AQA Religious Studies A - Christianity

Scriptural Verses Mentioned in the Specification

• John 1:1-3 (Christianity) – the role of the Word (Son) in creation.

• Genesis 1:1-3 (Christianity) – the role of the Holy Spirit in creation.

• Christians must learn these and be able to think about the religious beliefs and practices they refer to.

Christianity Genesis 1-3 – The Creation

• “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.”

• These are the opening lines of Genesis, the first book of the Bible, an ancient text that was originally written in Hebrew.

• Christians interpret this verse as referring to the Holy Spirt or Spirit of God. This means that the third person of the Trinity, was present at the beginning with God the Father.

John 1-3 – The Word made Flesh

• “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”

• These are the opening verses of the Gospel of John, a gospel is a book in the Bible that provides an account of the life and work of Jesus.

• These verses refer to Jesus (God the Son), present at the moment of creation.

• This is one reason why many Christians refer to Jesus as being the Word.

• This verse can also help us understand why Christians believe that Jesus is God incarnate (God made flesh) and the second person of the Trinity.

• The author of the Gospel of John clearly believed that Jesus was no ordinary man, but God the Son.

What Both Verses Mean Together

• Christians may look at these verses together to support the idea that all parts of the Trinity were involved in the creation and will have existed before the creation of the world.

Christianity: Beliefs and Teachings Background

• Christianity began nearly 2,000 years ago after Jesus was crucified (Good Friday) and resurrected ‘rose from the dead’ (Easter Sunday). His teachings were recorded by his disciples and followers like St. Paul.

• Christianity became to official religion of the Roman Empire in the 4th century when Emperor Constantine converted.

Denominations

• In 1054 the church split into East (Orthodox) and West (Catholic) and in 1500, Henry VIII declared himself head of the Church in England at a time of the reformation in Europe. This lead to the Protestant churches.

• There were subsequent protestant splits occurred, e.g. Baptist and Pentecostal; many churches today prefer to be called ‘Free churches’.

Key Beliefs

• Christians believe God is omnipotent, omniscient (all-knowing), benevolent (loving) and absolute (unchanging, eternal).

• Christians, from their experience and knowledge, know that there is suffering in the world.

Omnipotent (power)

• God is believed to be the perfect so he must be omnipotent – there is nothing he cannot do e.g. created the world, caused Mary to become pregnant: ‘Nothing is impossible with God’ (Angel Gabriel) Luke 1.37

• Although often shown as physical power Christians believe his omnipotence also consists of power and authority to do good.

Benevolent (loving)

• God loves humans and He has given them everything. Christians feel they should reflect this by loving others and treating them with care and respect. ‘Love is patient….kind… does not envy… is not proud…not easily angered..…does not delight in evil…rejoices with the truth…always protects… 1 Corinthians 13

The Existence of Evil

• To appreciate and value eternal life in paradise requires experience of the imperfect, so when things go wrong, Christians believe it is part of God’s plan.

• Many Christians believe: Jesus is a final sacrifice, ‘the lamb that takes away the sins of the world’ by taking the punishment meant for them. Jesus taught love and compassion so he should serve as a role model so humans should care for others in the same way he cared for them: “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16.

Just:

• God is seen as supreme with unlimited power and authority, together with total love, so he is believed to be the ultimate source of justice. Christians believe God will never support injustice, ill treatment, prejudice or oppression’.

• Jesus spoke out against injustice, working amongst the poor, oppressed and sick. He disliked hypocrites; people who appeared to be religious in public, but were not in private.

The Problem of Evil and Suffering: What is the Problem?

• Some of the suffering is caused by humans (deliberate and accidently) – this is moral evil.

• Some of the suffering is caused by nature – suffering is part of the world humans live in – this is natural evil.

• The problem is why does a perfect God allow humans, especially good and innocent ones, to suffer?

• The qualities of God means that God must know about suffering, have the power to end it and love humans unconditionally. So why is there suffering?

Some Solutions

• Moral evil: the devil tempts people (e.g. Adam and Eve); humans have free will, which they abuse and so hurt others.

• Natural evil: suffering is allowed as a punishment for wrong-doing; it is a test of faith, so that we can appreciate good, it is a balance and an education – we can only become better people by experiencing suffering.

