Key Definitions Flashcards
Christianity
The largest world faith which follows the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Messiah
Messiah is a Hebrew word meaning saviour or rescuer.*In Greek the word for saviour /rescuer is Christ -hence the name Jesus Christ
Resurrection
Being brought back to life after dying
Ascension
Jesus physically rising up to heaven
Trinity
The belief that God is three as well as one- Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Denomination
A group within Christianity
Evangelism
Spreading the message of Christ in order to convert people
Disciple
The main followers of Jesus who helped him spread his message
Missionaries
People who spread the Christian message- often travelling to other countries to do this
Persecution
Discrimination against a group of people who share an aspect of their identity e.g Christians, women, black people
Gentiles
The name given to the non-Jewish people in the bible
Early church
Christians in the first three centuries (ce) common era:this is the non-religious dating,opposed to AD , they can be used interchangeably).
Martyred
The word ‘martyr’ comes from the Greek meaning “witness”. It is when a person is killed for their beliefs
Scapegoat
A term when you deliberately blame someone else
Bishop
A Christian leader with authority over priests and churches in an area
Creed
A statement of belief which outlines the shared beliefs within a community
Heresy
Beliefs that are opposed to the core beliefs of the church
Religious Scriptures
Religious texts,such as the Bible
Confessional
A booth were Catholics ask a priest to grant them God’s forgiveness for the sins they have committed.(sometimes being absolved of your sins).
Eucharist
The practice of eating bread and drinking wine during the church service to remember the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Eucharist is derived from the Greek word Eucharistia to mean Thanksgiving.
Penance
Prayer or some other action to show that one is sorry for committing a sin/sins.
Transubstantiation
The belief that the bread and wine becomes the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ during the Eucharist.
Excommunicated
Officially expelling someone from participating in the sacraments of services of the Christian church.
Indulgences
Certificates that people bought from the Catholic Church so that they would spend less time in Purgatory when they died.
Protestantism
A form of Christianity that began in the 16th century as a protest against the Catholic Church.
Reformation
A 16 century movement to reform the church resulting in the division of the western church in to catholicism and Protestantism it was led by Martin Luther.
