Christian Beliefs Flashcards

Question

Describe God the Father in the Trinity

Answer 1

* The creator of all life, acts as a good father towards his children * He is all omnipotent, omnibenevolent, omniscient, omnipresent

Answer 2

* Unseen power of God at work in the world who influences, guide and sustains life on earth

Answer 3

* The trinity demonstrates unity between the different persons of God. * Similarly, Christians believe they should show similar unity in their lives, and be respectful and loving towards others * Belief in the Trinity influences worship – prayers, church services, and hymns contain references to it.

Answer 4

* Some Christians believe the Trinity does not make sense and that there is only one God – eg. Unitarians

Answer 5

* Apostles Creed (said in churches) ‘I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit’ * During the baptism of Jesus, a voice from Heaven states ‘You are my beloved Son’. At the same time, the author describes the Holy Spirit descending ‘like a dove’.

Answer 6

* Adam and Eve – Genesis 3 * The story of Job - it’s a test, it’s part of God’s plan

Answer 7

* If God is omnibenevolent, why does he allow people to suffer and hurt others? * If God is omnipotent, why does he not prevent evil and suffering? * If God is just, why does he allow injustice to take place?

Answer 8

* Justifications of God in the face of evil)

Answer 9

* St. Irenaeus believed that suffering was a form of education for the soul. * It helps us grow spiritually.

Answer 10

* St. Augustine believed suffering was a consequence of free will. * Suffering occurs because humans make bad choices. God made the world perfect in Genesis 1. * Evil is not a thing in itself but a ‘privation of the good’ like blindness is a lack of sight.

Answer 11

* Schleiermacher challenges Augustine through the biological, moral and logical errors.

Answer 12

* Moral evil - suffering inflicted by people on each other * Natural Evil - suffering in the world caused by things like natural evil

Answer 13

* punishment for wrong doing * test of faith in god * form of education for our souls * needed for balance

Answer 14

* If it’s an opportunity to develop and grow spiritually, then they may take that opportunity to help others. * If suffering is a test of faith then Christians will be more likely to pray for support and guidance

Answer 15

* Genesis, in the Old Testament of the Bible - 6 days, and rested on the 7th.

Answer 16

* Believe literally true: * Bible is word of God; God is omnipotent

Answer 17

* Non-literally true – ‘ioms’ 6 periods of time, fit with evolution * Symbolic only – tells us truths about God * e.g. he is creator, universe is ordered and has a purpose.

Answer 18

* Humans have a responsibility to care for the world God created. (stewardship)

Answer 19

* God is the sole and omnipotent Creator. * God created a universe that was ordered not chaotic / it was not created by chance (therefore human lives have meaning and purpose). * Humans are made in God’s image, therefore we should remember that all human life has potential and we should treat everyone how we would wish to be treated. * Humans have been given authority (dominion) over the rest of the created world, therefore they have a responsibility to treat everyone equally and to show all created beings, human and non-human, love and respect. This idea is known as stewardship.

Answer 20

* The Trinity and creation: * John’s Gospel – “In the beginning, there was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…through Him all things have been made”. * In Genesis, it states ‘the earth was formless…and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters’. * "in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God" - Christian believes that the Son of God (Word of God) was involved in creation

Answer 21

* Scientific evidence – Big Bang – red shift, CMBR, fossils * Bible – not the word of God? * Genesis similar to other creation myths * ‘God of the gaps’

Answer 22

* All human life is valuable, which has an impact on moral issues * Responsibility to care for the world, promoting environmental issues such as recycling or green energy. * Because the world is made according to God’s structure and order. * This can reassure Christians when things go wrong.

Answer 23

* They will be resurrected and receive eternal life after they die * This is a gift from God and dependent on faith in God * They will be judged by God at some point after they die and either be rewarded (sent to heaven) or punished (sent to hell) * Judgement will either happen soon after death or on the Day of Judgment

Answer 24

* Christians believe they will either experience eternal happiness in the present of god (heaven) or be unable to experience his presence (hell) * Knowledge of these states is limited and linked to imagery from the past

Answer 25

* "He will come to judge the living and the dead" * "I believe in... the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting"

Answer 26

* The particular judgement (immediate) * The final judgement occurs with the Second Coming of Jesus. (Purgatory)

Answer 27

* Heaven - peace and reward, not physical? * Either physical place or spiritual state of joy and freedom - chance to be with loved ones * Traditional images of heaven often show God on a throne with Jesus next to o him and angels all around him

Answer 28

* Only Christians * Christians and other religious people who have pleased God by living good lives * Baptised Christians, regardless of how they have lived their lives * However, many Christians believe heaven is a reward for both with and actions

Answer 29

* intermediate state where souls are cleansed in order the enter heaven

Answer 30

* Hell - torment, fire, state of separation from God? * Pictured as a place of eternal torment in a fiery pit ruled by Satan * Hell could be an mental state of mind of being cut off from the possibility of God * Hell would be what awaits someone who did not acknowledged God or follow his teachings during their life

Answer 31

* Hell eternal – all loving God? * Did he know humans would sin? * How much power does the devil have?

