GCSE AQA Component 1: Christianity
BELIEFS
KEY:
= unit
= subunit
The Nature of God
OMINPOTENT/OMNIBENEVOLENT
Give two Christian beliefs about the nature of God
• Just and fair. Gives equal justice to all people. Decides what is right and wrong.
Judges humanity after death , rewarding and punishing accordingly.
• God is omnibenevolent. Created the world out of love- relationship with
humans=unconditional love. God sacrificed himself through Jesus for the sin of
humanity.
LOVING AND JUST
Explain two ways in which the belief that God is just influences Christians today
• Try to be fair towards others- believe God loves them and is fair to them too- have
experienced God’s justice so want others to experience it
• God is pleased with people who are just and fair like him/ try to develop this
quality/God sets them an example to follow, etc.
THE PROBLEM OF EVIL AND SUFFERING
Explain why evil and suffering is a problem for Christians
• Raises questions about God’s nature and existence: If God is fair, why do innocent
people suffer?
• Inconsistent triad- god is omnipotent and omnibenevolent yet evil and suffering
exists
• God is love and he is omnipresent. Evil must be the lack of God but that wouldn’t be
possible.
Explain two ways in which Christians respond to the problem of evil and suffering
• Accept there is no way to fully understand God and his plans- transcendent. Instead
focus of limiting evil and suffering and following Jesus’ example
• Find theodicies which give purpose (essential) to evil and suffering, eg educate souls
to appreciate good through character building and taking responsibility to help
others
THE ONENESS OF GOD AND THE TRINITY
How does a belief in the Trinity influence Christians today (4 marks)
, • Affects prayer and relationship with God. Worship is Trinitarian as they bless and
baptise ‘in the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit’- all three are
worshipped equally (also sign of the cross)
• Social implications. Trinity’s essence is a relationship based on love, equality-
reflected in respect and support in Christian communities.
Christians believe in three Gods not one (12 marks )
• Monotheistic religion
• The trinity is a human attempt to explain how god has revealed himself as three
distinct persons, but he is still one
• Three manifestations of same God: same nature, essence, substance
• Co eternal, co equal, consubstantial
• Different roles, have a relationship with each other.
Creation
THE ROLE OF THE WORD AND THE SPIRIT
Explain two Beliefs about Creation
Creation is sacred because God is behind it- all powerful, all knowing being. He is beyond
time.
• Creation is ordered, meaningful and everything has a purpose. God has a plan for
creation because he loves it-order from disorder
Explain two ways in which beliefs about creation affect Christians today
Represent God’s image on Earth. Have stewardship of the world, look after it with a sense of
responsibility
• God is behind creation so universe doesn’t exist by chance. All human lives must
have meaning and purpose. Positive approach to life, value every individual (no
murder, suicide)
VIEWS ON CREATION
You cannot be a Christian and believe in a scientific understanding of the origin of the world
(12 marks)
• Young earth creationists- literal approach to Genesis 1
• It makes more sense that an intelligent, logical being created complex world- not by
chance. Creation is ordered.
• Uphold prior belief in bible as accurate source of truth in a literal way therefore cant
accept a scientific understanding of the origin of the world
• Theistic evolutionists are still Christians despite believing in a scientific
understanding of world’s origin.
• God set the process of evolution in motion.
• Genesis never intended to be a scientific account- a literary narrative with a ‘poetic
myth’ interpretation
• Purpose of Genesis 1- explain and emphasise certain things about creation (God’s
nature, ‘created in God’s image’-stewardship of earth, pinnacle of creation)
• Science and Christianity are compatible
BELIEFS
KEY:
= unit
= subunit
The Nature of God
OMINPOTENT/OMNIBENEVOLENT
Give two Christian beliefs about the nature of God
• Just and fair. Gives equal justice to all people. Decides what is right and wrong.
Judges humanity after death , rewarding and punishing accordingly.
• God is omnibenevolent. Created the world out of love- relationship with
humans=unconditional love. God sacrificed himself through Jesus for the sin of
humanity.
LOVING AND JUST
Explain two ways in which the belief that God is just influences Christians today
• Try to be fair towards others- believe God loves them and is fair to them too- have
experienced God’s justice so want others to experience it
• God is pleased with people who are just and fair like him/ try to develop this
quality/God sets them an example to follow, etc.
THE PROBLEM OF EVIL AND SUFFERING
Explain why evil and suffering is a problem for Christians
• Raises questions about God’s nature and existence: If God is fair, why do innocent
people suffer?
• Inconsistent triad- god is omnipotent and omnibenevolent yet evil and suffering
exists
• God is love and he is omnipresent. Evil must be the lack of God but that wouldn’t be
possible.
Explain two ways in which Christians respond to the problem of evil and suffering
• Accept there is no way to fully understand God and his plans- transcendent. Instead
focus of limiting evil and suffering and following Jesus’ example
• Find theodicies which give purpose (essential) to evil and suffering, eg educate souls
to appreciate good through character building and taking responsibility to help
others
THE ONENESS OF GOD AND THE TRINITY
How does a belief in the Trinity influence Christians today (4 marks)
, • Affects prayer and relationship with God. Worship is Trinitarian as they bless and
baptise ‘in the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit’- all three are
worshipped equally (also sign of the cross)
• Social implications. Trinity’s essence is a relationship based on love, equality-
reflected in respect and support in Christian communities.
Christians believe in three Gods not one (12 marks )
• Monotheistic religion
• The trinity is a human attempt to explain how god has revealed himself as three
distinct persons, but he is still one
• Three manifestations of same God: same nature, essence, substance
• Co eternal, co equal, consubstantial
• Different roles, have a relationship with each other.
Creation
THE ROLE OF THE WORD AND THE SPIRIT
Explain two Beliefs about Creation
Creation is sacred because God is behind it- all powerful, all knowing being. He is beyond
time.
• Creation is ordered, meaningful and everything has a purpose. God has a plan for
creation because he loves it-order from disorder
Explain two ways in which beliefs about creation affect Christians today
Represent God’s image on Earth. Have stewardship of the world, look after it with a sense of
responsibility
• God is behind creation so universe doesn’t exist by chance. All human lives must
have meaning and purpose. Positive approach to life, value every individual (no
murder, suicide)
VIEWS ON CREATION
You cannot be a Christian and believe in a scientific understanding of the origin of the world
(12 marks)
• Young earth creationists- literal approach to Genesis 1
• It makes more sense that an intelligent, logical being created complex world- not by
chance. Creation is ordered.
• Uphold prior belief in bible as accurate source of truth in a literal way therefore cant
accept a scientific understanding of the origin of the world
• Theistic evolutionists are still Christians despite believing in a scientific
understanding of world’s origin.
• God set the process of evolution in motion.
• Genesis never intended to be a scientific account- a literary narrative with a ‘poetic
myth’ interpretation
• Purpose of Genesis 1- explain and emphasise certain things about creation (God’s
nature, ‘created in God’s image’-stewardship of earth, pinnacle of creation)
• Science and Christianity are compatible
