by admin on May 12, 2012
By: Heather Libbe
Besides attending weekly Fellows meetings and serving on a variety of committees, our Fellows have been busy working on individual projects that they designed entirely on their own.
At the beginning of the semester, the Fellows each submitted a proposal for a project that they completed thought of and designed on their own. Because it was such an open-ended and flexible assignment, it was really neat to see how these projects evolved throughout the semester! Twice during the semester, the Fellows were asked to give updates on their progress at our Fellows meetings. Additionally, they met with the Fellows Program Manager and occasionally with CEO & Founder Janessa Gans Wilder, as well.
After working on these projects for thirteen weeks, the Fellows presented the final product at the final Fellows meeting. Topics ranged from researching Iranian film, Islamic holy sites, Sharia law and the role of Turkey as a mediator between the Middle East and the West to identifying water issues because of the Israeli Palestinian conflict, sustainable solutions in the Middle East and contributions of the US Ambassadors serving in the Middle East. Another student learned the Arabic alphabet and taught it to the Fellows, while another student put together a presentation featuring an Israeli journalistic photographer named Micha Bar-An.
Both Janessa Gans Wilder and the Fellows Program Manager were very impressed by the quality of work that the Fellows put forward, as well as their eagerness to share what they had learned with our group.
Stay tuned for videos and other fruitage from these projects!
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by admin on April 10, 2012
By: Brie Mayer
Kim and I stayed at the Trinity Episcopal Church to attend a two-hour informational lecture on the Baha’i faith. Sitting at the head of the lunch table, so that they had a clear view of the whole room, were two women– the Baha’i speakers. As the Reverend of the Church introduced them, the first thing I noticed was how comfortable they seemed. They were smiling at everyone and looked thrilled to be there, ready to share their religion with people interested. It made me very excited to hear what they had to say.
They began the lecture by introducing themselves, how they had come into contact with the Baha’i faith, and why they had become a member of the Baha’i community. They shared that the Baha’i faith does go out and knock on doors to spread their religion, but that they will only explain their beliefs if asked to do so. I found it very interesting that the Baha’i community does not accept funds from the outside. Only members of the Baha’i community can give funds. According to the 2003 Britannica Book of the year, Baha’i is the second-most global religion, following closely behind Christianity. Baha’is comes from virtually every nation (over 190 countries), ethnic group, culture, profession, and social or economic class.
The Baha’i faith was founded in the mid-nineteenth century by Baha’u’llah, who was a Persian nobleman f4rom Tehran before he left that life to one with the purpose of relaying God’s messages. They believe that Baha’u’llah was the most recent independent Messenger from God. Other Messengers from God includes Abraham, Krishna, Moses, Buddha, Zoroaster, Christ, and Muhammad. His central message to the world was one of unity. He taught his followers that there is only one God, that all of the world’s religions represent one changeless, eternal Faith, that all humanity is one race, destined to live in peace and harmony, and that the purpose of life on earth is to develop ourselves spiritually, in preparation for an everlasting existence hereafter.
I really liked how open and inclusive the Baha’i faith is. As demonstrated by their beliefs, the Baha’is really work to embrace all. The two women shared with us that Baha’u’llah left them with over 100 volumes of sacred writings, which include prayers for specific times and events. To open the meeting, the women shared the noontime prayer. The prayer was short and simple. I don’t remember exactly the words of the prayer, but that it had to do with gratitude.
This informational meeting on the Baha’i faith was amazing. Kim and I really enjoyed learning so much about their religion.
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by admin on April 10, 2012
By: Kimberly Sheasley
Brie and I went into Saint Louis to visit the Trinity Episcopal Church Sunday service. It was the last Sunday before lent, so they had a special speaker series after church, which we attended after the service. We arrived early in the morning at a beautiful Presbyterian Church which was located in a neighborhood. The church seemed to be a place of community gathering. As we walked in, we were greeted and given a program for the service.
Inside, there were probably 30 or 40 women and maybe five men. Reverend Tamsen Whistler was also female. We also noticed the choir wore robes, and those who were at the front also wore robes. It was explained during the service that the color of robes would change from purple to red after lent. Purple brought a sense of royalty waiting for their King, but red was to represent blood.
