Topic outline
UNIT 1: GOD’S NATURE AND ATTRIBUTES
Key Unit Competence:
Assess different theistic views on the nature of God and the related lessons
to enhance unity, solidarity and mutual respect.Introductory activity
Human inquiry about the nature and attributes of God has never ceased in
the course of time, some related God to what they are, to what they fear or
to what they hope to be. According to you, basing on religious experience
as a beliver what do you understand by God, what characterizes his nature
and action for all creations? How does God’s nature influence people
actions and attitudes?The human mind has a very difficult understanding on who is the cause of
everything while Himself is caused by none. This is what philosophers and thinkers
refer to as “uncaused cause”. The experience teaches us that everything came
from something else, and whatever exists must have a cause that was before
it. When somebody asks himself or herself, “Where did God come from?” he/
she presupposes the knowledge of the concept of cause and effect. The idea of
source and origin are already firmly fixed in the mind of every individual. From a
very early age, everyone intuitively knows that everything around him came from
something else, and he/she simply extends that concept upward to God. The
concept of God is hard to grasp, since it introduces a category with which He
is totally unfamiliar.The Nature of God: God’s nature means His characteristics, His attributes,
His qualities. “I read somewhere that man can not really know anything about
the nature of God.” This means that God is beyond our experience.We can
not know Him with only our mind, if He does not reveal Himself to us. From the
begining, God has spoken to our ancestors and revealed Himself to them as
eternal, almighty, and righteous. God continues to reveal Himself to everyoneof us today as merciful, protector, and savior. This unit will discuss generally the
nature of God and qualities that He shared to human beings that help them to
live in close relationship with Him.1.1 Communicable and non communicable attributes of
GodLearning activity 1.1
1. Using various sources of information explain the qualities of God
identified from following passages.
– Exodus 15:11-13: “Who among the gods is like you, Lord?
Who is like you? Majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working
wonders? You stretch out your right hand, and the earth swallows
your enemies.”
– Isaiah 55:8-9: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither
are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are
higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and
my thoughts than your thoughts.”
2. Basing on your christian and personal relationship with God, who is
God to you/ to your family?
between Him as the Creator and mankind as His creatures. Some of
these attributes are love and wisdom, mercy, knowledge, power, honesty,
helpfulness, goodness, truth, and compassion. These communicable
attributes find their fullest expression in God but can also be displayed
on a smaller scale by His human image-bearers. They also regulate the
relationship between human beings themselves. For example, when a
person forgives the offender, manifests the attribute of mercy and pardon.
When a person tells the truth, she/he reflects the attitudes of truth of His
creator, These attributes are on the lower level in comparison with the
Incommunicable attributes.God’s attributes are not independent but interconnected and interdependent.
They are shared by all the three persons of the Trinity. God neither gains nor
loses attributes. Because God is a one being, it is impossible to divide Him into
parts, so as to separate His goodness from His wisdom. Instead, each attribute
describes the others; for example, God’s holiness is immutable, omnipotent,
and eternal. God’s attributes have crucial implications for our day-to-day lives.
Hence, an accurate understanding of God is foundational to know Him, serve
Him, and become like Him.A. Incommunicable Attributes of God
All theistic religious teachings agree on the attributes of God and the most
supreme being who does not have neither beginning nor end. The following are
some attributes that are reserved for God alone.• Infinite Nature and Self-Existence of God
One of the attributes that most distinguishes God from mankind is His infinite
nature. The word infinitude or infinity refers to His eternal self-existence. God
has always been in existence: In the beginning, God was present (Genesis.
1:1). God is everlasting and His rule over the universe is everlasting (Isaiah
40:28; Psalms. 93:2). He created heaven and earth. He is Alpha and Omega
(Rev.1:8) He is the Lord who was and is and is to come (Revelation 4:8-9).
Human beings and other creatures have a beginning and have an end. They
have time and place of origin. God does not have a time or place of origin; He
is the source of All Things. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the
end.The finite universe owes its existence to the infinite God. God is eternal. This
means that before the creation of time and space, the triune God existed eternally
without anything or anyone else in the universe. He created everything we see
because of his own glory. God’s act of creation therefore displays His love and
majesty. God is the source of all life. Because He is completely self-existent,
He is not caused by or dependent upon anything outside Himself (John 5:26).
As His creatures, our physical life, spiritual life, and even eternal life with Him, all
have God as their source (Acts of the Apostles 17:28).
Scripture indicate that all things are “from him and through him and to him”
(Romans. 11:36). This can be expressed in the following words:
– That all things are “from Him”: God indicates that He is the source of
all things.
– That all things are “through Him”: God indicates that He is the means
of all things.
– That all things are “to Him”: God indicates that He is the goal of all
things.All human beings are Children of an Infinite Father and are made to live in
fellowship with Him. The greater our understanding of who God is, the more our
own hearts become filled with contentment and satisfaction in Him. Through
his words in the Bible, He always invites us to bring all our concerns to Him
and trust Him with everything. However, compared to His greatness and self-
sufficiency, all things in our lives are small; yet, He invites us to come to Him
anyway. God does not need us or the rest of creation to survive. We glorify
and bring Him joy for our interest. He is All-sufficient. Do not think that God
created people because he was living lonely. By nature, God has no source,
while other creatures came from, are ruled, permitted and controlled by Him. He
is a sovereign God (Ephesians 1:11).Omnipresence and Omnipotence of God
– Omnipresence of God
The concept “omni” comes from a latin word which means “all”. Human beings
are limited by space and time. When confronted with coincident demands on
our time, we often excuse ourselves by stating that we can not be in two places
at once. God, however, is everywhere at once. The biblical teaching of God’s
omnipresence demonstrates that there is no place in heaven or earth, nor the
entire universe, where God is not present in the fullness of His being (Psalms
139:7–10; Jeremiah 23:23–25, Joshua1:15; 1 Chronicles16:34; Psalms
33:11; Hebrews 13:5). He is also present in all hearts and in our livesThe doctrine of divine omnipresence teaches that God is at the same time present
in every part of the universe. As a spiritual being, God does not experience spatial
constraints and is not barred from any location. Moreover, when God is present
in all places, He is present in the fullness of His being. God is everywhere and
at the same time because of his spiritual nature. Scripture attests that God rules
from the highest place and His influence is everywhere.
Christians in all places and times can trust that their God is in absolute control and
is actively at work in their lives. The God who is exalted on high (transcendent) is
also present with His people (immanent). Scripture affirms God’s commitment
to His creation and His people. So God accompanies His people in the valley
of the shadow of death (Psalms. 23:4). God is present on earth and in heaven
(Deuteronomy. 4:39). God dwells both in the high places and with the humble
and lowly (Isaiah. 57:15). God will be with His children to the end of the age
(Matthew. 28:20), never leaving or forsaking them (Hebrews. 13:5).In our daily christian life, the doctrine of God’s omnipresence offers tremendous
encouragement telling us that God is with us in the midst of trial and adversity.
God is committed to His people and never forsake them. Since God alone is
omnipresent, Satan is spatially finite and we must rely upon God’s power and
presence in spiritual warfare.Again, the doctrine of divine omnipresence also offers a grave warning to those
who oppose God. They can never flee from Him. It is also a warning to those
who experience God’s common grace but do not respond in faith. They will one
day experience divine punishment.– Omnipotence of God
The term “potent” means “powerful”. God is Almighty. The power of God is
unlimited (Ephesians 1:18-23; Hebrews 6:18; John 10:17-18; Psalms147:5;
Ephesians3:20-21; 1Peter 5:6; John 15:5; Genesis 17:1; John 32:17; Matthew
19:26.The Omnipotence of God is linked to His supremacy: the greatness, the power,
the glory, the victory and majesty of God (1Chronicles 29:11-12). God has also
ability to care, to guide and to protect his creatures: which is His providence.
God is then our refuge and protector. Humility, respect and to live peacefully are
the values that should characterize us.To say that God is sovereign is not to say merely that He is stronger than everyone
else, although this is true. Rather, to call Him sovereign is to ascribe to Him a
rule and authority that transcends space and time, leaving nothing outside its
scope as the biblical passages highlights it (Psalms 33:1–22; Psalms 93:1).
God’s reign and sovereignty mean his rule and reign over all things. He is most
powerful and has the authority over everything. All things belong to God and
exists for His Glory. Therefore, in all circumstances, God is at work for the glory
of His name and the good of His people (Romans. 8:28).
– Omniscience of God
God possesses perfect knowledge. Therefore, He has no need to learn. He has
never learned and cannot learn “All knowing”. It is impossible to hide anything
from God, visible or invisible (Proverbs 15:13; Psalms 33:13; 1Chronicles
28:9). The knowledge and wisdom of God supersede that of human being.
God is wise at the level He devises perfect ends and to achieve that ends by
the perfect means. So God makes no mistakes (Romans 11:33). The following
are important things for knowing more about the Omniscience of God:
– God’s knowledge is intuitive, not discursive. Human knowledge comes to
us by way of observation, reasoning, comparison, induction, deduction,
and so on. In other words, we learn. But God’s knowledge is intuitive,
by which is meant that it is innate and immediate. Therefore, God does
not learn: He simply knows. He neither discovers nor forgets.– God’s knowledge is also simultaneous, not successive. He sees things
at once and in their totality, whereas we know only as the objects of
knowledge are brought before us, one bit after another. With God the
act of perception is complete and instantaneous. God thinks about all
things at once.– God’s knowledge is independent, not dependent. He does not receive
his knowledge from anyone or from anything external to himself.– God’s knowledge is infallible, not subject to error. As Ronald Nash has
said, “Divine omniscience means that God holds no false beliefs. Not
only are all of God’s beliefs true, the range of His knowledge is total; He
knows all true propositions”. God is always correct in what he knows.– God’s knowledge is infinite, not partial. “Known unto God are all His
works from the beginning of the world” (Acts of Apostles 15:18). God
knows exhaustively all his own deeds and plans. He also knows us
thoroughly and exhaustively. No secret of the human heart, no thought
of the mind or feeling of the soul escapes his gaze. (1 Chronicles.
28:9a; Proverbs. 15:3; Psalms. 69:5; 139:1-4; Isaiah. 40:27-
28; Ezekiel. 11:5; Jeremiah. 17:9-10; 1Kings 8:39; Matthew. 6:8; Acts
of Apostles 1:24; Hebrews. 4:13; 1 John 3:20.)– God has exhaustive foreknowledge over all things that come to pass,
including the morally accountable choices made by men and women.
God alone declares what is to come. God alone knows the future, for
God alone has ordained it. The truth of God’s omniscience should
affect our worship and adoration of him.
– God’s knowledge of the secrets of our hearts should have a profound
influence on our personal and practical holiness: If a man’s conscience
easily follows something that is sensible under the knowledge of God,
temptations have no encouragement to come near him that is constantly
armed with the thoughts that his sin is booked in God’s omniscience
– The knowledge of God is fearful of sin. It is also the foundation of
comfort and assurance. If God is omniscient, then he knows the worst
about us, but loves us notwithstanding! The apostle John writes: “This
then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our
hearts at rest in His presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For
God is greater than our hearts and He knows everything” (1 John 3:19-
Holiness and Immutability of GodHoliness of God:This attribute refers to God’s majesty and His perfect moral purity. There is no
sin or evil thought in God at all: pure and righteous in the entire universe. God
is separated from sin. God is also incorruptible. God is Holy. From Isaiah, this
holiness is explained in God’s infinite majesty and glory (Isaiah 6:1-5). Other
text related text are 1Peter 1:16, Psalms 22:3; Isaiah 57:15; Revelation 6:10;
John17:11; 1Samuel 2:2; Psalms 77:13; Luke1:49ss.The Hebrew word translated into English as “holy” primarily indicates separation
or the act of setting apart. The Holiness is one of the most prominent attributes
of God. It highlights His separation from creation as the infinitely superior One
and His absolute moral purity (Exodus 15:11; Isaiah 6:1–7).The holiness of God surpasses everything that exists. God is therefore distinctly
and infinitely superior to His creation and His creatures. To say that God is holy
is to ascribe to Him kingly majesty (Exodus. 15:11; Psalms. 22:3). i. God’s glory
is too difficult for human beings to behold or comprehend. The church is at its
strongest when it recognizes and honours the holiness of God.God is completely without sin or moral blemish hence his all of God’s decisions
and judgments are perfect. Being totally and infinitely Holy, God is not neutral
toward good or evil. God takes delight in all that is true, worthy, and upright.Because God’s very nature is one of purity, He loves sinners but cannot tolerate
sin. It is only through the righteousness of Jesus Christ that guilty sinners can
be reconciled to God.
Immutability of God
“I am the Lord, and I do not change that is why you descendants of Jacob are
not destroyed” (Malachi 3:6). God is always the same yesterday today and
tomorrow. God is unchangeable in His being. This attribute shows the quality
of the unchanging nature of God (Isaiah 46:9-11; Ezekiel. 24:14; James1:17;
Psalms 3:11; John17:15; 2 Timothy1:9; Numbers 23:19). In our daily life, we
must develop the value of honesty.In human experience it is hard for anyone to go a day, even an hour, without
changing in some way. Our actions, plan, desires, thoughts and emotions are
in a constant state of changing. God, however, never changes His mind or His
course of action in the world. The biblical view of God’s immutability, showing
how His character, word, plan, and salvation never change (Psalm 102:25–28;
Isaiah 14:26–27). God neither lies nor takes back what He has said (Number.
23:19).Fallen human beings, on the other hand, tend to twist the truth, change their
minds, or mislead others intentionally or unintentionally. Even human laws
change, but God’s Word stands forever (Isaiah. 40:8). d. Jesus taught that it
would be easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for a single stroke of
God’s law to fail to be accomplished (Luke 16:17).In all generations, God’s standards are the same, and His plan of salvation is the
same and unchangeable. God’s eternal decrees can never be altered. God’s
plan for salvation did not change. Though God’s redemptive work advances
throughout human history, His plan of salvation has remained unchanged. The
spiritual rebirth that believers experience is a new birth unto eternal life and is
not a merely short-term sample of divine favour. God’s promises to believers are
given unconditionally and with absolute certainty.Mercifulness of God
Both the Old and the New Testaments underline the merciful nature of God.
Sometimes the punishment of God went with His forgiveness. This can be
understood when one considers how God dealt with Israel as chosen nation
in several instances of their rebellion. God Himself declares, “For your God is
Merciful God, He will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with
your ancestors” (Deuteronomy 4:31)The mercy of God refers to God’s goodness. God is Merciful at the level our sins
cannot inhibit His good plan for us. Into the New Testament Jesus highlighted the
mercy of the Father where He invites us to do the same among us, “be merciful,
just as your Father is Merciful” (Luke 6:36). The mercy and kindness of God
cover the heaven and the earth and they are uncountable (Psalms 35:6; 57:70;
108:8; Revelation 4:3; Exodus 34:6; Micah 7:18; Isaiah 27:7; Lamentations
3:33; Jeremiah 44:22; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Job 10:15; Hosea 14:4; Psalms 51:1;
Romans 3:34; Deuteronomy 29:19-20). The values to be developed in our daily
lives are sharing, helping, tolerance, and empathy. God’s saving grace is super-
abound. There is no amount of sin that God cannot forgive.Mercifulness also means that, when we deserve punishment, He doesn’t
punish us, and in fact blesses us instead. Mercy is the withholding of a just
condemnation. Throughout the Bible, God gives many illustrations of His mercy.
For Christians, The fullness of his mercy was fulfilled in in Jesus Christ.Examples of God’s mercifulness:
– God was merciful to Solomon in 1 Kings 11:13.
– God was merciful to Israel in captivity (Psalm 106:45; Nehemiah 9:31).
