Christian beliefs glossary

Question 1

Denomination

Answer 1

A distinct group within the Christian faith with its own organisation

Question 2

monotheism

Answer 2

The belief that there is one God

Question 3

Omnipotent

Answer 3

Almighty, having unlimited power; a quality of God

Question 4

Omnipresent

Answer 4

Present everywhere at the same time; a quality of God

Question 5

Omniscient

Answer 5

Knowing everything; a quality of God

Question 6

Omnibenevolent

Answer 6

All loving; a quality of God

Question 7

Immanent

Answer 7

The idea that God is present in & involved with life on earth & in the universe; a quality of God

Question 8

Transcendent

Answer 8

The idea that God is beyond & outside life on earth & the universe; a quality of God

Question 9

Perfect Good

Answer 9

Being entirely without fault or defect; a quality of God

Question 10

Impersonal

Answer 10

The idea that God has no ‘human’ characteristics, is unknowable & mysterious, more like an idea or force

Question 11

Personal

Answer 11

the idea that God is an individual or person with whom people are able to have a relationship or feel close to

Question 12

Eternal

Answer 12

Without beginning or end

Question 13

Judge

Answer 13

Provides fairness to all; a quality of God

Question 14

Trinity

Answer 14

Belief that God is an individual or person in One God; the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit are separate but also one being

Question 15

Problem of Evil

Answer 15

Evil & suffering as an argument against the existence of God

Question 15

Inconstant triad

Answer 15

Evil can’t exist if God is omnibenevolent & omnipotent

Question 16

atheism / atheist

Answer 16

A person who believes that there is no God

Question 17

Natural evil

Answer 17

Evil & suffering that is not directly caused by human actions

Question 18

Moral evil

Answer 18

Evil & suffering that is caused by human action

Question 19

Theodicy

Answer 19

Defence of God & Christianity

Question 20

“Soul-making” theodicy

Answer 20

Theodicy created by St Irenaeus to defend Christianity against problem of evil

Question 21

“The Fall”

Answer 21

God punished Adam & Eve for their actions & the punishment was to endure suffering in life

Question 22

Fundamentalists / Creationists

Answer 22

Christians who believe that the statements in the Bible are literally true & believe that there are certain basic beliefs that are essential to the Christian faith

Question 23

Inerrant

Answer 23

Without error; a quality of God

Question 24

The "Word" of God

Answer 24

Logos

Question 25

Logos

Answer 25

The “Word” of God

Question 26

Judgement

Answer 26

After a person dies they face judgment by God based on how they lived their life

Question 27

Purgatory

Answer 27

The immediate state where souls are cleansed in order to enter Heaven

Question 28

Heaven

Answer 28

A state of eternal happiness in the presence of God; the place of eternal peace ruled over by God

Question 29

Hell

Answer 29

A state of eternal suffering or the state of being without God

Question 30

Embodied life after death

Answer 30

The belief that life after death is a physical place

Question 31

Disembodied life after death

Answer 31

The belief that life after death is a spiritual place

Question 32

Parable of the sheep and goats

Answer 32

A story from Mathew 25 showing how God splits those who go to Heaven from those to go to Hell

Question 33

Salvation

Answer 33

Saving the soul, deliverance from sin and admission to Heaven brought by Jesus

Question 34

Salvation by merit

Answer 34

Christians can achieve salvation through their own actions

Question 35

Salvation by Grace

Answer 35

Christians can achieve salvation by the grace of God; God incarnated as Jesus who died as a sacrifice for Humanity’s sins, thus bringing salvation for people

Question 36

Salvation by law

Answer 36

Christians can achieve salvation by following God’s laws and commands in the Bible

Question 37

Salvation by spirit

Answer 37

Christians can achieve salvation by being guided by the Holy Spirit. This could help them to follow God’s laws or live a good life, and so achieve salvation

Question 38

The nativity

Answer 38

The process of circumstances of Jesus being born

Question 39

The incarnation

Answer 39

Becoming flesh; taking a human form

Question 40

Palm sunday

Answer 40

The day Jesus enters Jerusalem and is hailed as the Messiah

Question 41

Maundy Thursday

Answer 41

The day of the last supper and the arrest of Jesus

Question 42

Last supper

Answer 42

The last supper Jesus had with his disciples before he got arrested

Question 43

Garden of Gethsemane

Answer 43

The garden in which Jesus was arrested in by Romans

Question 44

The crucifixion

Answer 44

Roman method of execution by which criminals were fixed to a cross / the execution and death of Jesus on Good Friday

Question 45

Good Friday

Answer 45

The day Jesus was crucified and died at 3PM and darkness followed

Question 46

Atonement

Answer 46

Restoring the relationship between people and God through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus

Question 47

Sin

Answer 47

Any action or thought that separated humans from God

Question 48

Original sin

Answer 48

The first sin committed by Adam & Eve for disobeying God

Question 49

Repentance

Answer 49

The action of repenting; sincere regret or remorse

Question 50

Easter Sunday

Answer 50

The day of Jesus’ resurrection where he appears to many

Question 51

Resurrection

Answer 51

Rising from the dead / Jesus rising from the dead on Easter day; an event recorded in all four gospels & central beliefs of Christianity

Question 52

Ascension

Answer 52

Action of rising to an important position or higher level, 40 days after resurrection – Jesus returned to God & Heaven