Christianity Flashcards
What is Ascension?
Going or being taken up; the event forty days after the resurrection when Jesus returned to glory in heaven.
What is Atonement?
Making amends or payment for a wrong. The belief that reconciliation between God and humanity was brought about by the death of Jesus as a sacrifice.
What is Atheism / atheist?
The belief that God does not exist / a person who does not believe in God.
What is the Bible?
Source of wisdom and authority; a holy book containing both the Old and New Testaments.
What does Catholic refer to?
The tradition within the Christian Church led by the Pope; also called the Roman Catholic Church.
The term ‘catholic’ can also refer to the universal Church.
What does Christ mean?
Literally means ‘Anointed One’ in Greek; the Hebrew equivalent is Messiah. The leader promised by God to the Jews; Christians believe Jesus to be the Christ.
What is Creation?
Bringing the world into existence; the belief that the world is God’s loving creation.
What is Creationism?
The belief that the universe and life originated from specific acts of divine creation, as described in Genesis, rather than through natural processes such as evolution.
What is Crucifixion?
The death of Jesus; a form of the death penalty used by the Romans.
What is a Denomination?
A distinct branch or tradition within Christianity (e.g., Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant).
What is Disembodied life after death?
The belief that after death, the soul continues to exist without a physical body.
What is Embodied life after death?
The belief that after death, the soul will be reunited with a physical, resurrected body.
What does Eternal mean?
The belief that God exists outside of time and has no beginning or end.
What is Evil?
The opposite of good; a cause of suffering and against the will of God.
What is The Fall?
The event in Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, leading to the introduction of sin into the world.
Who is The Father?
The first Person of the Trinity, the belief in God as creator and sustainer of the universe.
What is a Fundamentalist / literalist?
A Christian who interprets the Bible as the literal word of God, believing it to be completely true and without error.
What is the Garden of Gethsemane?
The place where Jesus prayed before his arrest and where he was betrayed by Judas.
What is Good Friday?
The day commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus.
What is Grace?
The unconditional and generous love that God shows to people who do not deserve it.
What is Heaven?
Belief that after death Christians can enter a state of being with God for eternity.
What is Hell?
Belief in a place of eternal suffering, or a state after death of being in separation from God.
Who is the Holy Spirit?
The third Person of the Trinity; believed to be present with believers since Pentecost and active on earth.
What does Immanent mean?
The belief that God is present and involved within the world.
What is the Inconsistent triad?
A philosophical problem arguing that God’s omnipotence, omnibenevolence, and the existence of evil cannot all be true at the same time.
What is Incarnation?
Literally ‘in flesh’ or ‘enfleshed’; belief that God took on human form in the person of Jesus.
What does Inerrant mean?
The belief that the Bible is without error in matters of faith and doctrine.
What is Judge in a theological context?
The belief that God will judge all people, deciding their eternal destiny based on their actions and faith.
What is Judgement?
The belief that God decides whether each person should receive eternal life or eternal punishment based on their earthly life.
What was the Last Supper?
The final meal that Jesus shared with his disciples, where he instituted the Eucharist.
What does ‘Logos’ refer to in John 1?
A term meaning ‘Word’; used to refer to Jesus as the eternal Word of God.
What is Monotheism?
The belief in only one God.
What is moral evil?
Evil caused by human actions (e.g., murder, war, theft).
What is natural evil?
Suffering caused by natural events (e.g., earthquakes, disease).
What is The Nativity?
The story of Jesus’ birth, recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.
What does omnibenevolent mean?
The belief that God is ‘all-loving’.
What does omnipotent mean?
The belief that God is ‘all-powerful’.
What does omnipresent mean?
The belief that God is present everywhere at all times.
What does omniscient mean?
The belief that God is ‘all-knowing’.
What is original sin?
The belief that human nature is flawed and that we all have the tendency to sin, stemming from Adam & Eve’s disobedience in Genesis 3.
What is Palm Sunday?
The Sunday before Easter, commemorating Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem.
What is the Parable of the Sheep & Goats?
A teaching of Jesus about judgement, in which the righteous are rewarded and the wicked are punished.
What does personal mean in relation to God?
The belief that God is relatable and can be known in a personal way.
What does impersonal mean in relation to God?
The belief that God is beyond human understanding and does not interact personally.
What is purgatory?
A state of purification before entering heaven, believed by some Christians, especially Catholics.
What is repentance?
Sincerely seeking forgiveness for sins and turning away from wrongdoing.
What is the problem of evil?
The challenge of reconciling God’s goodness and power with the existence of suffering.
What is salvation?
Being saved; belief that through God’s grace, Jesus’ death and resurrection brought about salvation for humanity.
Salvation by grace.
The belief that salvation is given as a free gift from God, not earned by deeds.
Salvation by law.
The belief that following religious laws leads to salvation.
Salvation by merit.
The belief that salvation is earned through good actions.
Soul-making theodicy.
The argument that evil and suffering helps people develop moral and spiritual virtues.
Theodicy.
An attempt to justify gods goodness despite the existence of evil.
Salvation by spirit.
The belief that salvation comes through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
