Hidden Gem Skidmore College TKG

Hidden Gem Skidmore College For our next Hidden Gems spotlight, we are focusing on Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY. As a school of about 2,600, Skidmore stands out as a true hub of liberal arts brilliance. We spoke to a number of Skidmore alums to write this article and based on our conversations with them we’re focusing on the following aspects: the faculty, location, and unique academic departments.Skidmore’s faculty is chock full of enthusiastic professors who tend to stick around for a long time--and for good reason. One alumnus we spoke to raved about the diversity of opinion that she experienced in a class:“I very rarely had any professors who were any less than extremely inspirational. They also remembered your interests and took the time to incorporate your other academic pursuits into the class on a regular basis. I remember one of my American Studies professors calling students out, asking them ‘wait, Angela, you’re pre-med--how are you thinking about this?’ It caused us to consta ntly question our opinions and perspectives by expanding them.”The faculty at Skidmore are involved in a lot of different research focuses and are highly invested in their students. A number of them stay on campus over the summer and facilitate Skidmore’s Faculty Student Summer Research. During these summers, students pair with a professor and work in the lab or classroom for 5-10 weeks on a research project. Oftentimes these projects serve as the basis for students’ theses or senior research projects. A number of alums told us how wonderful it was to have so many faculty-driven resources on campus, and that it made a true difference in their ability to express their creative thought (Skidmore’s motto).All of the students we talked to also raved about Skidmore’s campus. As cliche as it sounds, the campus is gorgeous. It has a very homey feel, particularly because there are so many isolated tiny nooks where students can go and be alone. And there are the North Woods, 150 ac res on campus with trails for both students and the Saratoga Springs community alike to explore.Students can pop on a free bus that will take them to downtown Saratoga Springs whenever they want, and students head downtown often. Saratoga Springs is a bumping haven for artists in upstate New York and is the perfect town to accompany your college career. Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan used to play at folk music club Caffe Lena back in the day. And then there’s the food.“Saratoga Springs has some of the best food I’ve ever had. And I grew up in New York City, so that says something,” one alumnus we spoke to said. “You go to Putnam Market for sandwiches, Ravenous for crepes and pommes frites, and Esperantos for the dough boy. The dough boy is heaven.”The food on campus isn’t bad either. The D-Hall acts as a space where students can eat, meet people, and happily procrastinate doing their work for a few hours each day.Finally, all of the alumni raved about the academic opportu nities. Skidmore is a liberal-arts college, so they give students the chance to explore classes in many different departments. Additionally, though, the school offers some truly unique departments of study. For example, Intergroup Relations. Skidmore is the first school in the country to offer a minor aiming to “support student learning and competencies around inter- and intragroup relations, conflict, and social justice across a range of social identities.” This is essentially a minor in intersectionality. Or the American Studies department, which highlights a major curriculum “that focuses upon life and culture in the United States, past and present, using a variety of resources, techniques, and methodological approaches.”Skidmore is a unique and interesting place to pursue your undergraduate degree for four years, and those who have graduated absolutely loved it. They all could have gone on for days about why Skidmore is truly “the best.” We advise all of our students to go and visit a school to get a feel for it and the surrounding area, but in this case we’d also recommend that you visit Saratoga Springs just for fun. Let us know if you have any questions at all. Oh, and fun fact: Skidmore announced last year that their application process is going to be test-optional.

Autism- Brain Disease - 572 Words

Autism is the second types of brain disease. According to Scheruermann and Webber (2002), autism is a development of disorder that caused by neurological impairment affecting brain chemistry and or brain structure. Even the exact reason of the neurological impairment is not yet known, but it is mostly due to the genetic links. Nevertheless, this symptoms is well-defined, hence essential information for educational treatment been contributed. Understanding based on autistic symptomology is the best way to teach student with autism. Presently, there are three main theories explaining the existence of common symptoms. The first theory is a perceptual/cognitive theory. Autism children may have specific differences in capability of their thinking and the way they receive external input, due to the brain defects. They also have to withdraw, and have a complicated time making sense of or processing, physical phenomena because of they might be stimulated by auditory, visual, and tactile stim uli. A second theory is from a developmental explanation holds that brain defects is the reason individuals with autism difficult to evolve in language, cognition, social, and motor domains. Scheruermann and Webber also stated that, it is estimated that the students need to improve through developmentally sequenced experiences for them to expert the necessary skills just as children without disabilities because they are developmentally delayed. The last theory is the behavioral explanation, holdsShow MoreRelatedAutism Is Not A Disease, But A Developmental Disorder Of Brain Function1465 Words   |  6 PagesAutism is not a disease, but a developmental disorder of brain function. People with classical autism show three types of symptoms: impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication and imagination, and unusual or severely limited activities and interests. Symptoms of autism usually appear during the first three years of childhood and continue througho ut life. Although there is no cure, appropriate management may help with normal development and reduce undesirable behaviorsRead MoreThe Outbreak Of The Measles1659 Words   |  7 Pages An outbreak of the measles in the United States has sparked controversy in the autism world today. Contrary to previous theories, the measles vaccination is not a leading component to the cause of this disease. One in sixty-eight children in the United States are entering this world with Autistic Spectrum Disorder today, a thirty percent increase from the one in eighty eight percent two years ago. This disease is unquestionably