Christian Beliefs

• Trinity


  • Monotheistic religion: believe in one God
  • One God in 3 forms: the Father, the Son, the Holy spirit
  • All 3 were present at Jesus' baptism
• The Nicene Creed declares Christians' belief in the Trinity
• The Father


  The creator of the universe and the 'Almighty'
• The Son


  Jesus Christ, always existed
• The Holy Spirit


  Guides and gives strength to believers, comes from the Father and the Son
• Accounts of the creation story in Genesis

  • Literal (creationist)
  • Metaphorical (liberalist)
• Christians believe they have a duty to look after God's creation
• Genesis 1: Creation


  1. Day 1: Heavens, earth, light, dark

  2. Day 2: Water, sky

  3. Day 3: Land, plants

  4. Day 4: Sun, moon, stars

  5. Day 5: Fish, birds

  6. Day 6: Land, animals, humans
• Genesis 2: Creation of humans

  1. God creates a man "from the dust of the ground," breathing into his nostrils to bring him to life

  2. God places the man in the Garden of Eden to "work it and take care of it"
• Importance of creation


  • Humans are special because they are made in the image of God, so they can have personal and loving relationships with God
  • Stewardship was given to them to look after God's creation
• Incarnation


  • Jesus is God incarnate (God in human form)
  • God became human in Jesus Christ "Word made flesh"
  • Mary was a virgin and conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit so this shows Jesus was human
• The incarnation shows God's love as He is sending his only son to save humans
• Salvation


  God took human form to take away punishment for human's original sin
• The Last Supper


  1. Jesus shared a meal with his disciples and was telling them about the betrayal

  2. Shared bread and wine establishing the Eucharist. "body" and "blood"
• The betrayal, arrest and the trial

  1. Judas betrayed Jesus and he was arrested by the chief priests

  2. Peter denies Jesus

  3. Found guilty of blasphemy

  4. Pontius Pilate finds him not guilty but he had to sentence him and crucify him
• The Crucifixion


  1. Jesus was crucified on Friday between two thieves

  2. He was mocked

  3. Before he died the sky was dark for the whole day and then Jesus cried out "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do"
• The Crucifixion is proof of his humanity and "Christ died for our sins" Restores relationship with God and humans
• The resurrection


  1. The tomb was found empty

  2. The resurrected Jesus appeared to the empty disciples

  3. "why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!"
• Life after death is possible (eternal life). Remember it on Easter Sunday
• The ascension


  1. Jesus appeared for 40 days after the resurrection and then ascended to heaven

  2. "He was taken up before their very eyes"
• Salvation


  • Perfect relation between God and humans was broken by the sin of Adam and Eve. Original Sin
  • God came to earth to bring salvation to the world
  • Jesus died on the cross to save humans from sin
  • Atonement (at-one-ment): reconciliation
• Views on salvation

  • Catholics: Jesus' death made salvation possible through taking the sacraments of the Church
  • Evangelical Protestants: God took the punishment himself. Salvation comes through faith
  • Liberal Protestants: Jesus brought atonement through his moral example and love for humanity
• Christian Eschatology


  Beliefs about life after death and the Day of Judgement
• Beliefs about life after death

  • Evangelical Protestants: resurrection on the Day of Judgement. Good will go to heaven and evil will go to hell
  • Liberal Protestants: immortality of the soul in heaven. Hell is not a real place but a state of separation from God
  • Catholics: heaven, hell and purgatory (a place of purification)
• The problem of evil

  • Moral evil: murder, rape
  • Natural evil: volcanoes, earthquakes
  • God is benevolent (all-loving) so should want to remove evil and suffering
  • God is omnipotent (all-powerful) so should be able to remove evil and suffering
  • God is omniscient (all-knowing) evil and suffering exist. Therefore God can't exist
• Divergent solutions to the problem of evil

  • Suffering may be a test
  • Suffering can help Christians form a deeper relationship with God
  • The free will defence: God created humans with free will so we are responsible for evil and suffering
  • The world is a vale of soul-making. To strengthen their character
• Jesus died on the cross as an atonement for human sins, but he rose again three days later.
• Christians believe that Jesus was sent by God to save humanity from sin.
• The Bible is the holy book of Christians
• Christians believe that Jesus was born to Mary through the Holy Spirit.
• He taught people how they could live good lives and have eternal life. He also performed miracles such as healing sick people and raising dead people back to life.
• Christians believe that Jesus was crucified and died on the cross, but then rose again three days later.
• Christians believe that Jesus ascended into Heaven and will return one day.