What would Jesus Do? Canteberry Tales Essay :: essays research papers

What Would Jesus Do?Between 1951 and 1991, forty-one Catholic priests in lucre alone were charged with sexual misconduct (Philip Jenkins). This number has only increase over the past ten years, with the recent valiancy among Catholic women and children to get into forth ab show up sexual indecencies committed against them. But while the charges against the priests whitethorn be relatively new, the corruption within the clergy is certainly not. Priests abuse of their sight can be traced back to the origin of the church service itself by some(prenominal) stories and historical documents. In The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer exposes immorality in the church (both sexually and otherwise) through his introduction of various fictional char sourers. Together, these characters demonstrate the ways in which the church has fallen away from its original purpose and designto make disciples of divinity through church members imitation of Jesus character.In efforts to inspire Christia ns to act righteously, as well as instill a sense of apparitional pride among young people, Christians scram cleverly coined the phrase, What Would Jesus Do or simply, WWJD. Although the expression may be over utilize and somewhat childish, in the meaning git the phrase lies the entire mission statement of Christian dome. The apostle Peter describes it by enounceing, To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an employment, that you should follow in his steps, (1 Peter 221). The subject matter is simple try to live as Christ lived. Of all people, closely would expect the leadership of the church to strive the hardest for this level of Godliness. Quite ironically, however, Chaucer points out that the clergy possesses qualities opposite to those of Jesusnamely impurity, selfishness, and greed. The dictionary defines the word pure as being free of dirt, defilement, or pollution, and most Christians would agree that when the term is used in the bible, it means just that being free of the dirt, scum, corruption, and sin in the world. According to Paul, the grace of God and the teachings of Jesus teach us to say No to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives, (Titus 212). In The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer shows that the clergy is doing anything but seeking after purity. The Friar is the best example of this defilement of Christianity with his fulfillment of worldly pleasures in the areas of women and alcohol. Because of the attachment humans have to sex and their sexual partners, the Catholic Church is structured so that the leaders of the church remain celibate their entire lives.