Modern Challenges in Christianity
Randal D Dillow
REL/134 World Religious Traditions II
Professor William Sunday
April 13, 2015

Modern Challenges in Christianity

We are all familiar with the Christmas story: the child in the manger, the young mother, Mary, and her husband, Joseph, seeking shelter in the stable where they warmed by the breath of the beast. The word “epiphany” is used to commemorate the event of the wise men coming to the child; it means a showing forth, an unveiling. But what the “gospel depicted is not the revelation of a powerful king surrounded by a splendid court, or of any such symbol of power, which the world might recognize and respect. What is shown is a child, a week, and helpless infant in his …show more content…

When Diocletian demanded a renunciation of Christ, thousands went to their death in a most cruel fashion rather than deny this belief. The formulation of this dogma was more than an exercise in theology; it was a living act of faithfulness to the World made flesh. The faith of the Church was then sealed in words in the formula of the Nicene Greed. Its doctrinal formulation declaring Christ’s true divinity was the product of more than 300 years of costly faith. This creed, in the form it was given at the Council of Constantinople in 381 A.D., is recited as a profession of faith after the Gospel at Mass in Catholic worship every Sunday, and in many Protestant churches, too. The Greek and Roman pagans of the early era of Christian history were not so much perturbed by the idea that God could take a human form; after all, this is how they depicted their own gods. But they were absolutely startled by the idea that Christians actually believed in a Supreme Being who was willing to surrender his power and suffer an ignominious death for man kind. To them such an idea was absurd. But Christians did not believe it was absurd. Too many of them died for it. They believed that God laid down his life for them. Their whole faith, life and dedication became a response to this extraordinary truth. God became a man like us in all things but sin. All of human nature, with its weaknesses and proclivity to evil, was ennobled and dignified by the intimate touch of the divine