Principle Beliefs of Christianity Year 11 SOR

Divinity and Humanity of Jesus Christ  Humanity- Historical Evidence: Birth, Life and Death  Divinity- The Son of God- Gospels, Miracles/Healings, Witnesses to Death/Resurrection/Ascension  Salvation of Humanity  Romans- Believed Emperors became Gods after death, how then could God be made man?  Council of Nicea (325CE)- 1 God but three distinct persons- Holy Trinity

Death, Resurrection and Ascension  The Gospels  Jesus died for who/what?  1 Cor 15:3- “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures”  Witness of the Resurrection (Mt 28:1-15, LK 24:1-12)  Ascension of Jesus (Lk 24:51) Witnessed by the Disciples  Christians believe in the Resurrection of the Body- One day will be completely human, but transformed for all eternity with Jesus Christ

Nature of God and the Trinity

 When one in the Trinity acts, all act  Father- Transcendent (Not confined to the world)  Son- Immanent (Involved with the world)  Holy Spirit- Combination of both concepts  The word Trinity does not appear in the Bible  Functions  Creating (Father): Bringing God’s new life to creation  Sanctifying (Son): Blessing and making Holy all Creation. Redeemer and Sustainer of Life  Redeeming (Holy Spirit): Turning all Creation from Sin towards God

Revelation  Transmission of Knowledge from the Divine to the Human  Through life of Jesus Christ  God Continues to speak throughout History and lives- Events, teachings, Society  2 Pet 1: “No Prophecy of the Scripture was ever produced by the will of man, but man spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit”.

Revelation

Salvation  Forgiveness of Sin- Saving of the soul  Humans are saved- Brought to fullness in a life with God  Can only be achieved through the grace of God  God offers Salvation of all Humanity through Jesus Christ  Jesus will come again to judge the Living and the Dead  Mt 24:14- “And this Gospel of the Kingdon shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come”.

Further Beliefs  Variants of Christianity- Different Beliefs  All agree on the previous- otherwise they would not be classified as Christians  Differences have caused splits in the Church- East/West Schism due to Papal Infallability and Holy Spirit

Assumption of Mary (Catholic/Orthodox/Some Anglican Churches)  Theotokos- God Bearer/Mother of God  Lived a sinless life  Mary Concieved through the blessing of the Holy Spirit  Assumption of Mary-Body taken up into Heaven at the end of Her earthly life  Pope Pius- Munificentissumus Deus (1950)  By the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, we pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory

Saints (Catholic/Orthodox/Anglican)  Christians who live a holy life on Earth, and have miracles associated to them after death  Process of Canonisation  Saints intercede with God on behalf of people who are alive today  Phillipians 2:13: “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose”.  In the Bible- Saints are described as committed believers of God- EG St Paul  Veneration of Saints- Devotion/Patron Saint  Protestants-Idolatry: Worship and Devotion should only be to God