Christianity BTP Flashcards
According to Christians, what is the nature of God?
He is:
* Eternal
* atemporal
* omniscient
* transcendent
* immanent
* omnibenevolent
* omnipotent
How is God seen to be personal?
He is often shown to be in a relationship with people through prayer, visions and the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Why would God be a fair and righteous judge of humans?
God sees all that humans do, say and think and has set rules for humans to follow, and Christians believe that He provided a perfect example of the right way to live when He came into the world as Jesus.
What aspect of God does the Plymouth Bretheren focus on?
His holiness and purity
Why do Plymouth Brethren avoid a common lifestyle?
to remove themselves from evil
Quote to support the detatchment of the Plymouth Brethren from normal lifestyles
‘Do not love the world or anything in the world.’
Why do the Amish live in their own secluded communities?
to separate themselves from the pollution of sin in the world
What do the Amish believe about salvation?
While God has provided salvation through the death and ressurection of Jesus they also believe that they must practice life of salvation by works; living in accordance with laws set in the Bible is necessary for salvation (link to parable of sheep and goats)
Quote to support God’s judgement.
‘He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness.’
Quote to support God’s omnipotence.
‘When he is angry the Earth trembles; the nations cannot endure his wrath’
Quote to support God’s stature and authority.
‘I am the alpha and the omega… the Almighty’
Quote to support that God is benevolent.
‘God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles’
Quote to demonstrate God’s love for humans through Jesus.
‘God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son’
Quote to support monotheism.
‘You shall have no other Gods before me’
What do Hillsongs believe about salvation and forgiveness?
A person does not need to do any action to get God’s forgviveness; His forgiveness is a revelation of his benevolence and it is a gift and simple belief and acceptance is all that is needed.
Quote to support the Holy Trinity.
people must be baptised ‘in the name of the father, son and holy spirit’
Who is the Father in the Holy Trinity?
God; the creator of the universe
Quote to support God as the Father and the Creator.
‘I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth’
What does calling God ‘abba’ respresent?
the close, loving relationship that Christians may have with Him as abba means father
Who is the Son in the Holy Trinity?
Jesus; God in human form
Quote to support the Son in the Holy Trinity.
‘I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only son’
Why is Jesus considered to be free of all sin?
Since he was not made by 2 humans and instead placed into Mary by the Holy Spirit; original sin does not affect him and God cannot sin anyway
Why did God come to earth in the form of Jesus?
- To reveal himself to the people
- To show his love and power
- To teach people how to live
- To forgive humans of their sins by sacrificing himself on the cross
- To show God has power over death by rising from the dead
Which symbols symbolise the trinity?
- Shamrock
- Borromean rings
- Triskelion
Who is the Holy Spirit in the Holy Trinity?
the part of God that is with Christians as their constant guide and comforter
Quote to support the Holy Spirit in the Holy Trinity.
at the feast of Pentecost after Jesus died and ascended to heaven; ‘All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.’
How is the Holy Spirit important in the life of a Christian?
The Spirit helps believers live in the way God requires, helping them to understand His teaching and giving them the promise of life with Him in heaven after death
Why would belief in the Trinity be opposed by some Christians?
it could lead to the idea there is more than one god which puts monotheism of Christianity in danger.
Which type and denominations do not believe in the Trinity?
Unitarians; Christadelphians
Quote to support that Christians should live a life according to God.
‘Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.’
What is the Nicene Creed?
a statement of Christian faith that was originally formulated in 325 CE at the Council of Nicaea
Which denominations use the Nicene Creed?
Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and Protestant churches.
ecumenical
efforts or movements aimed at promoting unity or cooperation among different Christian churches or denominations (eccumulate all the churches together)
Quote to support women were made in man’s image.
‘she shall be called ‘woman’, for she was taken out of man’
Quote to support God’s power so great that anything He speaks shall happen.
‘God said “let the lands produce vegetation”… and it was so’
Quote to support human’s role on Earth to look after and care for the Earth.
Humans must ‘rule over the fish of the sea and birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground’
anthropomorphic
describing God by using human characteristics
How did original sin originate?
The Fall; Eve was tempted by the serpent to eat the forbidden fruit, and bacuse she did, God banished Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden.
What is the effect of original sin on believers?
original sin is seen as to be born out of a relationship with God and in need of His salvation to bring them back to the relationship. Unless the price of original sin has been paid, a person has no hope of eternal life in heaven with God.
What do all Christians believe about the story of Creation, regardless of denomination?
- God created the universe
- God acted out of love and goodness as he cares for his Creation even in its broken and sinful state
- Humans are made in God’s image although are sinful and lack His perfection
Creationist
Someone who takes the story of Creation literally; they reject any science that suggests that the world was not made in 6 days as the Bible is God’s word and His word is infallible
Theistic evolution
Belief in evolution as a process that God started as a mechanism by which God brings about life
How can the story of Creation be compatible with science?
