Fct Past Exam Qs

Question 1

Describe St Catherine of Siena’s teaching about being made in the image of God [5]

Answer 1

 Human beings are like ‘mirrors’ of God
 The ‘mirror’ helps a person see their own dignity reflected
 It also helps them to see their own faults and the ways in which
they do not reflect God
 When God looks on human creation, God sees a human reflection
and loves the person unconditionally
 Conscience, or an understanding of right and wrong

Question 2

Describe what two of the symbols in the ‘Tree of Life’ apse mosaic in St Clemente in Rome represent[5]

Answer 2

 The Chi-Rho and Alpha and Omega – both symbols of Jesus
 The images of the four evangelists – lion, ox, human, eagle
 The 13 lambs – Jesus and the apostles
 The cross as the tree of life
 The dove – the apostles, or the gentiles who come to rest in the branches of the kingdom
 Serpent – a symbol of the devil or the evil that is defeated by Jesus’ death on the cross
 Hand of God – a symbol of God the Father

Question 3

Explain, from either Catholic Christianity and Judaism or two Christian traditions, teachings about the origins of the universe.

Answer 3

Explain, from either Catholic Christianity and Judaism or two Christian traditions, teachings about the origins of the universe.
[8]
 Catholics read the Bible as an inspired text which had real human authors, so they do not read the Creation accounts literally
 Catholics read the creation stories as inspired poems/metaphors/myths about the relationship between God the creator and God’s creation
 Catholics believe that God is the ultimate creator but that this is compatible with a belief in the ‘Big Bang’ and evolution.
For other Christian teachings, candidates could include some or all of
the following, but other relevant points should be credited:
 Some Christians read the Bible as an inspired text, every word of which is literally true, so they do read the Creation accounts literally
 Some read the creation stories as scientific or historical descriptions of the beginning of the universe
 Some reject the idea of a Big Bang and evolution and believe that God created the world in six days
 Some believe the universe is only about 6,000 years old.
For Jewish teachings, candidates could include some or all of the
following, but other relevant points should be credited:
 Some Orthodox Jews believe the creation accounts are literal descriptions of the origins of the universe.
 Prayers are said in Orthodox synagogues expressing this belief ‘Blessed be He who spoke and the world existed.’
 Other Jewish denominations believe that the creation accounts are metaphorical stories which shouldn’t be considered as historical facts.
 For all Jews, God is the source of all life and referred to throughout the Torah as the sole creator.
Relevant reference to sources are likely to include some of:
 Augustine’s Confessions XII, 7; Pope John Paul II’s Message To
The Pontifical Academy Of Sciences; Genesis 1&2.

Question 4

Explain, from either Catholic Christianity and Judaism or two Christian traditions, how the Bible is interpreted.

Answer 4

 Catholics read the Bible as an inspired text which means that God worked through human authors to be revealed to human beings.
 They also believe that these authors were of course fully human
and therefore limited in their understanding and living in a
particular time and place.
 For Catholics, the truth revealed in the Bible needs to be carefully
and authoritatively interpreted by the Church/Magisterium
For other Christian approaches, candidates could include some or all of the following, but other relevant points should be credited:
 Some Christians read the Bible as an inspired text which means that God gave some human beings the special gift of being able to write down exactly what God intended.
 Therefore, they might believe that every word of the Bible is literally true.
 They might reject any scientific or historical claims that seem to be in disagreement with the plain meaning of scripture.
For Jewish teachings, candidates could include some or all of the following, but other relevant points should be credited:
 The Torah is the first five books of the Tenakh and is believed to be the holiest and most authoritative scripture for Jews.
 Some Jews believe the Torah was given by God to Moses and as such must be taken literally and not changed.
 For Reform and Liberal Jews many believe it is not necessary to take the scriptures literally and that sometimes they have to be adapted for modern day life.
Relevant reference to sources mentioned in the spec could include:
 Augustine’s Confessions, Pope John Paul II’s Message To The
Pontifical Academy Of Sciences, Genesis 1&2

Question 5

Only Humanists have a duty to care for the environment.’ Discuss. [15+6]

Answer 5

 Christians also have a duty to care for the environment because they believe that the world is a gift from God and should be cherished.
 Christians believe that human beings have been made stewards of creation, which means that the planet is to be preserved for future generations
 Some Christians may argue that human beings have been given dominion over the planet and have no duty to care for the environment but have the right to exploit it for human gain
 Some Christians may argue that since human beings are the pinnacle of creation that they should only care for the environment if it is in the interests of human beings to do so.
 Humanists believe that human beings have a duty to care for the planet as it is humanity’s common home.
 Some humanists, like Singer, might argue that prioritizing human needs above the needs of other animals affected by environmental damage is “speciesist”.
 Humanists reject the idea that human beings have been given dominion over the planet – they are another animal with no more rights over the goods of the planet than any other animal.
 Possible sources could include:
 Genesis 1&2
 Laudato Sii

