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• This video will include the key terms, key quotes, key Concepts, explanations and exam techniques to secure top marks in the Christian beliefs and teaching section
• Topics covered in the Christian beliefs and teaching section

  • The nature of God
  • The problem of evil and suffering
  • The inconsistent Triad
  • The Oneness of God and the Trinity
  • Christian beliefs about creation
  • Christian beliefs about the afterlife
  • The Incarnation
  • The crucifixion, resurrection and Ascension
  • Sin and the means of Salvation
  • The role of Jesus Christ in Salvation
• Salvation


  The belief that through God's grace, Jesus's death and Resurrection brought about salvation for Humanity
• Christianity


  • Monotheistic religion
  • Belief in one God known through three different persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
• The existence of evil and suffering presents a problem for the Christian beliefs about the nature of God
• Evidential problem of evil

  The amount of evil and suffering in the world, especially seemingly pointless evil and suffering, makes it seem improbable that an all-powerful, all-loving God exists
• Logical problem of evil

  The three statements "God is omnipotent", "God is omnibenevolent", and "evil exists" cannot all be simultaneously true
• Five Pillars of Sunni Islam

  • 1. Shahada (Declaration of Faith)
  • 2. Salat (Obligatory Prayer)
  • 3. Sawm (Fasting during Ramadan)
  • 4. Zakat (Giving Alms)
  • 5. Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca)
• Purpose of the Five Pillars

  • They form the foundation of Muslim life
  • They provide a framework for Muslims
  • They give structure to daily life
  • They show Sunni Muslims putting their faith into action
• Ten Obligatory Acts of Shia Islam

  • 1. Salat (Obligatory Prayer)
  • 2. Sawm (Fasting during Ramadan)
  • 3. Zakat (Giving Alms)
  • 4. Khums (Additional 20% Tax)
  • 5. Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca)
  • 6. Jihad (Striving to Overcome Evil)
  • 7. Amr Bil Ma'ruf (Encouraging Good Actions)
  • 8. Nahi 'Anil Munkar (Discouraging Evil Actions)
  • 9. Tawalla (Association with Good People)
  • 10. Tabarra (Disassociation from Evil People)
• Purpose of the Ten Obligatory Acts

  • They guide Shia Muslims in how to live their everyday lives
  • They unite Shia Muslims and give meaning to their life
  • They help Shia Muslims achieve the reward of Paradise after death
• Shahada (Declaration of Faith)

  There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger
• For Shia Muslims, the Shahada also includes the belief that Ali is the friend of God
• Shahada

  • It is the simple yet profound statement expressing a Muslim's complete acceptance of and commitment to Islam
  • It reminds Muslims of the core belief of Tawheed (Oneness of God)
• Shahada

  It is the first and most important pillar, as it lays the foundation for the other pillars
• The Shahada is a belief for Shia Muslims, rather than a practice
• The shahada is the first words a newborn baby born into an Islamic family will hear
• The shahada is recited during the call to prayer and Salah
• The shahada is repeated when someone wishes to convert to Islam with a witness present
• The shahada is said before death to demonstrate a commitment to the religion of Islam
• The shahada is a reminder for Muslims to bear witness to the truth of Islam by sharing it with others
• Shahada

  The declaration of faith that there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger
• The shahada is the first thing a newborn baby hears, the first words they say when converting to Islam, and the last words said before death
• The shahada lays the foundation for living an Islamic life

  It contains the key essential Islamic belief of tawheed (the oneness of God)
• The shahada is the first of the Five Pillars of Islam

  It underpins and enables the other pillars
• The shahada is spoken throughout the day and life of a Muslim

  It reaffirms its significance
• The shahada is a simple yet profound statement expressing a Muslim's complete acceptance of and commitment to Islam
• The shahada encapsulates the key beliefs and teachings of Islam
• The other pillars of Islam are based on and inspired by the shahada

  E.g. fasting in Ramadan is because Muhammad is the messenger of God who revealed the Quran
• Some argue all the pillars are equally important and one cannot be singled out as most important
• Others argue pillars like salah (prayer) or zakat (charity) could be more important than the shahada
• Salah (prayer) must be performed in Arabic and from memory using set prayers from the Quran, Sunnah and Hadith
• Salah must be preceded by wudu (ritual washing and cleansing) and establishing niyyah (right intention)
• Men should offer salah in a mosque, especially on Fridays for the congregational prayer (Jumu'ah)
• Salah can also be offered at home, in a prayer room, or other suitable place
• Salah involves a sequence of 17 raka'at (units of prayer) with recitations from the Quran and physical movements like bowing and prostrating
• Prostration (sujud) shows total submission to God
• Congregational prayer is believed to be 27 times more rewarding than individual prayer
• When the call to prayer is made, Muslims are expected to hurry to the mosque and leave off their work or trading
• Prayer is believed to be better than sleep according to a hadith