christian beliefs (1)

• what is the trinity

  • It is unique for Christians
  • It is the belief that there is only one god but he exists in three persons ; god the father, god the son, god the holy spirit
  • each of these are only one god not three
• The Nicene Creed


  • The Nicene Creed is a statement of belief that many Christians recite in church.
  • The Nicene Creed reveals the following about the nature of the Trinity:

  1. God the rather is the creator or the universe and is the ‘almighty’ (having complete power) 2. God the Son is Jesus Christ who is Lord and the son of the father.

  • 3. God the holy spirit comes from the father and the son. Christians belleve the Holy Spirit is the ‘giver of life’, meaning he is spiritually active in the world, he helps them to know God and worship him,and empowers believers
• What is the 'oneness' of God?

  • The Trinity can be a difficult idea to understand. For example. how can God be ‘one' and 'three' at the same time?
  • There is one God. There are three different persons. each of whom is different from the other but each of whom is fully God. This is the special ‘oneness’ or God
• The persons of the Trinity


  • The word 'Trinity' does not appear in the Bible. However, there is one event, described in the Gospel of Matthew, where the persons of the Trinity do all appear together. This is when Jesus is baptised before beginning his ministry in the world.
  • This is important because it shows the Trinity working together as one - Jesus is baptised to begin his ministry, the Father speaks his approval, and the Holy Spirit, with the power of the Father, enables Jesus to begin his work.
• How is the Trinity reflected in worship and belief today? (God the father)


  • Christians believe that God the Father, as the creator, cares for all that he has made.
  • They pray to him in the knowledge that he cares about them and is powerful, like Jesus did in the Lord's Prayer: 'This, then, is how you should pray: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name ..” (Matthew 6:9)
• How is the Trinity reflected in worship and belief today? (God the son)


  • Christians believe that , God the Son became a human being, and he was given the name Jesus.
  • Christians believe Jesus is their saviour, friend and role model.
  • They follow the eg set by Jesus, who came into the world to teach people how to live lives of goodness, love + faith.
  • They believe that Jesus died to take the punishment for the sins of humanity.
  • Worship is therefore often happy and joyful, as Christians express their thanks to God for forgiving their sins and to Jesus for the sacrifice he made.
• How is the Trinity reflected in worship and belief today? (Holy Spirit)

  • Christians believe that the Holy Spirit is their comforter and guide.
  • They believe that the Holy Spirit lives in their hearts and not only enables them to lead good lives and make the right moral choices, but also helps them to praise and worship God.
  • Charismatic churches are increasing number of Anglican churches, who will ask the Holy Spirit to enable them to worship using spiritual gifts. These church services are often less formal and involve dancing and creative expression.
• What is the biblical account of creation?

  • There are two accounts of creation in Genesis, the first book of the Bible.
  • The first, in Genesis 1:1-2:3, contains the story of the creation of the earth by God in six days.
  • The second account, in Genesis 2:4-3:23, is different because it concentrates on the development of humans:
• 6 days of creation of the world

  1. heavens,earth,light and dark
  2. water and sky
  3. land and plant life
  4. sun, moon and stars
  5. fish and birds
  6. land animals and humans
  7. god rested
• How can the biblical account of creation be understood in different ways?

  • The metaphorical view: Many Christians believe this account is a metaphor, and is not literally true. They would argue that it is a story to help people to understand that God is the creator of all things
  • The literal view: Others believe that the Bible account is literally true and God created the world exactly as the Bible says. This is called creationism.Creationists believe that the Bible is the sacred word of God and believe that it should be interpreted literally where possible.
• Why is creation important for christians today?

  • At the start, when God creates man and woman (Adam and Eve), they walk and talk with God in a rs of love + devotion. God said, 'I give you every seed-bearing plant (Genesis)
  • God gave Adam and Eve free will, but they chose to disobey God . The rs of mutual love and trust between God and humanity was broken.
  • God therefore sent Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden and ordered them to work the ground: (Genesis 3: 19).
  • Today Christians believe that they have a personal + loving rs w God + that they can pray to God for guidance.
• What is incarnation

  • It is the belief to take on flesh so the idea that god became human.
  • The Bible teaches that God the son came down to earth to live amongst people, show them what God was like and enable them to have a relationship with him.
  • Bible describes it as a great mystery because there are aspects that are amazing and amongst human understanding.
• What is the importance of the incarnation for Christians today?


