Welcome to your Christianity Study Guide!
Welcome! We are about to explore the foundations of Christianity for your AQA AS Level. This chapter is all about how Christians understand God, the authority of the Bible, what happens when we die, and how they should live their lives. Whether you are a philosopher-in-the-making or just trying to get through the exam, these notes are designed to make the big ideas clear and easy to remember. Don't worry if some of the "theology" (religious talk) seems tricky at first—we'll break it down piece by piece!
1. Sources of Wisdom and Authority
In any religion, people need to know where the "rules" and "truths" come from. For Christians, there are three main places: the Bible, the Church, and Jesus.
The Bible
Most Christians agree the Bible is the Word of God, but they disagree on what that actually means:
• Literal View: Some believe God dictated the Bible word-for-word and it contains no errors.
• Inspired View: Others believe God "inspired" human writers. This means the writers used their own language and culture, so the Bible might contain some human perspectives while still carrying God's message.
The Church vs. The Bible
Who has the final say?
• Protestant Tradition: Usually follows Sola Scriptura ("By Scripture Alone"). They believe the Bible is the highest authority. If a Church teaching isn't in the Bible, they might reject it.
• Catholic Tradition: Believes the Bible and the Church (Tradition) are equal. They believe the Holy Spirit guides the Church to interpret the Bible correctly.
The Authority of Jesus
Is Jesus God, or just a really good man?
• Divine Authority: Most Christians believe Jesus is the Son of God (God in human form). His words have the same authority as God.
• Human Authority: Some see Jesus as a moral teacher or a prophet. He is a role model for how to live.
• Example: The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:38–48). Jesus taught his followers not to retaliate ("turn the other cheek") and to "love your enemies." This was a huge change from the old "eye for an eye" mentality.
Memory Aid: Think of the Bible like a set of instructions. A Protestant thinks the manual is all you need. A Catholic thinks you need the manual AND a professional mechanic (the Church) to explain it to you!
2. The Nature of God
Christian Monotheism
Christians are Monotheists (they believe in only one God). However, this one God is understood as the Trinity: The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit.
• Omnipotent: All-powerful.
• Transcendent: Existing outside of space and time.
• Unknowable: Our human brains are too small to fully understand God.
God as Personal
Even though God is "big" and "transcendent," Christians also believe He is Personal.
• God as Father/King: Traditionally, masculine language is used to show God's authority and care.
• Feminist Perspectives: Some Christian feminists argue that calling God "Father" all the time makes people think God is male, which limits Him. They suggest using gender-neutral or even feminine language to show God's "motherly" love.
Process Theology
This is a slightly different view. Some thinkers believe God is not omnipotent (all-powerful). Instead, God is part of the universe and is "processing" or changing with it. In this view, God didn't create the world out of nothing; he just shaped the "chaos" that was already there.
Did you know? John 10:30 says, "I and the Father are one." This is a key verse Christians use to show that Jesus is equal to God.3. Self, Death, and the Afterlife
The Purpose of Life
Why are we here? For Christians, it’s usually:
1. To glorify God and have a relationship with Him.
2. To prepare for Judgment.
3. To help bring about the Kingdom of God on earth (making the world a better, more "God-like" place).
Resurrection
What happens when we die?
• Augustine: He believed in the Resurrection of the Flesh. This means your actual physical body will be brought back to life, but "perfected."
• Spiritual Resurrection: St. Paul (1 Corinthians 15) argued that we are buried as a "physical body" but raised as a "spiritual body." Like a seed turning into a flower—it’s the same thing, but totally transformed.
Judgment, Heaven, and Hell
These are often interpreted in three ways:
1. Physical: Real places of fire (Hell) or clouds (Heaven).
2. Spiritual: Heaven is being "close to God," and Hell is "separation from God."
3. Psychological: These are states of mind we experience based on our actions.
Key Takeaway: Catholics also believe in Purgatory—a "waiting room" where souls are cleaned of sins before entering Heaven. Most Protestants do not believe this exists.
4. Good Conduct and Moral Principles
How to be "Good"
Justification: This is the fancy word for "being made right with God."
• Justification by Faith: Belief in Jesus is the only thing that gets you into Heaven.
• Justification by Works: Doing good things (charity, kindness) is necessary.
• Predestination: The idea that God has already decided who is going to Heaven before they are even born!
The Sanctity of Life
Christians believe life is holy (sacred) because God created it. This affects their views on:
• Abortion/Embryos: Many believe life starts at conception, so embryos should be protected.
• Just War Theory: The idea that war is bad, but sometimes necessary if it follows specific "fair" rules.
• WMDs: Most Christians oppose Weapons of Mass Destruction because they kill indiscriminately, which violates the sanctity of life.
Dominion vs. Stewardship
Dominion: Humans are the "bosses" of animals and the earth (Genesis).
Stewardship: Humans are "caretakers" or "babysitters." Since the earth belongs to God, we must look after it. Many modern Christians are very eco-friendly because of this!
5. Expressions of Religious Identity
Baptism
This is the ritual of washing away sin to join the Church.
• Infant Baptism (Catholic): They baptize babies to wash away "Original Sin" as soon as possible.
• Believer's Baptism (Baptist): They believe you should be an adult so you can make your own choice to follow Jesus. They use "full immersion" (dunking the whole body under water).
Holy Communion (The Eucharist)
This mimics the Last Supper (Luke 22:17–20).
• Catholic View: They believe in Transubstantiation—the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Jesus.
• Baptist View: It is a memorial. The bread and wine are just symbols to help them remember Jesus’ sacrifice.
Mission of the Church
The "Mission" has changed over time.
• Old View: Focus was mostly on "saving souls" by converting people to Christianity.
• Modern View: Focus includes Social Justice—helping the poor, fighting for equality, and working for peace, as well as sharing the faith.
Summary: The "Big Picture"
Don't worry if this seems like a lot! Just remember that Christianity is a "family" of beliefs. While they all follow Jesus and the Bible, they differ on authority (who's the boss?), ritual (how do we baptize?), and conduct (how do we get to Heaven?). In your exam, always try to show both sides of a debate (e.g., Protestant vs. Catholic) to get those top marks!