Europe Paper 1

So, for our Junior class trip we always go to Europe and this year we have to write three papers on the different places we go and visit. This is the first of three: 

Europe Paper Prompt 1

The National Gallery:

1. Sunflowers by Vincent VanGogh. The National Gallery houses the fourth of VanGogh’s sunflower paintings. This particular sunflower painting was done between August and September of 1888 and contains a bunch of 14 dying sunflowers. Vincent VanGogh was a Post-Impressionist painting who was a master of color but despite this, Vincent was not appreciated as an artist during his lifetime, which may have contributed to his suicide in 1890. VanGogh was a master of the impasto technique, a common Impressionist feature, which he used to paint the sunflower’s. If VanGogh is famous for anything, it would be his sunflower paintings (The National Gallery).   

2. Mars and Venus painted by Sandro Botticelli was painted around 1485. The painting depicts the sleeping Mars with Venus awake looking at him. Botticelli also makes a point of showing that the god of war, Mars, is unarmed. This shows that Venus, the goddess of love, is the one that holds the real power. Probably a piece intended to go in someone’s bedroom, there is a definite romantic theme. Painted during the Italian Renaissance in Florence, the heart of the Renaissance, Mars and Venus also shows the renewed interest in the classics during that time (The National Gallery).  

3.  Painted by Jan van Eyck, The Arnolfini Portrait painted in 1434 shows the drastic differences between the Italian Renaissance and the Northern Renaissance. Painted much earlier than Mars and Venus, there is not a heavy focus on idealism or the classics, as in Italy. Rather, there is a realism and a heavy focus on detail. Everything is exact and even the mirror in the painting reflects the room. Jan van Eyck choose to paint The Arnolfini Portrait with oil paints so that he could better work with the light in his painting (The National Gallery).   

4. The Madonna of the Pinks by Raphael, from around 1506-1507, shows the Virgin and the Son in an entirely new light. Raphael takes a traditional, not very original idea but makes it more realistic. He shows the familiarity between a mother and child instead of a posed and awkward scene. It is called The Madonna of the Pinks because both the mother and child are holding pink flowers where the pink resembles marriage. This also takes the traditional virgin and son painting to a new level because Raphael not only shows the tenderness of a mother and child but also depicts the virgin as the bride of Christ (The National Gallery).

5. Renoir’s At the Theater is the best example of a painting from the Impressionist movement. Painted around 1876-1877, Renoir’s use of colors and visible brushstrokes are typical of Impressionists and coming from an age where realism prevailed, the Impressionist movement was radical (The National Gallery). This painting shows a girl leaning forward in her seat at the theater and the theater and “modern city entertainments” (The National Gallery) were a common subject for Impressionists. At the Theater takes a common subject for Impressionist, the vivd colors and the visible brushstrokes into one piece, capturing the Impressionist movement (The National Gallery). 

6. The Virgin on the Rocks by Leonardo Da Vinci was commissioned for the oratory in the San Francesco with the central panel for Da Vinci. The painting depicts the Virgin with the son and Saint John meeting. Legends of Saint John and Christ meeting were popular in Florence, where Da Vinci was from. “The Virgin of the Rocks demonstrates Leonardo’s revolutionary technique of using shadows, rather than outlines, to model his figures” (The National Gallery). The flowers in the painting are Star of Bethlehems which are used to remind us of the purity and atonement in the Virgin, Christ and St. John (The National Gallery). 

7. Bacchus and Ariadne, painted around 1520-1523, by Titian depicts Bacchus, the god of wine, seeing Ariadne and immediately falling in love with her. Ariadne had been left on the island and was scared of Bacchus, but he then turned her into a constellation. Bacchus and Ariadne is part of a series by Titian and Bellini and Dosso Dossi. Titian takes inspiration for his painting from the classical myths and specifically Ovid and Catullus. The series of paintings were commissioned by Alfonso d’Este for Camerino d’Alabastro in the Ducal Palace. Titian’s painting was actually a replacement for a painting commissioned to Raphael (The National Gallery). 

