RS Christianity

• The Last Supper


  The final meal Jesus shared with his disciples, the night before his crucifixion
• During the Last Supper, Jesus predicted that one of his disciples would betray him
• Jesus: 'Do this in remembrance of me'
• Jesus: 'Drink from it, all of you. This is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.'
• Eucharist


  A key Christian church service celebrating the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, using elements of bread and wine
• Jesus' betrayal and arrest

  1. Judas arrived, leading the chief priests and guards to Jesus

  2. Jesus' disciples wanted to defend their leader, but Jesus told them to put their swords away

  3. Peter cut off the High Priest's servant's ear, which Jesus healed

  4. Jesus was led away to the house of the High Priest
• Jesus' trial


  1. Jesus was put on trial by the Sanhedrin

  2. They considered Jesus' claims to be the son of God as blasphemy and found him guilty

  3. Jesus was taken to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor

  4. Pilate gave the crowd a choice to release either Jesus or Barabbas, and the crowd chose Barabbas

  5. The soldiers mocked Jesus and placed a crown of thorns on his head
• The crown of thorns represents both Jesus' suffering and the fact that he was mocked by his persecutors
• Crucifixion


  Roman method of execution by nailing someone to a cross, often until they die of asphyxiation; used on Jesus and many others
• Jesus was crucified on a Friday alongside two robbers, one on each side of him
• Jesus: 'Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing'
• One of the robbers confessed to Jesus that he had sinned and said that he and the other robber deserved to die for their crimes
• The robber also acknowledged that Jesus was innocent
• Paradise


  Heaven, a perfect state of being
• Salvation


  The healing of a broken relationship between people and God
• After the crucifixion, Jesus' body was buried in a tomb guarded by Roman soldiers
• Early on the Sunday morning, three days after the crucifixion, some of Jesus' female followers went to anoint his body with spices
• The tomb was empty and two men in gleaming white clothes appeared and told the women that Jesus had risen from the dead
• Resurrection


  The Christian belief that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after the crucifixion. The rising from the dead of believers on the Last Day in a new, or risen, life
• For most Christians, the resurrection is the most significant event
• The resurrection proves the divinity of Jesus as well as indicating that death is not the end
• Ascension


  For Christians, when Jesus went up to Heaven 40 days after he rose from the dead
• The Gospel of Luke states that 40 days after his resurrection, Jesus told his disciples that they must stay in Jerusalem and that they would receive the power of the Holy Spirit
• Then, Jesus was taken up into a cloud and two men in white appeared and told the disciples that Jesus had gone to Heaven
• The ascension reminds Christians that Jesus has gone to Heaven to prepare a place for them, so they do not need to fear death
• Christians also believe that because Jesus didn't die again before ascending to heaven, the Ascension shows Jesus' divinity
• Salvation


  The healing of a broken relationship between people and God
• Atonement


  A person atones when they show they are sorry for doing something wrong
• Christians believe that Jesus sacrificed himself on the cross to make salvation possible for humans
• Original sin


  Sin inherited from Adam and Eve, the first humans created by God, who broke the perfect relationship between God and humans by disobeying God's command
• Personal sin


  Sins that are the consequences of a person's actions, for example shoplifting which goes against a direct commandment from God not to steal
• Many Christians believe that people who die with unforgiven sins will not go to Heaven, and may go to Hell. Catholics believe these people may be sent to Purgatory
• For Christians, salvation is a crucial part of having a relationship with God while on Earth, and also in Heaven
• Role of Jesus in salvation

  Jesus came to Earth so that humans could receive salvation in a permanent way. When Jesus died on the cross, his death acted as a payment for the human sins that were a result of people disregarding God's laws. By having faith in Jesus, Christians believe they receive God's grace
• Acts of the Apostles: 'Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved'
• For Catholics, salvation might mean receiving the sacraments, such as being baptised or getting married. For Protestants, this might mean a personal acceptance of Jesus as the Lord and Saviour
• Role of atonement


  Atonement is the idea of the relationship between humans and God being healed, with God and humanity becoming united. Christians believe that Jesus' death and therefore his salvation allowed humans to begin the process of atonement
• Gospel of John: 'For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him'
• Eschatology


  Ideas relating to beliefs in life after death, judgement and the final destiny of humankind
• Christianity teaches that Heaven is a perfect place where they will be united with God, and it is a place of eternal life