christain beliefs Flashcards
Q1: What is Christianity?
A1: Christianity is the main religious tradition in Great Britain and one of the most diverse. It is a major religion based on the life of Jesus Christ.
Q2: How would you describe Christianity in terms of its religious classification?
A2: Christianity is an Abrahamic and monotheistic religion.
Q3: Name two other major Abrahamic religions.
A3: Judaism and Islam are the other main Abrahamic religions
What distinguishes Christianity in terms of denominations?
A4: Christianity has numerous denominations with different histories, traditions, and styles of church services.
Q5: Can you identify some examples of prominent Christian denominations?
A5: Some examples include the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church, the Pentecostal Church, Anglicans, Roman Catholics, Presbyterians, Methodists, and Baptists.
Q6: In terms of membership, what are the notable denominations in the UK?
A6: In the UK, Anglicans are the most common denomination, followed by Roman Catholics, Presbyterians, Methodists, and Baptists
Despite the diversity in denominations, what commonalities unite Christians?
A7: Despite denominational differences, all Christians believe in one God, follow the teachings of Jesus, and use the Bible as their holy book.
5 important qualities of God
omnipotence
omnibenevolence
immanence
transcendence
justice
Define omnipotence.
God’s all-powerfulness, the ability to do anything that is logically possible.
How would you define justice in the context of God?
fairness and righteousness of God’s actions and judgments
Explain omnibenevolence.
God’s all-loving and all-good nature, characterized by unlimited benevolence and compassion.
Define immanence.
God’s presence and activity within the created world, intimately involved in sustaining and interacting with it.
Explain transcendence.
God’s existence beyond the physical universe, surpassing human understanding and being beyond the limitations of space and time.
Quality: Omnipotence
Demonstration
God created the universe and everything in it.
• God’s omnipotence is evident through the miracles performed by Jesus.
• Biblical reference: “Nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37).
Quality: Just
Back of Flashcard:
Demonstration:
• God, with unlimited power and authority, is seen as the perfect giver of justice.
• Due to God’s all-loving nature, He opposes injustice, ill-treatment, prejudice, or oppression.
• God provided Moses with the Decalogue, outlining His expectations for human behavior.
• Biblical reference: “Let justice roll like a river” (Amos 5:24).
• Jesus taught in the Parable of the Sheep and Goats that God would judge people based on how they treated others.
• Biblical reference: “In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12).
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Quality: Omnibenevolence
Back of Flashcard:
Demonstration:
• God’s omnibenevolence is shown in creating humans in His image (Genesis 1:27), reflecting His love for His creation.
• God’s profound love for the world is illustrated by giving His only Son, demonstrating His willingness for Jesus to be crucified to save humanity.
• In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus emphasizes the principle of love, instructing followers to love even their enemies and pray for those who persecute them (Matthew 5:43).
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Quality: Immanence
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Explanation
• Immanence refers to God’s presence within His creation.
• This belief holds that God is present in all of creation while remaining distinct from it.
• Biblical reference: “One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Ephesians 4:6).
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Quality: Transcendence
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Explanation:
• God’s control and authority over His creation.
• It signifies that God is beyond humanity’s complete experience, perception, or comprehension.
• Biblical reference: “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9).
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Importance to Believers: Omnipotence
Back of Flashcard:
• Christians exhibit determination and resilience when encountering problems, trusting in God’s omnipotence. • Belief in God’s plan encourages Christians to trust in and be guided by Him.
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Importance to Believers: Just
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• Christians work for justice in society to reflect God’s just and compassionate nature. • They consider the consequences of their actions, aiming for reward on the Day of Judgment and the rectification of any wrongdoing.
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Importance to Believers: Omnibenevolence
Back of Flashcard:
• Christians strive to love one another daily, following the Golden Rule and demonstrating agape. • They practice loving their enemies, exemplifying God’s omnibenevolence.
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Importance to Believers: Immanence
Back of Flashcard:
• God’s immanence fosters awareness of and compassion for human suffering and sin among believers. • The belief in God’s presence provides comfort and assurance to Christians in their daily lives.
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Importance to Believers: Transcendence
Back of Flashcard:
• God’s transcendence grants Him the power to heal, rescue, and redeem believers. • His transcendence beyond human understanding enables believers to trust in His ability to perform miracles and change their circumstances.
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The Problem of Evil
Back of Flashcard:
• Evil and suffering exist in the world. • Evil can be categorized into Moral Evil and Natural Evil. • Christians believe in the omnipotence, omnibenevolence, and omniscience of God, which raises questions about the existence of evil.
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Possible Explanations for the Problem of Evil
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1. God is not powerful enough to stop evil. 2. God is unaware that evil is happening. 3. God does not possess enough love to want to prevent evil. 4. The existence of evil leads some to question God’s existence.
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Christian Response to Evil and Suffering: Free Will
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• God endowed humans with free will, enabling them to choose between good and evil. • Suffering often results from humans’ choices to engage in evil actions.
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Christian Response to Evil and Suffering: Life as a Test
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• Some Christians view life as a test, where reactions to suffering and evil determine one’s destination in the afterlife. • The example of Job in the Bible illustrates this concept, showcasing how he responded to suffering.
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Christian Response to Evil and Suffering: God’s Mysterious Ways
Back of Flashcard:
• Some Christians believe that God operates in mysterious ways, with reasons for allowing evil and suffering that humans cannot comprehend. • Despite the lack of understanding, believers trust that God has a plan.
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Christian Response to Evil and Suffering: Prayer
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• Christians respond to evil and suffering through prayer, specifically intercession, where they ask God to help those who are suffering. • Intercessory prayer is a common practice in various forms of Christian worship.
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Christian Response to Evil and Suffering: Service
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• Christians physically respond to evil and suffering by engaging in acts of service. • This includes actively helping those who suffer, such as volunteering in hospitals and hospices, organizing aid for the homeless, and raising funds to assist less developed countries.
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The Holy Trinity
Back of Flashcard:
• The Holy Trinity is the belief that God is Three-in-One. • It comprises God the Creator and Father, Jesus as the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of God at work in the world.
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Characteristics of the Trinity
Back of Flashcard:
• All three persons of the Trinity are both worshipped and recognized as separate entities of the one God. • While not explicitly stated in the New Testament, the Trinity distinguishes Christianity from other monotheistic religions like Islam and Judaism.
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The Nicene Creed
Back of Flashcard:
• The Nicene Creed is a key source of authority for the belief in the Trinity. • It was formulated during the Council of Nicaea in 325 CE and is recited by Christians of various denominations in worship. • The Creed affirms belief in one God, the Father, the Almighty, in Jesus Christ as the only Son of God, and in the Holy Spirit as the Lord and giver of life