Christianity Flashcards
Adult Baptism
done in denominations such as Baptists, where someone makes the decision for themself as an adult to become a Christian
Advent
the period four weeks before Christmas
Advent Sunday
four Sundays before Christmas, Christian new year
Ambrose
the pope who convinced Constantine to make Christianity legal
Annunciation
when Angel Gabriel told Mary she was going to have a baby
Anointing
Religious ritual action which involves being touched or marked with oil/other sacred substance; the event in Mark 14 when a woman poured expensive perfume on Jesus’ head
Anointing the Sick
a process that is done to comfort and strengthen the soul of a sick person, to dissipates the fear of dying
Arianism
the belief that Jesus is not of the same essence of the Father
Ascension
literally the ‘going up’ of Jesus, 40 days after the Resurrection
Ascension Sunday
celebrates Jesus ascending into Heaven 40 days after Easter
Atonement
literally ‘at-one-ment’, refers to the reconciliation between God and humanity that was sealed by the sacrifice of Jesus
Baptism
a symbolic way of joining the Church, symbolises washing away sin and starting a new life in Christ as water is poured over the person’s head
Baptismal Candle
represents moving from death to life in Christ
Believer’s Baptism
done in denominations such as Baptists, where someone makes the decision for themself as an adult to become a Christian
Bible
sacred book for Christians containing the Old and New Testament
Candle
symbolises that Christ is ‘the light of the world’ and faith, because without life, nothing on Earth would exist
Catholic
universal
Christ
means ‘the annointed one’ or the ‘Messiah’, refers to the belief that Jesus was the promised saviour
Christmas
celebration of Jesus’s birth
Christ the King
celebration a week before advent
Church
Christian place of worship
Commission
being given a job or duty; the event in Mark 16 when the risen Jesus told his disciples to preach the good news throughout the world
Communion
commemorates the Last Supper, special Eucharistic prayers are said, confirmed adults are allowed to take communion, where they eat bread and drink wine, and people who have not yet been confirmed are blessed
Communion of Saints
relationship between living and dead Christians
Confirmation
where a Christian makes the decision that they want to be faithful to God for the rest of their life, meaning they can now take communion
Confirmation Candle
symbolises moving to a new phase of life in Christ
Consubstantiation
the concept that all three persons of the trinity have the same essence
Creationist
a Christian who takes the Bible literally and believes that God created the world in seven days
Creed
comes from the Latin word ‘credo’ meaning ‘I believe’
Apostles Creed
one of the main Creeds in Christianity, especially used by Baptists
Nicene Creed
the other main creed in Christianity, invented to reinforce that Jesus and God are the same
Crime
an action that breaks the law
Crucifixion
Roman method of execution in which people are nailed to a cross
Denial
to state or claim that something isn’t true, like how Peter denies Jesus three times
Discipleship
being a follower of Christ
Disregarded
to be ignored or excluded
Dualism
the state of being divided
Easter
the religious season celebrating Jesus’s death and resurrection, the most important holiday in the Christian calendar
Easter Saturday
commemorates the Sabbath in which Jesus’s body lay in the tomb
Easter Sunday
the most important day in the Christian calendar, when Jesus was resurrected
Ecumenism
the belief that Christans should live and work separately from other religions
Emperor Constantine
the emperor who made Christianity legal, as his wife was Christian
Emperor Nero
the emperor who outlawed Christianity and persecuted and tortured Christians, including turning them into candles or fireworks
Epicurean Paradox
a version of the problem of evil, wherein God cannot be all-loving and all-powerful, as that would mean he would not allow evil and suffering
Eternal Life
a life with no beginning or end, a belief that many Christians have
Epiphany
the celebration where the three wise men visited Jesus
