Christian Beliefs And Teachings Flashcards
What are the three main branches of Christianity?
-Catholic: based in Rome and led by the Pope.
-Protestant: split from catholic Christianity in 16th century and
branched out into different dominations (distance groups) e.g Baptist, Methodist. Protestants agree that the bible is the only authority for Christians.
-orthodox: split form catholic christianity in 1054CE and practised in Eastern Europe.
What is monotheism?
The belief in only one supreme being, God. E.g Christianity.
What quote proves that Christians believe in only one God?
“We believe in one God” - The Nicene Creed.
What do Christians believe about God?
- There is only one God.
- God is the creator and sustainer of all that exists.
- people can have a relationship with God through prayer.
- Jesus is God’s son- Gods representative on Earth.
- God work throughout history and inspires people to do Gods will.
What are some of the qualities/characteristics of God?
- omnipotent
- benevolent
- just
- omniscient
What does omnipotent mean and why do people believe God is Omnipotent?
It means being all-mighty and all powerful.
God is the supreme being with all powerful. God has unlimited authority.
What does benevolent lent mean and why do people believe God is benevolent?
It means all-good and all-loving.
God is benevolent because:
- he uses his power to do good.
- God shows his love by creating humans and caring for them.
- God showed his love by sending his only Son, Jesus, to Earth to be crucified.
What does just mean and why do people believe God is just?
This means to be fair. God is the perfect judge of human behaviour who will bring about what is right and fair or who will make up for a wrong which has been committed.
God is Just because:
- he is a just judge for human kind.
- he will never support in-justices, ill-treatment, prejudice and oppression.
How can humans challenge the belief in Gods qualities and characteristics?
If he is omnipotent, just, benevolent and omniscient how does he let evil and suffering take place on Earth?
- If God is benevolent why does he allow suffering of humans and let them hurt each other?
- If God is omnipotent why does he not prevent evil and suffering, such as the suffering caused by natural disasters?
- If God is just why does he allow in-justice to occur?
- If God is omniscient why doesn’t he prevent evil acts and suffering?
What does omniscient mean?
All knowing.
God is omniscient because he created the universe and loge o earth and humans.
What does transcendent mean?
Out of the world (God doesn’t interfere with people lives in Earth. Sends angels as his messengers)
What does immanent mean?
In the world. (God performs miracles such as healing like Jesus did e.g blind, deaf.
What is the trinity?
Christians believe there are three persons in one God: the father; the son; the Holy Spirit. Each person of the trinity is fully God but the people on the trinity are not the same.
How is God the Father described in the Trinity?
The creator of all life, acts as a good father towards his children. He is all powerful (omnipotent), all loving (benevolent), all knowing (omniscient) and present everywhere (omnipresent).
How is God the Son described in the Trinity?
Became incarnate through Jesus who was both fully human while on Earth and fully God at all times. Jesus is called the son of God to his special relationship with God the Father.
How is God the Holy Spirit described in the Trinity?
He is the unseen power of God at work in the world, who influences, guides and sustain life on Earth.
What are Christians core beliefs about creation?
- Cristians believe in creation by God, the act by which God brought the universe into being.
- God the father chose to create and design the earth and life on it.
- the Holy Spirit was active in the creation as well as the father and his son Jesus.
- therefore the Trinity existed from the being and was involved in the creation.
What does the quote, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth….God said let there be light and there was light.” mean to Christians?
- many Christians believe the creation story in the Genesis is not scientifically accurate but contains religious truth.
- some believe God literally created the world in 6 days.
- God created everything out of choice and everything ‘good’.
- they believe he continues to make new life today.
What quotes show God is the Son?
“The word was with God, and the word was God…through him all things were made;without him nothing was made…”
- in the gospel John refers to all things being created through the word, who was both with God and was God.
- The Word refers to the Son of God who entered history as Jesus.
- Christians believe the Son of God and the Word of God was involved in creation.
Define the term incarnation:
Christians believe that Jesus was God in human form. This means becoming flesh and taking on human form.
What quotes show Jesus being born?
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”
“She was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.”
The gospels of Mathew and Luke both explained Jesus was conceived without having sex. The virgin conception is further evidence for Christians belief that Jesus is part of the trinity and the sone of God. Through the incarnation God presented himself as a human for 30 years. Angels appeared to Joseph and Mary to explain to them Jesus was no ordinary child.
