Religious Studies - Christianity

Christianity:

Unit 1 (Believing in God):

Keywords:

• Agnosticism - not being sure if God exists.
• Atheist - believing that God does not exist.
• Theist - believing that God exists.
• Faith - a belief (usually in a religon).
• Conversion - when your life is changed by giving yourself to God.
• Free will - the idea that human beings are free to make their own choices.
• Miracle - when something that seems to break the laws of science happens and only God could have done it.
• Moral evil - actions done by humans which cause suffering.
• Natural evil - actions which cause suffering but has nothing to do with humans.
• Numinous - the feeling of a presence of something that is more powerful than you (eg God).
• Omni-benvolent - the belief that God is all good.
• Omnipotent - the belief that God is all powerful
• Omniscient - the belive that God is all knowing - he knows everything that has happened and will happen.
• Prayer - an attempt to contact God through words.

Why some people believe in God:

• Something must have created the world.
• Want meaning/purpose - Reasons for living?
• Lots of people believe God must exist.
• Attend Faith School.
• Brought up to pray - Going to Church.
• Experiences make them believe - miracles/conversions.

A Christian Upbringing:

1) Baptism - a family of an infant is introduced to the church, they're baptised and are promised to raise the infant to be a good Christian and believe in the Christian faith.

2) Worship - This is when a young child is taken to Church regulary and goes to Sunday School. They are taught factual ways and important stories about God and devolp the Christain Faith so that they can worship God, especially in events eg Easter.

3) School - Christian children will be put into a religous school to be part of the Christian community and learn more about Christianity.

4) Being part of the Community - When a Christian Community is binded together to celebrate Christian Beliefs eg going to Church/Christmas/Study events.

5) Adulthood - When the child turns into an adult, their beliefs stays with them and then they tend to marry someone with the same belief. They'll have children and repeat the same religous upbringing.

How a Religous Upbringing may lead a person to believe in God:

• Reading a bible - could convince them that the events are true.
• Going to Sunday School or a Christian School - Would be taught from a religous point of view.
• Praying as a family before meals and bedtime - Parents wouldn't pray if they thought God wasn't real.
• Celebrating religous festivals as a family - Shows importance of events.
• Going to Church - Worshipping God would become a naturally exeptable event.
• Family members telling you their belief in God - Child accepts parents words as the truth.

Baptism Sacraments:

• Font - contains water that is blessed by the priest.
• Godparents promise to upbring their child in a religous way.
• Congreation also promises…