Christian Beliefs Revision GCSE RE Christian Beliefs Revision Booklet Knowledge and Understanding This booklet is designed to help you with your preparation for the GCSE exam. In the folder is information on the topic of Christian Beliefs. How to answer the questions? Knowledge and understanding on its own will not ensure that you get a good GCSE grade. The most important thing to learn is how to structure your answers to the questions in the exam. Within the booklet you will find possible exam questions. You should complete these questions; exam practise is VERY IMPORTANT!! What is in the Folder? The folder will cover the following topics: 1. The Nature of God 2. The Problem of Evil and Suffering 3. The Trinity 4. Christian beliefs about Creation 5. Jesus, the Incarnation 6. The Crucifixion 7. The Resurrection 8. Judgement 9. Heaven and Hell 10. Sin, Atonement and Salvation. 11. Exam Technique 12. WAWOS 12 mark questions 13. Practice Questions 1
1. The Nature of God The Nature of God Christians believe that God is omnipotent which means that he is all-powerful. This is sometimes misunderstood as meaning that God can do absolutely anything, such as making a circle square or doing something morally wrong. However, by omnipotence most Christians believe that God can do anything that it makes sense for God to do. What does the Bible say about omnipotence? KEY TERMS Omnipotence: God is allpowerful. Benevolent: God is allloving. Just: God is fair. In Mark s Gospel there is the story of Jesus and his disciples on Lake Galilee in a boat. A sudden violent storm blew up. The disciples were afraid. Jesus was sleeping, the disciples woke him and told him they thought they would drown. Jesus got up and spoke to the storm, Quiet, be still. Immediately the storm ended. This is a demonstration of God s power. Christians also believe that God is benevolent (all-loving). New Testament writers use the word agape, which refers to self-giving love. Christians see Jesus death on the cross as the supreme example of God s love. For God so loved the world that He gave his only Son. (John 3:16) What does the Bible say about God s all-loving nature? In Luke s Gospel Jesus told the story of the prodigal son: A man has two sons, one claims his inheritance and leaves to waste it all. He returns to ask for a job on his father s farm, and is welcomed home. His father has forgiven him. This does not mean he gets another inheritance but he does get a fresh start because of his father s love. Christians also believe that God is just. This means to operate in a way which gives everyone equal value and equal rights. What does the Bible say about justice? Jesus taught that God would judge all people according to how they had cared, or not cared, for those in need. In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you. (Matthew 7:12) 2
2. The Problem of Evil and Suffering What is the Problem of Evil? Christians believe that God is all-powerful, all-knowing and all-loving. Many people find this to be a problem when they consider the evil that goes on in the world. If God is all-powerful and loves us, why does he allow evil things to happen? Some people think that this disproves the existence of God. They say that the existence of evil is inconsistent with an omnipotent, benevolent God. They use this diagram to demonstrate this view: Christian Arguments to Justify Evil Justifying moral evil is easier than natural evil: KEY TERMS Moral Evil: Suffering inflicted by people on each other e.g. murder. Natural Evil: When nature is responsible for suffering e.g. tsunami. Freewill: The belief that we can chose freely what how to behave and act. Moral evil is caused by the Devil tempting humans to behave badly. Moral evil was caused by Adam and Eve when they ate from the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden. This resulted in them having freewill. This means we can choose to do moral evil. Natural evil is harder to justify. Why would God create the world with natural disasters? Some of the suggested answers are written below: Everyone is sinful, so everyone deserves to be punished. Suffering is a test of faith, God wants to see how we will react. Suffering helps us to learn and grow as human beings. Suffering allows for there to be a balance. To appreciate good, we have to have experienced the bad. John Hick suggests that Christians experience God s love in lots of ways. Therefore, they should just accept that evil and suffering occur and not blame God. They should be prepared to trust that God has a purpose and not need to know what it is. 3
