Gregorian Chants

Last class, we listened to a Gregorian chant and went briefly over their role in church history.  I thought it would then be sort of interesting to do some research into their history and significance.  As the website below says, "the Gregorian Chant is the oldest musical manifestation of the Occident and has its roots in the songs of the old synagogues, since Jesus Christ's time."  The name itself is a homage to Pope Gregory I, and the chants reached their peak during the Middle Ages.  Notable characteristics of these chants are that they are sung unison in monotone and a cappella.  The lyrics are usually in Latin and often express Biblical texts-especially the Psalms.  Funnily enough, there's a scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail that actually shows these chants.  The monks, while also depicting characteristics of the flagellates evidenced by the fact that they continuously hit themselves in the face with boards, intone the Latin phrase "Pie Iesu domine, dona eis requiem," which apparently means "Merciful Lord Jesus, grant them rest."  Anyway, since we've gotten this far, I might as well include the clip from the movie that shows the monks!
Oh also, here's the Gregorian Chant website: http://www.gregoriano.org.br/gregorian/the%20gregorian%20chant%20history.htm

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Jefferson's Bible

Yet again, I've come up with a blog post for this class based on information brought up in my other religion class.  This time, while going over Deism and the beliefs of some of the Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson's Bible was brought up.  Jefferson was a notable Deist who, while accepting Jesus as a moral teacher, rejected all talk and belief that He was the Son of God.  Because of this, he then went through the Bible and cut out all mention of Jesus that could not be scientifically proven.  Obviously, this would include the miracles and the Virgin Birth as well as the Resurrection.  After his revision was complete, Jefferson pasted all the acceptable passages into a new book and the bible that bears his name was born.  The original copy of Jefferson's Bible, or the Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth as it is also known, is on display at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C.
http://americanhistory.si.edu/documentsgallery/exhibitions/jefferson/