God’s time may not be considered as our time; each day of the week could maybe represent billions of years which is factually compatible with evidence provided by science about the age and development of Earth
Quote to support immortality for humans was lost through sin.
‘sin enetred the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men becuase all men sinned’
evil
everything that is the opposite of good
natural evil
suffering created through no direct fault of humans
Example of natural evil:
all natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods which bring devastation and tragedy to innocent people
moral evil
when suffering is caused by the actions of human beings
Example of moral evil.
immeasurable suffering caused by Adolf Hitler when he tried to kill off the Jewish
Explain the problem that arises with Mackie’s inconsistent triad.
If God is omni benevolent, then He would care enough to stop the suffering caused by evil, but He hasn’t so maybe He is not omnipotent. If He is omnipotent, it means He doesn’t care enough to stop suffering from evil and may not be omnibenevolent.
Irenaen theodicy
- God allows evil and suffering to exist
- World was purposely made with good and evil so that humans would be able to choose and learn what is right and good
- God allows suffering as He wants our souls to develop
- God will not interfere with human decisions as this affects free will
Augustinian theodicy
- There was no evil in God’s creation
- Evil is the absence of goodness or when something good becomes bad and lacks its intended perfection
- When Adam and Eve make bad use of free will, evil enters the perfectly good creation
What is the problem with the Augustinian theodicy?
If evil comes from within humans, it does not explain why a loving God allows natural evils such as earthquakes or why innocent people suffer
Why the the life of Jesus important to Christians?
His life gives believers a pattern to follow for their own lives to live in accordance with God
Messiah (meaning)
Anointed One
Why is Jesus referred to as the Lord and Saviour?
Jesus was sent to Earthby the Father to take the punishment for all human sin and to restore the broken relationship between God and humanity
Beatitudes (what are they)
a passage in the Bible where Jesus describes the attitudes or qualities that God wants his followers to develop such as meekness, mercy and peacefulness
Quote to support supporting God when being persecuted against doing so.
‘Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.’
What does Jesus say about lust?
lust is the act of comitting ‘adultery in the heart.’
Quote to support the opposition of divorce by Jesus
‘anyone who divorces his wife… makes her the victim of adultery’
Quote to support Jesus helping the less fortunate.
‘I have not come to call respectable people, but outcasts’
agape
sacrificial love that places God and others above yourself
How does agape love affect the lives of believers?
it requires Jesus’ followers to forgive each other, to help people when they are in need and to work to achieve peace
evangelism
sharing Jesus’ message and persuading others to become believers
How do liberal christians percieve miracles said to be done by Jesus?
As modern scientific evidence makes it difficult to believe in miracles, liberals choose to seek the meaning behind miracles in the same way as parables; to teach us how Jesus put agape love into action.
How do conservative christians percieve miracles said to be done by Jesus?
Conservative christians take the miracles done literally and see it as God doing anything as he is omnipotent, meaning they see anything as possible.
(tenuous) Quote to support Jesus’ benevolence and miracles.
‘“I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleaned of his leprosy.’
What is the significance of the crucifixion?
Jesus can understand human suffering becuase he suffered during his crucifixion. It seems as if evil triumphed over good, however it is seen by Christians as an atonement sacrifice which benefitted all humans.
What is the significance of the ressurection?
It demonstrates Jesus’ power oevr death itself. SInce he was free from original sin which leads to death, this allowed him to rise back to life. His being ressurected provided evidence he is God incarnate.
Quote to support that Christians will be raised to life after death like Jesus did.
‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me will live even if he dies’
Quote to support the ascension.
‘he was taken up to heaven as they watched him, and a cloud hid him from their sight.’
The Apostles’ Creed
Scripture written by the twelve apostles to sum up Christian doctrine and to challenge any heresies.
The Covnenant
an agreement between God and the Jewish nation that God would care for them if they obeyed His laws.
God provided a way for Jews to atone; how?
regular offering of the atonement sacrifice on the Day of Atonement which happened once every year.
Quote to support the Day of Atonement.
‘On this day shall atonement be made for you.’
Quote to support Jesus’ sacrifice being superior to the sacrifice of animals by Jews.
‘By that we will have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.’
Quote to support God’s grace for humans.
‘For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith’
Quote from Paul to support that humans have an eternal life in heaven because of Christs death.
‘For as in all Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.’
Eschatological
refers to the study of the end of the world or the end of time
What are the 3 basic forms of communal worship?
liturgical, non-liturgical, charismatic
Liturgical worship
Worship that uses set patterns for services where the congregation responds to the person or people leading the service by reading set words from a service sheet.
Which denominations use liturgical worship?