  • Christians believe that Jesus is God incarnate. They believe Jesus came into the world to enable the relationship between God and humanity to be restored.
  • Christians believe that the incarnation shows that God loves the world and the people in it. This is what they celebrate during Christmas. They do this by singing Christmas carols and remembering the story of the birth of Jesus.
  • Christians believe that, as a human, Jesus could understand humanity and its problems, and identify with their suffering.
• 1. The last supper 


  • Was the last meal Jesus shared with his disciples, the night before his crucifixion
  • During the meal Jesus predicted that one of his disciples would betray him
  • At the end of the meal he gave out some bread (body) and wine (blood) to his disciples, telling them to do this in remembrance of him (LUKE 22:20)
  • Last supper is important to Christians as it forms the basics of the Eucharist.
• SOA for Jesus predicting that someone is going to betray him


  "the hand of whom who is going to betray me is with mine on the table" (Luke)
• Jesus betrayal, arrest and trial 


  • Jesus and his disciples planned to spend the night in a garden (Gethsemane).
  • In the middle of the night Judas brought an armed crowd to take Jesus away
  • Judas identified Jesus to the authorities by kissing him (Luke)
  • Jesus was found guilty for blasphemy claiming to be the son of God which was punished by death
• 3. Crucifixtion


  • Jesus was sentenced to death even though some claimed he was innocent.
  • He was nailed to a cross left to die.
  • The sky went dark from midday until around 3pm when he died (Luke)
  • His death was proof of his humanity meaning that he was truly Gods incarnate
  • Christians believe his death was a sacrifice as it brought forgiveness for humanitys sins, (also resurrection) and loving rs between god was restored.
  • Christians remember this on Good Friday through worship, hymn singing, worship
• Resurrection

  • Is remembered on Easter day
  • Bible teaches that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after he died
  • For Christians, this shows that Jesus was really Gods incarnate because he overcame death
  • A group pf women went to his tomb to prepare his body for a proper burial but the tomb was empty. According to the Bible Jesus had risen. (Luke)
  • Important for Christians bc all he thought was true,humanitys sins forgiven, true relationship with God again.
  • If they believe in Jesus and his teachings they will receive eternal life and be reunited with God.
• Ascension

  • Bible teaches that after Jesus rose from the dead, he spent time teaching his disciples. He told them that he would soon be taken up to heaven but that they would not be left alone.
  • The holy spirit would come into the world and help them to spread the word of God.
  • "He was taken before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight"
  • Quote describes Jesus being taken up to heaven (ascension)
  • Christians remember the ascension on Sundays through worship, hymn singing and prayer
• what is salvation

  • Being saved from sin and its consequences *
  • It i the act of keeping away from evil
  • sin is an act against Gods will so it is therefore morally wrong
  • There is two types of sin : original sin (adam and eve) and personal sin (individuals sins e.g stealing)
  • Many Christians believe that people who die with unforgiven sins will not go to heaven and may go to hell
  • Catholics believe that people can be sent to purgatory where they can cleanse their sins/ work of their sins
• What is atonement?

  • Christians believe that, because Jesus died to save humanity from sin, the relationship between God and humanity was restored. This is called atonement.
  • Christians believe Jesus died as an act of love to save humanity, even though humanity did not deserve it.
  • His love is called grace, which means undeserved love.
• What is the significance of atonement and salvation within Christianity?

  • Christians believe Jesus' death allows humans to have eternal life.
  • Christians have a moral duty to live their lives as Jesus lived his, loving and caring for each other: 'I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you? (John). In this way, humans are saved from the power and consequences of sin.
  • God and humanity can have their loving relationship restored. Christians regularly repent of any wrongdoing and believe that, because of Jesus, they are forgiven by God.
• What is Eschatology?