– David illustrated God’s mercy when he showed kindness to
Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 9:7).
– God’s mercy was illustrated every year on the Day of Atonement, when
the high priest entered the Holiest Place and sprinkled the blood of the
sacrifice before the mercy seat (Leviticus 16:14).
– Another example of God’s mercy is found in Matthew 18:23–27. In
this parable, Jesus describes a rich ruler who was owed a large sum of
money. The ruler ordered that money be collected, but then the debtor
came and begged for mercy. The ruler, in turn, graciously forgives the
debt.Mercy is coupled with other attributes of God in Psalms 86:15, “You, O Lord,
are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love
and faithfulness”God’s mercy is originating from His love for us. He is merciful, because He is
love (1 John 4:8). As sinners, we deserve punishment (Romans 3:23). Since
God does love us and is merciful, He sent His Son (John 3:16). The fullness of
His mercy is seen in Matthew 27. Jesus is brutally beaten and murdered on our
behalf; Jesus received our just condemnation, and we received God’s mercy.
Because of His love, God wants us to be with Him. There is an inseparable
connection between God’s love and mercy. Jesus laid down His life and
became the sacrificial lamb (Isaiah 53:7; John 1:29) so that God’s mercy could
be extended to us. That is the ultimate act of God’s mercy (Ephesians 2:4–5).
To our eternal benefit, “mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13b).To the list of non-communicable attributes the following are also very inportant
– Sovereignty :God is the supreme being who answers to no one and
who has the absolute right to do with his creation as he desires (1
Timothy 6:15; Isaiah 46:10).
– Spirit :God exists completely and sufficiently as an immaterial being--
without physical characteristics (John 4:24; Luke 24:39).
– Transcendence :God’s transcendence is the product of the
relationship between God’s essence and creation. God transcends
space and time in that he is not dependent on them nor affected by
them (Psalm 139:7-10).
– Uniqueness :God alone is God. There is no one like him. He is
completely “other” than all things that exist (Isaiah 43:10; 44:6-7).B. Communicable attributes of God
Communicable attributes are shared to Humans because they were created in
the image of God. They regulate and keep the relationship between the creator
and Humans and between humans themselves.“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ
loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God”
(Ephesians 5:1-2).The Lord also has communicable attributes, or attributes that He shares with
human beings to at least some degree. Passages such as Genesis 1:26-27,
which teaches that we are made in God’s image, presuppose that there are
some things that human beings hold in common with the Creator that other
creatures do not. We are like God in ways that nothing else in creation is like
God, although we are not so like Him that there is no distinction between Creator
and creature. Furthermore, Paul’s exhortation to imitate God in today’s passage
also indicates that human beings, have the capacity to reflect the character of
the Lord and His attributes in who they are and what they do (Ephesians. 5:1).When we speak of God’s communicable attributes, we are referring primarily
to His moral attributes such as love, goodness, and kindness. In one sense, we
must not forget that there is a basic incommunicability of even these attributes,
for insofar as such things as the love and goodness of God are infinite, we
cannot imitate them. Nevertheless, because we bear God’s image, there is a
manner in which we exhibit these attributes by way of analogy. For example, the
kind of love we have as creatures is not identical to the kind of love our Creator
possesses. However, at the same time, our love is not wholly dissimilar, such
that there is no point of contact whatsoever with the love of God. Our Creator
loves truly that which is lovely. As regenerate people, we possess the capacity
to do the same.Consider also God’s attribute of holiness. The holiness of God encompasses
several concepts, including the fact that He is inherently set apart from creation
and that He is morally pure, without any hint of darkness or sin. We cannot
possess holiness in the sense of being inherently set apart from creation;
however, by the renewing work of God’s Spirit, Christians are continually
purified over the course of our lives (1 John 3:3).Space prohibits us from studying all the Lord’s communicable attributes. We
close today with a brief look at wisdom. Our Creator is the “only wise God”
(Romans 16:27), but in His grace, He shares His wisdom with us. In our
fallenness, we are foolish creatures, but our Lord has given us His Word, by
which He grants us wisdom by His Spirit (Proverbs. 1:1-7).
– Goodness: Being good can only be understood in relationship to God
and his character. Humans can be good in relation to one another, but
their standard is subjective. Therefore, true goodness is understood
in light of the revelation of God in his Word. We can emulate the
goodness of God, but we can never be perfectly good.– Justice :Where God always does what is perfectly right according to
the law, we do not behave perfectly. We can be lawful, and in so doing
we emulate the perfect justice of God.– Knowledge :Where God knows all things (1 John 3:20), we only know
partially. Our knowledge is incomplete and always will be incomplete.– Love :God is love (1 John 4:8) and expresses his love perfectly through
Jesus. Because we are touched by sin, our expression of love towards
others will always be tainted. But we are still able to express it.– Rationality : God’s mind is perfectly rational since all that God
possesses in knowledge and wisdom necessitates his perfect thought.
We, on the other hand, are imperfectly rational. Our conclusions and
deductions are not always correct. They cannot be since we are
affected by sin and do not have all knowledge.– Mercy : God s merciful.Mercy is not getting what we deserve. We
can exhibit mercy to others though we do not always do it properly and
perfectly.– Speech : We can speak and communicate. This is an attribute we
possess, but our communications are never perfect. An attribute of
God is his speech. He said “let there be light” (Genesis 1:3), and it
was so. God always speaks truth, and it contains power. Our speech
is not always true, nor does it contain the same creative power as God’s
speech.
– Truthfulness :Truth is a quality where statements properly reflect
actuality, but it is also a quality of character possessed by God. We
can be truthful, but our ability to be truthful is damaged in part because
of our lack of all knowledge and also because of our sin.– Wisdom :People are capable of expressing wisdom, which is the
proper use of knowledge. But this is best done in light of scriptural
revelation. We can possess wisdom but not perfectly. God, however,
possesses wisdom perfectly and always makes the right decisions as
well as the best ways to accomplish his decisions.The standard for true love, wisdom, kindness, justice, and so on is the character
of God Himself. This means that we cannot define these moral qualities without
reference to the Lord and that we cannot base our understanding of these
qualities on the way the world understands them.Application activity 1.11. With clear examples differenciate communicable from
Incommuncable attributes of God.
2. Eplain how the following attributes are communicable and show
the their importance to humanity.
a) Goodness
b) Truth
c) Knowledge/wisdom
d) Jusitce
e) Love1.2 Oneness and Trinity of GodLearning Activity 1.2Read the following Biblical textract and answer the following questionsAfter Jesus finished saying this, “I have made you known to those you gave
me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me. They
have obeyed your word, and now they know that everything you gave me
comes from you. I gave them the message that you gave me, and they
received it; they know that it is true that I came from you, and they believe
that you sent me.... Father! May they be in us, just as you are in me and I
am in you. May they be one, so that the world will believe that you sent me.
I gave them the same glory you gave me, so that “they may be one, just
as you and I are one”, so that “they may be completely one”, in order
that the world may know that you sent me and that you love them as you
love me. John 17: 20-23.
– Basing on the two bolded sentences what is the pray of Jesus
about?
– Basing on the content of the prayer, what is the relationship between
Human race, Jesus and God to whom the prayer is addressed?Christian views of oneness of God
God is the source and end of all things; uncreated, sufficient, necessary being;
infinite, immeasurable, eternal; all-present, all-knowing, all-powerful, creator,
redeemer, and consummator of all things; immanent without ceasing to be
transcendent, Holy One present in our midst; absolutely free, self-determining,
spiritual, responsive; whose operations are incomparably good, holy, righteous,
just, benevolent, loving, gracious, merciful, forbearing,1. God’s creation. We recognize the invisible God and his eternal love,
power and glory by observing his visible creation. “For since the creation
of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by
the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that
they are without excuse” (Romans 1: 20).2. Divine revelation, which culminated into the incarnation of the Word
(Son) of God in Christ. “No one has seen God at any time. The only
begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him”
(John 1: 18). “Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the
one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him” (Matthew 11: 27). “And we
know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding,
that we may know Him who is true” (1 John 5: 20).
The Holy Trinity is one of the basic doctrines of the Christian faith. God
is ONE single undivided divine essence (being) distinguished in three distinct
Persons: God the Father, His Word/Wisdom (God the Son), and His Holy Spirit
(God the Holy Spirit). Unlike the divine essence, which is ONE uncreated and
unique, human nature is one but not unique because it is reproduced every time
a human being is born. The one triune God has existed since eternity’s past well
before his creation. He is eternal. He has no beginning and no end. There was
never a time when God the Father existed without his Word/Wisdom (Son) or
his Holy Spirit (life). God is accommodating his eternal truth to the limitations of
human language and mind, just as, for example, a human father must use simple
language when trying to explain something difficult to his child.Because of the single undivided divine essence of the Godhead, the three
divine Persons of the Holy Trinity have only one single will or energy. This
means that no one of the three divine Persons acts independently from the other
Persons. There is always mutual concurrence (John 5: 19; 10: 30).The three divine Persons are of the same one undivided essence, and have, by
their very nature, the same attributes without distinction pertaining to eternity,
will, energy, power, glory and authority. The distinction between them is based
on their hypostatic attributes (properties) which are incommunicable: the Father
– original cause, unbegottenness, and paternity; the Son – begottenness (from
the Father) and sonship; and the Holy Spirit – procession (from the Father).
God the Father does not make God the Son and the Holy Spirit any more than
a mother makes her child.Within the single divine operation, each Divine Person shows forth what is
proper and distinctive to him in the Holy Trinity: the Father is primarily but not
exclusively the creator of all (God above us). The Son (the Word/Wisdom of
God the Father) is primarily but not exclusively the one by whom all things were
made, and through whom redemption is effected (God with us). The Holy Spirit
is primarily but not exclusively the life giving and sanctifying principle (God in
us and in all creation). The one God is present in all the triune acts and out
workings.The Divine Persons are interior one to the other and, hence, receive nothing
from outside – but they are not confused with one another since they find
themselves within a perpetual movement and communion of being and love.
This total interpersonal communion intensifies the personal character of God
to the highest degree. The perfect unity of the divine Persons in the Holy Trinity
is based on perfect love characterized by complete self-denial. The concept
of egoism does not exist in this unity. The Holy Spirit, the third divine Person
of the Holy Trinity, is the comforter that establishes our communion with God.
Through the Holy Spirit, God dwells in the Christian believer. The Holy Spirit
progressively sanctifies and deifies the Christian believer in Christ. Through the
Holy Spirit, the Christian believer participates in the energies of God. We can
say that: the Spirit is God within us, the Son is God with us, and the Father is
God beyond us.It is important to emphasize the fact that a unipersonal god is an eternally lone
person confined within his own being with no other to love, cannot experience
the fullness of the interpersonal essential godly attributes of the exceedingly rich
communion, love and self-giving expressed from all eternity’s past within the
relationship of the three Persons of the Holy Trinity. The interpersonal attributes
of the Biblical God (e.g. love, communication, empathy, and self-giving) have
been expressed from all eternity within the relationship among the three persons
of the Holy Trinity.Biblical teaching on the Holy Trinity
The biblical teaching on the Holy Trinity is rooted in the Old Testament, which
points to it. Therefore, the Christian doctrine of the Holy Trinity is an elaboration
of traditional Jewish theology. According to some notable Jewish scholars, views
on the Holy Trinity were present among Jews of Jesus time.Christ, the promised Messiah, has spoken through the prophet Isaiah about
seven hundred years before His incarnation and birth (Come near to Me, hear
this: I - the Son, have not spoken in secret from the beginning. From the time
that it was, I was there, and now the Lord God (the Father) and His Spirit have
sent Me” (Isaiah 48: 16; 42: 1; Genesis 3: 22). “The Spirit of the Lord God (the
Father) is upon Me (the Son), because the Lord has anointed Me to preach
good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim
liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound”
(Isaiah 61: 1; 63: 7-10).In both verses, the Lord God is God the Father, and the Spirit of the Lord God is
the Holy Spirit. God appeared to Abraham in the form of three men. They spoke
to him as One, and Abraham worshiped the One (Genesis 18: 1-5, 9-19).
Abraham lived about 2000 years before Christ. The angels glorify God in the
heavenly realm by singing the hymn of the Three-Holies: “Holy, holy, holy is the
Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory” (Isaiah 6: 3b; Revelation 4: 8).The New Testament amplifies, clarifies, and emphasizes the doctrine of the
Holy Trinity. It affirms both the deity and the unity of the Father, his Word (the
Son), and his Holy Spirit, for there are three that bear witness in heaven: the
Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. “And the angel
answered and said to her (Mary), ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the
power of the Highest (the Father) will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy
One who is to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1: 35). “And the Holy
Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him (Jesus), and a voice came
from heaven which said, ‘You are My beloved Son; in You I (the Father) am well
pleased” (Luke 3:22; Matthew 3: 16-17; 17: 2-5; Acts 20: 28). The baptismal
formula affirms the divinity, the distinctness, the equality, and the unity of the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit” (Matthew 28: 19; 16: 15-17).The Father, the Son, and the Spirit are distinguished and all present at Jesus
baptism (Matthew 3: 16-17). St. Paul’s threefold apostolic benediction joins
together equally and distinctly the Christ (the Son), God (the Father), and the
Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13: 14). The Holy Spirit of God the Father declares the
Son: “By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus
Christ has come in the flesh is of God (the Father), and every spirit that does
not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the
spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in
the world” (1 John 4: 2-3). The Holy Spirit is a divine Person in the Holy Trinity,
who proceeds from the Father and is sent by both the Father and the Son, as
Christ said: “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the
Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me”
(John 15: 26; Colossians 1:13-16; Hebrews 1: 1-4). The unity of the triune
God is perfected due to the following:1. The three divine Persons of the Holy Trinity: the Father, his Word (the
Son), and his Holy Spirit are of the same one undivided divine essence.
They are of the same one undivided divine substance and nature.
2. Although there are three divine Persons in the Godhead, there is only one
will and one common energy in the Godhead. The Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit have only one and the same divine will, not three; and
only one divine energy, not three. Therefore, there can never be conflict
of wills within the Godhead. None of the three divine Persons ever acts
separately from the other two. They are one God, not three gods. Christ
said: “I and My Father are one” (John 10: 30).3. There is only one source in the Godhead: God the Father. He is the only
unoriginated origin in the Godhead. God the Son is begotten by God the
Father. God the Holy Spirit proceeds from God the Father.4. Each of the three divine Persons of the triune God dwells and exists in
the other two, without confusion or separation: “Jesus said to him, ‘Have
I been with you so long, and yet you have not known me, Philip? He who
has seen me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the
Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me?
The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the
Father who dwells in Me does the works” (John 14: 9-10).5. “God is love” (1 John 4: 8b). Ontologically, God is a being of absolute
divine love. Love is the very mode of God’s triune being as a unity. The
unceasing mutual perfect infinite divine love characterizes the personal
divine relations of the three divine Persons of the Holy Trinity. The human
desire for love reflects this divine reality.The Christian profession of faith which begins with God, for God is the First and
the Last, the beginning and the end of everything. For example, the catholic Credo
begins with God the Father, for the Father is the first divine person of the Most
Holy Trinity; our Creed begins with the creation of heaven and earth, for creation
is the beginning and the foundation of all God’s works. (CCC: 200) I believe
in one God. These are the words with which the Niceno-Constantinopolitan
Creed begins.The confession of God’s oneness, which has its roots in the divine revelation of
the Old Covenant, is inseparable from the profession of God’s existence and is
equally fundamental. God is unique; there is only one God: “The Christian faith
confesses that God is one in nature, substance and essence.(CCC 201) To Israel, his chosen, God revealed himself as the only One: “Hear,
O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.” Through the
prophets, God calls Israel and all nations to turn to him, the one and only God:
“Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is
no other.. . To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. ‘Only in the
Lord, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strengthThe Old Testament testifies that Jesus is God “Before me there was no God
formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me
there is no saviour” (Isaiah 43:10-11). “Is there a God beside me? yea, there is
no God; I know not any” (Isaiah 44:8 ). “Remember the former things of old: for
I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me” (Isaiah
46:9).The New Testament Testifies That Jesus is God “There is none other God
but one” (I Corinthians 8:4). “But to us there is but one God, the Father” (I
Corinthians 8:6). “But God is one” (Galatians 3:20). “For there is one God” (I
Timothy 2:5). “you believe that there is one God; you do well: the devils also
believe, and tremble” (James 2:19).
