Christian Beliefs & Practises

Qualities of God:

Benevolent, omnipotent, just, omnipresent, judge, loving

Transcendant = God is beyond and outside all life on earth.

Immanent = God is present and involed with all life on earth.

Benevolent = All-loving, all-good.

Just = Bringing what is right and fair.

God needs these qualities so that he can be superior to all life, without them he can not be God.

They show that God is perfect and is beyond all life forms, he is supreme.

The Trinity is: the belief that God is 3 persons but one God.

God the Father:

• Creator
• omnipotent, benevolent, omniscient (all-knowing), omnipresent

God the Son:

• Jesus
• Incarnate (God in human form)
• Fully human but fully God
• God loves humans that he sacraficed his own son (Atonement)

God the Holy Spirit:

• After Jesus
• Influences, guides & sustains the earth and all on it
• In past, present & future
• Unseen power of God

Birth & Baptism:

• Born of a virgin mother. Shows that Jesus had to be the son of God, proof.
• 1st Miracle
• He was pure
• Baptised by John the Baptist in River Jordan.

Teaching:

• He taught through parables (stories), easy to remember and can be passed on
• "Love you neighbour as yourself"
• Miracles to prove he was the son of God, help people also
• Persuaded people to believe in God and follow him. (gained a large following)

Incarnate:

• Shows God loved humans, atonement.
• Restored relationship between God and human kind

God made the earth in 6 days.

Order of creation :

• light
• sky & sea
• land & plants
• sun & moon & stars
• fish & birds
• animals & humans

Jesus was present at creation.

Literalist = belief that the Bible is 100% true, the earth was made in 6 24-hour periods.

Liberalist = belief that Bible is 100% true, earth was made in 6 undertermined periods of time.

Shows power of God, able to make a whole universe out of nothing.

Salvation = save the soul from sin

Jesus is responsible for salvation, sacraficed himself for atonement, restored relationship between humans & God.

Christians get salvation by:

• Following all teachings of God
• Grace
• Faith
• Obedience
• Commitment
• Judged on life

Used by the Romans, detterant, create fear.

Jesus suffered in the crucifixion.

Before Jesus was crucified he was:

• Scourged (whip with hooks or weights on end)
• Crown of Thorns place on head (INRI - king of jews)
• Made to carry the cross to Golgotha

Christians view suffering as a part of life, test of faith, must accept it and support others going through it.

Jesus' body was placed in tomb, rolled a large stone infront. Came back, stone moved.

Easter Sunday.

Proved that there was L.A.D.

Shows God was willing to sacrafice his own son for humans, nothing is beyond God not even death.

Brings comfort to Christians, know that this life isn't the end.

Jesus spent 40 days on earth to prove L.A.D, reassured his disciples on what to do after he leaves.

Private worship = prays on own, more private, closer connection to God

Public worship = multiple people pray, less private, in a church.

Liturgical = service that follows set structure/layout

Non-Liturgical = informal service, no specific layout (singing, dancing , etc.)

Prayer = communicating with God.

Set prayer = written down, read by more than 1 person

Informal prayer = made up as the person prays.

Baptism = welcoming a person to the christian church, sins are forgiven.

2 types:

• Believers' Baptism, mature decision, dunked into a pool, clear sins
• Infant Baptism, child, cross on head, holy water, party, original sin cleared

Wipes away original sin, welcomes a person to church, start a new life with Jesus.

Holy communion = thanking God for sacrifice. eat bread, drink wine.

Other names:

• Eucharist
• Mass
• Lord's Supper
• Breaking of the bread

Remembers:

• Jesus' sacrafice (atonement)
• Crucifixion
• Last Supper

Transubstantiation: bread & wine become Jesus' body & blood

Consubstantiation: bread & wine represent Jesus' body & blood

Pilgrimage = journey by religious person to a holy site, act of worship & devotion

Christians go on pilgrimages to make a physical/spiritual journey towards God.

2 places Christians go on pilgrimages:

• Lourdes = Healing powers, miracles, pray where mary appeared and told someone to make                       well, sick/disabled go to get healed.
• Iona = spiritual & physical world border is thin, feel God's infinite power and prescence.

Easter = Celebrating resurrection of Jesus (Easter Day to Pentecost)

Church services, give eggs

Christmas = celebrating the birth of Jesus (December 25th)

lighting of candles, church services, nativity plays, carol singing, presents.

Both remember crucifixion, resurrection, birth of Jesus.

Persecution = group of perople are treated unfairly, can be extreme.

Examples of persecution:

• Treated negatively
• Physical attacks
• Higher taxes
• Restricted jobs
• Forcibly removed from homes
• Rights taken away

Christians help by providing shelter, legal support, change laws.

Christian persecution:

• Stop them practising
• Isolate them
• Physical attacks

Charity = Almsgiving.

Christians give to charity:

• Clothes
• Shoes
• Food
• Time (volunteer)

Red Cross, Salvation Army

Parable of sheep & goats, sheep help others & charitable.

Street Pastors = Christian volunteers that help the police.

Help police on Friday & Saturday night, stop things getting out of hand.

School Pastors = Christian mentors that work in schools.

Offer support & guidance, help keep children safe.

Teachings put in practise:

• Love your neighbour
• Turn the other cheek