2011-2012 Challenge A
A Free Man Like No Other
By Paul
Amos Fortune was a man like no other. He was born a prince to the African tribe known as the At-Mun-Shi. He was also captured at age 15 and sold as a slave in Massachusetts. Soon, he was bought by a Quaker man named Caleb Copeland. He and his wife helped him, teaching him English and the word of God. Throughout his lifetime, he endured and overcame the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of slavery even though he did not obtain freedom until the age of sixty.
From a physical perspective, Amos did not have to endured as much as others did during slavery. He was fortunate enough to have Chriastian owners who cared for him. Living in a Christian house and being bought by a Christian family that would treat him like a person really helped change and soften his heart. Eventually, his circumstances changed and he had a different owner who was not as kind. The physical horrors of slavery are not really detailed in this book as much as we know occured throughout history, but the scars often go deeper.
At the mental level, slavery did wound him. The damaging effects on his mind were such that he had planned to murder the men who had captured him. His heart had became bitter and the physchological aspects of slavery had taken it's toll. Although he overcomes his anger and resentment, there are still underlying effects of having been a slave. The white community is accepting to Amos and his family, but they never totally get past the color of his skin, as the book points out. He was seen as a talented tanner and a hard-working Christian man, and it is his Christianity which eventually determines his true freedom.
Amos went to church every Sunday since he came to the United States. Every week he grew stronger in Christ. He even learned English by reading the Bible, which means he did read it often. Ultimately, he even helps to lead a communion service. From a spiritual angle, Amos learned during his slavery to lean on God, especially when he was in trouble. When he was captured, his heart was full of anger, but when he started to learn about Christ with his new masters he learned to beacome more patient and soft-hearted. Because of the goodness he was shown and the kind of example he had in his life, he decided to eventually buy and free other slaves.
Amos Fortune overcame his physical slavery with a good, obedient, and patient attitude. In fact, he did not earn his actual freedom until he became 60 years old. His story is inspiring because of all that he had to overcome and how he overcame it. Reading the Bible made him wiser and stronger spiritually. It also made him a very respected man in Jaffrey. This gave him a different freedom- a freedom from the cruel effects of slavery, which truly made him a free man.
Challenge A 2012-2013
A Book Report on The Magicians Nephew
By London
The Magicians Nephew is an allegory by C.S.Lewis. It's a story about two
children named Digory and Polly who are magically transported by magic
rings to another world. Where they stumble across Jadis a worldly, wicked
and cunning witch, a majestic and glorious lion named Aslan and many
fascinating creatures. They end up on an unforgettable and incredible
adventure that changes their lives forever.
The imaginative creation of Narnia is similar to to the marvelous
creation of the world in Genesis. When God created the world there was
nothing just endless darkness,things came to be by God simply
speaking. The world was perfect and there was no sorrow or pain until man
brought sin into the world. In the Magicians Nephew, Aslan created Narnia
out of nothing, just by singing a sweet melodious song. Everything was
wholesome and pure untill Digory brought sin into Narnia.God and Aslan are
both very similar in this allegory. They are both sinless, loving and All
Powerful.
The evil witch Jadis portrays Satan in this story. Jadis is evil,
deceitful and dishonest. She only longed for more power and was never
content which was the reason she tried to trick Digory and Polly many
times. Satan too longed for power and wished to be like God, he deceived
man in the garden to gain power. Jadis,after taking the forbidden fruit
would never die. Instead she would live for ever in the despair and shame
of her own sin. Satan too will never die, but will live in torment
forever.The special apple tree and the tree of good and evil are also
alike, except Digory unlike Adam and Eve resisted the temptation of the
apple tree and was rewarded.
Because of Digory resisting temptation and his obedience to Aslan he
was rewarded and was able to return to his own world and save his dying
mother. Digory and Polly then buried the magic rings that brought them into
Narnia as was instructed by Aslan, so that no evil from their world could
enter Narnia. After that things soon turned back to normal for Digory and
Polly, but they were never to forget their rewarding adventure in Narnia
The Magicians Nephew, is an excellent book about two children that
while in a fascinating and in chanting world learn valuable life lessons. It
is an unforgettable story that makes you think more about the creation and
the fall of man.
Christian Expectations
What are the responsibilities of a christian? In order to be a committed follower of Jesus, one must accept certain responsibilities. These responsibilities are very clearly laid out through scriptures. Being a christian means full devotion to the Saviour, faithful service to His callings, unconditional forgiveness and selfless love to others, and a firm commitment to sharing the good news with nonbelievers. These are the expectations of a devoted christian.
One of the most important responsibilities of being a christian is submission. Christians are to submit their whole lives to the Lord and to His guiding principles. Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, God has provided standards of living that should be followed. He gave a set of ten rules to obey and live by,The Ten Commandments. In Galatians, more standards are taught through the Fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self control. When Jesus lived on the Earth, he gave guidelines to living through parables. Matthew 7:24 states that, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on rock.” Undoubtedly, it is important to model our actions after Jesus. If christians live like kind, loving Jesus who sacrificed everything for other people, then non-believers would witness their compassion and benevolence and be inspired to become fully devoted followers of Christ as well. Complete surrender to Christ and following his footsteps is an essential part of christian responsibility.