Definition of the doctrine of the Trinity Trinitarianism is the belief that there are
three persons in one God. This has been stated in various ways, such as “one
God in three Persons” and “three persons in one substance.” It holds that in
God are three distinctions of essence, not just of activity.• Islamic view on oneness of Allah (God)
Muslims worship the same God as the Jews and Christians,Allah but they
believe, above all else, that Allah, or God, is the sole divine deity, who does not
share his divinity with other partners. There are three traditional categories of
Tawhid: the Oneness of Lordship, the Oneness of Worship, and the Oneness
of Allah’s Names.Oneness of the godhead is the fundamental principle of all heavenly religions
and a specialty of the religion of Islam. Divine prophets called people to belief
in oneness of God and monotheism and prohibited them from polytheism and
duality. The Holy Prophet of Islam began his mission with monotheism and in
the first stage announced: Say ‘there is no god except Allah’.Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are all considered monotheistic faiths, but for
Islam, the principle of monotheism exists to an extreme degree. For Muslims, even
the Christian principle of the Holy Trinity is seen as a detraction from the essential
“oneness” of God. Islamic belief encourages absolute and strict monotheism.
The Arabic term Tawhid is used to describe this belief in the absolute Oneness
of God. Tawhid comes from an Arabic word meaning “unification” or “oneness”.Muslims believe, above all else, that Allah, or God, is the sole divine deity,
who does not share his divinity with other partners. There are three traditional
categories of Tawhid: the Oneness of Lordship, the Oneness of Worship, and
the Oneness of Allah’s Names. These categories overlap but help Muslims to
understand and purify their faith and worship.• Oneness of Lordship
Muslims believe that Allah caused all things to exist. Allah is the only one who
created and maintains all things. Allah is not in need of help or assistance over
creation. While Muslims greatly respect their prophets, including Mohammad
and Jesus, they firmly separate them from Allah. On this point, the Quran says:
“Who is it that provides you with sustenance out of heaven and earth, or who is
it that has full power over your hearing and sight? And who is it that brings forth
the living out of that which is dead, and brings forth the dead out of that which
is alive? And who is it that governs all that exists?” (Quran 10:31).
• Oneness of Worship
Because Allah is the sole creator and maintainer of the universe, it is to Allah
alone that Muslims direct their worship. Throughout history, people have
engaged in prayer, invocation, fasting, supplication, and even animal or human
sacrifice for the sake of nature, people, and false deities. Islam teaches that the
only being worthy of worship is Allah. Allah alone is worthy of prayers, praise,
obedience, and hope. Islam condemns all activities that are intended to worship
others God. Whoever is involved in idolatry commits a grave sin of shirk which
is unforgivable in Islam.• Oneness of Allah’s Attributes and Names
The Quran is filled with descriptions of Allah’s nature, often through attributes and
special names. The Merciful, the All-Seeing, the Magnificent, etc. are all names
which describe Allah’s nature. Allah is seen as distinct from his creation. As
human beings, Muslims believe that one may strive to understand and emulate
certain values, but Allah alone has these attributes perfectly, in full, and in their
entirety.Application activity 1.21. “God is one in Trinity”. Baisng on the clear and precise biblical text,
discuss this Christian affirmation.
2. Discuss the Islamic view of Oneness of God.1.3 Qualities from the Oneness and from other attributes of
GodLearning activity 1.31. Discuss the following Rwandese saying: Ijambo ryiza ni mugenzi
w’Imana.
2. Using various resources identify and discuss qualities that humans
have and are given by God himself to God.
3. What is the importance of the identified qualitiesGod created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male
and female he created them. Man occupies a unique place in creation and was
given special ability and duties in the world according to creation account. Of
all visible creatures only man is able to know and love his creator. He is the only
creature on earth that God has willed for its own sake, and he alone is called
to share, by knowledge and love, in God’s own life. It was for this end that he
was created, and this is the fundamental reason for his dignity, he is able to
taste the eternal attributes such as goodness, justice, truth, Love, Holiness and
perfection (CCC 356).Being in the image of God the human individual possesses the dignity of a
person which other creatures do not possess.. A human being is capable of
self-knowledge, of self-possession and of freely giving himself and entering into
communion with other persons. And he is called by grace to a covenant with
his Creator, to offer him a response of faith and love that no other creature can
give in his stead. God created everything for man, but man in turn was created
to serve and love God and to offer all creation back to him.It is man that great and wonderful living creature, more precious in the eyes of
God than all other creatures! For him the heavens and the earth, the sea and
all the rest of creation exist. God attached so much importance to his salvation
that he did not spare his own Son for the sake of man. Nor does he ever cease
to work, trying every possible means, until he has raised man up to himself and
made him sit at his right hand. “In reality it is only in the mystery of the Word
made flesh that the mystery of man truly becomes clear.St. Paul tells us that the human race takes its origin from two men: Adam and
Christ. The first man, Adam, he says, became a living soul, the last Adam a life-
giving spirit. The first Adam was made by the last Adam, from whom he also
received his soul, to give him life. The second Adam stamped his image on the
first Adam when he created him. That is why he took on himself the role and
the name of the first Adam, in order that he might not lose what he had made in
his own image. The first Adam, the last Adam: the first had a beginning, the last
knows no end. The last Adam is indeed the first; as he himself says: I am the
first and the last.• Unity of human race
Because of its common origin the human race forms a unity, for “from one
ancestor God made all nations to inhabit the whole earth”. The human race is in
the unity because it originates from one God. The unity of its nature, composed
equally in all men and women of different races, colours and nationalities made
of a material body and a spiritual soul; in the unity of its immediate end and its
mission in the world; in the unity of its dwelling, the earth, whose benefits all
men without discrimation, by right of nature, may use to sustain and develop
life; in the unity of its supernatural end: God himself, to whom all ought to tend
and to end. «This seems to be the law of human solidarity and charity”, without
excluding the rich variety of persons, cultures and peoples, assures us that all
men are truly brothers and sisers.The human person, created in the image of God, is a being at once corporeal
and spiritual. The biblical account expresses this reality in symbolic language
when it affirms that “then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. Man
or human race is therefore entirely willed by God”.In Sacred Scripture the term “soul” often refers to human life or the entire
human person. But “soul” also refers to the innermost aspect of man, that which
is of greatest value in him, that by which he is most especially in God’s image:
“soul” signifies the spiritual principle in man.The human body shares in the dignity of “the image of God”: it is a human body
precisely because it is animated by a spiritual soul, and it is the whole human
person that is intended to become, in the body of Christ, a temple of the Spirit.Man, though made of body and soul, is a unity. Through his very bodily condition
he sums up in himself the elements of the material world. Through him they are
thus brought to their highest perfection and can raise their voice in praise freely
given to the Creator. For this reason man may not despise his bodily life. Rather
he is obliged to regard his body as good and to hold it in honor since God has
created it and will raise it up on the last day.The unity of soul and body is so profound that one has to consider the soul to be
the “form” of the body i.e., it is because of its spiritual soul that the body made
of matter becomes a living, human body; spirit and matter, in man, are not two
natures united, but rather their union forms a single nature.Equality, interdependance between Women and Men
Man and woman have been created, which is to say, willed by God: on the one
hand, in perfect equality as human persons; on the other, in their respective
beings as man and woman. “Being man” or “being woman” is a reality which is
good and willed by God: man and woman possess an inalienable dignity which
comes to them immediately from God their Creator. Man and woman are both
with one and the same dignity “in the image of God”. In their “being-man” and
“being-woman”, they reflect the Creator’s wisdom and goodness.
In no way is God in man’s image. He is neither man nor woman. God is pure
spirit in which there is no place for the difference between the sexes. But the
respective “perfections” of man and woman reflect something of the infinite
perfection of God: those of a mother and those of a father and husband.God created man and woman together for complementarity and unity. The
Word of God gives us to understand this through various features of the sacred
text. “It is not good that the man should be alone. I will make him a helper fit for
him”. The woman God «fashions» from the man›s rib and brings to him elicits on
the man›s part a cry of wonder, an exclamation of love and communion: «This at
last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh”. All these biblical text show that
Men and women share the same humanity.Man and woman were made “for each other” not that God left them half-made
and incomplete: he created them to be a communion of persons, in which each
can be “helpmate” to the other, for they are equal as persons (“bone of my
bones. . .”) and complementary as masculine and feminine. In marriage God
unites them in such a way that, by forming “one flesh”, they can transmit human
life: «Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.» By transmitting human life to their
descendants, man and woman as spouses and parents cooperate in a unique
way in the Creator›s work.In God›s plan man and woman have the vocation of «subduing» the earth as
stewards of God. This sovereignty is not to be an arbitrary and destructive
domination. God calls man and woman, made in the image of the Creator «who
loves everything that exists», to share in his providence toward other creatures;
hence their responsibility for the world God has entrusted to them.The “mastery” over the world that God offered man from the beginning was
realized above all within man himself: mastery of self. The sign of man’s familiarity
with God is that God places him in the garden. There he lives “to till it and keep
it”. Work is not yet a burden, but rather the collaboration of man and woman with
God in perfecting the visible creation.Goodness / Kindness, Love and CompassionGod is holy; love, just, good, merciful, gracious, faithful, truthful, patient, and
wise. When we talk about being “conformed to the image of Christ,” this is
the list we are describing. These things show us how to reflect who God is
as Christ did. The more gracious I become, for example, the more I reflect
Christ, who perfectly images God.The goodness of God is one of the attributes of God, as well as a description
of His very essence. God, by nature, is inherently good, as Psalms 34:8 tells
us: “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge
in him.” He is the foundation of goodness and of everything good that humans
have or do towards their fellow men or nature. People can have good traits or do
good deeds, but goodness is not in our character. Our goodness comes from
God. God is good in perfect sense.The Goodness of God is evident in all His creations and accomplishments.
“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). We
cannot earn and do not merit His goodness. It is available to us regardless of
our station in life, and even though we are not worthy of it (Matthew 5:45). “He
causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous
and the unrighteous.” “The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has
made” (Psalm 145:9).Humans personalize goodness of God. It is not surprising to here people saying
“God is so good to ‘N’ or to me; this implies that He is good to each of us
personally, in ways that meet our individual needs. His goodness provides us
with benefits such as:
– It gives us the perfect model of goodness. By knowing God and
learning about His goodness, we recognize true goodness and strive
to do good things. “You are good, and what you do is good; teach me
your decrees” Pslams 119:68. We can look to God as the perfect role
model to teach us about goodness and how to do good things.– It assures us that God’s purpose for us is good. Just as parents want
good for their children, our Heavenly Father wants only good for
us. James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming
down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like
shifting shadows.” Humans should remember, however, that good
things may not always show up as happy experiences. Sometimes
good can come disguised as adversity or hardship, but God can use
difficulties for good, as we learn in Romans 8:28 “And we know that
in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have
been called according to his purpose.”– It offers us security and encouragement. We can depend on the
unchanging goodness of God. Psalm 51:2 says, “The goodness of
God endures continually”. God will always be good. His character
does not change. He will continue to be the creator of all things good
and we can be confident He will provide good things for us according
to His perfect plan.– It draws us to God. The purpose of God’s goodness is to draw us to
Him. For Christians, this was manifested in the highest degree when
God sacrificed His Son, Jesus, for our salvation n. Because of His
goodness we have been given opportunities to hear His word and to
claim eternal life by accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior.
The Goodness of God is the core attributes of our humanity of our Christian faith.
It is because of His desire for our good that He provided salvation through His
son. Everything God does is for our good. We can see proof of the goodness of
God all around us in the life-sustaining provisions He supplies from crops that
provide our food, to the very air we breathe. We can have goodness in us, and
even desire to do good, but true goodness comes from the One who is perfectly
good and wants good things for all people. Our goal should be to show the
goodness of God to others every day.Love
The love of God for his creatures is perfect and pure human of love is a reflection
of God’s love. Though to value love that two or more people reflect, family
members, or the relatives however, the perfect love is for God who did not even
spare his only Son for the sake of sins. This is the true and highest value of love.Generosity
Humans are perfect recipients of the good and perfect gifts of God, goodness
toward others means generosity. It means we recognize that God gives us good
things not so that they might terminate on us, but so that we might steward
them on behalf of others. God gives good things to us generously, risking no
loss in doing so. We, too, should give good things to others generously. We
should be generous with our possessions, our talents, and our time on behalf of
others because we see these good gifts as a means to bring glory to their Giver
instead of to us.Justice
God is just all the time. When humans cease self justifying motives and pursuing
their won interest, begin to have eyes for the needs of our neighbors. They turn
their attention toward securing justice for the weak and the oppressed. God
refers to himself as a “father of the fatherless and protector of widows” (Psalms
68: 4-5). As his children, we ought to carry this family identity into the spheres
of influence he gives us. Those of us who have any form of advantage must seek
to use it to benefit our neighbors.Mercy and forgiveness
God is perfect, slow to chide and swift to bless, he cleanses sins and become
as white as snow. He shows rain to good and bad people. In the same sense
humans sacrifice their bitterness and anger for the sake of extending forgiveness,
love. The vast mercy of God has fallen from our view. We must obey the will of
God for our lives to “be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36)
Truth and wisdom
God is truthful all the time. Truth and wisdom was communicated to humanity,
created in God’s likeness and image. God communicated to us his Truth. We
have a sense of truth though we can not know the reality and the future in the
perfect sense. Truth and wisdom allow to be in right relationship with God and
others. God’s truth is communal, given not merely so that the individual can live
in right relationship to God, but so that the individual can live in right relationship
with others. All humans have the idea of what is true and good. Living the truth
will inevitably prevent humans from falsehood, prejudices and will inevitable
enhance justice. Wisdom given to humans helps them to discern and judge
what is good and what is bad, right and wrong.God made us in His image (Genesis 1:27), which means He imprinted upon us
several of His attributes. This sets us apart from the beasts of the field and the
birds of the air (Genesis 1:28).Yet, God did not endow humans with all of His characteristics, hence why man
stands at a lower rank than even the angels (Hebrews 2:7). For instance, both
God and humans have an innate sense of justice (Proverbs 21:15) Although we
all share in this sense of wrong and right, due to our sin nature, we can have this
to a lesser extent or a polluted version thereof. In addition to a sense of justice,
God and humankind have the ability to love. For this reason, Jesus told us the
two greatest commands: love God and love our neighbor (Matthew 22:37-39).
Of course, we cannot exercise the amount of love God has for us. The Greek
even has a word for it: agape, unconditional, selfless love. Yet humans love
others in a deep friendship sense.Knowledge
God gifted us with our ability to think and know about Him. Without such
knowledge, we cannot come to know about God’s goodness and His saving
work.Reason:
God has given us the skills to reason and think logically, he created us with
reasons and conscience to think critically on matters and then take responsible
decisions. These decisions are taken with full will and consent. Humans should
see each other as brother and sister since the same God created them without
any discrimination. This implies the unity of human race. The basis for human
rights, human freedom and human dignity place above every creature in the
world. This helps humans to have a better place in the world and keep good
relationship between us and God and hope being as perfect as Him despite
human sinful nature.Application activity 1.31. Discuss how interdependence and complementarily between men
and women are willed by God?2. Compare and contrast the following human qualities in relation to
God’s attributes or Character: Goodness, justice, truths, kindness,
wisdom, peace, and Love.1.4 End Unit AssessmentEnd of unit assessment1. God is Omnipresent, Omniscient and Omnipotent. Discuss this
affirmation.
