Christian Beliefs and Teachings Flashcards
what are the tree main branches of Christianity?
- Catholic - led by the Pope in Rome
- Orthodox - formed in 1054, practiced in Eastern Europe
- Protestant - many denominations like Church of England, formed in the 16th century (Reformation)
what do Protestants believe about authority?
the Bible is the only source of authority
What are some beliefs about the nature of God?
- monotheistic - there is only one God
- creator and sustainer
- can have a special relationship through prayer
- holy - set apart for a special purpose + worthy of worship
- God is spirit - neither male nor female (John 4:24)
key quotes on monotheism?
- “We believe in one God” - Nicene Creed
- “You shall have no other God before me” - Exodus 20:3
what are some qualities of God?
- omnipotent
- omnibenevolent
- omniscient
- omnipresent
- just
- transcendent
- immanent
how is God omnipotent?
- God is all powerful and has unlimited authority
- For example he created everything
key quote on God’s omnipotence?
“nothing is impossible with God” - Luke 1:37
how is God omnibenevolent?
- he is all loving and uses his power to do good
- shows his love by creating humans and caring for them
- main example: God sent his only son Jesus onto earth
key quote on God’s omnibenevolence? (hint: remember the song)
“God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” - John 3:16
how is God omniscient?
- he is all knowing
- he knows everything that we are going to do in our lives and everything that will happen to the world
how is God omnipresent?
- he is all present
- he is not bound by space or time and can be anywhere that he pleases
how is God just?
- he is a fair judge of human beings
- he doesn’t support injustice, oppression, ill-treatment and prejudice
how is God transcendent?
- he is beyond human understanding
- he created all things so therefore is separate from it
how is God immanent?
- God is present and active in the world
- he is involved in the lives of people
- example: Jesus (God the Son) being the incarnate of God and coming to earth
what are some challenges against the qualities of God?
- if God is omnibenevolent, why does he allow some people to suffer?
- if God is omnipotent, why doesn’t he stop evil and suffering?
- if God is just, why does he allow injustice to happen?
what is the holy trinity?
the relationship of love between God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
what three persons are in the Holy Trinity?
Father, Son and Holy Spirit
are the three persons necessarily physical beings?
no
who is God the Father?
- a good father for his children
- the creator
- omnipotent, omnibenevolent, omniscient, omnipresent
who is God the Son?
- the Son of God, Jesus - the incarnate of God
- both fully human and fully God
who is the Holy Spirit?
- the power of God at work in the world
- influences, guides and sustains life on earth
what evidence is there for the Holy Trinity?
in the Apostles Creed - reference to ‘The Father Almighty’, ‘his only Son’, and ‘the Holy Spirit’
what happened in the Genesis 1 creation story?
- God created light and dark
- God created the water and the sky
- God created the sea, land and vegetation
- God created the sun, moon and stars
- God created sea creatures and birds
- God created cattle and wild animals and humans
- God rested, blessed the day and made it holy
Key quote from Genesis 1? (creation)
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” - Genesis 1:1
was the holy spirit present in genesis 1?
yes - “the spirit of God was hovering over the water”
what beliefs on creation come from Genesis 1?
- many Christians - not scientifically accurate but with religious truths
- some Christians - take it literally (everything created in 6 days)
- God created everything out of choice
- everything was made ‘good’
- God still creates today
- God the Father + Holy Spirit was involved in creation
Key quote from John 1? (about the word)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the word was God” - John 1:1
what beliefs on creation come from John 1?
- everything was created through the Word
-the Word was both with God and was God - the Word = Son of God = Jesus
- Son of God (the Word) was involved in creation
what is incarnation for Christians?
the belief that God took human form in Jesus Christ
how was Jesus born? (include a key quote)
through the Virgin Conception - Mary conceived Jesus without having sex with Joseph
“She was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit” - Matthew 1:18
why is the virgin conception important?
it proves that Jesus wasn’t ordinary, but was the Son of God, part of the Trinity
key quote on the incarnation (not the virgin conception)
“The Word was made flesh and made his dwelling among us” - John 1:14
how long was Jesus on earth?
30 years
what happened at Jesus’s baptism? (links to Trinity)
“A voice from heaven said, ‘You are my Son’”
importance of the incarnation
- Jesus’s words, deeds and promises have huge authority because they are the Word of God
- Jesus was fully God and fully human - explains his miracles and resurrection
beliefs about the Christ and the Messiah
- Hebrew ‘maschiach’ -> Greek ‘christos’ -> Christ
- Christ = annointed one
- Christians - Jesus is the spiritual Messiah, but not the political one
- Jews - Jesus isn’t the Messiah at all - Messiah hasn’t come yet
- Jesus told his followers not to call him Christ because it could be considered blasphemy
when was Jesus’s crucifixion?
on Good Friday
what happened during the crucifixion?