Brie and I enjoyed hymns, sermons, greeting neighbors, prayers, and communion. We did not fully partake in communion, but we learned that we could still go up to the altar to be blessed, while we kindly said no to the bread and wine. But we learned that we were welcome to take communion, regardless of a different religious background.
The church that we visited is very involved in their community. They house a Methodist church and school. They have also been part of the Community Council of St. Charles Country, the Grace Hill MORE program, Habitat for Humanity, and the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce. This church collects food and donations weekly for the Salvation Army and OASIS Food Pantry, and FISH.
The St. Charles Trinity Episcopal Church also prepares and serves food to feed the homeless one Saturday a month. They’ve also helped international Lindenwood University by letting them use the kitchen or host them for special holiday occasions.
During the service Brie and I read a list of names on the Intercession List out loud with the congregation, of members in the community who need prayer. The program notes if it is an injury or disease, but not specifically the problem. The Rev. also had those who had birthday’s that week stand up, so that the congregation could give congratulations and best wishes to them.
We learned that those who attend this church are very open and caring people. They do not judge, and let all attend their services, no matter race or sexual orientation. They even gave Brie and I loaves of bread for visiting their service. It didn’t matter that we were not baptized, and they said we could freely partake in communion.
In their pamphlet in the pew it says, “As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to share in God’s work in the world and witness to the promise of redemption day by day.”
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by admin on April 4, 2012
By: Sarah Litwiller
First, a little background on Hinduism! Hinduism is indigenous to India and is the third largest religion in the world. It has no founding figure, no single holy text, and no single creed. While it is globally accepted as a polytheistic religion, many Hindus believe themselves to have one supreme and ultimate being named Brahman. There are also three main deities that all express different aspects of this God: Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma. This is why it is too simple to merely categorize Hinduism as purely polytheistic or monotheistic. The books that Hindus refer to are the Vedas, the Upanishads, and The Great Epics. The Great Epics are the most commonly owned and read books by Hindus and they are Ramayana and Mahabharata.
This past Saturday I had the chance to visit the Hindu Temple in St. Louis with one of my classes. Having little prior knowledge of Hinduism and never having gone to a temple before, my professor prepped my classmates and me with the appropriate knowledge so that we may know what to expect and understand the basics of Hinduism. The men were directed to wear slacks and a nice shirt and the women needed to have their shoulders and legs covered; the longer the shirt, the better. I wore a dress, sweater, and yoga pants. Shoes were of no importance because we took them off almost immediately.
When we first arrived, I was blown away by the ornate and detailed design of the all white temple. It was covered with depictions of different deities on all sides. After admiring the outside for a bit, we entered through a side door and walked downstairs where we removed our shoes and were greeted by a temple attendee. He was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. He informed us that Ram Navami, the service that day, would be placing special emphasis on Lord Rama, the 7th avatar of Vishnu, because it was his birthday. Starting at 7 that night, there would also be a 24-hour reading of the book Ramayana, which contains stories all about Lord Rama. Lord Rama and his wife Sita are considered to be the example of the perfect people and couple because they were considered to have always followed their dharma, or, their highest personal sense of right or duty. This revered couple is often depicted with Lord Rama’s brother Lakshmana and devotee Hanuman.
After the man finished speaking to us, we were offered a very sweet traditional Indian food that was considered to be a blessing and we were taken upstairs. This room was filled with shrines for many different deities. Each was decorated with many flowers and some had money placed somewhere on it. Many people were also walking around each shrine so that energy was being sent towards the deity. When walking around the temple you walk counter clockwise so that the deity is always on your right side.
We also observed many people walking up to the shrine, putting their hands close to a small flame and then pulling their hands up to their face and over their heads. This act is called aarti and by doing this they take the blessing for the deity and put in on themselves. If they had small children the parents did it for them. This is most likely seen as a blessing. Many were also going to the priest that was standing in front of Vishnu’s shrine and he would put a spoonful of a liquid substance, which appeared to be milk, in their hands which they would drink and then would again touch their hand to their head. This is also probably a form of a blessing.
