Christianity: Beliefs and Teachings

Christianity: Beliefs and Teachings Revision Guide

Contents

  • Introduction to Christianity

  • The nature of God

  • The Oneness of God and the Trinity

  • Christian beliefs about creation

  • The incarnation and Jesus, the Son of God

  • The crucifixion

  • The resurrection and ascension

  • Resurrection and life after death

  • The afterlife and judgment

  • Heaven and hell

  • Sin and salvation

  • The role of Christ in salvation

Christianity Beliefs and Teachings Summary

Key Beliefs

  • Explain the nature of God, including the belief that God is omnipotent, loving, and just.

  • Explain the problem of evil and suffering.

  • Explain the Christian belief in the Oneness of God and the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

  • Explain different Christian beliefs about creation, including beliefs about the Word and Spirit from Genesis 1:1-3 and John 1:1-3.

  • Explain different Christian beliefs about the afterlife and their significance, including resurrection, life after death, judgment, heaven, and hell.

  • Explain Christian beliefs and teachings about the incarnation and Jesus as Son of God.

  • Explain Christian beliefs and teachings about the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus.

  • Explain Christian beliefs and teachings about sin, including original sin.

  • Explain Christian beliefs about the means of salvation, including by law, grace, and Spirit.

  • Explain Christian beliefs about the role of Jesus in salvation.

  • Explain Christian beliefs about the ideas of atonement.

Personal Learning Checklist

What You Need to Know
Understanding of the Nature of God

  • I can explain the nature of God for Christians.

  • I can back up beliefs about God’s nature using teachings and Bible quotes.

  • I can explain the problem of evil and suffering, evaluating how Christians respond to this issue.

  • I can define the Trinity using key terms and identify the various parts of the Trinity, giving examples of how it influences Christians.

  • I can explain the Christian creation story from the Bible.

  • I can compare different Christian views on creation.

  • I can identify Christian views on Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory linking it to judgment.

Quality of Notes

  • Excellent: notes extremely detailed with all activities completed and improvements made.

  • Good: notes contain some detail and the majority of activities completed with some improvements.

  • Poor: notes patchy, lacking detail, unfinished or missing entirely with no improvements made.

Understanding

  • Green: I understand this fully and am confident in answering any exam question.

  • Orange: I understand most of this and can attempt exam questions reasonably well.

  • Red: I need to improve my understanding and progress significantly.

Christianity Beliefs and Teachings Key Terms

Key Terms and Definitions

  • Afterlife: What Christians believe follows life on earth.

  • Ascension: The event 40 days after the resurrection when Jesus returned to God in heaven.

  • Atonement: Restoring the relationship between people and God through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

  • Benevolent: All loving and all good; a quality of God.

  • Blasphemy: A religious offense, such as claiming to be God.

  • Creation: The act by which God brought the universe into being.

  • Crucifixion: The execution and death of Jesus on Good Friday.

  • Day of Judgment: A time when the world will end, and every soul will be judged by God.

  • Denomination: A distinct group within the Christian faith, with its own organization and traditions.

  • Forgiveness: Showing grace and mercy and pardoning someone for wrongdoing.

  • God: The Supreme Being.

  • Grace: A quality of God shown to humans by providing love and support which they do not need to earn.

  • Heaven: A state of eternal happiness in the presence of God.

  • Hell: A place of eternal suffering.

  • Holy: Separate and set apart for a special purpose by God.

  • Holy Spirit: The third person of the Trinity believed to be God's inspiring presence in the world.

  • Incarnation: The act of becoming flesh or taking human form.

  • Justice: Bringing about what is right and fair.

  • Monotheistic: A religion that believes there is only one God.

  • Original Sin: The belief that everyone is born with an urge to do bad things and disobey God.

  • Omnipotent: Almighty; having unlimited power.

  • Omniscient: All-knowing.

  • Purgatory: The intermediate state where souls are cleansed before entering heaven.

  • Resurrection: Rising from the dead.

  • Salvation: Saving the soul, deliverance from sin and admission into heaven brought by Jesus.

  • Satan: Name for the devil.

  • Sin: Any action or thought that separates humans from God.

  • Son of God: A title used for Jesus, the second person of the Trinity.

  • The Word: A term used at the beginning of John’s gospel to refer to God the Son.

  • Trinity: The belief in three persons in one God.

Introduction to Christianity

Christianity is based on the beliefs in Jesus being the Son of God. The Bible is the sacred text for Christians, divided into two main parts:

  1. Old Testament: Contains at least 39 books, including the Creation story (Genesis) and the Ten Commandments.

  2. New Testament: Contains 27 books, including the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) which detail the life of Jesus.

Christianity is divided into different denominations that share key beliefs but may interpret some aspects of the faith differently and worship in various styles:

  • Roman Catholics: Respect the authority of the Bible, the Church, and the Pope; seven sacraments are vital.