The British Museum:

 1. The British Museum is fortunate to have The Rosetta Stone. The Rosetta Stone is dated at 196 BC during the Ptolemaic period. Inscribed on the stone is a decree passed by a council of priests. “The decree is inscribed on the stone three times, in hieroglyphics (suitable for a priestly decree), demotic (the native script used for daily purposes), and Greek (the language of the administration)” (British Museum). The stone is possibly the single most important tool used in learning the Egyptian’s hieroglyphics and history. When the use of hieroglyphics had passed, The Rosetta Stone was immensely helpful in recovering them by using the other languages on the stone. Not only does it help us with Egyptian hieroglyphics, but it also helps us understand the history of the Ptolemaic period (British Museum). 

2. Hoa Hakananai’a is the name of the Easter Island head stored in The British Museum. Originating from Easter Island, Polynesia Hoa Hakananai’a is dated around 1000 AD. These large human statues are called moai and weighs around four tons. The Hoa Hakananai’a, meaning ‘Stolen or Hidden Friend’, was moved with the help of the islanders by the crew of the HMS Topaze in 1886. The moai were carved before the adoption of Christianity, but when it did rise in 1860 on the island, the statues were toppled because they were heretic symbols, honoring ancient ancestors (British Museum).

3. The Suffragette-defaced penny is minted in 1903 and is one of the earliest cries for the right   of women to vote in the UK. It looks like any other ordinary penny but on it are stamped the words “VOTES FOR WOMEN” one one side. By stamping it on a smaller, more commonly used coin, it meant that it was less likely to be taken out of the circulation and it would spread the message to many people. During this time, women’s suffrage was gaining recognition with the foundation of the Nation Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies and in 1903, parliament debated women’s suffrage. Also in 1903 another women’s rights group being formed called the Women’s Social and Political Union that was more radical that the NUWSS and they were even willing to break the law to get their point across. “At the time, defacing a coin was a serious criminal offence, and the perpetrators risked a prison sentence had they been caught” (British Museum). This is one of the examples of the law breaking that they were willing to do in order to fight for women’s suffrage (British Museum).   

4. The Head of Augustus was once part of a larger-than-life-size statue of Augustus. His rule extended from 27 BC to 14 AD and Augustus took over Egypt, resulting in many statues of him being built there. This head of Augustus was found in Meroë and was cut off from the rest of the statue by the Kushites before the Roman Army could save it. The statue would have been perfectly proportioned, in line with the Roman’s ideal man. The statue was made as a reminder that Augustus was the king by divine right and that he had conquered this territory so the Egyptians there were now under his rule as well (British Museum). 

5. In 1833 workmen quarrying for stone cam across a burial place and found the Mold Gold Cape. The Mold Gold Cape was recovered in 1833 but it dates back to the Bronze Age. The entire ceremonial cape was hammered out of one single sheet of gold, showing the ancient skills in sheet-gold. After it was beaten into shape, the crafters then embellished it with ribbing and lined the inside with leather. Though only a small portion of it remains, it has been thought that it was once a chest ornament for a horse (British Museum).  

6. The Reformation Centenary was inspired by the elector Frederick, who was a political protector of Martin Luther. “The broadsheet it, in our terms, a strip cartoon showing a sequence of events within the ‘elector’s dream’, with each element in it a scene a different stage in Luther’s progress” (British Museum). It goes all the way from Luther’s inspiration to de-authorizing the pope. When it shows Luther writing the 95 Theses, Luther is using a very long pen which represents the importance of the written word for Protestants and the end of the pen is knocking off the crown of the pope, which represents Luther’s distaste of the pope and their abusive power (British Museum). 

7. The Lewis Chessmen were made around 1150-1200 AD and were found on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. The chessmen are made of walrus ivory and whales’ teeth and were most likely made in Scandinavia. 82 of the 93 pieces are currently in The British Museum. Some of the pieces were originally stained red and some left white, but the stain is no longer there. The chessmen most likely belonged to merchants carrying them from Norway to Ireland and there were originally somewhere around four sets. Though no one know for sure where they are from, it is apparent that they are heavily influenced by Norse culture. The figures look like they have been influenced by Norse culture with the rooks looking like Berserkers, who were mythical fierce fighters (British Museum). 

Works Cited

"British Museum." British Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2012.