2. Identify and discuss exhaustively qualities that humans derived from
the attributes of God and their implication in the relationship of all
humans in the world?
3. God is one in three persons. Discuss.UNIT 2: RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND UNITY IN DIVERSITY
Key Unit Competence:
Evaluate the unity and peaceful co-existence among religious beliefs and
propose appropriate solutions.Introductory activity
Read attentively the passage below and then answer to the questions:
In Rwanda, are several religious denominations. Rwandans, though having
the same culture, they have different religious beliefs (e.g. Chatholic, Islam,
Presbyterian, Pentecostal (ADEPR), Anglicans (EAR), Restoration Church,
Orthodox, Seventh-day Adventists, and the traditional belief).
1. Why do you think there are several denominations and religions not
just one as the creator is one?
2. Write briefly, what you know about each religious belief mentioned
above. Which distinguishes it from others (distinctive doctrine).
3. Based on biblical references: John 4:6-15; Luke 9:49-50 and
Galatians 3:26-29, what are the christian values to be lived beyond
our differences?2.1 Different religious beliefs, teachings and religious
practicesLearning activity 2.1
1. Using various resources, discuss the fundamental religious teachings
of the religious beliefs you know.
2. Establish similarities and differences of these religious beliefs.
We find many religions in the world: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism,
Buddhism and traditional beliefs. In one religion, we find many beliefs or
confessions. In christianity, we find for example catholics, orthodox, and
protestants and different branches.2.1.1 Christian Beliefs
Christians believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ who died
because of people’s sins. All Christian denominations believe that Christ is the
Word of God incarnated. They confess He came to save them through his Death
and resurrection. He rose from the dead and appeared to the apostles who
became the witnesses of what they saw (Acts of Apostles 2:32). The Christian
faith came from the apostles’ who are followed Jesus Christ. The word of God
about Christ was written in the Holy Scriptures. Thus, christians also believe in
the written Scriptures to nourish their faith.By His death, Jesus wanted to destroy the wall of hatred and conflict that was
between the kingdoms, Judea and Samaria (John 4:6-15). He worked for the
unity of the twelve families of Jacob. Love for one another was an important
concern.Like Jews Christians have no fundamental reason to live in disunity with one
another. After all the one, they believe in is One! Salvation is universal for all
who believe and confess the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.We note that the name Christians was used at Antioch and it means the Disciples
of Christ, the ones who believe and imitate Christ (Acts of Apostles11:25-26).Today’s apostles are the gospel ministers who serve God in different churches.
Since the Pentecost event the Church is guided by the Holy Spirit as the Motor
and Soul of it who guides the operations of the church to be in consent with the
written Word of God.The following are major groups of Christianity:
• Catholicism (Roman and Orthodox Church)
The Catholicism is the large group of Christianity in the world and it is founded
in the common creed expressed in the following articles:Article 1: I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven
and earth. This affirms that God exists, that he is a Triune God known as the
Holy Trinity and that he created the known universe. God the father loves the
Son vice-versa and they communicate in the Holy Spirit. There are then the
relationships of Fatherhood, Filiation and of Love.Article 2: And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. This attests
that Jesus is the Son of God and that He’s most certainly divine. So the use
of Lord with Jesus is meant to profess His divinity. The name Jesus comes from
the Hebrew Joshua, meaning “God saves.” Catholics believe that Jesus is the
Saviour.Article 3: Who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born
of the Virgin Mary. This affirms the human nature of Christ, meaning He had
a real, true human mother, and also affirms His divine nature, meaning He had
no human father but by the power of the Holy Spirit was conceived in the womb
of the Virgin Mary.
Article 4: He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and
was buried. The human nature of Christ could feel pain and die, and he died
on Good Friday. The mention of Pontius Pilate (the Roman governor of Judea,
appointed by Caesar) by name means to place the Crucifixion within human
history.Article 5: He descended into hell. The third day he arose again from
the dead. The hell Jesus descended into wasn’t the hell of the hopeless, where
Jews and some Christians believe the devil and his demons reside. Jesus
possessed a glorified and risen body.Article 6: He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of
God the Father Almighty. The Ascension reminds the faithful that after the
human and divine natures of Christ were united in the incarnation, they could
never be separated. Sitting at the right hand of the Father means to be in glory
with the FatherArticle 7: He will come again to judge the living and the dead. This
article affirms the Second Coming of Christ at the end of the world to be its
judge. After the judgment there will be eternal life or eternal sufferingArticle 8: I believe in the Holy Spirit, this part reminds the believer that God
exists in three persons the Holy Trinity God the Father, God the Son, and God
the Holy Spirit. The Council of Constantinople 381 After Christian Era (ACE)
confirmed that the Holy Spirit is consubstantial to the Father and to the Son.Article 9: The holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints, the
Church is holy in the intension of the Founder who is holy. It is holy without
consider one member. It is holy because Jesus always uses the Holy Spirit to
sanctify it in the SacramentsArticle 10: I believe in one Baptism that removes sins, Christ came to save
the world from sin. Belief in the forgiveness of sins is essential to Christianity.
Even many forms of Baptism, baptism is one and it removes the original sin and
other sins and Christians became new creatures.Article 11: The resurrection of the body, the Resurrection of Jesus is the
proof that after death there is other life. The resurrection of bodies will occur in
order that the judgment takes placeArticle 12: And I believe in the life everlasting. As He rose, so shall
all human beings. Death is the only way to cross from this life into the next.
Catholics believe and hope the happiness, the heavenly life after judgment. This
life is prepared here on earth and the condition is the Faith and works of love
(James 2:14-26)
The Catholicism is made of two major groups: Roman catholic Church (
recognize the authority of the Pope as the universal Church leader) as well as
the Orthodox Church ( they rejected the authority of the Pope and are it is led by
a Patriarch). There are also some slight differences in the liturgical celebration
but the doctrine remains the same.• Protestantism
Protestantism originated in the time of reformation in 1517 (ACE) with Martin
Luther tried a reform in the church. He found out that the church had started
diverting the mission left by Jesus Christ. He published and defended what he
saw was a problem in the Catholic Church. Some of them are the following:
power of indulgences, the sacraments administrated in the church. Martin Luther
declared then the schism and the foundation of Protestant Church (reformed
church) in 1717.The protestant reform or the schism in general affected the society on two
sides. One side the unity of people was broken. Sometimes the loss of human
lives and infrastructures occurred. The hatred, poverty and conflict take places.
Other side, it became a good opportunity for the Church to evaluate itself. The
Council of Trent then was held to reform the Roman Catholic Church about
theology, discipline, and Sacraments.Major Branches of Protestantism in Rwanda
1. Calvinist Church: it came from teachings and ideas of John Calvin.
They resulted in what we know as the Presbyterians today. Presbyterians
are named for their view on church leadership-the Greek word for elder
is presbyteros.2. Methodist Church: founded in the USA in 1939 by a group of Episcopal
churches from North and South America. The Methodists got their name
because their founder, John Wesley, was famous for coming up with
“methods” for spiritual growth.3. Baptist Church: It was founded by individuals that support only the
baptism of adult people and not the baptism of infants. Baptists got
their name because they have always emphasized the importance of
baptism. This baptism must be performed in form of complete immersion
like the baptism administrated by John the Baptist. The Baptist church
was founded in Amsterdam in 1609 but their first congregation in North
America dated in 1938 by William Roger.4. Pentecostal churches: it is the church animated by the Holy Spirit. It
is the church that looked back to the Pentecost event (Acts of Apostles
2:1-13) and to take source. The Holy Spirit inspires it and allows the
members to prophesy.
5. Anglican Church: the term Anglican means Church of England. It
resulted from the misunderstanding between the Pope Clement VII and
the king of England Henri VIII. The king wanted to remarry Anne Boleyn
and to divorce Catharina of Aragon. The Pope refused to annul the first
marriage; the king declared then the Church of England to bless his
second marriage.6. The Seventh-day Adventist Church: Officially, the Seventh-day
Adventist Church was founded in 1863 from mille rite movements, a
group that had studied the prophecy of Daniel 8:14 and thought Jesus
was going to come for the second time in 1844. The Seventh day
Adventist Church uphold the Ten Commandments as found in Exodus
20:1-17, which include the seventh-day Sabbath as a day of rest. For
Adventists, the Sabbath is not only for Jews only but as a commandment
of God it also concerns all people who must keep it holy if they are to be
faithful to God (Matthew. 5:17; John 14:15, Revelation 12:17)2.1.2 Non-Christian World Religions:
The theistic religions have different ways and means of believing. Some of them
believe God’s salvation through mediator Jesus Christian (Christian religions)
while others believe the direct God’s salvation without intermediary (non-
Christian religion). Among non-christians there are also people who do not
believe in God at all. These are called non-theistic religions.• Judaism
It is a theistic religion of Jews, which means they believe in the existence of
supreme God who is transcendent. Together with Christianity and Islam Judaism
considers Abraham as their ancestor. The Jewish faith is based on the Torah,
the first five books of Moses.
The Jewish bible does not contain the New Testament because they do not
accept Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah. It contains three parts Torah/
Law (five books of Moses), Nebiim (Prophets) ant Ketubim (other writings). In
Judaism belief, the promised Messiah is still to come.• Islam
It is also a theistic religion. Islam means submission under Allah’s laws.
Muhammad, the prophet of Allah started receiving the content of the Qur’an
from 610 up to 632. Officially, Islam was founded in 622. Muhammad was born
at Mecca probably in 570. He went in Medina by exile. Fundamental beliefs for
Islam are the following:
– The oneness and unity of God (tahwid): the creator, sustainer,
ruler, and judge of the universe.– Prophets: Muhammad and the prophets of the Hebrew Bible, including
Abraham and Moses, and of the New Testament, Jesus and John the
Baptist.– Scriptures: God’s revelation was received in the Torah, the Psalms,
the Gospels and the Qur’an. The latter (in 114 chapters called surahs)
is approximately four-fifths the size of New Testament.– Angels: as part of God’s creation. They act as God’s agents and
serve Him by protecting humans, relaying His messages, or performing
different functions.– Day of Judgment: it includes the destruction of the world and all
creatures, resurrection of the body, and judgment, reward (heaven),
and punishment (hell) for all creatures.– Divine predestination: Muslims believe that Allah knows everything
event what will happen, and is responsible for everything.These core beliefs are completed by five required observances, which the Qur’an
prescribes all practicing Muslims accept and follow. These observances, called
“The Five Pillars of Islam”, include to believe, to pray, to give to charity, to fast
and to go on pilgrimage.
1. Shahadah (creed): there is no God but Allah, Muhammad is his Prophet
2. Salah (prayer): prayer five times a day
3. Zakah (almsgiving): an annual sum for the care of the poor
4. Sawm (fasting): observation of Ramadan the month of fasting
5. Hajj (pilgrimage): pilgrimage to Mecca once in a lifetimeThe following table shows some aspects of among Judaism, Christianity and
Islam.
• Buddhism
Buddhism is non-Chrisitian religion. It is based on teachings, traditions and
beliefs of Gautama Buddha. The name Buddha means knowledgeable one. He
said education is a guide, knowledge is a key. For Buddhists the purpose of
life is to end the suffering. Life is determined by Kharma: law of action or law of
cause and effects: suffering or good life are the effects of bad or good action.
Buddha fixed teachings called Dharma. They are cosmic laws and order: right
way of living including duties, rights, laws, conducts, virtues. The duties we
find in Dharma are self-control, humility, serving others, outcast. The Buddhists
believe also the reincarnation of the soul.• Hinduism
Hinduism is no-theistic religion. It originally come from India. They believe
in a supreme and absolute spirit called Brahman that is the world Soul. It is
considered as god creator. Other gods are Vishnu, god preserver, protector
and Shiva, god destroyer. They also have thousands of other gods in Hinduism
beliefs.The purpose of life in Hinduism is to join soul Brahman. The bad behaviour
for Hinduism means lower state of life, to be considered as an animal and orplant. The Tenets are beliefs and traditions of Hinduism. Among them there
are Dharma: ethics and duties, Samsara: Rebirth by cycle of death and rebirth,
Karma: right action, Moksha: liberation from cycle of Samaras that means to be
free from suffering in cycle of death and rebirth.
The old main document of Hinduism is Vedas. Apart from three main gods of
Hinduism there are thousands of other gods and Hindus worship spirits, trees,
animals, planets. Nirvana is the Highest state one attains. Stage of complete
freedom: good behaviours, intellectual ability, devotion thought, contemplation,
meditation, devotion to a favourite god. Suffering for Hinduisms is not punishment
but the result of action. The actual texts they use are called Shastra.2.1.3 Traditional Beliefs
The members of traditional beliefs know the real God. They believe also the
spirits and they use their power. Their faith is based on ancestor’s intercession.The ancestors are intermediary between God and living people. Example in
Rwanda: The cult of appeasing/pacifying the living dead is called Guterekera.
To consult the specialist of divination or prediction in order to know the cause
of misfortune is called Kuraguza. The cult of Lyangombe expressed by the rite of
kubandwa as a practice in which its adherents hope to live earthly happiness.The cult of ancestors is different from the cult of the Saints. The people practice
the cult of ancestors because they are afraid of then while the cult of the saints
is characterised by communion. The traditional beliefs have negative effects like
human sacrifice, wasting of resources, the immoral acts, etc. As positive effects
we can say that formerly for example the members of the cult of Lyangombe
lived with shared peace, unity, and honesty in the pact of love.To become a full member of Lyangombe required to attend the rite three times.
The first rite was to enter in the family of imandwa (Kwatura). The second rite
to emphasize the first (Gusubiza ku ntebe). The third was that the new member
become mature (Gutonora).Application activity 2.1
1. Discuss the fundamental religious teachings of the following
religious beliefs
– Christianity
– Traditional beliefs
– Buddhism
2. What do you think are the similarities between Chrisitianity, Islam
and Judaism?2.2 Significance of Religious Unity in Diversity
Learning activity 2.2
1. Christianity is based on the person and mission of Jesus. Discuss.
2. What can be the negative and positive impact of pluralism in
christianity?Unity in diversity is a concept which signifies unity among individuals who have
certain differences among them. These differences can be on the basis of culture,
language, ideology, religion, sect, class, ethnicity. Concerning religious beliefs,
though created by one God, people have various approaches and beliefs about
him. The most important element is to see the diversity as strength not as a
weakness and then strive for unity of humanity.
• Teamwork and cooperation
First of all, following Religious unity in diversity implies an interaction between
many types of individuals of various religious beliefs on various scales. Though
these individuals may have slight doctrinal differences among them, they have
common purpose which is helping people to live a meaningful live as willed by
the creator. In addition to this, all of them belong to the same family of humanity
and were created by the One God.Working together and cooperate is the most needed value in various religious
beliefs. This implies avoid and fighting against doctrinal extremism, terrorism
in the name of religions, solving conflict, and promoting sustainable peace,
tolerance for all as well as striving for common good for all humanity regardless,
religion, ethnic groups, races, gender sex, nationality. The team work can be
easily manifested even in the small instances for example in workplaces, schools,
public places, churches.Furthermore, this interaction would build up a tolerance in people. Hence,
people would respect the opinion of others. The true and genuine religious unity
certainly enhances the quality of teamwork and wellbeing for all. This is because
of the development of trust and bonding among people increases and people
interact, make dialogue and work together in efficient way.• Promotion peace
In the course of time, Religious beliefs have caused tension among the adherent
leading to conflict, terrorism and war. The examples are wars that were led in
the mane of defending a given set of beliefs to non adherent to this religion.
