Christianity Flashcards
what is a key quote to support that God is omnibenevolent
- ” God is love “ - John
- ” For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life “ (John)
“ the lord is compassionate.., abounding in love” - PSALM
what type of religion is Christianity
a monotheistic religion ( ONE GOD )
what do Christians believe about the nature of God
God as :
- omnipotent ( all powerful )
- Omnibenevolent ( all loving )
- just (equal/fair)
what is a quote to support that God is just
“The heavens proclaim his righteousness, for He is a God of justice”( PSALM)
What is a quote to support that God is omnipotent
” The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power” - FROM OLD TESTAMENT ( Job: 37.23)
how does believing in that God is omnipotent , omnibenevolent and just influence Christians
- to worship God - believe He is worth worshiping, want to thank him for creating life and removing original sin
- to have hope for forgiveness for sins - as God is omnibenevolent, have hope he will forgive them. Pray for this forgiveness
- encourages Christians to follow God’s commandments and teachings, prepare for judgement Day - if Christians believe that God is just, it will impact you to do the right thing so you receive a reward after death
- Influences Christians to be just in their conduct, reflecting the fact that God is a “ God of justice”
How is the nature of God challenged
- by the problem of evil and suffering - How can God be omnibenevolent, omnipotent and just when there is evil and suffering in the world
- demonstrated by the inconsistent triad - even though there are three ideas ( omnipotent, omnibenevolent and evil existing ), only two of them can be true
- challenging God’s omnibenevolence: the suffering that is implemented in the world that is God’s creation suggests that He is not all loving or just as He is allowing suffering and pain to be implemented on His own creation]
- challenging God’s omnipotence: the existence of evil and suffering in the world suggests that God isn’t powerful enough to remove it. Surely, if God could create the world in 7 days and create life, he should be able to remove all evil and suffering. suggesting that either He is allowing suffering to continue in the world which suggests he is no all loving or He is not powerful enough to remove it = not omnipotent
how do christians respond to the problem of evil
- Free will defence: Moral evil is caused by humans, not God - God has willingly and lovingly ( because He is omnibenevolent) given humans free will. It is then our responsibility to make the right choices and do the right thing = GOD CANNOT BE BLAMED FOR MORAL EVIL
St Augustine: Evil and Suffering are Caused by Original Sin = bases his defence using Genesis 3 ( first book in Bible) which tell the story of “ The Fall” - where Adam and Eve disobey God and where tempted by satan to eat from the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden = they misused their free will and by disobeying God brought evil and suffering into the world and that act of their disobedience has brought original sin into the world -humans have inherited their original sin via sexual reproduction = this is why there is a need for salvation ( only God’s grace that can save us ) - “ suffering is the result of original sin “ ( Catechism of the Catholic Church)
- John Hick : Evil and suffering are parts of God’s plan - we need them in order to become better and improve our character. John Hick proposed a “ soil - making theodicy” - evil and suffering have “ instrumental value” as they help us to grow as people - we would not be able to perform the good deeds, needed to enter Heaven if there was no evil and suffering - we develop compassion in response to suffering - “ suffering produces perseverance” ( ST PAUL )
what is a theodicy
a defence of God - it is the way Christians seek to reconcile their belief in God with the existence of evil and suffering
What is a quote to support the idea that Adam and Eve caused original sin, which is the reason for suffering and evil in the world
” when Adam sinned, sin entered the world… brought death, so death spread to everyone” - ST AUGUSTINE
what are the Christian beliefs about the trinity
- the Trinity is the three parts of God who are all equal but distinct
- the three parts of the trinity are God as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
- the Father is the powerful creator of the world
- the Son is Jesus who came to Earth in Human form and died
- The Holy Spirit is the invisible part of God acting within the world
What is a quote from Matthew about the Trinity
” Baptise them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit”- Matthew
Why is belief in the Trinity important for Christians
- it is the central belief - it underpins every other Christian belief
- it allows Christian to understand the complex nature of God
