[GCSE] Catholic Christianity - Beliefs and Teachings Flashcards
(52 cards)
1
Q
What are 3 beliefs about the trinity?
A
- Jesus is the son
- God is the father
- All parts of the trinity are equal and eternal
(“We believe in one god…one lord Jesus Christ…and the Holy Spirit.”)
2
Q
Define monotheism.
A
The belief that there is only one God.
3
Q
State (and explain) two points around the nature and significance of the oneness of God.
A
- God’s unity is the teaching of the magisterium, as seen in Nicine Creed, the Catholic Catechism and the writings of the saints: Catholic Christians must believe and follow the teachings of the Church.
- Christians believe that God is omnipotent; other gods mean power shared means he can’t be.
(“We believe in one god…“)
4
Q
Give two SOWA that signifies the significance of God the Father.
A
- The ‘Our Father’, God provides people with daily bread and protect them from evil precisely because he’s ‘our Father’.
- Jesus told his disciples to call God Father. (“I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty”)
5
Q
Define hypostatic union.
A
The belief that Jesus was both fully human and fully divine.
6
Q
Give two SOWA that signifies the significance of God the Son.
A
- “Jesus possesses two natures, one divine and the other human.”
- “To be Christian one must believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God”
Jesus was conceived by virgin birth. It means Christians can worship Jesus because he is God, the second person of the Trinity because otherwise, it would be idolatry (sin).
7
Q
Give two points that show the significance of God the Holy Spirit.
A
- “The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit…belong in their fullness to Christ”, these gifts enable Catholics to live Christian lives full of joy, peace and patience among other things.
- “The Holy Spirit…has led the chosen people”, God’s means of communication with humans.
8
Q
How is the Trinity reflected in worship?
A
- The mass is begun and ended with “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”, to which the worshippers reply ‘Amen’.
- All sacraments such as baptisms and marriages are performed in the name of the Trinity.
9
Q
How is the Trinity reflected in belief?
A
- It shows that God creates human likfe like a father does (lovingly) and has a relationship of love and care with us. (shown in the Our Father)
- Christians believe the Holy Spirit is the means of God communication with humans, revealing God’s presence in the world.
10
Q
How is belief in the trinity reflected in modern Catholic life?
A
- Just as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit work together are 3 in 1; so do Catholics as part of the Church’s family
- The trinity gives Catholics a sense God is not only infinitely mysterious and greater than humanity, but also a creative, active and present in the world as the trinity.
11
Q
How is belief in the trinity shown in the bible?
A
- Comes from the Bible: “Hear O Israel the Lord our God, the Lord is one”
- “For I am God, there is no other”.
- “Yet for us there is but one God.”
12
Q
Give a moment in the old testament that suggests the threefold nature of God.
A
God sends his Word and Spirit to create and guide.
13
Q
Give the significance of each part of God as a Trinity.
A
- God the Father helps Catholics understand God’s power and creativity and his care for his creation
- God the Son helps Catholics understand the love of God, the sacrifice of God leading to salvation and promise of eternal life
- God the Holy Spirit helps Catholics understand God’s presence in the world and the strength that it brings to Catholics
14
Q
Give the account of Jesus’ Baptism.
A
“As soon as Jesus was baptised…heaven was opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove…a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my son, whom I love’”
Father speaks from heaven | Jesus is baptised | Holy Spirit descends as a dove
15
Q
Name 2 heresies against the doctrine of the Trinity.
A
- Adoptionism: Jesus was an ordinary who was adopted by God post-baptism
- Arianism: Jesus the Son is a god, but not God as they were made at separate time
16
Q
State the rebuttal against the 2 heresies and where it was decided.
(against the doctrine of the Trinity)
A
- Decided in First Council of Nicea:
Christ is “God of God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, being consubstantial with the Father.” - Decided in the First Council of Constantinople:
“I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is adored and glorified”
17
Q
State divergent beliefs about the trinity.
A
There are none! All Catholics accept the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople as do other Christians.
18
Q
Summarise the account of Creation.
Genesis 1
A
- Heaven and earth, light and dark (“Let there be light”)
- Earth separated from the sky
- Dry land, plants and trees
- Sun, moon and stars
- Fish and Birds
- Animals and humans
- REST
19
Q
Summarise the creation of Adam and Eve.
Genesis 2-3
A
- Heavens and the earth
- Adam formed from dust of the earth and life breathed into him
- Garden of Eden formed
- Adam placed in the Garden of Eden
- Birds and animals made for Adam
- Eve made from Adam’s rib
Eve ate forbidden fruit, gave some to Adam who ate it too. They created the original sin. Eve was condemned to subservience and childbirth while Adam was condemned to neverending work.
