Paper 1 Christian Beliefs Flashcards
What does omnipotent mean?
God is all-powerful
What does omnibenevolent?
God is all-loving
What does just mean?
Fairness
How is God all powerful?
- God created the world and all life
“Nothing is impossible with God.” (Gospel of Luke) - Miracles in the Bible
(Parting of the Red Sea, Exodus)
How is God just?
God is believed to be tantalum fair and the perfect giver of justice. He is also believed to be a judge of our actions and never supports injustice.
“For I the Lord love justice.” (Isaiah 61:8)
How is God all loving?
- Created humanity and shared his love with them; encourages Christians to be loving
- Greatest act of love was sending Jesus to Earth.
“ God so loved the world, he gave his one and only son.” (Gospel of John)
This encourages Christians to be self-sacrificing and to work for the benefit of others, for example in Humanitarian Aid Agencies
What does transcendent?
Beyond human experience or God above all
What does immanent mean?
Near or God is within all
Why can people not find God?
He exists outside of our universe
God exists outside of time or space. If God is all knowing and all seeing, God could…
Not be a part of this world. This means God is more of an observer p, looking in.
People who believe that God is not present in our world believe God is …
Transcendent
Many Christians believe that God acts in the world. How does He do this?
- When people are heroic this is God acting through people
- People have visions and experiences of God.
People who believe that God acts in the world believe that God is…
Immanent
Many Christians believe that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are …
Immanent
Why is God personal?
- Many Christians believe that God is a personal God , or one that cares for humans for humans in their day to day life. God ‘speaks’ to people in day to day life
- Priests believe they are ‘called’ by God to do the job. Christians often pray to God for guidance or support and feel that their prayers are answered.
Why is God impersonal?
- This belief about God is that He is more of a force in the world than a being with human qualities. Many people feel that their individual prayers go unanswered, or not answered in the way they expect.
- Even though God is real, God is something that is separate from human beings. So, other people believe that God is more complicated than being something you can ‘talk’ to.
If God is immanent, He is ..
Personal
If God is impersonal, He is ..
Transcendent
What is moral evil?
The acts of humans which are considered to be morally wrong
Eg. Murder and theft
What is natural evil?
Natural disasters eg. Earthquakes or tsunamis, which humans have no control over
What are some ideas in the inconsistent triad?
If God is omnipotent, he is aware of the existing evil and suffering and knows how to put a stop to it.
If God is omnibenevolent, he will want to put a stop to it. Yet evil and suffering does exist.
What are the 3 points of the inconsistent triad?
- God is all loving
- God is all powerful
- Evil does not exist
What are some of Mackies conclusions from the inconsistent triad?
If we accept that God is omnipotent and omnibenevolent, then we have to say suffering and evil does not exist
As suffering and evil clearly does exist we must challenge these traditional ideas of God
Therefore, either God is not all-loving or all-powerful, or he does not exist
What are the 3 Christian responses to the problem of evil?
- The Freewill defence
- Evil and suffering have a purpose
- Evil exists as a punishment
Christians responses to the problem of evil: What is the freewill defence?
Some Christians believe that the existence of evil and suffering is the result of the Fall.
The world was initially made good but Adam and Eves disobedience in the Garden of Eden caused evil to enter the world. The misuse of human free will causes evil and suffering.
Solution: Evils not Gods fault.
Christians responses to the problem of evil: How does evil and suffering have a purpose?
Some Christians believe that evil and suffering exist as a test, to help people learn and grow.
Through experiencing suffering ourselves we develop empathy and compassion towards others.
Christians responses to the problem of evil: How does evil exist as a punishment?
Suffering is needed as a balance- to appreciate good, we have to be able you recognise evil or bad.
It’s impossible to have one without the other.
Suffering is the punishment for original sin- this is because God is just so this punishment is a form of his justice
What is a theodicy?
A solution to the problem of evil
What are the 3 parts of the trinity?
The father, son and Holy Spirit
What is the Father part of the trinity like?
God loves human beings- God the creator and sustainer, cares for everyone and everything but will also judge and punish
What is the Holy Spirit part of the Trinity like?
God sent the Holy Spirit to live and work in the world and help guide and support Christians
What is the Son part of the Trinity like?
God incarnate, which literally means God in flesh. He showed people how to live the right way
What happened on day 1 of the creation?
Night and day
What happened on day 2 of the creation?
Sea and sky
What happened on day 3 of the creation?
Land and vegetation
What happened on day 4 of the creation?
Sun, moon and stars
What happened on day 5 of the creation?
Sea and sky animals
What happened on day 6 of the creation?
Land animals and humans
What happened on day 7 of the creation?
God rested
In the bible, where can God the father be found?
In Genesis, the creation story. Glad created the heavens and the Earth ex nihilo (from nothing) showing his omnipotence
Where can God the son be found in the bible?
Gospel of John- disciples insert Jesus into the creation as the logos or word that enabled ll existence through God the Fathers omnipotence
In the Bible, where can God the Holy Spirit be found?
