Ultimate Dimension and Ultimate Reality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ultimate Dimension and Ultimate Reality - Essay Example This source is known as ultimate reality, defined as the true state of how things are. It offers the standard for measuring the nature of man and reality in relation to Him or It. The norm for a person’s understanding of divine reality is linked to the norms of meaning in manly structures of apprehension, as well as, the self-affirming norm that is given in a religious setting. Enlightenment or revelation is achieved when the inner norm of a religious background and a person’s normative structure of meaning come together (The Gale Group). Regarding ultimate reality in Christianity, Christians believe that God exists as the Father; he reveals himself as both triune and personal. He has no beginning or origin in a primeval impersonal essence. The term â€Å"person† was initially used in Greece as a term for actors’ mask. Nonetheless, in Christian theology, each person on the Holy Trinity has fullness in the divine nature. The Ultimate Reality ontological cha racter is defined by relation and reality that is between the three. This means that, the Holy Trinity is not a tri-theism (sum of three Gods) or a monopersonal God that takes the modalistic heresy (assuming the three distinct forms successively). God as a being is not outside the three as described in the Holy Trinity. God only exists as the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit; therefore, there is no Ultimate Reality above or beyond the Holy Trinity. None of the three should be taken as some type of god like the Hindu Ishvara, which refers to a first manifestation of the Brahman personalization. The accent, in defining divinity, must be taken from Ultimate Reality impersonal view to the individual character of the Holy Trinity, including the relation that exists between the three. God exists through omniscience, omnipotence and love, characterized by perfect harmony and unity (The Gale Group). The Holy Trinity is characterized by perfect love, will or deed; therefore, none manifests it self by infringing on the other. In the Bible, God does not show Ultimate Reality that goes beyond himself. He is not a God that comes and goes or is situated far outside the impersonal absolute. 2. Cultural Dimension of Religion Cultural dimensions refer to a number of value constructs or psychological dimensions that can be used in the description of a culture. There is always an element of symbolism in every religion, and since symbolism is the centre of culture, it means religion has a crucial cultural dimension. Nonetheless, religion is also made up of status and power relations just like the rest of social institutions. Frederick Streng suggests that the cultural dimension of any religion is linked to historical conditions. During the time of Jesus, Rome had imposed many aspects of its culture on the world of Jesus at the time. However, the Semite nation has its own unique and long historical background. The Jewish people stuck to their religion despite being ruled by the Roma ns, for instance, they continued celebrating Passover and sustaining their sense of liberty. The Jews were offended with the way King Herod used Roman architecture to dictate the Roman way of life (Rabbi Eckstein). CITATION FOR QUESTION NO. 2 King heavily taxed the Jews to build an expanded Jerusalem Temple. These heavy taxes led to the disintegration of the family life in the land of Jews as addressed by Jesus in the Gospels. Jesus and the early church had to navigate their way through the uncertainties of imperial dominion during their time. The life of Muhammad as a child was a difficult one. Born in Mecca in 570 AD, Muhammad