Christanity - Christian Beliefs Flashcards
1
Q
What is different ways to describe God?
5 ways
A
Eternal
Omni present
Omniscient
Omnibenevolent
Creatio ex nihlo
2
Q
Eternal
A
God is outside space and time and exists in the past present and future.
3
Q
What is a quote for “eternal”?
A
“For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations” Psalms
4
Q
Omnipresent
A
God is present everywhere at all times.
5
Q
An example of God being omniscient
A
Jonah tries to urn away from God
6
Q
Omnipotent
A
God is all powerful, nothing is beyond God’s power.
7
Q
What is a quote for “omnipotent”?
A
“I am the lord the god of mankind nothing is to hard for me “in Jeremiah OR He created the universe by just saying “ Let there be light”
8
Q
Omniscient
A
God is all knowing he knows everything that can be known
9
Q
What is a quote for “Omniscient”?
A
“For he looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens”-Job
10
Q
Omnibenevolent
A
God is “all loving” or “all good”. He has perfect love for his creation. God showed his love for mankind by the death of Jesus. As Jesus died for our sins.
11
Q
What is a quote for “Omnibenevolent”?
A
“The lord is compassionate and gracious, slower to anger and abounding in love”- Psalms
12
Q
Creatio ex nihlo
A
God made everything that exists from nothing therefore the world is not here by accident and has been given a purpose by God
13
Q
What is a quote for “Creatio ex nihlo”?
A
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” - Genesis
14
Q
What are Christians?
A
Christians are monotheists i.e. they believe in just one God Yet they often talk about God in terms of the Trinity.
15
Q
This idea was developed by the early Christian church. St Paul writes to a new church in Corinth
A
“May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” 2 Corinthians 13:14
16
Q
God the Father
A
God cares for his creation in the way that a loving father cares for his children, protecting them, making sacrifices for them and forgiving them when they do wrong.
God is like a parent, giving rewards and punishments.
17
Q
God the Father quotes
A
The Lord..is he not your Father, your Creator who made and formed you” Deuteronomy 32:6
“let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven” Matthew 5:16
18
Q
God the Holy Spirit
A
Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he told his disciples that his presence would always be with them to comfort, inspire and guide them. The disciples received at Pentecost
The Holy Spirit is represented in Christian art as a dove, as wind and as fire
19
Q
God the Holy Spirit quotes
A
“the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you”, John 14:25
20
Q
Day 1
A
God created light and called the light day and the darkness night
21
Q
Day 1 quotes
A
God said “Let there be light” and there was light
22
Q
Day 2
A
God created sky and separated earth from heaven
23
Q
Day 3
A
God separated land and seas and made plants grow
24
Q
Day 4
A
God created the sun, moon and stars
25
Day 4
God created the sun, moon and stars
26
Day 1 - Quotes
God said “Let there be light” and there was light
27
Day 2 - Quotes
God said “Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water”. So God made the expanse and called it "sky.“
28
Day 3 - Quotes
God said “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so. God called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas. Let the land produce plants: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it”D
29
Day 4 - Quotes
God said “Let lights appear in the sky to separate day from night, they will shine in the sky to give light to the Earth.
30
Day 5 - Quotes
And then God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky."
31
Day 6 - Quotes
And then God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky."
32
Christians believe that God as Trinity was present at Creation:
God the Father as Creator
· God the Son as the Word In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God( John 1:1)
· God the Spirit - “the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters” (Genesis 1:1)
33
Interpreting the Genesis Creation Story - Fundamentalist
Christians take the biblical accounts of creation literally, believing them to be historically and scientifically true, describing exactly how the universe and human beings were created.. To them, if it says God created the bible in 6 days, then he did. God is omnipotent so it is possible
34
Interpreting the Genesis Creation Story - Liberal
Christians regard these accounts as more like metaphor or symbolic accounts that tell (in story form) important truths about God; that God brought the universe and all that is in it into being, he sustains his creation; that the world is special to him
35
The importance of Genesis Creation account for Christians today - It shows God’s omnipotence :
God creates by speaking , “And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.”
36
The importance of Genesis Creation account for Christians today - It shows that God’s creation is good :
At the end of each day of creation Genesis 1 states “and God saw that it was good”
37
Humans occupy a unique place in creation:
They are only creatures made in the image of God
They were created last
38
God has given humans stewardship of the earth and its resources
, “God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground” Genesis 1:28
This means they are responsible for looking after the earths resources and making sure they are shared out fairly.
39
Incarnation -
Christians believe that God chose to come to earth as a human being in Jesus of Nazareth. This is called the incarnation (made flesh).