• No attempt at a solution solves the problem fully. Most Christians say that humans must just accept suffering, as humans cannot possible understand God and all His purposes. God is just, so the fairness of all will be made clear at the end of days. Most important of all is that Christians respond to suffering by helping others (make links to this idea with the Christian Practices section).

Other Christian Responses to Evil and Suffering…

The Trinity

• The Oneness of God and the Trinity - Christians believe in one God, known as monotheism, which has been developed into the idea of the Trinity. God is not a physical being, although one ‘person’ of the Trinity, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, are non-physical elements or realities. They are one in three and three in one all at the same time. It is an idea the human cannot fully understand, so is a mystery.

• God the Father – Jesus taught his disciples (followers) to pray starting with the words: “Our Father in heaven…” The ‘Father’ is the creator of life and omnipresent.

• God the Son – Jesus, the second person of the Trinity is often referred to as the ‘Son of God’ as God incarnate (became human in Jesus). Most Christians believe Jesus is both God and human.

• God the Holy Spirit – Jesus left the earth 40 days after his resurrection (Easter) and was replaced by the Holy Spirit whereby the Holy Spirit continues to exist so as to influence, guide and sustain life. It is seen as the unseen power of God at work in the world, past, present and future.

The Nicene Creed

• The Nicene Creed, a statement of Christian belief, that tells us a lot about the Trinity.

• I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

• And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.

• Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; … He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

• And I believe in the Holy spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father [and the Son]; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets… Amen.

The Importance of the Trinity in the Nicene Creed

• Christians see the Persons of God in different ways – they perform different roles.

• Christians believe that God wanted to save them and his plan has been in place for a long time – this is show by Jesus having existed since creation and the Holy Spirit speaking through the prophets – including the foretelling of Jesus.

The Influence of the Belief in the Trinity Today

• Most Christians today believe in the Trinity.

• Some churches uses creeds, such as the Nicene Creed, which express their beliefs about the Trinity in worship.

• Christians celebrate Trinity Sunday, the birth of Jesus at Christmas, his death and resurrection at Easter, and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

• Christians pray to Jesus as well as God the Father and may pray to God the Father ‘in Jesus’ name’.

• Blessings and baptisms are given ‘in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit’.

• Christians may feel that they experience the Holy Spirit acting in their lives, and Pentecostal Christians place particular emphasis on the role of the spirit.

Creation

• Christians believe that God created the earth and every living thing.

• “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, ‘let there be light’, and there was light…. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good” Gen 1:1-3, 31.

• Many believe that the ‘spirit of God’ is the third person of the Trinity active at the beginning.

• Christians believe that the opening of the Gospel of John refers to Jesus, present at the moment of creation. This is one reason why many Christians refer to Jesus as being the Word.

• “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. 1 John

• It is this interpretation that many Christians use to help explain why they believe Jesus is God, the incarnation of God and therefore the second person of the Trinity. John clearly believed Jesus was no ordinary man but God the Son. The Genesis version clearly states God created the world, so all three parts of the Trinity were involved in creation and must have pre-existed it.

Genesis and Its Importance

• Christians believe the message within Genesis 1 is true.

• The world was planned, ordered and sustained by God.

• Human lives have purpose and meaning because God created those lives and humans are made in the image of God, so all humans are of equal value.

This Means That Humans Must

• Treat each other equally (link to Crime and Punishment and War and Peace)

• Look after God’s creation (link to religion and life)

Different Interpretations

1. Genesis is literally true – every word is the word of God; God dictated the book and is totally correct. It happened as it said it happened. God created the world in seven days.

2. Genesis does contain truth but it was not dictated. God inspired the writers – so if there are errors in the story, they are human errors. While generally correct, within the story, elements can be reinterpreted – does ‘day’ mean ‘our day’ or ‘a period of time’ for example.

3. Genesis was written by a person whose sense of God in the world inspired them to write. It is a man-made document. The point of the story is to give the messages that God is a loving God, we have place in the world, and the world is a good place. It is a myth with an important message.

Death and the Afterlife

• Death separates life on earth (temporary) from life with God (eternal) – it is not something to be feared. Christians believe they will reunite with the dead, thus easing the pain of bereavement.

