Christianity Flashcards
Canonical/New Testament image of Jesus
-born a jew 2000 years ago
-Jesus is the flesh of God
-born in Bethlehem to Mary and Joseph
-Baptized at age 30 by John the baptist
-crucified. tomb empty on the following Sunday, proved himself resurrected to a group of women. 40 days later ascended into heaven
Teaching of Jesus
-Love and equality
-God is forgiving
-No discrimination, no one is left behind
-Selfless service to everyone
-universal love
-communicated message through parables
The Last Supper
-Romans worried Jesus would stir up the people and overthrow the government
-The last supper was a seder meal (Passover food)
-Warned disciples that the end was near
-Instructions on ceremony with the bread and wine –> transubstantiation
Apocryphal/Non-canonical (Gnostic Gospels)
-not included in the New Testament
-Ex. Mary Magdalene’s Gospel consoling the disciples after Jesus’s death
-resurrection is rejected
-belief in the supreme divinity (not God)- described as the “infinite light”, beyond gender, no pronouns used
-pleroma, aeons
Pleroma
Related to heaven
Aeons
lesser divinities, metaphorical sexes for reproduction purposes
-not allowed to reproduce with themselves
-males provide the form
-females provide the matter/spirit
Aeon Sophia
-reproduced with herself
-Birthed Yaldabaoth - had a big temper, created archons (evil birds), caused too much chaos so he was tricked by other divinities into losing power
-he had no form, only spirit
*god: Yaldabaoth
*Angels: archons
Non-canonical view of Jesus
-an aeon in disguise
-sent down to tell us the message that all we need it gnosis (“knowledge”)
-gave people knowledge that they were divine and need to stop worshipping Yaldabaoth
-when you die your spirit transcends and returns to pleroma
The Pentecost
-50 days after Easter
-commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles - caused them to speak in tongues and share the message with anyone they could speak to
-after the crucifixion, resurrections, and ascension
Councils
meetings over beliefs, make creeds to give to bishops who would read them to his people
Council of Nicaea
2 schools of thought are presented:
1. Arius: God is greater than Jesus. God is eternal but Jesus was a manifestation of God that was lesser than God.
2. Jesus and God are one in the same. Never a time when Jesus did not exist
*thought 2 wins. Arius and his followers are excommunicated
*results in the Nicaean Creed - Jesus was “begotten”
Council of Ephesus
-Who is Mary?
-Did she birth a man or divinity?
-Was she divine?
*Verdict: She birthed a God
Council of Trent
-Response to Martin Luther
-Outlined Catholic teaching
-Reaffirmed: the transubstantiation, Latin as the only language, and the sacraments
Paul
-a pharisee (member of the orthodox Jewish sect, very strict)
-Troubled by Jesus
-Persecuted Jews
-Vision of Jesus telling him to stop persecuting His followers and join them. He converts and becomes the biggest advocate
-focused on converting gentiles
-got rid of the circumcision rule
-claimed you only need to identify with Jesus, not convert
Constantine
-Px symbol seen in dream with the message “in this sign, conquer”
-put this sign on a battle flag, goes to war, is victorious
-2 letter of christ name in greek
-soon people forced into Christianity
Martin Luther
-exposes church for selling of indulgences - not in the Bible
-troubled by transubstantiation, Christian mass, and the pope
-argues for sola scriptura/sole fide - rejects the idea of sacraments, only receives them through GRACE and faith alone
-You don’t need a priest, you are your own priest
-95 theses
-excommunicated by Pope Leo x
Priesthood of all believers
You don’t need a priest to meet God, you are your own priest
95 theses
-by Martin Luther King
-95 problems with the church
-nails document to the door of the church
-written in German
-beginning of the Protestant Reformation
Pope Leo x
-excommunicated Martin Luther
-translated new testament into german
John Calvin
-Wanted to introduce Switzerland to new ideas
-Break from Catholic Church and create Calvinism
-believed in predestination - God knows where you are going when your born
Kimpa Vita
-Spirit Medium
-African traditional religion
-Vision of St. Anthony at the height of a fever
-Every Friday she would die and St. Anthony would take over he vacant body, speak tongues, and spread messages
-Jesuit Church rejects her and thinks she is possessed by the devil
-reason AIC (african initiated church) was created
Bishop of Constantinople
-Becomes ruler of eastern orthodox church
-rejects purgatory
-only God creates the holy spirit
-excommunicated Bishop of Rome
Bishop of Rome
-demanded to be called the Pope
-Makes Roman Catholic Church
-Jesus and god created the Holy Spirit - Filioque
Sacraments
-Baptism, confirmation, eucharist, reconciliation, Anointing of the sick, matrimony, and holy orders
-bring you closer to God
-Protestants only have Baptism and Eucharist - different than Roman Catholics