Eucharist
anything relating to the Lord’s Supper
Evangelism
sperading the fiath via preaching or telling others about Jesus and Christianity
Exclusivists
Christians who believe only their version of Christianity is correct
Faith
having complete belief and trust in God and Jesus
Forgiveness
stop feeling resentful towards someone for an offence, flaw or mistake
Good Friday
commemorates the day Jesus died
Grace
the unconditional love that God shows to people who do not deserve it
Great Commission
Jesus’s last words, where Jesus told his Disciples to start the church
Great Schism
where Christianity split into Catholicism and Orthodoxy
Hallowed
honoured and respected
Hallucination Theory
theory that the Disciples and women hallucinated Jesus in their grief
Heaven
the state of being with and enjoying eternity with God
Hell
the place of eternal suffering or the state after death of separation from God for those who want no relationship with Him
Historicity
whether something is considered to be historically accurate
Homouisos
essence
Immortality of the Soul
belief that Christians have that their soul is eternal
Incarnation
literally ‘in flesh’ or ‘enfleshed’, the doctrine that God took form as Jesus
Inclusivist
Christains who believe that as long as a person lives a good life, they can achieve Salvation even if they aren’t Christian
Inconsistent Triad
created by JL Mackie to explain to Epicurean Paradox
Infant Baptism
initiation of babies and young children into the Church, where promises are taken on their behalf by adults, where the infant is freed from sin and introduced to the saving love of God and the support of the Christian community
Jesus
first century Jewish teacher and holy man, believed by Christians to be the Son of God
Job
a wealthy businessman who had his faith tested by God, as God took away his family, home, wealth and health
Kingdom of God
the reign of God over the earth
Lent
the period of four weeks leading up to Easter, where Christians fast
Libby Lane
first female bishop ordained by the Church of England
Liberal Christians
Christians who do not believe that the Bible is 100% scientifically accurate
Literal Christians
Christians who take the Bible literally, believing that it is an accurate historical account
Liturgical Cycle
the Christian calendar
Liturgical Worship
traditional, structured worship with a specific leader and a specific order of service, done by Catholics, Anglicans and Orthodox
Logos
Greek for ‘word’ meaning communication or message, used by John to describe Jesus
Lydia
a rich woman who founded the first Church in Philippi
Mary and Martha
followers of Jesus who were commended by Jesus for treating him as their Rabbi
Maundy Thursday
commemorates the day Jesus ate the Last Supper with his disciples and Judas betrayed him
Maximilian Kolbe
a Catholic Priest who sacrificed himself in Auschwitz for another man
Miaphysitism
the belief that Jesus is simultaneously one person and one nature
Miracle
an event that contradicts the laws of nature, and is usually thought to be impossible, e.g. being raised from the dead
Mission
a calling to spread Christianity, often to foreign countries
Modalism
the misconception that God morphs between Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Non-Liturgical Worship
worship with no set order of service, done by Quakers, Methodists and other more modern branches of Christianity
Non-Trinitarians
Christians who believe that Jesus is not as important as God
Oil
symbolises the holy spirit
Oil of the Sick
pure olive oil, used for anointing the sick
Ordinary Time
where nothing important is going on in the Liturgical calendar
Ordination
the process through which someone becomes a vicar, priest, deacon or some other church heirarchy person
Original Sin
the traditional belief that is still held by some Christians that human nature is basically flawed, and so humans have a tendency to go against God’s Will, Christians who think the Bible is literally true believe that has been passed down from Adam and Eve
Palm Sunday
commemorates the day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey
Parable
a story about everyday life that Jesus told to teach a religious truth.