one of the worst and most confusing disabilities out there. So, despiteRead MoreAutism Is A Genetic Disorder907 Words   |  4 Pages Although autism has spread globally, scientists continue conducting research to identify the precise causes. More specifically, they are zeroing in on genetic mutations, brain chemistry abnormalities, and maternal factors. One possible cause that can lead to autism is genetic mutations. First of all, families studies indicate that children can affected by autism through heredity. It is true that children inherited some characteristics from their parents. This is because a chromosome ofRead MoreAutism Refers To A Neuron Developmental Condition, Which1569 Words   |  7 PagesAutism refers to a neuron developmental condition, which impedes the normal child’s growth and progress within a social setting. According to Tzanakaki et al., â€Å"an autistic individual finds it challenging to interact with other people and cannot relate to societal norms ably† (63). Healt h practitioners believe that failure of neuron synaptic networks in the brain to develop in a normal way owing to chromosomal deficiency causes autism. The symptoms and signs of autism become visible right from infancyRead MoreThe Link Between Autism And Autism1580 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction There have been several controversies regarding the cause of autism over the years. For example, the main cause was assumed by some to be bad parenting. Today, however, there is general agreement that the symptoms of autism, with the exception of those of abandoned children, are a behavioral response by young children to an organic disease affecting their brains. In fact, it is now generally understood that autism is a complex developmental syndrome representing a heterogeneous group ofRead MoreEssay about The Signs and Effects of Autism1370 Words   |  6 PagesThe Signs and Effects of Autism Autism is a rare disease that has been noticed for centuries. The purest form of autism (high IQ and almost normal behavior yet still self-contained) occurs in about â€Å"one in 2,000 people†. When the many other forms of autism are added in, the ratio is â€Å"one in 750†. Autism is found in every race, ethnic group, nation, and social standing, although â€Å"males outnumber females by four or five times† (â€Å"Autistic Disorder† – 2). Autism is a broad range of disordersRead MoreThe Anti Vaccine Movement And The Vaccine1620 Words   |  7 Pages The Anti-Vaccine Movement Although the MMR link to autism is one of the most recent anti-vaccine incidences, the anti-vaccine movement didn’t begin with the suggestion that MMR caused autism. Previous vaccine scare incidences arose prior to the 1998 study on MMR that fueled more anti-vaccine sentiments. Offit (2011) claims that the modern American anti-vaccine movement began when a documentary titled DPT: Vaccine Roulette, aired on April 19, 1982. The documentary questioned the safety and effectivenessRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd )1575 Words   |  7 PagesThere are a wide variety of symptoms that have been associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD, the name adopted in 2013) including, repetitive movements, emotional difficulties, sensory problems, etc. The exact cause of these symptoms is a widely debated topic. In this paper, I will discuss the overall prevalent causes for Autism as well as the different variations and subgroups. People are familiar with other disorders such as Down syndrome or Trisomy 21. These types of disorders are discussedRead MoreEpigenetics And Autistic Spectrum Disorder1078 Words   |  5 Pages Epigenetics and Autistic Spectrum Disorder Jowan Jones Old Dominion University â€Æ' Abstract This paper plans to focus on autism spectrum disorder and how epigenetics contributes to the development of the disease. ASD is comorbid with other neurodevelopmental diseases including Rett Syndrome, Fragile X, Prader-Willi, and Angelman. These diseases have frequent, identifiable symptoms such as coloboma of the eye, heart defects, atresia of the nasal choanae, retardation of growth and or developmentRead MoreHow Autism Affects Regular Brain Functions as Well as Socialization Skills1679 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is the topic about? Introduction Autism is a complex neurological disorder that is the result of the brain abnormality, affecting a persons regular brain function and also the development of a persons communication and social interaction skills. This neurological disorder is also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) which include autistic disorder, Asperger Syndrome and Pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). [2] People with ASD share some similar characteristics and symptoms, such

Racial Profiling in Canada - 1166 Words

Racial profiling is the act of selecting targets for criminal investigation not on behavioural merit, but exclusively on markers of personal identity such as race, ethnicity, and religious orientation (Perry, 2011, p.9). In other words, racial profiling is the by-product of subjecting individuals who are from a particular racial community to a higher degree of scrutiny and surveillance by criminal justice system agents when compared to other racial communities (Wortley and Owusu-Bempah, 2011, p.135). One Canadian community in particular has been impacted by racial profiling: black Canadians. There has been a significant body of literature which has attested to the veracity of the argument that black Canadians are victimized via racial profiling. For example, the Commission of Systemic Racism in the Ontario Criminal Justice System found that the majority of black respondents surveyed had been treated unfairly by the Canadian criminal justice system (Wortley and Owusu-Bempah, 2011, p.133-134). Furthermore, Canadian research studies have consistently revealed that blacks are more likely to come into negative police contact compared to Caucasians (Wortley and Owusu-Bempah, 2011, p. 135). Alarmingly, suspected black offenders are also more likely to be shot and experience use of force by Canadian law enforcement personnel than their white counterparts (Wortley and Owusu-Bempah, 2011, p. 138). This is not, however, the only form of racial profiling that black CanadiansShow MoreRelatedRacial Profiling in Canada Essay examples1300 Words   |  6 Pagesis dispute regarding what defines racial profiling. Critics ask Is it racist, or is a necessary part of law enforcement. Racial profiling is identified by Adele Cassola in her article as unjust whereas Denyse Coles argues that racial profiling is necessary and is not considered racism. According to the Ontario Human Rights Commission â€Å"Racial profiling is based on stereotypical assumptions because of one’s race, colour, ethnicity, etc.