- it is the central element of Christian identity - it “ fundamentally distinguishes” Christianity from every other religion ( Karl Barth )
- Teaches Christians that God is present in the world today through the Holy Spirit - may be a source of comfort and strength for Christians as it can help them understand different ways that they can encounter/connect with God
what is the Apostle’s Creed
an important statement of belief about the trinity ( God )
it is the ancient baptismal symbol of the Church
who is the Father
the Powerful Creator
who is the Son
Jesus Christ ( the incarnation who enters this world at Christmas)
who is the Holy Spirit
invisible power, giver of life, source of inspiration
what is a quote for the Father in Genesis
” in the beginning , God created the heavens and the Earth “ - Genesis ( 1:1 )
what is a quote for the Son in John
“I and the Father are one “ - John (10:30)
what is a quote for the. Holy Spirit in John
” the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all the things and will remind you of everything i have said to you” - John (14:26)
What is the Great Commission quote to set out the mission of the church
” Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” - Matthew
what is said in Genesis about creation in the old testament ( the quote )
In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth…. the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters and God said, “ Let there be light “, and there was light…
( the Spirit of God ( the holy spirit ) and God ( the father ) were both present at creation
what is said by John about creation in the new testament ( the quote )
” in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning through him all things were made ; without him nothing was made that has been made”
( the Word = Jesus = The son, The father, the holy spirit are all present at creation and are all involved)
in creation what happened on day 1
light was created
in creation what happened on day 2
sky was created
in creation what happened on day 3
dry land, seas , plants and trees were created
in creation what happened on day 4
the sun , moon and starts were created
in creation what happened on day 5
creatures that live in the sea and creatures that fly were created
in creation what happened on day 6
animals that live on the land and humans were created ( imago dei )
in creation what happened on day 7
God rested, making this a Holy day
how do fundamentalist ( literalist )view and understand the creation story
- believe the story is literal
- As the Bible is the Word of God, it must be inerrant and literally true.
- They will accept that God created the world in 6 literal 24 hour days and reject all scientific discoveries such as the Big Bang , as these are not found in the Bible
how do liberals view and understand the creation story
- it is metaphorical
- believe that science and religion can coexist to explain Creation
- believe that God created the world but science tells them how God actually created everything ( through the Big Bang and evolution )
- Pope Francis said - “ there is no contradiction between the belief in God and the belief in big bang and evolution
what is said by Jesus about the resurrection in John
“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die “
what is said in the Parable of the sheep and goats about judgement
” For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ , so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body “ - Corinthian - St Paul
what do Christians say about resurrection
- Jesus’s resurrection (celebrated on Easter Sunday ) is when he came back to life from the dead. it opens the door to eternal life - shows Jesus conquering sin and death
what do Christians say about Judgement
God is Just and will judge people after their death based on how they have lived their lives. Many Christians believe there will be a day of Judgement at the end of time, God will decide the destination of People’s souls. Some believe faith alone is enough whereas others believe in the need for good works as well
what do Christians say about heaven
Heaven is mentioned in the Bible, and some Christians believe that heaven is a physical place, whereas others think it is a spiritual state of being united with God for eternity, in a state of supreme happiness
What are some quotes that show ideas of heaven
-“ My Father’s house has many rooms… I am going there to prepare a place for you” - John
- ” the righteous will have eternal life”- Matthew
- ” those who believe in Jesus will not perish but have eternal life” - John
- Heaven in my throne and Earth is my footstool”
- ” Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” - Luke
what do Christians say about hell
- The Bible teaches that Hell is where unrepentant sinners go after death if they have not accepted forgiveness and salvation through Jesus ( and his sacrifical crucifixion and subsequent resurrectiontion.)
