christianity key words Flashcards
simply means ‘English’. When applied to a Christian denomination, it means “of or
relating to the Church of England and churches of similar faith
anglican
making amends, paying for a wrong; Jesus atoned for the sins of humanity
atonement
Christian ritual that symbolises the washing away of sin and entering a new life
baptism
christian holy book(s)
Bible
a group within Christianity e.g. Methodists
denomination
the idea that human beings have turned away from God (sinned); this is shown in the story of Adam and Eve
the fall
also called Holy Communion/ Mass/ Lord’s Supper – a sacrament in which the death of Jesus is commemorated using bread and wine
Eucharist
literally means to ‘become flesh’ ; Christians believe Jesus is God incarnated i.e God in human form
incarnation
doctrine (Church teaching) of God’s love and forgiveness of humans even though it is undeserved
God’s grace
idea of a time/place where God will rule supreme; some people think of this as a spiritual realm, others as a physical place like heaven; for some it can be achieved on earth when people live according to God’s will.
Kingdom of God
less concerned with tradition; open to change and modernisation
liberal
original or most basic meaning- e.g. a literal reading of the Bible sees the world as representing the basic facts
literal
idea that texts do not contain facts, but rather have symbolic or metaphorical meaning
non-literal
doctrine of some Christian denominations, especially Catholic that humans are born sinful
original sin
the idea that God chose the Jewish nation to make his covenant with
people of God
a form of Christianity that began in the 16th century as a protest against the Catholic Church (the Reformation), includes Church of England, Methodists etc
Protestant
the largest Christian denomination; their leader is the Pope
Roman Catholic Church
special ritual believed to connect the believer to God’s grace; most Christians have the sacraments of Baptism and the eucharist
sacrament
to be saved from sin
salvation
to go against God
sin
the belief that God is three as well as one- Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Trinity
all good and loving
benevolent
the act of making the world; Christians believe God was responsible for this
creation
the belief that the universe and living organisms originate from specific acts of divine creation, as in the biblical account, rather than by natural processes such as evolution
creationism
a belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a Church e.g. the Catholic doctrine of Original Sin
doctrine
preaching the Gospel to convert people to the Christian faith
evangelism
to stop blaming or being angry with someone for something that person has done
forgiveness
containing no faults or errors
infallible
literally translates as ‘good news’; the teaching or revelation of Christ
Gospel
belief or opinion contrary to mainstream religious doctrine
heresy
a statement of Christian beliefs that outlines fundamental teachings about God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. It was developed in the 4th century CE and is often recited in Christian worship.
Nicene Creed
a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement that emphasizes direct personal experience of God through the Holy Spirit
Pentecostalism
coming together after a disagreement/ conflict to work together and improve the situation
reconciliation
to give something up for something important
sacrifice
a belief, principle, or way of acting that people in a particular society or group have continued to follow for a long time
tradition
can be the literal words of God (e.g. when He creates), but can also mean Scripture revealed by God and in Christianity, Jesus is described as the Word of God.
The Word (Logos)
an act of religious devotion usually directed towards God
worship
