Beliefs and Teachings

• Salvation


  Being saved; belief that through God's grace, Jesus' death and resurrection bought about salvation for humanity. Saving of the soul and being able to enter eternal life in heaven
• Salvation | SOWA


  The lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29)
• Christ died for our sins (St Paul, Corinthians)
• SOWA for God's omnibenevolent


  •God is love | 1 John

  • For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16)
• How does believing that God is Omnipotent , Omnibenevolent and Just influence Christians in their daily life

  •To worship God - believe He is worthy of worship, want to thank him for creating everything (including their own life)

  •To have hope for forgiveness for sins - As God is omnibenevolent, have hope he will forgive them. Pray for forgiveness. (Link to sin/salvation)

  •To follow God's commandments and teachings, prepare for Judgement day

  •To be just in their conduct, reflecting the fact God is a "God of Justice"
• Omnibenevolent | SOWA


  •The lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. (Psalm 113:8-9)
• God is Just | SOWA


  The heavens proclaim his righteousness, for he is a God of Justice (Psalm 50:6)
• God is omnipotent | SOWA


  The almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power (Job 37:23)
• The problem of Evil and Suffering

  •How can God be omniscient, omnipotent and omnibenevolent when evil and suffering exist?

  •They raise the evidential problem of Evil

  •They raise the logical problem of evil.

  •God is omnipotent. God is omnibenevolent. Evil exists. This is called the inconsistent triad
• Theodicy of the belief of Problem of Evil and Suffering


  • Free Will defence: Moral evil is caused by humans, not God

  • St Augustine: Evil and suffering are caused by the original sin

  • John Hick: Evil and Suffering are part of God's plan - we need them in order to become good.
• Theodicy of the belief of the problem of evil and suffering | SOWA


  • When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned (St Paul, Romans 5:12)

  • Suffering produces pereverance ( St Paul, Romans 5:3)

  •A runaway horse is better than a stone ( St Augustine)

  •Suffering is the result of the original sin.
• Christian beliefs about the trinity


  •The Trinity is the three parts of God

  • The three parts of the Trinity are God as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit

  •The Father is the powerful creator of the world

  •The Son is Jesus, who came to Earth in human form and died

  •The Holy Spirit is the invisible part of God acting within the world
• The Trinity | SOWA


  "Baptise them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19)
• Why is the belief in the Trinity important for Christians?

  •It is the central belief of Christianity - it underpins every other Christian belief

  •Means Christians can understand the complex nature of God

  • It is the central element of Christian identity - it "fundamentally distinguishes" Christianity from every other religion (Karl Barth)

  •Teaches Christians that God is present in the world today through the Holy Spirit - this is a source of comfort and strength for Christians today

  •Teaches Christians that God is one and that Christianity is monotheistic
• The Apostles' Creed

  • Apostolic Creed is an important statement of belief about the Trinity (God). It is the ancient baptismal symbol of the Church.

  • Father - Powerful creator

  Son - Jesus Christ ( Incarnation , atonement)

  Holy Spirit - Invisible power , giver of life , source of inspiration
• Father Son and Holy Spirit | SOWA


  •In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)

  •I and the Father are one. (John 10:30)

  •But the Advocate, the holy spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

  •Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy spirit (Matthew 28:19)
• Trinity in the creation story

  Genesis 1:1-3

  •In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, "Let there be light", and there was light.

  John 1:1-3

  •In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made ; without him nothing was made that has been made.
• Creation Story


  Day 1 - Light was created

  Day 2 - Sky was created

  Day 3 - Dry land, seas plant and trees were created.

  Day 4 - The Sun, Moon and Stars were created.

  Day 5 - Creatures that live in the sea and creatures that fly were created

  Day 6 - Animals that live on the land and humans were created

  Day 7 - God rested, making this a holy day.

