Christians' Beliefs

Question 1

Christianity Symbols

Answer 1

> the cross of Jesus which symbolises the salvation gained by Jesus through his death and Resurrection. focus the mind on Jesus’ sacrifice and his defeat over evil
a white dove represents The Holy Spirit or the Third Person in the Holy Trinity, symbol of peace, Jesus left The Holy Spirit to bring peace and guidance
shaking hands during Church services, shaking hands and saying ‘peace be with you’ represents the idea all Christians share’ fellowship’ or brotherhood and the peace of Jesus

Question 2

Christianity Images

Answer 2

> image of ‘God the Father’ as God is a spirit and doesn’t have a body, he cannot be a father as such but the image is used to describe God who is loving, caring and gives life
God is called ‘The Good Shepherd’ as it describes a caring and tender nature of a shepherd who cares for his sheep

Question 3

Who or What is God or the ‘Ultimate Being’?

Answer 3

God is an omnipotent and omniscient spirit Being who holds the world in his hands and is worshipped

Question 4

What do Christians believe God is like?

Answer 4

>God is a Spirit who is eternal
>God is omnipotent, omniscient and benevolent
>God sustains the world
> God is transcendent and immanent
>God is Judge and Trinity

Question 5

JESUS’ BOOTTS

Answer 5

J - judge
E - eternal
S - spirit
U - un-understandable
S - sustains the world
B - benevolent
O - omnipotent
O - omniscient
T - trinity
T - transcendent
S - so great he is always everywhere (immanent)

Question 6

What is the Trinity?

Answer 6

> Christians believe God is Trinity as they believe God is ‘Three-in-One’
Three persons in One God - ‘God the Father’, ‘God the Son’, ‘God the Holy Spirit’
Difficult to understand, Christians believe that the Doctrine, teaching of the Trinity, is a mystery beyond human understanding

Question 7

Who is God the Father?

Answer 7

> first person in the Holy Trinity
created the world as described in the Genesis Creation Story and sustains the world
lord and giver of life
written in the Book of Job 12:10, ‘In his hands is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind’
sent down Jesus his only son to die for humanity so that people can have eternal life

Question 8

Who is Jesus?

Answer 8

> second person in the Holy Trinity

>son of God and the incarnation as God became a human being in the person of Jesus

Question 9

What do Christians mean when they say Jesus is Lord?

Answer 9

> Jesus is equal to God the Father
Jesus rules the world and heaven and sits at God’s right hand
Christians worship and follow Jesus’ example and make him Lord or King of their lives

Question 10

What do Christians mean when they say Jesus is Redeemer?

Answer 10

> through his death on the cross Jesus paid the ransom price to set people free from slavery of sin
Christians believe Jesus us the Saviour of the world because it is through his sacrifice people’s sins can be forgiven and they can have eternal life.
the friendship between God and humans was restored to its original state or made good again through his sacrifice

Question 11

What do Christians mean when they say that Jesus is the Incarnation?

Answer 11

> God cane down to Earth in the person of Jesus and was born in the person of Jesus as a human being
Mary conceived Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit
Jesus was fully human and at the same time fully divine
incarnation is a mystery as it beyond human understanding to be fully human and fully divine at the same time

Question 12

What does the word ‘Revelation’ mean in Christianity?

Answer 12

> religious truths or beliefs have been shown to humanity or God has shown about himself
Christians believe what God has revealed about himself is written in the Bible
a lot of God’s revelations came through Prophets or God’s messengers and Christians believe God’s most perfect revelation is through Jesus

Question 13

What is the best way people can know God?

Answer 13

> Christians believe through Jesus as he is the Incarnation or God in the flesh
Jesus said, ‘Who has seen me has seen the Father’

Question 14

How do Christians use symbols or symbolism in worship?

Answer 14

> Roman Catholic Christians make the sign of the cross with their right hand by touching their forehead, chest, left shoulder and right shoulder and say ‘In the name of the Father and Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen’

Question 15

How do Christians respond to God through vocation?

Answer 15

> doing their chosen job with devotion and dedication in service of others for the good of humanity
try to imitate Jesus in all they do and show love and concern for everyone as they go about their daily lives

Question 16

What is the Christian teaching on death and the afterlife?

Answer 16

> everyone is born with a soul that never dies
when people die is completely up to God - Book of Job 12:10
when they die their soul goes to be judged by God
if someone dies in God’s friendship and has repented for their sins they go to heaven or purgatory
God doesn’t send anyone to hell - people choose to cut themselves from God by refusing his gift of forgiveness and friendship
at the end of time at The Last Judgement, God will judge everyone and people who have lived good lives will have everlasting life in glorious bodies

Question 17

What do Christians mean when they say the soul is immortal?

Answer 17

> the soul never dies as it’s not a material thing, it is a spiritual thing made in God’s image
only things made of atoms and molecules die

Question 18

What do Christians mean when they say God is Judge?

Answer 18

> at the end of their lives God judges people according to how well they have responded to his Commandments and the teachings of Jesus
how they have repented, accepted his gift of friendship and love
how they have responded to the needs of others during their life

Question 19

What happens at a Christian funeral?

Answer 19

1. Jesus said: ‘I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though he dies’. (John 11 v.25) - Priest reminds them that death is not the end but the beginning of a new life
2. There are prayers of thanksgiving for the life of the person who has died - pray together
3. Small talk on the dead person’s life and hymns
4. At the burial these words will be said: ‘Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust: in sure and certain hope of the resurrection and eternal life through our Lord Jesus christ, who died, was buried and rose again for us’.

Question 20

How important are funeral rites?

Answer 20

> really important as they give people an opportunity to formally say goodbye to the dead person ad celebrate what they have achieved in their life
Christian services begin reminding people that Jesus promised eternal life to those who believed in him
the formal acts in a funeral will help people with their grieving process

Question 21

How do symbols and imagery create a sense of awe of God in Christianity?

Answer 21

> the cross creates a sense of great reverence and respect for Jesus sacrificing his life
imagery of God the Father creates a sense of love and respect of the same kind as people have for their own father
image of God the Creator creates a sense of power and majesty as God created everything that exists from nothing which is really amazing and awe inspiring

Question 22

When will the Last Judgement happen and what will happen?

Answer 22

> at the end of time when the world ends but it is unknown when this will happen
Christians believe a new Earth and heaven will be made in which evil, sin and death itself will no longer exist
Christians believe Jesus will return and it will be called ‘Parousia’ and he will judge those who are still living and those who are dead
they will be judged using the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 24: 34-40)