Christian Beliefs and Teachings

Question 1

God is omnipotent

Answer 1

God created the world in six days - Creation Story,Genesis

Question 2

God is omniscient

Answer 2

‘As shepherd separates the sheep from the goats’.

Question 3

God is omnipresent

Answer 3

The Lord looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of earth.

Question 4

God is omnibenevolent

Answer 4

“I come not to call respectable people, but outcasts” - Mark, New Testament
‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son’

Question 5

God is immanent

Answer 5

God is active and present in the universe

Question 6

God is forgiving

Answer 6

The parable of the Lost Son - Luke, New Testament

Question 7

God is a judge

Answer 7

The judgement of Nations - Matthew, New Testament

Question 8

Evil and suffering exists: 3 points for

Answer 8

J.L Mackie - Inconsistent triad: God is omnibenevolent, God is omnipotent and evil and suffering exists
Also disputed by Epicurus.

Question 9

Evil and suffering: 3 points against

Answer 9

Iranean theodicy- Pain allows us to become better beings ( soul making)
- WW2 saw advancement in medical knowledge
Story of Job - Testing faith(real life example - christians are persecuted for faith)
Augustinian theodicy - Evil is a lack of good

Question 10

Controversy on the trinity

Answer 10

Denominations such as Methodists believe as in Nicene’s creed
SOWA - ‘baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit’ - Mark

Question 11

God is transcendent

Answer 11

Sufi Rumi - ‘silence is the language of God, all else is a poor translation’

Question 12

Against trinity

Answer 12

Pentecostals reject idea as the word ‘trinity’ is absent from Bible - idea of paganism goes against ten commandments - “you shall have no other Gods”