Thursday, April 15, 2010

What are some good research topics for religious tolerance?

The Cathars, Joan of Arc, and Savonarola

What are some good research topics for religious tolerance?
This is an interesting breakdown in which toleration takes place within the church but not to other religions:





*** g83 11/8 p. 8 Today’s World—Tolerant or Indifferent? ***





Ecumenism—Tolerance or Indifference?





It can therefore be seen that today’s seeming toleration has very shallow roots in history. What, therefore, motivates the tolerant attitudes prevailing today? Sincere recognition of the rights of others, or religious indifference?





The Roman Catholic Church is of the latter opinion. The Catholic Encyclopedia states the matter bluntly: “Toleration came in only when faith went out.” Says this same work: “The Church would therefore seem to be strangely inconsistent, for while she claims toleration and liberty for herself she has been and still remains intolerant of all other religions.”





To illustrate this, at the Ecumenical Council Vatican II, which ended in 1965, the Roman Catholic Church for the first time in history recognized the need for religious freedom. But a careful reading of Paul VI’s official declaration on such freedom reveals that he was more concerned about freedom for the Catholic Church in countries where it is threatened than about freedom for non-Catholic religions. And the present pope’s insistence on Mary worship and clerical celibacy indicates that his concept of ecumenism is for Protestants to come back to the bosom of the Church of Rome.





As to the present-day ecumenism, in which the Protestant and Orthodox World Council of Churches is prominent, The New Encyclopaedia Britannica states: “The ecumenical movement of the 20th century has been attempting to contribute to overcoming church division precisely through clarification of the nontheological factors.” (Italics ours.) In other words, the ecumenic movement is seeking to unite the churches on all matters except spiritual ones. It deals with social and political questions. The World Council of Churches allegedly provides funds for “liberation movements” in various countries. Recently the Salvation Army withdrew from the WCC, accusing it of being guided “by politics rather than the gospel” and of providing financial support to guerrilla movements. It is therefore quite evident that the doctrinal tolerance of the ecumenical movement is, in fact, a sign of doctrinal indifference. On the other hand, its political involvement is certainly not helping to endear it to certain political governments.
Reply:I'd recommend a yahoo search and see what you can come up with.
Reply:Go to religioustolerance.org, they have a TON of stuff about religions all around the world.





As for suggestions, homosexuality is always a good one.


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