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. “ John 1:14
- Who being in the very nature God… taking the nature of a servant, being made in human likeness” Philippians 2:6
40
The incarnation is important because:
- It shows God’s omnibenevolence – that cares so much about the world that he sent his son so that he could die to save people from their sins John 3:16
- Through the person of Jesus, Christians know what God is like.
- It is the basis of the Christian faith. If Jesus was not the Son of God there would be no Christianity
41
Jesus is often referred to as Christ (Greek); this means the Messiah Hebrew
which means the ‘anointed one’ and refers the person Jews believe will come to bring
42
Key events in the life of Jesus - Birth
Jesus was born without sin. Mary was a virgin and Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit.
“The angel answered “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the most high will overshadow you, so the holy one will be called the Son of God” Luke 1:35
43
Key events in the life of Jesus - Baptism
Jesus was baptised in river Jordan by John the Baptist. “At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said
“This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:13-17
44
Jesus’ Baptism is important because:-
* It is when Jesus’ receives the Holy Spirit.
* It is after only his baptism that Jesus starts his public ministry preaching to people and is able to perform miracles and heal people.
* It is one of the few times in the Bible when the Trinity is referred to (Jesus – the Son, Father – voice from Heaven, Dove – Holy Spirit)
45
Temptation
After his baptism, Jesus was tempted in the desert by the devil “For forty wilderness days and nights he was tested by Satan” .Mark 1:12-13
46
Last Supper
Jesus’ last meal with his disciples, where he blesses the bread and wine and makes them symbols of the sacrifice his about to make by dying on the cross. And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me. In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” Luke 20:19
47
The Last Supper is important because:
* It is the basis of Holy Communion, which is the most important part of Christian worship
* When the priest or minister prays over the bread and the wine, he uses Jesus’ exact words. “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
* Jesus commanded his disciples “to do this in remembrance of me”
* The bread and the wine represent the new covenant between God and his people
48
Betrayal and Arrest–
– Jesus is betrayed by one of his disciples – Judas brought the chief priests and the temple guards to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane “He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” Luke 20:47-48
49
Trial
After he was arrested, Jesus was taken for trial by the Jewish Council, called the Sanhedrin. They condemned him for claiming to be “the Christ, the Son of God”, which for them was blasphemy (speaking disrespectfully about God)
50
Crucifixion
- Jesus was crucified on a hill called Golgotha (place of the Skull) outside Jerusalem .
A crown of thorns was placed on his head and a sign placed above his head which said he was the King of the Jews. The crowds mocked him and challenged him to come down from the cross. As he was being crucified, Jesus said “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”
There was a robber on either side of him and one of the robbers asked Jesus to save him to which Jesus replied, “Today you will be with me in paradise”
The crucifixion lasted just over three hours before Jesus cried out “Father in your hands I commit my spirit” then Jesus died in agony
51
The Crucifixion is important because:
- Through Jesus’ death on the cross God forgives people for their sin.
- Without the cross there would be no forgiveness so people would go to hell
– “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”. Romans 5:8
– “For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried” Nicene Creed
52
Resurrection -
After Jesus was killed on the cross his body was buried in a sealed tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea, one of the Sanhedrin. Early on the Sunday morning Jesus’ women followers went to anoint his body with spices. However, they found the tomb empty. Two men, wearing white (angels) appear and told them that Jesus had risen from the dead. Jesus himself, then appeared to them.
53
Jesus appeared several more times to his disciples:
to two of his followers on the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus
- and to the twelve disciples in the Upper Room when he let his disciple Thomas touch his wounds
54
The resurrection is important because:
* The resurrection shows that Jesus has defeated sin and death as it says in the Bible “But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ” 1 Corinthians 15:57
* It is evidence that there is life after death as Jesus appears to his disciples in the Upper Room and lets Thomas touch his wounds
* It is the basis of Christian belief as it proves that Jesus is the Son of God
– St Paul wrote “If Christ had not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” 1 Corinthians 15:17
55
Ascension
40 days after his resurrection Christians believe that Jesus ascended (was taken up) into heaven. He told his disciples to stay in Jerusalem and they would receive the power of the Holy Spirit.
Then, he was taken up from them in a cloud and two men appeared and told them that Jesus had been taken into heaven.
“While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Luke 24:50-52
56
The Ascension is important because:
* It reminds Christians that Jesus has gone to heaven to prepare a place for them so they do not need to fear death
* Through the ascension Jesus is no longer restricted by time and space so he can be with them on earth wherever they are
57
Salvation
Christians believe that because all people sin, everyone deserves to die and no one earns the right to live with God in heaven after death.” for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23.
