Christianity & Islam

• This exam is on Christianity and Islam
• Christian Beliefs

  • The Nature of God: Omnipotent, Loving and Just
  • The Problem of Evil and the Christian response to this
  • The Oneness of God and the Holy Trinity
  • The influence of the Trinity on Christians
  • Christian beliefs about creation and the different interpretations
  • Christian beliefs on the afterlife: Resurrection, Judgement, Heaven and Hell and the different interpretations of each of these
  • The incarnation of Jesus- Biblical scripture and the importance of this belief
  • The crucifixion of Jesus and the reasons for his death
  • Christian beliefs on the role of Christ in salvation
  • The importance of the resurrection and ascension
  • Salvation: Grace and Spirit
• Christian Practices

  • Different forms of worship- liturgical, non-liturgical and private
  • Prayer- what is it? Why is it important?
  • The Sacraments: Baptism and Holy Communion and the importance
  • The different practices of Baptism and Holy Communion
  • What is pilgrimage? Iona and Lourdes
  • Why is pilgrimage important?
  • What festivals do Christians celebrate? How are Easter and Christmas celebrated?
  • The role of the church in the local community: Food Banks and Street Pastors
  • Mission and Evangelism in the UK and the World
  • How does the New Testament respond to persecution?
  • Poverty in LEDCs: How and why do Christians help?

  
• Islamic Beliefs


  • Differences within Islam: Sunni and Shi'a
  • The Six Articles of Faith and why they are important
  • The Five Roots of Usul ad-Din and why they are important
  • Nature of Allah- Oneness and Omnipotence, Immanence and Transcendence, Beneficence and Mercy and Fairness and Justice
  • How does the Nature of Allah influence Muslims today?
  • Authority: the Concept of Risalah
  • Prophet Adam- What did he do? Why is he important?
  • Prophet Ibrahim- What did he do? Why is he important?
  • The Life of Prophet Muhammad- Why was he chosen as prophet? What did he do?
  • What impact does Prophet Muhammad have on Muslims today? Individual, Leader, Family Man and Teacher
  • The Qur'an- its revelation and compilation
  • The Qur'an- its authority and the basis for Shariah Law
  • Other Holy Books, including the Tawrat
  • Angels- Jibril and Mika'il
  • Beliefs on the afterlife and Al-Qadr and Human Freedom
• Islamic Practices

  • The Five Pillars of Islam: Shahadah, Salah, Zakah, Sawm and Hajj
  • Salah: Preparation, Zakah and recitations, Jumu'ah prayer and the importance of prayer for Muslims
  • Sawm: Fasting during Ramadan and the duties
  • Zakah- What is it? How is it given? What are the benefits of giving?
  • Hajj: Pilgrimage to Makkah. What is the significance of the places visited?
  • How does Hajj influence the lives of Muslims?
  • Ten Obligatory Acts in Shi'a Islam
  • Different practices of the 5 Pillars within Shi'a and Sunni Islam
  • Jihad: Greater and Lesser
  • What happens during Eid-ul-Fitr? Why is it celebrated?
  • What happens during Eid-ul-Adha? Why is it celebrated?
  • The festival of Ashura: How do Sunni and Shi'a Muslims celebrate it?
• Religious Beliefs and Practices Key Quotes


  • Christian Beliefs and Teachings
  • Muslim Beliefs and Teachings
  • Christian Practices
  • Muslim Practices
• God is omnipotent


  • Christians will demonstrate resilience and determination when faced with a problem
  • Christians believe that they should follow God's commandments as he has a plan for everyone
• God is just


  • Christians will work for justice in society to demonstrate God's qualities of being just and compassionate
  • They will think about the consequences of their actions as they will want to be rewarded by God on the Day of Judgement
• God is loving


  • Christians will try to love each other in their daily lives by treating everyone with care and respect
  • Christians believe that God's greatest act of love was sending God's son, Jesus, to earth
  • Christians will 'love their enemies' to demonstrate agape – a self-giving love
• Moral Evil


  Suffering inflicted by people on each other (e.g. murder)
• Natural Evil


  Suffering in the world caused by things like natural evil
• Christian responses to the problem of evil and suffering

  • Suffering is a punishment for wrong doing
  • Suffering is a test of faith in God
  • Suffering is a form of education for our souls
  • Suffering is needed for balance
• For Christians, the point is not to question why God allows suffering, but rather to look at how they can respond positively to suffering, whether it be for their own or that of others
• Monotheistic


  Belief in one God
• Trinity


  The concept that there are three 'persons', all of which are God - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit
• The Trinity


  • Influences Christians through the baptism ceremony and the prayer 'The grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all. Amen'
  • The Trinity has been explained as relationship based on love and equality, which Christians often demonstrate through social justice
• Christians believe that God created the earth and all living things on the earth (Genesis Chapter One)
• Creation story


  Explains that the process of creation was God's choice and that God designed and caused it to happen
• Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, be with us all. Amen.: 'This prayer is said at the end of most services'
• Trinity


  Relationship based on love and equality
• Human beings are created in the image of God, so they should have the same unity of love to others
• Christians often show this unity through social justice, such as helping the homeless or fighting against racism
• Creation story in Genesis


  Explains that the process of creation was God's choice and that God designed and caused it to happen
• Main messages in the Genesis creation story

  • God is the sole and omnipotent Creator
  • God created a universe that was ordered not chaotic / it was not created by chance (therefore human lives have meaning and purpose)
  • Humans are made in God's image, therefore we should remember that all human life has potential and we should treat everyone how we would wish to be treated
  • Humans have been given authority (dominion) over the rest of the created world, therefore they have a responsibility to treat everyone equally and to show all created beings, human and non-human, love and respect (stewardship)
• "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.": 'John 1:1-3'
• Many Christians believe that The Word refers to God the Son, who entered history as Jesus
• This links to the idea of the Trinity as even though God the Father is referred to as the creator, the Holy Spirit, the third person in the Trinity was already active in what has become the world
• Different Christian beliefs about the afterlife

  • Resurrection
  • Judgement Day
  • Heaven and Hell
• Resurrection


  The idea that God will raise the dead back to life before Judgement Day
• Judgement Day

  The end of time when all will be judged by Jesus according to how they have behaved
• Heaven


  Being with God / the best moments in a person's life
• Hell


  Place of intense fire / eternal separation from God
• "I believe in…the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen": 'Apostles' Creed'
• "For this is the will of my Father… that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.": 'John 6:40'
• Parables about the afterlife


  • The parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 19:1-31)
  • Parable of the sheep and the goats
• "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God": 'Matthew 5:8'
• "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal": 'Matthew 6:20'
• Importance of beliefs about the afterlife


  Belief that like Jesus, they will overcome death through resurrection and be in an eternal state of joy / Gives people comfort / Ignoring the needs of others has consequences / If you look after others then you will be rewarded
• Criticisms of beliefs about the afterlife

  • No scientific proof
  • Only own souls that live on and not our physical bodies
  • Some Christians reject the idea of The Second Coming and final judgement, because they think that the rapture is metaphorical for Jesus
  • Some Christians do not believe in hell because surely God would not all people to go to hell if he is omnibenevolent
  • Some Christians believe in universalism the idea that eventually everyone will repent (ask for forgiveness) and go to heaven
• Incarnation


  Jesus was God in human form, full God yet fully human and thus God the Son as part of the Trinity