Answer 32

* Thief who was crucified alongside Jesus, ‘today you will be with me in paradise’, - immediate/ particular judgement. * The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus warns of a rich man who is sent to Hell, and is unable to cross from there into Heaven – permanent. * The Parable of the Sheep and Goats also states that Jesus will return to judge the living and dead, and that he will decide based on whether people chose to help others during their lives, or ignore people who were suffering. - "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink... I was in prison and you came to visit me" * Before Jesus died, he told his disciples he would prepare a place for them in heaven, however important that having faith in him and following teachings was essential - "No one comes to the Father except through me"

Answer 33

* Christians believe that their body will be resurrected, like Jesus’ was after the crucifixion. * They will be given a new, spiritual body, which does not decay, and will live forever. * St. Paul ‘if Christ had not been raised, your faith is futile’.

Answer 34

* Resurrection – cremation, if physical * Christian funerals - pray for their entry into Heaven * If believe in Hell - Live good lives out of fear of punishment.

Answer 35

* Incarnation means ‘in flesh’. * It refers to God becoming human and living on Earth in the form of Jesus

Answer 36

* "She was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit" * "The word became flesh"

Answer 37

* Angel appeared to Mary and Joseph explaining that it was not an ordinary conception & not to be an ordinary child * Gospels of Matthew and Luke explained Mary conceived Jesus without having Sex * Virgin conception is evidence for the Christian belief that Jesus was Son of God (Trinity)

Answer 38

* Christians believe God is both fully human, and fully divine.( a.ka. the ‘hypostatic union’.) * This makes him different from demigods * Defies logic. * However, God is mysterious.

Answer 39

* The Bible teaches that Jesus’ mother Mary was a virgin, and only God could create life this way. * The Gospel of John refers to ‘the Word became flesh and lived among us’, suggesting that Jesus is God incarnate, not a demigod * The Gospel of Luke tells that Mary became pregnant through the Holy Spirit, therefore Jesus did not have a human father. * This is further explained in the Nicene Creed * All Gospels contain teachings about Jesus ability to perform miracles, cast out evil spirits, and forgive sins.

Answer 40

* Virgin birth? * How do we know about his birth? * How can he be omnipotent and human? * Jesus communicates with God through prayer throughout the Gospels. Why?

Answer 41

* Sacrifice - follow this example in their daily lives- agape love. * Celebrate Christmas is a celebration of the incarnation of Jesus.

Answer 42

* Jesus was fully God and fully human which helps explains his miracles and resurrection * His words, deeds and promises have great authority because they are the word of God

Answer 43

* Most Jews expected a a Messiah who would come to save Israel and establish an age of peace - don't believe Jesus was that person * Christians believe that Jesus is the Messiah - spiritual rather an political * Gospel refers to Jesus as the Christ ('anointed one' or Messiah) - but Jesus warned his disciples not to use the term because blasphemy

Answer 44

* Crucifixion is a form of execution used by the Romans. * It involved tying or nailing a person to a wooden cross and leaving them to asphyxiate (die from lack of oxygen) * The crucifixion of Jesus is generally accepted as a historic event - 4 Gospels, as well as by the Roman historian Tacitus. * "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit"

Answer 45

*God suffered and died - put the needs of others before their own. * Many Christians even die to protect others e.g. Martin Luther King, strengthen their belief that God cares for them * Salvation and atonement – hope, forgiveness

Answer 46

* Shows Jesus was God and human – he suffered pain - Jesus’ last words ‘My God, why have you forsaken me?’. * Helps with acceptance of evil and suffering - Christians accept suffering is a part of life * Jesus’ sacrifice gives hope that sins will be forgiven * Christians believe that God understands human suffering because Jesus, who is God, experienced it

Answer 47

* Women followers find that the tomb is empty. * In Marks Gospel, a ‘man in white’ (who could be an angel or Jesus) tells them to return to Galilee. * In John’s Gospel, it is the risen Jesus who tells Mary Magdalene about his resurrection, and tells her to tell the disciples what she has seen. * The stories stress that Jesus has physically resurrected – he is not a ghost, or a zombie.

Answer 48

* "And if Christ had not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith"

Answer 49

* Taken into Heaven 40 days after crucifixion * Rises up through the clouds until he is out of sight * Historical or symbolic? – kingship * Holy Spirit sent to Earth afterwards

Answer 50

* "While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven

Answer 51

* Belief in afterlife * Good over evil * Sins forgiven

Answer 52

* Shows Jesus is with God in heaven * Paves the way for God to send the Holy Spirit to provide comfort and guidance

Answer 53

* There were many eyewitnesses that saw the tomb empty. * The story can be found in the Bible. * Jesus was the Son of God and could make this happen. * The tomb was empty. Neither the Jewish leaders nor the Roman government could produce a body to silence those who claim to see Jesus alive. * There are separate eye witness accounts independent from each other.