Question 6

What do catholics mean by the term conscience

Answer 6

Human making Karl decisions the knowledge god gave us of knowing what is right and what is wrong

Question 7

b) Describe what St Augustine taught about the origin of evil. [5]

Answer 7

b) Describe what St Augustine taught about the origin of evil. [5]
 God made a perfect world - he did not create evil and suffering
 Evil and suffering exist because of free-will
 Evil is not a thing in itself – it is just the absence of good (it is a “privation”)
 Evil helps us to appreciate the good more
 God always brings good out of evil.
 (Enchiridion 3.11

Question 8

Explain, from either Catholic Christianity and Judaism or two Christian traditions, beliefs about the Incarnation. [8

Answer 8

Explain, from either Catholic Christianity and Judaism or two Christian traditions, beliefs about the Incarnation. [8]
 Christians believe that Jesus was God incarnate, fully human and fully God.
 This is important to Christians because it means God, in Jesus, has experienced what suffering is like and human beings can be comforted by this in their own suffering
 It is also important because it shows how much God loves human beings, because the Son willingly gave up his equality with God and became a human being
 Christians believe that human suffering will be overcome by God’s power, just like Jesus was raised again from the dead.

For other approaches, candidates could include some or all of the following, but other relevant points should be credited:
 Jews would not accept the idea that any human being could be God – so they do not believe Jesus was God incarnate.
 They would view the worship Christians give to Jesus as a breach of the first commandment.
 The Incarnation also requires belief in the Trinity, which Jews would also reject because they consider that it means belief in three Gods, which is fundamentally opposed to Jewish monotheism
Relevant reference to sources mentioned in the specification could include:
 Nicene Creed; John 1:1-18; Philippians 2:5-11; John Paul II, Salvifici Doloris 13 & 23
 The Shema, Deuteronomy 6:4-9; The Ten Commandments, Exodus 20:1-15

Question 9

Suffering is not always evil[15 marks]

Answer 9

Discuss this statement showing that you have considered more than one point of view.
(You must refer to religion and belief in your answer).
 The existence of evil helps human beings to appreciate the good in the world: if there was no evil, people would not be able to recognise the good.
 Suffering can help human beings to become better human beings: it may help them, for example, to becoming more loving, empathetic and courageous.
 The suffering of Jesus was a good thing, because by it God showed love for the world and saved human beings from their sins.
 Most human suffering is unnecessary and is proof that either God is not all-loving, is not all-powerful or does not exist.
 Suffering can just as easily destroy people as make them better. Some forms of suffering are so horrible and final that they could never lead to other goods.
 Why was Jesus’ suffering necessary? If God is all-powerful and all-loving, why could God not forgive humanity’s sins without having to make Jesus suffer?
Possible sources could include:
 Isaiah 53; John Paul II, Salvifici Doloris 13 & 23
 They may refer to atheist thinkers who have presented versions of
the Problem of Evil, e.g. Hume or Mackie’s Inconsistent Triad.

Question 10

Having statues in churches is against the Ten Commandments.’ [1

Answer 10

Having statues in churches is against the Ten Commandments.’ [15]
Discuss this statement showing that you have considered more than one point of view.
(You must refer to religion and belief in your answer).
 It is not against the Ten Commandments, because Catholics do not worship the statues, but rather they worship God. The statues of Jesus and the saints are an aid to prayer.
 The making of statues is allowed by God in the Old Testament, when he commands the Jews to make statues of cherubs to decorate the Ark of the Covenant
 Statues are used by Catholics to remind, to inspire and to teach – for example, some statues are inspiring works of art, like Michelangelo’s Pietà, which help people reflect on the meaning of suffering
 Because God became a human being in Jesus it is acceptable for us to make images of Jesus, because he was the image of God.
 The Ten Commandments forbid the making of any “graven image” and forbid the worshipping of these images.
 Many people do seem to worship the actual statues and treat them with a reverence that is only proper to God
 Statues distract people from focusing on God in prayer. Many statues are of saints and other religious figures and not of God or Jesus.
Possible sources could include:
 Michelangelo’s Pietà
 The Ten Commandments, Exodus 20:1-15

Question 11

What do Catholics mean by ‘inspiration’?

