Christianity Flashcards
What is monotheism?
The belief that there is only one god.
How would Christians describe God?
Omnipotent - he is all powerful
Omnipresent - he is present everywhere
Omniscient - he is all knowing
omnibenevolent - he is all loving
How was Jesus’ birth depicted by the gospel of Matthew?
Jesus’ birth is presented as divine and kingly. He was born to married parents in a house and received important visitors known as the wise men. He received valuable gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
How was Jesus’ birth depicted by the gospel of Luke?
Jesus’ birth is presented as humble. He was born in a stable, laid in a manger and received humble visitors of shepherds.
What does incarnation mean?
Incarnations means “to take on flesh” and to Christians it means that Jesus was fully God and fully human. They believe that Jesus is the son of God / God in human form.
What do Christians believe about Jesus as the Messiah?
They believe that Jesus is the Messiah. Messiah means “the anointed one” who is chosen to be the saviour of mankind. Christians believe that through his suffering and death, Jesus restored the relationship between God and humans. Through his death, God and humans were made to be as one. This is called atonement.
What is divine command theory?
The belief that things are right because God commands them to be. It is an absolutist theory, meaning that an action is either right or wrong depending on whether God commands it or not, and there is no discussion about it.
What are situation ethics?
A theory in which the situation is considered first before deciding on the rules of right and wrong. This approach is teleological as it focuses on the purpose and reason, rather than the action itself.
What is the Golden Rule?
The Golden Rule states “Do to others what you would have them do to you”. Essentially, treat others as you would like to be treated.
What is Agape?
This term refers to unconditional love. Christianity teaches that this is the highest type of love, the love that Jesus has for all humans. For example, the Good Samaritan parable shows agape because the Samaritan helped a wounded man without expecting anything in return and purely for the sake of wanting to help him. He helped a man who was traditionally his enemy.
What are Jesus’ teachings on forgiveness?
It is important to Christians to make a conscious effort to forgive people and let go of negative feelings towards people who have wronged. This does not mean they will let people get away with things, however. In the parable of the unforgiving servant, Jesus teaches that “it is not enough to forgive someone seven times, but seventy seven times”. In the parable of the prodigal son, Jesus teaches that God waits for people to admit to their sins and will welcome them back.