Religious unity is a tremendous tool for sustainable peace in the world since
the unity allows people of various religious beliefs, cultures and societies to
live together peacefully and harmoniously with conscience of respect of other
people’s beliefs, understanding one another and respect of human dignity above
all things irrespective of differences.• Respect of human dignity
Respect for human dignity is the driving force for morality and wellbeing in the
society. Before people see themselves in the mirrors of religion, race, ethnic
groups they have an obligation to understand that they belong to the bigger family
of humanity. This is the basis for fighting against any feeling or actions of racism,
discrimination, conflict and oppression. Jesus himself prayed for this unity of
believers in the following world:“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through
their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you,
that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent
me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one
even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly
one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you
loved me” (John 17:20-23).For the world to change and believe in good news, the adherent must be eager
to maintain unity of the spirit in the bonds of peace.• Interdependence and complementarily
All Religious leaders, Politicians, thinkers, scientist strive to create a more stable,
just and peaceful society. Humans vested by various capacities and talents
are interdependent one another. Religious believers also are interdependence
not only in matters of their theological teachings but also finding solutions
to challenges of live of everyday. For example fighting against global warmth
is not a responsibility of one nation or one Religious belief. This affects the
whole humanity. Religious believers need collaborative effort to fight against
this collective challenge. Unity of all Religions must be a commitment for all
to journey together is accomplishing the mission assigned by the creator:
Subduing the Earth.
Christians created a social movement whose aim is to strengthen unity of all
believers. This movement is called Ecumenism. The movement is based on
four aspects: collective challenges, common purpose, social solidarity and
sustainable interaction. The following part shows the commitment towards
human solidarity and unity by this movement:“We long for the visible openness of Christ affirming the gift for all, young and
old, Women and Men, lay and ordained. We expect healing of human community,
the wholeness of God’s entire creation. We trust in liberating the powers of
forgiveness, transforming enmity into friendship and breaking the spiral of
violence. We open ourselves for a culture of dialogue and solidarity sharing life
with strangers and seeking to encounter with those of other faiths” (Ecumenical
Review 1998: 267).The unity of all humanity is a solution to many global challenges that are affecting
the world in general. The differences and diversity should be seen as strength
not as a weakeness. Religous diversity is richness for humanity. Respect for
human dignity, solidarity, interdependance, teamwork and complementarity
should be enhance and strenghened so that all religious believers strive for
common good for all humanity.Application activity 2.2
1. In your own words, explain the meaning of unity in diversity and its
necessity in the world, particularly in Rwanda?
2. Discuss the significance of religious unity in diversity in the world.2.3 End Unit Assessment
End of unit assessment
1. Discuss fundamental teaching of the following Religious Beliefs:
– Protestantism
– Judaism
– Islam
– Traditional beliefs
2. Compare and contrast the teaching of Judaism, Christianism and
Islam in matters of beliefs and practices.
3. Assess the importance of religious unity in the world, particularly in
Rwanda.UNIT 3: BELIEVER’S COMMITMENT TO SOCIETY
Key Unit Competence:
Explain the link between religious conviction and responsibility in life and in
the society.Introductory activity
Mugisha is a Rwandan business person. He is also a religious man because
he is a member of a church near his home. He attends church services,
visits sick people, and gives offerings and tithes. On the other hand, he has
an account in one of the commercial banks located in the centre in which
he operates that he uses for payment of transactions in his various business
activities. He pays taxes to the government, attends the meetings organized
by local authorities, and never misses to participate in the community works
at the end of every month. Mugisha has a good relation with his neighbours.
He attends parties when invited and gives his contribution. His one car is
used to take sick people to the hospital whenever needed.
1. Based on the above description of Mugisha, what are the values that
Mugisha has?
2. Do you think that Mugisha’s commitment to his church and society is
very important and relevant to his life? Justify your answer.3.1 Role of the believer in society
Learning activity 3 .1
Using different resources: internet, English dictionary , religious books, and
other resources, describe the role of a beliver in society.
The Bible, Word of God, encourages believers to live godly before men so
that they could see God revealed in their lives (1 Peter 2:12). In verse 17 of 1
Peter 2, we are given a brief description of what a christian’s role in society is
to be. The Apostle Peter nicely mentions four roles that show how believers are
to relate to those around them. “Honour all men. Love brotherhood. Fear God.
Honour the king” (1 Peter 2:17).The main thought of this chapter is to live in submission to the authorities
around us. Considering the situation of our country, believers should not think
only in terms of paying taxes as if it were sufficient. Believers should invest their
money, time, knowledge and life, as well as anything else they may treasure, in
the interest of their country. A believer must know that his/her country and the
people around him or her are God’s gift to him/her and to his/her posterity. The
believer is part of society and as such he/she should cooperate with government
as well as other organizations such as rural and urban associations, in workingfor the well-being of the Rwandan people. Everything possible should be done
by the believers in contributing to the development of agriculture so that hunger,
one of the most enemies of developing countries, should be done away with.Beyond obeying laws and rules, believers should strive to live with respect and
honour towards others around them.God created people because He wants to have a relationship with them. The
Bible is written so that we can know God. Yet, when we do not respect and
honour others because of the creator who made them in His image, then we are
not showing respect to God.This does not mean we need to accept the sins of others. God does not tolerate
sin. He will punish it. Yet God calls us to love those around us. Love them
enough that we are willing to share with them the joy of knowing God’s Son,
Jesus Christ, as our Redeemer.It is a part of religious people’s duty to act in a moral way. This involves helping
others around them.Believers can support people who are going through difficulties, whatever
background they may come from.
Christianity began by preaching and practicing the ‘gospel of love and charity’
which included almsgiving and care for widows, orphans, slaves, travellers, the
sick, the imprisoned and the poor.
Driven by the love of Jesus believers went out and expressed their love for the
neighbour. The early disciples showed true mercy and compassion. Peter, who
had no silver or gold on his person, gave a crippled beggar what he did have:
the gift of health (Acts of Apostles 3:6). Tabitha (Dorcas) is cited as an early
disciple ‘full of good works and acts of charity’ (Acts of Apostles 9:36).Jesus taught the importance of helping others who are less fortunate:
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave
me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes
and clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you
came to visit me (Matthew 25:35-36).Relationship between a believer and his or her fellow Christians
Jesus said in John 13:35, “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples,
if you love one to another.”If we are to live according to 1 Peter 2:17 then we must live with love and in
harmony with God’s children. There is nothing wrong with having your own
group of friend with whom you would rather spend time; you should be in love
with everyone in the church. Begin with the people in your congregation. Learn
to love them for who they are in Christ. Extend that out to other Christians who
may have some differences from yours. For example those who may not dress
like you do or listen to the same music because our tastes and preferences are
different.This does not mean you blindly accept everything that comes along and claims
the name of Christ. We should be wise in what we accept (1 Thessalonians
5:21; 1 John 4:1-5). But we also should not push genuine christians away just
because they part their hair differently. Separation is necessary due to doctrinal
differences, not because of petty preferences.However, believers must understand they have a unique role to play in the
world as citizens and representatives of God’s unique kingdom. If they operate
according to the principles of this world, if they mistakenly believe that God’s
kingdom is established in opposition to worldly kingdoms, then they lose that
uniqueness.Believers as Salt and Light of the World (Matthew 5:13-16)
Jesus explained the unique role of believers in society by calling them the salt
and light of the world. “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its
saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything,
except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A
city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a
bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good
deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:13-16).Believers must be first to raise moral objections when the powerful oppress the
weak, first to expose injustice and corruption, and first to seek redress for the
oppressed and protection for the vulnerable. Of course, believers must be the salt
and the light not just in what they say, but also in their life example. To effectively
illuminate God’s standard of righteousness and justice; they need actions that
correspond with their words. Believers can be proud of their heritage in both
advocacy and action. For example, believers not only advocated for the abolition
of slavery in the United States but helped to establish the Underground Railroad
that helped slaves escape from Southern plantations.This advocacy on behalf of the weak goes on today as believers speak out
against illegal abortion on behalf of those who have the least voice of the unborn
children. Many others adopt children who need families, work to stop human
trafficking, bring hope to those in prison, and care for the poor and needy
because of their beliefs. In doing so, these believers act as salt and light helping
society see, hear, and understand the standard of righteousness and justice
found in the Bible.Role of the church in contemporary society
It is the duty of believers to help other people in the society. Religious people can
do a number of things to help unite local communities and to assist homeless
and poor people.Religion and community cohesion
Believers can also play an important role in community cohesion. This is very
important because we live in an increasingly multicultural and multi-religious
society. Christians believe that the church can be a stabilizing force for good
in a world that is increasingly unreligious. Often the church will seek to work
with other religious groups to help keep peace and harmony in the community
as religious leaders still have some influence in the areas that they work in.
Churches can do number of things to help promote unity within a diverse and
multicultural community.Application activity 3.1
1. Explain this statement, “Believers are the salt and the light of the
world.”
2. Describe the role of beliver to the community, the church and the
country.3.2 The concept of freedom
Learning activity 3.2
Using internet and dictionaries find the meaning of the concept of freedom
and the types of freedom.Definition of the term freedom
Freedom is having the ability to act or change without constraint. Something is
free if it can change easily and is not constrained in its present state. The word
‘freedom’ can have powerful emotive force, that is, the power to arouse strong
emotions. Its connotations are almost exclusively positive.For example, if you describe a group as ‘freedom fighters’ this suggests that you
approve of the cause for which they are fighting; to call them ‘terrorists’ means
you make clear your disapproval.Types of freedom
The following are the main types of human freedom:
– Freedom to be alive: it means that nobody can try to end your life.
This means that the Government has to take appropriate measures to
safeguard life by making laws to protect its people.
– Freedom of association or freedom of assembly which is the
right to join together with others peacefully to reach common goals
and express common opinions both in public and private. This usually
includes business groups or corporation, civic organizations, political
parties, and protest groups.
– Freedom of belief or freedom of religion: the right to change your
religion or beliefs at any time.
– Freedom of speech or freedom of expression: is the right to state
one’s opinions and ideas without being stopped or punished. Freedom
of speech is thought to also include freedom of information.
– Freedom of the press: is a promise by a government not to punish
journalists and other people who report the news for doing their jobs.
– Freedom to choose one’s state in life: this means the freedom to
have a nationality.
– Freedom from bondage and slavery: this prohibits people being
held in conditions in which the powers attaching to the right of
ownership are exercised.Biblical view of freedom for our lives
Freedom in the Bible begins as inner freedom from bondage to sin that leads
us to desire out freedom for ourselves and others. Inner freedom bears outer
implications.Redemption as a basis for people’s freedom
Christianity teaches that redemption in Jesus Christ gives freedom from sin bondage
When thinking about freedom, it is important to remember that redemption applies
to all of life. On a personal level we are redeemed from sin. On a corporate level,
we are also brought into a new community, the body of Christ (1 Corinthians
12:13). Redemption extends beyond the personal and the corporate to the
whole earth. Acts 3:21 says that God’s ultimate goal is the “restoration of all
things.”Freedom cannot be limited to inner transformation. On necessity, it must
extend to all life. Jesus not only preached and taught, he also healed people’s
body. People were freed inwardly and outwardly. Where Christ’s freedom is
experienced, the natural outworking is towards political, religious, and economic
freedom.Implication of the biblical view of freedom
Freedom from the bondage to sin, the Mosaic Law, death, and lies about reality
will inevitably push further and further out until it leads to freedom in all areas of
life. Here are seven implications for our lives from this truth.
1. Freedom is not autonomy or doing what you feel like doing without any
constraints. In fact, following Christ’s commands frees you to be more of
the person God created you to be.2. Freedom is within the context of Law. We are not under the obedience
to the Law as a condition of salvation, but the moral Law and Christ’s
commands give us a guide to know how to live and to love.3. We are truly free when we know the truth about ourselves and the world.
This means throwing off the lies and deceptions to which we are so often
captive.4. Salvation is not primarily political liberation. But God often intervened
when his people were oppressed by unjust totalitarian leaders (Exodus
and Judges, for example).5. Inner renewal often leads to outer consequences and renewal of the land.
6. The Bible does not prescribe one type of government but freedom
(political, economic, and religious) is consistent with (not contradictory
to) the Bible.7. Inner freedom inevitably drives toward outer freedom. You can have
political, economic, and religious freedom and still be in bondage to
sin. You can have inner freedom in an oppressed situation. Inner and
outer freedoms are the most ideal state for human beings (Micah 4:4).
Believers should be the freest to enjoy life and God’s creation, as long as
it is within the structure of how God has made us. We are not free from
God-ordained obligations, but we are free to live life as God intended it
to be lived.
Freedom in the Old Testament
There is a universal thirst for freedom. Throughout history people of all cultures
have sought it. The freedom in the Old Testament is presented differently.In the Old Testament, freedom was primarily a freedom from slavery. There was
provision in the Law for the freedom of Israelite slaves every seven years in the
sabbatical year. The previous “owner” was to be generous in giving gifts that
would enable these freed ones to set up a new life (Deuteronomy 15:12-13).In a larger sense, freedom was unstable for Israelites. God by his grace delivered
them from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 20:2; Deuteronomy 7:8). After reaching the
Promised Land, Canaan, they repeatedly needed to be delivered from foreign
oppression by the Judges.Time and again, a generation came along that didn’t know and follow the Lord
and a foreign conqueror would make their lives difficult until the Lord raised up
a deliverer. When God’s people were disobedient, they often lost their freedom.The Assyrian conquest of the northern kingdom (2 Kings 17:7-23) and the
Babylonian captivity of the southern kingdom (2 Kings 21:10-15; 22:19; 23:25)
are illustrations of this pattern. In later Judaism, freedom movements arose to
gain political freedom in order to allow religious freedom among other things.
This freedom was often referenced in the prophets. Jesus’ inaugural sermon
repeated this theme (Luke 4: 18-19). Isaiah 61:1 said: “The Spirit of the Lord
God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me, to bring good news to the
afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the
captives, and freedom to the prisoners.”This proclamation of “liberty” and “freedom” was a mark of the Messiah’s
message.Freedom in the New Testament
The predominant note of the New Testament is not political freedom but freedom
in Christ from bondage to sin, the Law, Satan, the old man, and death.It is not that political freedom or freedom from slavery was unimportant, but that
there was an even deeper bondage that had to be overcome first of all.The problem is that even if you were politically free, you could still be in bondage.
Human will is not at this present time neutral, but it is captivated by sin. Humans
by nature “love the darkness” and “hate the light” (John 3: 19:20). “And this is
the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness
to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things
hates the light and does not come towards the light.”Jesus speaks about this freedom in the classic verses in John 8:31-32: “Jesus
then said to those Jews, who believed him, ‘If you remain in my word you will
truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’”The scribes and Pharisees immediately respond to this statement of Jesus by
arguing that they are Abraham’s offspring and have never been slaves, so how
can Jesus say that “You shall become free?”Jesus responds that anyone who sins becomes a slave of sin, but “If therefore
the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).Jesus’ death and resurrection graciously applied to our lives liberate us from
bondage to sin so that we can live a redirected life.Freedom has its degrees according to the measure of their faith; and therefore
Paul, though clearly made free, still groans and longs after perfect freedom
(Romans 7:24).
The truth will make us free.
– We are, in our natural sinful state, captive to lies.
– We do not see reality as it is.