Parousia
the belief that there will one day be a Judgement Day when Jesus will return
Partialism
the misconception that God is one third Father, one third Son and one third Holy Spirit
Passion
the suffering of Jesus in his final days, which he foretold several times
Patibulum
the crossbeam of the crucifix that Jesus was nailed
Particular Judgement
a Roman Catholic belief that there will be judgement straight after death, where a few will go straight to Heaven, a few will go straight to Hell, but most go to Purgatory
Pentecost
takes place 50 days after Easter Sunday, celebration of the Holy Spirit
Phoebe
a woman who served in the early Church in Cenchrea and was commended by Paul
Prayer Pastors
partnered with street pastors, pray for street pastors
Priscilla
a woman who helped mentor Christians in the early Church
Problem of Evil
the fact that there is suffering in the world, even though God is all-loving, all-knowing and all-powerful
Purgatory
the belief that Roman Catholics have that souls are cleansed or purified before going into Heaven
Rail Pastors
street pastors who patrol railway stations
Reconciliation
the process of restoring harmony and admission to Heaven brought about by Jesus
Reforation
when Christianity split into Catholicism and Protestantism
Reformation
when the Church of England was formed
Religious Pluralists
all religions are just different ways to God
Response Pastors
more highly strained than normal street pastors to provide support after a disaster or crisis in their local community, providing a contact point and additional support for the emergency services and for people affected by the crisis
Resurrection
being raise from the dead, the event three days after Jesus’s death
Resurrection of the Body
the belief that Jesus will come back to save our souls and give everyone eternal life
Sacrament of Holy Orders
special type of ordination where someone becomes a priest
Salvation
saving the soul and deliverance from sin and admission to Heaven brought about by Jesus
School Pastors
a variant of street pastors who go into schools or other places where young people may be and provide them with support
Second Coming
a Judgement Day, where Jesus will come again to judge the living and dead
Secular
non-religious beliefs, practices and sources of authority
Shamrock
a visual representation of the trinity used by St Patrick
Shield of the Trinity
a visual representation of the Holy Trinity
Sign of the Cross
a universal symbol of Christianity, invoking God’s protection
Sin
behaviour which is against God’s laws and wishes/against principles of morality, a thought, word or action which is wrong, which people know is wrong and which people freely choose
Sola Fide
the belief that people will be judged according to their faith in Jesus
Sola Gratia
the belief that faith in God is all that is needed for salvation
Son of David
a title used for Jesus in Mark’s gospel, showing how he is a descendent from a Jewish king
Son of God
a title used for Jesus, the second person in the trinity, denotes the special relationship between Jesus and God, shows that Jesus is part of God
Son of Man
a title used for Jesus, shows that Jesus has come to save mankind
Stolen Body Theory
theory that Jesus’s body was stolen, presumably by the women or disciples who then told people that Jesus had risen again as they didn’t want Christianity to die out
Street Pastors
volunteers who patrol the streets in urban areas in uniform, listening to people’s problems and offering guidance
Suffering
where people have to face or live with unpleasant events or conditions
Swoon Theory
theory that Jesus never died on the cross, only passed out on the cross and either came round later of his own accord or was revived by the Desciples
The Fall
another name for the Bible story in which Eve picks an apple from the Tree of Good and Evil
Theodicies
reasons why God might not stop evil and suffering
Augustine’s Theodicy
the theodicy that suffering goes back to Original Sin
Inrenaeus’s Theodicy
the theodicy that suffering helps us develop character
Job’s Theodicy
the theodicy that suffering is a test of faith
The Resurrection
the event celebrated on Easter Day of Jesus rising from the dead, an event recorded in all four gospels and the central belief of Christianity, the form that many Christians believe the afterlife will take, referring to either physical
Transfiguration
when Jesus’s appearance was changed into a more spiritual form
Trial
a criminal proceeding that takes place before a judge, involving questioning and evidence relating to the crime committed; Jesus faced trials before Pilate and the Jewish authorities during his Passion
Trinity
the belief that there are three Persons in one God
Father
the first person of the trinity, the creator and sustainer of the universe
Son
the second person of the trinity, Jesus, said to be God incarnate
Holy Spirit
the third person of the Holy Trinity who descended like a dove on Jesus at his baptism, Christians believe it is the holy spirit that is present and inspires them
Tritheism
belief in three Gods
Water
symbolises washing away sin, is important as, without water, nothing on earth would exist
White Clothes
symbolises purity and living a pure life in God’s eyes and the eyes of the Church
Word
St John’s Gospel 1 describes God creating the world through is Word and links this to Jesus in the statement: “The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us”.
Denominations
various branches of Christianity
Early Christian Churches
believed that Jesus would be back very soon, so didn’t bother building proper churches
Roman Catholic
branch of Christianity that is led by the Pope
Protestant
the Churches that ‘protested’ against and broke away from the Catholic Church during the Reformation, generally based closer on the Bible than those of Catholic and Orthodox Church
Moravian Church
the original Protestants, believe in missionaries, pacifism and ecumenism
Lutheran
a branch of Protestantism named after Martin Luther, taking his teachings very seriously
Anglicanism
a branch of Protestantism created by Henry VIII, only really pracitsed in England and Ireland, unlike most branches of Protestants, believe in Ecclesiastes
Congregational Church
Protestant churches that are completely independent and run by their own congregations
Quakers
a form of Congregational Church that involves a lot of silence in worship and is often very open-minded, and very opposed to violence
United Church of Christ
a form of Congregational Church, who believe the Bible is the highest source of authority and take it very seriously
Baptists
a branch of Christianity who believe you should not baptise adult babies, but that you should make that decision for yourself when you are an adult
Southern Baptist Convention
a denomination of Baptists who are very against homosexuality
Church of God in Christ
a denomination of Baptists who focus on the Holy Spirit
Seventh Day Adventists
a denomination of Baptists who focus on the imminent return of Christ
Episcopalian
a branch of Protestantism who believe in the ‘middle way’, meaning they show respect to other religions but still believe in conversion
Methodists
a branch of Christians who believe in being logical and reasonable in all areas concerning faith
Salvation Army
a branch of Christians who believe in saving people by converting them
Holiness Churches
a branch of Methodist Churches who believe in Arianism put lots of emphasis on how God may transform the life on an individual Christian
Indiana Church of God
a branch of Holiness Churches that has no official leader and is congregational, practised only in Indiana
Church of the Nazarene
a branch of Holiness Church that believes that God calls Christians to a life of holy living that is marked by an act of God
Assemblies of God
a new branch of Holiness Church that believe in the 14 Fundamental Truths
Cleveland Church of God
a branch of Holiness Church who believe that the best way to spread the word of God is to publish works about Him
Church of Christ
a form of Holiness Churches with lots of very distinct beliefs, such as that males are superior to females and the two should be educated and worship separately, and that it is wrong to have multiple communion cups, and to oppose only one man preaching
Internal Church of Christ
developed from the Church of Christ but consider themselves completely separate from them, they are against Churches and instead use temporary buildings, and all members of the ICOC must go off and spend a year doing missionaries
International Foursquare
church built on six foundational principles, who believe in being flexible with modern day life
Calvary Chapel
an evangelical church who rejects all other denominations and their ideas
Vineyard Church
relatively new branch of evangelical churches
African Methodist Episcopalian Church
a branch of Methodists in Africa who believe in Arianism
Orthodox
the most popular Christian tradition in some parts of Eastern Europe, the two main ones being Greek and Russian
Oriental Orthodoxy
a branch of Christianity that adheres to Miaphysite Christianity
Eastern Orthodoxy
was created because Christians didn’t like the idea of having leadership, i.e. the pope
Russian Orthodoxy
the largest Eastern Orthodox Church, mainly in Russia, though spread into America, involves a lot of idol painting as worship
Serbian Orthodoxy
a branch of Eastern Orthodox mainly practised in Serbia and Bosnia with very traditional views. They are anti-monarchy as they believe God is the true king
Greek Orthodoxy
a branch of Eastern Orthodoxy rooted in preserving the Greek identity
Reform
similar to Protestantism, but with a different set of issues with Catholocism
Church of Scotland
a branch of Reformists who oppose the Church of England and believe that church services in Scotland should be in Gaelic
Anabaptists
a denomination of Reform Church who oppose infant baptism
Church of the Brethren
a branch of Anabaptism with a very complicated baptism routine that involves the Holy Kiss
Evangelical Free
a form of Anabaptism who believe in congregational policy, where there is official leadership
Mennonites
a very traditional form of Anabaptists who reject new things like electricity
Amish
a denomination of Mennonites known for their traditional values such as rejecting new things like electricity and living a very simple and rural life
Presbyterianism
a denomination of Reform Churches who are led by a church government and have lots of respect for elders
Church and Missionary Alliance
a denomination of Presbyterianism who strongly believe in missionaries
