Monasticism Essays - Asceticism, Monasticism, Monk, Hermit

Monasticism Monasticism, literally being a hermit, has come to describe the way of life pertaining to people living in seclusion from the rest of the world. These people are under religious promise and subject to a fixed rule, as monks. The basic idea of monasticism is total isolation from the rest of society. The method they have adopted, no matter what the precise details may be, is usually organized asceticism. If the ways of monasticism were taken in a broad enough sense it may be found in every religious system that has attained a high degree of ethical development, such as Buddhist, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim religions, and even in the system of the communistic societies at our present time. Throughout my learning in class, I have come to understand that the monastic way of life is an ascetic one, but I do not believe saying the earliest Christian asceticism was monastic is correct. Considering the circumstances in which the early Christians were placed, for the first century or so of the Church's existence the idea of living apart from the congregation of the faithful was out of the question, it was seen as nearly impossible. However, I find myself certain that monasticism, when it came, was little more than a group of ideas previously in solution among Christians. For asceticism is the struggle against worldly principles, even with such as are merely worldly without being sinful. The world desires and honors wealth, so the ascetic loves and honors poverty. If he must have something in the nature of property then he and his fellows shall hold it in common, just because the world respects and safeguards private ownership. In like manner he practices fasting and virginity that thereby he may repudiate the license of the world.

GREENEST CAMPUSES essays

GREENEST CAMPUSES essays Role of campuses in Environmental protection Environment protection is one of the most burning issues these days with people complaining about the negative effects of various business and social activities on ecology. In this connection, green movement activities and environmentalists around the globe are urging people to pay closer attention to the consequences of many activities with may even appear harmless on the surface. Urban areas are the special victims of environmental destruction. Orr (19991) writes: "It is becoming increasingly apparent that our present environmental crisis is evidence of a prior failure of mind and perception- which is to say, a failure of education. The loss of species, topsoil, rain forests, and impending climate change are not primarily technological problems or even economic ones. They are first and foremost about how we think about the world we inhabit". However while we do know how cities are contributing to destruction of ecology, we simply fail to understand how colleges and universities could also be playing an influential role in this connection. Louisiana Tech or any other institution needs to understand that role educational institutions can play in saving the environment. Tech must therefore closely follow the example of other institutions in this connection. Noel Perrin in his article on the issue clearly describes the green programs of various universities and colleges thereby showing their contribution to ecology preservation. Some people may argue that Louisiana Tech doesn't need to participate in such programs for it is not contributing to environment destruction. However this is a completely illogical viewpoint because only there are many different ways in which colleges and universities contribute to environmental problems. for one we must keep in mind that tech would certainly be a better place if it implements some sound green progra...