Leadership Skills of Paul of Tarsus

Leadership Skills of Paul of Tarsus Carmel Gittens In the light of Romans, 1 Corinthians and Galatians, what sources of authority does Paul draw on to reinforce his case and what can be learned from the apostle in this respect for contemporary church leadership? Following his conversion on the road to Damascus, where Paul of Tarsus, one time persecutor of the followers of Jesus met with the risen Lord, he became the greatest defender of the newly forming Christian faith. His zeal and fervour once so attuned to ridding the world of this perceived threat to Judaism now turned to promoting the same. However, such was his dramatic and life changing meeting with Jesus, that Paul not only devoted his life to growing and nurturing early Christian churches, and spreading the gospel across the Mediterranean and beyond, but was willing to endure persecution and indeed martyrdom himself in the pursuit of his divine mission. It is widely held that Paul was uniquely equipped for this mission as he had many of the qualities needed for such an enormous task. In this essay, I will look at Pauls journey from persecutor to proselyte, a journey that took him many thousands of miles and one that required him to assert his message with conviction and authority. Paul would have to defend his teachings and the gospel he proclaimed in many varied and often difficult situations. To do this he used a variety of sources, for example, when Paul defends his apostolic status or challenges lax moral behaviour or advocates his gospel message he draws on his conversion experience, the Hebrew Scriptures, his finely honed and excellent rhetorical skill, and subsequent force of argument, to strengthen his case. Finally, I will look at how his leadership skills and methods may give us an insight into contemporary church leadership today. Let us first look at Pauls apostolic authority. There is no doubt that Paul claimed to be an apostle, and he certainly exercised authority, but when he did would he have claimed this to be as an apostle? He would not particularly have claimed that his authority came from his appointment as an apostle, but there are times when in defending his status he does assert his apostolic position. In the first two chapters of Galatians and in the letters to Corinth Paul hotly defends the position of being an apostle. In Galatians, some had argued that because he was not one of the original apostles appointed by Jesus he is somehow inferior to them, but more importantly as inferior to Peter. Of course, this is at the heart of the debate over apostleship. Pauls response to this was furious, he was furious with the old teachers who questioned his authority and tried to tie up the Christians with the old laws. But he was even more furious with the Christians for succumbing to their intimidation. Paul begins his letter with a strong and clear account of how his commission is not by vote of man, but God given. He continues to state how once James, Peter and John have recognised this they shake hands with him and Barnabus and assign them to a ministry with the non-Jews, while they continue with the Jews. He is stating here also that even as he rebukes Peter for certain practices that he thinks are out of line, Peter recognises his authority and equality with himself. In 1 Corinthians 9.1; 15.8-11 Paul asserts his right to be included as an apostle. He had after all seen the risen Christ, and the mission work he was doing with the Corinthians attested to his position (1 Cor.9.1-2) Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?2 Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. But this claim is not one that Paul constantly refers to. He actually only claims to be an apostle in Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians and Galatians. In both Corinth and Galatia some denied that he was an apostle so it is here in his letters to them that he launches his defence. But in Romans he speaks from the outset as being an apostle perhaps because having never personally visited these churches he wants them to be clear from the outset that the gospel he proclaims is on the same standing and has the same authority behind it as that proclaimed by Peter and the twelve. He does not however have to defend his position as much in Rome as he does in Corinth and Galatia. But rather he gently reminds in Rom 11.13: 13 I am talking to you Gentiles. In as much as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry. It is clear from this that Paul only therefore claims his apostleship when this has been called into question by others, and not on the basis that he needs this authority in order to be a witness to the gospel. Pauls self-professed authority comes from God himself via Jesus the Son. Paul claims this has come from his road to Damascus vision of Christ, and as such he believes that he speaks authoritatively as one the Lord trusts. For example, when speaking to the Corinthians on the subject of marriage (1 Cor 7.25) 25 Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lords mercy is trustworthy. Although he does at times directly speak of the Lords teachings; as when instructing about the proper way for the Lords supper to be celebrated (1Cor 9.14), 23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, he does not regularly use the words of Jesus but claims that his authority comes directly from the Lord e.g.,for building up not tearing down (13.10). Scuhz1 argues that Authority is the interpretation of power and for Paul that power would be the gospel He claims that the thing that makes Paul so authoritative is his ability to interpret the gospel. This act of interpretation unlocks the source of power in the gospel and thereby makes that power accessible to those who respond in trust and obedience to it. Pauls ability to be a vessel of this power to people is what establishes his apostolic authority. Because the gospel has both an initial and ongoing task to accomplish in the community, Pauls authority extends past the initial acceptance of the gospel and well into the intricacies of the communities everyday forms, patterns and practices. His right to speak to the communities he founded arises out of the foundational power which they both have experienced, the gospel that he both mirrors in his life experience and which he preaches. The restraint on apostolic authority has its anchor in the nature and meaning of that same gospel. Power through weakness. No egotistical or authoritarian style for Paul. His authority and leadership are informed, shaped and regulated by the paradoxical content of the gospel he preaches. see I Cor 1:18ff Bibliography Dunn, James D G (ed), The Cambridge Companion to St Paul (Cambridge: CUP, 2003), especially the essays in Part 3. Furnish, Victor Paul, Theology and Ethics in Paul (Nashville: Abingdon, 1968). Longenecker, Richard (ed), The Road from Damascus: The Impact of Pauls Conversion on His Life, Thought, and Ministry (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1997). Malherbe, Abraham J, Paul and the Popular Philosophers (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2006). Sampley, J Paul, Walking between the Times: Pauls Moral Reasoning (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1991). Kim, Sayoon, Paul and the New Perspective: Second Thoughts on the Origin of Pauls Gospel (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002). 1Schà ¼tz, John Howard, Paul and the Anatomy of Apostolic Authority (Cambridge: CUP, 1975).