In genesis, the ruah from Jewish belief is the breath of life that blows across the starts at creation and is believed to be still present in the world
Is science and religion compatible? What would non literalists say?
- God didn’t produce the world ready made, the creator has made the world able to make itself
- Just because I believe in the Big Bang doesn’t stop me from believing in God
Is science and religion compatible? What would literalists say?
- The bible is the word of God which accurately shows how events happened in history. Christians who believe that the world was created out of nothing in 6 days as it was written in genesis
- As the world was so complex no humans are so distinctive than other animals there must have been an intelligent designer
What is the resurrection?
The rising from the dead of Jesus Christ on the third day after the crucifixion
What is scripture?
The sacred writings of a religious faith. For example Christianity and the Bible
What is heaven?
A Christian idea of paradise where the soul goes after death if it is free from sin to have eternal life with God
What is hell?
A place that some Christians believe is a punishment after death for those souls that are not free from sin; it is often referred to as a place of torment or suffering without God.
What is purgatory?
In some Christian tradition, a condition or state in which good souls receive spiritual cleansing after death, in preparation for Heaven. (Roman Catholic belief)
If there is an afterlife, which part of us goes to heaven or hell?
View 1: The Body
“I believe in the resurrection of the body.” Apostles Creed
Resurrection is the belief that our soul is reborn into some new body. Traditional ideas speak about the dead coming out of their graves for judgment day. This encouraged some Christian’s to have burials over cremation.
If there is an afterlife, which part of us goes to heaven or hell?
View 2: The soul
“The body that is down is perishable, it is raised imperishable. It is down a nautical body, it is raised a spiritual body.” 1 Corinthians 15:42-44
This is interpreted to mean we don’t climb out of graves in the same, but rejuvenated body. Instead we gain a new, spiritual body which lives on forever with God, while our earthly bodies are left to decay.
Who gets to go to heaven? (2 views)
Some say only Christians can go
Others say it is good people who make it to heaven
How is it decided who gets to go to heaven? (2 views)
Some say only Christian’s because they are baptised
Others say on the day of judgement day God judges our good and bad deeds
What parable supports ideas about the afterlife?
The parable of the sheep and the goats
Sheep go to heaven because they did good deeds, and goats go to hell because they didn’t
Why is the parable of the sheep and the goats important?
The parable of the Sheep and Goats strongly encourages Christians to take action to help those in need. In this parable, Jesus makes it clear that a life worthy of the reward of Heaven must involve actively helping people in need. Jesus explains that helping a person, whoever they are, is just the same as helping Jesus himself and is therefore a duty for all Christians.
What do the Catholic Church teach about the afterlife?
Some souls spend time in purgatory paying for our sins before we are finally ready to enter heaven
Most Christian’s recognise that all descriptions of heaven, hell and purgatory symbolic. What do they symbolise?
Hell means an eternity separated from God (and goodness)
Heaven means everlasting life in Gods presence (where everything must be perfect)
What are 2 contrasting beliefs about good sending people to hell?
- Some Christians belief that Gods love is so great that he wouldn’t send anyone to hell.
- Some Christian’s use the ideas of heaven and hell to get people to behave
What are 2 ways in which Christian beliefs about the afterlife influence Christina’s today?
Shows the how God wants them to go to church very Sunday —> some Christian’s believe that when someone dies they go to heaven, where they live happily with God as a reward for good deeds such as volunteering at a hospice and following Gods rules like the 10 commandments.
Avoid doing things God doesn’t want them to do such as big caring for others —> because of the belief about the day of judgment which influences them to do as they are told by God. Parable of the Sheep and the Goats teaches that selfish people go to hell, so Christian try to avoid this at all cost
What are some advantages of God in human form?
Get to know him as a person so you can have a relationship with him
Feels and knows human suffering
Can communicate in a human way, even in prayer
Bonding human and divine
What are some disadvantages of God in human form?
Could be viewed as an imposter
Cam be harmed (vulnerable and suffers like us)
If only human, nothing there to worship
Other faiths feel threatened
What is a social reason why Jesus was crucified?
Jesus said that the way people kept themselves away from the poor and the sick was wrong. He wanted to change how people treated each other.
What is a political reason why Jesus was crucified?
The Jewish leaders were worried that as Jesus became more popular, he would take away their power.
What is an economic reason why Jesus was crucified?
The Jewish priests were made very rich by people worshipping their way. If people followed Jesus, they would lose money.
What is a military reason why Jesus was crucified?
There weren’t many Roman soldiers in Palestine. The Romans didn’t start to notice Jesus until big crowds of people started following him in the street.
What is a religious reason why Jesus was crucified?
Jesus went around saying that people’s sins could be forgiven if they just asked for it. This made the Jewish priests irrelevant.
In the Gospel of Matthew, what happens at the incarnation?
Angel appears to Joseph
3 magi visit him
Ancestry goes back to Abraham and King David
In the Gospel of Luke, what happens at the incarnation?