"The National Gallery, London: Western European Painting 1250–1900." The National Gallery, London: Western European Painting 1250–1900. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2012.

Apologetics paper

This is my Apologetics paper talking about infallibility versus inerrancy. It kind of stinks. Sorry. I was lazy when I wrote this paper. 

R.C. Sproul and Donald Bloesch both take on the theological subjects of inerrancy and infallibility, but they stand on different ground. According to Bloesch, Sproul stands on “the shifting sands of scientific and historical research” (Bloesch, 67) by believing that the entire original biblical text is infallible and inerrant. Yet Sproul says that Bloesch’s belief of only regarding the core message of the Bible as infallible and inerrant is limiting. 

R.C. Sproul believes that the entire, original biblical text is inerrant and infallible. Even though the writers were humans, with human nature, the entire text of the Bible is unaffected by this because the authors were inspired by God. But Sproul also makes the distinction between the authors being omniscient and the text being infallible. By “omniscient” Sproul refers to the knowledge of a person and by “infallible” he means the truth in that person’s statement (Sproul, 30). “Thus we say that though the biblical writings are inspired, this does not imply the thereby that the writers knew everything there was to be known or that they were infallible themselves” (Sproul, 30). Sproul then brings up the fact that the authors of the biblical text were inspired for God and “if it is possible for an uninspired person to speak the truth without error, how much more will it be the case for one who is under the influence of inspiration” (Sproul, 31). The authors’ knowledge was limited but not errant. Another point of “weakness” in the biblical text addressed by Sproul are the absence of the original texts. Since we do not have them all, how do we as Christians know that the text we have today matches up with the original text? To this question Sproul simply answers: textual criticism. While he acknowledges that copyists can make small errors, he also trusts textual criticism. “The Old and New Testament Scriptures are probably the texts which have reached us with the most extensive and reliable attestation” (Sproul, 33). He acknowledges that the biblical text we have today may err from the original text, but the original text he believes to be inerrant and infallible. R.C. Sproul places his faith in the inspiration of the authors, believing that the entire, original text of the Bible is inerrant and infallible. 

Donald Bloesch, in contrast, believes that only the core foundation of the Bible is inerrant. “The doctrine or message of Scripture, which alone is infallible and inerrant, is hidden in the historical and cultural witness of the biblical writers. They did not err in what they proclaimed, but this does not mean that they were faultless in their recordings of historical data or in their world view, which is now outdated” (Bloesch, 65). Bloesch believes that the core message of the Bible is inerrant and infallible but the less important, historical details are not. He says that “we have the infallible, perfect Word of the living God enclosed and veiled in the time-bound, imperfect words of sinful men” (Bloesch, 69). The authors that wrote the original biblical texts were bound by their sin and because of their human nature, were liable to make errors. They were also in a different, historical setting. Despite this, Bloesch believes that the core message of the Bible is inerrant and infallible. 

While Sproul believes that the entire, original biblical text is inerrant and infallible, Bloesch says that only the core message of the Bible is without error and infallible. Sproul “explicitly rejects the tendency of some to limit infallibility and inerrancy to specific segments of the biblical message, such as spiritual, religious or redemptive themes, excluding assertions from the fields of history or science” (Sproul, 36). which is exactly what Bloesch believes. Bloesch even says that it is “suicidal” to place inerrancy and infallibility on the ever-changing modern history and science (Bloesch, 67). Both of them bring valid points to the table, but they each take extreme positions. Bloesch is the minimalist, believes that just the core is inerrant and infallible and Sproul taking the other extreme, believing that the entire original text is inerrant and infallible. According to Bloesch you can uphold “biblical infallibility and inerrancy without falling into the delusion that this means that everything that the Bible must be taken at face value” (Bloesch, 66).  Then Sproul says that the Bible is historically accurate and can be taken “at face value.” The problem with Sproul believing that the entire original text is infallible and inerrant  is that if one detail is wrong, his belief would be disproved. If one historical detail could be wrong, then others could be wrong as well. Then, on the other hand, by not believing that the entire Bible is inerrant and infallible, Bloesch is doubting the inspiration of God. God did inspire the authors, so it would seem to follow that what He inspired them to write would be infallible and inerrant. 