The Invincible and the taking over of technology :: essays research papers

In recent years, new advances in technology have freed people from tedious tasks, enabling them to do more in less time. We have come to rely excessively on this technology, to the point that we may be giving computers too much intelligence and independence. If machines ever develop intelligence on a level that could challenge humans, will they find that the most efficient course of action for humans is removing them? Stanislaw Lem’s novel The Invincible tells of a race of robots that dwell on a planet and come to threaten the lives of a crew looking for their sister ship, The Condor. Robots were placed upon the planet millions of years ago and evolved according to the environment. They needed to destroy anything that would cause their species to discontinue, including humans. The Invincible proves that the advancement of intelligent machines will threaten our society one-day.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout history, humans have become fascinated with how far technology may someday take us. Works of science fiction through literature and entertainment have made it possible to uncover potential future developments. Levels of technological advancements are at an all time high, while computing power is set increase dramatically in coming decades. Gordon Moore, the co-founder of Intel, predicted, in what is now known as Moore’s Law, that the processing power will double every 18 months. This and the development of quantum computers may account for new tools toward artificial intelligence. Some have looked at this upcoming enhancement in artificial intelligence with anticipation and others with dread. Professor Hans Moravec, well known for his belief that machines will inherit the earth, believes that it is only the next logical step in evolution. Mechanical machines are capable of far greater learning and development and will therefore replace biological humans.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John Leslie, professor of philosophy at Guelph Univerisy, predicted a number of ways these intelligent machines may cause the extinction of mankind. The super intelligent machines may argue to themselves that they are superior to humans. They may also develop the theory that the only way to save humans, is to save us from ourselves. They may eliminate some of us due to overpopulation trends or disease.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although we do not currently possess the ability to create such complex intelligence, many who are studying this field have thought of ways to prevent an intelligent machine takeover. Isaac Asimov, a quintessential author of more than 500 science fiction works, developed a group of fundamental rules humans would give to intelligent machines in order protect themselves.

