Write a fictional essay and or story on how a newly appointed pastor revives a dead church. The type of neighborhood it’s in, the membership, and programs or functions that are had in order to help the church gain income and capital to help it thrive. Please however make sure the church ends in AME. For example St. Darcy AME church.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Reviving St. Darcy AME Church: A Tale of Hope and Transformation
Once a vibrant pillar of the community, St. Darcy AME Church stood proudly at the heart of a once-thriving neighborhood. However, over the years, as the neighborhood fell into decline, so did the church. Membership dwindled, programs ceased, and the church’s finances reached a point of desperation. It seemed as though the spirit of St. Darcy was fading away.
But hope arrived in the form of Reverend Daniel Thompson, a newly appointed pastor with a vision to revive St. Darcy AME Church. Pastor Thompson was a dynamic and compassionate leader who believed that faith could breathe life back into the struggling congregation. He saw potential where others saw only despair.
The neighborhood surrounding St. Darcy AME Church was filled with diverse communities, each with their own unique challenges and needs. Recognizing this, Pastor Thompson rallied the remaining members and embarked on a mission to reconnect with the community and offer services that would address their needs.
First and foremost, Pastor Thompson knew that in order to revive the church, they needed to reach out to the community and make St. Darcy AME Church an inclusive space for all. The church began hosting neighborhood gatherings, inviting residents from all walks of life to share their stories and experiences. These events became a platform for dialogue, fostering a sense of unity and understanding among the diverse neighborhood residents.
In addition, Pastor Thompson launched various programs aimed at meeting the practical needs of the community. Recognizing the high unemployment rate, he started a job training program, offering workshops on resume building, interview skills, and networking. The church also partnered with local businesses to provide internships and job placement opportunities for those seeking employment.
Understanding the importance of education, Pastor Thompson transformed an unused space within the church into a tutoring center. Volunteer tutors from the congregation provided academic support to students in need, helping them improve their grades and develop a love for learning.
To generate income for the church and sustain its revival efforts, Pastor Thompson organized regular fundraising events that brought together both church members and community residents. These events included bake sales, talent shows, and gospel concerts that not only provided entertainment but also showcased the talents of individuals within the community.
As word spread about the transformation happening at St. Darcy AME Church, more people started attending services and getting involved in its programs. The church regained its vibrancy, with new members joining each week. With the increased membership, the church’s finances improved, allowing for renovations to take place within the building and providing resources for ongoing community initiatives.
St. Darcy AME Church became a beacon of hope in the neighborhood once again. Its doors were always open to those seeking solace, support, or spiritual guidance. The church’s revival not only breathed life into its congregation but also revitalized the entire neighborhood.
Under Pastor Thompson’s leadership, St. Darcy AME Church became a testament to the power of faith, community engagement, and perseverance. It showed that even in the face of adversity, a church could rise from the ashes and become a catalyst for positive change. The legacy of St. Darcy AME Church will forever be remembered as a story of revival and transformation that inspired generations to come.