• The Book of Revelation says God will wipe every tear – there will be no more crying or pain.

Afterlife for Christians

• Belief in the resurrection is important to Christians.

• Resurrection means that the dead will be raised to life because of the teachings of Jesus and that he himself overcame death.

• St Paul himself said this was central to Christian belief.

What Christians Mean by Resurrection

• Christians belief God will resurrected them before Judgment Day.

• Jesus told people that the new mode of existence would be different from the current earthy one.

• On earth our bodies and other life is perishable; on judgment day we will be raised imperishable (we will have spiritual bodies that will not decay).

• However, there is a continuity between a person’s earthy life and the resurrected life.

• Roman Catholics believe in purgatory, a state between death and the afterlife. After the death of the body, the soul goes to purgatory if it is destined for heaven, where it is purified enough to enter heaven.

There Are Different Views About Resurrection

• Many Christians simply say humans have no answer – only to trust in God.

• Without scientific evidence all teachings on resurrection are a matter of belief, based on Bible teachings and the words of Jesus.

Judgement

• Jesus taught that God’s love and mercy are conditional.

• At the end of time on the Day of Judgement all souls (Christian or not) will be judged by Jesus.

• The parables – the Rich Man and Lazarus and the Sheep and the Goats are judgement teachings.

• Jesus will come to judge both the living and the dead.

• Others reject the second coming of Christ. Jesus was just trying to express something humans simply cannot understand.

• Humans will account for their actions, but no one knows how or when.

Heaven and Hell

• Christians use earthly images to explain their understanding of heaven. It is stage of being rather than a physical place; it is being with God outside time and space.

• People often see heaven in a way they see their present lives.

• It is often described in a way that would appeal to them now, for example those in poverty describe it as a land of milk, honey and plenty.

• The Bible paints a picture of hell via the metaphor of an unquenchable fire.

• This idea was historically used to frighten people into obeying Church rules.

• Most people now see hell as an eternal separation from God.

• Christians believe this is not something decided or desired by God, it is a result of human choice.

Jesus Christ and Salvation

• Incarnation means: "the act of being made flesh."

Trinitarian Churches Believe

• "By his incarnation, he, the son of God, has in a certain way united himself with each individual. He worked with human hands, he thought with a human mind. He acted with a human will, and with a human heart he loved. Born of the Virgin Mary, he has truly been made one of us, like us in all things except sin" The Church in the Modern World, 22

• The Incarnation reveals a Hypostatic Union: one person subsists in two natures

• The incarnation allowed people to see, touch and approach God through his presence in Humanity.

• The Incarnation reveals God in a new way for humanity and as a human, He reveals to human beings what it means to be human.

• "Jesus increased in wisdom, in stature, and in favour with God and people" Luke 2:51-52

The Human Nature of Jesus Christ

• Jesus had a human birth, experienced human growth and human needs, he lived a Jewish childhood, learned prayers and studied the scriptures.

The Divine Person of Jesus Christ

• It is through the divine nature of Jesus that it was made possible for Jesus to perform miracles, atone for people's sins and resurrect from the dead.

• The Christmas story, the birth of Jesus could be used to ‘prove’ Jesus is God as a human. Although some parts may not be historically accurate, the basic message is accepted.

A Miracle Birth

• “Behold, the virgin shall conceive through the Holy Spirit and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). Matt 1:23. Jesus called the ‘Son of God’ - the second person of the Trinity.

• Jesus is the ‘Messiah’, (the word ‘Christ’ comes from the Greek word meaning anointed one, which is a translation of the Hebrew word ‘Messiah’) the one foretold to come in the future and save people from their persecution, sins.

• At one stage Jesus told his followers not to use ‘Christ’ possibly to avoid a blasphemy charge, but later accepted it at his trial. Jesus was crucified on Good Friday and rose from the dead (resurrection) on Easter Sunday. They see this as evidence of God only having power over death; therefore Jesus is the incarnation of God. His incarnation – Jesus the Son of God

• Central to Christian belief is the idea that God took on human form as Jesus.

• John 1:14 says “the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.”

• Christians believe Jesus was fully God and fully human – truly the Son of God.