† whereas criminal profiling â€Å"relies on actual behaviour or onRead MoreRacial Profiling And The Justice System1365 Words   |  6 Pagesis just how it looks like at a glance in Canada, as for minorities living in Canada and, in particular to black Canadians, these minorities face a different reality in the encounters with police and the justice system in comparison to their white counterparts. Which raises the question of how equal each citizen really is under the same rules. Therefore, in the essay I argue racial profiling is evident in stop and search practices targeting Blacks in Canada by police officers due to institutional racismRead MoreRacial Profiling And The United Kingdom934 Words   |  4 PagesRacial profiling has become a highly debatable law enforcement practice over the last two decades. There has been an overwhelming increase of reported instances in which law enforcement personnel have been accused of targeting certain minority groups. This has casted a luminous spotlight on racial profiling, as well as increased tensions between law enforcement and citizens. Two black America s by the Wilson Quarterly reported that New York City police stopped nearly 700,000 people, with 85% ofRead MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs Essay1549 Words   |  7 Pagesargue that law enforcement agencies routinely engage in racial profiling, arresting and charging a disproportionate number of individuals who are from visible minorities. Unfortunately, police agencies simply explain that they have not targeted the race, but they target the crime. As a result, this paper will examine the relationship between the racial profiling by police agencies and the drug offense, affected minorities by the racial profiling, and possible explanations why minorities are in a greatRead MoreRacism : Racism And Police Brutality916 Words   |  4 PagesMyrian Rios Professor Thibodeau ENC 1101 Composition I 8:00-9:50 10 June 2015 Essay 1 Racism in the Legal System Racial profiling isn’t something new to today’s society. Most recently there were incidents in which the officers were accused of mistreating blacks such as Michael Brown and Freddie Gray. â€Å"Racism versus professionalism: claims and counter-claims about racial profiling† written by Vic Satzewich and William Shaffir discusses racism versus professionalism with officers. Their argumentRead MoreCriminal Profiling1152 Words   |  5 Pagescriminal profiling. Some psychiatrists, criminologists, and psychologists believe there are specific traits, psychological factors that will separate a person from the rest of society. This thesis will explain that criminal profiling will help narrow the list of suspects from rape and homicide by formulating the type of person whom the investigators should be looking for. How long does he or she think criminal profiling has been used in law enforcement? Criminal Profiling CriminalRead MoreRacial Profiling Is Wrong And Ineffective1845 Words   |  8 PagesRacial Profiling can be described as an individual being suspected of a crime solely on the grounds of their race or ethnicity. Racial Profiling goes against the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom, and takes away an individual rights. Racial profiling is wrong and ineffective. It affects both the community and it misshapes the democracy of our country. Racial profiling is caused by stereotyping certain minority groups. Racial profiling targets innocent people who are wrongfully accused becauseRead MoreRacial Profiling Is A Problem For A Long Time1866 Words   |  8 PagesPaper In Canada there are a lot of issues that we deal with on a daily basis. One issue that has been a problem for a long time in Canada is Racial Profiling. Racial Profiling is a form of discrimination by which law enforcement uses a person’s race or cultural background as the primary reason to suspect that the individual has broken the law. For this final paper assignment, we had to analyze one criminal justice system problem or issue in Canada, and I thought that since racial profiling has alwaysRead MoreThe Black Of Black Criminal Labels866 Words   |  4 Pagesthe stereotypes that black people are commonly involve or associate with regarding with crime. She thought it was a plausible concept to understand the images of crime shown by a society. She explicates on racial stereotypes through crime rates, black involvement in crimes, media, and racial hoaxes. For instance, young black males in America are commonly perceived as violent, gang affiliated, and sustain by other lab els everywhere. She mentions â€Å"talking about crime is talking about race† whichRead MoreThe Relationship Between Race and Crime Essay668 Words   |  3 Pagessource of crime. I am going to show the relationship between race and crime. More specifically, I will be discussing the higher chances of minorities being involved in the criminal justice system than the majority population, discrimination, racial profiling and the environment criminals live in. It is a stereotype that black people are more likely to be criminals than white people. Does this stereotype have any truth to it? A black male born in the United States of America today would have a

Existentialism, Nihilism, And Objectivism - 2408 Words

From the beginning of time people have pondered existence and what it means to truly â€Å"Be’, indeed the most important questions that one can ask are those of a metaphysical nature. The deeper questions that seek to explain the reason we’re here in the first place, if for any reason at all. It’s easy to get lost in the many differing theories proposed from Determinism to Rationalism to Solipsism to Absurdism the possible theories one can ascribe as correct are endless. But the ones that try to answer those big questions in the most general of terms are the ones that seem to hold the most verisimilitude. Existentialism, Nihilism, and Objectivism are the most general, and although quite different they are also quite similar. But existentialism seems to be the one which offers the most hope for optimism or any concern for altruism and personal growth. To begin with it should be taken into consideration the circumstances in which humanity found itself in when these sort philosophical musings of ontology became so prevalent among the society of thinkers and intellectuals. With the turbulence and constant change of the late 19th and 20th century it only makes sense that people would begin to wonder what it all really means. With wars, genocide, and poverty contrasted against the unprecedented industrial and technological advances of the time not to mention the exponential growth in some populations, it became easier and easier to lose one s identity as the world begins toShow MoreRelated Comparing the Anti-Social Plays of Cyrano de Bergerac and Night of the Iguana1026 Words   |  5 Pagesunderstood by scientific and logical means. This, I believe, is where the anti-social play becomes important: it reflects societys belief that there is nothing to believe in anymore. The emergence of many philosophies (such as existentialism, athei stic satanism, objectivism, nihilism, and hedonism) which focus on despair or selfishness also reflects this. Anti-social plays, of which we have many in modern times, address the concepts of despair that these influential modern philosophies have in common.Read MoreExistentialism vs Essentialism23287 Words   |  94 PagesEssentialism vs. Existentialism Essentialism: A belief that things have a set of characteristics that make them what they are, amp; that the task of science and philosophy is their discovery amp; expression; the doctrine that essence is prior to existence While, Existentialism:A philosophical theory or approach, that emphasizes the existence of the individual person as a free amp; responsible agent, determining their own development through acts of the will. Existentialism * is