– We deny what we know deep down is true, “exchanging the truth of
God for a lie” (Romans 1:25).
– We live in a state of unreality. If truth is that which corresponds to
reality, then throwing off lies and deception frees us to see reality for
what it is. We see our own slavery to sin and can receive forgiveness
and new power to live in accordance with reality. We can be what we
were created to be. Truth leads to freedom.We are historical beings that have a past, present, and future. We do not reinvent
ourselves at each moment, but are influenced by past patterns and choices. We
are according to the old self (sinful nature) directed away from God, saying, in
effect, “My will be done.”In Christ, we are freed from this bondage in order to say “Your will be done.”
We are headed down a road away from God and have been turned around
180 degrees by God’s grace so that we are now pursuing our Lord rather than
running away from him.We were serving sin, but now we are serving Christ.
Application activity 3.2
1. What do you understand by the term freedom?
2. Explain what a person can do in order to be free from sin.3.3 Responsible freedom
Learning activity 3.3
1. Using English dictionary and internet define the following terms:
Freedom and Responsibility
2. What do you think can be the benefits of being responsible?Being a responsible person
Definition of the term responsibility
If we look at the etymological origin, the meaning of responsibility is not so much
related to the tasks performed or the obligations, but rather with commitment
involved.Becoming a responsible person means being able to consciously make
decisions, conduct behaviours that seek to improve oneself and/or help others.
Most importantly a responsible person accepts the consequences of his her
own actions and decisions.We can define a responsible person as one who accepts the results of the
decisions he/she makes. Oxford dictionary defines responsibility as “the state
or fact of being accountable or to blame for something.”This definition of responsibility emphasizes the need for the person to agree
with the negative consequences of his or her actions.Being responsible brings us many benefits. It can help you achieve your goals
and objectives in any area of your life. Responsibility allows you to create
principles, morals and helps you to lead your life. Being a responsible person
helps you to:– Be honest: When we tend to tell the truth and keep our promises, the
people around us will believe us and see us as an honest person.– Be more independent: Assuming the consequences of our actions
will help us make better decisions.– Be more reliable: by being responsible, we gain other’s trust and we
will also gain confidence in ourselves. Doing the right thing will make us
feel good. And even if we are wrong, we will be satisfied because we
know that we have done our best.The value of responsibility
Both families and schools teach their children to be responsible. The aim is to
educate in values and morals.It is clear that everyone wants a committed and responsible partner, responsible
children who do not get into trouble, responsible parents and teachers who take
care of the children, professionals who do their work responsibly.The reason of that is that having responsible people around us generates
confidence, gives us security. You will hear some people saying, “yes, he is a
responsible person, he will do it and things will work out.
This is one of the reasons why in our society, responsibility is so positively and
highly valued because it gives us security, confidence, and a certain stability.
How can I be more responsible?There is no magic formula that makes us more responsible. However,
responsibility can be trained.If you want to fulfil your purposes, your obligations, and commitments, what
you need is, to a large extent, predisposition and motivation. Here are some
guidelines for you:
1. Set goals: It is important to know what we do things for. Having a sense
and direction helps us to be consistent and to continue to do our duty. If
you think the goal is too long term, set small goals to achieve it. I advise
you to write them down. It sounds silly, but putting it on paper makes
them real. Writing your goals can help you be more responsible.2. Objectivity: What is under my control or up to me and what is not? Make
a list of the things that depend on you and you can control them. Your
attention must be directed to those aspects, for what does not depend
on you is not your responsibility.3. Routines: This means being organised. If it takes a lot of effort to
“get dressed”, it’s best to get organized. If you have a routine, you will
know what to do at every moment. But not only that, sometimes, knowing
how much time you have to put in the effort also helps. “Come on, it’s
only an hour of study before I go to the movies!”4. Rewards: Internal attributions come into play here. If you’ve reached
what you set out to do, why not admit it? It is your moment; give yourself
a pat on the back.5. Be honest with yourself: Have you failed; was it something that
you could control? Take responsibility, assume the consequences and
analyze what you could have done differently, how would you improve for
another time?6. Share your plans: I am not talking about posting on social networks.
No, I mean something more intimate. Talk to your partner, your mother or
your best friend and tell them what you are going to do, when and how.
This way they will ask and become more involved and there will be no
escape, you will have to comply.7. Operationalize: This means that the things you can take responsibility
for are actions. For example, picking up your room, delivering a job,
preparing food, etc. These are concrete behaviours that you can take
on as responsibilities and obligations to fulfil, but you cannot assume
responsibility for the consequences. For example, the teacher can give
you an A, people might like or not the food you prepared or flatter you but
this is not up to you. Therefore, specify activities and tasks that you have
the resources and willingness to do and get on with it.
True freedom is the highest virtue, and it is sought after by all who are, or consider
themselves to be, oppressed.Freedom is the opposite of being bound, the opposite of bondage. Bondage
means slavery. True freedom protects the freedom of others and acts responsibly
on behalf of others. True freedom is the unrestricted, uninhibited access to
pursue the specific area of one’s gifts and talents for the blessings and benefits
of others.True freedom demands greater responsibility, accountability, stewardship,
maturity, wisdom and character. We must learn that freedom is not the absence
of laws, but the embracing the divine law.Responsible freedom is a value to be acquired, a gift to be cherished, and a
quality to be cultivated. We are free only if we surrender ourselves to God. We
are free in the measure in which we are generous and unselfish. There are laws
of nature, society, state, morality and laws of freedom. These are necessary
limitations to our freedom, and it is best for us to know and accept them. Law
helps us organize our lives and guarantee the freedom. Real freedom therefore
is not restricted by law; in fact it can flourish only under the law. True Freedom
is being virtuous, free from anxiety, confusion, and fear, being brave and wise.
Responsible freedom in relation to othersResponsible freedom makes you see others as having their own choices and
decisions. You limit your own freedom because of love which means you pursue
the best for others.Responsible freedom affects thoughts about yourself and your behaviour. You
now see more clearly how many options and choices you have rather than
thinking you are powerless. In fact, you encourage, trust, and accept your own
freedom to make choices.However, because of people’s sinful nature, freedom is more often used
irresponsibly. They are free to treat others improperly, manipulate and dominate
them. In fact, one of the greatest misuse of one’s freedom is when he or she
fears others will be irresponsible with their freedom. That drives you to try to limit
their freedom.Responsible freedom versus Irresponsible freedom
In the same chapter where God tells you that He sent His Son to die for you to
set you free, He tells you to not use your freedom irresponsibly.“For you were called for freedom, brothers. But do not use this freedom as
an opportunity for the flesh; rather, serve one another through love” (Galatians
5:15).God urges you to be responsible, not irresponsible with your freedom.
“For God wants you to silence the ignorant talk of foolish people by the good
things you do. Live as free people; do not, however, use your freedom to cover
up any evil, but live as God’s slaves” (1 Peter 2:15-16).Freedom is often hard to accept, not as much as yourself, but definitely for
others. You tend to push for maximum freedom for yourself, but often minimize
the freedom for others.Responsible freedom and irresponsible freedom is the difference between what
you are able to do and what you are encouraged and invited by God to do. It is
the difference between can and will, between the possibility and the beneficial.You can do whatever you want. You are free to do it. However, why would
you? Once dead and now made alive in Christ, why would you want to walk
as though you were still dead? This is why this verse points you back to the
fundamental decision in life.
“And do not present the parts of your bodies to sin as weapons for wickedness,
but present yourself to God as raised from the dead to life and the parts of your
bodies to God as weapons for righteousness. For sin is not to have any power
over you, since you are not under the law but under grace” (Romans 6:13-14).Depending on God means, you present yourself as an instrument of righteousness
not unrighteousness. Responsible freedom pleases God, irresponsible freedom
is often sin.Application activity 3.3
1. Define freedom and responsibility.
2. Explain how being responsible can help you achieve your goals and
objectives.
3. Identify the effects of irresponsible freedom and show how they are
threats to the community.3.4 End unit assessment
End of unit assessment
1. Identify the responsibilities of a believer to the society and to the
country.
2. How can you describe a responsible believer?
3. Define freedom and responsibilities. What is the difference?
4. Explain what a responsible freedom is.
5. Discuss the benefits of responsible freedom and the effects of
irresponsible freedom.UNIT 4: IMPORTANCE OF WORSHIP
Key Unit Competence:
Assess the moral values that believers draw from worship practices.Introductory activity
1. Why do you thing people go to churches?
2. Identify the different religions that you find in your region and what
they do as actions of worshipping God.
3. Discuss the importance of worshipping God4.1. Forms of worship and moral values
Learning activity 4.1
1. What is the meaning of the term worship?
2. Discuss the various forms people use to worship God
Meaning of worship
The word worship is used to mean having a strong feeling of respect and
admiration for God or a god. It also means to show a lot of love and adoration
for something. Religious believers worship gods, and people can worship other
people too.Worship is an extreme form of love; it is a type of unquestioning devotion. If you
worship God, then you love God so much that you do not question him at all.
Going to church is a form of worship, so is a prayer.People also use the word worship in other cases. If you love a musician or a
sport star, you might say, “I worship her!”Worship is not the slow song that the choir sings. Worship is not the amount you
place in the offering basket. Worship is not volunteering in children’s church.
Yes, these may be acts or expressions of worship, but they do not define what
true worship really is. There are numerous definitions of the word worship. Yet,
one in particular contains the priority we should give to worship as a spiritual
discipline: As worship is to honour with extravagant love and extreme submission,
then true worship, in other words, is defined by the priority we place on who
God is in our lives and where God is on our list of priorities. True worship is a
matter of the heart expressed through a lifestyle of holiness. Thus, if your lifestyle
does not express the beauty of holiness through an extravagant or exaggerated
love for God and you do not live in extreme or excessive submission to God.
Believers are invited to make worship a non-negotiable priority in their lives.
The first thing we need to consider, before worshiping God is our attitude.
Jesus told the woman at the well, recorded in John 4, something profound in this
regard. He states that those who wish to worship the Father must do in Spirit
and in truth (John 4:24).Many scriptures commanded us that we reverence God such as Genesis 35:1,
Exodus 15:1; 1 Chronicles 16:29, Haggai 1:8; Mark 1:44 among several others.
There are at least seven types or ways, according to the Bible; we can worship
our loving Creator.1. Praise
We worship our creator though a grateful declaration of praise, either in public
or in private. This declaration can also made though prayer (Ephesians 5:20).
A very special praise and thanking to the Lord took place when Solomon
completed the Temple, with voices and many instruments of music praising the
God of Heaven (2Chronicles 5:13).2. Joyful songs
We can worship our Maker through songs like the Psalms. King David especially
called on people to make a joyful shout to the Lord and to come before Him with
singing on our lips (Psalm100:1-2, James 5:13, Colossians 3:16).3. Dancing
King David not only offered sacrifices to God when the Ark of the Covenant was
brought to Jerusalem, he also danced as a form of worship (1 Samuel 6:12-
14)! There were dancing for joy when the sea through, a miracle, killed Pharaoh
and his army as they were as they were pursuing the fleeing children of Israel
(Exodus 15:20-21).
4. Observing annual feast days
Jesus observed the Feast of Passover during his entire ministry (Matthew 26:17).
He also faithfully kept, as his disciples and family did the feast of Tabernacles
(John 7:2, 10). The disciples even worshiped by keeping the Day of Pentecost
after Jesus had died and rose from the grave (Acts 2:1).5. Cheerful help to others
God especially loves those who help others not grudgingly or of necessity but
out of a willing heart of service and love (2 Corinthians 9:7; 8:1-2; Acts 2:44-
45).6. Using our spiritual gifts
We can, in every real sense, worship God by using the natural and supernatural-
given gifts he gave us to serve as many people as we can (1 Corinthians 12:1,
4-7, Ephesians 47,11-13,15-16).7. Be a living sacrifice
The last of the seven ways we can worship God is by being a living sacrifice.
This means that we dedicate our entire lives to serving Him and being a blessing
for others. “So then, my friends, because of God’s great mercy to us I appeal to
you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifices to God, dedicate to his service and
pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer” (Romans 12:1).While differing considerably in form, the following items characterise the worship
of virtually all Christian churches.
– Meeting on Sunday (Sabbath in Christianity, Sabbath in seventh-day
churches is an exception.)
– Bible readings
– Communion or the Eucharist
– Music, either choral or congregational, either with or without instrumental
accompaniment.
– Prayer
– Teaching in the form of sermon or homily
– A collection of offering.Place of worship
A place of worship is a specially designed structure or consecrated space
where individuals or group of people such as congregation come to perform
acts of devotion, veneration, or religious study. A building constructed or used
for this purpose is sometimes called a house of worship. Temples, churches,
synagogues for Christians and Jews, and mosques for Muslims are examples of
structures built for worship.Under International Humanitarian Law and the Geneva Conventions, religious
buildings are offered special protection, similar to the protection guaranteed
hospitals displaying Red Cross or Red Crescent. These international laws bar
firing upon or from a religious building.Religious architecture expresses the religious beliefs, aesthetic choices, and
economic and technological capacity of those who create or adapt it, and thus
places of worship show great variety depending on time and place.Five major world religions and how they worship
1. Judaism
Sabbath for Jews is known as Shabbat and runs between Friday and Saturday
evenings. Depending on the Jew, services might start at sundown or later in the
evening. Shabbat begins with a meal that includes braided bread and grape
juice or wine. A special prayer and blessing known as “Kiddush” is said Friday
evening. Some observe a special service Friday night, Torah reading Saturday
morning and Havdalah ceremony Saturday evening to formally end Shabbat
observance.Jews who observe Shabbat view it as a time of renewal and peace. It reminds
many to take time to live. Some Jews may avoid shopping; others might avoid
gardening and other forms of work.2. Islam
Muslims are required to offer five prayers daily. Every part of their life is supposed
to remind them to worship Allah (the Arabic word for God). They have a special
day for congregational prayer on Fridays at noon. These noontime prayers are
called Jumah. Muslims are encouraged to come to the mosque for Friday prayers
or with other Muslims, while on every other day of the week they have the option
of praying at home. Men and women pray separately. Other than having a set
day of prayer, Muslims do not observe a Sabbath.3. Buddhism
Buddhists do not observe a weekly holy day. Some Buddhists, however, observe
Uposatha, or a day of resting, listening to and discussing Buddhist teachings
and meditation. The timing and frequency of Uposatha are based loosely off the
lunar calendar, and may vary by sect. Depending on the tradition and person,
Buddhists attend a temple or worship in their homes. They will also worship
during different festivals and observances throughout the year. Buddhists do
not worship a deity in the same way as Christians, Jews and Muslims. They
venerate and respect the Buddha, but do not see him as a God.4. Hinduism
There is no set day for worship in Hinduism. That said, different deities are linked
to different days of the week and may be remembered on those days. Worship
is less formal than some other forms of religious worship and those attending
can come and go as they please. Hindus will often worship in the early morning
or evening, at home, in a temple, or during a pilgrimage.5. Christianity
Christians in general celebrate Sabbath and worship on Sunday, a practice for
some that began after Biblical accounts of Jesus’ resurrection. Christians see
this as a day to draw closer to God and will often hold worship services on
Sunday.Ways of observing the Sabbath vary depending on tradition and person. Some
Christians will avoid spending money and restrict their activities on this day.
