Christianity Flashcards
(13 cards)
What is evangelism?
Evangelists are Christians who believe their duty is to preach/proclaim the Gospel, with the aim of converting people to Christianity.
• they believe the best way to preach the Gospel is how they live their lives - with kindness and charity
• go on missionary work
• goal is to influence people to follow Christ
What is missionary work?
- The idea of every Christian being an evangelist is called the Church’s Mission
- Mission to tell the message of salvation to all
- Clear intention of bringing people into the faith
- Missionaries are also important for bringing education and health to poorer societies
- Came around the time of Jesus, when there was an important sense of mission to convert Jews and others to the new religion of Christianity
- Missions are more contentious - pluralist society debates the ethics or trying to convert people
‘Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations’ - Matthew 28:19
What is ‘Church planting’ and why is it important?
• in recent years, the number of evangelical churches have grown despite a depletion in the attendance of Catholic/Anglican churches
• introduced a process of establishing new, non traditional churches and is successful in many areas
• happens when groups from church split off and go to a new area to establish a church there
• emphasises the idea that ‘church’ applies to a group of Christians, not just a building
• Icthus Fellowship 1974 aims to spread values by church planting
What is fresh expressions?
• movement in C of E to change the way some churches and congregations meet/worship
• attempt to attract people who wouldn’t usually attend
• meet in less traditional settings and are more informal
• locations can be gyms, workshops, beach, cafe etc
• meet to talk about faith
World Wide Church growth
Estimated by 2050, 4 in 10 Christians will live in sub-Saharan Africa
Christian persecution in the past
- Roman Empire (64 AD): Emperor Nero blamed Christians for the Great Fire of Rome and subjected them to brutal executions, including being burned alive or thrown to wild animals.
- Spanish Inquisition (1478–1834): Christians accused of heresy were tortured and executed by the Catholic Church to enforce religious conformity.
- Nazi Germany (1933–1945): Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Christian pastor, was executed for opposing Hitler and resisting Nazi ideology.
Christian persecution modern day
- North Korea: Christians are often imprisoned or executed for practicing their faith, as the government views religion as a threat to its control.
- Middle East (Egypt, 2017): Two Coptic Christian churches were bombed on Palm Sunday, killing dozens of worshippers in terrorist attacks.
- Nigeria: Extremist groups such as Boko Haram have targeted Christian communities, destroying churches and killing believers.
Bible teachings on persecution
‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you’
‘If they persecuted me, they will persecute you’
Reconciliation
Needed in a plural society
Word Council of Churches- a worldwide fellowship of churches seeking unity. They hope to share the the Gospel together, make connections across the globe and offer practical ways of achieving unity
ecumenical movement - attempts to bring together different Christian denominations and to promote Christian unity across the world. There is much more cooperation between different Churches now as a result of their work and many more Christian churches at a local level work together.
Tearfund
Work to put Jesus’ teachings of ‘love thy neighbour’ into place
agape in action
work in areas of poverty, or disaster-stricken/war-torn places
over 50 countries
money is raised in the UK through coffee mornings and buying Tearfund Christmas Cards
Raise awareness of social issues such as poverty and discrimination
Campaign against poverty
Encourage self help for individual’s and countries - to encourage sustainability
‘Love others as I have loved you’
Walsingham
Norfolk, UK
holy place since 1061 - replica of the house in Nazareth where the annunciation took place
1150 - a small monastic church was added to the place
shrine to pilgrims until 1538 when it was destroyed during the reformation
1829 - people can travel there openly again
‘Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem’
Taize
Burgundy, France
founded 1940 by Roger Schutz
Ecumenical monastic order - travel there to live life of communal prayer
all different denominations
over 100,000 young people make pilgrimage there every year
promotes understanding, peace and reconciliation
set prayers occur at the ‘Church of Reconciliation’
services are famous for chants and music
take part in Bible study discussion groups led by monks and attend monastic church services 3 times a day
where all white robes
Christianity in Britain
Census data from 2011 to 2021 shows Christianity decreased by 13%, fewer than half of Britain identify as Christian (46%)