58
Roman Catholics S+A
believe that everyone inherits original sin from when Adam and Eve disobeyed God so without salvation through Jesus’ death on the cross, all humans would go to Hell.
59
Jesus came to earth as the Son of God, and that he was the only human being ever to be totally free from sin. His death payed the price for human sin, because he gave his life as a sacrifice for others. John the Baptist describes Jesus as "the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world". John 1:29
Jesus came to earth as the Son of God, and that he was the only human being ever to be totally free from sin. His death payed the price for human sin, because he gave his life as a sacrifice for others. John the Baptist describes Jesus as "the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world". John 1:29
60
Christians also talk about Redemption
meaning Jesus sets them free from the consequences of sin - 'For the Son of Man himself did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many'. Mark 10:45. It’s original meaning was the payment of ransom for a slave's freedom
61
Each member of the Trinity has an important role to play in Salvation:
God the Father sent the Son to die for the sins of human beings – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”. John 3:16
· Jesus as God the Son sacrificed himself for the sins of human beings - And you are to give him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins. Matthew 1:21
· God the Holy Spirt works within human beings to enable them to understand the truth about God “He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” Titus 3:5
62
The Role of Jesus in Salvation
Through Jesus’ death and resurrection God confronts evil directly and overcomes it: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” John 3:17
· It is only through Jesus that people are saved “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
63
Christians disagree as to how they receive salvation
· Protestant Christians:
Salvation is made available to all through the grace of God but only possible through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. This is called justification by faith
Each person has to personally repent of their sin, ask God for forgiveness and accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour
It is often a single event, after which the Christian is described as being “born again"
64
Christians disagree as to how they receive salvation
Roman Catholic Christians:
Salvation takes place over a longer period of time
It is achieved through faith AND participating in the sacraments, which are seen as a channel of God’s grace. The sacrament of baptism is particularly important as it cleanses the soul of original sin
65
All Christians
try to live their lives in the way they believe God wants them to and by following Jesus’ teachings. Some say that they do this as a result of their faith not because it is a condition of salvation
66
Grace
- love and mercy given to us by God because God desires us to have it, not because of anything we have done to earn it, it gives Christians the strength to be good and holy. “For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.” Romans 6:14
67
Atonement
-Christians use the word “Atonement” to describe how by paying the price for human sin, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross repairs the broken relationship, through the death and resurrection of Jesus, God is reconciled with his creation
68
Different Ways Christians understand the Atonement
Sacrifice
Jesus’ death on the cross is seen as the perfect sacrifice.. Roman Catholics believe that Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice for human sin as an act of love.
69
Significance of atonement
and salvation for Christians
today
Atonement and salvation are important
because they:
restore the relationship between
God and humanity
confi rm belief in an all-powerful and
loving God
allow humans to understand the
importance of being reconciled with
other humans
give humans hope that they can
follow the example of Jesus, to be
rewarded in the eternal afterlife.
70
Different Ways Christians understand the Atonement
Moral Example
Many Liberal Protestants believe that everything Jesus did, including his death and resurrection, sets an example to guide humans in how to live. In response to the love Jesus showed, humans are inspired to follow his example and live a good life and repent of their sins
71
Christian beliefs about:
Resurrection
Christians believe that death is not the
end. They believe that the resurrection of
Jesus – when he came back to life from the
dead – proves life after death
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Resurrection - SOW
I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes
in me will live, even though they die. (John 11:25)
73
Christian beliefs about:
The soul
Death is only the end of the body; the
soul is immortal.
* Souls that have been saved either go
to heaven or to purgatory (which is the
Catholic idea of a ‘waiting room’, where souls
go to be cleansed before entering heaven).
* Souls that have not achieved salvation will
go to hell.
74
Christian beliefs about:
Judgement
Christians accept God is just and it is God
who will decide the destination of every
human’s soul after death. They believe that
Jesus is also involved in judgement and
will offer every human the opportunity of
salvation. Those who refuse will face the
‘Last Judgement’
75
Christian beliefs about:
Heaven
Heaven is mentioned in the Bible, yet it is
rarely described. Some Christians believe
heaven is a physical place, but most think
it is a spiritual state of being united with
God. The Bible teaches there is no sin,
sadness or suffering in heaven.
