Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Christianity And The First Generation Polycarp - 1368 Words

As christianity began its transition from the original apostles onto the second generation Polycarp became one of the most instrumental figures in the development of the religion. Despite lacking formal education, Polycarp was christian since his childhood as he was said to be personally discipled by the apostle John. He became a bishop of the church and was widely regarded as a direct and humble teacher. During his lifetime he settled many issues surrounding christianity, such as clarifying the day in which to celebrate Easter, confronting many of the churches heretics and also successfully converted many people from gnosticism to christianity. For all his teachings and impact in the formative years of christianity Polycarp left just one†¦show more content†¦He would then become the first recorded martyr in the post-new testament church history. Polycarp is regarded as one of the most important people in christian history, the text The Martyrdom of Polycarp specifically gives him high praise as they proclaim his actions â€Å"courageous†, â€Å"apostolic† and even â€Å"prophetic† as his martyrdom â€Å"glorified God almighty† and in turn making his christian status immortal. A nod to his prophetic actions is illustrated in the text saying that â€Å"Every word which he uttered from his mouth both was fulfilled and will be fulfilled†. The Romans, who were polytheistic and were not open to differing beliefs, the punishment for which is execution. Despite being a christian his entire life it was not until Polycarp was eighty-six years old and was already a significant figure in the second generation of christian believers that the Romans set out to find him. However, it took longer than expected to find him, as he moved a few times before being betrayed by one of his peers. He was accused of not following roman religious customs, including praying, and offering sacrifices to Caesar. They brought him to the arena in Smyrna to persecute him. While in the arena the romans tried to persuade Polycarp to take the oath to Caesar and deny Christ but he refused. Subsequently they began threatening him, and considering his old age and the threat of death, they