Elvis The King Essay Research Paper Elvis free essay sample

Elvis, The King Essay, Research Paper Elvis Aaron Presley, in the humblest of fortunes, was born to Vernon and Gladys Presley in a two-room house in Tupelo, Mississippi on January 8, 1935. His twin brother, Jessie Garon, was stillborn, go forthing Elvis to turn up as an lone kid. He and his parents moved to Memphis, Tennessee in 1948, and Elvis graduated from Humes High School at that place in 1953. Elvis musical influences were the dad and state music of the clip, the Gospel music he heard in church and at the nightlong Gospel sings he often attended, and the black R A ; B he absorbed on historic Beale Street as a Memphis adolescent. In 1954, he began his singing calling with the legendary Sun Records label in Memphis. In late 1955, his entering contract was sold to RCA Victor. By 1956, he was an international esthesis. With a sound and manner that unambiguously combined his diverse musical influences and blurred and challenged the societal and racial barriers of the clip, he ushered in a whole new epoch of American music and popular civilization. We will write a custom essay sample on Elvis The King Essay Research Paper Elvis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He starred in 33 successful movies, made history with his telecasting appearan Ces and specials, and knew great acclamation through his many, frequently record-breaking, unrecorded concert public presentations on circuit and in Las Vegas. Globally, he has sold over one billion records, more than any other creative person. His American gross revenues have earned him gold, Pt or multi-platinum awards for 131 different albums and singles, far more than any other creative person. Among his many awards and awards were 14 Grammy nominations ( 3 wins ) from the National Academy of Recording Arts Sciences, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, which he received at age 36, and his being named One of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the State for 1970 by the United States Jaycees. Without any of the particular privileges his famous person position might hold afforded him, he uprightly served his state in the U.S. Army. His endowment, good expressions, sensualness, personal appeal, and good wit endeared him to 1000000s, as did the humbleness and human kindness he demonstrated throughout his life. Known the universe over by his first name, he is regarded as one of the most of import figures of 20th century popular civilization. Elvis died at his Memphis place, Graceland, on August 16, 1977.

Work Reduction Policy

Introduction It is the duty of managers to ensure that the success of the organization and the welfare of employees get first priority. However, managers are often required to make a lot of commitments while arriving at certain decisions to avoid any regrets or resentments thereafter.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Work Reduction Policy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In such a situation, a manager has to do what is morally right and ethical for the organization and its employees. In the case scenario, Wireweave is overhauling its workforce after having adopted new technology which will be more effective, efficient, and cost effective compared to the old technology. This is aimed at enabling the organization to make a profit. Muriell Fincher, the personnel director at Wireweave faces the challenge of designing a work reduction policy that will bring about organizational change. Scope of the problem The cur rent case involves a lot of moral and ethical issues. From the perspective of the Company’s president, Wireweave needs to get rid of some employees as it can no longer sustain their wages (Leffler, 1999). Like any other organization, the ultimate goal of Wireweave is to make profits and reduce its operational costs. Although this is a very challenging decision, the personnel manager has to incorporate a policy that will be acceptable to both sides. The policy would see 65 employees leave the company as will further employee reduction exercise schedule in the future. Major issues Once an organization has adopted a new technology, this gives it a competitive advantage in the market. Even as the organization wishes to reduce its operational costs, it is also important to consider the welfare of the employees. These are two conflicting issues and the personnel manager has to design a work reduction policy that would be favorable tor both sides. Alternatives In every scenario, the re are always choices or alternatives available to enable one get out of that particular situation. The different alternatives available to Fincher will depend on the ethical and economic responsibilities of the company towards the employees being terminated.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More They will also be determined by the moral problems that may arise as a result of terminating the services of some of the employees, and the pressure on the president to make a prompt decision (Leffler, 1999). The alternatives include communicating with the employees and explaining to them the organizational change to be incorporated in the reduction policy (Kreitner, 2009). The advantage of this alternative is that employees feel appreciated and this is likely to increase the morale of the retained employees. The disadvantage is that some employees may not be willing to embrace the n ew change. The second alternative is to draw a policy without involving the employees. This would lead to their termination without notice and could result in lawsuits and a bad reputation for the company. However, this is an effective alternative because it is an immediate action that does not involve compromise. The last option is to develop a policy plan that would lead to compensation of the employees and communicating to them about the immediate action being taken. The advantage of this policy is that all employees retained and those who gets terminated feel appreciated and their efforts are awarded. The limitation is that the management may not accept the clause of compensating the employees. Best alternative The most preferred alternative is having a work reduction policy that compensates employees and communicates to them the likely changes in the organization on a face to face basis. In this case, the moral ethics of the retained employees would be addressed. In addition, t he company would assume responsibility of their employees, and the urgency by Jackson for prompt action would be achieved. At the end of the day, the moral and ethical values would be safeguarded and conflicts as a result of organizational change managed (Kreitner, 2009).Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Work Reduction Policy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Measuring the success/ failure The success or the failure of the company is measured through performance indexes of the retained employees and the cost of production incurred (Behn, 2003). Conclusion The adoption of new technology by an organization is a good thing because it helps to reduce operational costs and gives the company in question a competitive advantage in the market. On the other hand, it can also lead to the retrenching of some employees. As such, there are a lot of ethical and moral issues involved. Reference List Behn, R. D. (2003). Why measure performance? Different purposes require different measures. Public Administration Review, 63(5), 586-606 Kreitner, R. (2009). Management. Boston: MA Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing. Leffler, K. (1999). Critical incidents in management. Needham Heights: MA Pearson Publishing. This case study on Work Reduction Policy was written and submitted by user Jasiah David to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Theology- Church and Sacraments Essay Example

Theology Theology- Church and Sacraments Essay Theology- Church and Sacraments Essay All of which I am about to write in this short synthesis is solely taken from the book entitled, Church and Sacraments by Victoria D. Corral, Ed. D. Et al. No other reference was used in the makings. The 12 chosen apostles of Jesus Christ were the first footsteps taken to the creation of the Church, which was born from the Fathers plan in order to continue the mission He had done and that is to proclaim the Kingdom of God. The early Christian community was the beginning of the Church as each apostle begins the Journey of spreading His Word to all nations. Despite the universal acceptance of the many, it ad not always been as acceptable as it is now, before in Christs time. The division between Jews and Gentile had been in continuous tension since then. After the death and resurrection of Christ, the apostles had received the Holy Spirit which enabled them to receive the knowledge of His Word and began to preach immediately afterwards. The converts grew and not too long after had others been convince to widen their horizons and soon began preaching to Gentiles as well. Peter, a disciple of Jesus began teaching to the Jews, while Paul (Saul), though untimely born, taught to the Gentiles. The spread and development of the Christian community grew yet as I have stated a while back, it was not readily accepted to communicate with the Gentiles as Jews became more tapped with the Gospel. And amongst these, Paul took on the stubbornness of the Jewish Christians by preaching radical liberations to temples and synagogues. To Paul, the encounter he had with Jesus at the Road of Damascus had sent the message that it is time to break the boundaries that separated these two. Paul, who participated in the Council of Jerusalem with other apostles, had defended the Gospel of freedom from the Law and among the iscussed issues was that of Circumcision and keeping the law. The conflict between Paul and the Judaizers, people who believe that he Jewish Law is a must to attain salvation, was resolved when the council had resolved to believe that of Pauls argument. Pauls mission reached as far as the Greco-Roman world with Barnabas as a companion along the Journey. The young Church did not remain at peace when it had first been established. It received much hatred from the Romans who believed that their emperor was Divine and laws were important. As such, the apostle James ecame the first apostle to be martyred during Herod Agrippas persecution of the Church. Christians during this time were blamed for every crime done during then; be it treason, wars, illnesses, and such. Christians did not experience the luxury of life back then having faced death untimely, persecutions, and many devastating events. An example would be the reign of Nero. Nero, who put parts of Rome in fire, blamed the Christians as the cause and caused many to die so he could divert the punishment to him. Peter and Paul had died as well and by then all the apostles had ied by martyrdom, which gave the Churchs image as the Church of the Martyrs. St. Ignatius first coined the term Catholic Church which means the Universal Church. Still, it faces difficulty as people begin to oppose the doctrines of the Church and replaced it with other beliefs. These people were called Heretics or people who commit heresy. Heresy in the East dealt with Arianism which denies Jesus as but only a first divine creature. While the West dealt Donatism which claims that anyone committing a grave sin will never be able to return to grace. During the reign of Emperor Constantine, at a point the Church and State had come to common grounds such that Catholic religion became close to being the national religion, the ranks of popes and bishops were established, and the Arianisms spread was paused due to the establishment of the Council of Nicea. But, not too long afterwards, the-so-called religious purpose had turned political where the Church became subservient to the State and with the change of heart of Constantine to side with Arius after exiling him during the Council of Nicea. The reign of Theodosius became the year where the Catholics had been at its peak as he declared Catholic as the national religion. Despite attempts to regain the lost during the disparities, much of the original doctrines have been shattered. Arianism at some point ended but was again spread due to the coming of the West migrants such as Visigoths. Destroying many Catholic churches and bringing disaster, Roman Empire enters the Dark Ages period. Although, at the time, bishops and popes became more functional in civil authority, it was not of power, but because of the opportunity to impart the religious authority. Afterwards, Catholic Church soon became the Roman Catholic Church. On the other hand, the East maintained traditions and at the Council of Chalcedon, Pope Leo disagreed with the decision to make Constantinople equal to Rome and fought for papal primacy. Written in Pope Leos papacy was the greatest mission taken place that when the empire collapses, the only way to protect all was the conversion of the barbarians. When