Another requirement of following Christ is serving. God has called us to serve others. Written in Luke 22:27 is “For who is the greater, one who reclines at the table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.” In Matthew 20:16 it states that whoever is first on Earth will be last in Heaven and whoever is last on Earth will be first in Heaven. Finally, the most important example of serving is Jesus Himself. Although He could have been rich and have unlimited power, Jesus chose to serve. His whole life was devoted to other people. He helped anyone who needed it. If Christians serve others, they are living like Christ.
It is important to forgive because God forgave us. Despite all the sins of mankind, God showed mercy by sending His only Son. The Bible teaches the virtue of forgiveness through the stories of David, Joseph, and the prodigal son. In Matthew 18, Jesus instructed Peter to forgive not seven times, but seventy times seven. Finally, after being beaten and crucified, Jesus showed the ultimate act of forgiveness when he pleaded to His Father in Heaven to forgive His offenders. Christ’s remarkable act of mercy gives a strong example for Christians.
“If I speak with the tongues of angels but have not love,I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” These were Paul’s words in his letter to the Corinthians. Paul also tells the Corinthians, “These three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” The word love is mentioned 508 times in the Bible (NIV version). Some examples of love in the Bible were displayed in the stories of Ruth and Naomi, David and Jonathan, The Good Samaritan, and of course, God Himself, who gave His only Son. In fact, the Bible as a whole is a story of God’s love for His people.
Before Jesus ascended to heaven, he commanded his disciples to “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every nation.” (Mark 16:15) The apostles and early followers of Jesus gave an excellent example of the meaning of the great commission. As stated in Matthew 5:13-14, christians are to be a light unto the world, and salt to the earth. This means that believers are to spread the gospel and preserve the word of God to non believers through a godly example. Acts 6:4 states, “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word”. Outreach and ministry is the final responsibility of a christian.
Of all the Christian responsibilities, submission to Christ is most important. One cannot be a true Christian without surrendering to Christ. Although the other responsibilities are important, submission to God is vital to accomplish the rest. A Christian must be devoted to the Lord and be willing to give up all earthly things. Submitting to Christ, serving, forgiving, and loving others, and passionately sharing the Gospel to those who lack it are the most important responsibilities of a Christian.
The Magician’s Nephew, by C.S Lewis, is a fascinating book about a faraway land which depicts an allegorical story representing early creation and the entrance of sin into the world. In this book, Lewis compares Narnia, a fictional land, to the earth according to how it was created in Genesis. The two main characters, Diggory and Polly, are forced into a beautiful yet mysterious forest, where they encounter dozens of pools, each leading into an undiscovered world. After journeying through two of them, they meet a captivating queen who is eventually discovered to be wicked. Inadvertently stumbling into one last dark, lifeless world, they find themselves standing in awe as a huge lion, Aslan, sings life into the world, making it breathtaking and magical. In his story, C.S Lewis uses allegory to portray the story of creation.
There are many allegories between the Magicians Nephew and the book of Genesis. Both worlds are much alike. The people in Narnia represent Adam and Eve, the first created man and woman. Lastly, the two worlds were each made by a wonderful creator. The Magician’s nephew is a great book full of similarities between Narnia and Earth.
By London
The Magicians Nephew is an allegory by C.S.Lewis. It's a story about two
children named Digory and Polly who are magically transported by magic
rings to another world. Where they stumble across Jadis a worldly, wicked
and cunning witch, a majestic and glorious lion named Aslan and many
fascinating creatures. They end up on an unforgettable and incredible
adventure that changes their lives forever.
The imaginative creation of Narnia is similar to to the marvelous
creation of the world in Genesis. When God created the world there was
nothing just endless darkness,things came to be by God simply
speaking. The world was perfect and there was no sorrow or pain until man
brought sin into the world. In the Magicians Nephew, Aslan created Narnia
out of nothing, just by singing a sweet melodious song. Everything was
wholesome and pure untill Digory brought sin into Narnia.God and Aslan are
both very similar in this allegory. They are both sinless, loving and All
Powerful.
The evil witch Jadis portrays Satan in this story. Jadis is evil,
deceitful and dishonest. She only longed for more power and was never
content which was the reason she tried to trick Digory and Polly many
times. Satan too longed for power and wished to be like God, he deceived
man in the garden to gain power. Jadis,after taking the forbidden fruit
would never die. Instead she would live for ever in the despair and shame
of her own sin. Satan too will never die, but will live in torment
forever.The special apple tree and the tree of good and evil are also
alike, except Digory unlike Adam and Eve resisted the temptation of the
apple tree and was rewarded.
