Christianity

Origins

The historical and cultural context in which Christianity

Began
outline the historical and cultural context in which Christianity began

Religious and cultural aspects

- Christianity began and 2000 years ago in Judea

- The temple, located in Jerusalem, was the principle place of worship

Origins
The Jewish context

- Began in Judea were Jerusalem was the main religious and economic
centre
- It contained a temple the principal place of Jewish worship
- Jewish people – story of their Exodus ; gave meaning and direction
- Their beliefs survived all the sufferings of the domination and oppression
of the Egyptians, Assyrian, Persians but could not survive Greek
persecution without being modified
- The Greeks destroyed Judaism
- the Greeks tried to wipe out Judaism as a religious practice. This
oppression made people believe that God would eventually intervene. The
situation was so bad that people thought a new leader, like Moses, would
come soon to rescue them.
- Roman empire gained control over Judea
- When the Roman Empire took over Judea in 64 BCE, it caused a lot of
tension both religiously and politically.
- The Jewish people worried that their God, Yahweh, had abandoned them.
Different groups looked for ways to free Judea from Roman rule.
- Some believed a Messiah, a leader similar to King David, would come and
lead Judea to independence.
- As well as these tensions, Jewish religious character and spiritual unity was
splintered by a variety of sects; there was no central Jewish authority;
rather, religiously active Jews organised themselves into different groups
- It was into this world that Jesus, a Jew, came – his follower recognised him
as the Messiah
- It was first a sect within Judaism, but by the end of the century it had
become separate religion of Christianity

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 Jesus Christ
examine the principal events of Jesus’ life

- Annunciation
When Mary found out she was having the son of good
She did not have to do the deed.

- Birth
When Jesus was born

- Baptism
Jesus was baptised to the Jordan River, by his cousin Jon.

- Mission
What Jesus set out to do: to spread the word of god which was gospel. The
gospel entails love, kindness, care, compassion, forgiveness

- Call of the Apostles

When he was making the apostles
Jesus calls his disciples, choosing twelve apostles to accompany him in his
ministry.
Jesus chooses twelve special followers, known as apostles, to help him
with his work.

- Sermon on the mount

Jesus gives an important speech, teaching people about love, being kind,
and living a good life.

- Passion
Jesus’ death; last hours on earth
Jesus is arrested, put on trial, and sentenced to die on a cross. This is
called crucifixion, and it's a central event in Christianity.

- Crucifixion
His death; In simpler terms, Jesus was crucified because the religious
leaders were angry with his teachings, and the government worried he
might cause trouble. They saw him as a threat to their power. So, they
arrested him and sentenced him to die by crucifixion, a painful way of
execution.
- Resurrection
Where Jesus was brought to life; Three days after he dies, Jesus comes
back to life, showing his power over death and giving hope to his
followers.

explain why Jesus is the model for Christian life

For Christians, Jesus is the model for Christian life. Through his practice of
universal love for humanity and faithfulness to God, he demonstrated the
way to external life. He was baptised, followed the scriptures, and always
 maintained his belief in god. He is the model for Christian life as
emphasised the Kingdom of god and demonstrated the importance of
prayer, service, love and forgiveness.

Kingdom of god: Jesus’ teaching focused on the Gospel, a message of

good news, of his coming Kingdom: “The time if fulfilled, God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1:14-15).

Service: Throughout his ministry Jesus served others. This is highlighted in

the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12) and the Golden Rule (Matthew 8:12).
Service is further demonstrated by Jesus when he washes the feet of his
disciples (John 13:1-15). Example; Caritas – Modelling Jesus’s love and
compassion.

Love: Jesus taught the importance of love through forgiveness, service,

compassion, empathy, faith and sacrifice. He is the model for Christian life
as he modelled love of God, neighbour and self, and he taught the
importance of loving one another (John 13:34).

Forgiveness: Jesus demonstrates forgiveness throughout his ministry. He

often spoke about forgiveness, forgave those who sinned against others,
and forgave those who sinned against him. He taught “if you forgive
others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you”
(Matthew 6:14).

The development of early Christian communities

Describe the early development of Christian communities after the

death of Jesus
Pentecost : The Christian festival celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit on the
disciples of Jesus after his Ascension, held on the seventh Sunday after Easter.
Theory summary:
The feast of Pentecost marks the birth of the Christian Church when the Holy
Spirit descended on the Apostles (Acts 2:1-11). It was from this day that the
disciples of Christ went forth baptising in the Trinity and they who believed in
Christ “continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, in the
breaking of bread and in prayers” (Acts 2:42).

