Christianity Terms Flashcards
Christ
The leader promised by God to the Jews. The word literally means ‘Anointed One’ in Greek; the Hebrew equivalent is Messiah. Christians believe Jesus to be the Christ.
Christian
Someone who believes in Jesus Christ and follows the religion based on his teachings.
church
A building in which Christians worship.
creation
Christians believe that the world is God’s loving creation.
crucifixion
The execution and death of Jesus on Good Friday.
Easter
The event celebrated on Easter Day of Jesus rising from the dead, an event recorded in all four gospels and the central belief of Christianity.
ascension
The event 40 days after the Resurrection, when Jesus returned to God, the Father, in heaven, recorded in Luke 24 and Acts 1.
atonement
The reconciliation between God and humanity sealed by the sacrificial death of Jesus.
baptism
The sacrament through which people become members of the Church. Baptism involves the use of water as a symbol of the washing away of sin. It is a rite of initiation.
believers’ baptism
Initiation into the Church, by immersion in water, of people old enough to understand the ceremony/rite and willing to live a Christian life. Some denominations prefer this to infant baptism.
Bible
Sacred book for Christians containing both the Old and New Testaments.
Catholic
The tradition within the Christian Church which is led by the Pope.
Eucharist
Another name for Holy Communion and a service in which the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus are celebrated, using bread and wine.
evangelism
Preaching the gospel to convert people to the Christian faith.
evil
A force that is seen in many traditions as destructive and against God.
the Father
The first Person of the Trinity, the creator and sustainer of the universe.
grace
The unconditional and generous love that God shows to people who do not deserve it.
heaven
The state after death of being with and enjoying eternity with God.
hell
The place of eternal suffering or the state after death of separation from God for those who want no relationship with him.
Holy Spirit
The third person of the Holy Trinity who descended like a dove on Jesus at his baptism. Christians believe that the Holy Spirit is present and inspires them.
Incarnation
The doctrine that God took human form as Jesus.
informal prayer
Spontaneous prayers spoken from the heart as opposed to the use of set prayers.
informal worship
Worship which has no set structure. It is usually spontaneous and sometimes charismatic in nature.