Christendom was created, it paved the way to the conversion of the barbarians. When Clovis, for example, was baptized, he used the Church in stabilizing moral codes towards his men. Gregory the Great laid the foundation of the medieval Christendom making the pope supreme. But still corruption and abuses remained. Monks also played another role in the Church as they accompany the dissolution of the Empire. The monks who created monasteries allowed intellectual life to continue as the Roman Empire crumble. But it also created a split-level Christianity and this was provided by St. Benedict. He influenced monasticism as a place of religious and economical way where it became a place of learning. He went as far as the West and earned the title Father of the Western Monasticism. After a short while, a new religion came called Islam which had converted many into Moslems. They conquered many Christian based countries such as Jerusalem. The East felt abandoned as the West ignored their plea for help. Charles Martel led the people to victory when he defeated the Moslems and expanded the Church and its defense which was an act inherited by his son Pepin. He earned his legitimacy to the throne from Pope Zachary who was later succeeded by Pope Stephen. It became traditional that the pope crowns a king when Pepin helped Pope Stephen defeat the Lombards which made Pope Stephen to crown Pepin a second time. Pepins second son Charles or Charlemagne was considered the best ruler at the time since he was ble to unify the Western Europe making Europe Christendom, put all disagreements towards Pope Leo Ill away, and united the Church with the State. But it could not be avoided that Charlemagne became concerned with the matters involving both the government of the Catholic body and life in Church. He, in a way, had taken authority over the Church and it was not the kind of alliance the Church had thought it would turn out. By the 800-1517, papacy and imperial authority began to fade. Although in the 10th century, it had revived much of the power and authority had moved to the emperor, both papal and imperial. This happened in the Kingdom of the East Franks led by Otto the Great who was said to have continued Charlemagnes seeking of the crown from the pope. Otto had great use of the Church making bishops his greatest collaborators since bishops were intellectually learned and bore no child which made it easy for him to replace one. He collaborated with the Church by granting it an independence of a Papal State and the no Pope would be consecrated until he had pledged to the emperor. As the years move on, Feudalism was introduced and it was not warmly welcomed by the Church as its negative effect reached until the Church itself and its bishops. When the bishops became feudal lords, it made monasteries and Episcopal Sees wealthy, but it had come from the labor of the helpless people who were subjugated to be part of the feudal system. It created corruption which reached the monasteries, suffering the consequence was their spiritual life. Thus a new monastic foundation was created to counter the abuses. The monastery of Cluny was one of the two monastic reforms that led to the revival of the monastic life. Clunys monks had been given freedom from the interferences of the feudal lords, granting them the ability to spread Benedictine monasticism quiet prayer and ignified performance of liturgy. Bernard of Clairevaux was the second movement of monastic reform. Considered one of the greatest spiritual leaders, became a counselor to the popes and kings. The birth of two mendicant orders happened afterwards. The Franciscans and Dominicans, which inspired the renewal and rejection of abuse in the Church. During Pope Gregory VII (Hildebrand)s rule as pope, he strengthened the Churchs control over itself by giving all power to the pope, making it the supreme head of Christendom. He issued a document called Dictatus Papae(Dictates of the Pope) giving authority to the pope. It also raised the dominance of the code of canon law which made the Church more institutionalized. Many of his reforms included the prohibition of lay investiture, simony, and clerical celibacy. Developing even more, in the rule of Innocent Ill, the Church became more of a papal church and through the Gregorian reform, in hopes of the freedom from secular control; the church became worldly and greedy. Yet despite that, the Popes control over the Church intensified and Christendom experienced its golden age. Through the 13th century under the rule of Pope Urban II, the Church became known s an imperial Church as it waged into war. Knights fighting to recover the Holy Land from the Moslems were called Crusaders. Pope Urban II promised eternal reward to those who Joined and it did not take long for people to be attracted. But despite the main motive of retrieving the Holy Land back, some had Joined for the sake of land and material possessions. Many had died, but according to them, they slaughtered because Deus vult(God wills it). A total of seven Crusades were followed. In the First Crusade called by Pope Urban II, Antioch was retrieved from Moslems, broke through Jerusalem, massacred both Jews and Muslims, retrieved Jerusalem, regained influence of Rome to the East, Crusaders were honored and given indulgence, and exempted from taxes. In the Second Crusade called by Pope Eugene II, due to lack of unity among leaders, the Muslim took hold of all the land the Crusade took, including Jerusalem. In the Third Crusade led by Frederick Barbarossa, who died drowning with his army; Duke of Austria and Philip Augustus, who did not get along with Richard the Lionhearted; and Richard the Lionhearted, who did gain control of some lands, were ll considered as a failed attempt to re-capture Jerusalem as the people became more concerned with the treasures rather the Jerusalem. In the Fourth Crusade and the succeeding Crusades, no attempts of retrieving Jerusalem ever happened again. They ransacked and stole treasures and such destroying churches and caused the Church to split. There was violence and the separation between east and west gotten worst as the Empire weakened and the papacy lost stature. But despite the disadvantages that happened, there were several advantages as well. They opened trade routes, introduced new products like soaps and spices, brought wealth to the West, advance learning on Mathematics and Science, brought philosophical works from Greece, and through all the new discoveries made by the Crusade, it eventually led to the period called Renaissance. But the Crusade was still considered as one of the dark pages of the Dark Ages. Another dark page is the Inquisition started by Innocent Ill. This began due to the desire to eliminate those who are heretics and intending to be both a spiritual leader and a political master, Pope Innocent Ills plan backfires on him as he became the first Pope to apply force in suppressing