Because of Digory resisting temptation and his obedience to Aslan he
was rewarded and was able to return to his own world and save his dying
mother. Digory and Polly then buried the magic rings that brought them into
Narnia as was instructed by Aslan, so that no evil from their world could
enter Narnia. After that things soon turned back to normal for Digory and
Polly, but they were never to forget their rewarding adventure in Narnia
The Magicians Nephew, is an excellent book about two children that
while in a fascinating and in chanting world learn valuable life lessons. It
is an unforgettable story that makes you think more about the creation and
the fall of man.
Christian Expectations
by Liesel 12/3/2012
What are the responsibilities of a christian? In order to be a committed follower of Jesus, one must accept certain responsibilities. These responsibilities are very clearly laid out through scriptures. Being a christian means full devotion to the Saviour, faithful service to His callings, unconditional forgiveness and selfless love to others, and a firm commitment to sharing the good news with nonbelievers. These are the expectations of a devoted christian.
One of the most important responsibilities of being a christian is submission. Christians are to submit their whole lives to the Lord and to His guiding principles. Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, God has provided standards of living that should be followed. He gave a set of ten rules to obey and live by,The Ten Commandments. In Galatians, more standards are taught through the Fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self control. When Jesus lived on the Earth, he gave guidelines to living through parables. Matthew 7:24 states that, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on rock.” Undoubtedly, it is important to model our actions after Jesus. If christians live like kind, loving Jesus who sacrificed everything for other people, then non-believers would witness their compassion and benevolence and be inspired to become fully devoted followers of Christ as well. Complete surrender to Christ and following his footsteps is an essential part of christian responsibility.
Another requirement of following Christ is serving. God has called us to serve others. Written in Luke 22:27 is “For who is the greater, one who reclines at the table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.” In Matthew 20:16 it states that whoever is first on Earth will be last in Heaven and whoever is last on Earth will be first in Heaven. Finally, the most important example of serving is Jesus Himself. Although He could have been rich and have unlimited power, Jesus chose to serve. His whole life was devoted to other people. He helped anyone who needed it. If Christians serve others, they are living like Christ.
It is important to forgive because God forgave us. Despite all the sins of mankind, God showed mercy by sending His only Son. The Bible teaches the virtue of forgiveness through the stories of David, Joseph, and the prodigal son. In Matthew 18, Jesus instructed Peter to forgive not seven times, but seventy times seven. Finally, after being beaten and crucified, Jesus showed the ultimate act of forgiveness when he pleaded to His Father in Heaven to forgive His offenders. Christ’s remarkable act of mercy gives a strong example for Christians.
“If I speak with the tongues of angels but have not love,I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” These were Paul’s words in his letter to the Corinthians. Paul also tells the Corinthians, “These three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” The word love is mentioned 508 times in the Bible (NIV version). Some examples of love in the Bible were displayed in the stories of Ruth and Naomi, David and Jonathan, The Good Samaritan, and of course, God Himself, who gave His only Son. In fact, the Bible as a whole is a story of God’s love for His people.
Before Jesus ascended to heaven, he commanded his disciples to “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every nation.” (Mark 16:15) The apostles and early followers of Jesus gave an excellent example of the meaning of the great commission. As stated in Matthew 5:13-14, christians are to be a light unto the world, and salt to the earth. This means that believers are to spread the gospel and preserve the word of God to non believers through a godly example. Acts 6:4 states, “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word”. Outreach and ministry is the final responsibility of a christian.
Of all the Christian responsibilities, submission to Christ is most important. One cannot be a true Christian without surrendering to Christ. Although the other responsibilities are important, submission to God is vital to accomplish the rest. A Christian must be devoted to the Lord and be willing to give up all earthly things. Submitting to Christ, serving, forgiving, and loving others, and passionately sharing the Gospel to those who lack it are the most important responsibilities of a Christian.
Two Books, Two Worlds
By Liesel 1/26/13
The Magician’s Nephew, by C.S Lewis, is a fascinating book about a faraway land which depicts an allegorical story representing early creation and the entrance of sin into the world. In this book, Lewis compares Narnia, a fictional land, to the earth according to how it was created in Genesis. The two main characters, Diggory and Polly, are forced into a beautiful yet mysterious forest, where they encounter dozens of pools, each leading into an undiscovered world. After journeying through two of them, they meet a captivating queen who is eventually discovered to be wicked. Inadvertently stumbling into one last dark, lifeless world, they find themselves standing in awe as a huge lion, Aslan, sings life into the world, making it breathtaking and magical. In his story, C.S Lewis uses allegory to portray the story of creation.
The Magician’s Nephew has a plot much like Creation. Both Narnia and Eden were designed with perfection in mind. Unfortunately, sin was brought into both worlds by something corrupt. In the book, the wicked witch represents Satan. Digory and Polly are Adam and Eve, because they both brought sin into the world, although in different ways. Most importantly, the immortal, kind and forgiving lion named Aslan symbolizes God in many ways. The world of Narnia and the Garden of Eden are very similar.
There are many allegories between the Magicians Nephew and the book of Genesis. Both worlds are much alike. The people in Narnia represent Adam and Eve, the first created man and woman. Lastly, the two worlds were each made by a wonderful creator. The Magician’s nephew is a great book full of similarities between Narnia and Earth.
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