Key Christian Beliefs Flashcards
describe the trinity
Christians believe that god created life and rules over us (‘the father’), became a man on earth and lived among us (Jesus ‘the son’) and is a power that changes lives and gives people courage to do amazing things (‘the holy spirit). god is ‘three in one’
give an example of the holy spirit (the story of Pentecost)
following Jesus’ ascension, disciples remained in hiding. streets of Jerusalem filled with pilgrims come to city to celebrate Pentecost. disciples hear many different languages spoke. Holy spirit appeared like a wind blowing through them, saw flames hovering above heads and could peak different languages so went out to preach, told people to turn lives around and get baptised
describe the nature of God
he is omnipotent, omniscient and omnibenevolent
what do fundamentalist Christians believe about the creation
that it is literally true
what do many Christians believe about the creation story
believe the story is an allegory- never intended to be true, but contains certain truths about god;
- god created everything
- god responsible for order of universe
- everything god created was good
- human beings created in god’s image
- human beings given dominion over rest of creation
describe God as transcendent
means god is apart from rest of creation. god is beyond the universe , he knows everything that is going on but he is not part of it
explain the problems of evil if god is omnipotent, omniscient and omnibenevolent
- if god omnipotent, how come e doesn’t stop bad things happening
- must know bad things are happening if he’s omniscient
- if god is omnibenevolent he must love all humans, if he loves us why does he let bad things happen to us
explain the solutions to the problems of evil
- god made a perfect world, but gave humans free will and they messed things up. it is our fault that suffering exists
- there is a devil responsible for all evil in world, Satan tempted Adam and Eve into garden of Eden
- suffering is a test and we’ll be rewarded in heaven
- maybe we need to suffer to become fully rounded human beings, suffering is character forming
describe the creation story
- in genesis creation story, god created the world, then plants, then fish and birds, then animals, then humans.
- god created humans in his own image, this implies;
- humans are the pinnacle of god’s creation
- we are special because only human beings made in god’s image
- we must have purpose if god designed us
describe Charles Darwin and natural selection
recognised environment constantly changing. some animals born with slight mutations that put them at an advantage or disadvantage in environment. if advantage, they’ll survive and breed passing on good mutation to offspring; whilst those without mutation eventually die out- natural selection. over time species will change -evolution
explain what evolution implies
- humans are just accident , weren’t designed
- we aren’t made in gods image
- we don’t have a particular purpose
describe a compromise between the creation story and evolution
- some Christians argue god designed natural selection, he designed the original lifeforms with capacity to adapt and evolve
- Christians argue that there appears to be order and intelligence behind all this so called ‘chance’, od designed it
- allows for scientific account but suggests life has purpose
explain genesis 1:1-3
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And there Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. “And God said, “Let there be light, “and there was light”.
explain john 1:1-3
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.
what do many Christians believe about life after death
they will be taken into the presence of God and they will be judged for the deeds they have done or failed to do during their lifetime. Some of the guiding principles for what will happen upon death include:
- judgement
- hell
- purgatory
explain judgement
some Christians believe judgement will happen when they die. Others believe there will be Day of Judgement at end of time, when everybody judged at same time. Some believe judgement will happen in two stages: an initial personal judgement when you die, followed by the definitive judgement at the end of time.
explain hell
God given human beings free will, opportunity for people to reject God. This is the basis of the idea of Hell. Hell depicted as place of eternal fire, symbolises pain and suffering. seen as the result of refusal to accept the happiness that God wants people to share with him.It is eternity in the absence of God.
explain heaven
- eternity in the presence of God.
- ultimate aim for all Christians in order for their soul to be reunited with God and united with Christ.
recall a teaching about eternal life
“Jesus said,” I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.””
recall a teaching about Jesus’ life as an example
“God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
what proves that life after death is possible
Jesus’ Resurrection
define the apostle creed
statement of faith, referring to a belief in the resurrection of the body (of Christ)
what is declared in the apostle creed
“i believe in the resurrection of the body”
define purgatory
intermediate state where souls are cleansed in order to enter heaven- Catholics
