christian beliefs Flashcards
what does transcendent mean?
existing outside of time and space
what does immanent mean?
present with people
what does monotheistic mean?
belief in one god
describe what it is that Christians believe about God’s nature that makes him a fair judge
His omniscience and perfect nature make him a fair judge
How do Christians believe God has provided a perfect example of godly living?
jesus was god’s incarnate, he lived a perfect life on earth and provides an example of godly living
quote that summarises the ‘monotheistic’ religion
’ you shall have no other gods before me’- exodus (2nd commandment)
which Christian denomination focuses on god’s purity and oneness?
plymouth brethren:
- they believe those that are part of that community can truly understand the oneness of God. They live as far away as possible and lives separate lives from the rest of the world to remove themselves from the evil
state God Christians beliefs about the Trinity
each of the three trinities is equal
they all fulfil a different role
they have a perfect relationship
state Christian denominations that do not believe in the Trinity
unitarianism
what reasons do some Christian have for not believing in the Trinity
the belief in the Trinity leads to the idea that there is more than one god and puts the monotheism of Christianity in dangere
it goes against the second of the ten commandments
Which two parts of the Holy Trinity are unseen?
- father
- holy spirit
why did God reveal himself in the form of Jesus on earth?
- to reveal himself to people
- to rise from the dead to show he is eternal
- to sacrifice himself on the cross to receive gods punishment for human sin in order for salvation
Why did God rise from the dead?
1) to show that God has power over death
2) to show that He is eternal
3) to show that Christians may have everlasting life in heaven after death
what does the holy spirit do
1) helps Christians to live in the way that God requires
2) helps Christians to understand God’s teaching
3) promises life with God in heaven after death
describe the way in which God creates in Genesis 1
by speaking aloud
how is the creation of humans different from the way God creates the rest of the world
- god created humans in the image of Him.
- he breathed life into Adam’s nostrils
- he created the rest by speaking aloud
what was the role of the spirit in the Creation
- hovers over the waters and waits to bring life into the world.
- when God breathed life into Adam’s nostrils it was also the spirit bringing life
state why the role of the father, spirit and the word in creation is God to Christians
- it shows the Trinity was involved in creations
- strengthens the monotheistic understanding of god
what is the original sin?
the sin that first entered the world through Adam and Eve’s disobedience
what causes eve to disobey from?
she liked the look of the fruit and she wanted to gain knowledge as the ‘crafty’ serpent had told her
in what order to god create the world
1) the heavens and the earth
2) light
3) sky
4) land
5) vegetation
6) the sun and the moon
7) animals (water)
8) animals (land)
9) man
describe the effect of the fall
- The Fall caused humans to no longer be in a relationship with God.
- Human sin is a barrier to this relationship. As a result, humans require salvation, which is provided through Jesus’ death and resurrection.
- lose immortality
when considering the accounts of creation, what 3 things do all Christians agree on?
- god created the universe
- God acted out of love and goodness- he cares for his creation even in its broken sinful state
- Humans are made in his image but are sinful and lack perfection
what is the creationist approach?
-they reject any science that suggests that the world was not made in 6 days. the bible is an accurate representation of God’s word and should be taken as the absolute truth
why do some Christians believe that the most appropriate way to understand genesis is as a myth?
- differences in writing style and accounts between Genesis 1 and 2
- scientific research to show it was created over a billion years ago and not 5,700
what is Theistic evolution
belief in life was developed through evolution but it was started by God and is the mechanism by which God brings about life
why is it impossible to hold on to a belief in an omnipotent and omnibenevolent god?
- if God is omnibenevolent he can use his power to stop suffering but he hasn’t which could mean he isn’t all powerful.
- if God is omnipotent and has the power to stop suffering maybe he isn’t benevolent
what is a moral evil
suffering caused by the direct fault of human sinful actions
what is natural evil
suffering created through no direct fault of humans
what is the justification of natural disasters according to some Christians
- they see the world as a test
- without it, there would be no opportunity for people to show their love for one another
- opportunity to share in the suffering which Jesus himself experienced
in what way does the Lord’s prayer help believers to depend on God and trust him even in times of suffering?
in the Lord’s prayer, believers trust God’s will in their lives. They depend on him for needs and ask that he ‘delivers us from evil’.
what is the proposed solution to the impossible belief in an omnipotent and omnibenevolent god called?
theodicies
what is the Irenaean theodicy
- argues that God allows evil and suffering to exist
- deliberately created the world with both good and evil to allow us to choose between good and bad
- he allows suffering as he wants our souls to develop
- through suffering, we learn and develop spiritually
what did irenaean believe about the Fall
- just a stage in the human learning process.
- as long as humans are open to learning from their actions they can go to heaven
what is the Augustinian theory
- god made a perfect creation as recorded in Genesis
- evil is when something good becomes corrupted and lacks its intended perfection
- when Adam and even ate the fruit, evil entered the perfect universe
why is Jesus important
- it gives Christians an example for their lives
- as the son of God, his death is the sacrifice that provides the restoration of a perfect relationship between humans and god.
which quote reinforces Jesus resurrection as forgiveness of human sin
‘without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins’