1. What is a living and dynamic religion?
A holistic approach

2. Connecting What are the characteristics of religion?
What are the enduring questions of human existence?
What are the key aspects of Christianity?
Belief & believers, ethical teachings, rituals & ceremonies, sacred texts
Who are we? What is the meaning of life? How did we come to be? Why do bad things happen to good people?
One God, Life, death and resurrection of Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Trinity, salvation and redemption, baptism

3. Context
Outline the social conditions and religious practices that existed pre- Christianity.
Examine the principal events in Jesus’ life.
Explain why Jesus is the model for Christian life.

4. What did Jesus bring to Christianity?

5. What happened after Jesus?

6. How does this form what I believe?

7. How does this influence how I live?

8. How is all of this lived by Christians?

9. In search of a Christian identity
It does not come in a simple package, but rather as an event where we commit to something outside of ourselves.
Founded on service
When we are authentically at the service of Christ and live out his will to the service of others we reclaim our identity through the experience.

10. Being a Christian
Is not about an ethical choice but an encounter with an event that leads us to an enduring personal encounter with Christ.
It’s not strictly about having the answers to a set of questions. Instead Christ offers us a question with the choice to answer:
What are you looking for? (beginning of John’s gospel)
Who do you say I am? (middle of the gospels)
Do you love me? (end of the text)

11. Living like a Christian
Knowing who you are based on what you are looking for.
Called to come to love Jesus and by that know ourselves. Our growing experience with him lends us to see new horizons and new possibilities.
We are kept moving as if on a quest following these questions.

12. Living the questions Jesus poses shapes our Christian identity
Through a particular:
Religious imagination
Social commitment
Material engagement

13. A living and dynamic: Religious Imagination
The way we perceive or imagine God , God’s activity in the world and God’s resolution of evil – shapes our actions
God as: triune, communal
Christian life is at the service of making this more transparent in our society.
If God is in a communal relationship as the Holy Trinity and we are mad in the image of God. So to are we made to exist in relationships.

14. A living and dynamic: Religious Imagination
God
Life
Love
Community

15. A living and dynamic: Religious imagination
This relationship is most evident within the incarnation of Christ as we are exposed to a new ideology:
To see in one thing, another
Through Christ we see God as a man
As Christians we a called to see the face of Christ in others

16. A Christian response to evil in the world
Through the cross, Christ’s suffering is in solidarity to those who have also suffered.
A reality that God is present in the world and suffers with us.
Humanity’s greatest qualities drawn out when we are compassionate to those that are suffering.

17. A Christian response to evil in the world
Christians are moved by this suffering and are ignited to act.
In a world characterised by freedom there is a randomness of suffering. God cause the sun and rain to fall upon the good and the bad alike.
Redemption is found in the care of others – love and stewardship.

18. A living and dynamic: Social Commitment
In response to Christ’s life, death and resurrection a new social order is presented.
A life of:
Service
Discipleship
Witness
Commandment of Love
Beatitudes

19. Connected & Disconnected

20. A living and dynamic: Material Engagement
The power of hospitality
Speaking with people, relating with them (this means believing that the other person has something worthwhile to say).
Why are they like this?
How do they live like this?
Proclaiming the gospel
Challenged by Christ’s call

21. A living and dynamic: Material Engagement
Attending to the hopes and fears of others rather than proclaiming a set package of what Christianity is.
Acting as a silent witness who draws out the questions in the hearts of people through the way we live.
Changing the individualised mentality of “I’m not effecting anyone” to something more inherently social “It’s never all about me, as it can effect others.”
“The most beautiful face, illuminates darkness when we continue to love in the midst of suffering.”