religious opinion. Back in 1054, during the schism of the East and West, the opposing views of the two sides caused an even greater disparity as they resent each others claims. When Michael Cerularius became patriarch of Constantinople, there was little respect towards the papacy and when the Pope insisted that all living in the West must bow to western rituals, so did the Easts insist on their side. Refusing to acknowledge that preaching could be preached in other languages, Rome and Constantinople ended the connection and separated from each other. Both leaders on the Orthodox Church (East) and Roman Church (West) excommunicated one nother. And with the Fourth Crusade happening at the time, who ransacked Constantinople, only disintegrated the relationship of both Churches and until now remains divided. Now the once spiritual beginning of the Church has become political and divided. In the Avignon Papacy, seven popes established their residence at Avignon, France being precedent by Clement V. His desire for peace between France and England made him establish a new residence but failed. The Avignon papacy weakened the papal authority and eventually leads to the Great Western Schism. Due to the Avignon papacys seventy year absence from Rome, it caused the Great Western Schism which had two popes at the same time, namely Urban VI, who was chosen by the citizens of Rome and Clement VI, who was elected by French cardinals in Avignon as anti-pope as a question to Urban VIs legality. During this time, the division between papal authorities grew and dividing the nations to whom they take orders from as well. Confusion and the need for political control grew in parallel to it. Creating a solution to the crisis, the Concilarism was brought forth. A council took place at Piza where the bishops decided to depose both Popes and lected Alexander V who was succeeded by John XXIII, but both Popes refused making the schism last for 40 years. By the end of the schism, the Council of Constance deposed two claimnants, John XXIII and Gregory XII for the sake of harmony in the Church and thus electing a new Pope, Martin V. Although the papacy triumphs in the concilarism, they did not succeed in reestablishing spiritual leadership over Christendom. Martin V succeeds much in terms or political restoration, but failed to restore the Church and due to this failed attempt, the Protestant Reformation came about. During the 14th to the 16th century, the Renaissance movement had greatly affected the Church as well. Popes became preoccupied with luxury and war, monasteries became consumed with wealth and corruption, learning of Theology as a study of the Scriptures in daily life became nothing more than lifeless teachings. Some tried to recover the essence of the Scriptures like John Huss and Savonarola, but died in flames as heretics. This was also the time where several people became influential in canonizing Christian faith. St. Vincent Ferrer, who spread and brought countless people to repentance; St. Bernandine of Siena, condemning the abuses; and St. Catherine of Siena, who convinced Pope Gregory Xl to return and restore papacy of Rome. At the time the Renaissance began, as I have stated in the last paragraph, it was a time of political improvement but a radical decrease in spiritual growth. The Church fell into corruption, politics, unworthy cardinals, failure to call for a reform council, and such. Popes such as Alexander Xl and Sixtus, failed to uphold the standards of the Church by appointing cardinal seats to family members causing a great imbalance to religious functions. Pope Pius II who wanted the reform trying to limit the involvement of the Pope in political matters, died before issuing it. Several reforms were made by the people who remained in faith with God and despite those in the higher positions failing to be models of Christian faith, simple priests and monks continued to show love and care towards the people. A reform later on called Protestant Reformation became another stone to the Church we see now. At the year 1517-1900, Martin Luther cries out a reform publishing his famous Ninety-Five Theses. At the very beginning, Luther was a monk of the Order of St. Augustine, who kept monastery rules and spent much time studying the Bible where he came to realized that it is by grace through faith that everyone is saved and not by good works. During his time, the selling of indulgence was at its peak and many believed that as they pay their indulgence, their sins are cleanse but Luther knew better. Luther knew how corrupted the Church had become and how money or good works will not save a person. He also knew how people relayed on the external ways man could come up of easy salvation and thus, he passed his writing, Ninety-five Theses, to the Church. Unknown to him, his writings had been translated and sent out to numerous people and many had negative reactions towards it, yet Luther had no intentions of making rebellions act but only share and discuss. A priest complained about him in Rome and a hearing was made whether Luther was a heretic and that he rewrite his writings, but he refuses and continued writing. In December 1520, a papal document stating that if he continues his acts, Luther would be excommunicated arrived to him. Along with others who had the same belief as he, burned the document and on January, he was excommunicated. Luther in the ollowing years was unable to control the movement but despite that, it was evident that in every movement, Luthers cry was in it. Another movement was under Ulrich Zwingli and John Calvin, which gave birth to Churches now called Reformed and Presbyterian. But the tensions between the two opposing groups cause the thirty years war which was the b test war in Europe. Although there were some g in the Reformation, it was not to Luther, whose intentions were purely religious which escalated into bloodshed and political conflict. Not only that but it had divided the one church into many and hostile churches as well. When the time came where the Catholic Church finally decided to address Luthers questions, the split between the two groups were far too wide already to which still remains today. As a counter- reformation by the Catholic Church was put up, Pope Paul Ill summoned the Council of Trent and made several meetings, some of which were unfruitful, and others of which made progress. The council, after much discussion, answers Luthers question by making the model of the Church as a hierarchical society. The council also reaffirmed the doctrine as salvation that comes from grace, but required good works contradicting Luthers and the Bible), tradition of the Church is source of authority with the Bible, Pope as supreme head of the Church, seven sacraments chosen by Christ, Christ is present in the bread and wine of the Eucharist, saints are intermediaries, and Mary is mother of God and the Church. To assure that all is