Others will spend time in nature and with their families, or take time to visit the
sick or those who are in need. Some Christians do not see the need to observe
a Sabbath and see it as no longer relevant.Seventh-day Adventism
Seventh-day Adventists observe a Friday night to Saturday night Sabbath. They
believe the Bible to be the main authority for practice and doctrine, called Sola
Scriptura, and sees the bible as setting Saturday as the Sabbath.Similar to other Christians, Seventh-day Adventists see their Sabbath as being
a day of physical and spiritual rest and will attend worship services when
possible. They are encouraged to avoid any secular activities and to spend
the day with their families, in nature and visiting those in need, among other
activities. Adventists are encouraged to refrain from working during their
Sabbath, if possible. If not, they are encouraged to do what they can to set the
day apart from others.Application activity 4.1
1. Identify the various forms of worship.
2. Explain how worshiping can improve one’s moral values.4.2. Importance of worship in the society
Learning activity 4.2
We often see many people going to Mosques on Friday and others to
Churches on Saturday and Sunday. Do you think it is important to worship
God? Discuss the importance of worshiping God.Man, in general, has an inner need to express his love and gratitude to some
deity and that someone is who determines his worship.Believers can worship the Lord with all their heart and soul because they have
already invited him into their lives; their spirits have already been united with and
quickened by the Holy Spirit. In other words, believers in Christ can internally
communicate their love of the Father through the spirit.Nonbelievers, on the other hand cannot really worship the Lord in this way
because their spirits are not yet united or quickened by God’s Spirit. In other
words they cannot internally communicate or fellowship directly with the Father.
They can only have an external form of worship. It is true that without an intimate,
internal relationship with Christ, nothing on earth will ever fill us.Though God does not need our worship; He is seeking those who are worshipers.
(John 4:23-24) thus, one of the reasons we worship is to minister and to bless
Him. Worship is the time we forget about ourselves, concentrate on God and
experience His presence.The entire book of Revelation concerns the importance of worship and what
God thinks of worship. Let us see what Revelation 4:8-11 says, “The four and
twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on the throne, and worship Him that
lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, you are
worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for you have created
all things and for your pleasure they are and were created.” Other pertinent
Scriptures are Revelation 11:16 and 19:4.There are many other Scriptures in the Word that tell us God is seeking true
worshipers. Scriptures like Psalm 95:6-7: “Oh, come, let us worship and bow
down; let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For He is our God, and we are the
people of His pasture and the sheep of His flock” And Psalm 99:5, “Exalt ye the
LORD our God, and worship at His footstool; for He is holy.”Worship is very important because it is the key to God’s presence. It is what
brings us intimacy with the Father. In other words, worship is a two-way
communication. We come into His presence by loving, adoring and exalting Him.
He then makes Himself known by communicating His Love and His inspiration
(and revelation) back to us. This, of course, results in inexpressible joy for us.This daily communion is what allows us to endure difficult circumstances. If we
are hearing from the Lord and keeping our eyes only on Him, we can withstand
anything. Worship, then, is not only the key to intimacy; it is also the key to
withstanding trials and problems and restoring the joy of our salvation.Purpose of worship
The goal and purpose of worship is to magnify, exalt, love and adore the only
true God, Jesus Christ. In other words, worship is simply a prayer of relationship
in which the “created” magnifies the “Creator.”It is our expression of His worthiness. When we worship, we join in the angels,
the cherubim, the seraphim, the prophets, the apostles and the host of heaven
falling down on the faces and exalting the one and only true God. Revelation 7:11-
12 says, “And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders
and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshiped
God, saying, Amen! Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and
honor, and power, and might be unto our God forever and ever. Amen.”It is truly believable that if the church were really taught how to genuinely
worship, it would revolutionize the Church.
Noah worshiped God, and as a result a brand new creation was born. (Genesis
6:9, 18; 8:16-9:3)
Abraham built an altar and worshiped the Lord and, again, a whole nation
resulted.Moses worshiped the Lord, and because of his obedience God freed an entire
people from the bondage of slavery. (Exodus 34:1-8).People have to note that prior to Moses’ revelation of God’s glory on Mount Sinai,
he prayed, interceded, wept and pleaded with God, but he never worshiped.
Exodus 34:8 is the first mention of Moses worshiping the Lord.Even though the Lord is a Spirit, He still is passionate and expresses emotion.
Our worship should, also, be emotional and passionate as we express our love
for Him. Worship is not simply an act of our willpower, but an all-consuming
having a strong desire in our spirit, as well as an overflowing of our emotions of
gratitude and love. Consequently, worship involves all of our mental, emotional
and spiritual faculties, but the specific place we worship and express our love is
in our spirit. John 4:23-24, “The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true
worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth: and indeed the Father
seeks such people to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who that worship
Him must worship in Spirit and in truth.”Application activity 4.2
1. With biblical references explain why worshiping God is important to
the individuals practicing it and the society in general.
2. In whict attitude people must worship God according to scriptures.4.3 End Unit assessment
End of unit assessment
1. Define the concept worship.
2. Discuss the various forms of worship with biblical examples of
people who used them.
3. Only believers can worship God. Explain why nonbelievers cannot
worship God.
4. Explain this statement: “worship is a two-way communication.”
5. Do you think it is important to worship God? Explain why or why not.UNIT 5: MARRIAGE AND PEACEFUL FAMILY
Key Unit Competence:
Value the importance of marriage and family in the promotion of peace and
values in the societyIntroductory activity
Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to live alone. I will make a
suitable companion to help him.” So he took some soil from the ground and
formed all the animals and all the birds. Then he brought them to the man
to see what he would name them; and that is how they all got their names.
So the man named all the birds and all the animals; but not one of them was
a suitable companion to help him. Then Lord God made the man fall into a
deep sleep, and while he was sleeping, he took out one of the man’s ribs
and closed up the flesh. He formed a woman out of the rib and brought her
to him. Then the man said, “At last, here is one of my own kind, bone taken
from my bone, and flesh from my flesh. Woman is her name because she
was taken out of man.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and
is united with his wife, and they become one (Genesis 2:18-24).Question:
1. Read the biblical text above and discuss the origin and the importance
of marriage and family in the promotion of peace.
2. Using internet and resources identify and explain the different types
of marriage that you know.5.1. Marriage in God’s plan
Learning activity 5.1
1. Define the term marriage.
2. What do you think was God’s intention to marriage?
3. Make a comparision of monogamic marriage and polygamic marriage.
Meaning of marriage
Marriage is defined as an intimate and complementing union between a man
and a woman in which the two become one physically, in the whole of life. The
purpose of marriage is to reflect the relationship of the Godhead and to serve
Him. Although the fall has marred the divine purpose and function of marriage,
this definition reflects the God-ordained idea for marriage from the beginning.Male and female in the marriage relationship are of the same nature and essence,
equal as persons (Galatians 3:28), intimate in relationship, common in purpose,
but distinct personalities with different roles: the husband leads and the wife
submits to his leadership (Ephesians 5:31). Marriage appears designed to
reflect the same relational unity-in-plurality as the Godhead.Marriage, the most intimate relationship human relationship, was appropriately
chosen to reflect this relational aspect of the divine image. Each sex alone
incompletely exhibits this part of the divine image. This open intimate relational
aspect of God’s image, reflected in marriage, was marred by the fall (Genesis
3:7-10), causing each mate to hide (cover oneself) from each other and from
God.Marriage is the most basic and significant social relationship to humankind. This
relationship must be nurtured and maintained for the welfare of all. Without
marriage society will fall.
God’s design for marital relationship is heterosexual, not homosexual, and
monogamous, not polygamous. This relational aspect of God’s image inmarriage has analogues portrayed in Yahweh’s relation with Israel (Isaiah 54:5;
Jeremiah 31:32; Ezekiel 16:8-14; Hosea 2:14-20) as well as in Christ’s relation
with the church (Ephesians 5:21-33; 1 Corinthians 11:1-3; 2 Corinthians
11:2, Revelation 19:7-9). Israel is portrayed as Yahweh’s wife. Her idolatrous
unfaithfulness and disobedience to Yahweh are frequently depicted as spiritual
adultery (Numbers 25:1-4; Judges 2:17, Jeremiah 3:20; Ezekiel16: 15-59; 23:1-
48; Hosea 1:2; 2:2-13; 3:3) for which she was punished by captivity. Yahweh
divorced his unfaithful (Isaiah 50:1, Jeremiah 3:8; Hosea 2:2) but ultimately will
have compassion and delightfully restore her to faithfulness and holiness (Isaiah
54; 62:4-5; Ezekiel 16:53-63; Hosea 2:14-3:1).Marriage in the New Testament imagery describes the relationship between
Christ and his Church (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:21-33; Revelation 19:7-
9). The church, Christ’s bride, is sacrificially loved by Christ just as a husband
should love his wife (Ephesians 5:25, 28-30, 33). The husband’s love assists in
becoming holy and blameless before God, even as Christ presents the church
without blemish to the Father (Ephesians 26-28). Christ’s relationship with the
church becomes the functional model for a marriage relationship.God commanded the male and female to perform two specific functions:
procreation (“fruitful and multiply”) and ruling over the earth (“subdue” and “rule”)
Genesis 1:28. These are functions that reflect God’s image. Humankind (male
and female) receive God-ordained authority to rule over the rest of creation, but
not over each other.Human reproduction comes through intimate sexual union designed only for
the marriage relationship. Cohabitation abuses the procreative nature of the
marriage relationship. While reproduction is a divine purpose of marriage, some
couples are unable to have children for various physical reasons. This does not
make their marriage second-rate or inferior. However, a married couple should
desire to obey the divine injunction of procreation if possible. Children are one
manifestation of the “one flesh” of marriage. The procreative command obviously
prohibits homosexual marriages.The Marriage Union as God’s Work. God brings a man and a woman together in
marriage (Matthew 19:6; Eve to Adam, Rebecca to Isaac). It is not humankind’s
prerogative to separate what God has chosen to put together (Matthew 19:6).As creator of the marriage relationship, God becomes the essential supporting
party to a marriage, giving wisdom, discretion, understanding, and love to protect
the union and to enable it to honor God (Proverbs 2:6-16; 1 Corinthians13).
A marriage can glorify God and function properly only when both partners are
believers in the Messiah, Jesus. Then the Holy Spirit guides and enables them
in their roles and functions. Continued reliance upon God is imperative for
believing spouses.Marriage as God’s Norm for Humankind. God made man a relational being
in his own image. Therefore, there is the need for intimate relationship within
humankind (Genesis 2:18. Such a relationship is also necessary for the
reproduction and multiplication of humankind. Without the fall, probably no
one would have ever been single. Perfect people would have yielded perfect
marriages. Sin brought flaws in humans that sometimes make it difficult to find
or sustain a suitable marriage relationship. Being single for life is an exception
and, therefore, is declared to be a gift from God (1 Corinthians 7:7). The single
person is normally less encumbered in God’s work. So, although marriage
appears to be God’s norm, singleness is neither more nor less spiritual than
marriage (1 Corinthians 7:32-36).The Nature of Marriage. Complementarity. The woman was created as “a helper
suitable” for the man. A wife is a “helper” who “complements” her husband in
every way. A helper always subordinates self-interests when helping another,
just as Paul reminds us in Philippians 2:1-11. A helping role is a worthy one, not
implying inferiority. The wife, therefore, helps the husband to lead their family to
serve and glorify God. The husband also complements his wife so that together
they become a new balanced entity that God uses in an enhanced way.A new permanent union. “Cleaving” in Genesis 2:24 pictures a strong bond
between the members of this union. The marriage bond was to be permanent.
Separation or termination of the marriage union was not an option before sin
entered the world and death with it (Genesis 3). All later revelation shows
that separation and divorce was because of sin (Deuteronomy 24:1-4; Ezra
9-10; Malachi 2:14; Matthew 5:31-32; 19:1-12; Mark 10:1-12; Luke 16:18;
1 Corinthians 7:1-16, 39). God’s ideal was for marriage to be permanent and
exclusive.Responsibilities of spouses
A healthy relationship between spouses is not achieved or maintained without
fulfilling their responsibilities towards each other. However, you cannot fulfill
these responsibilities if you do not know what they are. Let us start by outlining
them.
– Fidelity: It is your responsibility to be faithful to your spouse. Being
married means you are in an exclusive intimate relationship with your
spouse. This exclusivity must never be violated whether through an
emotional or physical affair.
– Trust: In marriage, you are required to trust your spouse completely. Trust
is not something that your spouse should have to earn, unless they
have given you reason to believe they are not trustworthy. You cannot
have a healthy relationship if you are constantly expecting your spouse
to hurt you.– Affection: It is your responsibility to be affectionate towards your
partner and to keep the fires of love burning. You can do this through gift
giving, acts of kindness, spending quality time together, complementing
your spouse and physical intimacy. It is your responsibility to ensure
that your partner is always feeling appreciated.– Another way of showing affection to your spouse is by actively
avoiding hurting them. This means directing clear of hurtful jokes
and comments, friendships that your spouse does not approve of and
things like that.– Friendship: Spouses should be each other’s best friends. They
should plan and take on new challenges together, support each other
and celebrate and reminisce together, just like best friends do.– Consultation: Being married means that you can’t just make major life
decisions without consulting your spouse. Your spouse has chosen to
share her life with yours and she deserves a say in any decision that
might affect her. For instance, you can’t just quit your job or take a job
that requires you to move to another town without discussing it with
your spouse.These marriage tips are not complex science but they are great advice for
newlyweds. If a person doesn’t know his/her responsibilities towards his/her
spouse, it can be very hard to have a healthy relationship.Responsibilities of a husband towards his familyA good husband and father makes time for both his children and his marriage,
and contributes more to his family.To truly be a good husband and father, you have to spend quality time with
your family and strive to be a loving role model. When a man enters into a
covenant relationship with his bride, he commits to the responsibilities of loving,
honouring and cherishing her.Responsibilities of a good husband
A good husband plays various roles in the family. Here are the roles and
responsibilities of a husband.
1. Role of provider
Most men believe that being a good provider means supporting a family
financially. It means much more than that. A man should also contribute to the
emotional, spiritual, physical and mental well being of his family.2. Role of protector
This means protecting your wife’s self-esteem and self-worth as well as your
children’s. It can also mean protecting your way of life and guarding against any
threats to the things that you and your family value.3. Role of a leader
Instead of waiting for your wife to take the initiative when you are having problems,
take the lead. Get in the game and create what you want in your family instead of
complaining about your family situation. Marriage is not a fifty- fifty partnership,
instead a 100/100 partnership.4. Role of a teacher
What do fathers teach those around them, especially their children with their
behavior? It is important to provide a good example for your children, loved ones
and community with both words and deeds. Set high standards and teach by
doing.Responsibilities of a husband to his wife
Husband has great role and responsibilities to his wife. Here are duties and
responsibilities of a husband to his wife:
1. A husband should be respected by his wife in every good way.2. The husband has the right to a trustworthy and a honest companion. The
same here goes for the wife too. For example, she should not lie about
using birth control to stop him having a child.3. The husband and wife should engage in sexual intimacy with each other
at regular occasions. It is said, if you don’t get any action at home, you
are gonna play away. So this is in reality a right and responsibility for both
the husband and wife.4. If the husband doesn’t like someone, then the wife shouldn’t allow them
to come to their house, she also shouldn’t accept presents from such
people. This is to avoid jealousy and friction between the couple.5. The husband’s possessions are his wife’s trust. She needs to safeguard
his property and possessions.
6. He must never ever divulge the secrets of the household and those of the
married couple.7. He must strive with sincerity to acquire her trust, and seek her welfare in
the actions that pertain to her.8. He must exercise patience and forgiveness in case of disagreement or
dispute, and not rush to divorce.Biblical responsibilities of a husband
The culture has created much confusion about the roles of a husband and wife.