The ritual began at 12 and we were invited to sit in front of Lord Rama’s Shrine with everyone else. While the priest, generally referred to as a Brahman, was chanting what I can only guess to be prayers, he took milk and honey and poured it over a small idol of Lord Rama. Over the duration of about 45 minutes, the Brahman took the flower offerings and placed them all over the shrine, read from what was most likely the Vedas, which contain rituals and prayers to guide the priests, and unwrapped all of the food offerings. He also preformed aarti occasionally through the ceremony, first circling the flame around Lord Rama and then holding it out towards us to take the blessing. This ceremony was mostly in Sanskrit until the end when everyone began singing. Through out the songs they continually said the names Rama and Sita. We then all stood up and many people began taking a monetary offering up to place in a tray. Then, the priest walked around and poured the milk mixture into everyone’s hands, including our group, and we all drank it.
Visiting the Hindu temple was a very enlightening experience. It put me in a very unfamiliar situation and required me to be open minded and observant. Since Hinduism is extremely different to anything I know, it was important to step out of myself for the time so I could try to understand the significance of each action and gesture. Although I could not understand what was being said, looking around at the faces of each individual I could tell that this ceremony had great meaning for them.
Much of the above information was from the talk with the temple attendee and from my own observations. The following site was also very helpful for identifying terms for some of the things that I saw taking place and to double-check myself. If you want to learn more, this is a very helpful site!
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by admin on April 4, 2012
By: Sarah Litwiller
First, a little background on Hinduism! Hinduism is indigenous to India and is the third largest religion in the world. It has no founding figure, no single holy text, and no single creed. While it is globally accepted as a polytheistic religion, many Hindus believe themselves to have one supreme and ultimate being named Brahman. There are also three main deities that all express different aspects of this God: Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma. This is why it is too simple to merely categorize Hinduism as purely polytheistic or monotheistic. The books that Hindus refer to are the Vedas, the Upanishads, and The Great Epics. The Great Epics are the most commonly owned and read books by Hindus and they are Ramayana and Mahabharata.
This past Saturday I had the chance to visit the Hindu Temple in St. Louis with one of my classes. Having little prior knowledge of Hinduism and never having gone to a temple before, my professor prepped my classmates and me with the appropriate knowledge so that we may know what to expect and understand the basics of Hinduism. The men were directed to wear slacks and a nice shirt and the women needed to have their shoulders and legs covered; the longer the shirt, the better. I wore a dress, sweater, and yoga pants. Shoes were of no importance because we took them off almost immediately.
When we first arrived, I was blown away by the ornate and detailed design of the all white temple. It was covered with depictions of different deities on all sides. After admiring the outside for a bit, we entered through a side door and walked downstairs where we removed our shoes and were greeted by a temple attendee. He was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. He informed us that Ram Navami, the service that day, would be placing special emphasis on Lord Rama, the 7th avatar of Vishnu, because it was his birthday. Starting at 7 that night, there would also be a 24-hour reading of the book Ramayana, which contains stories all about Lord Rama. Lord Rama and his wife Sita are considered to be the example of the perfect people and couple because they were considered to have always followed their dharma, or, their highest personal sense of right or duty. This revered couple is often depicted with Lord Rama’s brother Lakshmana and devotee Hanuman.
After the man finished speaking to us, we were offered a very sweet traditional Indian food that was considered to be a blessing and we were taken upstairs. This room was filled with shrines for many different deities. Each was decorated with many flowers and some had money placed somewhere on it. Many people were also walking around each shrine so that energy was being sent towards the deity. When walking around the temple you walk counter clockwise so that the deity is always on your right side.
We also observed many people walking up to the shrine, putting their hands close to a small flame and then pulling their hands up to their face and over their heads. This act is called aarti and by doing this they take the blessing for the deity and put in on themselves. If they had small children the parents did it for them. This is most likely seen as a blessing. Many were also going to the priest that was standing in front of Vishnu’s shrine and he would put a spoonful of a liquid substance, which appeared to be milk, in their hands which they would drink and then would again touch their hand to their head. This is also probably a form of a blessing.
The ritual began at 12 and we were invited to sit in front of Lord Rama’s Shrine with everyone else. While the priest, generally referred to as a Brahman, was chanting what I can only guess to be prayers, he took milk and honey and poured it over a small idol of Lord Rama. Over the duration of about 45 minutes, the Brahman took the flower offerings and placed them all over the shrine, read from what was most likely the Vedas, which contain rituals and prayers to guide the priests, and unwrapped all of the food offerings. He also preformed aarti occasionally through the ceremony, first circling the flame around Lord Rama and then holding it out towards us to take the blessing. This ceremony was mostly in Sanskrit until the end when everyone began singing. Through out the songs they continually said the names Rama and Sita. We then all stood up and many people began taking a monetary offering up to place in a tray. Then, the priest walked around and poured the milk mixture into everyone’s hands, including our group, and we all drank it.
