Welcome to your Christianity Study Guide!
Welcome! Whether you’ve grown up around these ideas or are hearing them for the first time, Christianity in A Level Religious Studies is about much more than just going to church. We are going to look at how Christians decide what is true, what they believe about the end of the world, and how they handle modern challenges like science and feminism. Don’t worry if some of the philosophy seems a bit "out there" at first—we’ll break it down piece by piece!
Section 1: Sources of Wisdom and Authority
How do Christians know what to believe? They usually look at three main places: The Bible, The Church, and Jesus. However, different Christians look at these in different ways.
The Bible: Word of God or Human Book?
Some Christians believe the Bible was dictated directly by God (literalist view), while others believe it was inspired by God but written by humans who had their own styles and limitations. This matters because if you think the Bible is 100% God’s literal words, you might follow every rule exactly. If you think humans helped write it, you might interpret some parts as "products of their time."
The Church vs. The Bible
Protestants (like Baptists or Methodists) often focus on "Sola Scriptura"—the idea that the Bible is the only final authority. Catholics, on the other hand, believe that Church tradition and the Pope have equal authority to the Bible because the Holy Spirit guides the Church today.
The Authority of Jesus
Is Jesus a God-in-human-form with total authority, or was he just a very wise human teacher?
Example: In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:38–48), Jesus tells people to "love your enemies." If Jesus is God, this is a divine command. If he is just a role model, it’s a beautiful suggestion for living a better life.
Quick Review: Authority comes from the "Big Three": Bible, Church, and Jesus. The "weight" you give to each depends on your denomination!
Section 2: What is God Like?
Christianity is monotheistic (belief in one God), but that God is described in complex ways.
The Trinity
The Doctrine of the Trinity says God is one substance but three "persons": Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Analogy: Think of H2O. It can be ice, liquid water, or steam. It’s all the same "stuff," but it shows up in three different ways.
Language and Gender
We often call God "Father" or "King." Feminist theologians like Mary Daly or Rosemary Radford Ruether argue that using only male language can make it seem like men are more "like God" than women are. They suggest we need more inclusive language to describe a God that is actually beyond gender.
Process Theology: A Different View
Most Christians believe God is omnipotent (all-powerful). However, Process Theology suggests God is not a dictator who controls everything. Instead, God is part of the world's process, "luring" it toward good rather than forcing it. In this view, God is neither omnipotent nor a creator in the traditional sense.
Key Takeaway: God is traditionally seen as an all-powerful Trinity, but modern thinkers challenge how we talk about God’s gender and power.
Section 3: Self, Death, and the Afterlife
What is the point of life, and what happens when it ends?
The Purpose of Life
For most Christians, life is about:
1. Glorifying God and having a personal relationship with Him.
2. Preparing for judgement.
3. Bringing the "Kingdom of God" to earth by acting with justice and love.
Resurrection: Body or Spirit?
Augustine famously argued for the resurrection of the flesh—that our physical bodies will literally be remade. Other Christians believe in spiritual resurrection, where our soul lives on but the physical "meat suit" stays behind.
Bible Key Point: 1 Corinthians 15 says the body is "sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body."
Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory
Are these real places or just symbols?
Physical: Real fire in Hell, real golden streets in Heaven.
Spiritual/Psychological: Heaven is being "close to God" (peace), and Hell is "separation from God" (anguish).
Memory Aid: Objective Immortality (Process Thought) is the idea that we don't live on as individuals, but we live on forever in "God's memory."
Section 4: Good Conduct and Moral Principles
How should a Christian behave, and why?
How do you get to Heaven? (Justification)
This is a huge debate!
Justification by Works: You get to heaven by being a good person and doing good deeds.
Justification by Faith: You get to heaven simply by believing in Jesus; your "works" don't "earn" your way in.
Predestination: The idea that God has already decided who is going to heaven before they are even born!
Sanctity of Life and Stewardship
Christians believe life is sacred because it is a gift from God. This affects views on:
The Embryo: If life starts at conception, abortion and some embryo research are seen as wrong.
Just War: Can a Christian fight? The Just War theory gives a checklist for when fighting might be the "lesser of two evils."
Dominion vs. Stewardship: Does "dominion" mean humans can do whatever they want to animals/nature? Or does it mean we are stewards (caretakers) who must protect the planet?
Quick Review Box:
Faith vs. Works: Do you get in by what you believe or what you do?
Stewardship: Being a manager for God's creation.
Section 5: Expressions of Religious Identity
How do Christians show who they are?
Baptism
Infant Baptism (Catholic): Washes away "original sin" right at the start of life.
Believer's Baptism (Baptist): You should only be baptized when you are old enough to choose the faith for yourself.
Holy Communion (The Eucharist)
This remembers the Last Supper (Luke 22).
Catholics believe in Transubstantiation—the bread and wine *actually become* the body and blood of Jesus.
Baptists usually see it as a memorial—a way to remember what Jesus did, but the bread remains just bread.
Section 6: Christianity in the Modern World
The world is changing, and Christianity has to decide how to respond.
Gender and Sexuality
In 1994, the Church of England began ordaining female priests. This was a huge shift!
Daphne Hampson: Argues Christianity is irredeemably sexist and women should leave it.
Rosemary Radford Ruether: Argues Jesus was "androgynous" in his spirit and that the church can be reformed to be equal.
Christianity and Science
God of the Gaps: This is the mistake of using "God" to explain things we don't understand yet (like lightning). When science explains it, God gets smaller.
Polkinghorne: A famous scientist and priest who argues that science and religion are compatible. Science asks "how," and religion asks "why."
Secularisation and Pluralism
Secularisation: Religion is becoming less important in public life. Some Christians respond with Fresh Expressions (starting "cafe churches" or "pub churches") to meet people where they are.
Religious Pluralism: How do Christians view other faiths?
Exclusivism: "Only Christians go to heaven."
Inclusivism: "Jesus is the way, but good people of other faiths might be 'Anonymous Christians'."
Pluralism (John Hick): All religions are different paths up the same mountain.
Common Mistake to Avoid: Don't assume all Christians think the same! Always use phrases like "While Catholics believe X, many Protestants argue Y..."
Summary: The "Big Picture"
Christianity is a living dialogue. It draws wisdom from the Bible and Jesus, but it is constantly wrestling with how to apply those ancient ideas to a world of science, diverse cultures, and changing views on gender. When you write your essays, always show that there are multiple perspectives within the faith!