week 15 - Video Essay Reflection behind the scenes (picture)

week 15 - Video Essay Reflection behind the scenes

I love making films; I have love editing clips into random videos, of crazy or interesting stuff. This project turned out to be a huge struggle due to a lack of adequate technology. In the past I was lucky enough to have access to adobe premier though my school which allows a huge advantage in editing options. I do enjoy projects like this but I did wait till the last minute, and I was on the retreat all weekend so feel like I was not able to put my full effort into the video.

However the process and idea behind the project is superb, I wish I could have more final projects like that. It was really interesting to see what people learned and gained from this class. I feel like I could have expanded more on the topic had it been something more like “the most fascinating aspect of this class was…”, not because I didn’t like the topic that was given, rather I felt like my experience in the class was one of review. I feel that had this class been my first exposition of the synoptic characteristics of the Gospels it would have been very life changing. I do remember what it felt like to learn that most of Jesus’ followers immediately believed him to be more humanistic and more of a teacher. I was surprised to learn the historical context of Jesus’ life. He was not the only man attempting to reform Judaism and call people to love. He was present among man self proclaimed prophets and teachers who held similar convictions, as well as some other radical ones.

I did learn from this class that there was a larger population of Jesus scholars who did not belong to the Fundamentalist movement; scholars who had actually attended prestigious universities. I knew of a few in the past I’ve read a book by a Jesuit scholar, Pierre Tielhard de Chardin, who did his work to rectify religion and the evolution of Humanity. I have also read the work of Karen Armstrong her recent book titled “The Case for God” in her novel she discussed much of the early life and evidence for the historical Jesus. Shortly after she dove into the metaphysical and faith based ideas surrounding faith life.

My video project was interesting because I had to choose an aspect of the class that didn’t truly stem from the content of the class but rather the arrangement of the assignments. It was very unconventional and I liked it. I admit some weeks the thought of a blog post made me cringe, however some weeks I feel that I could pour out ideas into my blogs. I was largely dependent on how I was feeling that week. Unfortunately my Video essay did  not come around at a good time for me. However I still feel like I was able to turn a good result despite the complications.

Week 14 - The Martyrdom of Paul

Week 14 - The Martyrdom of Paul

According to Marcus Borge’s the first Paul, Paul’s death is surrounded by uncertainty.  As stated by Borge the writer of Luke and Acts did not want and both of his books with a roman condemnation.  Judging by this fact and this fact alone it serves to follow that a book of acts would not end with the death Paul.  The roman Emperor Nero was in power at the time of the Paul’s death and it was overwhelmingly likely that Paul suffered a death similar that of many Christians at the time.  Emperor Nero used the Christians as a scapegoat for a mighty fire that destroyed nearly half of Rome.  History proves that Nero started the fire to begin with in fact it was a ploy to rally anti Christian support underneath him.  After this fire Nero went on a rampage massacring hundreds of Christians; yet they continued to survive.

I find that is quite Remarkable that finally after the Romans finished persecuting the Jews the Focus then shifts to the Christians. This actually leads me to understand that the beliefs of the religion had nothing to do with the executions and persecutions of the Jews or the Christians, but the power and Unity that the religions aroused in their peoples.

Christianity has Paul to thank for that.  Through walls efforts to Christian expanded throughout the entirety of Europe.  Paul’s Missions stretched all away from Spain back to Rome and even parts of Jerusalem.  It can be understood that because of his widespread conversions by single man to Christianity in Europe and the Middle East was able to thrive under similar ideas.  This created a unity among all Christians whether not they realized it.  And thus when Nero began to persecute and execute Christians; no amount of propaganda physical violence, or threats could halt movement.

In many of Saint Paul’s letters, there is differing evidence concerning the location and manner of his death.  The most common image that we think of is near a summoning Paul to have him be headed.  However it is far more likely that Paul was just another death among the many Christians who died under Nero's reign.

I find it really interesting that Paul’s death was not separated from that of many other Christians.  Because his death is not separated Paul; is put on the same level as any other Christian martyr.  Because of this to communities that Paul established are able to better identify with Paul, as well as many communities after that.  To this day and Christians can identify more with Paul than they can with Jesus because he is more human.