Answer 11

God breathed
The belief that the spirit of God Guedes individuals to at o write what is good or true

Question 12

What do catholics mean by transcendence

Answer 12

God exists in a way that makes him nothing like anything else that exists;
• existing outside of space and time;
• above and beyond creation

Question 13

Describe St Augustine’s teaching about the robins of the universe 5marks

Answer 13

Describe St Augustine’s teaching about the origin of the universe.
AO1 [5]
• God created heaven and earth out of nothing (“ex nihilo”);
• Before God created the heavens and the earth, nothing other than
God existed;
• God is good and everything God made is good;
• God is different from and greater than the created universe.
Relevant reference to source is likely to include:
• St Augustine, Confessions XII,7:
“But besides yourself, O God, who are Trinity in Unity, Unity in Trinity, there was nothing from which you could make heaven and earth. Therefore, you must have created them from nothing, the one great, the other small. For there is nothing that you cannot do. You are good and all that you make must be good, both the great Heaven of Heavens and this little earth. You were, and besides you nothing was. From nothing, then, you created heaven and earth, distinct from one another; the one close to yourself, the other close to being nothing; the one surpassed only by yourself, the other little more than nothing.”

Question 14

Describe tow ways in which the work for cafod reflects Catholic beliefs about the teaching. Of human dignity

Answer 14

Describe two ways in which the work of Cafod reflects Catholic teaching about human dignity. AO1 [5]
• Human beings are made in the image and likeness of God;
• Every human being, whatever their gender, race, ability or belief
has an innate dignity and worth;
• Human life is sacred and should be respected and cared for –
especially those who are most in need of help;
• CAFOD seeks to overcome poverty in the world which can
undermine people’s dignity;
• CAFOD works with all people regardless of their gender, race,
religion or political views;
• CAFOD works alongside those they are helping, helping them to
help themselves;
• CAFOD campaigns against government and business policies that
are unjust and a threat to people’s dignity.
Relevant reference to source is likely to include:
• Genesis 1:26-28,31:
26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”… 31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.
• Dialogue…Of Discretion, St Catherine of Siena:
“…in the knowledge which the soul obtains of herself, she knows more of God, and knowing the goodness of God in herself, the sweet mirror of God, she knows her own dignity and indignity. Her dignity is that of her creation, seeing that she is the image of God, and this has been given her by grace, and not as her due…Your uncreated love which moved You Yourself to create man in Your image and similitude, saying, “Let us make man in our own image,” and this You did, oh eternal Trinity, that man might participate in everything belonging to You, the most high and eternal Trinity.’… What made you establish man in so great a dignity? Certainly, the incalculable love by which you have looked on your creature in yourself! You are taken with love for her; for by love indeed you created her, by love you have given her a being capable of tasting your eternal Good

Question 15

Explain from either catholic Christianity or Judaism or two Christian tradition, beliefs about abortion

Answer 15

Explain from either Catholic Christianity and Judaism or two Christian traditions, beliefs about abortion. AO1 [8]
Catholic teachings:
• All human beings are sacred, from the first moment of their
conception until their natural death;
• Abortion is the deliberate killing of a human being and is therefore
equivalent to murder;
• Abortion is not acceptable in any circumstances;
• In instances where a pregnancy threatens the life of the mother,
certain treatments may be allowed that threaten the life of the unborn child but only under very carefully defined conditions (the doctrine of double effect).
Other Christian teachings:
• Most Christians share the Catholic view that human life is sacred
from the moment of conception to natural death;
• However, other Christians believe that abortion is sometimes
acceptable if it is the lesser of two evils.
Jewish teachings:
• Jews believe that human beings are made in the image of God
and that life is precious;
• In the Tenakh (Jeremiah 1:5) there are references to a relationship
with God even before birth;
• The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17)
forbid the taking of life;
• Some Jews oppose abortion;
• However, most Jews believe that the unborn foetus is not a person
until it is born;
• Relevant references to Pikuach Nefesh as the importance of the
saving of a life because of beliefs that humans are made in the image of God.
Relevant reference to sources is likely to include some of:
• Genesis 1:26-27:
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
• Jeremiah 1:5:
“When I had not yet formed you in the womb, I knew you, and when you had not yet emerged from the womb, I had appointed you; a prophet to the nations I made you.”
• Exodus 20:13 & Deuteronomy 5:17: “You shall not kill/murder”

Question 16

Explain from either catholic Christianity and Judaism or tow Christian traditions, beliefs about caring for the environment

