1. What do Christians believe?
What is Christianity?
What do Christians believe?

2. Do Not Copy this – Atheist view of Christianity

3. Key Words/Fundamental Beliefs
God: supreme (only) & divine being. Omnipotent Creator of Heaven & Earth.
Jesus (of Nazareth): Son of God. The man who reconciled the sins of the world and God.
Holy Spirit: Spirit of God

4. Key Words/Fundamental Beliefs
Grace: blessings bestowed upon us by God.
Trinity: Divine, human, and spiritual sides of God.
i.e. God (Father), Jesus (Son) & Holy Spirit.
Denomination: different groups within same religion

5. Key Words/Fundamental Beliefs
Salvation: belief that Jesus came to Earth to save us
Crucifixion & Resurrection: belief that Jesus was executed and rose again

6. Sin & Redemption REFLECTIVE PERSONAL ESSAY
Sin: An action or thought that separates you from God. (WWJD) - humans have FREE WILL
Atonement: forgiveness, achieved though repentance, confession, penance, etc.
Original Sin: inherited (Eve), cleansed through Baptism
REFLECTIVE PERSONAL ESSAY
What are your sins? How can you realistically stop sin in your life?
(Tip: go through the “7 deadly sins” & “10 commandments”)

8. Sin & Redemption (7 Deadly Sins)
SLOTH:
Physical & spiritual laziness
WRATH:
Intense feelings of rage, hate, anger
ENVY:
Like jealousy, but more coveting
PRIDE:
Like hubris, arrogance, feeling more important than others

9. Sin & Redemption (7 Deadly Sins)
LUST:
Intense desire for money, fame, power, sexual pleasure
GLUTTONY:
Over-indulgence Sins of Excess
GREED:
Excessive pursuit of material possessions

10. Sin & Redemption (10 commandments)

11. A brief History Jesus as Messiah:
Born / died as a Jew. His followers become the first Christian–Jews
Jesus represents NEW covenant (agreement) with God
replaces previous ones from Old Testament)

12. A brief History Early days of Christianity
Christian-Jews persecuted by Romans (martyrs)
Referred to as apologists (defenders of Christianity)

13. A brief History
Christianity becomes dominant religion because Constantine converted to Christianity (312 AD)
The Great SCHISM (1054 AD) – Major Split
Irony: began to persecute other religions.
Christians debate divinity of Jesus, split occurs.
Catholics Orthodox
West (Spain, France, Italy) East (Greece, Russia and Serbia)
Pope No pope

14. A brief History Corruption
Catholics & Protestant Reformation (16th century)
Corruption
People paying church to get into heaven or reduce their (or their loved ones‘) time in purgatory
(1517) Priest Martin Luther upset, declared his 95 theses
Printing Press: the capability to reproduces texts en masse and in different languages e.g. Bible

15. A brief History Focus of Protestants: read Bible yourself
personal relationship
w/ God (no papacy)

17. Book broken down by chapter and verse (i.e. John 3:16)
The Holy Book
Christian Bible: It said to be the Word of God and the stories of God and His people.
66 books in the Bible
2 sections:
Old Testament (39)
New Testament (27)
Book broken down by chapter and verse (i.e. John 3:16)