Christianity

Monotheism

Belief in one God

Omnipotence

The quality of God having great power

Omnibenevolence

The quality of God being perfectly good and all-loving

Agape

Deep and profound sacrificial love that transcends and persists regardless of circumstance

Justice

The quality of being guided by truth, reason and fairness

Triune

Three in one

The Father

The creator, upholder and transcendent

The Son

The immanent, both fully divine and fully divine, messiah

The Holy Spirit

A source of strength, courage and wisdom still present in the world today

Genesis 1

God created the Earth over six days (and one day of rest) before leaving stewardship to humans

Genesis 2

Similar to Genesis 1 but man was created before animals and woman was created from man’s rib before man was commanded to not eat from the Tree of Knowledge

Genesis 3

Woman was tempted by a serpent to eat fruit from the Tree, sharing with man, before they realise their nakedness and are cast out from the Garden of Eden

Fundamentalism

Strict belief in the literal interpretation of the Bible as it is the direct word of God, which is never mistaken

Conservatism

The Bible was not written by God but the writers of the Bible were inspired by God's actions, thus Genesis 1 is interpreted as fact but each day was millions or billions of years

Liberalism

The Bible is interpreted metaphorically and will have contradictions within it as it was written by humans and so is imperfect

Incarnation

The doctrine that the Son assumed human form in the person of Jesus Christ and is completely both God and man

Crucifixion

The death of Jesus upon the Cross

Resurrection

The rising of Christ after His death and burial

Ascension

The bodily ascending of Christ from earth to heaven

Sin

Transgression of divine law

Salvation

Deliverance from the power and penalty of sin

Law

A commandment or a revelation from God

Works

The deeds of a person, especially virtuous or moral deeds performed as religious acts

Grace and spirit

The influence or spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them, achieved through faith

Monism

The doctrine that denies the existence of a distinction between body and soul

Dualism

The doctrine that a human being embodies two parts - body and soul

Resurrection of the body

The Rising of the Dead on Judgement Day

Immortality of the soul

The soul is an immaterial substance and thus is not subject to the decomposition of material things; hence, it is immortal - most dualists agree that the soul is identical to the mind (the faculty of thinking and acquiring knowledge’s power or ability), yet different from the brain (the part of the central nervous system that controls and coordinates mental and physical actions)

Purgatory

A place in which the souls of those dying penitent are purified from venial sins, or undergo the temporal punishment that, after the guilt of mortal sin has been remitted, remains to be endured by the sinner

Heaven

The abode of God, the angels, and the spirits of the righteous after death

Hell

The abode of evil and condemned spirits

Exclusivism

The doctrine that only one particular religion is true

Inclusivism

The doctrine that there is beauty in the variety of different schools of thoughts and that they can live together in harmony

Pluralism

The doctrine that the desire for God and salvation is not restricted to any one religion

Liturgical worship

A particular, set arrangement of services

Non-liturgical worship

Informal, less-structured services

Adoration

The act of paying honour to God

Confession

Acknowledgment or disclosure of sin or sinfulness

Thanksgiving

The act of giving grateful acknowledgement of benefits or favours to God

Supplication

An act or instance of a request made for something desired, especially a respectful or humble request, to God

Intercession

A prayer to God on behalf of another

Set prayer

Prayers that follow a certain format and are repeated

Informal prayer

Prayers that do not follow a set script and are instead expressed in a way that feels personal to the individual

Sacrament

A visible sign of an inward grace

Baptism

A ceremonial immersion in or application of water, as an initiatory rite of the Christian church, purifying thought and character

Eucharist

The commemoration of the Last Supper (the supper of Jesus and His disciples on the eve of His Crucifixion)

Transubstantiation

The changing of the elements of the bread and wine, when they are dedicated to the service of the Eucharist, into the body and blood of Christ (Roman Catholic Church)

Pilgrimage

A journey made to a sacred place as an act of religious devotion

Ecumenical

A movement aimed at achieving universal Christian unity and church union through international interdenominational organisations that cooperate on matters of mutual concern

Miracle

An effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers, therefore is unexplainable by science, and is ascribed to a supernatural cause

Christmas

The annual Christian festival in commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ

Easter

The annual Christian festival in commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ

Church

The whole body of Christian believers

Persecution

A campaign to exterminate, drive away, or subjugate people based on their membership in a religious, ethnic, social, or racial group

Reconciliation

An act of becoming amicable, as when former enemies agree to a peaceable truce

Mission

A series of special religious services for increasing religious devotion and converting unbelievers via negotiations, establishing relations, providing scientific and technical assistance, etc.

Evangelism

The preaching or promulgation of the gospel by an itinerant or special preacher

Convert

One who has adopted a different religion or beliefs

Disciple

One who is a pupil or an adherent of the doctrines of another