Christianity Beliefs, Teachings and Practices

• 4 key concepts in Christianity

  • Sin
  • Salvation
  • Monotheism
  • Eternal life
• Monotheism


  Belief in one God
• Omnipotent


  All powerful
• Omni benevolent


  All loving
• Just


  Fair and righteous
• 3 Christian responses to the problem of evil and suffering

  • Free will defense
  • Soul-making defense
  • Limitations of human understanding
• Free will defense


  Moral evil is caused by human beings who God has given free will, not by God
• The free will defense does not account for natural evil (suffering not caused by human actions)
• Free Will defense


  Moral evil is not caused by God, it is caused by human beings who God has lovingly given free will. God is not to blame for moral evil.
• Christians have three main responses to the problem of evil and suffering: the Free Will defense, the Original sin defense, and the Soul making theodicy.
• Trinity


  The three parts of God: the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit.
• The Trinity is the central belief that distinguishes Christianity from other religions.
• Creation ex nihilo


  The belief that God created the world and everything in it out of nothing.
• The seven days of creation

  • Day 1: Light created
  • Day 2: Sky created
  • Day 3: Dry land, sea, plants created
  • Day 4: Sun, moon, stars created
  • Day 5: Sea creatures and birds created
  • Day 6: Land animals and humans created
  • Day 7: God rested
• God saw all that he had made and it was very good.
• Two ways Christians understand the creation account

  • Fundamentalist/Literalist view: Genesis is literally true, rejecting evolution and the Big Bang
  • Liberal/Metaphorical view: Genesis contains spiritual and moral truths but is not literally true, science explains how God created the world
• Two contrasting views on the creation account in Genesis

  • Fundamentalist view: Genesis is literally true, God created everything in six literal days followed by a day of rest
  • Liberal view: Genesis is metaphorically true, it contains spiritual and moral truths but is not literally true, science explains how God created the world through the Big Bang and evolution
• Belief in life after death is a key part of Christianity
• Resurrection


  The event on Easter Sunday when Jesus rose from the dead, giving Christians hope they can rise from the dead as well
• Possible destinations after judgment

  • Heaven
  • Hell
• Heaven


  A physical place or spiritual state of being united with God for eternity in supreme happiness
• Hell


  A place of pain and suffering, or a spiritual state of being separated from God for eternity
• Belief in heaven and hell


  Influences Christians to follow Christ's teachings, do good works, and avoid sin
• Some Christians believe in universalism, the idea that everyone will ultimately be saved and not go to hell
• Christians believe Jesus is the son of God, as evidenced by the Virgin birth, his baptism, the miracles he performed, and his resurrection and ascension
• Jesus: 'All authority in Heaven and Earth has been given to me<|>The Father and I are one'
• Christians believe Jesus' death and resurrection opened the way for salvation from sin
• Son of God


  Jesus is the Son of God
• Jesus performed 37 miracles in the Gospels
• John chapter 1: 'The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us'
• Incarnation


  When God took on human form and entered the world
• Roman Centurion: 'Surely he was the son of God'
• Jesus: 'All authority in Heaven and Earth has been given to me'
• Jesus: 'The father and I are one'
• Voice from Heaven: 'This is my son whom I love with him I am well pleased'
• Gospels: 'Whoever does not honor the son does not honor the father'
• Titles given to Jesus by Christians

  • Son of God
  • Son of man
  • Son of David
  • Messiah
  • Christ (anointed one)
  • Emmanuel (God with us)
  • King of Jews
  • Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world
  • Lord
  • Master
  • Logos
  • Light of the world
  • Raboni (teacher)
• Some people don't believe Jesus is the Son of God
• Historian Reza Aslan sees Jesus as a zealous Galilean peasant and Jewish nationalist who died for attempting an Insurrection, not for humanity's sins
• If you believe Jesus is the Son of God


  You will take his teaching seriously, put him at the center of your life, celebrate Christmas and Easter, attend church regularly, raise your children in the religion, evangelize to convert others, dedicate your life to following Jesus, pray the Our Father, put your faith in Jesus as the source of salvation, believe in the power of the crucifixion and the truth of the Resurrection