Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

RE: Christianity > S1 Believing in God: Key Questions > Flashcards

S1 Believing in God: Key Questions Flashcards

1
Q

Your upbringing

A
  • shapes the person you become
  • how you are treated
  • experiences of the world
  • what you’re told
  • what you’re introduced to

These contribute to the person you become (your culture)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Baptism

A
  • introduced to the family of God

- Godparents promise to bring up in Christian faith

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Worship

A
  • taken to church
  • taught stories of Jesus (Sunday school)
  • people you meet have strong Christian beliefs
  • Christmas & Easter - special occasions to celebrate
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Community

A
  • church provides sense of belonging
  • prayer meetings, youth clubs, parties (celebrate festivals)
  • helps to express faith
  • world outside starts to challenge their beliefs
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

School

A
  • church school
  • surrounded by a strong sense of community
  • taught Christian faith
  • encouraged to make a personal commitment in confirmation
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Adulthood

A
  • Christian beliefs stay with them
  • community support in times of need
  • likely to marry a Christian (shares same beliefs)
  • repeat the process
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Religious experience: Miracle

A
  • Jesus’ resurrection is the greatest miracle
  • Bernadette Soubirous had a vision of the Virgin Mary in Lourdes in 1858 so many people visit and are healed because of their faith
  • only capable of God
  • results in a belief in God or strengthens a belief
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Religious experience: Answered prayer

A
  • personal way to communicate with God
  • pray for an event or intervention
  • God has not only heard the prayer but has done as requested
  • e.g. and ill person gets better after praying to be well
  • God must exist to have answered
  • God is interested in them personally
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Religious experience: Numinous experience

A
  • you’re astonished
  • you believe there is something more powerful than you
  • e.g. view from a mountaintop, birth of a baby
  • so powerful that they think it’s God
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Religious experience: Conversion

A
  • changes their beliefs and dedicates their life to God
  • e.g. St Paul on the road to Damascus
  • sudden awareness of God & changed beliefs
  • confronted with a choice
  • life-changing experience
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

The Design argument

A
  • a complex mechanism is designed for a purpose
  • according to a plan, producing something that was intended
  • many people believe that the universe was designed due to its complexity, it wasn’t an accident or through a ‘big bang’
  1. so well ordered and balanced to sustain life, so complex and beautiful, made up of different parts
  2. due to its complexity it must have been designed
  3. designs have designers
  4. only being powerful enough is God
  5. God must exist
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

The Causation argument

A
  • idea that everything has been caused (started off) by something else
  1. nothing can happen by itself
  2. everything must be caused by something else
  3. the universe couldn’t have “just happened” by itself
  4. a very powerful force must have caused the universe
  5. the cause must have been God
  6. God must exist

Q. Does the universe need a first cause? If it does and that is God, does God need a cause?

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Scientific explanations for the origins of the world

A
  • atheists don’t believe in God
  • agnostics believe we cannot know
  • atheists believe theories other than design and causation…
  1. the big bang theory
    - 15 billion years ago
    - explosion of matter
    - world created
    - continues to expand/evolve without outside power
  2. the red shift theory
    - main evidence of the big bang
    - red shift effect –> shift in light from other galaxies is evidence the universe is expanding
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Christian responses to scientific explanations of the world

A

Christians have to respond to an argument against God with reasons and evidence:

  1. Some REJECT scientific explanations and believe Genesis is true, supported by evidence & faith
  2. Some believe bible is FACT. Fundamentalists believe the world was created by an omnipotent God in 6 days
  3. Some believe the bible can be INTERPRETED for modern society and stories are meant to represent a greater truth but the message & meanings are true
  4. Some believe the physical form of the world can be explained without God but the BEAUTY within it CANNOT. The world is so mysterious that it must have had a power behind its beginning –> God
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Problem of unanswered prayers

A
  • atheists think if God was omniscient and omni-benevolent then everyone’s prayers would be answered
  • God does nothing about pain and suffering
  • millions of people pray for the same thing (e.g. world peace) and God does nothing
  • Christians doubt their belief and it tests their faith
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Christian responses to unanswered prayers

A
  • sometimes the answer is no or not now
  • they have to trust God to do what’s best for them
  • God did answer but not in the way they expected
  • God has an ultimate plan and responds to prayers that fit
  • prayers may contradict others so he cannot answer all
17
Q

Problem of evil and suffering

A
  • moral evil
  • natural evil
  1. an omni-benevolent God would not want people to suffer and remove the causes
  2. an omnipotent God would be able to remove the causes
  3. an omniscient God would know how to remove the causes
  • either God is omni….. or he doesn’t exist
  • evil & suffering exists, so God cannot
18
Q

Christian responses to evil and suffering

A
  • challenge Christian’s beliefs
  • God is omni…… but allows suffering
  • even his followers and innocent people suffer
How can that be?
1. it was planned - after original sin
> God created a perfect world
> Adam & Eve chose to disobey him
> punishment was separation from God
> suffering and evil
> Jesus was sent to restore relationship & save humanity
2. it's a test from God
> some may reject God
> some grow closer to God
> stronger, more loving & patient characters
> result of test determines afterlife
  1. we were given free will
    > we’re not programmed like computers
    > we choose evil so suffering occurs
    > suffering is a result of our choices in life
4. God knows why but we cannot
> God's ultimate plan
> brought about by suffering
> God has the answer
> we must trust God
  1. allows us to follow Jesus’ example
    > the need for prayer & good works
    > without suffering we can’t do this
19
Q

The media and belief in God

A
  • influence our attitudes
  • presenting ideas as facts and facts as fiction

Some programmes say that having faith and a belief in god is beneficial/positive. There are programmes that are SPECIFICALLY RELIGIOUS and are designed to support a belief in God. This enables viewers to become part of a religious community.

Some programmes make religious beliefs seem HUMOUROUS or RIDICULOUS. This encourages the viewer to share this attitude towards belief in God.

RE: Christianity (5 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions