Christianity key terms

• Ascension

  The event 40 days after the Resurrection, when Jesus returned to God, the Father, in heaven, recorded in Luke 24 and Acts 1
• Atonement

  Literally 'at-one-ment, It refers to the reconcilation between God and humanity that was sealed by the sacrificial death of Jesus
• Baptism

  The sacrament through which people become members of the Church
• Believers baptism

  Baptism involves the use of water as a symbol of the washing away of sin. It is a rite of initiation into the Church, by immersion in water, of people old enough to understand the ceremony/rite and willing to live a Christian life. Some denominations prefer this to infant baptism. This form of baptism contains many similarities to the baptism of Jesus
• Bible

  Sacred book for Christians containing both the Old and New Testaments
• Catholic

  The tradition within the Christian Church which is led by the Pope
• Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD)


  A Christian charity that provides emergency and long-term aid to the developing world
• Christ

  The leader promised by God to the Jews. The word literally means 'Anointed One' in Greek; the Hebrew equivalent is Messiah. Christians believe Jesus to be the Christ
• Christian

  Someone who believes in Jesus Christ and follows the religion based on his teachings
• Christian Aid

  A Christian charity that provides emergency and long-term aid to the developing world
• Christmas

  The Feast Day commemorating the birth of Jesus (25 December in most Churches)
• Church

  • The Holy People of God, also called the Body of Christ, among whom Christ is present and active
  • Members of a particular Christian denomination/tradition
  • A building in which Christians worship
• Creation

  Christians believe that the world is God's loving creation
• Crucifixion

  • 1. Roman method of execution by which criminals were fixed to a cross
  • 2. The execution and death of Jesus on Good Friday
• Easter

  The religious season celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. It starts on Easter Day and finishes with the feast of Pentecost
• Eucharist

  Literally 'Thanksgiving'. Another name for Holy Communion and a service in which the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus are celebrated using bread and wine. Thanks are given to God for his creation of the world, for the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and for the bread and wine which many Christians refer to as Jesus' Body and Blood
• Evangelism

  Preaching the gospel (the good news about God) to convert people to the Christian faith
• Food banks

  This relates to Christian charities collecting donated food to distribute to the poor in Britain
• Grace

  The unconditional and generous love that God shows to people who do not deserve it
• Heaven

  The state after death of being with and enjoying eternity with God
• Hell


  The place of eternal suffering or the state after death of separation from God for those who want no relationship with him
• Holy Communion


  Another name for the Eucharist in which the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus are celebrated using bread and wine
• Holy Spirit


  The third person of the Holy Trinity who descended like a dove on Jesus at his baptism. Christians believe that the Holy Spirit is present and inspires them
• Incarnation


  Literally 'in flesh', or 'enfleshed', the doctrine that God took the human form as Jesus
• Infant baptism


  Initiation of babies and young children into the Church, where promises are taken on their behalf by adults. The infant is freed from sin and introduced to the saving love of God and the support of the Christian community
• Informal prayer


  This takes the form of extempore prayer, consisting of spontaneous prayers spoken from the heart as opposed to the use of set prayers
• Informal worship


  Worship which has no set structure it is usually spontaneous and sometimes charismatic in nature
• Iona


  An island of the west coast of Scotland founded by Columba in the 4th century. It is used by Christians today as a centre for pilgrimage and religious retreat
• Jesus


  1st century Jewish teacher and holy man, believed by Christians to be the Son of God
• Judgement


  When God decides whether each person should receive eternal life or eternal punishment
• Justice


  This refers to the nature of God as one who treats each individual human being fairly and equally
• Liturgical worship


  A church service which follows a set structure or ritual
• Law


  This refers to the law of God, revealed in the Bible, which Christians are called to obey, St Paul made it clear, however, that salvation is not earned by obedience to the law but is God's free gift
• Lourdes

  A town in France, where the Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette in a series of visions, and now a place of pilgrimage, where it is claimed that miraculous healings have taken place
• Lord's Prayer


  The prayer taught to the disciples by Jesus; also known as the "Our Father"
• Mission

  Literally 'sent out'. It refers to the duty of Christians to spread the gospel (the good news about Jesus)
• Non-liturgical worship


  A service which does not follow a set text or ritual. This type of worship is sometimes spontaneous or charismatic in nature
• Omnipotent


  The belief that God is 'all powerful
• The Oneness of God


  The belief that God is 'One
• Original sin


  The traditional belief that is still held by some Christians that human nature is basically flawed, and so humans have a tendency to go against God's will. Christians who think that the Bible is literally true believe that it has been passed down from Adam and Eve