Jesus: Son of God

• The title ‘Son of God’ is used about Jesus in the New Testament.

• Mary was a virgin who conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit.

• Many Christians accept the virgin birth as true.

• Others suggest it is more of a metaphor to show that Jesus was both human and divine.

Jesus’ Knowledge

• If fully divine, Jesus should have had full knowledge of what was happening, yet at times his knowledge seemed limited.

• This can be explained by saying that to become human he had to give up most of his divine knowledge – a great sacrificial act.

• He came as a servant but was still fully God in his relationship with and understanding of God.

Importance of Belief in Incarnation

• It helps Christian’s understand the extent of God’s love for humanity.

• It shows how Christians should live – as God loved us so we should love one another 1 John.

• Many Christians have taken on this act of selfless love in their behaviour (link to examples in Christian practices i.e. Street Pastors, running food banks).

Crucifixion

• Jesus’ work on earth lasted about three years, then he was arrested, tried and crucified.

• Convicted of blasphemy by the Jewish authroities, he was put to death for treason under Roman law.

• He was crucified at Golgotha – the place of the skull. It ook six hours of Jesus to die. Mark records that for three hours the earth was dark, perhaps symbolic of the judgement on Israel for its rejection of the Messiah.

• While on the cross Jesus asked: ’God why have your forsaken me?’

• Just before death “Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ Luke 23:46.

• Mark says that at the point of death, the temple curtain tore in two – believed by some to show that Jesus’ death had destroyed the barrier of sin that separated man from God, therefore making it possible to access God.

Why Jesus Had to Die

• At the time – Jesus’ teachings gave a new understanding of the Torah, which bought him into conflict with the Jewish leaders.

• At the time – the Roman Governor was under pressure to keep a peaceful land, so came down hard on any religious rebellion. When Jewish leaders implied Jesus was stirring up trouble, the governor had to act.

• In Christian though – Jesus had to die to fulfil God’s plan. Without his death humans could not be reunited with God and enter heaven. Jesus atoned for the sins of humanity, bringing God and man back together.

Salvation and Reconciliation

• God gave His only son so that humans could be saved in eternal life (salvation).

• Jesus’ death atoned (made up for) human sin.

• This was God reconciling with His people. He is so loving and merciful He made forgiveness possible through His own son.

The Impact of the Crucifixion for Christians Today

• By accepting Jesus’ sacrifice, sin can no longer destroy their live.

• God forgives those who faithfully ask for forgiveness.

• Suffering is a part of life and as Jesus suffered, God understands the suffering we have to go through.

• Christians work for reconciliation with others in the world today (link to Christian practices).

Resurrection

• After Jesus’ death, he was placed in the tomb as Sabbath was about to start. On the Sunday morning, some of Jesus’ female followers went to the tomb but the body was not there. Despite variations in the gospels, Mary Magdalene is present. During the next 40 days, Jesus appeared to several people, including Mary Magdalene and the disciples, telling them he had risen from the dead as he had predicated. The physical nature of Jesus’ appearances is always emphasised.

• “For death came through man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through man…in Adam all die, in Christ we’ll be made alive’ Corinthians (St Paul)

How Does Jesus’ Resurrection Influence Christians Today?

• It is the central element of Christian belief – if Jesus had not risen from the dead then he is no different to others who die for their beliefs. The resurrection provede Jesus was the Son of God.

• The resurrection shows how the good God triumphed over evil and death.

• By accepting Jesus, they can also be resurrected and do not need to fear death.

• Assures Christians that God will forgive their sins if they follow the teachings of Christianity. By doing so they will become closer with God, confident of his love

• The ascension shows that Jesus is with God, so the Holy Spirit takes over to provide comfort and guidance.

• Without the resurrection, there would be no Christian faith.

• This victory of the resurrection opens up heaven for Christians. Jesus’ sacrifice overcame sin, reconciled humanity with God and offered eternal life.

The Ascension of Jesus

• As the resurrection is a matter of faith and interpretation, so is the ascension. There are other explanations, but if Jesus had God’s power God to rise from the dead, it is possible that he was able to leave the earth physically and return to heaven. Only Mark’s and Luke’s gospels finish off their story saying that, after meeting his disciples and asking them to carry on his good work, Jesus left them for the last time.