as followed, Pope Paul Ill instituted the Congregation of the Holy Office or the Inquisition. The Jesuits played an important role as well. Pledging absolute obedience to the Pope, the Jesuits who were intellectually learned made it inevitable that they would be at the forefront of the Catholic resistance to the Reformation. The Council of Trent became an evident fact of the difference between Catholic teaching and Luthers teaching. The council ended when Pope Pius IV approved all their decrees. After all these events, the Catholic Church returned into a Papal Church, Catholic missionaries went back to spreading their religion, Catholic religion grew, but remained as a European Church and Popes became less concerned with civil and political issues. In 1700s, a new philosophy came about called the Age of Reason or Age of Rationalism. The Age of Enlightenment was an intellectual movement where reason is the primary source of legitimacy for authority. It was ushered by Francis Bacon and Rene Descrates. Several philosophers like Spinoza and Emmanuel Kant stated the reason alone can help mankind arrive to truth which is why the motto of the Enlightenment period was Take courage to use your brain. During the Enlightenment period, people began to think that if every man can reason out, why must they be dictated what to do? Thus, people came to the point where freedom to decide for themselves, opened up. A movement called Freemansory took place, wherein they believed in doing good works based on human motives making people began to oppose the Church. To begin with, the philosophers were not technically anti-Christians, simply questioned the narrow-minded thinking of the belief. Some scholars took the time to re-evaluate themselves as well in their understanding of the Bible which led them to a conclusion that some things in the Bible can be understood literally, some had no contradiction with mans explanation, and some biblical truths were open for various interpretations. In the years that passed, the Age of Reason turned into the Age of Revolution due to the battle of individual rights which reached the lower class particularly in France. This caused the French Revolution where division between the rich and poor grew wider. Most nobility at the time had despised the Church for its inability to understand freedom of self. Not only was society divided but even the clergies who were divided by social statuses. The French Revolution was the climatic end for the Enlightenment as the Freemasons stir the people into going against the Church. Despite good attempts to make the French Revolution a nonviolent event, it turned into war as the common people found it no good to simply consult the King, rather they took everything into a radical and omprehensive reform changing the traditional governance into a governance free of controls. By removing King Louis XVI as King, they could gain the freedom they sought, but with Louis decision to bring in mercenary troops, the subtle reform turns bloody. In the following events prior to the plans and orders of Louis, many bishops and priest against to the idea of making the church into a state-run church and that the positions of priest and bishops were to be elected by the people. The priest and bishops who were against such solutions were either exiled or killed. Thousands of onasteries were destroyed and in 1793, Louis XVI was beheaded. The French Revolution ended the reign of the Church in Europe. Leading the army, Napoleon Bonaparte restored the countrys order and conquered Western Europe and was threatening Russia. He invaded Italy when Pope Pius VI sided against the revolution, but Pius died not long after. To gain more support for his rule, he re-established the Catholic Church in France where several terms which the bishops and priests had declined before was made. The Pope agreed to the terms which granted the bishops and priests salary in return for agreeing to the terms. When Napoleon was to be crowned emperor, Pope Pius VII was asked to crown him only to find himself imprisoned and Napoleon crowning himself as a sign of insult to the pope. Pius VII excommunicated Napoleon, while Napoleon imprisoned Pius VII for 6 years. When Napoleon was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo, the Congress of Vienna returned the peace and order of France after 30 years. It went back to the monarchial way and Pius VII was returned to Rome. Despite returning to old ways, much of what happened in the French Revolution was visible that civil divorces, civil marriages, and reedom of religion were evident. A great secularization became the consequence of the French Revolution. After the end of Napoleons reign, the Catholic Church took for a better turn as it had a great revival both spiritually and intellectually through the effort of Pope Pius X. King Louis XVIIIs return to the throne brought relief to the Church as he returned the Papal State to Rome, religious order long restrained in France, and many more which made the Church flourish once again. The rule of Pius IX as pope was considered as the longest papacy in history. Concerned with many hings that had changed during the French Revolution and the Enlightenment period, he condemned modern errors and those associating liberalism, rationalism, and the likes. His power reached climax when he called bishops to Rome for Vatican Council I defining papacy primacy and papal infallibility. In the 19th century a new era called Industrialization was formed which made the Industrial Revolution possible where the improvement of technology changed the lives to people creating many divisions and insufficient wages. Pope Leo XIII issued the encyclical Rerum Novarum which ought for the dignity of workers, making him the first pope to concern with social problems. Industrial Revolution and Rationalism soon turned into Modernism trying to interpret Christianity in modern understanding. And as changes go on, many following popes came to defend and did not side with the modernism. John XXIII became the new pope and announced a meeting of an Ecumenical Council would meet. He saw that the Church could not adapt to the changes of the modern world He called forth the Curia for a preparatory work for the Second Vatican Council. The purpose was to promote unity and adaptation to the new world changing many hings in the way they perceived things. It also declared Religious Freedom where all may choose whichever they choose as religion no longer having Catholicism as mandated. After the death of John XXIII, many had mourned for his death as he became a legend in the eyes of men changing the way Catholic religion viewed the world. He was succeeded by the following afterwards: Cardinal Montini (Paul VI), John Paul l, John Paul II, and Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict WI). Making realized to one man the importance of knowing the Churchs rich and long yet fulfilling history.