- it is a place of pain and suffering , without God. Some Christians believe hell is a physical place whereas others believe it is a spiritual state of being separated from God for an eternity
What are some quotes that show ideas of hell
” We will be separated from God if we fail to meet the need of the poor “ - Catechism
” the fiery lake of burning sulphur “ - Revelation 21: 8 )
“Wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God “ - Corinthians
” God predestines nobody to go to Hell ; for this , a wilful turning away from God is necessary - Catechism
how does belief in heaven influence christians today
- influences Christians to follow Jesus Christ, because they believe that they will be saved - and go to Heaven - through belief in Him ( John)
- influences Christians to worship God and follow His commandments in the Bible, in the hope that He will judge them to be worthy of going to Heaven after their death
- belief influences christians to do good and avoid sin, because God will decide whether they go to Heaven based on how they have behaved in this life - Matthew
- Many Christians are influenced by the belief that they will be Judged when they die ( eg Parable of the Sheep and Goats - and so they will be influenced to follow Jesus’ teaching in order to go to heaven
- inspires Christians to have hope and reassurance that death will not be in the end but that they will live in after their physical death in some way - influences them not to be scared by death and to have hope they will see loved ones again
how does belief in hell influence christians today
- Many Christians are influenced by the belief that they will be judged when they die ( parable of the Sheep and Goats), so they will follow Jesus’ teachings and try to be good Christians = influenced to follow scripture and avoid sin
- in Christian literature and artwork ( eg the book of revelation) Hell is pictured as a place of punishment - a big influence on Christians to deter them away from wrongdoings/ sin
- Catholic Christians see hell as a free choice to deliberately turn away from God so most do not reject God - stay faithful to God , even when going through difficulties ( as a test of faith )
- some Christians see the idea of being sent to hell as incompatible with the idea of a loving, and merciful God so they are influenced to believe in universialism ( the idea that everybody will be saved
what is incarnation
the embodiment of God in the and person of Christ
what quotes supports the belief that Jesus is the incarnation of God
” The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us “
-( John 1:14)
- ” the only begotten Son of God “ - Nicene creed
- ” Whoever does not honour the Son does not honour the Father” ( John)
- ” All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me “ - Matthew
” the Father and I are one” - John
- A voice from heaven said , “ This is my Son, whom i love” - Matthew
what is a quote to support that Jesus is also 100 % human
” Jesus wept” - John ( 11: 35
ALSO JESUS DIED DURING CRUCIFIXTION = HUMAN
what is a quote to support that Jesus is also 100 % divine
- ” the Father and I are one” - John
- ” All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me “
ALSO JESUS’ RESURRECTION = CAME BACK TO LIFE = DIVINE
why do Christians believe Jesus is the Son of God
- the Nicene creed teaches that Jesus is “ the only begotten Son of God”
- the ressurection and ascension are seen as proof that Jesus was divine
- the virgin birth of Jesus is seen as proof of his divinity - it is miraculous
- when Jesus was baptised by John , God said: “ this is my Son” - Matthew
- when Jesus walks on water, his disciples exclaim,” you really are the Son of God “ - Matthew
- Jesus performed 37 miracles= demonstrating his powers
how does belief that Jesus is the son of God influence Christians
- Take his teachings seriously – ‘all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me’ (Matthew 28).
- Put Jesus Christ and his teachings at the centre of their lives. - be committed to christianity , reading gospels
- May place a crucifix in their home.
- Celebrate Christmas and Easter (the birth and death/resurrection of Jesus).
- Attend Church regularly to hear Gospel stories about Jesus and worship God.
- Raise children within the religion so that they learn about Jesus as the Son.
- Evangelise to convert others to Christianity, believing that people need to know about Jesus and his teachings. Some believe ‘Sola Christus’ (salvation is through Jesus Christ alone, because he is the one and only Son of God)
Dedicate their lives to following Jesus and putting his teachings into practice, no matter how difficult this may be. ‘Take up your cross and follow me’ (Matthew 16)
- Believing in the power of the crucifixion as the source of atonement and forgiveness - thanking God for sending Jesus to save the world in this way.
