Christian Theology Flashcards
What is the trinity?
The orthodox Christian view of God, whereby there are 3 different persons of God, each of which with a different role to play. These 3 persons are God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Where is the doctrine of the Trinity laid down?
In the Nicene Creed
What is special about God the Father?
Maker of heaven and earth, omnipotent and omniscient, transcendent and begot the Son.
What is special about God the Son?
He is Jesus, sacrificed himself for our salvation, he will return, a guide and protector
What is special about the Holy Spirit?
Giver of life, impregnated Mary, Speaks through the prophets, God acting in our world, a messenger and is a symbol of peace and love
What is the name given to Christians who reject the idea of the Trinity altogether?
Unitarianism
What is one argument against the Doctrine of the Trinity?
Principle of Transitivity of Identity.
What are the rules of Transitivity of Identity?
Reflexivity (a=a)
Symmetry (if a=b then b=a)
Transitivity (if a=b and b=c then a=c)
What does the cloud of unknowing imply?
It is Okay to NOT understand God
What does the Prophet Isaiah say?
God is beyond our comprehension
“With whom, then, will you compare God”
What are the key aspects of the story of Jesus?
Incarnation, Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension
What is the belief of reincarnation?
God took human form by becoming Jesus.
What does the reincarnation show about Jesus?
He was fully God and fully Human.
What did the reincarnation of Jesus mean in terms of Human relationships with God?
The reincarnation meant that Humans were able to repair their damaged relationship with God which was created when Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit. Jesus brought salvation from sin, making it possible for Humans to have a full relationship with God and allowed them to go to Heaven.
What is immaculate conception?
The idea that Mary was a virgin despite God being the father
Which religious scripts referenced the Incarnation?
Matthew (tells of Jesus’ conception)
What is the belief involving Jesus and his crucifixion?
Jesus was crucified between two criminals with a sign saying ‘king of Jews’ above his head. The moment Jesus died, the veil in the temple tore in two, and the earth shook
What is the belief involving the resurrection of Jesus?
Jesus came back to life 3 days after he was crucified (gospel of matthew)
What does Jesus’ resurrection symbolise?
God’s omnipotence and omnibenevolence, because Jesus defeated death. It also is a symbol for life after death and heaven
What is the belief involving the ascension of Jesus?
40 days after the resurrection of Jesus, he returned to God the father in Heaven. The ascension of Jesus proves that he is the Son of God.
What is the fall?
The fall is when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Genesis)
What was it like before the fall?
Paradise, Their life was perfect
Why did Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit?
They wanted power and to be like God
What is the original sin?
The original sin is the idea that we inherit evil from Adam and Eve from birth because of Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit
What is salvation?
Salvation is the act of delivering from evil
What is atonement?
Atonement is the act of making amends for a wrongdoing
What is the link between Salvation and Atonement?
By Jesus delivering Humans from salvation, it allowed for a process of Atonement to take place.
How could Jesus’ death be seen as a ransom?
Adam and Eve’s sin sold humanity to the devil, so God paid Jesus’ death to the devil as a ransom to save humanity
How could Jesus be seen as a scapegoat?
He is burdened with the sins of humanity, and so he suffers from our sins and his loving sacrifice is celebrated and seen as being a scapegoat
What is a narrative arc?
The bigger picture storyline of a work of FICTION
What does Augustine teach about the Trinity?
Each of the three persons are given the same greatness. No single one or two added up are more important than the others. He used the notion of love to prove this. “He that loves, and that which is loved, and love.”
What happens in genesis 2?
Paradise for Adam and Eve
What happened in Genesis 3?
Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and got sent out of the garden of eve and 2 deaths were created, (loss of relationship with god and mortality)
What did Augustine do?
His narrative arc contained The fall, the original sin, the atonement and salvation
What is grace?
A term Christians use to describe God’s unconditional love for everyone
How can salvation be earned?
By believing in God and his son Jesus Christ
What is the Eucharist
The Christian ceremony commemorating the last supper where bread and wine are consumed
What is the Catholic belief of the Eucharist
Catholics believe the bread and wine are the ACTUAL FLESH of Jesus
- TRANSUBSTANTATION
What is the ORTHODOX view of the Eucharist
Jesus is mystically present in the bread and wine
Lourdes
- Pilgrimage site in France
- waters are holy
- stories of healing
Iona
- Quiet island in Scotland
- when they visit they have their lives redirected and undergo spiritual growth
Criticisms of a pilgrimage
- Christians believe the money could be better spent on charities
- benefits of pilgrimage such as Iona can be felt whilst praying
What is the importance of Christmas?
Commemorates Jesus’ birth
Christmas reminds christians that Jesus represented love and loyalty
Reminds Christians they are part of a global community of Christians despite different beliefs
What is the importance of Easter
Reminds Christians of the suffering Jesus went through for our salvation
CORINTHIANS emphasises this idea of having faith in the resurrection of Jesus - a central Christian belief
What is the Salvation Army
A Christian charity organisation feeding the poor
Seeks to eradicate vulnerability and help society by providing SUPPORT TO THOSE IN NEED
What are street pastors
Individuals who are members of the Christian community
They help care for people in practical ways
What is the role of the church in the community?
Set up food banks
Set out street pastors
Seek to aid the community
What is evangelism
Preaching the gospels of Christianity to the public to get people to convert
Gospel of Matthew - Jesus told hi decibels to spread the message of God
What is church growth?
A movement within evangelical Christianity aiming to grow churches
How do churches deal with persecution?
- train Christians to five support through trauma
- provide advice to support victims
- raising awareness
How do worldwide churches work for reconciliation?
Teaches people about what the Bible says about reconciliation
‘Love thy neighbour’, so help others and reconcile
What is CAFOD?
A Catholic agency working to promote stewardship and global citizenship
It strives to reduce -
- climate change
- poverty
- disease
- lack of water
- war, injustice
They spread awareness for this and educates the world