Spreading the gospel message:

Theory summary:
The growth of the gospel message was rapid, “the variety of the disciples was
multiplying” (Acts 6:1).
Those who left Jerusalem took with them the message of Christ, spreading the
Gospel to Samaria through Philip (Acts 6:5).
Followers of Jesus
Theory summary:
The spread of the Gospel in the years immediately after Christ’s death
established many Christian communities, with major centres in Antioch, Armenia
and Rome. As the Gospel spread, Christian communities became more varied
and began to include Gentiles as well as Jews
Christian communities:
There were two main communities of Christians:
the Jewish Christians and the Hellenistic Christians.
– Jewish Christians were those Jews and Gentile converts who stuck closely to
the Judaic beliefs including male circumcision, dietary restrictions and the
concept of purity.
– Hellenistic Christians were those who were more influenced by the Greek-
speaking world and believed that the central message of Christianity could be re-
presented in ways more appropriate for Gentiles. Both these groups contributed
to the New Testament and both contained within them a wide spectrum of
beliefs.
• The existence of a varied community was a source of disagreement and
conflict. The debate regarding the inclusion of the Gentiles resulted in the
formation of the Council of Jerusalem in 49 CE.

Christianity
Outline the unique features of

- Anglicanism
- Catholicism
- Orthodoxy
- Pentecostalism
- Protestantism

Anglicanism
Theory summary:
The Anglican church in Australia used to be known as the Church of England
and was the biggest religious group in the country for a long time.
Key points:
1. The bible was the more important guide for faith and salvation
2. Follows baptism and communion
 3. Within the church there are different groups: Low Anglicans, and high
church
4. In 1992, the church decided that women could become priests

Catholicism
Theory summary:
The catholic church says it’s the one true church started by Jesus himself. It all
started with Jesus and his Christian teachings.
Key points:
1. They follow the bible and many teachings passed down
2. They have special ceremonies; baptism and communion
3. There are different branches
4. They pay a lot of attention to Mary and other saints, believing they can
pray to them for help
5. They believe that during communion, the bread and wine actually become
the body and blood of Jesus
Orthodoxy
Theory summary:
They share the same beliefs and ways of worship. Back when the roman empire
was big, there was a big Christian centre in Constantinople. But overtime, they
caused a split between the Church in Rome and the one in the East, leading to
the Orthodox church.
Key points:
1. They have a special ceremony called the divine liturgy, which is a big
worship place where they sing a lot
2. Only men can be priests, and they can get married
3. They honour saints, which feature in icons
4. The bible is important
5. They really respect the decisions made at seven big meetings called
Ecumenical Councils
Pentecostalism
Theory summary:
Type of Christianity that focuses on having a personal connection with god
through what they call, “Baptism with the holy spirit”. It started around 1900 in
different parts of the world. One story comes from a Bible school in Kansas, USA,
where a lady named Agnes Ozman started speaking in a language nobody
understood after feeling the Holy Spirit in 1901. They called this "speaking in
tongues."
Key points:
 1. They emphasise feeling god’s presence directly, which they say gives
them power for things like healing, speaking in tongues and driving out
evil spirits
2. There are a lot of different Pentecostalism churches
3. Pentecostalism has grown, with over 250 million followers worldwide
Protestantism
Theory summary:
Started in 16th century, in a time called ‘Reformation’. This was when people
started to disagree with catholic church and pope. Martin Luther King Jr protested
over this.
Key points:
1. Focus most on the bible
2. They think that salvation come from faith, not just good deeds
3. They perform two rituals, such as baptism and holy communion

Principle Beliefs

The divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ

outline the principal beliefs regarding the divinity and humanity of
Jesus Christ
Principle beliefs of Christianity:

- Salvation
- Revelation
- Nature of God and the Trinity
- Divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ
- Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ:

Theory summary:
Christianity teaches that Jesus is both God and a regular human. This belief is
called the incarnation. It means that while Jesus is fully divine, he also lived a
fully human life. So, he's like God and like us at the same time.
Christianity teaches that Jesus, who is part of the Holy Trinity, became a human
being named Jesus Christ. He lived like any other person, with all the usual
human limitations, such as getting tired or feeling emotions. But at the same
time, he is also considered the divine Son of God. His life, death, and resurrection
are incredibly important for everyone.
e.g. Numerous Church Councils throughout history from Nicaea in 325 to
Constantinople in 680 refused all efforts to compromise or deny the fullness of
both humanity and divinity in the person of Jesus.
e.g. Catholics believe that during Mass, the bread and wine are transformed into
the body and blood of Jesus Christ. This transformation reminds them of Jesus'
dual nature: fully divine and fully human. So, when they receive the Eucharist,
they are symbolically taking in both aspects of Jesus—his divinity and his
humanity.

