Christianity

Christianity

1. Jesus

   • Baptism
     • the voice of the father in heaven who proclaimed "This is my beloved son, with whom I am pleased"
   • Temptations
   • Crucifixion
     • He died so we could be saved from our sins.
     • Can understand human suffering
   • Resurrection
     • proves he was truly God.
     • shows that their is life after physical death
   • Ascension
     • shows that there is a after life.
     • signifies the end of his life and work on earth
   • Ministry of healing
     • Blind man
       • Jesus heals a man was born blind.
         • "Go, he told him, 'wash in the pool of Siloam'. so the man went and washed, and came home seeing."
     • Paralyzed man
       • Jesus forgives and heals a paralyzed man.
         • "Get up, take your mat and go home. Then the man got up and went home"
   • The Sermon On The Mount.
     • The Beatitudes
       • 'blessings'
       • Describes the attitudes or qualities that God wants his followers to develop.
         • include meekness, mercy and peacefulness.
     • Jesus and the Law
       • Obedience to the law must come from the heart.
       • 'do not steal'
       • Helps us understand the ten commandments.
     • True Discipleship
       • What it is means to be a true follower.
       • Sincere in all they do, keeping their fasting and charity private, known only to them and God.
         • Doing it to serve and please God.
     • True righteousness
       • wealth
         • requires followers to commit seriously.
         • not to build up treasures on earth.
           • instead faith that God will provide for them.
       • Judging others
         • No person is perfect, so no person is in a position to judge.
     • The Narrow Gateway
       • Warns about the difficulties of being a Christian
     • Building the Solid Foundations
       • Conclusion
   • Jesus' example
     • see how they should try live in obedience to God.
     • Jesus spent time with people who were rejected by society and considered worthless by others
       • "I have not come to call respectable people, but outcasts"
         • Gods kingdom is open to anyone.
         • God values everyone.
       • He ate with unpopular tax collectors, helped people with leprosy and forgave prostitutes.
       • Christians believe they should do the same.
         • respond to the needs of people.
           • visit the sick
           • get involved with food banks
           • Volunteer at soup kitchens
     • AGAPE
       • Unconditional love
         • places God, others, and even enemies above yourself.
       • Sacrificial love
       • Jesus requires his followers to forgive each other
         • To achieve peace.

2. Disciples

   • Students of God
   • Found in the Gospels
   • Live their life according to the teachings of Jesus.
   • Accept Jesus for who he is, the son of God, put his life before their own.

3. Salvation

   • deliverance from sin
     • brought about by your faith in Christ

4. Atonment

   • forgiven of a sin
     • repairs relationship with God (reconciliation).

5. Sacraments

   • Baptism
     • A person's admission into the Christian church.
       • Immersed in water
         • Symbolise purification and being cleaned from sin.
     • Infant
       • Receive gods blessing and parents promise to raise the child as a Christian.
     • Believer's
       • That the grace of God is received as the result of their expression of faith.
   • Eucharist
     • Sharing of bread and wine
       • Catholic - actually transformed into Jesus' body and blood.
       • Church of England - a celebration of his sacrifice.
   • Confirmation
     • Public statement of faith and reaffirm the promises their parents made.
   • Reconciliation
   • Marriage
   • Holy Orders
   • Anointing of the sick

6. Prayer

   • Set prayers
     • Help worshippers to express thankfulness, confession and requests to god.
   • Informal Prayers
     • More intamite way of engaging 'conversation' with God.
   • The Lord's Prayer
     • Important to Jesus
     • Includes key things that christians need to remember during prayer
     • Said out loud by everybody
   • Adoration
     • Focus on God's character and adore him
   • Confession
     • Tell him anything they have done wrong (sin). And ask for forgiveness.
   • Thanksgiving
     • Prayers of thanks. Remain grateful to God.

7. Pilgrimage

   • Lourdes
     • france
     • 1858, 14 year old girl. Claimed to have visions of the virgin Mary. It predicted a water spring would appear, and it did.
     • Reported to have healing powers.
     • spiritual healing is as important as physical healing to Christians.
   • Jerusalem
     • Where Jesus lived towards the end of his life, and where he died, buried and seen alive after him resurrection.
     • Help the bible come to life and enables them to reflect more deeply on what their faith.
     • On good Friday they may walk along the Via Dolorosa, 'the way of sorrows'. The route Jesus took on his way to his crucifixion.
     • The church of the holy sepulchre. Built over the spot where Jesus' tomb was thought to have been.
     • The stone of unction, pour oil on it and rub it off with a handkerchief to take home. The stone was where Jesus was washed after his crucifixion.