Answer 54

* Impossible * Body stolen – Roman guard? * The disciples made up the story to gain prestige, or to create their own religion * Even if not dead, too weak to move stone * Disciples were mostly executed so they would have admitted if lied * Women unreliable witnesses so wouldn’t make up that fact * Jesus did not rise from the dead so the disciples took the body to make it look as if he had. * The body was still there but they felt his presence with them. * Jesus was not really dead, perhaps the last drink was drugged to make him appear dead. * People had hallucinations. They wanted to think he was alive, so they imagined it. * The women went to the wrong tomb.

Answer 55

* Some believe only the soul is resurrected (not the body) - just spiritual * Catholic and Orthodox Christians believe in a bodily resurrection - both spiritual and physical: physical body lost at death is restored and transformed into a new, spiritual body * Some believe it takes places immediately * Others believe it will be on a future day when Jesus will return to judge everyone who has ever lived

Answer 56

* Means life after death is real * inspires Christians to live life in the way God wants them to, so they can remain in his presence in this life and the next * Shows Christians how much God loves them * Gives hope of a future life with Jesus * Gives confidence in the face of death

Answer 57

* Christians believe that the resurrection shows the power of good over evil. * Christians believe that by accepting Jesus, they can also be resurrected in some way. They need not fear death. * Jesus’ resurrection assures Christians that God will forgive their sins if they follow the teachings of Christianity. By doing so they will become closer to God. *For Christians the ascension shows that Jesus is with God. * Without the resurrection there would be no Christian faith.

Answer 58

* Disobedience to God’s laws * A thought or action that separates humans from God.

Answer 59

* The first human sin is found in the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3. * Christians believe that sin of Adam and Eve passes from generation to generation * Natural disposition people have to perform wrong actions. * Christian teachings about sin Jesus states ‘the only way to the Father is through me’

Answer 60

* All humans commit sin * Catholics believe humans are born with an in-built tendency to sin (original sin)

Answer 61

* God gave people free will, but they should use their freedom to make choices God would approve of * God provides people with the guidance to make good choices in his law, e.g. Ten Commandments

Answer 62

* To be saved from sin and its consequences to be granted internal life * Salvation repairs the damage caused by sin

Answer 63

* The death of Jesus is key to God’s plan of salvation. * It was a planned event that would allow for the forgiveness of original sin. * Jesus takes on the sins of the world, and pays the debt of sin with his death. * Jesus’ death is also an act of reconciliation (repairing broken relationships). - the relationship between humans and God was so damaged, only a drastic action like self sacrifice could repair it. * Resurrection shows the goodness of Jesus defeated the evil sin - proof that God had accepted Jesus' sacrifice on behalf of humankind, meaning humans can receive forgiveness for sins * Jesus' death and resurrection made it possible for those who follow him to gain eternal life

Answer 64

* “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. * "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord"

Answer 65

* Earn their place in Heaven through their own actions Parable of the Prodigal Son, the son does not deserve the forgiveness of his father – he has not earned it - salvation through works is a false idea. * "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead"

Answer 66

* Given freely by God through faith in Jesus - not dissevered but a gift of God's love * Without God’s grace, humans cannot be truly good, accept into their lives. - St. Paul originally hunted and persecuted Christians. * He had a religious experience on the road to Damascus, ‘does not deserve to be called an apostle, but by the grace of God, I am what I am’. * "For it is by grace you have been saved"

Answer 67

* Removes the effect of sin and allows people the restore the relationship with God

Answer 68

* Many Christians believe that through the sacrifice of his death, Jesus took the sins of all humanity on himself and paid the debt for them all * The sacrifice makes its possible for those who follow his teachings to receive eternal life

Answer 69

* "He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also the sins of the whole world"

Answer 70

* For conservative and fundamentalist Christians, salvation is important because they believe that without salvation from sin, they will never be able to have a proper relationship with God, their sins will never be forgiven and so they will not be able to enter heaven. * Atonement is important because the atoning death of God’s Son was the only way to bring salvation to humanity. * For liberal Christians, their understanding of the atonement makes it important because it inspires them to live a good Christian life, and living the Christian life will bring them salvation. * Some 21st Century Christians see that just as Jesus surrendered himself to God’s will, so Christians should offer themselves to the service of God, trying to carry out God’s wishes to the best of their ability, for example volunteer with the homeless or give time to work pastorally with older members of the community.

Christian Beliefs Flashcards

(94 cards)