Experiencing God Flashcards
what do all christians believe about experiencing God?
when they were converted they were filled with God’s Holy Spirit and they experience his impact in his life
what are the ways christians believe God might be revealed?
meeting inspirational people bible / scriptures jesus figures from Christian history god acting in world conscience miracles
those who believe that the bible is the word of God, what do they believe?
literally God’s words
no errors in bible, all it says is true
bible > science
christians that take the bible literally, what are the called?
fundamentalists
literalists
what do fundamentalists argue?
what denominations are fundamentalists?
god = infallible (free of sin) unlike humans
to get the truth, important to trust word of god rather than words of ideas of humans
Protestant, Charismatic
what has living in strict accordance to the bible resulted in?
Amish community
don’t adopt any modern culture or technology
no photos taken due to second commandment that says not to make “graven images”
peaceful
separate selves from rest of society = written in old testament
how has the literal interpretation of the bible been used in the wrong way?
used to support prejudice
segregation of different races - South Africa
Used Genesis 11 to separate people of different nations
claimed that people were spiritually similar, but not physically equal before God
what is the conservative interpretation of the bible?
bible writers inspired by god - human writers, bible may have mistakes
bible needs to be interpreted so it’s relevant and applicable to modern world
Adam and Eve, David and Goliath may be seen as myths
issues within christian community should be checked with bible - if conflict with bible should then be rejected
what are the liberal views of the bible?
stories in bible = mythical and symbolic
scientists have better understanding of world than anything recorded in bible
christians reject belief that god created world in 6 day < Big Bang
bible = inspiration and guidance for believers
no claim that it is without error
how is liberal view of bible lessened?
as it all comes down to each individual person’s response
each seeks to find meaning in writing in bible then apply to own lives
quote for god revealed through jesus
“the Word became flesh”
how is God reveal himself through Jesus? and what does it show about him?
came to earth as jesus
took human form to show humans what he was like
demonstrates his great love for humanity
took limitations of human body to teach people and provide example
miracles and sacrificial death = shows how loving he is
understood the human experience, but was still god = still perfect
what is a miracle?
a supernatural event of act
god intervenus and breaks laws of nature
how does God act in the present world?
many christians believe god gets involved in world through miracles
what 4 categories can miracles be divided into?
1) healing miracles - when someone unwell an immediately returns to health, of when recovers when meant to die
2) miracles over nature - e.g. storm suddenly ceases
3) raising the dead
4) exorcisms - when person possessed by evil spirit and it is sent out
what message is demonstrated through miracles?
God’s love for humanity
Quote for healing
“the dead man sat up and began to talk, and jesus gave him back to his mother”
christian views on modern day miracles?
largely agree that god is able to perform miracles
Catholic and Anglican churches both accept ongoing work of god through miracles
believers have personal relationship with god
why pray to god?
jesus says to pray to god and he will reply
christians pray for miracles
bring “prayers and petitions”
benefits of miracles?
miracles help christians reinforce their faith and personal relationship with god
reveal god’s glorious perfection = what heaven will be like
able to demonstrate to others that god exists and that he cares
what is Lourdes?
miraculous healing happened here
6,500 claimed miraculously healed there
Catholic Church - recognised 67 healing miracles there
Place of pilgrimage
14 year old girl claimed to experience 18 separate visions of Virgin Mary
Catholic church careful to authenticate miracle claims
Miracle healing at Lourdes
Anna Santaniello
1952 - Age 41, cured of several diseases after being bathed in water
Secrète heat disease and breathlessness = couldn’t walk and difficult to speak
2005 - 93 years old and in good health
why do some christians see miracles as immoral?
god may be presented as cruel if he decided to miraculously heal someone but not ebola and malaria in other areas
raises questions about his power and how he uses it
also argued he revealed himself through jesus and there is no further revelation
how does meeting inspirational people have an effect on people?
they hear the way god has worked in and through their life
feel a sense of god’s presence
Mother Theresa - through her work she was serving god in a way he had called her to
“pure, selfless goodness”
those who met her - speak of peace and holiness radiated off her
why do christians look at historical figures?
in order to understand how god has worked through their life in past
positive impact they had on world = source of revelation to many people
see how their faith brought social change
Who is george cadbury?
Quaker
developed a village that offered improved living conditions for the workers in his chocolate factory
who is Jom Elliot?
missionary, traveled to Ecuador to share christian message with Indian tribe
on second mission, he and 4 other missionaries were massacred
after his death, wife and daughter and another woman moved to work with the Indians
love of Christ shown through forgiveness = success in work, many Indians converted
