Equality

Discrimination is when someone act of predujice (one person holds about another)

Christians believe God created everything and everyone, meaning no-one is superior or inferior in his eyes.

Jesus taught us to love

Christains believe making someone feel inferior is breaking the commandment

An example of a Christian fighting against discrimination is Mother Teresa

The bible teaches "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor fee, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus

According to the Parable of Good Samaritan, whether enemies or friends everyone should be treated with love

The old Testament teaches "when a stranger lives with you...Love him as yourself, for you were strangers in Egypt."

However, in the crusades, thousands were killed in the name of Christianity

The Dutch Reformed Church supported apartheid in South Africa (segregation of blacks and whites)

Martin Luther King led the civil rights movement which campaigned against laws of segregation in America in the 1960s.

He believed that the biblical principle of equality taught that we should fight against discrimination

He refused to use violence, and protested against discrimination by non-violent direct action eg marches boycotts speeches etc...

The language of the Church or bile usually favours men eg "humans" if often translated at "men"

Paul wrote "women should remain silent in Churches" and "the head of the woman is the man"

However Jesus had female followers, some of whom supported him financially- he also showed respect to women eg he defended a woman who poured perfume on him

In the Bible the resurrected Jesus first appeared to a woman and the first meeting o disciples after this included women

Some early churches were lead my women

Some Christians have a traditional view and say women should stay at home and look after the family when men go out to work.

The Roman Catholic Church and some fundamentalist Churches say men and women have equal roles, but only men can be priests or lead services

However, many Christians feel that either the man or woman can go out to work

Many Churches (Church of England) ordain women as priests demonstrating equal roles for men and women

Some religions argue that theirs is the only way  to God but other religions do not

Many Christians believe that everyone has the right to practise their own religion

However Jesus said "I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes through father except through me"

Evangelism- is the spreading of Jesus' teachings

For many years, Christians travelled to other countries, believing it was ther duty to convert people to Christianity

There are still many missionary societies today, although they are more concerned with helping developing countries

Some Christians groups believe they should spread Jesus' teachings and help the disadvantaged.

Other Christians believe that it would be unfai of God to punish someone because they were not a follower of Christianity

Some Christians take part in interfaith dialouge when services are held for people in different religious traditions

There are thousands of denominations within the Christian Church

Most Christians agree that they should respect the different beliefs and practices

Many different Christian groups work together eg joint community work becuase they share the same beliefs

The Taize Christians community is a group that woeks to improve the relationships between Catholics and Protestants

Forgiveness is pardoning someone for doing wrong and reconciliation is the restoring of a friendly relationship

Jesus taught his disciples to to ask God to "forgive us our debts, as we have also forgiven our debtors"

Forgiveness is central to the service of communion as it reflects the idea tha Jesus died for the forgivenss of sins

If Christians feel they need to be forgiven they will go to a minister or priest where they can confess

Jesus gave the power to forgive sins to his disciples, which Catholics believe was passed on to priests

Coventry Cathedral is an example of a place of forgiveness.