3. The Trinity The Trinity Christians believe in one God (monotheism). Most Christians believe that God has revealed himself in three ways. God the Father: Creator and sustainer of the universe. God the Son: Jesus as the saviour who became incarnate. He lived died and rose again. God the Holy Spirit: The spirit of God that works in Christian s hearts and throughout the world. Christians do not believe that the Trinity is three different people. They believe that the Trinity represents different characteristics of one God. KEY TERMS Monotheism: The belief in one God. Incarnate: Born in human flesh. Challenging the Belief in the Trinity Some Jews, Muslims and others suggest Christianity believes in tritheism. This means belief in three separate gods who are linked in some way. In other words, they claim that Christians believe in three separate gods. Secular critics, such as Richard Dawkins, state that belief in the Trinity makes no logical sense whatsoever. They say it confirms their view that religion is just superstitious nonsense based on old fashioned and out-dated thinking. 4
4. Christian Beliefs about Creation Creation In the beginning, when God created the universe, the earth was formless and desolate. The raging ocean that covered everything was engulfed in total darkness, and the Spirit of God was moving over the water. Then God commanded, "Let there be light" - and light appeared. God was pleased with what he saw. Then he separated the light from the darkness, and he named the light "Day" and the darkness "Night." Evening passed and morning came - that was the first day. (Genesis) In the beginning the Word already existed; the Word was with God, and the Word was God. From the very beginning the Word was with God. Through him God made all things; not one thing in all creation was made without him. (John) Christians believe that God created the world. They believe that as God is a Trinity that all persons of the Trinity were present when He created the world. The Bible quotes above demonstrate this. Genesis tells us that God (the Father) created the universe and that the Spirit of God (Holy Spirit) was moving over the water. The book of John tells us that the Word (Jesus) was with God at the very beginning of the world. All Christians agree that: God is the creator of the universe God created a universe that is ordered and not chaotic That God s creation is good Human beings are made in God s image Human beings have been given authority of the created world. However, Christians have different views about whether the creation story should be taken literally. KEY TERMS Fundamentalist: Someone who believes that the creation story is completely factual. God took six, 24 hour periods to create the world. God saw all that he had made and it was very good. Genesis. Liberalist: Someone who takes a more relaxed view about whether the story is completely true. They interpret the Bible as not an exact version of what happened but an attempt to explain the deeper truths in the bullet points above. 5
5. Jesus, the Incarnation The Incarnation The word incarnation literally means embodiment. It is the Christian belief that God took human form and walked on the Earth as Jesus. Christians believe Jesus is both fully human and fully God. The Birth of Jesus The Bible tells us that Jesus mother, Mary, was a virgin, and she conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John) Fundamentalists believe this is literally true and the most appropriate way to understand the Incarnation. Liberalists believe that this is a metaphor to show that Jesus was not just a human but in a unique sense the Son of God. Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas. What about Jesus Knowledge? One problem raised about Jesus being both fully human and fully God is that sometimes he doesn t appear to know everything and one of the characteristics of God is that he is all-knowing. In the Gospels, the disciples sometimes ask Jesus questions and he says he doesn t know the answer. However, St Paul suggests in the book of Philippians that Jesus willingly gave up some of his omniscience to become human. KEY TERMS Omniscience: Christians believe that God is allknowing. He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant. (Philippians) The Incarnation: Jesus was fully human and fully God at the same time. 6
6. The Crucifixion The Crucifixion What happened at the Crucifixion? Simon was made to carry the cross because Jesus was struggling to carry it for himself. The Roman soldiers drew lots for his clothes. He was nailed to the cross. He was offered wine mixed with myrrh, but He refused it. A sign stating his crime (claiming to be King of the Jews) was fixed to the cross. Two other criminals were crucified either side of Him. It took Jesus six hours to die. Joseph of Arimathea buried His body in a tomb on the Friday before the Jewish Sabbath started. Why did Jesus have to die? 1. The Jewish leaders did not like Jesus. He broke the Jewish laws by healing people on the Sabbath which was strictly forbidden. They accused Him of blasphemy, claiming to be like God. 2. The Roman Governor, Pilate, was worried that Jesus was a revolutionary and that there would be rioting if he did not execute Jesus. 3. Christians believe that Jesus had to die to fulfil God s plan. Jesus death paid the debt for peoples sins and allowed them to go to heaven. 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) 7