“Dust you are and to dust you shall return”
20
Q
What is the significance of the cretion account?
A
- God created everything from nothing and the Spirit brings order out of the chaos at the start of time.
- Human beings are the pinnacle of creation
- Humans are made in God’s image as special
- Universe isn’t seen as a random event but carefully planned and guided (not an accident of evolution)
21
Q
Explain 3 different Christian views of Genesis (and the Bible in general)
A
- CATHOLICS: Interpretation - The Bible is the Word of God. The writers were inspired but used some of their own ideas to make sense of what God was saying. It has stories with true meanings.
- FUNDAMENTAL PROTESTANTS: Literalists - Bible is not only the Word of God but also the words of God. Every word is true as said by God.
- MAINSTREAM PROTESTANTS: Inspiration - the Bible is the Word of God but not his actual words. The writers were inspired and guided by God, but used their own ideas.
22
Q
Give 4 different characteristics of God and their importance.
A
- God the creator - The believer sees God as the origin of the Big Bang and everything that exists within the universee. e holds everything in existence at each moment - he is the source of existence at all times
- God the benevolent - God’s goodness. At the completion of creation “God saw all he had made and indeed it was very good”. God made a good world so much be good himself.
- God the omnipotent - Universe created ex nihilo (from nothing). All-power if he can create a world ex nihilo. Life is sacred because God is its creator
- God the eternal - If God created out of nothing, he must be outside of time. (“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word of the God.
23
Q
Why is being created in God’s image significant?
A
- We are the only creatures who are able to know and love their creator
- We are capable of self-knowledge and free will (being able to choose between good and evil)
- We have human dignity and a responsibility to care for the planet God has made
- We also have rights to freedom of conscience and expression, food, shelter and health care
(“Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness”)
24
Q
What is humanity’s relationship with creation?
A
- Christians should regard the whole of creation as God’s gift to be used by humans in the way God intended.
- (“God thus enables men to be intelligent and free…to complete the work of creation”)
- We have dominion and stewardship of the earth and its resources.
- We must look after the world as “We should respect ‘the intrinsic balance of creation’.”
Dominion is power and control | Stewardship is looking after something so that it can be passed on to the next generation.
25
Explain divergent understandings of humanity's relationship with creation.
- Humanists trust science to understand the universe and reject the supernatural: they tend to be atheists or agnostics.
- Therefore they rely on philosophies such as utilitarianism: doing whatever ensures the greatest happiness of the greatest number.
- They also believe that the nature of humanity is to get on with life.
## Footnote
Humanists are divided. Some want to preserve the earth for the future while others live in the moment.
26
Explain the incarnation.
The Christian belief that God became a human being in Jesus, involving Himself with the pain of the world. Jesus was God incarnate.
Through Jesus the power of sin was cancelled, so humans could have a full relationship with God.
## Footnote
Jesus came about through virgin birth.
27
Why is it important Jesus was a virgin birth?
It shows Jesus was the Son of God because Jesus wasn't just a human being chosen and sent by God but God was in him and he was in God.
(*"He became truly man while reamining truly God. Jesus Christ is true God and true man."*)
28
Explain how Jesus is the Divine Word.
- John's Gospel begins at the beginning of the universe. (*"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."*)
- And *"No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in the closest relationship with the Father, has made him known"* (John 1:18)
- God is the word. Jesus is God. God is the Divine Word.
29
Describe the 4 different biblical basis for the incarnation.
- Mark's Gospel: Jesus is the 'Son of God'. No incarnation.
- Matthew's Gospel: Virgin birth confirmed to Joseph by an angel. Child will save people from their sins.
- Luke's Gospel: Angel Gabriel appears to Mary and tells her she will give birth to 'the Son of the Most High'. Virigin birth.
- John's Gospel: Incarnation, theological not story told.
30
Why si the incarnation important for Christians?
- God cared so much about the world he came in Jesus form to teach humans what God is like, how to live, and save them from their sins
- God began the process of salvation through incarnation, allowing humans to go to heaven.
31
What is the Paschal mystery?
The death and ressurection of Jesus and their effects on salvation.
*"God's saving plan was accomplished once for all by the redemptive death of his Son, Jesus Christ."*
32
Explain the last days of Jesus.
| Last Supper, Betrayal & Arrest, Trial, Crucifixion.
- The Last Supper: On Holy Thursday. Jesus shared his final meal with his disciples. *"This is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgivemness of sins"*
- Betrayal and Arrest: Judas agreed to betray Jesus to the cheif priests. Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss.