1) Jesus is carrying the cross and Simon of Cyrene is forced to help
2) Jesus tells the women not to weep for him but for their children
3) 2 criminals are crucified with Jesus - one repents and Jesus forgives that one
4) the sun stopped shining for 3hrs while Jesus was alive on the cross
5) the temple curtain rips in 2 and Jesus dies, saying “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit”
6) The nearby Roman centurion realises that Jesus was innocent and the son of God
7) Everyone leaves, except those close to Jesus
8) Joseph of Arimathea buries Jesus in his tomb in a cave and seals it with a boulder
what were Jesus’s last words on the cross?
“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” - Luke 23:46
how does God show his omnipotence? (quote from the Bible)
“Darkness came all over the land” because his son was crucified unjustly
key quote on why Jesus was crucified
“He was pierced for our transgressions”
Why is the crucifixion so important?
- the Son of God wasn’t spared the suffering - he also had feelings - God knows what suffering is like
- suffering is a part of life, just is it was for Jesus
- Jesus forgave the Roman centurions and the criminal, showing Christians will be forgiven if they repent
when did Jesus resurrect from the dead?
3 days after his death on Easter Sunday
what happened during the resurrection?
- The women went to the tomb early in the morning
- they found the tomb stone rolled away
- 2 angels in white told them that Jesus had risen
- they ran and told the 11 disciples about this but they didn’t believe them
- Peter went to the tomb and saw it empty with his own eyes and went away thinking about it
what key quote shows that there would be no Christianity without the resurrection?
“And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” - 1 Corinthians 15:14
What did Jesus do after his resurrection?
he appeared to several people including Mary Magdalene and his disciples and told them that he had risen from the dead like he predicted
why is the resurrection so important?
- shows that God is omnipotent and has power over death
- Jesus defeated death so Christians no longer need to fear it
- it is the miracle that all the Gospels rely on
- Jesus was not just any human, he was the Son of God, the Incarnate
when did the ascension take place?
40 days after the resurrection
what happened during the Ascension?
- during the 40 days he stayed on earth, Jesus confirmed his resurrection to his disciples
- 12 disciples -> 12 apostles
- Jesus told them to carry on his work before returning to his father in heaven
Bible quote on what happened at the resurrection
“While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven” - Luke 24:51
why do Christians think the Ascension is significant?
- Jesus is with God in heaven - his rightful place
- Jesus is immortal - he didn’t and never will die - another symbol he is more than human
- leads to the completion of the Holy Trinity - the Holy Spirit came down later to comfort and guide everyone after the Ascension
do Christians believe in a life after death?
yes - Jesus’s resurrection reminds them the they will rise up and live after death too
When do Christians believe they will be resurrected? (Hint: 2 different views)
- some: the soul is resurrected soon after death
- others: dead are resurrected some time in the future when Jesus returns to judge all the dead
What sort of resurrection do Christians believe happens after death? (Hint: 2 different views)
- Catholic + Orthodox - bodily resurrection - spiritual + physical resurrection - physical body -> new spiritual body
- others: only spiritual resurrection, not physical
Bible quote on resurrection after death
“So it will be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body” - 1 Corinthians 15:42-44
how does belief in the resurrection impact Christians today?
- it means life after death is real
- gives hope of a future with Jesus
- gives confidence in the face of death
- shows Christians how much God loves them
- inspires Christians to live a life pleasing to God so they can remain in his presence in the next life
what do Christians believe about the afterlife?
- they will be resurrected + get eternal life
- gift from God dependent on faith in him
- will be judged by God at some point: reward = heaven, punishment = hell
- judgement either very soon after death or on the Day of Judgement
Where can you find evidence of Christian beliefs about the afterlife?
In the Apostles Creed: “He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in… the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting”
What do Christians believe about Judgement?
- after death God will judge Christians based on their behaviour and actions on earth + their faith in Jesus as God’s son
- explained in the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats - if you serve others you serve Jesus
Bible quote on Judgement (Parable of Sheep and Goats)
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was ill and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me” - Matthew 25:35-36
What did Jesus tell his disciples was needed in order to go to heaven + quote?
- he was preparing a place in heaven for all the disciples
- having faith in Jesus and following his teachings is essential for entering heaven
- “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” - John 14:6
what happens after God’s judgement?
- wither eternal happiness in the presence of God (heaven) or be unable to experience God’s presence (Hell)
- Catholics: intermediate state purgatory before heaven
- limited knowledge of these states - linked to imagery from the past
