Christianity

Question 1

Origins?

Answer 1

• Originated from Judaism
• God promised a Messiah
• Christians believe that Jesus is the son of God/Messiah

Question 2

Beliefs

Answer 2

• God created the universe
• God loves His creation
• God is the Holy Trinity: God, Song, Holy Spirit
• The existence of salvation and eternal life
• The Last Judgement

Question 3

Jesus summary?

Answer 3

• Conceived of the Virgin Mary, the angel Gabriel came to her
• Mary and Joseph travelled to Bethlehem and had Jesus in a stable
• Shepherds and 3 Wise Men (with myrrh, frankincense, and gold) came to see him
• Baptised by John the Baptist (cousin)
• Fasted and prayer for 40 days in the desert being tempted by the Devil
• 12 Disciples
• Miracles, taught through parables
• Had Passover, welcomed with palm branches
• Last supper, bread= his body, wine= his blood
• Arrested while praying
• Taken to Pontius Pilate, sentenced to death (by crowd)
• Tortured, carried his crossed, nailed to it, crucified to death
• Laid in tomb, resurrected 3 days later

Question 4

Sacred text?

Answer 4

• Bible
• Old and New testaments

Question 5

Symbols?

Answer 5

Cross, Chi Rho, fish

Question 6

Cross?

Answer 6

Where Jesus was sent to die, a reflection of his love for us

Question 7

Chi Rho?

Answer 7

Representation of Jesus (P crossed with an X)

Question 8

Fish?

Answer 8

“Follow me and I will make you fishers of men”
- Represents the spread of the gospel
- Secret sign to identify Christians

Question 9

Sacraments?

Answer 9

Baptism, reconciliation, communion, confirmation, matrimony, ordination, anointing of the sick

Question 10

Christian prayer consists of?

Answer 10

• Individual and in groups
• Lord’s prayer recited by congregation at worship services
• Usually Catholics pray certain prayers with a rosary

Question 11

Christian communion consists of?

Answer 11

• Congregation shares ritual meal (emblematic of the Last Supper)
• Sacred
• Blessed wine and bread, blood and body of Christ

Question 12

Christian mediation and fasting?

Answer 12

• Read and reflect on the bible
• Encouraged to fast, pray, and mediation on religious experiences (brings them close to God)
• Fasting is repentance/helps participate fully to religious teachings

Question 13

Eastern Orthodox rituals?

Answer 13

• Cross themselves
• Light a candle
• Kiss icons of Jesus/religious figures

Question 14

Roman Catholic rituals?

Answer 14

• Dip two/three fingers in holy water, bless themselves with sign of the cross

Question 15

Describe Christmas

Answer 15

• Begins with Advent, four Sundays before Christmas
• Most celebrate December 25 (Orthodox/Byzantine rite celebrate January 7)
• Churches usually with manger scene
• Gift giving
• January 6, celebrate Epiphany (baptism of Jesus)
• “Manifestation”

Question 16

Describe Lent

Answer 16

• Two months after Christmas, forty days
• Ends with Holy week and Easter
• Fasting, prayer, spiritual self-assessment
• Ash Wednesday, marked on forehead with ashes to remind them they are mortals (turn to dust after death)

Question 17

Describe Easter

Answer 17

• Holy week begins on Sunday before Easter, Palm Sunday (holiest week)
• Holy Thursday= Last Supper
• Good Friday= solemn, the trail, crucifixion, death and burial of Jesus
• Easter Sunday= most holy celebrations, resurrection of Jesus

Question 18

Describe Saints Day

Answer 18

• Direct prayer + reverence to saints/holy people/martyrs who died for their faith
• Mary= special (mother of Jesus)
• Parades, other rituals

Question 19

Describe baptism

Answer 19

• Cleanses the soul to become Christian (removes original sin)
• Usually done of infants, Protestants for later

Question 20

Describe reconciliation

Answer 20

• Discussions of sins/struggles with priest/minister
• Orthodox, done after reconciliation with people those who have been wronged

Question 21

Describe holy communion

Answer 21

• Celebrates the Last Supper
• Drink the wine and bread to atone for sins (blood and body of Christ)

Question 22

Describe confirmation

Answer 22

• Attain full participation in church
• Usually done in adolescence
• Gifts given by Holy Spirit
• Orthodox, infant
• Sponsor brings person forward, anointed by oil by priest

Question 23

Describe matrimony

Answer 23

• Sacred vow in front of witnesses to be faithful to each other with God’s help
• Done by priest/minister
• Orthodox, crowned by priest before God, does triple procession around altar

Question 24

Describe ordination

Answer 24

• Prepare candidate with education and programs at colleges as cleric
• ## Those called to do God’s work filled with the Holy Spirit

Question 25

Describe anointing of the sick

Answer 25

• Clergy holds patient’s hand, anoints forehead with oil
• Prayers and communion for sick and dying
• Ritual for death= last milestone

Question 26

Describe the Protestant Reformation

Answer 26

• Second division of the church
• Founded by Martin Luther
• Challenged practices of church (they didn’t follow the bible)
• Called for inner faith, free from established traits/outward shows of devotion
• Excommunicated from church, established Lutheran church and Protestant reformation

Question 27

Describe Eastern Orthodox

Answer 27

• Distinct branch after “great schism” (Michael Cerularius)
• More philosophical, abstract, mysthical thinking (west=pragmatic, legal minded)
• Different views of use of images, nature of the Holy Spirit, and date of Easter

Question 28

Describe the Eastern Schism

Answer 28

• Christianity spread west into Europe
• Roman patriarch influenced increased, “pope”
• Disagreements over pope’s claimed authority over entire church
• Breaking point= filioque cause, Latin word put into Nicene creed by west church, added “and the son”
• Western church believed Father and Son sent forth Holy Spirit, Eastern believed power of the Holy Spirit only from God
• Schism= Eastern Orthodox (universal patriarch in Constantinople) and Western church (Pope in Rome)

Question 29

Who established Christianity?

Answer 29

Constantine, roman solider. Made it the official religion of Roman Empire