Visiting the Hindu temple was a very enlightening experience. It put me in a very unfamiliar situation and required me to be open minded and observant. Since Hinduism is extremely different to anything I know, it was important to step out of myself for the time so I could try to understand the significance of each action and gesture. Although I could not understand what was being said, looking around at the faces of each individual I could tell that this ceremony had great meaning for them.
Much of the above information was from the talk with the temple attendee and from my own observations. The following site was also very helpful for identifying terms for some of the things that I saw taking place and to double-check myself. If you want to learn more, this is a very helpful site!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/
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by admin on March 7, 2012
By: Andy Crump
On Ash Wednesday, a couple of us went to a Catholic Church service. The first thing I noticed was how huge and beautiful the church was. Though we weren’t late, people were singing as we walked in. I realized that I didn’t really know what to do. I was scared to enter at first because it was such a large room but once we entered, I felt comfortable.
The service consisted of a series of prayers, sermons, Bible readings, hymns, and rituals. It was eye-opening to see how many activities we could do in only an hour. Even though we were tired, we stayed awake because of the regular movement. I was often unsure of what to do, but it was pretty easy to follow the people around me.
During one of the preacher’s sermons, he read passages from Jesus’ teachings about praying in secret. These really resonated with me—how it doesn’t matter what our prayers look like. Our Father will see them in secret and reward them openly.
When it was time to go up to get ashes put on our heads, everyone filed to the front by row. As the bishop drew a cross on my forehead with the ashes, he said, “Thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt return” (Genesis 3:19). It was humbling to wear the ashes, because I felt a little silly having a black streak on my head. But everyone else had them too, so I wasn’t alone.
This past Sunday, our whole committee got to go to a Methodist Church service before our own service. It was a much smaller church, and it felt more intimate. There was a cross at the front of the church and a stained-glass crown above it.
Right away when we sat down, a man shook our hands and welcomed us to the church. Then, at the beginning of his sermon, the pastor mentioned us and asked if we were from Principia.
One thing that stood out to me about the service was that the pastor asked for anyone to share gratitude or requests for prayer. Then, later, he and his wife shared a few testimonies of when they had felt God’s presence. She said: “How do you know if it’s God talking? Test it.” This stood out to me as wise advice, and I have been trying it since. If I get the idea to do something and I’m wavering between two good options, I try the first one out that came to me. It has worked pretty well so far.
At the end of the service, a lot of people came up to us and thanked us for being there. They asked about us and expressed their hopes that we would come back.
I’m so glad I got to attend both of these services. I saw that neither one was scary, and both are reaching for the same truths I’m learning in my church. I could appreciate the similarities, and not worry about the differences. I can respect Catholics, Methodists, and all religions for their consecration to their faiths, and recognize that they are all seeking the same thing.
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by admin on March 5, 2012
By: Kimberly Sheasley
How did is all begin?
Methodism was started by John Wesley in the 1700s to try to reform the Church of England. He didn’t want to separate from the Church, and he was an ordained deacon. Wesley led a group of students in “methodical” studies of the Bible and charitable deeds, thus earning the name for his group. Though Methodism started in England, it was most popular in the American colonies. Traveling ministers spread Methodism so that nearly every town in the frontier had a Methodist Church.
Who are they today?
According to the United Methodist News Service, “United Methodists are becoming rarer in a growing population. They are generally older adults above age 57 who attend larger churches. Most are white or African American. And they are generally wealthier than United Methodists of previous generations. Membership has decreased by more than 20 percent since 1973, and membership per capita has dropped from 4.75 percent to 2.7 percent by 2005. The church has 8 million U.S. members and 11.5 million members across the globe. During the same time, the number of United Methodist churches has declined by 12.4 percent. The declines have been significant in all five of the church’s U.S. jurisdictions. Age: Based on the U.S. population, those attending United Methodist worship services today are underrepresented in the under-35 age group and overrepresented in the over-57 age group. Church size: The largest churches are growing while the smaller ones are stagnant or declining” (Aldrich, news editor of United Methodist News Service).