Sproul and Bloesch trust the inerrancy and infallibility of the Scripture to different degrees, each taking an opposing extreme. Sproul put confidence in the entire original manuscripts being completely inerrant and infallible. Bloesch concluded that only the central message was infallible and inerrant. Each belief has their stumbling blocks. Relying on the entire Bible being infallible and inerrant is trusting that the every detail is correct. But only trusting the central message is inerrant and infallible is doubting the inspiration of God. Each of the authors defend different positions on inerrancy and infallibility. 

Paradise Lost theme

I was originally going to title this "The Highway to Hell" but I didn't know how my lit teacher would react to me having a cus word in all caps on my title page. 

The Highway from Heaven 

In Paradise Lost, Milton expands the role of Satan and his fallen angels, letting the reader into the conversations in Hell leading up to the fall of man. Unlike the story in the Bible, Milton is able to bring the reader into the minds and reasoning behind Satan and the fallen angels, making them characters that the reader can empathize with. By depicting Satan and his fallen angels with relatable emotions and admirable qualities, Milton makes Satan and the fallen angels  characters that the reader can empathize with and respect. Milton intends to humanize the fallen angels and Satan by letting the reader connect to them on an emotional level. He also wants the reader to admire Satan and his fallen angels by listening to the charisma of their speeches and showing to the leadership qualities of Satan. 

By letting the reader hear the conversations going on in Hell, Milton intends to draw the reader into the minds and world of Satan and his fallen angels. Both Satan and his fallen angels are depicted as charismatic and persuasive speakers. In Hell, Satan and the fallen angels hold a council to determine how they will retaliate against God and Heaven. Milton depicts one of the demons speaking in the council as “Belial, in act more graceful and humane;/ A fairer person lost not Heav’n” (Milton 2.109-110). Milton makes the point of describing the fallen angel, Belial, as “graceful and humane”. The word “humane” in this context is most likely a variant on the word “human”. Milton did not describe Belial as demonic, but instead compares him to a human. By using this description, Milton is able to let the reader connect with Belial. Milton not only related Belial to humans, but calls him graceful and fair, letting the reader relate and admire him and other fallen angels. 

Milton puts an emphasis on the admiration of the fallen angels in Paradise Lost. He goes into great length on how they are even worshiped by humans. 

With these in troop

Came Astoreth, whom the Phoenicians called

Astartè, queen of Heav’n, with crescent horns;

To whose bright image nightly by the moon 

Sidonian virgins paid their vows and songs, (Milton 1.437-441). 

The fallen angels were respected and worshiped among humans as gods. In this example, it is goddess being worshiped as the moon. This would have been appealing to women readers since most people generally associate God with a man. Milton makes a point of  going into a long description of how the different fallen angels are worshiped and revered on earth. The fallen angels are worshiped on a level equal to God. Not only are they greatly admired, but they also display charisma. 

  This charisma of the fallen angels is shown when one of Satan’s fallen angels speaks up in their council. Even though he is only one of Satan’s partners “his tongue/ Dropped manna, and could make the worst appear/The better reason, to perplex and dash/ Maturest councils . . . he pleased the ear” (Milton 2.112-115 117). More often than not, when the reader pictures a demon, they do not think of them as persuasive or charismatic. Milton breaks the typical stereotype and shows the fallen angels in an appealing light, pulling the reader towards admiring them. Milton also gives the fallen angel a “persuasive accent” (Milton 2.118), drawing the reader in to listening to him. Milton even says that the most intelligent mind could be drawn in to the fallen angel. Even the most intelligent mind could respect Satan and the fallen angels’ rhetoric and reason. The fallen angels couple their rhetorical reason with seductive charisma. The fallen angels are not the only charismatic creatures in Hell. 

Satan’s speeches that he gives to his fallen angels are also shown as very charismatic and inspiring. Often despite his own discouragement, Satan is able to inspire his band of fallen angels. Satan rallies his army, saying: 

“Powers and Dominions, deities of Heaven, 

For since no deep within her gulf can hold

Immortal vigor, though oppressed and fall’n, 

I give not Heav’n for lost (Milton 2.11-14). 