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

American Pop Art Essay - 2717 Words

Examine the mass medias influence on both the formal and iconographic features of American Pop Art. Centre your discussion on one or two examples each of the work of the following artists: Andy Warhol, Claes Oldenburg, Roy Lichtenstein, Tom Wesselmann, James Rosenquist. Pop Art is one of the major art movements of the Twentieth Century. Characterized by themes and techniques drawn from mass culture such as advertising and comic books, pop art is widely interpreted as a reaction to the ideas of abstract expressionism which preceded Pop in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The decade of the 1960s was perhaps one of the most provocative, in terms of culture, politics and philosophy, of the 20th century. The amazing growth that†¦show more content†¦Campbells Soup Cans as well as Warhols famous Marilyn Monroe, (1962, Leo Castelli Gallery) are silk screened paintings based on the mass produced. These images are often presented in a series by which Warhol repeats the picture a large number of times on the same canvas or on separate canvases. Each image in the series is slightly different from the next one. Warhol utilizes a wide range of color from the monochrome to the vivid and vibrant. In his Campbell Soup painting, numerous rows and columns of red and white Campbell soup cans are painted alongside each other. They are all identical except for the flavor of the soup that is written on each can. Warhols main aesthetic strategies were based on the fashion industry and mass media advertising. This means that he constantly used reproduction and inc essant repetition in the art work. But it was repetition and reproduction without a message. For example, the statement ‘Black Bean on the Campbells soup can is meaningless when it is reproduced in art, which is exactly how mass advertising works and Warhol wanted his artwork to have this same effect. However, Warhols Campbells soup did not only function as an illustration of commercial industry and advertisement, it was an intrinsic part of Warhols life and memories and popular culture. For him the soup represented a feeling of being at home with family. It was what the mass mediaShow MoreRelatedPop Art And Its Influence On American Culture786 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"If Pop art was a from of realism, it was a realism that represented the ways American consumer culture had altered the perception of reality itself. Pop artists imagined themselves confronting a world in which the scale and compass of consumer capitalism, with its near-total saturation of society, exceeded tr aditional perceptual structures (Miller 598). Pop Art movement took place in various cities but mainly in New York in the sixties and became popular within two or three years. Artist from thisRead MorePop Art - All American Style2541 Words   |  11 PagesPOP Art - All American Style The amount of money and time we waste in this country is always under scrutiny. Ron English takes this controversy to new heights. His art screams modern pop culture. He will boldly display what most people are thinking. His billboards are filled with controversy and that is just the way he likes it. He makes no excuses for what he represents. English says that he is only speaking the truth and dispute is something he never shies away from. He attacks our everyday bombardmentRead MoreComparison Of Andy Warhol And Roy Lichtenstein797 Words   |  4 Pages Pop Art was a popular movement that formed in the 1950’s in Britain, and later formed in the united states. When you think about pop art you think about three-dimensional art. Well Pop art is not about the form of the picture. Pop art is like an advertisement, news magazines and comic books that catch the people s eyes. There were many artists like Eduardo Paolozzi, Richard Hamilton, and Robert Rauschenberg, who presented pop art to the world especially in the united states. Pop art is alsoRead MorePop Art And The Pop Culture1616 Words   |  7 PagesDuring its time, pop art really exposed American culture. The pop art movement gained its prominence in the United States during the 1960’s. The pop art movement came after the abstract expressionist movement and first emerged in Great Britain during the late 1950’s but blew up in the United States. Like I already stated, I believe that in our society our overall beliefs and values are reflected through various aspe cts of our everyday lives. I believe that pop art and the pop art movement is a greatRead MoreThe Philadelphia Museum Of Art Museum855 Words   |  4 PagesThe Philadelphia Museum of Art was my first time to an art museum, and overall I think it was a good experience. When I thought of an art museum, I thought it was going to be all paintings. But as it turns out, that idea was wrong. There were lots of other forms of art there as well. The exhibit that I enjoyed the most was the International Pop exhibit. But there were also many other exhibits that I enjoyed as well. Some of those include; European, American, Arms and Armor. All every interestingRead More 1960-19701279 Words   |  6 PagesVietnam War. The Civil Rights Movement was another great catalyst for social protest in the sixties. The goal was to promote racial justice and equality in America. The progress was slow but there were many great men to fight for the rights of every American. The most influential leader known is Dr. Martin Luther King. He and his followers called the attention of discrimination against minorities by organizing rallies, strikes, and marches. He convinced President Kennedy and later President Johnson toRead MoreAutumn Rhythm, By Robert Rauschenberg, And Marilyn Diptych1243 Words   |  5 Pagesfrom the ideas of Surrealism about art that looks to examining the unconscious mind, and the feelings people hold that makes us all humans. Through the discussion of Autumn Rhythm (Number 30) by Jackson Pollock, I will define Abstract Expression and why this work is part of this movement. Then, through the discussion of Canyon by Robert Rauschenberg, Target with Plaster Casts by Jasper Johns, and Marilyn Diptych by Andy Warhol, I will explain Assemblage and Pop Art and why each of these works belongRead MorePop Art : The One That Catches My Attention Is Pop1007 Words   |  5 PagesThere are several different art movements, but the one that catches my attention is Pop Art. In the 1 960’s, a group of younger artists invented a new American form of realism. Andy Warhol, Claes Oldenburg, and Roy Lichtenstein invented this movement. Andy Warhol was a highly successful magazine illustrator and graphic designer; Ed Ruscha was also a graphic designer, and James Rosenquist started his career as a billboard painter. Their background in the commercial art world trained them in the visualRead MoreThe Music Of Pop Art1301 Words   |  6 PagesThe art movement I have chosen to write about is pop art. The pop art movement was about appealing to the eye through popular culture and through news and advertising. Pop art emerged in the mid 1950’s in the United States. British artists Richard Hamilton and Eduardo Paolozzi were critics that made pop art popular in Britain in 1952. Paolozzi’s first creation in pop art was a collage of newspaper clippings. A film was made by Ken Russell, which gave life to the idea of pop art in Britain. MeanwhileRead MoreInfl uence Of Consumer Culture On Pop Art1379 Words   |  6 PagesThe pop movement established itself during the rapid multinational corporate American expansion of the late 1950’s to mid 1960’s (Mamiya 1992, 14). Recognised for their study of subjects of popular culture and incorporation of â€Å"commercial techniques.† (Burton 2007, 113), Pop artists embraced â€Å"the culture of the masses† (Wilson 2011, 3). Although the Pop artists remained critically aware of the shortcomings within consumer culture their entanglement with the mentality and techniques of the culture

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Marketing, Chimichangas and the Internet free essay sample