RCC, Orthodox and CofE
Why do some Chirstians appreciate liturgical worship?
the familiarity of ther service and the words can help them reflect more deeply about the meaning and significance of the words.
When are white and gold vestements used?
Easter and Christmas
When are red vestements used?
used on days when recalling the suffering and death of Jesus (symbolic of his blood)
When are green vestements used?
during Ordinary Time, used to represent hope
When are violet or purple vestements used?
in Advent and Lent
Non-liturgical worship
Worship which is more spontaneous and has little pre-organised structure. There will be a person knownas the minister who leads the service but anyone in the ocngregation may be invited to pray.
Which denominations use non-liturgical worship?
Protestant, non-conformist churches like Baptist or Presbyterian
Why do some Christians appreciate non-liturgical worship?
a less formal worship ensures they do not become stuck in a worship cycle, by always saying or doing the same things without thinking what they really mean.
Charismatic worship
worship which does not follow a set pattern and often includes dancing, clapping, and people raising their hands in the air
Why may some Christians do charismatic worship?
they believe through charismatic worship they experience the same gifts of the Holy Spirit as the apostles experienced on the day of Pentecost
Which denominations do charismatic worship?
all denominations, but most regularly in the Pentecostal churches
Quote to support worship
‘God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.’
sacrament
A ritual through which the grace of God can be recieved
Eucharist
the servicce during which congregations share bread and wine in memory of Jesus’ sacrifice.
What are the 7 sacraments in the RCC? (and Orthodox)
- Baptism
- Eucharist
- Confirmation
- Reconciliation
- Marriage
- Holy orders
- Anointing of the sick
What are the 2 sacraments (of the Gospel) recognised by the Protestants?
baptism and the Eucharist
What does the Catholic church believe about the Eucharist?
they believe the bread and wine are actually tranformed into Jesus’ body and blood, believeing that Jesus has a real presence during mass. (transubstantiation)
What do Anglicans believe about the Eucharist?
Jesus is spiritually available in the bread and wine as his sacrifice is celebrated. (consubstantiation)
Why is the Eucharist important?
it reminds Christians of the sacrifice of Jesus and the salvation they have recieved and also brings Christians closer to the other members of the Christian community. As it is a ritual established by Jesus it means the believer is obeying his command. Christians may feel better prepared to deal with the things that happen in their lives.
What is baptism?
a sacrament ritual which symbolises a person’s admission into the Christian church.
What does the water being sprinkled on head in baptism symbolise?
purification and being washed clean from sin
Which denominations do infant baptism?
RCC, Orthodox, CofE
What is infant baptism?
ritual of baptising the baby that allows it to recieve God’s blessing and the baby’s parents will make promises to raise the baby as a Christian.
Which denominations do adult baptism only?
non-conformists such as Baptist or Pentecostal
What makes adult baptism more favourable to certain denominations?
they believe the grace of God is recieved as the result of expression of faith rather than the performance of a ritual. You need to be a believer to be baptised.
What is the significance of silent worship?
allows a period of reflection; belief that God may speak to worshippers in some way.
What key things does the Lords Prayer include for Christians to remember?
- Confession of things the Christian has done wrong
- Thanksgiving for all God has given them
- Adoration of God and concern for others
- Supplication (asking God for help in prayer)
Why is private prayer considered important?
it helps to develop a close relationship with God by giving Him personal thanks and to seek God’s help in their own lives as well
Adoration prayer
Prayer that focusses on God’s charcter and adores him for who he is
Confession prayer
Prayer where people bring forward to God anything they believe they have done wrong; forgiveness is being sought in prayer
Intercessional prayer
prayer where people pray on other people’s behalf so that people’s needs are met
Thanksgiving prayer
prayer of thanks to God to remain grateful for God’s provision in the believers life
Saying grace
Prayer that is done before eating food to thank God for His provision.
Quote to support prayer.
‘His ears are attentive to their prayer’
Pilgrimage
A physical journey that takes a person to a place of religious significance
What are the spiritual benefits of pilgimage?
- Brings them closer to God as there are no outside distractions
- Become aware of the need for God as the physical challenges of pilgrimage are endured
- Being in a religiously significant place can have a deeply spiritual impact
- Pilgrimage may cause a believer to experience a great sense of awe and wonder
Why is Lourdes a significant place of pilgrimage?
It is believed to be a place of physical and spiritual healing where the time pilgrims spend at Lourdes is one when they feel their faith and relationship with God is strengthened and restored.
Why is Jerusalem a significant place of pilgrimage?
It is the place where Jesus lived, died and was resurrected which helps the Bible come to life and enables believers to reflect more deeply on their faith.
Why is Christmas important?
it is the celebration of Jesus’ incarnation; his birth is the point in hisotry that Christians believe gives humanity hope for a new beginning, the possibility of a restored personal relationship with God and the hope of eternal life with him after death.
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