The Influence of Western Civilization, Research Paper Example      

It is arguable that no other man has influenced Western Civilization than the person of Jesus Christ. The followers of Jesus transformed the pagan world of the Roman Empire and, in the process, formed one of the most powerful religious authorities in the history of the world. At the core of the Christian Church that was organized from the teachings of Jesus Christ was the belief that Jesus was the son of God. It is this tenet that distinguishes the Christian Church from all other of the world’s organized religions and which it makes it unique.

The goal of this paper will be to examine the question of whether there is any legitimacy to the Christian belief that Jesus was the son of God. A large measure of this Christian belief is founded in faith and, regardless of what may be discovered relative to a factual basis of this claim, and through the ages many have challenged this claim factually, the strict followers of Christianity will remain steadfast in their beliefs. The faith issues will not be ignored but the bulk of this paper will be dedicated toward a factual determination as opposed to a spiritual one.

Addressing an issue such as this is a difficult task. Due to the nature of this topic this investigation will not be one where facts are discovered, analyzed, compared and, from which a determination is made. Instead, the investigation of this issue will examine how the concept of Jesus as the Son of God was initiated and how it was popularized. Historically, the information providing substance to Jesus as a person is quite sketchy. What is available and relied upon by Christians are the Gospels whose historical reliability is questionable. Against this background, however, an attempt will be made to examine the issue and arrive at some understanding as to what is meant by the claim that Jesus was the Son of God. The resulting finding may be unpopular but a belief such as this that has been the driving force behind a religion that has been as influential as Christianity deserves full consideration and examination. Toward this end, the concept will be examined from a non-religious prospective in the hope that doing so will eliminate as much bias as possible.