1. Team RS GCSE Revision 2018 Revision Lessons / Cards Summarising The Sheets Further Paper 1: Christian Beliefs 1 in 3 people in the world are Christian. It is based on the belief of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection. Like Sunni and Shi’a Islam there are DIFFERENT GROUPS / DENOMINATIONS of Christians – Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant. The Christian Church initially split when the Orthodox Church split from the Catholic Church over the status of the Pope in the 11th century. Then, in the 16th century, the Catholic Church itself split when the protestors against how the Catholic Church was being running formed Protestantism. Henry VIII in the UK took advantage of this when he formed the Church of England to grant a Divorce. In Bishop’s Stortford today, there are Orthodox Services that sometimes take place in one of the smaller Churches. There is a Catholic Church on Windhill. There is St Michael’s Church (Church where we go for our Services) and other Protestant Churches like the Charis Centre in the centre of Town and the Baptist Church near Twyford Industrial Estate. Beliefs will be very similar but practices will be different.

2. A Passion Play, Trafalgar Square, London, 2018.

3. Christian Beliefs in God and The Trinity
The Creed or statement of faith states Christians believe in ONE God. They are monotheists. There should be no other gods say the 10 Commandments in Exodus 20.
Christians believe God CREATES THE WORLD. Some might follow Genesis literally, that the world was created in 6 days with God resting on the 7th day. Others might see these days as not necessarily like our idea of days (i.e. 24 hours). Other Christians might just see this as a story and God being responsible for the Big Bang at the start of the world. Science and religion can work together with science asking how and religion asking why.
Christians believe God SUSTAINS THE WORLD. God keeps the world going. God is in the world through the Holy Spirit and is immanent.
Christians believe GOD GIVES FREE WILL. True Love cannot be forced and God gives us freedom. This explains evil and suffering. Many Christians believe Evil entered the world when Adam / Eve (tempted by the Devil) ate from the Tree of Knowledge and rebelled / disobeyed God. This is called the original sin. It showed that we are humans and have in-built flaws and temptations. God rescues us via Jesus.
Christians today believe God is beyond sex / gender. “God is spirit” (John 4). God is holy/set apart with attributes such as perfection, omnipotence (power), omnibenevolence (love and goodness) and omniscience (all-knowing). God is perfectly just / fair and so should Christians be. God’s Justice inspired people like Martin Luther King.
God is still one but Christians believe God is revealed in THREE PERSONS in ONE. This is called THE TRINITY. This is like a three leafed clover where something is 3 different aspects of the same thing. So, God is first of all THE FATHER. See the beliefs above. Second, God is THE SON, GOD IS HUMAN FORM IN JESUS. Jesus was God in history both fully human and fully God (The Incarnation) who was God’s greatest act of love. This was shown in The Resurrection. FINALLY GOD IS THE HOLY SPIRIT, which is seen to sustain life on earth. The Holy Spirit is the unseen power of God past, present, future. The Sprit is active at creation. This was sent when Jesus left the earth.

4. Christian Beliefs In Jesus and The Incarnation
Christians believe Jesus is God in human form. This belief is called The Incarnation. Jesus represents God on earth. God shows Love by sending us Jesus.
Many Christians believe Jesus’ Divine status is shown by being born to the Virgin Mary. Jesus birth story is told in two of the 4 books about his life in the Bible (the Gospels). Jesus was born in Bethlehem and grew up in Nazareth.
The book of John, read by the Headmaster at the Christmas Service, states Jesus was God’s Word and was with God at creation. Jesus is God made flesh or God in physical form.
At the time of Jesus, the Jews believed God would send a Messiah or Christ or anointed one to save them from the Romans. Jesus did not call himself Son of God. Instead he used the title Son of Man which is found in the Old Testament for a messenger of God from Heaven.
Jesus was a controversial figure to the religious leaders. He healed people on the day of rest or Sabbath when you were not supposed to work. He associated with people on the “outside” of society then like tax collectors, sex workers, sinners. He talked about God’s Kingdom being about care for the poor and forgiveness. He worked miracles to those with Faith to show God’s power. He had women followers (they were second class citizens then). Jesus was not the political Messiah some were expecting.
The religious leaders referred Jesus to the Roman leader Pontius Pilate who asked the people whether Jesus should be crucified or released. Jesus knew he was to die. It was God’s plan.
Christians believe Jesus died on the cross for our sins. He forgave those who insulted him. He asked where God was. Christians believe Jesus / God died on the cross so our sins (which separates us from God) are removed so we can be at one with God (Atonement). God sacrifices God for us. God understands pain.
After his death, Jesus was buried in a tomb given by a supportive religious leader. The women did not go on the Saturday to prepare the body to be buried but went on the Sunday when they saw an angel in the garden reporting Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus appeared to other people then ascended into Heaven after 40 days (The Ascension).

5. Christian Beliefs About Life After Death and Salvation
Christian beliefs about life after death are very similar to Muslim beliefs. Some believe the soul will be resurrected immediately after death. Others believe the soul is resurrected when God / Jesus returns to Judge.
Catholic and Orthodox Christians stress bodily resurrection. Catholics, and some other Christians, believe in Purgatory where souls are purged of their sins before meeting God. Some thinkers believe this could act as substitute for Hell.
St. Paul said God will restore or weak and perishable earthly body and make it imperishable.
In the Parable of the Sheep and Goats in Matthew 25, Jesus said God will separate out as a farmer does sheep from goats. Those that go to Heaven will be those who help those who are poor, sick, thirsty, naked, in prison.
Heaven is the eternal presence of God. It is a place of peace, joy, freedom from pain. God, surrounded by angels, in on a throne.
Hell is a place of eternal fire, terror and torment. It is a fiery pit of life without God.
Some people thing only Christians will be saved and go to Heaven. Others see God as saving all of good will.
SALVATION: This means to be saved from sin and its consequences. Some see salvation coming through WHAT YOU DO (good works) as well as faith in God. Others see salvation as something only God gives because of Love because of WHAT YOU DO (Faith).

6. Which ONE of the following means that God is all-powerful
Which ONE of the following means that God is all-powerful? Omnipresent / Omnishambles/Omnipotent/ Omniscient (1) Which ONE of the following is the book in the Bible in which the story of Creation can be found? Exodus/Genesis/Proverbs/Revelation (1) Which ONE of the following is the idea that God is three-in-one? Atonement/ Incarnation/ Salvation/Trinity (1). Give TWO qualities which Christians believe describe the nature of God. (2) Give TWO reasons why the disciples believed Jesus was alive after his resurrection. Explain TWO ways in which Jesus’ crucifixion influences Christians today (2). Explain TWO Christian beliefs about Salvation (4). Explain TWO ways in which belief in the resurrection of Jesus influences Christians today.4) Explain TWO ways in which the belief that God is just influences Christians today. (4) Explain TWO Christian teachings about judgement. (5) Explain TWO Christian teachings about the means of salvation. (5) If God were loving, there would be no suffering in the world. Evaluate this statement. (12) The stories of the Incarnation prove Jesus was the Son of God. Evaluate this statement (12). The crucifixion is more important to Christians than the resurrection. Evaluate this statement (12) The Bible tells Christians all they need to know about God's creation. Evaluate this statement (12)