  It is the belief that there is life after death. The bible teaches that all who believe in Jesus will have eternal life.
• Christians think of life after death in divergent ways:

  •  most common view is that everyone has an immortal soul that leaves our physical body when we die and goes to God in heaven, or to hell. This view holds that followers of Jesus who die will go to heaven and those who are not followers of Jesus will go to hell.
  • Some Christians believe that Jesus died to forgive all sins, and so everyone (not just Christians) will live forever in heaven (= universalism)
  • Many Catholics believe in purgatory, where the dead are purified of their sins before going to heaven.
  • Day of judgement
• Heaven

  • is the place where Christians believe that they will spend the afterlife.
  • It is not described in detail in the Bible, so Christians have different views about what it will be like.
  • Some believe that it is a physical place, whilst others believe it is a state of being spiritually united with God.
  • The Bible teaches that heaven is a place of everlasting peace and joy for those who believe in Jesus
• Hell

  • Many Christians believe in hell, a place of punishment and separation from God.
  • Some Christians do not believe in hell, and instead believe that those who are not followers of Jesus would simply cease to exist when they die.
  • Like heaven, the descriptions of hell in the Bible are not detailed
• Purgatory

  • Purgatory, from the Latin word purgare meaning 'make clean', is a concept mainly associated with the Catholic Church.
  • It is a place (or state of mind) where the souls of those who have died go to be purified until they are made clean from their sins and can then go to heaven.
  • The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes it in this way: “they receive holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven”
• Judgement

  • Christians believe that God is just, fair and merciful.
  • They believe in the Day of Judgement, when God will judge all people according to how they lived their lives on earth and to give them the afterlife they deserve.
  • Christians also believe in the Second Coming, when Jesus will return to earth. This will be the time for judgement and the establishment of God's kingdom.
• Why is life after death important for Christians today?

  • Jesus said that those who believe in him would have life after death.
  • Life after death is a reward for faithful people.
  • Life after death offers hope for the future.
  • Life after death allows Christians to be with God forever.
• What is the problem of evil and suffering?

  Evil is the opposite of good: it causes pain, grief and damage. Evil and suffering

  can be on a large scale or a smaller, personal scale, as almost everyone experiences pain and suffering at different times in their lives.

  There are two types of evil and suffering:

  • Natural evil: suffering caused by nature that is beyond human control.

  Moral evil: deliberately evil actions by human beings that cause suffering to others.
• How might the problem lead some people to question God's existence?

  If it is true that God is all-powerful and all-loving, it seems logical that he should prevent evil and suffering. Since evil and suffering do exist, some people have concluded that God does not.

  • God is thought to be all-loving (benevolent) and all-powerful (omnipotent).
  • If God is benevolent he would want to remove evil and suffering.
  • If God is omnipotent he would be able to remove evil and suffering.
  • Therefore, both God and evil cannot exist together, yet evil does exist.
  • Therefore, God cannot exist.
• Why does the problem cause believers to question their faith?

  The problem of evil challenges the existence and characteristics of God. This can cause believers to doubt their beliefs, especially if they or their loved ones are experiencing pain. In times of doubt, a Christian might ask:

  • If God exists but isn't all-powerful and all-loving, how can I worship him?
  • If God is not all-powerful or not all-loving, is that a God I want to believe in?
  • If God is all-powerful and all-loving, how could he allow suffering?
• Practical responses

  Christians believe that suffering is part of life, and they have a duty to respond to this practically:

  • They can develop positive qualities such as compassion and kindness, courage and honesty.
  • They can help each other to make the world a better place and learn how to improve things for themselves and future generations.
  • They can help through involvement in charity work.
  • They can pray for God's help and encouragement.

  Many Christians pray for those who are suffering. This is called intercession.

  They believe that they can change the impacts of evil and suffering
• Practical responses to evil and suffering encourage Christians to believe:

  • Christians can develop positive qualities such as compassion.
  • Suffering is part of life but help can be given.
  • Christians can help by praying and doing charitable work.
• Theoretical solutions

  • Christians may respond by looking at what is behind the problem and how it may be resolved.
  • In the Bible, Genesis 2-3 highlights this very clearly by showing that evil and suffering can be the result of human free will. The first human beings, Adam and Eve, used their free will to disobey God. When they did so, evil and suffering were brought into the world and they were separated from God.
• Theoretical solutions to evil and suffering encourage Christians to believe:

  • God gives humans free will to act as they wish.
  • Humans may choose to do evil or inflict suffering and that's why evil exists.
  • Suffering helps people to develop good characteristics.
• Biblical solutions

  • In the Bible there are many references to evil and suffering, and suggestions that suffering is part of life.
  • This is sometimes linked to the existence of a personal force of evil, given different names in the history of Christianity: the Devil, Satan.
  • In Christianity, Satan was one of God's angels who had rebelled against the rule of God.
  • In the Book of Job, a good man and a believer in God suffers great hardship and tragedy after God is challenged by Satan.