Satan inspires them by saying that even though they are in the pits of Hell, there was still hope of regaining Heaven. The ability to rally troops is an important and admirable quality that a leader must have. Milton shows Satan’s ability to encourage and rally his troops through his charismatic speeches. The readers of Paradise Lost will gravitate toward the character of Satan because of his leadership qualities.  

Satan also proves himself to be a sacrificial leader. Satan even mirrors the Son of God, also offering himself up as a sacrifice for the fallen angels’ cause. In Book II at the close of the council they call for someone to offer them self to go into the Middle Darkness and go to Earth. Satan takes the opportunity and volunteers himself, proving himself as a sacrificial leader. As the Son of God is offered up, Satan volunteers himself to avenge his fallen angels. By volunteering himself as a tribute, Satan is shown to be a selfless leader of the fallen angels. Satan is willing to risk his life for their cause, giving him a heroic quality. Milton knows that, as readers, people tend to relate and sympathize with the hero more than the antagonist. By making Satan have the self-sacrificing, heroic quality, Milton is making Satan a character that the reader can admire in Paradise Lost. 

Satan and the fallen angels’ are not only admirable, but characters that the reader can relate to on an emotional level. Satan and his fallen angels experience emotions that only themselves and humans can experience. God and his perfect, heavenly angels cannot feel the same emotions that Satan feels when he is jealous of the Son of God. 

fraught 

With envy against the Son of God, that day

Honored by his great Father, and proclaimed 

Messiah King anointed, could not bear

Through pride that sight, and thought himself impaired (Milton 5.661-665). 

Unlike the heavenly angels and God, Satan and the fallen angels feel emotions that humans can feel. God and the heavenly angels cannot feel envy the same way that humans and Satan can. Envy is a fallen emotion that the readers can relate to and have experienced. Satan also feels pride in such a strong way that it makes “himself impaired” (Milton 5.665). This is another emotion that the readers, as fallen creatures, can understand. It is easier for humans to relate with a fallen creature, like Satan and the fallen angels, than it is for a human to relate to God and the heavenly angels. Since humans also have experienced fallen emotion, the reader can relate to the fallen emotions that Satan experiences. God and His angels are perfect, and perfection is unattainable for humans, making it difficult for the reader to relate to them. This makes the reader naturally gravitate towards Satan and the fallen angels, relating to their fallen emotions. 

Milton also uses earthly renderings to help him describe Hell. Since both Hell and Earth are fallen places, Milton is able to use earthly places and things to hep enhance his portrayal of Hell. Since Heaven is  perfect place, this makes it much more  difficult for Milton to describe. This allows for Hell to be the more relatable place for the reader. At the beginning of Book II, Milton describes the extravagance of Hell as 

far

[Outshining] the wealth of Ormus of Ind,

Or where the gorgeous East with richest hand 

Show’rs on her kings barbaric pearls and gold, 

Satan exalted [sits] (Milton 2.1-5)

Milton uses vivid, luxurious and earthly comparisons to let the reader picture Hell. When Milton describes Heaven, he asks the Muse to help him “see and tell/ Of things invisible to mortal sight” (Milton 3.54-55). Heaven is impossible to accurately depict since it is perfect and fallen humans cannot picture perfection. Hell is easier to picture, since it is also a fallen place. This allows the reader to picture it more vividly than Heaven. Hell then becomes a more attainable place for the reader. The reader can connect with Milton’s use of earthly comparisons for Hell more than the perfection displayed in Heaven. 

In Paradise Lost Milton makes Satan and the fallen angels characters that the reader can identify with on an emotional level and admire. Not only can the reader empathize with them, but the reader can understand Satan and the fallen angles more than God and his heavenly angels. The reader can connect with the fallen angels and Satan on an emotional level and admire their charisma and Satan’s leadership qualities. By using earthly comparisons, Milton made Hell a place that the readers could picture and attain. Also, Milton put emphasis on the fallen emotions that Satan and his angels experienced. These were emotions that, as fallen creatures, the readers could empathize with. In Paradise Lost Milton makes Satan and his angels characters that the readers will relate to.