  • Protestants: Base beliefs and practices on the Bible without following the Pope.

  • Orthodox Christians: Have seven sacraments and mainly found in Eastern Europe.

The Nature of God

Christianity is a monotheistic religion, meaning all Christians believe in one God who creates and sustains all that exists. There are universal qualities attributed to God across the three branches of Christianity, despite differences in worship and lifestyle.

  • Is God a man? Many Christians refer to God as 'He' and 'Father', but they believe God transcends gender and shares characteristics of both genders. The Bible illustrates God's spiritual nature (e.g., John 4:24).

  • God as Omnipotent, Loving, and Just: These qualities represent God's perfection, inspiring Christians to aspire to similar virtues.

    • Omnipotent (Luke 1:37): God is all-powerful, meaning He can do anything.

    • Loving (John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8): God's love is boundless, prompting Christians to love one another.

    • Just: As the ultimate judge, God dislikes injustice. Christians strive to prevent wrongs in their communities.

The Oneness of God and the Trinity

The Trinity conveys that there are three distinct 'persons' in one God: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

  • Analogy of Clover Leaf: Just as a clover leaf comprises three leaves but is one leaf, the Trinity consists of three persons who are all God.

  • God the Father: The creator and loving fatherly figure.

  • God the Son: Fully human and divine in Jesus Christ.

  • God the Holy Spirit: Guides and sustains believers and the world.

The Nicene Creed

Established at the Council of Nicea in A.D. 325, emphasizing the core beliefs regarding the Trinity and the deity of Christ.

Different Christian Beliefs about Creation

Christian creation beliefs center on Genesis 1:1-3 and John 1:1-3, affirming God's role as the creator of the world and all life:

  • Genesis 1:1-3: God creating the heavens and the earth, affirming religious truth over scientific accuracy.

  • John 1:1-3: Asserting the involvement of both the Word and the Spirit in creation.

Original Context: Most scholars agree Genesis was penned around 500 BCE, while John's gospel, written over 600 years later, emphasizes the divine nature of Christ.

The Incarnation of Jesus

  • The Importance of the Incarnation: For Christians, the belief that Jesus embodies God in human form surpasses details of His earthly life.

  • Virgin Birth: Announced by the angel to Mary, proclaiming the child to be divine (Matthew 1:18).

  • Significance of Incarnation: Validates miracles and resurrection narratives due to Jesus being fully God and fully man (John 1:14).

The Crucifixion

  • Details of Crucifixion: Jesus was sentenced to death and endured pain and humiliation as both God and man.

  • Biblical Account (Luke 23:46): Jesus committed His spirit to God during His last moments.

  • Impact on Christians Today: The crucifixion fosters confidence in God’s forgiveness and empathy for human suffering.

The Resurrection and Ascension

  • Resurrection: Central to Christian belief, affirming that Jesus rose from the dead and indicated eternal life for believers (see all four Gospels).

  • Ascension (Luke 24:50-51): Post-resurrection, Jesus ascended to heaven, assuring believers of His divine authority and presence.

Resurrection and Life After Death

The belief in resurrection and afterlife presents rewards and consequences:

  • Bodily Resurrection: Catholic beliefs assert a physical resurrection rendered glorified, as supported by 1 Corinthians 15:42-44.

The Afterlife and Judgment

  • Judgment Day: God determines each person's fate based on their relationship with Him and adherence to Christian teachings (Matthew's parables elucidate this judgment).

Heaven and Hell

  • Heaven: Described as eternal joy in God's presence, interpretations diverge on who is permitted entry.

  • Hell: Pictured traditionally as a place devoid of God's presence, but modern interpretations consider it a state of existence without divine connection.

Sin and Salvation

  • Concept of Sin: Actions or thoughts that breach God's laws. Original Sin epitomizes humanity's tendency to sin (Genesis 3).

  • Definition of Salvation: Act that reconciles believers with God, made possible through Christ's atoning sacrifice (1 John 2:1-2).

The Role of Christ in Salvation

  • Atonement: Hebrews 9:22 states, "without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness." Jesus’ death serves as atonement, enabling believers to return to God.

Christianity Practices Summary

Importance of Worship, Prayer, and Sacraments

  • Role of worship in community and individual faith (liturgical, informal, private forms).

  • Various Christian views on sacraments (Baptism, Eucharist) and their meanings.

  • Significance of pilgrimage and celebration of festivals like Christmas and Easter.

The Role of the Church in the Community

Response to Local and Global Needs

  • Practical applications of Christian teachings in local food banks, charitable efforts, and community services (e.g., The Trussell Trust, The Oasis Project).

Exam Questions: Strategies and Techniques

  • Multiple-choice questions on key definitions and concepts.

  • Short answer prompts to explain beliefs and teachings comprehensively.

  • Engage with more complex tasks such as analyze and evaluate given statements surrounding Christian tenets and practices for a comprehensive understanding.