Christian beliefs, teachings and practices

• monotheism

  belief in one god
• eternal and transcendent


  god has no beginning or end and is outside of time and space
• What evidence are used to show positive attributes of God?

  • bible stories - creation shows power, knowledge and immanence
  • 10 commandments and laws - show benevolence and judgement
  • Jesus coming - shows benevolence, forgiveness and God being personal
  • parable of the Prodigal son - shows personal qualities
  • Lord's prayer - different attributes of God
  • parable of the sheep and the goats - God will judge us based on our deeds
• God in the old testament

  • authoritative
  • father figure
  • punishes those who don't follow his commands
• God in the new testament

  • loving
  • forgiving
• the trinity

  1. the father
  2. the son
  3. the holy spirit/ghost
• Why may some christians not believe in the trinity

  monotheism
• Genesis chapter 1

  D - designed

  O - out of nothing

  S - spoken

  S - spirit (as creative agent)
• Genesis chapter 2

  show humanity, Adam and Eve created

  L - last

  I - image of god

  B - breath of life

  S - soul

  E - eden

  C - control

  A - animal names
• literalist views on creation

  • genesis exactly as written
  • scientific theories are wrong
  • may say each day of genesis took 1000s of years
  • conservative christians
• mythical view on creation

  • genesis helps people understand god
  • not a scientific account of creation
  • theistic evolutionists - think God was in control of evolution
  • most christians
• John 1

  F - flesh

  U - union with god

  S - son of god

  P - person (word)

  O - one and only

  T - trinity
• moral evil


  where the decisions made by humans cause suffering in the world

  • rape
  • murder
  • terrorism
  • war
• natural evil


  events in nature cause suffering to happen

  • volcanoes
  • floods
  • disease
• Problem of evil

  how is God omnipotent and benevolent when evil and suffering exists
• Christian argument to problem of evil

  • free will
  • original sin
  • lessons
  • punishment for sin
  • test of faith
• Original sin


  due to Eve giving into sin and eating the forbidden apple, people are born with sin
• quote for original sin

  "sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and this way death came to all people"
• story of job

  evil and suffering is used to test job's faith in god
• names for jesus

  • messiah
  • son of god
  • lord
  • saviour
• Jesus' key messages of agape

  • God valued all
  • help those in need
  • sacrificed himself for humanity
• how christians follow Jesus' teachings

  • evangelising - sharing his message
  • serving others through charity work
  • forgiveness of others
• The sermon on the mount - beatitudes

  • "blessed are peacemakers"
• sermon on the mount - Jesus and the law

  • "love your neighbour"
  • unconditional love
• sermon on the mount - true discipleship

  follow God in everything that is done in life
• sermon on the mount - true righteousness


  focus on God not material wealth
• sermon on the mount - the narrow gateway


  following God is hard, however those who fight through it are rewarded with eternal life in heaven
• sermon on the mount


  following sermon on the mount creates a solid foundation for all
• Incarnation

  • Jesus is incarnation of God
  • Jesus is not affected by original sin
  • Jesus represents how God wants everyone to live
• Crucifixion

  • Jesus suffered full pain of human death, therefore God can understand human suffering
  • sacrifice to repair damage done to the relationship between God and humans in original sin
• Resurrection

  • find hope in resurrection - they too will be raised to life after death
• Ascension

  • jesus ascended to heaven - symbolises triumph of good over evil
  • relationship with god has been restored
• Liberalist view on key events of Jesus' life

  symbolic events
• Conservative christians view on key events of Jesus' life

  literal events, happened as described in the bible
• why do we need salvation

  Adam and Eve sinned causing all humans to inherit sin at birth
• Redemption in ancient world

  • purchasing slave out of slavery
  • paying of debt
• Jesus accomplished atonement and redemption


  incarnated and was crucified to make up for human sin and repair relationship with god
• Protestant salvation

  salvation by faith

  -"for it is by grace you have been saved, through faith"
• Catholic salvation

  salvation by works

  -people should receive sacraments

  -"there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus"

  in christ=in the church
• Liberal christian view on salvation

  salvation by works - as they believe that good people in other word religions