An amazing imaginary chimichanga is created by a traditional local Mexican-American business, â€Å"El Burrito Crazy.† This imaginary scenario takes place during the pre-internet marketing era and the imaginary business is actively dedicating most of its marketing budget towards outbound marketing, as it is in fact working effectively. The chimichanga is believed the best by the massive amounts of customers that have tasted it, customers are pouring in and the business is generating respectable income. â€Å"The best chimichanga American taste buds have ever tasted period.† the television advisement proclaims as millions of Americans rush to El Burrito Crazy after a hard day’s work to obtain their mouthwatering chimichangas. The radio spots during peak times are actively attracting customers, as well as the print ads in magazines, newspapers and the occasional flyers. All is going according to plan. Fast forward thirty years to 2012, all is not going according to plan. Their prior successful commercial model continues to be run, with updated celebrity models accompanied by fresh taglines, of course. In an effort to rekindle their prior success through marketing, the company hires an independent research company. During one of the research company’s trial runs with El Burrito Crazy’s new commercial, the tested customer being begins to watch the updated 2012 commercial. The tagline begins to be read through the celebrity’s mouth â€Å"America’s favorite chimichan†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The commercial gets interrupted by an impatient, bored, channel surfing, phone checking modern day American. The trials inevitably fail. El Burrito Crazy is gasping for a successful marketing strategy and under the guidance of a creative and experienced marketing manager the company begins to realize that modern day inbound marketing opportunities are not being implemented. Accustomed to the pre-internet marketing procedures the company is still allocating the majority of their marketing budget to outbound marketing, while still a successful strategy, inbound marketing paired with social media could definitely be a viable option for El Burrito Crazy. Evidently, Facebook in 2012 is flourishing as an advertising medium; Twitter is actively providing a direct relationship with customers and 88% of internet users consult with search engines while browsing for products. As the marketing panorama has changed with the introduction of the internet El Burrito Crazy’s successful marketing strategy could literally be just a click away. In an age where the once hugely successful television, radio and print advertisings ar e becoming both increasingly ineffective and expensive; the birth of the internet-marketing age arrives to the rescue for businesses. The impact of internet marketing in the business world was further fueled by a crucial factor, the mobile device phenomena. Once internet marketing was paired with the mobile devices, such as smartphones, the business world was completely revolutionized in the sense of accessibility. Marketing improved for both small businesses as well as large corporations as an outcome of the introduction of mobile devices. While it is true that mobile devices revolutionized the means by which customers’ accessed their information and handled their daily decisions, internet marketing modified the data consumers accessed as well as lowered the overall cost of marketing which in turn allowed companies of all sizes the amount of exposure needed. In the age of traditional marketing, such as when the imaginary business El Burrito Crazy began, companies were forced to allocate a substantial amount of their marketing budget towards traditional forms of marketing that include television, radio and magazine advertisements. In the present age, companies benefit from modern marketing techniques such as twitter, Facebook, Yelp and LivingSocial. Social networks and business discovery applications give businesses the opportunity to obtain increased exposure and range while being non-invasive towards the customer. Since the customer initially consults the Yelp or LivingSocial app on their smartphone by choice, they are already searching for a business to satisfy their needs. This categorizes mobile apps as inbound marketing as well as being non-invasive. A prime example of a company that uses internet marketing to their advantage would be Crest Hill Illinois’ Aunt Nina’s Sweets ‘n’ Treats. This small corporation utilizes discovery apps such as LivingSocial and twitter to help attract customers searching for baking, candy and venue solutions. Once the customer has been introduced to the company and has purchased their products or used their services, Aunt Nina’s Sweets ‘N† treats uses Yelp to obtain positive reviews. The simple act of getting a positive review from a customer incre ases brand image. The fact that a webpage created in a certain country has the ability to be accessed from anywhere in the world benefitted International corporations like El Burrito Crazy. Once tied down to regional advertisements due to monetary restrictions, companies can now creatively create marketing campaigns that will generate worldwide interest in a brand. The improvements and advantages that were presented by the revolution of internet marketing and the smartphone phenomena point to consumers’ lives being forever mobilized. This indicates that internet marketing, and marketing in general, will have to continually streamline itself with changing technologies and market trends in order to create successful marketing campaigns. According to modern internet marketing, El Burrito Crazy’s successful comeback campaign will be in the company’s ability to use ever-evolving technology and its tools to provide solid and useful information to their customers.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Palazzo Ruccelai Essays - Leon Battista Alberti,