What do Methodists believe?
Methodists uphold the belief in the Trinity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; which are all separate expressions of the one God. They also believe in original sin, and that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins. It is believed, however, that we can be saved through God’s grace if we so choose. They see the Old and New Testament as the inspired word of God. Sacraments are also important and are recognized in two ways: baptism and communion. The Methodist Church is not bias for or against any gender, race, age, sexual orientation, or any other groups.
Their belief about being saved through God’s grace is explained by the “Four Alls”: All need to be saved; All can be saved; All can know they are saved; and All can be saved completely. This is accomplished by the ides of John Wesley, founder of the Methodist church, who believed that there are three stages of grace: prevenient grace, accepting grace, and sustaining grace. Prevenient grace is innate in all of us and allows us to recognize God’s accepting grace, or, justifying grace. Accepting grace is what gives each of us the opportunity to accept Christ in our lives however it may be freely rejected by some. Once we have chosen to accept this grace we can move on in God’s sustaining grace toward perfection.
How do they relate to Christian Science?
It is important to acknowledge the connections between the Methodist faith and Christian Science. There are three important similarities between the two religions. The first is that both religions believe that God is omniscient and omnipotent. God possesses infinite love and goodness and is the creator of all things. The second is that Methodists believe is that God has always existed and will always exist. Christian Scientists also believe that God is eternal. There has never been any other power beside God nor will there ever be. The last major connection is that both religions closely adhere to the teachings of the Scripture. The Bible, since it is the word of God, is the backbone of both faiths. These are only three similarities between the two religions that I found; however, there are more similarities. It is crucial to understand the belief system of another’s faith and of your own religion, in order to find common ground between the two religions, which is an essential step in the interfaith process.
Sources:
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/378415/Methodism
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10237b.htm
http://www.nmmu.ac.za/default.asp?id=9018&bhcp=1
http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/wesley/walk.stm
http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nl/content3.asp?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=2072525&ct=4498161
http://christianity.about.com/od/devotionals/a/Methodist.htm
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by admin on February 18, 2012
The interfaith committee is up and running again! Their plans for this semester sound great; read on for more detail!
By: Kimberly Sheasley
This semester, the Interfaith Committee hopes to build bridges among different faiths. Natalie, Andy, Brie, Sarah, and I will be visiting several different religious services, while doing research the differences between the three monotheistic faiths. Along with studying key similarities and differences between Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, we are hoping to be able to better distinguish the beliefs and worship service structures of various Christian sects.
With about three months of school left, our goal is to travel to four different services. We would also like to continue to post blogs regularly to share what we have been learning.
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by admin on December 20, 2011
Kim Sheasley
I loved being able to join the Interfaith Committee and learn specifically about Christianity this fall semester. Religion has always fascinated me and having the opportunity to dive into interfaith dialogues with strangers in my community and visiting churches showed me the importance of learning about other faiths. Interfaith work is important, because it breaks down the barriers faiths have between each other. Being able to talk about the scriptures with different perspectives in an organized environment is essential, because it informs without argument and it helps to eliminate prejudice. I gained a larger appreciation for all faiths and became more confident in the understanding of my own faith. I loved talking to real Mormons, Catholics, Presbyterians, Jews, and Muslims and particularly about what they believe, as well as getting to visit synagogues and churches. This committee provided me with the opportunity to visit with people and learn about the way other religions work. I learned so much from this experience and I hope to continue to more interfaith work next semester!