- Believing in the truth of the resurrection as the gateway to eternal life - ‘if Christ has not been raised, you faith is pointless and you are still in your sins’ (St Paul)
what do Christians believe about the crucifixion of Jesus
believe Jesus’ death was sacrificial - He gave His life as atonement for the sins of humanity
what is a quote to support the ressurection of Jesus
” He is not here; he has risen” - Luke
what is a quote to support the ascension of Jesus
” After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them , he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God “ - Mark
what is the importance of the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension to Christians
-Give Christians ‘evidence’ that Jesus was the Son of God
- Demonstrate the Christian belief in life after death
- Explains how Christians are saved from Original Sin
-Shows the relationship between God and Jesus
- Show how Jesus saved/redeemed humanity This means that Christians can be saved from /conquer sin
Means that Christians can have eternal life / conquer death = Means that Christians can have hope for life after their death
-Help Christians understand the sacrifice Jesus made and reinforce the importance of Jesus within Christianity
what is said in the Catechism about suffering and original sin
” Suffering is the result of original sin” - Catechism
what is said by St Paul about sin
” All have sinned”
what is sin
the behaviour which is against God’s laws and wishes and against the Christian principal of morality
what are christian teachings about sin
- Sin entered the world because of Adam and Eve - Genesis 3 tells the story of their disobedience and how this resulted in “ original sin “ which brought about the disharmony between heaven and earth = Humans are born with a tendency to sin ( sin passed on through sexual reproduction = sex is seen as sinful in catholic church)
- St Augustine taught that, because of the Fall in the Garden of Eden, we are all born with ‘original sin’ = can be removed and cleansed through baptism
- Christians believe they are saved from Sin by crucifixion of Jesus , which is an act of atonement- St Paul wrote that “ Christ died for your sin”
- ST Paul teaches that all humans are sinful. “ All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Humans therefore need to repent for their sins and believe in Jesus in order to be saved from Sin
what is said by John about sin and Jesus
” The lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” - John
( Jesus is the only one without sin and so he is the lamb who removes original sin from humans through his death )
what is atonement
make amends for a wrongdoing
what are the different methods of salvation
- Salvation through law
- Salvation through grace
- salvation through spirit
what is salvation through law
- Salvation achieved by following God’s laws eg the 10 commandments and the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament = salvation therefore must be earned by doing good works
what is a quote to support the salvation through law
“The righteous will inherit eternal life “ - parable of the Sheeps and the Goats
what is salvation through grace
belief that salvation is a gift from God- you do not earn it through works but receive it from God as a result of believing in Jesus. You are saved by faith and grace is God’s unconditional love for humanity.
what is a quote to support what is salvation through grace
” For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith… it is the gift of God” - Ephesians
OR “ sola Fide” = doctrine that human beings are saved solely on the basis of their faith in Jesus
- Christians, therefore put their faith in the crucifixion and resurrection
What is salvation through spirit
belief that the Holy Spirit is God’s presence in the world today, helping Christians to achieve salvation. The Holy Spirit is a gift from God, who is always with Christians - you are saved because the Holy Spirit has helped you live a good life
what is a quote to support what is salvation through spirit
” the Advocate, the Holy Spirit.. will teach you all things and will remind you of everything i have said to you” - John ( 14:26)
what are the Christian beliefs about the role of Jesus Christ in salvation
- some christians believe that salvation exists through Jesus Christ alone and nobody else = showing the essential role he plays in salvation ( in the New Testament it states ,” there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved” - according to john, jesus teaches that “ i am the way, the truth and the life… nobody comes to the Father except through me “ = many christians believe Jesus alone is the source of their salvation = illustrates his fundamental role
- other christians believe that Jesus died on the cross for the sake of humanity’s salvation, illustrating his centrsal role in human salvation.His crucifixion is a sacrificial death that makes salvation available for all humans. This is because his death restored the right relationship between humans and God.- His role is to become the atoning sacrifice for human sin , whcih genesis 3 teaches entered the word through adam and eve - St Paul writes that “ Chriat died for our sins “ = central rolehis death on the cross plays through salvation
- Some Christians believe that it is through faith in Jesus Christ alone that salvation can be attained. ‘Sola Fide’ is the doctrine that human beings are saved solely on the basis of their faith in Jesus, illustrating his important role. John 14:6 teaches that Jesus died on the cross so that all who believe in him will have eternal life.
