Final Exam

Final Exam

[Name of the Writer]

[Name of the Institution]

Final Exam

Prompt 1

Dr. Dillenberger’s book Martin Luther: selections from his writings is an intensive study of Martin Luther King’s writings. Luther King is considered one of the greatest reformers of America. He stressed upon the American society to develop a direct relationship with God instead of using pope as a broker. Thus, he claimed that the modern Americans should renounce church and study Christianity to develop their innate ethical soul. Dillenberger calls him a reformer who helped America to shift from mediaeval faith to modern faith. Luther King disregards ethics taught by the clergy and believes that way to God is following Christianity after personal research and practice of Christianity (Luther, M. 2011). He claimed that all the ethics that are defined and imposed by the religious monarchs are flawed and they are used to exploit masses. John Dillenberger’s book is an attempt to Martin Luther King’s theology of ethics.

Womanist Theological Ethics: A Reader is a case study on the women of America. The focus of this book is African American or negro women. Negro women are the most exploited community in America. They have been being exploited physically, sexually, and theologically. It means that they are subjected to follow what role is defined for them (Cannon, K. G., Townes, E. M., & Sims, A. D. 2011). They were exploited by the White masters being described as second-class citizens, and they were exploited by their family men with the titles of sisters, mothers, wives, and daughters. This is the argument of Womanists who demand full freedom for African American women because they believed that the defined roles minimized the scope of their intellect and productivity. This movement caused a shift in the lives of African American women. The similarity between the two books is that they both are studies of American negroes and comprehensive studies how shifts occurred in the lives of Blacks in America.

Prompt 2

Introducing Catholic Social Thought by J. Milburn Thompson is an attempt to socialize Christianity in America. The book’s author believes that Christianity is the final refuge of this land and it should be taught to every American adolescent. But prior to teaching this religion to the new generations, we need to explore the social thought of Catholic church to make it an attractive religion for all (Thompson, J. M. 2015). . The book is a kind of didactic writing that believes that the masses should be harmonized by teaching them one religion. Modern era in the sight of the author is in chaos ethically, and ethics can never be taught but through a practical religious code.

George E. Tinker disagrees with this theory or claim in his book American Indian Liberation: A Theology of Sovereignty. He studies American history before colonization and then criticizes European colonization of America. He says that Europeans entered America to rule the land, but they totally disregarded the emotions and feelings of Native Americans. They were forced to submit before Europeans, but the more painful for them was to submit to European religion as well (Tinker, G. E. 2008). It was hard for them because the concept of divinity was different in their culture as it was in the European culture. They could not comprehend the European version of God (Jesus Christ) that led to their persecution (social, physical, economic, religious) at the hands of Europeans. The relation between the two books discussed under Prompt 2 is that one proposes teaching catholic religion to the citizens after updating the religion and introducing a version that is more social, whereas the other book tells the consequences of such attempts earlier in history.

References

Luther, M. (2011). Martin Luther: Selections from His Writing. Anchor.

Cannon, K. G., Townes, E. M., & Sims, A. D. (Eds.). (2011). Womanist theological ethics: a reader. Presbyterian Publishing Corp.

Thompson, J. M. (2015). Introducing catholic social thought. Orbis Books.

Tinker, G. E. (2008). American Indian liberation: A theology of sovereignty. Orbis Books.