Palazzo Ruccelai The Palazzo Ruccelai was one of the first works by Leon Battista Alberti. He was an Italian architect, architectural theorist, and universal genius. Albert was the most important early Renaissance architect after Filippo Brunelleschi (Gympel, 44). The Palazzo originated in Florence. The monumental private building is derived from palatium. This Latin word comes from the Roman hill which Emperor Augustus and his successors lived. During the 13th and 14th centuries, many of Italian towns were destroyed during the power struggles. This explains why the exterior of the Early Renaissance palaces were dark, defensive, raw and uninvited (Gympel, 44). Construction on the Palazzo Ruccelai began somewhere between 1455 and 1460. Leon Batista Alberti designed the original Palace to have five bays, the center being where the door was located. Later on, two more bays were added by someone else (class notes 1/19/00). There are three stories on this building. Each story is equal in height and rustication is uniform. This evenness is what gives the Renaissance its name. Most buildings made at this time have similar attributes. Each story has its own column capital to it. The ground floor has the Tucson order, the middle floor has Alberti's own design, and the top floor has the Corinthian order. I thought in Leon Battista Alberti's treaty, The Ten Books of Architecture, I would find out what each of the column capitals meant to him, but all I could find is dimension requirements for each order. The Colosseum has similarities with the Palazzo Ruccelai also. I believe some of Alberti's ideas came from at least the columns. It has a similar placement of the columns. They both have the Tucson order on the ground story, and the Corinthian on the top story. Where the Palazzo Ruccelai has the composite though, the Colosseum has the Ionic (Kostof 207). I wish I could find what was on the inside of this building. This could have some importance in the placement of the columns, but I came up empty. The exterior gives no consideration to what is inside the Palazzo Ruccelai. Each window is the same, except for the two over the doors, which I could only think are used to emphasize the entry into the Palazzo. The Palazzo Ruccelai is a building that can continue to grow, as it has. It started with the original five bays, and two and a half more were added. If there was enough space, even more could be added. The last bay not being completed gives some indication of how this building can continue to grow. The Palazzo Ruccelai is a very simply building. Everything is equal. Measurements would be simple because everything is similar in design and dimension. I wish there was more information on the Palazzo Ruccelai. I believe this is a very interesting building. Even though the last bay is incomplete, I believe it gives it a very unique quality. Bibliography Alberti, Leon Battista. The Ten Books of Archtecture. 1755. New York: Dover Publications Inc., 1986 Gympel, Jan. The Story of Archtecture: From Antiquity to the Present. Cambridge: Goodfellow & Egan, 1996. Kostof, Spiro. A History of Architeture: Settings and Rituals. 2nd Ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995. Palazzo Ruccelai Essays - Leon Battista Alberti, Palazzo Ruccelai The Palazzo Ruccelai was one of the first works by Leon Battista Alberti. He was an Italian architect, architectural theorist, and universal genius. Albert was the most important early Renaissance architect after Filippo Brunelleschi (Gympel, 44). The Palazzo originated in Florence. The monumental private building is derived from palatium. This Latin word comes from the Roman hill which Emperor Augustus and his successors lived. During the 13th and 14th centuries, many of Italian towns were destroyed during the power struggles. This explains why the exterior of the Early Renaissance palaces were dark, defensive, raw and uninvited (Gympel, 44). Construction on the Palazzo Ruccelai began somewhere between 1455 and 1460. Leon Batista Alberti designed the original Palace to have five bays, the center being where the door was located. Later on, two more bays were added by someone else (class notes 1/19/00). There are three stories on this building. Each story is equal in height and rustication is uniform. This evenness is what gives the Renaissance its name. Most buildings made at this time have similar attributes. Each story has its own column capital to it. The ground floor has the Tucson order, the middle floor has Alberti's own design, and the top floor has the Corinthian order. I thought in Leon Battista Alberti's treaty, The Ten Books of Architecture, I would find out what each of the column capitals meant to him, but all I could find is dimension requirements for each order. The Colosseum has similarities with the Palazzo Ruccelai also. I believe some of Alberti's ideas came from at least the columns. It has a similar placement of the columns. They both have the Tucson order on the ground story, and the Corinthian on the top story. Where the Palazzo Ruccelai has the composite though, the Colosseum has the Ionic (Kostof 207). I wish I could find what was on the inside of this building. This could have some importance in the placement of the columns, but I came up empty. The exterior gives no consideration to what is inside the Palazzo Ruccelai. Each window is the same, except for the two over the doors, which I could only think are used to emphasize the entry into the Palazzo. The Palazzo Ruccelai is a building that can continue to grow, as it has. It started with the original five bays, and two and a half more were added. If there was enough space, even more could be added. The last bay not being completed gives some indication of how this building can continue to grow. The Palazzo Ruccelai is a very simply building. Everything is equal. Measurements would be simple because everything is similar in design and dimension. I wish there was more information on the Palazzo Ruccelai. I believe this is a very interesting building. Even though the last bay is incomplete, I believe it gives it a very unique quality. Bibliography Alberti, Leon Battista. The Ten Books of Archtecture. 1755. New York: Dover Publications Inc., 1986 Gympel, Jan. The Story of Archtecture: From Antiquity to the Present. Cambridge: Goodfellow & Egan, 1996. Kostof, Spiro. A History of Architeture: Settings and Rituals. 2nd Ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

