GCSE PRE- Christian beliefs

omnipotent

all-powerful

Omnibenevolent

All loving

omniscient

all-knowing

eternal

lasting forever

immanent

God getting involved in our world

Transcendant

God having made the world but not getting involved in our affairs

omnipresent

present everywhere

qualities of god

omnipotent, omni-benevolent, omniscient, judge, creator, eternal, father, transcendent, immanent, omnipresent

creation

The act by which God brought the universe into being

where is the creation story found?

Genesis 1

what did god create on the first day?

the earth, day, and night

what did god create on the second day?

the sky

what did god create on third day?

land and plants

what did god create on the fourth day?

Sun and moon

What did god create on the fifth day?

Birds and sea animals

what did god create on the sixth day?

animals and humans

What did God do on the seventh day?

He rested and admired his creation

fundamentalist/literal christian view

Belief that the Bible is the direct word of God - it has no error and everything is true

conservative christian view

Belief that the Bible is the word of God but interpreted by the writer's personalities and writing styles

liberal christian view

belief that Bible could contain mistakes or poetic interpretations due to writers being influenced by ideas and worldviews at the time

what is the trinity

god being the father, the son, and the holy spirit while still being one god

ways of representing the trinity

triquetra and the shamrock

nicence creed

the basic beliefs of the church

Incarnation

in flesh (eg. to appear in human form)

What is Jesus often referred as?

Jesus of Nazareth

What do Christians believe about Jesus?

they believed him being god in human form was more important than the details of his birth

meaning of Jesus' birth

It showed Jesus was God incarnate and it made it easier for Christians to explain and accept as truth some of Jesus' actions and miracles on earth, including his ressurection.

How was Jesus conceived?

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the angels gifted Mary a baby; Jesus, which the gospels explain the conception of the baby and the baby itself is no ordinary.

reasons why Christians believe Jesus is the son of God

Jesus is identified as the Word (i.e. the Word of God) in John's gospel, the living actions of Jesus (miracles, resurrection etc.) is evidence for Christians. Jewish people were expecting a Saviour (though Jews do not accept that it was Jesus).

blasphemy

A religious offence which includes claiming to be God

Crucifixion

Roman method of execution where criminals were nailed to a wooden cross

atonement

making amends for a wrong or injury

What was one reason for Jesus' crucifixion?

Jesus gave a new understanding to the Torah (old testament) which cause him to be in direct conflict to Jewish leaders; he was executed by them for blasphemy.

What is the second reason for Jesus' crucifixion?

A roman governor, Pontius Pilate, was under pressure to keep a peaceful land so he removed all religious rebellion. Jesus was informed to the romans for string trouble by Jewish leaders, so he executed him to not be seen as weak by the roman emperor.

what is the third reason Jesus was crucified?

atonement for people's sins

where was Jesus crucified?

Golgotha- known as "place of the skull"

Who was Jesus crucified next to?

two theives

When was Jesus crucified?

the morning of Good Friday

What happened to Jesus when he was crucified?

People verbally abused him, mocked him and challenged him to save himself if he was divine.

Who did Jesus forgive when he was crucified?

He forgives the soldiers who have crucified him, as well as one of the thieves who asks for forgiveness

What happens to the temple when Jesus dies?

He dies and the curtain in the Temple rips in two, showing he really is the son of God

How does Jesus' crucifixion influence Christians today?'

Teaches Christians to face death without fear, teaches the example of forgiving people, even your enemies, hows that Jesus was both fully human and divine, reminds Christians that having faith in God will result in eternal life, Shows God's omnibenevolence

Ressurection

rising form the dead

What happened immediately after Jesus' death?

a man called Joseph of Arimathea asked for the body of Jesus so he could bury it, he was a member of the Council that had pressed for Jesus to be crucified but he himself had disagreed with it. There was not enough time to bury Jesus properly because the Sabbath was due to start, so he laid Jesus' body in a cave-like tomb and rolled a large stone to block the entrance.

Who first found Jesus' tomb empty?

Mary Magdalene

Who did Mary Magdalene and the other Mary meet?

one or two men, possibly angels

What were Mary Magdalene and the other Mary told?

