Question

The rise of modern western culture elicited various responses from the religions we have studied. Discuss Jewish, Christian, and Islamic responses to modernity in terms of the Haskalah, Vatican II, and the Iranian Revolution. Describe each one, giving specific details about dates, places, and a representative person for each. How have each of these contributed to the expressions of these faiths today?

Answer 1

Answer: They contributed in various ways explained below

Explanation:

Haskalah, also known as the Jewish enlightenment, was an intellectual movement mostly joined in by the Jews of Central and Eastern Europe that took place in Germany in the  17th to 19th Century. It revolved around the project  of bringing Jews into modern life. This movement worked for a cultural and moral renewal, especially a revival of Hebrew for secular purposes introducing a  phase of writing literature in Jewish and the study of native vernacular. The adoption of modern values was promoted in combination with economic modernization of Judaism. Its main figure was Moses Mendelssohn 1729-1786.  The Haskalah has contributed to the expression of Judaism today in that it pushed Jews to enter mainstream of European life while staying faithful to the Jewish identity and blend more with society.

The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as Vatican II, was convoked by  Pope John XXIII on 11th October 1962 and was closed under Pope Paul VI  on 8th December 1965. It was mainly concerned with relations between the Catholic Church and the modern world.

Among the changes the council introduced were the widespread use of vernacular languages in the Mass instead of Latin, the revision of Eucharistic prayers and the abbreviation of the liturgical calendar. It encourage communication with non-catholics and accepted religious freedom as a right.It also addressed issues regarding the  celebration  of Mass. It discourages the disuse of ornate clerical regalia during the ceremony as well as allowed priests to face their congregations together with a more modern liturgical music and artwork. Vatican II has contributed to the expression of Catholism today in that it wanted to bring Roman Catholic Church  up to date.

Iranian Revolution of 1979 Came about after the Shah's attempts to modernize Iran in 1970s.His government was replaced with an Islamic republic under the Ayatollah Khomeini, a leader of one of the factions in the revolt. The shah was backed by the United States but its monarchy succumbed to the attack of movements which  were supported by various leftist and Islamist organizations and student movements who opposed separation of mosque and state. The 1979 revolution  has contributed to the expression of Islamism today in that it maintained a theocratic state in Iran.