- Trial: Jesus was taken for trial by the Sanhedrin and condemned for blasphemy.
- Crucifixion: Crucified on Good Friday on Golgotha. Simon carried the cross because Jesus was too weak to carry the cross himself. Two robbers were crucified on either side of him.
33
Explain the resurrection of Jesus.
- Jesus' body was taken from the crucifixion site to a tomb by one of his followers
- Jesus' female followers visited the tomb
- The women found the tombstone rolled away and the tomb empty
- Jesus saw and talked with his followers for 40 days post-resurrection
34
What did Jesus say to the disciples in Jerusalem?
## Footnote
Luke 24:46
*"He told them, 'This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."*
35
Explain the ascension of Jesus.
After the 40 days, he was taken up from his disciples into a cloud and two men in white appeared and told them that Jesus had been taken into heaven.
36
Catholic teaching about the Paschal mystery.
- The resurrection clearly demonstrates for Catholics that Jesus was who he said he was. *"His Resurrection has given the definitive proof of his divine authority, which he had promised."*
- Jesus freely offered himself for the salvation of humanity (crucifixion)
- Christ's resurrection promises resurrection for all people
*"The Paschal mystery has two aspects: by his death, Christ liberates us from sin; by his Resurrection, he opens the way to a new life."*
37
Explain salvation.
Salvation means being saved from sin. Sin can be original sin or personal sin. Original sin is washed away from baptism while personal sin must be repented and forgiven.
Catholics believe Jesus came to earth in order for Christians to receive forgiveness and a restored relationship with God.
38
Explain the significance of the crucifixion.
- Shows a victory of light over darkness, life over death, God was in Christ and triumphed over death in the resurrection
- Shows love of God by giving himself for others
- It granted salvation.
39
How is the crucifixion summed up by the CC?
*"The sacrifice of Christ is unique; it completes and surpasses all other sacrifices...the Father handed his Son over to sinners in order to reconcile us with himself."*
40
Why is salvation from sin important?
Without salvation, a person's sin will separate them from God forever. Salvation was Jesus' near-entire purpose.
41
What is the nature of grace?
Grace is a participation in the life of God. By baptism, a Christian receives the grace of Christ. The Holy Spirit then breathes love and strength into them.
## Footnote
Examples include sacramental graces and special graces (charisms - special gifts of callings).
42
Give 2 bible teachings on salvation and grace.
- *"Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."*
- *"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved."*
| John 3:10-21 and Acts 4:8-12
43
Explain some divergent ideas surrounding salvation.
- Catholics and all Christians belive Jesus' death brought salvation
- However, to most Evangelical Protestants, anyone who rejects faith in Jesus can't be saved.
- Catholics disagree: you don't know what goes on in someone's heart and/or mind and so can't say who will/won't be saved.
44
How do modern Catholics receive grace and salvation?
- Receive sacraments of baptism and confirmation
- Receive the sacrament of reconciliation/confession
- Receive the sacrament of the Eucharist in the Mass
- Leading a Christian life (celebrating mass and doing the above)
45
Explain judgement.
| (eschatology)
Each man receives his eternal retribution in his immortal soul at the moment of death.
- Perfectly purified Christians in God's grace will go to heaven.
- Imperfect and impure Christians will go to purgatory.
- Very evil people who have totally rejected God's will will go to hell.
## Footnote
*"This state of definitive self-exclusion from God and the blessed is called hell."*
46
What is the resurrection's significance in eschatology?
- *"I believe...in the resurrection of the body"*
- People receive glorified, new bodies in some way that Christ will return at the end of the world when the dead will be raised.
47
What is heaven?
Perfection and eternal peace with God.
*"What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him."*
48
What is hell?
*"Eternal separation from God"* - God wants everyone to get to heaven, but humanity must choose it.
49
What is purgatory?
A strictly Catholic ideal where people are prepared for heaven. *"All...still imperfectly purified are indeed assured of their eternal salvation"*
50
Give a biblical quote that links to life after death.
*"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live'"*
51
Explain some divergent Christian beliefs about life after death.
- Non-Catholics don't believe in purgatory because it's based on the Church rather than the Bible
- Most Evangelicals believe the soul and body remain in the grave until the Last Day (judgement day) where the dead will be raised.
- Some Christians don't believe in any form of hell.
- Many Christians believe when the body dies, the soul leaves the body.
52
Why is eschatology important for Catholics today?
- Catholics believe they will be judged and so will live a good Christian life
- This entails following scripture, tradition and the teaching authority of the Church
- It gives Christian life purpose. Life can't end at death.