Family Planning Essay

Building a family is a shared responsibility between the husband and wife. They must learn about responsible parenthood. Responsible Parenthood is the will and the ability to respond to the needs and aspirations of the family and children. This means that the couple must be sensitive about the needs of the family and their children to be able to be a healthy family. It involves an adequate preparation to plan and decide the number of children they want and when to have them to ensure the health of the whole family. Hence, the community health nurse should make certain that the couples have the knowledge and services to make informed choices on timing, number and spacing of child bearing. The benefits of family planning are the following: 1. Family planning helps couples plan pregnancies that would be least risky to the health of the mother and the child. 2. Family planning helps reduce environmental problems like overcrowding which cause easy transmission of diseases. 3. Family plann9ing helps reduce the incidence of hereditary diseases like mental retardation, psychotic tendencies, blood disorders, etc. 4. Family planning helps especially low-income fathers to be less prone to suffer from illnesses such as hypertension, gastric ulcer, nervous disorders and communicable diseases. 5. Family planning helps the family members live healthy, more productive and fulfilled lives as each has been afforded the chance to discover and develop his potentials. 6. Family planning deduces the rate of population growth, thus enabling social and economic development.

Smoking Matters - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 583 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2019/02/05 Category Health Essay Level High school Tags: Smoking Essay Did you like this example? Smoking Kills. Two simple words to describe something horrible, yet millions of people in the world still continue to smoke. Smoking has plagued the world since it came out in the 9th century, and now the ever-prescence of cigarettes in the 20th century and new electronic nicotine vaporizers have made smoking more common than ever. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Smoking Matters" essay for you Create order Although the government views nicotine and tobacco as a legal drug, it still has many illegal sides to it; underaged smoking is at the highest ever with the introduction of electronic cigarettes. Smoking is seen in the world as normal, but there is an underlying epidemic of nicotine addiction and abuse. At a quick glance of this image, it seems like a normal cigarette advertisement with your usual Smoking Kills slogan on top. The focus is on the cigarette itself, as it is at almost takes up the entire photo. The angle of the cigarette is also important, as we can see what looks like bullets inside the cigarette paper. If the cigarette was shown at a horizontal angle facing away from us, we wouldnt have ever known there were bullets inside this cigarette. The photo uses two very similary but different common items to portray one common message. There is a cigarette, and the cigarette is loaded with bullets. The advertisement persuades us not to smoke. The advertisement cleverly brings up a question in our mind; What happens if we smoke that cigarette? The answer is clear, when we light up that cigarette, the bullets will shoot inside us and cause our death. This is use of logos, the picture is clear in depicting you WILL die if you smoke that cigarette. The next time someone who sees this advertisement opens up another pack of cigarettes, they will remember this picture and think otherwise. The intended audience for this advertisement is for both smokers and non-smokers. This will sway non-smokers from thinking about smoking, and for smokers it will make them think twice about smoking another cigarette. The advertisement also uses pathos to depict cigarettes. A bullet, something that is known to have killed millions of people, is put into the cigarette. This puts another perspective to cigarette use. Smokers will hopefully have a different feeling towards cigarettes the next time they light one up. The picture also uses ethics, that being the bullet in the cigarette. People behave quite scared when a bullet is mentioned, having that inside a cigarette will make smokers realize that tobacco can be as harmful as a bullet. Critiques might say that this advertisement will not do anything to sway the opinions of smokers, but this advertisement is so much different than any other tobacco prevention ads. It puts emphasis that there is only two ways to this situation; either you smoke it and die or you leave it and live. Aliyana uses â€Å"Red Herring Fallacy†. She distracts the audience from â€Å"why smoking kills† but puts more emphasis on how it kills you. Overall, this picture does a great job trying to divert smokers from smoking cigarettes. This advertisement will cause an emotionally appealing message; smoking is the same as taking a shot to the body. She takes the worthiness of cigarettes and puts it to shame, making cigarettes the equivalent to a gun with a loaded bullet. It’s just a plain white background with a cigarette and a common catch phrase for tobacco prevention advertisements, but there is so much more to this advertisement than to the normal eye.