7. The Resurrection The Resurrection Jesus body was missing from the tomb on Sunday when the women went to prepare his body for burial. Two men in gleaming clothes told the women that Jesus was gone, and that they would soon meet the risen Jesus. The Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all give accounts of Jesus appearing to his followers over the next 40 days. After 40 days, Christians believe that Jesus ascended into heaven, taken up by a cloud. Did Jesus rise from the dead? No, he did not: The women went to the wrong tomb. Jesus was not actually dead. He was in a deep coma and came round and escaped from the tomb. The disciples were deluded. Their sightings of Jesus were just wishful thinking. The story was made up by the disciples to gain fame and prestige. Replies: The women knew where He was buried as they had accompanied Joseph of Arimathea on the Friday and helped to place the body there. There was a bolder in front of the tomb, He could not have got Himself out. Surely the guards would have seen Him. Jesus resurrection was the last thing the disciples expected. They were hiding in fear themselves. The disciples did not gain prestige, they were persecuted for their claims and many lost their lives. KEY TERMS Resurrection: Christians believe that Jesus came physically back to life. The Ascension: After 40 days Jesus was taken up to heaven on a cloud, watched by some of his followers. 8
8. Judgement Judgement Many of Jesus parables speak about God s judgement after death. Christianity teaches that there will be a Judgement Day at the end of time and all will be judged by Jesus according to how they have behaved. THE PARABLE OF THE SHEEP AND THE GOATS When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. (Matthew) In this parable, the sheep are the righteous people, those who have been kind and charitable to others. They will go to heaven with Jesus. The goats are those who have been uncharitable ignoring the needs of others. These people will go hell. The Nicene Creed This is an ancient Christian document that states the central Christian believes. It says that Jesus, will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. The Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church This states that there are two judgements, the particular and the general judgement. The particular judgement happens immediately after an individual s death. The general/final judgement takes place at the Second Coming. This is when Jesus will come and decide who goes to heaven and who goes to hell. How belief in heaven and hell influences people Images and stories about judgement, heaven and hell have become part of many peoples culture. There are many paintings and images that represent ideas about heaven and hell. Even if people are not very religious, often people will still try to behave in a good way because of their fear of hell. In the past, fear of hell was used as a way of controlling the people and getting them to behave! 9
9. Heaven and Hell Heaven and Hell What is heaven like? When asked to describe what heaven might be like. People draw upon images that represent their perfect place in life. People who live in very hot, arid countries might describe a beautiful garden, with an abundance of flowers and vegetation. Running streams and cool breezes. Children might describe their happy place e.g. a party with lots of ice cream and chocolate. It is difficult for us to conceive of an existence that is timeless, where you look at absolute beauty and goodness and you have no words. Desmond Tutu Christianity teaches that heaven is a state of being rather than a place. It is being with God, outside of time and place. What is hell like? The Bible depicts hell as a place of unquenchable fire. This is a metaphor but it has led to many horrific paintings. These were sometimes used to frighten people into obeying the rules of the Church. God predestines no one to go to hell; for this, a wilful turning away from God is necessary and persistence in it until the end. Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church Some Christians reject this literal interpretation of hell. They teach that hell is eternal separation from God. This separation is the result of someone rejecting any relationship with God. Roman Catholics believe that God does not want to send anyone to hell, but humans have freewill and if they choose to reject Him this is their free choice. Universalism Some Christians reject any idea of hell. They believe its existence would mean that God s love does not triumph over evil. They believe that God has saved all human beings from hell by sending Jesus to die on the cross for humanity s sins. They think that eventually everyone will accept God s love and repent and be forgiven. This belief is called universalism. 10