76
Judgement SOW
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of
Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due
us for the things done while in the body, whether
good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10)
77
Heaven SOW
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no
more death or mourning or crying or pain. (Revelation 21:4)
For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed,
we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven,
not built by human hands. (2 Corinthians 5:1)
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Hell
The Bible teaches that hell is where
unrepentant sinners go after death if
they have not accepted God’s offer of
forgiveness and salvation through Jesus. It is
a place of pain and suffering, without God.
79
Hell SOW
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot
kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can
destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)
80
Divergent understandings
All Christians accept the belief in life
after death, however some Christians:
understand heaven and hell as physical
places, while others accept them as
spiritual ideas
* believe members of all faiths have a
place in the ‘Kingdom of God’, while
others believe those without faith who
have lived good lives will be rewarded
* believe in the Second Coming or
return of Jesus from heaven to Earth.
Some Christians see life as a test for
the final judgement, while others see belief in God as more important.
81
The 39 Articles of Religion
The 39 Articles of Religion, written in
1563, are statements from the Church of
England to make clear the position of the
Church on key teachings.
82
39 ART SOW
Christ did truly rise again from death, and took again
his body, with fl esh, bones, and all things appertaining to
the perfection of Man’s nature; wherewith he ascended
into Heaven, and there sitteth, until he return to judge
all Men at the last day. (39 Articles IV)
83
Types of evil and suffering
Moral evil/suffering
Natural evil/suffering
84
Moral evil/suffering
– actions
carried out by humans who cause
suffering, e.g. murder, rape, war
and theft.
85
Natural evil/suffering
things
that cause suffering but
have nothing to do with
humans, e.g. famine,
disease and natural
disasters.
86
Does God exist?
Christians may question:
* how a loving and righteous God would
allow people to do evil things
* why people need to suffer
* whether, if God does
exist, he is all-powerful,
as he should stop evil
and suffering.
87
The problem of evil and suffering omnibenevolent
If God is all-good, he would want
to remove evil and suffering as he
cares for his creation
88
The problem of evil and suffering
omniscient
If God is allknowing, he
would know how
to remove evil
and suffering
89
The problem of evil and suffering
omnipotent
If God is
all-powerful,
he would be able
to remove evil
and suffering
90
The Bible
The Bible says God is
benevolent and cares for
his Creation. Christians
believe that God would
want to help his Creation
if it were suffering.
91
The Bible SOW
The Lord is compassionate
and gracious, slow to anger,
abounding in love. He will
not always accuse, nor will
he harbor his anger forever.
(Psalm 103:8–9)
92
What does the Bible say about evil and suffering?
Genesis says that God created a perfect world.
The Fall: Adam and Eve used their free will in the Garden of Eden to disobey God
(the Fall), which allowed evil and suffering to enter the world.
Christians believe God sent Jesus to Earth to overcome the evil in the world and die
for the sins of humanity on the cross.
Some Christians accept that evil came into the world through the devil, for example
when the devil tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
93
Christian responses to the problem of evil and suffering
Book of Psalms
this offers
reassurance that evil and suffering
have a purpose in the world: that
they give people the opportunity to
follow the example set by Jesus in
order to live as God intended
94
Christian responses to the problem of evil and suffering
Book of Psalms SOW
God is our refuge and our strength. (Psalm 46.1)
Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I
trust your commands. Before I was a icted I went
astray, but now I obey your word. (Psalm 119:66–67)
95
Christian responses to the problem of evil and suffering
Job
the Bible describes how
Job endured many examples of
suffering, including losing his
family and physical pain, yet he
did not lose his faith. He trusted
in God and believed that suffering
was part of God’s plan for him.
Christians believe that they may
not understand why they suffer, but
they need to trust in God and will
be rewarded for doing so.
96
Christian responses to the problem of evil and suffering
Free will
God gave people free will
and Christians recognise that humans
sometimes choose to turn away from God.
This explains the presence of many acts
of moral evil. Theories such as this are
contained in St Augustine’s Theodicy.
97
Christian responses to the problem of evil and suffering
Vale of soul-making
this is the idea that
evil and suffering have a purpose, even if we
do not know what it is. Suffering can make a
person stronger and help them appreciate
the good things in their life. So evil may not
always be a bad thing. The philosopher John
Hick put forward this theory.
98
Christian responses to the problem of evil and suffering
Prayer
– many Christians respond to evil in
the world by prayer, so that God will give them the strength to cope with the problems they are facing. Christians believe that even
if their prayers are not answered in the way that they want, God has a plan for everyone.
99
Christian responses to the problem of evil and suffering
Charity
many Christians have been
inspired by the suffering in their own lives
to try to help others. For example, Chad
Varah established the Samaritans as a
result of the suffering he witnessed in his
community as a priest working in London.
