Christianity

• Trinity


  God is three persons: father, son and holy spirit

  Essential doctrine of faith

  Cornerstone belief against polytheism
• Father

  Creator of all things

  Cares for humans like a father

  Will judge

  Sustains and rules everything

  Parable of the Lost Son (Luke 15:11-32) - a model of what God as a father means, shows he loves his children unconditionally
• Son


  God in human form

  To save humanity

  Jesus sacrificed for the sins of humans

  Present in creation

  Second person in Trinity

  Performed miracles

  "The world became flesh and made his dwelling upon us" (John 1:14 )
• Holy Spirit


  Power of God at work on earth

  The third person in the Trinity

  Helper and guide

  Invisible power breathes life into people

  " The fruit of the spirit is love joy peace forbearance kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness and self-control " ( Galatians 5:22-23 )
• Omnipresent


  God is everywhere

  No one can hide

  Observes good and evil

  " The Lord looks down from heaven he sees all children of man, from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all inhabitance of earth " ( Psalm 33:13-14 )
• Omniscience 


  All knowing

  Power goes beyond imagination

  " O LORD you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise. You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and lying down, you are familiar with all my ways " ( Psalm 139: 1-3 )
• Omnibenevolant


  All loving

  God loves humanity so much that he sent Jesus to Earth

  People have external life

  " But you Lord are compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger abounding in love and faithfulness " ( Psalm 86:15 )
• Omnipotent


  All powerful

  e.g making Creation

  God has the power to do anything

  " great is our Lord and mighty in power: his understanding has no limit " (Psalm 147:3)
• Genesis 1

  Old Earth creationists = main story is true, six clear days of periods of creation, more than 24 hours

  Lireralists = everything happened the way it was described, gods spirit moved across the waters, in six days of 24 hours god created the universe, Adam formed from dust, and Eve formed from Adam's rib

  See a conflict between science and religion, convinced the truth of the Bible in a literal and direct sense
• Genesis 2+3 


  The fall

  Temptation

  Creation of humans

  Literalists = reject ideas of different versions of creation, emphasise the sinfulness of humans since the fall

  Non-literalists = story of Adam and Eve isn't literal, accepts the development of species through evolution and natural selection, emphasises the closeness of humans to God, capacity to love and do good rather than potential for sin
• Soul


  Only in humans

  Is immortal

  God given

  When the body dies, the non-physical soul lives on

  "Then God said 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness' " ( Genesis 1:26-28 )
• Moral


  Duty to act and live moral lives

  Sense of right and wrong

  Universe was made good

  " put him in the Garden of Eden to work in it and take care of it " ( Genesis 2:15-17 )
• Freewill


  Ability to choose possible courses of action

  God given

  Without it you're not moral

  e.g Eves temptation from the devil

  " the man has now became like one of us, knowing good and evil " ( Genesis 3:22-23 )
• Rational


  Use abilities and reasons to make judgements and decisions

  God made humans rational

  Humans can think and understand

  Helps weigh up actions and consequences using conscience and experience to guide them

  " but you must not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, when you eat it you will surely die " ( Genesis 2:15-17)
• Creative


  The main purpose is to help others

  " be fruitful and multiply " ( Genesis 1:28 )
• Fallen


  All humans are born with the tendency to sin

  Related to original sin

  Result of Adam and Eve's disobedience

  " So the Lord had banished him from the Garden of Eden " ( Genesis 3:22-23 )
• Messiah 


  The anointed one

  Sent by God to be humanities saviour

  Prince of Peace

  Second Adam

  Promised king from old testament

  Jesus didn't call himself this

  " He would be born in Bethlehem " ( Miccah 5:2 )

  " He would be born by a virgin " ( Isaiah 7:14 )

  " He would be killed for the sins of humans " ( Isaiah 53:5)
• Saviour: Word


  Belief Jesus gave up his life to save humans from their sins

  Death and resurrection proves he is the saviour that God promised

  Saved from eternal domination - given hope of salvation

  Atoned for the sins of humanity allowing them to be reunited with God

  " She'll give birth to a son and you are to give him the name Jesus, he will save humanity from their sins " ( Mathew 1:2 )
• Incarnation 


  means ' made flesh '

  God took human form in Jesus

  Shows that Jesus was fully God and fully human

  Essential in the belief of the trinity

  Forms basics of Christianity
• Salvation 


  When the soul is saved from sin and the consequence of sin

  After death they are reunited with God in heaven

  Following mistake of Adam and Eve

  " For its grace you have been saved, through faith: gift from God " ( Ephesians 2:8 )
• Atonement 


  Payment for wrong doing or injury

  Reparation for sin

  Jesus's death resolved problems between humans and God

  Problems began with Adam and Eve

  Opens way for God and people to be at one again

  " the lamb of God, who takes away sin of the world " ( John 1:19 )
• Holy Spirit 


  Jesus was conceived through the holy spirit

  Was the dove at the baptism of Jesus

  Jesus was able to heal through the power of the holy spirit

  " I am the way of life and the truth. No one comes to the father except though me " ( John 14:6 )

  " But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control " ( Galatians 5: 22-23 )
• Birth


  Mathew's gospel = angel of Lord came to Joseph in a dream, to fulfil the phrophet he took Mary home as his wife

  " The birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: Mary pledged to be married to Joseph, she was found to be pregnant through the holy spirit " ( Mathew 1:18 )

  Luke's Gospel = angel said to Mary: Lord is with you, do not be afraid, his kingdom will never end, holy spirit, called the son of God " ( Luke 1:26 )
• Crucifixion 


  Act of atonement for sins of people, part of redemption and salvation of humanity

  Part of divine plan to to bring salvation , fulfil old testament phrophecies ( Luke 18:31 )

  Soldiers wore purple robe and crown of thorns, mocked and beat him

  Two criminals were crucified next to Jesus

  ' He can save others, but he cannot save himself ' = chief priests

  At noon Jesus cried 'My God why have you forsaken me?'

  Centurion said 'Surely this man was the son of God'
• Resurrection


  Jesus rose from death on the third day = central belief

  Bible makes sense of Jesus suffering on the cross too the disciples

  Mary Magdalene, tomb stone had rolled away

  Peter and disciples found only burial clothes

  Mary cried, asked a passer by where Jesus Body is, Jesus responded 'don't touch me as I have not ascended, peace be with you' (John)

  Breathed on them saying 'receive the holy spirit'
• Ascension


  Jesus spent time with apostles, stated God would send holy spirit

  He sent them out to teach people

  Led them to Bethlehem and blessed them
• Divine Command 


  Belief that things are right because God commands it

  Absolutest theory = no debate depends on Gods command

  Emotion doesn't cloud judgement - no grey area

  Against = all situations are different they need different responses, to be moral beings humans should follow own decisions
• Situation Ethics 


  Situation is taken into account first before deciding on right and wrong

  Joseph Fletcher = agape only love that applies to decision making

  For = individuals have control over their lives and decision making, each different situation deserves consideration

  Against = each persons definition of love is different individuals can justify any action, there is no clear guidance for any situation
• Ethical Decision Making


  Humans know difference between right and wrong

  Absolutest morality = always right or always wrong

  Relative morality = sometimes right or wrong

  Deontological = focusses on action rather than right or wrong