They were told Jesus was not there as he had risen from the dead and was going to Galilee

similarities of the gospels describing Jesus' resurrection

the body of Jesus was nowhere to be found, the women who met one or two men who may have been angels, the men told the women that Jesus had risen from the dead and were told to spread the word, as they would see him again

resurrection apppearances

stories of Jesus being seen after his resurrection, Jesus wasn't immediately recognised in most cases as there was something different in his appearance or nobody expected to see him, showed his physical character- therefore not a ghost.

what could Jesus' resurrected body do?

could pass through walls and locked doors

Who witnessed Jesus' resurrection appearances?

his disciples and other followers

why is the crucifixion important to Christians today?

it is a central element to the Christian faith, i f Jesus didn't rise from the dead, his life would have ended in failure, it's ultimate proof of his divinity, that he is the Son of God, It shows God's triumph over evil and death, It gives Christians the chance to be saved from sin (Atonement).

How long after Jesus' death was his ascension?

40 days

literal Christian interpretations of the ascension

Other literal Christians do take the event literally in terms of Jesus being hidden by a cloud and disappearing into another dimension (Heaven)

conservative and liberal christian interpretations of the ascension

Many Christians think this story was not intended to be taken literally as if Jesus was lifted up and taken to heaven by God's power. Rather, the writer uses imagery to stress the finality of this appearance, the successful completion of his work on Earth and also Jesus' divine kingship.

What do Christians believe the resurrection symbolises?

Christians believe the resurrection shows the power of good over evil. They also believe by accepting Jesus, they can also be resurrected in some way. Therefore they have no need to fear death. It assures Christians that God will forgive their sins if they follow the teachings of Christianity, believing they will become closer to God in this life and beyond.

What do Christians believe the ascension symbolises?

For Christians, the ascension shows that Jesus is with God. It paves the way for the coming of the Holy Spirit to provide comfort and guidance, without the resurrection there would be no Christian faith.

What do all Christians believe?

the afterlife, god the judging people after their deaths,

What do many Christians believe?

many believe if you repent (ask for forgiveness) you can still go to Heaven and non-Christians who please God by their actions can go to Heaven

What do some Christians believe?

Some Christians don't believe an all-loving God would punish people so cruelly

What is the Apostles Creed?

One of two great creeds, or statements of belief, of the Church. It is considered to be a summary of the Apostles' faith. It is the ancient baptismal symbol of the Church of Rome.

Beliefs about the afterlife that many Christians agree on

They will be resurrected and receive eternal life after they die, Judgement will be either very soon after death, or on the Day of Judgement, People will be judged by God at some point after they die, Eternal life is a gift from God and is dependent on faith in God

Christian beliefs about judgement by God

teaches that God's judgement will be based on behaviour & actions, as well as faith in Jesus

heaven

a reward for both faith and actions, some believe only Christians can come to heaven, often depicted as the garden of eden

hell

punishment, a state of existence without god, place of eternal torment, often depicted as ruled by the devil, questioned by many, as mot something a loving god would allow

purgatory

Catholic belief of an intermediate (waiting) area before entering heaven, a place where souls are cleansed before entering heaven, some believe Christians and non-Christians can enter

How does a belief in an afterlife, judgement, heaven and hell affect Christians' lives?

Do good deeds, Help those in need, Have faith in God, Follow the rules/Jesus' teachings, Repent/ask for forgiveness

sin

Any action or thought that separates humans from God.

original sin

The in-built tendency to do wrong and disobey God.

free will

The ability to choose one's own actions.

God's grace

The unconditional and generous love that God shows to people who do not deserve it

where does the original sin come from?

a result of Adam & Eve's disobedience of God when they ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. God had told them they could eat anything in the Garden of Eden, but not the fruit of that tree.

what is the result of the original sin?

separation from God and the introduction of suffering and death into the world

what is the role of free will?

To let people make their own choices with guidance on what a 'good choice' is such as the god's laws eg. the 10 commandments and other Christian teachings at their own consequence of being separated from God.

salvation

to be saved from sin and its consequences, and to be granted eternal life with God

What are ways Christians believe they can gain salvation from?

Through God's Grace and Doing good deeds

role for other parts of the Trinity in terms of gaining salvation

Christians believe it is the Holy Spirit who gives grace to Christians and continues to guide them in their daily lives, to help them achieve salvation

the role of Jesus in salvation

Jesus' crucifixion made up for the Original Sin of Adam & Eve, his death was needed to restore the relationship between God and believers, shows Jesus defeated the evil of sin; proof God accepted his sacrifice, resurrection means humans can now receive forgiveness for their sins, All who follow Jesus' teaching can gain eternal life because of his death and resurrection

Atonement

action of making amends for a wrong or injury

what is Jesus' sacrifice?

an atonement for the original sin