Christianity Flashcards
atonement
The belief that Jesus’ death on the cross healed the rift between humans and God.
omnipotent
The all-powerful, almighty and unlimited nature of God
Evangelism
Preaching of the gospel to others with the intention of converting others to the Christian faith.
sacraments
An outward sign of an invisible and inward blessing by God. For example; Baptism, Eucharist.
resurrection
Resurrection is the belief that Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday conquering death.
omnibenevolent
God is attributed with the qualities of being all-loving and infinitely good.
incarnation
- Incarnation means ‘made flesh’ and is the Christian belief in God becoming human in the form of Jesus.
- God became man in the form of Jesus, fully human and fully divine.
Trinity
The Trinity is the belief God consists of three persons
The first part of the Trinity is God the Father
Jesus Christ the Son of God is the second part of the Trinity
The Holy Spirit or Paraclete is the third part of the Trinity
Omnipotent quotes
‘turned the sea into dry land ; and the waters were divided’
‘I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgement I will bring out my divisions’
Omnibenovolent quotes
‘abounding in love’
‘God so loved the world he gave his one and only son’
Trinity (the father)
‘I and my Father are one’
- Creator of everything
- made world in 6 days
- God is a loving father (parable of the prodigal son)
- Father of Jesus Christ
Evil and suffering
‘lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil’
* If God is all-powerful some Christians will question why does God allow evil to happen.
* Many Christians believe evil is something real but that God is more powerful than evil.
* For Christians, life is a test and how Christians confront evil is part of God’s plan.
* Christians believe evil will always be defeated by goodness.
* Christian teaching is God will defeat the Devil.
* If God is all powerful some Christians will ask why does God allow so much evil to happen in the world?
* God is all powerful but Christians believe human beings have been given free will.
* How free will is used has an impact on human lives.
* Evil is caused by sin and Christians turning away from God; God is all powerful and will forgive Christians their sins if they repent.
* Evil is meant to be a challenge to religious belief.
* The death of Jesus and the act of Atonement shows that God is allpowerful.
Trinity (The Son)
- Jesus Christ son of God
- God in human form ‘word became flesh’
- God revealed himself as human in order to spread his teachings
Trinity (Holy Spirit)
- Christians believe the Holy Spirit is present during worship.
- Christians may seek to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit during Bible readings.
- In the informal worship of Evangelical Churches many worshippers feel they are moved by the presence of the Holy Spirit during the act of worship.
- The Charismatic movement is most known for its acceptance of speaking in tongues, divine healing, and prophecies as evidence of the Holy Spirit.
- In charismatic worship services may include praying and spirited singing, dancing, spontaneous shouting “in the spirit,” and raising hands and arms in prayer as evidence of being moved by the Holy Spirit.
- The prayer and blessing, ‘In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit’, used at the beginning and end of Sunday services in a number of Christian traditions.
- Many hymns make reference to the Holy Spirit in worship.
Nature and Role of Humans
- Christian teaching about the role of humans is derived from the Old and New Testaments.
- One of the most important of roles is to be a follower of Christ, and worship God and evangelise.
- People must love God and love their neighbour. ‘love thy neighbour’
- People must exercise stewardship over the earth.
- People have been given dominion over the earth. ‘rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky’
- People must procreate.’be fruitful and multiply’
Role of word and spirit in creation
- Most Christians believe the reference to the ‘Word’ in John’s gospel is a reference to Jesus.
- Some Christians believe the reference to the ‘Word’ is a reference to the creative plans and purpose of God in his creation of the universe.
- All Christians believe God is the creator of the world and universe as stated in the creeds; ‘creator of heaven and earth’.
- As part of the Trinity, Jesus is involved in creation and pre-exists creation of the world and universe.
- Jesus (the Word) is present at the beginning of creation and before the incarnation.
Jesus’ Incarnation
- The incarnation is God becoming human in the form of Jesus.
- Jesus is the ‘Son of God’.
- The incarnation is God ‘made flesh’ as Jesus but Jesus is not conceived through sexual intercourse.
- Jesus is born of a virgin/young woman.
- Jesus is conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit.
- Jesus is truly human or ‘made Man’.