Answer 16

Explain from either Catholic Christianity and Judaism or two Christian traditions, beliefs about caring for the environment.
AO1 [8]
Catholic teachings:
• Catholics believe that human beings are stewards of creation; • Human beings have a God-given responsibility to care for the
planet and the animals that live on it;
• Human beings have a duty to preserve the planet for the good of
all human beings both now and in the future;
• Creation is a gift to human beings from God – they do not own it,
they are its care-takers;
• Catholics believe that all of creation is holy because it is made by
God and therefore must be cared for and protected.
Other Christian teachings:
• Most Christians also believe that human beings are stewards of
creation and that they have a duty to care for and preserve the
environment;
• Other Christians take the command to have dominion over the
earth as permission to use the earth and its resources to promote
human development;
• Most Christians, including Catholics, view human beings as more
important than other animals and may use this as a justification for putting the needs of human beings above those of other animals.
Jewish teachings:
• Jews believe that because God is the creator, God gave human
beings a duty to care for nature;
• Jews are committed to making the world a better place to live in,
referred to as tikkun olam (healing the world);
• During the Jewish festival of Sukkot (a harvest festival), those who
celebrate live in a sukkah, a temporary shelter often made of leaves and plants as a reminder of human connection with nature and the environment;
• Jewish people also have a festival where they plant trees (Tu B’Shvat – New Year of the Trees/Ecological Awareness

Genesis 1:26-28:
‘Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”
• Pope Francis, Laudato Si’ 159:
“Once we start to think about the kind of world we are leaving to future generations, we look at things differently; we realize that the world is a gift which we have freely received and must share with others. Since the world has been given to us, we can no longer view reality in a purely utilitarian way, in which efficiency and productivity are entirely geared to our individual benefit

Question 17

The Theory of Evolution is the best explanation for the origin of humans.’ AO2 [15+6]

Answer 17

The Theory of Evolution is the best explanation for the origin of humans.’ AO2 [15+6]
Marks for spelling, punctuation and the accurate use of grammar are allocated to this question.
• Pope John Paul II stated there is no contradiction between the theory of evolution and the Christian belief in a creator God.
• God is the answer to the “why” of creation and evolution is the answer to the “how” of creation: God used evolution to bring about the creation of human beings.
• Christians could point to the fact the Creation stories in Genesis present the appearance of life in an order that is approximately correct.
• Humanists believe that evolution is a complete explanation and there is no need to bring God into it, so creation stories are unnecessary as an explanation of anything.
• Humanists point out that evolution is a random process and human beings the product of chance, so there can be no grand design or plan of God’s that uses evolution.
• Humanists point to the cruel nature of evolution, since evolution of species involves a huge number of extinctions; this would seem contrary to the idea of a creator God who is loving.
• It could also be argued that creation and evolution are incompatible because the biblical explanation of creation differs so greatly from the scientific account of the origins of the universe and of human beings.
Relevant reference to sources mentioned in the spec could include:
• Pope John Paull II, Message To The Pontifical Academy Of Sciences: On
Evolution (22 October 1996, paragraphs 3 & 4):
“…there is no conflict between evolution and the doctrine of the faith regarding man and his vocation, … [I]draw attention to the necessity of using a rigorous hermeneutical approach in seeking a concrete interpretation of the inspired texts. It is important to set proper limits to the understanding of Scripture, excluding any unseasonable interpretations which would make it mean something which it is not intended to mean. In order to mark out the limits of their own proper fields, theologians and those working on the exegesis of the Scripture need to be well informed regarding the results of the latest scientific research.”
• Charles Darwin, Letter to Asa Gray:
“I cannot see as plainly as others do… evidence of design and beneficence on all sides of us. There seems to me too much misery in the world. I cannot persuade myself that a beneficent and omnipotent God would have designedly created the Ichneumonidae [a parasitic wasp] with the express intention of their feeding within the living bodies of caterpillars.”
• Richard Dawkins, The Blind Watchmaker:
“Natural selection, the blind, unconscious, automatic process which Darwin discovered, and which we now know is the explanation for the existence and apparently purposeful form of all life, has no purpose in mind. It has no mind and no mind’s eye. It does not plan for the future. It has no vision, no foresight, no sight at a

Question 18

What do Catholics mean by ‘Incarnation’??

Answer 18

What do Catholics mean by ‘incarnation’? AO1 [2]
• “Made flesh”
• The Christian belief that God became a human being in the person of
Jesus;
• The Christian belief that Jesus is fully human and fully divine

Question 19

Describe tow of the sorrowful mysteries o the rosary

Answer 19

• The first sorrowful mystery is the agony in the garden, where Jesus prays in anguish on the night before his death. He asks his disciples to stay awake and watch while he prays. He prays: “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass me by. Nevertheless, not as I will but as you will.”
• The second sorrowful mystery is the scourging at the pillar. This is when Pilate had Jesus whipped before his crucifixion.
• The third sorrowful mystery is the crowning with thorns, where the soldiers dress Jesus in a purple robe, make a crown out of thorns and put it on his head to mock Jesus.
• The fourth sorrowful mystery is the carrying of the cross. Jesus carries his own cross to the place of his crucifixion. At one point, the soldiers make Simon of Cyrene carry the cross for a time.
• The fifth sorrowful mystery is the crucifixion and death of Jesus, on the mount of Golgotha.