  •Shows Gods omnipotence and the important of humans.
• Two Ways In which Christians may understand the account of Creation in the Bible

  •Fundamentalists - It is literal

  Fundamentalist Christians believe that everything in the Bible is true without no errors. They accept that God created the world in six days and reject all scientific discoveries that are not found in the Bible

  •Liberals - It is metaphorical

  Liberal Christians understand the account of creation in a metaphorical way, believing that science and religion can together explain Creation. They believe that God created the world but used the Big Bang and evolution to create everything
• Life After Death


  Resurrection | SOWA

  • "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live. even though they die" (John 11:"5)

  Judgement | SOWA

  • Parable of the Sheep and The Goats

  • "For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things we have done while in the body". (2 Corinthians 5:10 - St Paul
• Life After Death | Heaven and Hell


  Heaven

  • "Those who believe in Jesus will not perish but have eternal life"

  • "My fathers house has many rooms I am going there to prepare a place for you" ( John 14:2-3)

  • "Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise" | Luke 23:43)

  Hell

  • "The fiery lake of burning sulphur" ( Revelations 21:)

  • "We will be separated from God if we fail to meet the need of the poor" (Catechism)

  • "Wrongdoers will not inherit the Kingdom Of God" - (1 Corinthians 6:9)
• Is Heaven and Hell physical or spiritual


  Physical

  • My Father's house has many rooms. (John 14:2)

  • The fiery lake of burning sulphur. (revelation 21:8)

  Spirtual

  •Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 15:50)

  •Heaven is "the state of supreme, definitive happiness" ( Catechism)
• Explain different ways in which belief in heaven influences Christians today


  • Belief in Heaven influences Christians to follow Jesus Christ, because they believe that they will be saved - and go to Heaven - through belief in him ( John 3:16)

  • Influences Christians to worship God and follow his commandments in the Bible, in the hope that he will judge them to be worthy of going to Heaven after their death.

  • Belief in Heaven influences Christians to do good and avoid sin, because God will decide whether they go to heaven based on how they have behaved in this life (Matthew 25)
• Matthew 25:46 "The righteous will have eternal life"
• Explain different ways in which belief in hell influences Christians today

  •In Christian literature and artwork (e.g. the Book Of Revelations) hell is a place of suffering this influences Christians to avoid sinning

  • Catholic Christians see hell as a free choice to deliberately turn away from God so most do not reject God - stay faithful to God, eve when going through difficulties / tests of faith.

  • Some Christians see the idea of being sent to hell as incompatible with the idea of a loving and forgiving merciful God so they believe in universalism (the idea that everyone will be saved)
• Incarnation - to be made flesh
• "Whoever does not honour the Son does not honour the Father" (John 5:23)
• "The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us" (John 1:14)
• "The only begotten son of God" (Nicene Creed)
• "All authority in Heaven and earth has been given to me" (Matthew 28:18)
• "Surely he was the Son of God" Roman Centurion (Matt, Mark , Luke)
• "The Father and I are one" ( John 10:30)
• And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son whom I love; with him I am well pleased." ( Matthew 3:17)
• How is Jesus human and also divine


  Jesus wept (John 11:35) - human

  Jesus died - human

  Resurrection - divine
• Why do Christians believe Jesus is the Son of God?


  • The Nicene Creed teaches that Jesus is "The only begotten Son Of God"

  • The resurrection and ascension are seen as proof that Jesus was divine

  •The Virgin birth of Jesus is seen as proof of his divinity

  •When Jesus was baptised by John, God said: "This is my Son"

  •When Jesus walks on water the Disciples say "You really are the son of God"

  • Jesus performed 37 miracles, demonstrating his powers
• How does the belief that Jesus is the Son of God influence Christians


  • Take his teachings seriously

  • Put Jesus Christ and his teachings at the centre of their lives

  • May pace a crucifix in their home

  • Celebrate Christmas and Easter

  • Attend Church regularly to hear Gospel stories about Jesus and worship God

  • Raise Children with the religion

  • Believing in the power of the crucifixion as the source of atonement

  • Praying our father
• Crucifixion


  • Jesus was sentenced to death by crucifixion for blasphemy.

  •Christians believe Jesus' death was sacrificial - He gave his life at as atonement for the sins of humanity.
• Resurrection


  • Jesus was brought back to life three days after his crucifixion. He overcomes sin and death - opens the door for eternal life.

  "He is not here; he has risen" (Luke 24:5-6)
• Ascension


  The resurrected Jesus ascended to heaven 40 days after his resurrection

  "After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God" (Mark 16:19)
• IMPORTANCE OF THE CRUCIFIXION, RESURRECTION , ASCENSION


  • Explain how Christians are saved from the Original Sin

  • Demonstrate the Christians belief in life after death

  • Help Christians understand the sacrifice Jesus made and reinforce the important of Jesus within Christianity

  • Means that Christians can be saved from / conquer sin

  • Means that Christians can have eternal life / conquer death

  • Means that Christians can have hope for life after death