- Christians believe the birth of Jesus is a miracle, the miracle of the Virgin Birth.
- Jesus’ birth was foretold by the angel Gabriel and Mary was told that she would conceive and give birth to Jesus.
- The Incarnation is part of the creedal statements of Christianity and a fundamental belief.
- The Gospels of Matthew and Luke record the events of the Incarnation.
Crucifixion
Nailed to a cross on Calvary
Crown of thorns
Hung between two thieves and promised one that he would join him in Paradise
Given vinegar on a sponge
Sign placed above him saying ‘Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews’
Soldiers gambled for his clothes
Asked God to forgive those who sentenced him
Roman soldier pierced his side - blood and water flow out
His mother and other disciples gathered at the foot of the cross
Jesus died saying ‘It is finished’
Darkness over the land
Earthquake
Temple curtain was torn in two
Jesus’ body was taken down and buried in a tomb
Resurrection
- The Resurrection of Jesus is important because it is a miracle.
- The Resurrection of Jesus is the greatest miracle.
- Miracles are a sign of God’s power.
- This event demonstrates Jesus is God.
- It fulfils a prophecy made by Jesus before his death.
- Christians believe Jesus’ Resurrection defeats death.
- The belief in the Resurrection of Jesus is a fundamental belief of the Christian religion stated in the Christian creeds.
- It precedes the Ascension of Jesus to Heaven
‘Christ has been raised from the dead’
Ascension
- The ascension of Jesus takes place forty days after the resurrection.
- Jesus appeared to the disciples and groups of people before his ascension.
- The account in Luke states Jesus was near Bethany.
- Jesus raised his hands and blessed the disciples.
- Jesus left the disciples and was taken up to heaven to sit at the right hand of God.
- According to the first chapter in Acts, Jesus was taken up in the presence of the disciples and then hidden from them by a cloud, which is a common biblical image signifying the presence of God.
- The account of Jesus’ Ascension is recorded in the gospels.
‘ was taken up into heaven’
Different ways to interpret the Bible
- Fundamentalist Christians adopt a literal approach to interpretation of the Bible and believe the Bible is literally true.
- Liberal Christians interpret the Bible in a non-literal way; this approach may regard some details in the Bible as being symbolic or metaphorical rather than being literally true.
- Credit examples used to demonstrate diversity in approach, e.g., use of the term ‘day’ in the creation story.
- Christians have diverse beliefs about how the Bible should be interpreted because Christians interpret the Bible in different ways; one reason for this is because there are a variety of translations of the Bible.
- Christians have diverse beliefs about how the Bible should be interpreted because the Bible is an ancient text, written over 2,000 years ago and understanding of the Bible needs interpretation.
- Most Christians would agree that the Bible is the Word of God though they may differ in their interpretation of that.
Importance of Bible
The inspired word of God
The Bible explains the origin of human life
The Bible narrates the story of Jesus
The Bible narrates the story of God and his covenants with
humanity
The Bible is the most important sacred text for the Christian
religion
It is a source of authority and wisdom
It is a guide for contemporary living
The stories and teachings of the Bible give meaning to human life
The Bible contains the Ten Commandments
The Bible is read in church services as part of worship because it is considered to be so important
The Bible is used as the basis of many sermons in church
The Bible may be read and studied for personal faith
Role of Holy spirit in Evangelical worship
‘All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues’
50 days after jesus’ resurrection Holy spirit came down to the Apostles in the form of tongues of fire and rested on each of them without burning them. The Apostles then discovered they coudl speak ‘in tongues’. This event was called the Pentecost therefore the Apostles could spread the word of God to everyone.
Beliefs about Heaven
- Christians have different views about the nature of heaven; there are few biblical descriptions about heaven.
- The Creeds state heaven is a place in the afterlife where Christians will be in the presence of God.
- Belief in an afterlife is a fundamental Christian belief and the idea that the soul goes to heaven after death.
- Christians believe angels live in the presence of God in heaven.
- Some Christians believe heaven is a physical reality.
- Some Christians believe heaven is more of a spiritual dimension.
- All Christians believe heaven is a place where those who are saved will be in the presence of God.
- Credit accurate content which describes Christian beliefs about how to reach Heaven.
‘Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die’