Christianity : Beliefs and Teachings Flashcards
What does monotheistic mean?
Monotheistic refers to a religion that has only one God.
Give three characteristics of God
omniscient
omnibenevolent
immanent
omnipotent
Describe what it is that Christians believe about God’s nature that makes him a fair judge.
Christians believe God’s perfect nature and omniscience make him a fair judge.
How do Christians believe God has provided a perfect example of godly living?
Jesus was God incarnate, he lived a perfect life on earth and provides an example of godly living.
What is the Holy Trinity?
The Holy Trinity are The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This is one God with three persons.
State three Christian beliefs about the Trinity.
Christians believe that each person of the Trinity is equal, they are each distinct and they have a perfect
relationship.
State two Christian denominations that do not believe in the Trinity.
Unitarians and Christadelphians do not believe in the Trinity.
What reasons do some Christians have for not believing in the Trinity?
Some Christians do not believe in the Trinity because they think it may lead to the idea that there is more than
one God.
Describe the way in which God creates in Genesis 1.
God creates through speech.
How is the creation of humans different to the way God creates the rest of the world?
When God creates humans he uses something he has already made, ‘the dust of the ground’, and he breathes
life into Adam. Everything else is created through God’s speech.
What is the role of the Spirit in creation?
The Spirit hovers and waits to bring life into the world. God’s breath into Adam was also his Spirit bringing life.
State one reason why the role of the Father, the Spirit and the Word in creation is important to Christians
It is important because it shows that the whole of the Trinity were involved in Creation. It reinforces their
monotheistic understanding of God.
State the roles given to Adam and Eve by God.
Adam was created to care for the earth and Eve was to be his helper. They had to rule over the birds, fish and
animals.
What is the rule that God gives to Adam and Eve?
They must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
What causes Eve to disobey God?
Eve disobeys God when the serpent tempts her, suggesting that the fruit looked good to eat and that God
would not punish her.
Describe the effect of the Fall
The Fall caused humans to no longer be in a relationship with God. Human sin is a barrier to this relationship.
As a result, humans require salvation, which is provided through Jesus’ death and resurrection.
It also introduced death into the world.
When considering the accounts of creation from Genesis, what three things do all Christians agree on?
All Christians agree that God created the universe, he acted out of love and goodness, and humans are made
in his image.
Why do some Christians believe that the most appropriate way to understand Genesis is as a myth?
Some Christians believe that the most appropriate way to understand Genesis is as a myth because of the
differences in writing style between Genesis 1 and 2 and because of scientific research.
What is another name for the literal approach to interpreting Genesis 1–3?
Creationism
How do Christians who take the literal approach respond to the fact that the biblical accounts conflict
with scientific evidence?
They reject anything which disagrees with the biblical accounts of creation.
What is natural evil?
Natural evil is evil caused by nature, e.g. volcanic eruptions.
What is moral evil?
Moral evil is evil caused by human decisions, e.g. murder.
Summarise the problem of evil.
God is omnipotent and benevolent and yet suffering exists in the world. Either he cares enough but lacks the
power to stop it, or he has the power to stop it but he does not care enough to do so.
(Mackie’s inconsistent triad)
In what way does the Lord’s Prayer help believers to depend on God and trust him even in times of
suffering?
In the Lord’s Prayer, believers trust in God’s will in their lives. They depend on him for their needs and ask that
he delivers them from evil.
What was the incarnation?
The incarnation was God coming in the flesh, as a human in the form of Jesus.
What does Messiah mean?
Messiah means ‘anointed one’.
How do Christians believe that Jesus is the Saviour?
Christians believe that Jesus is the Saviour because of his death on the cross, taking the punishment for sin and
allowing a relationship with God to be restored.
In what way do these beliefs affect the way a Christian may choose to live?
Christians worship God, follow Jesus’ example of holy living and confess their sins when they make mistakes.
WWJD
what does Jesus say are the two most important Commandments?
Jesus says the two most important Commandments are to love God and to love your
neighbour.
Who did Jesus spend time with + What do Christians learn from this
Jesus spent time with those whom society rejected.
Christians learn that God values all people and a relationship with him is possible.
Summarise the story of the Good Samaritan.
A man travels from Jerusalem to Jericho. He is mugged and left half dead. A priest and a Levite both walk past
and do not help him. The Samaritan stops and helps the man, taking him to an inn and paying for his care.
Why does Jesus tell the story of the Good Samaritan?
Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan to show people how they should show love to all people, not just
their friends but also their enemies. Samaritans and Jews were enemies.
What is agape love?
Agape love is sacrificial love.
How does Jesus demonstrate agape love?
Jesus demonstrates agape love by coming to earth and then dying on the cross
State three ways in which Jesus’ teaching on love should affect Christians.
forgive one another
help people in need
work to achieve peace.
What do some Christians believe about Jesus?
Some Christians believe Jesus was man and God.
What makes it hard for some Christians to accept the claims of Jesus being born of a virgin or of him
performing miracles?
These claims are hard to accept because they go against scientific knowledge and the laws of nature. (liberal standpoint)
State what conservative Christians believe about God’s power to do miracles
God can do anything as he is all-powerful and so anything is possible.
State the six sections into which the Sermon on the Mount can be divided
Beatitudes, Jesus and the law, true discipleship, true
righteousness, the narrow gateway and building on solid foundations.
Beatitudes
1-3: By knowing your needs you are able to become better, truer people
4-7: Searching for God, truth and righteousness
8: Suffering as a result of doing what is Good in God’s eyes, i.e. Oscar Romero who stood up for the poor in El Salvador and was assisinated.
What do the Beatitudes describe?
The Beatitudes describe attitudes that Christians should aim to develop through the help of the Holy Spirit.
What makes Jesus’ teaching on the law so challenging?
Jesus teaches that obedience must come from a person’s heart and it is based on love, including love for your
enemies. Jesus did not provide new law to what Moses had given, but he provided a new interpretation for it.
Describe what Jesus says makes a true disciple.
A true disciple must be sincere in all that they do. They should seek to please God and be humble in front of
other people.
True righteousness
Jesus warns people that if they judge others, they will be judged by those standards too, so do not judge. The true riches are spiritual, as that which is on Earth is temporary
Summarise why living a life of faith is described as a ‘narrow pathway’ in the Sermon on the Mount.
Living a life of faith is a narrow pathway because it requires Christians to be obedient to God even if they are
being persecuted.
What does Jesus say is the best foundation for people to build their lives on?
Jesus says the best foundation for people to build their lives on is faith and trust in God.
State why Christians believe it is important that Jesus was born without sin
Because Jesus was born without sin he was able to demonstrate how to live a perfect holy life and through his
death take the punishment for the sins of all people.
What do Christians believe was the purpose of Jesus’ crucifixion?
Christians believe the purpose of Jesus’ crucifixion was to take the punishment for human sin and restore the
relationship between humans and God.
How does the teaching in Matthew 28:1–6 support the Christian belief that Jesus was resurrected?
The women find Jesus’ tomb empty the day after his burial. The stone is rolled back and the angels tell them
that Jesus has been resurrected.
‘he is not here, he has risen, as he said’
What do Christians believe Jesus returned to heaven to do?
Christians believe Jesus returned to heaven to prepare a place for them to go after death.
What is atonement?
Atonement is when something is done to pay for a wrongdoing.
How did Jesus provide an alternative to the atonement sacrifice described in the Old Testament?
Jesus’ death was a perfect and eternal sacrifice that paid the punishment for human sin once and for all. This is
different to the animal sacrifices, which were temporary. Christians believe that the high priests of the old times were standing in for the true high priest - Jesus, and when he came and made his sacrifice there was no need for any more, rather Christians need only to accept Jesus into their hearts and receive salvation.
What is grace?
Grace means that Christians have God’s blessing even though they are not perfect and don’t deserve it.
State why Christians believe repentance is important.
Repentance is necessary in order for a person to be forgiven by God and to receive his grace.
Describe two different Christian beliefs about salvation
One belief about salvation is that it is received through being baptised, belonging to a church and taking part in
the sacraments. Other Christians believe that salvation is the result of a specific conversion experience.
. What is Parousia?
Parousia is the anticipation of Jesus’ second coming to earth.
State why the belief in the resurrection is an eschatological belief
The belief in the resurrection is eschatological because some Christians believe that at the end of time all the
dead will be raised to life to be judged by God.
Outline the different beliefs that Christians have about hell.
annihilation, when a person will be completely destroyed
eternal torture and suffering
existing in a place in the absence of God.
Which denomination teaches that purgatory exists?
The Catholic Church teaches that purgatory exists.
Purgatory is for those who did accept Jesus into their heart, but are not pure enough to be in God’s presence
Describe what Christians believe about heaven.
Heaven is where a person will be in the presence of God for eternity after death; there will be no pain or
suffering.
