There are many things that Smith describes in this section. I will try to outline a few. Jesus started his ministry when he stated, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled.” The Spirit is a large portion of Christianity. The Spirit is something that all could partake in. One needs to immerse themselves in it. Jesus was empowered with the Spirit and this offered him a “power” above that of a normal human being. It is through this power that he was able to heal the sick, cast out demons, etc.
During the time of Jesus’ ministry, there were many schools of thought. The Sadducees believed that the Jews should make the best of their situation and just grin and bear their problems. The Essenes believed the world was far too evil for any good to enter and flourish, so they retreated from society and formed their own communities. The Pharisees thought that they needed to strictly follow the Mosaic law. The final group thought that they could change society through a revolution of sorts.
Jesus came into play and introduced a new school of thought. He differed from all of the groups that were formed at the time. He wanted change, he stayed in the world, he believed in loving your neighbor/enemy and finally he stressed the compassion of Yahweh rather than the holiness of Yahweh. His identifying the compassion of Yahweh helped stir up change in the society of his time (although the changes were minimal at best). The Pharisees separated things in their culture as clean or unclean. This covered food items, people, cultures, etc. Jesus was not a fan of this and taught that Yahweh loved everyone and that all are equal.
Jesus, although he was a public icon, performed most of his miracles in intimate settings. He was always engaged in a good work. He spoke in a way that, to many, was authoritative. He spoke in such a way that inspired thought among the listeners. He practiced what he preached and then some. He was more concerned about what people thought of God rather than what they thought of him.
Upon Jesus’ death/crucifixion, the “good news” began to be spread among all the Middle Eastern world. These followers/believers were persecuted and would mark out where their secrete meetings would be by using the outline of a fish to point in the direction of such a meeting. These early Christians displayed their new-found beliefs. They treated everyone as equals and they were found to be full of joy. They were persecuted and treated horribly. Despite this, they were able to find joy in life.
There are 3 branches of Christianity today. Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestantism. Roman Catholicism contains a “supreme court” or a head to their church that has the power to define what doctrine is true or not. The Pope is the head of the Roman Catholic church and he is infallible in the areas of morals and faith. The Sacraments offers the church the opportunity to teach its members. The Sacraments are: 1 - Baptism (this “delivers” the soul into the supernatural order), 2 - Confirmation (an added strength and reflection), 3 - Holy Matrimony (marriage) or 4 - Holy Orders (dedicating one’s life to God), 5 - Sacrament of the Sick (preparation for the soul’s final passage), 6 - Reconciliation (confession - performed often) and 7 - Mass (Holy Eucharist or Communion). Catholics believe that when they partake of the Holy Eucharist that they are partaking the actual body and blood of Christ.
The beliefs of the Eastern Orthodox Church are in part the same as those of the Catholic church but with a few differences. A common belief is in the seven Sacraments. They differ in their view of authority in the church. Catholics have the Pope as their leader whereas the Orthodox’s have the consensus of the members or the conscience of the church. Priest in the Catholic church are not able to be married while priest in the Orthodox church are permitted to. This church split from the Roman Catholic church, thus we have the similarities.
The Roman Catholic church is also the root of the Protestant church. The Protestant faith is not only a belief but a responsibility to the self. This includes the movements of the heart, mind and will. They believe that good works are faiths consequence and not its prelude. The Bible in the Protestant faith is in a way the ultimate. It is what contains all truth and light.
Personal Reflection -
I would say that I would fit under the Orthodox branch if I had to chose between these three religions. I understand it to be more about community rather than self. Without each other we are lost. I believe that the other branches are not bad/wrong/incorrect. I believe that every person has their agency to chose. If one choses a belief, I do not believe that they should be persecuted for such a belief. This person should also be a respecter of others beliefs.