• At Bethany Jesus blessed his disciples before being taken up to heaven “a cloud received him from their sight” (Acts).

• “ …he lifted up his hands and while he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven..” Luke 24:50

How Does Jesus’ Ascension Influence Christians Today?

• The ascension symbolises Christ’s divinity.

• The ascension marks the end of Christ’s mission.

• The ascension is cause for celebration, not sorrow.

• The ascension prefigures Christ’s return.

Sin

• The story of ‘original sin’ is in Genesis – Adam and Eve are tempted by the devil to eat from the tree of good and evil.

• Adam and Eve were evicted from the Garden of Eden as a punishment.

• Christians believe that humans were all descended from Adam and Eve. Tainted by this act, all humans have an inbuilt tendency to disobey God.

• Sin separates man from God, bringing eternal punishment. As humans are full of sin, so only God can rectify this problem.

• Christians believe that only God can rectify the problem of humans being full of sin. To do this Christians believed God offered salvation through the sacrifice of Christ.

• Most Christians do not take the Genesis story literally. To many it conveys the message that humanity has the inclination to disobey God, which damages their relationship with him (God).

• According to Christian belief, sin separates humans from God, bringing lasting punishment. God gave humans free will so it is up to humans to decide for themselves how to behave, i.e. in an evil or good way.

Salvation and What It Means for Christians

• Salvation means being accepted by God and having the assurances of eternal life.

Salvation Through Law:

• In Jesus’ time the Jews though that ‘obeying the law’ was the way to salvation.

• Some Christians believe in salvation through works – the idea that a right relationship with God has to be earned.

• Some Christians think salvation can be earned through obedience to God’s laws; others take on the Jesus’ idea that God was more pleased the thoughts in our minds and the love in our hearts for Him and others. Christ needed to put these thoughts into action their lives.

Salvation Through Grace:

• Grace means the unconditional love that God has for us. God loves humanity regardless. God’s love is there despite everything humans do – there is no need to earn salvation.

• God shows His love in the gift of salvation to all who belief in Jesus as the Son of God.

• Salvation through grace and spirit is made possible through Jesus’ atoning death. Jesus’ actions made possible the forgiveness for the sins of the world, leading to reconciliation.

• Christians believe they receive God’s grace through the presence in their hearts of the Holy Spirit. This allows them to try to show love as Jesus did.

• Many people today believe that ‘the grace of God’ helps them every day and that ‘acts of grace’ are seen in the world daily.

Salvation by Spirit:

• Some Christians believe that the Holy Spirit is present around humans today, helping them to achieve salvation.

• The Spirit guides people in their day to day life, through their conscience, to make the right decisions about how to behave.

• It can help Christians to understand God, including when they are reading the Bible.

The Role of Chris in Salvation and the Idea of Atonement

• Christians believe that due to the Fall, humans have become separated from God.

• However, the Bible says that:

• “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son.” This shows that God sent Jesus to Earth for humans sin to be forgiven.

• Christians believe that Jesus crucifixion means his life was sacrificed for all humanity. This means they can be reconciled (have a restored relationship) with God.

• It can be helpful to think of Jesus as a bridge between sinful humans and God.

• “….we were restored to him through the death of his Son.” St Paul Romans 5:10

• The reconciling of God and humans is due to the idea of atonement, the restoring of the relationship between people and God through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. This means that all humans can access heaven and be with God.

• The Bible describes Jesus as the “…atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also the sins of the whole world.”

Christian Beliefs: From Creation to Ascension (and How They Fit Together)

• Christians believe God created the world, including humans. The Book of Genesis tells us he did this seven days. Many Christians understand this Biblical story as a metaphor that contains symbolic truths, some Christians take the story literally.

• Genesis also tells us that God placed the newly created man and women: Adam and Eve, in Paradise. However they are tempted by the serpent to disobey God, eating the fruit from the tree of good and evil this is known as the Fall.

• As punishment for this first sin Adam and Eve are banished from the Garden of Eden. Christianity teaches that all humans bear the mark of Original Sin, as a result of this. This means all humans are naturally inclined to disobey God.

