they reviewed much of the same historical information in preparing their analyses. Therefore, one might think that their political philosophies, and thoughts on religion, would align closely. However, they actually have key points of disagreement; namely, Rousseau wants the state to play an active role in religion, whereas Madison does not.

When it comes to knowing and learning the religions of the world one must approach them with a critical mind. One cannot simply just believe every religion and know have their own view points. David Van Biema presents his ideas about Christianity and Jesus in “The Gospel Truth?”. Van Biema’s main point is about how “Matthew, Mark, Luke and John… is notoriously unreliable,” . Van Biema writes about how one cannot be completely sure about whether to believe if Jesus actually said what is written in the bible, he continues to say that Jesus may even be an “imaginative theological construct” .

Judaism only uses the Old Testament. Christians believe that Jesus is the only way to Heaven because He died on the cross for our sins and made a gateway to Heaven (John 14:6). The roman religion is tremendous difference compared to Christianity.

Also worth noting is that the poet who wrote Beowulf did not write the poem from a first hand perspective but as someone who grew up hearing tales of monsters and heroes, a person who straddled an era of history in which pagan traditions were fading, but not entirely absent, to a new Christian religion. Fact and physical artifacts may tell that a man once existed in a land but it can tell nothing of how that man felt, myth however

Because of its complicated origin, Beowulf has elements of both pagan Germanic culture and Christianity. The story of Beowulf probably originated as an oral tradition sometime in the 7th century. But the only surviving manuscript of Beowulf was written in the 11th century by Christian scribes, who either inserted the Christian overtones to the story, or were working from a manuscript set down by previous Christians who added the Christian elements. Suffice it to say that the resulting Beowulf is like a pagan story wrapped in Christianity. This results in some strange inconsistencies.

With the books having such a worldwide fan base it is shocking to know that many fans don 't know of the series many hidden themes. Themes of over coming difficulties, Finding ones self in the mist of all the chaos, and the most prevalent theme, the fight against good, evil and knowing about the absolute sacrifice. Most associate the Harry Potter series with magic and death, but in reality the books have many hidden christian themes. When one first reads the books it would appear that this young boy wizard and Jesus Christ could never have anything nothing to do with one another – but in actuality they have more than one could ever imagine.

Biblical allusion is amongst the most common types of allusion. Writers use this type of allusion to endorse emotional reactions from the readers. An avid user of this writing style is Ernest Hemingway. In The Old Man and the Sea, Hemingway alludes to Christianity a number of times, from the injury of the man’s hands to carrying a mast up a hill, one who has studied Christianity would have no trouble making these connections. Furthermore, another author that has included this allusion in their writing is F. Scott Fitzgerald.

In the novel, Arrow of the Blue Skinned God, Jonah Blank tells the Hindu epic, the Ramayana, as he travels across India in the footsteps of the protagonist, Rama, comparing and contrasting the modern Indian values with those found in the text. In doing so, Blank questions the duality of good and evil, as do most Indians who read the epic, coming to the conclusion that good and evil are one in the same. This view, in turn, is compatible with the Hindu views of dharma. All things are a part of the cosmic order that is dharma, and if one follows one’s dharma, he is virtuous, with moralistic ideas like good and evil just being different perversions of virtue. Rama is a man that is bound by his dharma more than any other in this epic.