8. Celebrations

   • Advent and Christmas
     • Accounts of the birth: Matthew and Luke
       • Conception is miraculous.
       • Matthew: wise men guided by star to bring gifts. Gold, frankincense and myrrh. Gold: kingship. Frankincense: used in worship, suggests presence of god. Myrrh: herb used at burials, predicts Jesus death.
       • Luke: angel appearing to shepherds.
     • Advent
       • Fourth Sunday before the 25 Dec.
       • Means the arrival of that which has been awaited.
       • Churches have a wreath with four candles.
       • Use time to get spiritually ready for Christmas. Giving time to prayer and seeking forgiveness.
     • Christmas
       • On Christmas Day: hold services to celebrate Jesus birth. Include carols, readings form the gospel.
       • Orthodox Church: celebrate on the 7 Jan.
         • Fast before. Helps shift their focus onto prayer and caring for the poor.
           • Enables them to enjoy, appreciate and celebrate the birth of Christ.
       • His birth = gives humanity hope for a new beginning .
       • Time to reflect on the need for peace. And helping the less fortunate.
   • Lent, Holy Week and Easter.
     • A time of reflection and celebration, for all Christian Denominations.
     • Recalls how, through his death and resurrection , he brought human salvation and hope of eternal life with God.
     • Reminded of the grace and mercy of God - they should act the same way to others.
     • Easter takes place at the end of the holy week.
     • Lent - 40 days.
       • fasting - recall gospel accounts after J baptism and the temptations.
         • Showing that they too will try to resist temptations.
     • Services on Ash Wednesday mark start of Lent.
       • Sigh of the cross marked on their forehead with Ashes.
         • Ash - a visual reminder to focus on the passion (suffering), death and resurrection of Jesus.
           • "Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel."
     • Palm Sunday
       • Start of Holy Week, Sunday before Easter Weekend.
       • Recalls Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. - symbolic of him being like a king.
       • Crowds shout - "Hosanna" - "save now". Waving palm branches symbolising victory.
         • The crowd- turned out to be hypocrites, they welcomed him, and later sent him to his death.
       • In church small crosses made of palm leaves are given out.
       • A time to reflect on ones faithfulness to jesus.
     • Maundy Thursday.
       • Jesus' last supper.
         • With his Disciples.
           • J washed their feet, even though he had predicted that one would betray him.
       • Maundy - means commandment.
         • To love one another just as J loved them.
       • A reminder that J came to serve.
       • J death was necessary for human salvation.
     • Good Friday
       • Remember J crucifixion.
       • Service to help people mediate on J death and sin of humanity that made his death necessary.
       • Service - midday, 3 hrs, reflecting on J time on the cross.
         • Include readings from the gospel, hymns.
       • J death was a redemptive act. God's greatest mercy. People seek forgiveness and strength.
       • Show that God understands human suffering.
     • Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday.
       • A time for joy as J resurrection and victory over sin are celebrated.
       • Churches are fully decorated.
       • Paschal candle - 5 incenses are put on it, representing the 5 wounds that J received on the cross.
         • congregation then light small candles off it.
       • They can say they have been saved by God.
       • Confirms eternal life.
       • The gap made by Adam and Eve is now overcome.

9. Sin

   • First entered the world through Adam and Eve
     • Brought with it death
       • However God offers eternal life in heaven because of Jesus' death.

10. Redemption

    • Describes what God has done for them
    • The process of paying off debt.
      • The salvation God offers is whimpering to pay their debt of sin.

11. Resurrection and Life After Death

    • we posses an immortal soul that cannot be seen.
      • makes us unique.
    • Human life is sacred because we have a soul.
    • Human body = temple for God
    • humans' imperfections and mortal bodies will die but that their spiritual bodies will be resurrected.

12. Hell

    • Old testament
      • "sheol"
        • place of departed souls, but not necessarily a place of punishment.
    • New testament
      • called hell
        • jesus spoke of a place of punishment in parabels.
    • Used to scare people.

13. Heaven

    • Contrast to hell
    • Eternal presence of God
    • Bible included imagery
      • Blinding light
      • singing
      • Beauty
    • A place where suffering and evil no longer exists.
    • The idea encourages christians to serve God and obey him.
    • Comfort in times of suffering

14. Purgatory

    • Roman Catholic
    • If not pure agony to be with God immediately, you will undergo purification to achieve holiness necessary to go to heaven.
    • Cathechism
    • Why you should pray for the dead

15. Church support families

    • welcoming new life - baptism
    • celebrating people's desire to share their life - marriage.
    • during difficult times - funerals
    • visit the sick.
    • offer counselling to couples
    • sunday school- teach children
    • Misson
      • The World Council of Churches
        • Goal of conversion.
        • Goal of reconciliation.