Here are the Biblical calls for marital roles.1. To work: The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden
to work it and keep it. (Genesis 2:15)2. To be courageous: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and
courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord
your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)3. To be strong: Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
(1 Corinthians 16:13)4. To love: And Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with
all your heart and with all your soul and with your entire mind. This is the
great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your
neighbour as yourself. (Matthew 22:37-39)5. To be a husband: Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother
and holdfast to his wife and they shall become one flesh. (Genesis 2:24)6. To be the head of the wife: For the husband is the head of the wife
even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its
Saviour. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should
submit in everything to their husbands (Ephesians 5: 23-24).7. To serve sacrificially: Husbands love your wives, as Christ loved the
church and gave himself up for her. (Ephesians 5:25)
Greater love has no one than this that someone lay down his life for his
friends. (John 15:13)8. To be the father: The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who
fathers a wise son will be glad in him. (Proverb 23:24)
Fathers do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the
discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)
It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For
what son is there whom his father does not discipline? (Hebrews 12:7)
9. To be compassionate: Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an
understanding way, showing honour to the woman as the weaker vessel,
since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may
not be hindered. (1 Peter 3:7)
As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows
compassion to those who fear him. (Psalm 103:13)10. To provide: But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially
for members of his household, he has denied that faith and worse than an
unbeliever. ( Timothy 5:8)11. To be accountable: But I want you to understand that the head of every
man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ
is God. (1 Corinthians 11:3)12. To be honourable: The righteous who walks in his integrity, blessed are
his children after him (Proverbs 20:7)
Finally, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever
is pure, whatever is lonely, whatever is commendable, it there is any
excellence, if there is anything worth of praise, think about these things.
(Philippians 4:8).Role of wife in marriage
It’s important to look clearly at what the Bible says on this subject. And while the
Bible doesn’t apply our modern word “role” to marriage, the Scriptures are clear
about the unique responsibilities God assigns to a wife.A wife’s responsibilities can be properly understood only in the context of
loving, servant leadership by her husband.1. Be a helper to the husband.
While all of us are called to be helpers to others, the Bible places a special
emphasis on this responsibility for wives. Genesis tells us that God realized it
wasn’t good for man to be alone, and that He decided to make a “helper suitable
for him” (Genesis 2:18). It is interesting to note that the Hebrew meaning of the
word helper in this passage is found hereafter in the Bible to refer only to God
as He helps us. The fact that this same word is applied to a wife signifies that
women have been given tremendous power for good in their husbands’ lives.
God has designed wives to help their husbands become all that God intends
for them to be.
2. Respect the husband.
In Ephesians 5:33, Paul says,” … the wife must respect her husband.” When you
respect your husband you reverence him, notice him, regard him, honour him,
prefer him, and esteem him. It means valuing his opinion, admiring his wisdom
and character, appreciating his commitment to you, and considering his needs
and values.Our husbands have many needs. The primary needs most men have:
– Self-confidence in his personhood as a man
– To be listened to
– Companionship
– To be neededMeeting these needs is what respecting your husband all is about. For example,
you try to encourage him by being his number one fan.Every husband wants his wife to be on his team, to coach him when necessary,
but most of all to be his cheerleader. A husband needs a wife who is behind
him, believing in him, appreciating him, and cheering him on as he goes out into
the world every day.3. Love the husband
Titus 2:4 calls for wives “to love their husbands.” A good description of the
kind of love your husband needs is “unconditional acceptance.” In other words,
accept your husband just as he is, an imperfect person.Love also means being committed to a mutually fulfilling sexual relationship. I
realize there is a whole lot more to love than sex, but we are looking at how to
fulfil God’s command to love our husbands. Therefore, we must look at love
from their perspective, not just our own.Surveys show that sex is one of a man’s most important needs, if not the most
important. When a wife resists intimacy, is uninterested, or is only passively
interested, her husband may feel rejection. It will cut at his self-image, tear at
him to the very centre of his being, and create isolation.4. Submit to the leadership of husband
Some husbands and wives actually believe submission infers that women are
inferior to men in some way. Some women think that if they submit they will lose
their identity and become non-persons. Others fear (some with good reason)
that submission leads to being used or abused.
Another misconception is that submission means blind obedience on the part
of the woman.What does God have in mind? Here’s a key passage from Scripture:Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the
head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the
Saviour of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives
ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just
as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might
sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He
might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or
any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who
loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but
nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are
members of His body. (Ephesians 5:22-30)Helping the husband became who God intended him to beThese Scriptures make it clear that a wife should submit voluntarily to her
husband’s sensitive and loving leadership. Therefore, as you voluntarily submit
to your husband, you are completing him. You help him fulfil his responsibilities,
and you help him become the man, the husband, and the leader God intended
him to be.Building oneness in marriage works best when both spouses choose to fulfil
their responsibilities voluntarily, with no pressure or coercion.In one of his letters, Peter told us that even though Jesus suffered terrible pain
and insults, He did not retaliate “but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges
righteously” (1 Peter 2:23). When you entrust your life to the Father, it’s much
easier to be the wife of an imperfect man, particularly when you may have
disagreements.Loving, forgiving, and submitting do not mean that you become a doormat or
indefinitely tolerate significantly destructive behaviourApplication activity 5.11. What is the meaning of the term marriage.
2. Polygamy is not allowed byRwandan laws. Outline the effects of
polygamy.
3. Distinguish between religious marriage and civil marriage.
4. In marriage spouses have responsibilities towars each other. List
some for the husband and some for the wife in order to have a
happy family.5.2. Traditional marriage in RwandaLearning activity 5.2Using internet and other references identify different phases of traditional
marriage and explain how they contributed to the promotion of peace among
Rwandans.Definition of traditional marriage
In Anthropology, traditional marriage is defined as the primary established form
of marriage recognized in a given country or religious or social group at a given
time: In that culture, traditional marriage requires the families of the future bride
and groom to engage in ritual visits and exchange gifts.Some people define traditional marriage as the marriage between one man and
one woman (primarily used by opponents of same-sex marriage).Marriage is considered the most basic social institution in Rwanda. Wedding
traditions go back for many centuries and even though some westernization has
crept into certain segments of the Rwandan society, a lot of these traditional
weddings are still carried out today.Traditional weddings have continued to be important family rituals.In Rwanda marriage is a social institution which was accorded much respect and
dignity, people desire to establish a family by getting married, raising children
and establishing kinship systems. Rwandans used to believe that being single
especially among women was considered strange and unacceptable.Courtship (Gufata irembo)After the preliminary search for a woman and if two families approve of the
relationship, this phase is locally known as ‘Gufata irembo’. It is when courtship
begins and culminates into marriage under traditional laws and customs.It is said that this procedure of ‘gufata irembo’ consists of a set of rituals that
involves negotiations for the bride price with representatives from the groom’s
family to the bride’s family. The preparation for marriage takes a while in order to
allow the prospective bride and groom to know each other better.Introduction ceremony (Gusaba)
At this time, preparations of the traditional introduction ceremony (Gusaba) are
ripe. It is an occasion where the girl who is soon to be married introduces her
future husband to her friends, parents and relatives.Both families were required to have a spokesperson to represent them. The
spokesperson takes the role of the final emissary on the day of the introduction.
He is the one who is experienced of Rwandan traditions to engage or answer
challenging questions from the other side’s spokesperson.Normally, the spokesperson had to be a member of the man’s family to speak on
behalf of the man’s side. Today, few people remember prominently the cultural
requirements and tongue twisting of old at these ceremonies, many people now
offer the service at a fee.
Dowry (inkwano)During the introduction ceremony (Gusaba), a Rwandan man is required to pay
dowry in form of a cow or money before the performance of the ceremony of
marriage. Dowry carries the purpose of validating and legitimizing the relationship
between a man and woman.Rwandans gave great respect to the practice of dowry such that in cases of
divorce it was usually returned. It is a way of assuring that a girl is properly
treated; in case of mistreatment, she can always return home and be accepted
by her parents and other relatives. The payment of dowry is still common practice
in Rwanda.Wedding (Ubukwe)
In Rwandan culture and custom, marriage ceremonies (Ubukwe) are held
at the residence of the groom’s father, with the bride and groom beautifully
dressed in traditional outfits. Family members and friends gather to witness the
joyous occasion. During the ceremony, the family of the bridegroom will make
statements of affection before the in-laws with promises to take care of the bride
and to meet all the expected responsibilities. The bride is formally introduced to
the family of the groom amid exchanges of friendly remarks.Seclusion ceremony (Gutwikurura)After the reception party, some of the guests go to the couple’s new home for
the seclusion ceremony (gutwikurura). Traditionally, after marriage the newly-
wed wife stays isolated for an undetermined amount of time. At the end of this
period of seclusion, a ceremony is organized by her family and friends to visit her
and bring her several items to stock in her home.The husband is expected to furnish the home completely and new wife is
expected to bring household goods (Ibishyingiranwa) which include the wedding
presents.Additionally, the evening after the wedding at their new home the couple
respects other rituals that have evolved over the years. Word is that in the past,
wedding guests waited while the couple consummated the marriage to find out
if the woman was a virgin.Other rituals include the groom’s aunt is cutting a piece of the bride’s hair to
symbolize that she belongs to him. In addition, a young bridesmaid is also given
to the bride as a symbolic little sister to help her out for a few days. Also, an
aunt or godmother was to put a mosquito net over the couple to symbolize their
union.
Marriage formsMost Rwandan weddings have three parts: a traditional introduction ceremony
done at the family level, a religious ceremony performed according to the
spouses beliefs, and a civil ceremony performed by Government competent
authorities. It is a means of keeping relations between the two families alive
and strong. Basing on the traditions, parents played a huge role in assisting
their daughter or son in selecting a marital partner or giving in approval to the
relationship.The involvement of parents and relatives emanated from their willingness to
provide security and peaceful homes for their children. They used to carry out
a background check on the family of the prospective bride or groom before
establishing contacts.Marriage is still considered the most basic social institution in Rwanda, unlike
in the past; most couples today select their own mates, though approval of the
family is expected.Application activity 5.2Explain the different phases in traditional Rwandan marriage process.5.3 Dowry in traditional and modern marriageLearning activity 5.3Using internet and other written resources make a comparison between
dowry payment in traditional marriage and modern marriage in Rwanda.With supportive argument discuss if dowry is still relevant in Rwanda today.
After Gusaba phase, the next phase would be the Gukwa , that is the payment
of the dowry. The dowry was always strictly a cow or several cows because
nothing else could ever be able to replace the void the departed daughter would
cause.Once the negotiations are over, the bride’s side invites the groom’s side to
share a drink. Then, before the groom’s side left, they would often be given a
drink known as Impamba which they were to enjoy along their journey home. In
modern times, if one side has travelled a great distance they may even be invited
to share a meal together with their future in-laws before they return home.Even though a lot has changed over the centuries and young Rwandans do
not accept arranged love anymore, the communal aspect remains profoundly
present.In the present time a bride price is still given in Rwanda. This comes from
Rwandan tradition, in which a bride leaves her family and becomes a part of the
family of the groom after the wedding. In fact, in the past a bride was supposed
to cry and be sad on her wedding day, since she was leaving behind the life
and family she had always known. The bride price is like a repayment of the
investment of the bride’s family which was traditionally one or more cows, but
today is often given in money instead. But there some families that still paydowry in form of cows. The amount paid normally corresponds with the wealth
of the girl’s family and her level of education. The girls from wealthier families
and higher educational backgrounds receive higher bride prices.The dowry ceremony is normally held at the house of the bride’s family, and it
begins with the entrance of the groom’s family. The two families sit opposite
and facing one another, and men normally wear suits and women wear dress
in traditional Rwandan clothes, often a cloth draped over one shoulder and an
undershirt. Normally the groom sits among his wedding party, and the bride
stays inside the house with her bride’s maids until later in the ceremony.Each family has one representative chosen to speak for the family, and these
representatives spend most of the ceremony bantering back and forth about
the bride and groom to be married. Normally this will start with the groom’s
representative saying something like, “a boy from our family wants to marry a girl
from your family,” and the bride’s representative intentionally misunderstanding.
He will normally respond something like, “well, that is excellent, but our daughter
is still in primary school. Your son will have to wait a few years before he can
marry her.” This banter continues until the families agree on which boy and girl
from their families will be married, at which point the bride and groom are each
presented to the other’s family.The dowry paying ceremony includes the exchange of small gifts, formerly local
beer and honey, now normally fanta and coca-cola, as well as other things like
carved walking sticks for the patriarchs. After exchanging gifts, the bride and
groom sit at chairs placed in between the two families, and all the guests share
a meal. After the meal, the bride and groom change into different clothes and
the guests all walk or are transported to the church for the religious ceremony.Application activity 5.31. Define the word “dowry”.
2. Discuss the role of dowry in traditional and modern Rwanda.5.4 Role of the family in the promotion of peace and valuesLearning activity 5.4Using the Bible, internet and other various written resources, discuss the
role of the family in promotion of peace and values in the community and
society.Definition of family
According to Murdoc, family is a social group characterised by common
residence, economic cooperation and reproduction.Burges and Locke define family as a group of persons united by tie of
marriage, blood or adoption, constituting a single household, interacting and
communicating with each other in their respective social roles of husband and
wife, mother and father, son and daughter, brother and sister, and creating and
maintaining a common culture.According to Murray and Zentner family is a social system and primary reference
group made up of two or more persons living together who are related by blood,
marriage or adoption or who are living together by arrangement over a period
of time.Family is the basic social institution and the primary group in society.Composition of family– Nuclear familyIt is made up of a married couple and their children. This group lives together
apart from other relatives, also called conjugal family.– Extended family
It includes not only the nuclear family but also grandparents, uncles, aunts and
cousins, also called consanguine family.Impact of family to the promotion of peace and values
The family lays the foundation for the individual’s development and happiness as
well as society’s cohesion and advancement. As a microcosm of the human race,
the family is a key instrument for establishing peace through the encouragement
of such virtues as love, unity, compassion, justice, respect and loyalty.
Attitudes and behaviours learnt in the home have a direct bearing on the order,
prosperity and peace in our communities as well as the world at large. The
habits and patterns of conduct nurtured in the home are carried into the work
place, into the social and political life of the country, and finally into the arena of
international relations.In the world suffering from social and moral crisis, societies often overlook the
importance of balancing individual and societal needs as well as reconciling the
individual interest with the common good.It is within the family that character is developed, moral and spiritual attitudes
are formed and one learns to serve the common good. And it is with the family
where the values of tolerance, peace and social responsibility can be initiated
and taught. Success in this crucial matter requires fostering a loving and
constructive environment at home, based on love of God and adherence to his
laws.Education requires for promoting peace must begin in the family where children
of the earliest age learn about the fundamental oneness of humanity and
overcoming prejudices that divide us whether based on race, religion, gender,
class, or nationality.It is within the family that children can be encouraged to associate with people
of all races and religions. They also learn to appreciate the different cultures and
the contributions different people have to make. It is with their families that they
can be taught the concept of oneness of humanity.We have to be mindful, however, that excessive attention to family interests
would not lead to a narrow social outlook which could be harmful to the broader
community.Today, many stable and united families, because of intolerance towards one or
another segment of society instil in their children prejudices that stifle their love
for humanity and hamper their sense of justice.Through such upbringing, our children can become indifferent to the suffering
of others or to regard violence and oppression as justified even to contribute
towards itApplication activity 5.41. Define the term family
2. Distinguish between nuclear family from extended family.
3. With example, explain how a family play an important role in promoting
peace and values to society.5.3 End Unit assessmentEnd of unit assessment1. Define the term marriage.
2. What do you think was God’s intention to marriage?
3. Make a comparision of monogamic marriage and polygamic marriage
4. Explain the different phases in traditional Rwandan marriage process.
5. After defining the term dowry, discuss the role of dowry in traditional
and modern Rwanda.
6. Distinguish between nuclear family from extended family.
7. With example, explain how a family plays an important role in
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