U.S. Constitution - Article I, Section 10

U.S. Constitution - Article I, Section 10 Article I, Section 10 of the United States Constitution plays a key role in the American system of federalism by limiting the powers of the states. Under the Article, the states are forbidden from entering into treaties with foreign nations; instead reserving that power to the President of the United States, with the approval of two-thirds of the U.S. Senate. In addition, the states are forbidden from printing or coining their own money and from granting titles of nobility. Article I, Section 10 of the Constitution limits the powers of the states by prohibiting them from entering into treaties with foreign nations (a power reserved to the president with the consent of the Senate), printing their own money, or granting titles of nobility.Like Congress, the states may not pass â€Å"bills of attainder,† laws declaring any person or group guilty of a crime without due process of law, â€Å"ex post facto laws,† laws that make an act illegal retroactively or laws that interfere with legal contracts.In addition, no state, without the approval of both houses of Congress, may collect taxes on imports or exports, raise an army or harbor warships in times of peace, nor otherwise declare or engage in war unless invaded or in imminent danger. Article I itself lays out the design, function, and powers of the Congress – the legislative branch of U.S. government – and established many elements the vital separation of powers (checks and balances) between the three branches of government. In addition, Article I describes how and when U.S. Senators and Representatives are to be elected, and the process by which Congress enacts laws. Specifically, the three clauses of Article I, Section 10 of the Constitution do the following: Clause 1: the Obligations of Contracts Clause â€Å"No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.† The Obligations of Contracts Clause, typically called simply the Contracts Clause, prohibits the states from interfering with private contracts. While the clause might be applied to many types of common business dealings today, the framers of the Constitution intended it mainly to protect contracts providing for the payments of debts. Under the weaker Articles of Confederation, the states were allowed to enact preferential laws forgiving the debts of particular individuals. The Contracts Clause also prohibits the states from issuing their own paper money or coins and requires the states to use only valid U.S. money – â€Å"gold and silver Coin† – to pay their debts. In addition, the clause prohibits the states from creating bills of attainder or ex-post facto laws declaring a person or group of persons guilty of a crime and prescribing their punishment without the benefit of a trial or judicial hearing. Article I, Section 9, clause 3, of the Constitution similarly prohibits the federal government from enacting such laws. Today, the Contract Clause applies to most contracts such as leases or vendor contracts between private citizens or business entities. In general, the states may not obstruct or alter the terms of a contract once that contract has been agreed to. However, the clause applies only to the state legislatures and does not apply to court decisions. Clause 2: the Import-Export Clause â€Å"No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing its [sic] inspection Laws: and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any State on Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the United States; and all such Laws shall be subject to the Revision and Controul [sic] of the Congress.† Further limiting the powers of the states, the Export-Imports Clause prohibits the states, without the approval of the U.S. Congress, from imposing tariffs or other taxes on imported and exported goods in excess of the costs necessary for their inspection as required by state laws. In addition, the revenue raised from all import or export tariffs or taxes must be paid to the federal government, rather than the states. In 1869, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Import-Export Clause applies only to imports and exports with foreign nations and not to imports and exports between states. Clause 3: the Compact Clause â€Å"No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay.† The Compact Clause prevents the states, without the consent of Congress, from maintaining armies or navies during a time of peace. Additionally, the states may not enter into alliances with foreign nations, nor engage in war unless invaded. The clause, however, does not apply to the National Guard. The framers of the Constitution were keenly aware that allowing military alliances between the states or between the states and foreign powers would seriously endanger the union. While the Articles of Confederation contained similar prohibitions, the framers felt that stronger and more precise language was needed to ensure the supremacy of the federal government in foreign affairs. Considering its need for it so obvious, the delegates of the Constitutional Convention approved the Compact Clause with little debate.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Hordes of People Shouldnt Hoard