• Some time later. Jesus is born. This is known as the incarnation - the idea that God took human form in the person of Jesus. Christians believe Jesus is both fully God and fully human. Christians also believe Jesus is the Son of God.

• Jesus's work on earth (his period of teaching) lasted about three years, he was then arrested tried and crucified. Being fully human he suffered the full pain of this. Christians believe that Jesus' sacrifice made up for the Original Sin of Adan and Eve. God gave up His only son so that humans could be saved and have eternal life (salvation).

• Jesus death atoned for human sin. It also led to reconciliation between God and his people.

• All four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) write that three days after his crucifixion Jesus rose from the dead. Appearing first to a group of women and then to his disciples. This is know as the resurrection. It is important to Christians because it is seen as proof that Jesus is the Son of God, who triumphed over evil and death. This opened up heaven for humans, who were offered eternal life.

• On the 4th day after the resurrection some texts describe the ascension of Jesus. At Bethany, Jesus blessed his disciples before being taken up to heaven 'a cloud received him from their sight' (Acts). It was also promised that he would come again. The ascension is a sign that Jesus' had completed his earthy mission and could return to God.

Christianity Beliefs and Teachings – Scriptural References

The Nature of God

• “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus (Bible)

God as Omnipotent, Loving and Just

• “Nothing is impossible with God” Luke (Bible)

• “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John (Bible)

• “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always, perseveres. Love never fails.” Paul (Bible)

Different Christian Beliefs About Creation

• “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” Genesis (Bible)

• “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” John (Bible)

The Incarnation and Jesus, the Son of God

• “This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through Holy Spirit.” Matthew (Bible)

• “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” John

• “Again the high priest asked him, ‘Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?’ ‘I am,’ said Jesus” Mark (Bible)

• “You may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John (Bible)

• “When Jesus was baptised, a voice from Heaven said ‘You are my Son’ Mark (Bible)

The Crucifixion

• “Jesus called out… ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ .. This said, he breathed his last.” Luke (Bible)

• “Surely this man was the Son of God!” Mark (Bible)

The Resurrection and Ascension

• “When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.” Luke (Bible)

Resurrection and Life After Death

• “So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. They body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.” Paul (Bible)

The Afterlife and Judgement

• “He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead” The Apostles Creed

• “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne in heavenly glory” (The parable of the sheep and goats) Matthew (Bible)

• “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John (Bible)

The Role of Christ in Salvation

• “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Paul (Bible)

• “For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” Paul (Bible)

• “…if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” A letter of John (Bible)

Christianity: Practices Worship and Festivals

There Are Four Forms of Worship You Need to Know:

1. Liturgical worship

2. Non-liturgical worship

3. Informal worship

4. Private worship

Liturgical Worship

• This type of worship is found in services in the Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Church of England (Anglican) churches.

• Some acts of worship require a liturgy (a set order or pattern), for example, Roman Catholic Mass. Features of liturgical worship are: a set structure to the service, the use of set prayers and readings.

• Some Christians see it as ‘old fashioned’ or ‘very traditional’.

• The service follows the text of a prayer book and is not improvised at all.

• Liturgical worship often takes place in a church, but not always, for example, a papal open-air Mass or an Anglican Eucharist in the home of a sick person.

• Some Christians prefer liturgical worship: the familiarity of the service makes them feel secure and they can join in with ease. They know exactly what to expect even in a church where they have never been before. They like the dignity that is typical of liturgical worship and think there is a variety and choice within the set structure

Non-Liturgical Worship

• Other Christians prefer a more informal style of worship.

• They may feel that liturgical acts of worship stifles genuine worship and praise.

• Non-liturgical acts of worship are typical of some nonconformist churches and tends to be Bible- based.

• It often follows a structure (for example, hymn, prayer, reading, hymn, sermon, prayer, hymn) but the service leader has free choice within that structure.

• They may choose a relevant theme for events in the world or community.

• The minister or person leading worship will choose Bible readings that will be based on the theme of the sermon.

• Prayer is usually in the person’s own words and personal style, known as extemporary prayer.

Informal Worship

• Charismatic worship is a form of informal worship. The service has the characteristics of other forms of worship (hymns, sermon, prayer, readings), but it is very free-flowing.

• On charismatic (spirit-inspired