Angel appears the Mary
Shepards visits him
Ancestry traces back to Adam, the first human
What do you think the author in the Gospel of Luke cares about and what kind of representation of Jesus do they give?
Luke wasn’t Jewish.
He wanted to show Jesus came for everybody, in particular the people who were at the edges of society, like poor people and women
What do you think the author in the Gospel of Matthew cares about and what kind of representation of Jesus do they give?
Matthew was Jewish and had a very male centred view of the world.
He wanted to show that Jesus was related to the Jewish faith and why Jewish people should listen to him
What is the ascension?
The event, 40 days after the resurrection (Easter) when Jesus returned to heaven
What is the crucifixion?
Roman method of execution (nailing a person to a cross). The execution and death of Jesus on Good Friday.
Give some reasons for why Jesus the resurrection was important for Christians:
No need to fear death
Christians also hope to be resurrected after death becaus Jesus was resurrected
Power of good over evil
Forgiveness
Friendship with God
What is salvation?
To be saved from the consequences of sin
How do we get salvation? (4 points)
- Through obeying Gods commands eg. 10 commandments
- Through action eg. Parable of the Sheep and the Goats
- Through the Holy Spirit (gives grace, guides and comforts) eg. “He saved us through the washing of the rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” Titus 3:5
‘Salvation is Gods greatest gift to humans.”
Points for:
God shows his great love for people by sending his son to save us
Everyone needs forgiveness from God
Without salvation, humankind would have to pay the price of human sin
Humans should be grateful everyday of their lives for Jesus’ sacrifice on their behalf
‘Salvation is Gods greatest gift to humans.”
Points against:
Atheists do not consider salvation important because they do no think there is a God who saves people
Even some religious people may think there are greater gifts eg. Nature or life itself
People may doubt the truth of Jesus’ resurrection so they don’t see the need for belief in salvation
Some people may question whether God is loving if God demands the death of his son in payment for human sin
What does original sin mean?
The first sin committed by Adam and Eve, resulting in all humans being born with it, corrupting human nature tending it towards evil
What does incarnation mean?
God in human form/ made flesh in Jesus
What is the crucifixion?
A roams method of execution involving nailing someone to a cross used to kill Jesus
What does the resurrection mean?
Jesus rising from the dead after 3 days
What does atonement mean?
Restoring relationships between people and God through Jesus’ death and resurrection.
How does original sin influence Christina’s today?
Ask for forgiveness from God
- Lord’s Prayer
- Everyone makes mistakes and needs to be forgiven (mercy)
Heals relationships
How does the incarnation influence Christians today?
Follow example of Jesus
- He shows us how God wants us to act
- Following 10 commandments
- Loving your neighbour
Helps them to recognise how God knows our suffering and shows empathy
How does the crucifixion influence Christians today?
Repent to say sorry for sins
Help those who are suffering
How does the resurrection influence Christians today?
Hope for new life and life after death
Shows power of good over evil
No need to fear death
How does atonement influence Christians today?
Sins are forgiven
Gives us a fresh start
Pray and develop relationship with God
What is a teaching (Bible verse/ scripture) about original sin?
Genesis 3- Adam and Eve disobey God
‘For all have sinned…” Romans 3:23
What is a teaching (Bible verse/ scripture) about the incarnation?
Virgin birth
At Jesus’ baptism, God says this is my son
“The world became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”
What is a teaching (Bible verse/ scripture) about the crucifixion, resurrection, and atonement?
“ For God so loved the world he gave his only son that all who believe in him have eternal life.”
John 3:16
What is a teaching (Bible verse/ scripture) about the ascension?
‘After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up to heaven.”
What is a teaching (Bible verse/ scripture) about the Trinity?
The Apostles Creed (I believe in God the Fathed, the Son and the Holy Spirit)
What is a teaching (Bible verse/ scripture) about the crucifixion?
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
“Surely this man was the son of God.”
What is a teaching (Bible verse/ scripture) about the resurrection?
Doubting Thomas’ story
“He is not here, he has risen.”
What is a teaching (Bible verse/ scripture) about life after death?
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.”
“For since death ca,e through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.”
What is a teaching (Bible verse/ scripture) about Heaven and Hell?
Parable of sheep and goats: “Then [the goats] sill go away to eternal punishment buy the righteous [sheep] to eternal life.”
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes and death shall be no more.”
“…and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
What is a teaching (Bible verse/ scripture) about sin and salvation?
“For God so loved the world, He gave his one and only Son that whosoever believes on him will not perish big have everlasting life.”
“For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
What is a teaching (Bible verse/ scripture) about the creation?
“God said “Let there be light” and there was light”
“God saw all that he had made and it was very good.”
“He created man in his own image, in the image of God he created man them.”
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth.”
What is a teaching (Bible verse/ scripture) about the Nature of God?
“He guides the humble in what is right, and teaches them His ways.”
“For God so loved the world he have his one and only son.”
“For I the Lord love justice.”
“Do to others what you would have them do to you.”
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth.”