Hordes of People Shouldnt Hoard Hordes of People Shouldnt Hoard Hordes of People Shouldnt Hoard By Maeve Maddox Jacob Marley wants some input on the uses of hoard vs horde: Perhaps you could take some time to enlighten us on the proper use of horde, hoard. For instance, [this statement from the writer of a software manual]: I wrote it as a response to the growing hoards of people This just sounds *wrong*. Yes, its wrong, but apparently hordes of writers dont know it. Pull In Hoards Of People To Your Venue Using Bluetooth Marketing you can be  on your way to an exponentially-growing network with hoards  of people begging you to join it! It was still a little early for the tulips, but unfortunately that didnt keep away the hoards of people. And before anyone puts all the blame on us unschooled Americans, heres an example from the UKs Independent: Lest the hoards of people queuing for the gruel be tempted to embrace the diet of the workhouse she was keen to point out its nutritional drawbacks. Here are some definitions from the OED. hoard: noun. An accumulation or collection of anything valuable hidden away or laid by for preservation or future use; a stock, store, esp. of money; a treasure. horde: A great company, esp. of the savage, uncivilized, or uncultivated; a gang, troop, crew. You can talk about hoards of gold or hoards of food, but when it comes to huge numbers of people, the word youre looking for is hordes.    Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Computer Terms You Should KnowDoes "Mr" Take a Period?20 Tips to Improve your Writing Productivity

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Old Testament and New Testament Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Old Testament and New Testament - Assignment Example Throughout the next few chapters, there were many stories of Jesus healing those who were sick and even dead in some cases. Before Jesus was crucified, He predicted that those who hated Him would want to kill Him. In the final chapter after Jesus rose from the dead, Jesus commanded his followers to go out into the world and preach the Gospel. Then Jesus ascended up to heaven. John The book of John was unlike the first three gospels; it was not a synoptic gospel. The difference was that Matthew, Mark, and Luke told the story of Jesus chronologically. On the other hand, the book of John was more about preaching what Jesus taught. This book was the last of the Gospels to be written. John wrote this book at the end of his life in approxiamately 90 A.D. This would have allowed John enough time to process what he had seen and heard and then gave him a great opportunity to dictate the story properly. Just as in the book of the previous Gospels, John described some of the signs and wonders t hat Jesus performed. In addition to this, the book of John used many direct quotes from Jesus himself, thus proclaiming why Jesus did the things He did. There are a number of lessons that a reader can get from becoming familier with the Gospel of John. Jesus often answered questions that were posed by different people. He always had a parable to relate a teaching principle to. Acts The book of Acts was a narrative story because it detailed the happenings of the early church. This book was written by the Apostle Luke, who was also the author of the book of Luke. The key character of this book was Paul, or Saul as he was previously known as. At the beginning of the book of Acts, the revival at Pentecost is described. This was where Jesus sent the Holy Spirit down to be available to anyone who would trust in God. Throughout the next few chapters, many of the early Christians performed miracles to those who needed it the most. However, the rulers at the time, the Romans, persecuted many Christians and even killed people such as Stephen by stoning him to death. In spite of this, the numbers of Christians increased rapidly. In the key event of the book, Saul was on his way to Damascus to persecute some new believers. But, before he was able to reach his destination, Saul was met by the spirit of the Lord and had a conversion experience. After this, Saul changed his name to Paul and became the first well-known missionary to go out into the world. Hebrews The book of Hebrews was written by an anonymous author. Many historians think that Paul may have been the author, but this cannot be proven beyond doubt. This book is known as one of the epistles because it was written as a letter to the Hebrews. The main theme of Hebrews is a continuation of the teachings of Jesus that were previously found in preceding books of the New Testament. In the first chapter of the book, it was taught that Jesus was not an angel, but a servant from God. Throughout the middle chapters, a le sson was shown. Jesus is God, but became a man and is now our priest. In the Old Testament, priests killed animals so the people could be forgiven. Yet, Jesus chose to die Himself so God would accept His sacrifice and thus forgive us of our sins. In the penultimate chapter, the heroes of the faith are described along with the deeds that they did. Revelation The final book of the New Testam