“Pilate the had jesus taken away and scourged”

Question 20

Explain from either catholic Christianity and Judaism or so Christian traditions, beliefs about one God three persona dn the trinty

Answer 20

Explain from either Catholic Christianity and Judaism or two Christian traditions, beliefs about One God in three persons (Trinity). AO1 [8]
Christian/Catholic beliefs:
• There is One God who exists as a Trinity of persons: Father, Son and Holy
Spirit;
• Each of the three persons of the Trinity is distinct from the other two but each
is fully God;
• But there is only One God, not three gods;
• Christian belief in the Trinity arose because of the belief in One God and the
early emergence of the belief that Jesus and the Holy Spirit were also God;
• The belief in the Trinity is expressed in the Nicene Creed.
Jewish beliefs:
• Jews believe there is only one God, stated in the most important prayer for
Jews: the Shema.
• They would view the Christian belief in a Trinity of persons as a challenge to
the oneness of God;
• There are different ways of describing God, like ‘judge’ or ‘creator’, but these
are different attributes of the one God, not separate persons within God.
Relevant reference to sources could include:
• Nicene Creed:
“We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father… We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified.”
• John 1:1-18:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made…The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth…No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.”
• Philippians 2:5-11
“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
18
• The Shema, Deuteronomy 6:4-9:
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates”

Question 21

Suffering makes you a better person [15]

Answer 21

Suffering makes you a better person.’ AO2 [15]
Discuss this statement showing that you have considered more than one point of view. [15] (You must refer to religion and belief in your answer.)
• The existence of evil and suffering helps people to appreciate the good things in the universe more.
• Overcoming suffering strengthens people’s characters and resilience, making them better people.
• Being willing to experience suffering is a sign of commitment to another person or cause.
• Being a good person requires the development of virtue and virtues are made stronger by suffering.
• An example of suffering leading to the development of virtue is enduring a serious illness helping a person to develop the virtues of courage and perseverance.
• Suffering does not always improve a person’s character – a serious illness could make someone bitter and resentful and not courageous or perseverant.
• Suffering might improve a person’s character, but a person’s character could improve even without suffering.
• It depends on the sort of suffering. Some suffering is so horrendous that it destroys a person, rather than making them a better person. Sometimes people never recover from serious experiences of suffering.
Possible sources could include:
• Pope John Paul II, Salvifici Doloris13 & 23:
‘…to perceive the true answer to the “why” of suffering, we must look to the revelation of divine love, the ultimate source of the meaning of everything that exists …In the Letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul deals still more fully with the theme of this “birth of power in weakness”, this spiritual tempering of man in the midst of trials and tribulations, which is the particular vocation of those who share in Christ’s sufferings. “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us”. Suffering as it were contains a special call to the virtue which man must exercise on his own part. And this is the virtue of perseverance in bearing whatever disturbs and causes harm. In doing this, the individual unleashes hope, which maintains in him the conviction that suffering will not get the better of him, that it will not deprive him of his dignity as a human being…’

Question 22

Jesus was no ore than a very good man [15]

Answer 22

Jesus was no more than a very good man.’ AO2 [15]
• There is a lot of evidence in the scriptures that show that Jesus is more than just a good man: that he is God incarnate. For example, the Prologue to John’s Gospel speaks of the Word being God and the Word becoming flesh which Christians believe refers to Jesus.
• In Philippians, St Paul speaks about Jesus being equal to God, but emptying himself to become a human being.
• The miracles that Jesus performed, in the name of the Father, and the resurrection itself could also be seen as proof that Jesus is God.
• On the other hand, all of the evidence in the New Testament relies on a belief that the scriptures are inspired, which itself is not proved.
• Other groups who accept the authority of the Bible (for example, Jehovah’s Witnesses) reject the idea that Jesus is God, so the scriptures must allow other interpretations.
• The belief that Jesus is God is not possible if there is only one God.
• If God exists, God is eternal and transcendent, but Jesus suffered and died – things that God could never experience and remain God.
Possible sources could include:
• John 1:1-18:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made…The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth…No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.”
• Philippians 2:5-11
“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father