Jewelle Matheny
have always been interested in different religions but especially Islam because it is a global religion but has so many misconceptions since 9/11. I am so happy I have had the chance to learn more about Islam through being an Interfaith Committee member. All three monotheistic religions have so many things in common. I believe that if the world focused on commonalities verses differences, peace would occur. I have learned that culture and religion are very intertwined. This has helped me understand that the conflict over the holy land or American’s views towards Muslims combines elements of religion and culture. Working on this Interfaith committee has helped expand my knowledge. The summit was a key part of this experience. I loved listening to the speakers and see how much love they had towards each other even though. Interfaith helps build relationships of trust and respect, which are extremely necessary today
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by admin on December 11, 2011
By Kim Sheasley
The original Greek text helps to decipher what Jesus meant when he used the phrase “kingdom of heaven.” In Strong’s Concordance, “the kingdom” (number 932) in the KJV Bible, is described in the Thayer’s Lexicon as “royal power, kingship, dominion, and rule.” In all fourteen verses, “the kingdom” has the same meaning, and never changes in significance. Strong’s also defines “of heaven” (number 3772) as the “vaulted expanse of the sky with all things visible in it” and heaven as “where God dwells.” The combined part of these two definitions, “the kingdom of heaven,” is the “royal power where God dwells and all things are visible.” The kingdom of heaven that Jesus taught through his parables is a place with kingship and a spiritual expanse.
Matthew 13:31-35 and 44-52 explain what is required to attain the kingdom of heaven by illustrating: the growth of a mustard seed, expanding yeast, finding hidden treasure, selling all for a pearl, and through separating the good fish from bad fish. These five parables have been interpreted in numerous ways because the parables do not present a literal roadmap to achieving the kingdom of heaven. Catholics and Protestants have unique conceptions and interpretations of the kingdom of heaven, but each understands the value of the kingdom that Jesus describes in his parables.
Catholics believe in a kingdom of love, peace, and justice (Catholic Church 2046, 2819). This Christian faith sees Jesus as the key for man being able enter into the kingdom of heaven, whereas before man could not. Pope Paul VI said, “Christ inaugurated the Kingdom of heaven on earth and revealed to us the mystery of that kingdom” (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church). Another Catholic official, Pope Benedict XVI, said that Jesus himself is the kingdom, that the kingdom resides in all men, and that the kingdom of heaven is the same as the church (Pope Benedict XVI). Jesus’ parables taught helpful ideas to both the individual and the church. In a Catholic bible translation, The New American Bible, it says that Jesus’ parables about the Kingdom were “proposed” by Jesus, giving his word less authority than non-catholic bibles, which presents a clear example of Jesus’ influence on the church’s view of the kingdom. His proposal could be accepted or rejected by followers and the church. From the pope’s message, we learn that Catholics value Jesus’ role as bringing the kingdom of heaven to the world. The message of the kingdom of heaven parables taught by Jesus is also preached in other Christian denominations.
The Evangelical Church, a Protestant faith, believes in the kingdom of heaven and understands it through Jesus’ parables. In an evangelical sermon by Ross Cochrane, the mustard seed teaches that Jesus was the manifestation of the kingdom of heaven on earth. Cochrane talks about Jesus’ nativity and says, “in the most humble of places [Mary] gave birth to heavens kingdom on earth. This mustard seed “was no ordinary seed. It was a seed of destiny, a seed of promise, a seed of kingdom significance, the seed of the Kingdom of Heaven.” This protestant sect and the Catholics believe that Jesus established the kingdom of heaven. Christians accept the concept of the kingdom of heaven, and even though the definition changes within sects, his parables are relevant to both the Catholic and Protestant Churches.
Different scholars, churches, and scriptures, view the kingdom of heaven, as a concept that is either here now presently, is coming in the future, or that is both here and now. Whether the kingdom of heaven is here or will be here, Jesus was important to all Christians in understanding the kingdom. He taught several parables about the kingdom of heaven, and so it makes sense for his followers (Christians) to believe that Jesus held the key to open the passageway to the kingdom of heaven. Many read contemporary translations like The Contemporary English Version (CEV) of the Bible, which relates to current-day readers. The CEV is phrased in such a way that each parable is focuses on the people not the story. This contemporary translation emphasizes that what the people do is like the kingdom of heaven. The parables are used by Jesus to inspire people to take action even if “Jesus could only tell them what it was ‘like’, using the most homely illustrations… like the hidden treasure, like corn that grows to ripeness ‘man knows not how, like a feast, like catching fish, like leaven working in dough, like an employer paying wages at the end of the day. The illustrations are designed to provoke thought rather than to close the question” (Dodd). In this sense of the parables, Jesus inspired and uplifted humanity by teaching and “provoking” his students. Today Christians have interpreted Jesus’ parables and the concept of the kingdom of heaven through different lenses while recognizing the importance of the kingdom.
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