10. Sin, Atonement and Salvation Sin, Atonement and Salvation KEY TERMS Original sin: Adam and Eve brought original sin when they ate from the tree in the Garden of Eden. This means that everyone is born with the inclination to sin. Salvation: Christians believe that when Jesus died on the cross he saved everyone from their sins. The Atonement Christians believe that everyone is sinful because of the original sin of Adam and Eve. This means that everyone has to pay for their sins on judgement day, which would mean that everyone would go to hell. However, God is all-loving, so he doesn t want to send everyone to hell. So He came to Earth as Jesus to save people from their sins. He did this by dying on the cross and paying everyone else s debt. Christians say he paid the ransom for human sin. Atonement: Paying a debt for someone else. Reconciliation: Making up after an argument. Grace: The unconditional love that God shows everyone. Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I m found, was blind but now I see. (John Newton) The Story of Amazing Grace John Newton was a slave trader and unreligious man. One day he was at sea on his slave ship when a terrible storm threatened his ship. He cried out to God to save him. The ship survived the storm and Newton believe this was because of God s grace. Newton gave up the slave trade and became an Anglican Priest. He influenced William Wilberforce s work on the abolition of slavery. He wrote the hymn, Amazing Grace. 11
11. Exam Technique One mark questions You will have to choose the correct answer from the four offered. This is multiple choice. Just write down the correct answer. Two mark questions The two mark questions are asking you to give a brief response Name two.. Give two examples of.. Do not waste time by writing too much, but write enough to answer the question. Four mark questions These questions are where you show your understanding of the religion you have studied, and how a person s beliefs have an influence on their lives. It is clear that when people believe things, their thoughts, words and actions reflect this. Clearly state how a person is influenced by their beliefs and then explain how this influences/effects a believer. Explain two ways in which believing that God is just influences Christians today. (4 marks) Christians believe that God is just and that He will judge them fairly on Judgement Day. This means that he will not punish them unfairly, especially if they are truly sorry for what they have done. It also means that they will be rewarded with heaven if they have done good things. Christians also believe that Jesus will separate the sheep from the goats on Judgement day. This sheep are people who have been good to others and the goats are those who have been selfish. This influences Christians to try and do good for others and to feed and clothe the poor. Five Mark Questions These questions ask you to explain two beliefs or teachings from Christianity. You must also refer to the sacred writings in your answer. Choose your two teachings and then explain each one. Develop your explanations fully. Include a relevant teaching from the Bible or any other book that Christians believe to be holy. 12
12. WAWOS 12 marks 12 mark questions For GCSE RE you have to demonstrate you can react to a statement. This means that you can consider what the statement says, present arguments to agree and disagree and come to a conclusion of what you think of the statement. Use WAWOS to answer 12 mark questions: W: WHAT? I think that the statement is saying... A: AGREE I agree... I disagree... I can see both sides... W: WHY...because... Another reason I have... Some Christians might think... In the Bible it says... Jesus said that... O: ON THE OTHER HAND Some people might say... Some Christians might think... In the Bible it says... Jesus said that... Not everyone agrees because... Aim for at least two arguments on each side well explained with evidence and examples. S: SUM UP/SO... This is the conclusion bit. You must include one. In summary, I think that... In conclusion, it is clear that... At the end of the day my view is... 13
12. Practise Questions Christianity 1. What is meant by salvation? a) To substitute b) The third part of the Trinity c) To do wrong to God d) To save the soul. (1 mark) 2. State two things Christians believe about judgement. (2 marks) 3. Explain two ways in which learning about the crucifixion may influence Christians today. (4 marks) 4. Explain two Christian teachings about Creation. Refer to scripture or sacred writings in your answer. (5 marks) 5. Christians should focus on living here and now, rather than focussing on the afterlife. Evaluate this statement. In your answer 14