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ

explain the importance of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for
Christians
Principle beliefs of Christianity:

- Salvation
- Revelation
- Nature of God and the Trinity
- Divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ
- Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Theory Summary:
During Jesus’s public ministry, he always taught a radical new message that
everyone should love god, each other and themselves. He was then perceived as
subversive and put to death by crucifixion for his radical views.
He was taken from the cross and placed in a tomb. After three days he rose from
the dead and remained in full humanity for 40 days until he ascended – body and
soul – into heaven. Therefore, the death and resurrection of Christ provides hope
for life after death, as Jesus Christ – after truly suffering and dying – was raised to
new life, and entered a transformed and glorified state.
When Jesus came back to life after dying, it showed that he beat sin and death
for everyone. He sacrificed himself to overcome death and give everyone a
chance at a new, better life. His actions made up for our mistakes and brought us
closer to God forever.
e.g. Christianity expresses this belief through Easter, which commemorates the
resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the most important Christian festival and is
celebrated with great joy.

Nature of God and the Trinity

outline the beliefs about the nature of God and of the Trinity
Principle beliefs of Christianity:

- Salvation
- Revelation
- Nature of God and the Trinity
- Divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ
- Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Theory summary:
This same God is also known as three persons: Father or Creator of all, Jesus the
Son of God, and the Holy Spirit. The holy trinity is the central mystery of the
Christian faith. The trinity has been described as creating (beginning of new
life), sanctifying (blessing), and redeeming (turning sin and darkness more to
god).
e.g. Baptism is a significant practice in Christianity; during the ritual the
adherent is baptised ‘in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit’.

Revelation
examine the Christian understanding of revelation
Principle beliefs of Christianity:

- Salvation
- Revelation
- Nature of God and the Trinity
- Divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ
- Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Theory summary:
Revelation refers to God disclosing things that was previously unknown. It is
about persons, events and previously hidden things only partly known
Christians believe that revelation is not only God’s self-communication to human
beings, but it is also a loving and utterly free invitation to join in friendship with
God.
Christians, the life, death, resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the sending of the
Holy Spirit are the most significant events in God revealing Himself to humanity.
e.g. Christians live out this belief through hearing the Bible read during mass
and liturgies each week, hearing the details of the events as to how God has
revealed himself to humanity.

Salvation
describe the Christian understanding of salvation
Principle beliefs of Christianity:

- Salvation
- Revelation
- Nature of God and the Trinity
- Divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ
- Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Theory summary:
Salvation means being saved from suffering or evil. Christians believe it has
three main parts:
 - Salvation starts in this life but is fully realized in the afterlife, in heaven.
That's where people's deepest wishes for love, peace, and justice come
true.
- It's hard to reach salvation alone because of obstacles in life. People need
God's help, called grace, to achieve it.
- Jesus Christ is crucial for salvation. His life, death, and rising from the dead
offer salvation to everyone.
e.g. Christian reconciliation means people can say sorry for their mistakes and
be saved from them. Christians believe that because Jesus rose from the dead,
people can also go to heaven after they die if they're forgiven.

Sacred Texts and Writings

Bible
What is the bible?
It is NOT just one book, but a COLLECTION of books, which includes songs,
stories, poetry, letters and history. It has two sections: The old testament, and
the new testament.
Identify the importance of the Bible in Christianity
The bible is the basic source of belief and practice.
Significance:

- Basis for Christian beliefs; it is used in liturgy, it is the basic prayer and it
provides guidelines for the behaviour of Christianity
- They read the bible and celebrate Eucharist, Mass or the Lord’s supper
- Teaches about the nature of god
- Central to morality and ethics

e.g. Major Christian beliefs: Jesus was the Son of Man (Mk 2:28)

Examine extracts from the Bible which demonstrate the principal beliefs
of Christianity