World Religion: Christianity

Lesson Aim: • To consider the Human Condition

The Human Condition

Understanding of what it is to be human is varied. Before we look at Christian answers to the question of humanity lets consider what it is like to be human....

Discuss

1. Are humans born good, bad or neither?2. What makes humans different to other life

on earth?

Discuss

3. How do our beliefs affect our actions?4. Are we alone in the Universe?

Pale Blue Dot

Discuss

5. Were we made for a purpose?6. What is the point of life?

Alien Report

Imagine you are an alien who has been assigned to Planet Earth. Your job is to write a brief report on ‘human beings'. Do your best to describe this species to the other aliens.

• The Human Condition refers to the entire experience of being human, from birth to death and everything experienced in between

Copy into your jotters

The Human Condition? What does that really mean?

We are all members of the human race, living in human bodies and experiencing the world as human beings.

However, this common ‘humanity’ can be understood and interpreted in many different ways.

Understanding what it means to be human can vary according to race, religion, culture, situation and time.

• Christianity identifies the problem of the human condition and goes on to provide answers to the root cause of the problem.

• In fact, the explanation to the human condition can be found in the first three chapters of the Bible.

To think about…

• Discussion:

In groups consider the following questions:1. What is important to human beings?2. Where do you think humanity comes from

and what is the point in human life?

What is your favourite film? 1 min discuss with partner

• What ideas about human beings appear in the film?

• What goals are the characters aiming for and how do they achieve these goals?

• In Spiderman, when Peter Parker realises the changes and powers that he has, he has to learn to use his gifts unselfishly.

• Spiderman is tempted by the demon Green Goblin and must overcome that temptation. His mission changes his whole approach and outlook on life. He has power, but also responsibility.

In The Lord of the Rings trilogy Frodo must forget about his own fear in order to destroy the ring and conquer evil. In one level he is a small unimportant creature, but on another level his actions and choices affect everyone. The message of the film suggests that unselfish actions can be more powerful than the selfish use of great power.

• In Man of Steel, Superman has to sacrifice a lot (including at one point himself) in order to save the universe.

• The Director draws parallels with Christianity, quite deliberately, introducing Superman as a Messianic figure.

Superman Jesus

Superman Jesus

On a form which asked for my religion, I would describe myself as Christian.

I wouldn’t describe myself as Christian, but I have sympathy for Christian beliefs and attitudes.

I am definitely not a Christian, but am interested in religions.

If anything, I could be described as anti-Christian because I think Christians are mistaken or deluded in their beliefs.

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Brainstorm on Christianity

• As a class make a list of all the things you already know about the Christian religion.

• Consider beliefs, practices, information about the history of Christianity and any other facts you know.

• As I speak you will make as many notes as you can! You will then use these notes to write a mini-essay on Christianity!

In your jotter copy the following list of headings:

1. Jesus2. The Early Church3. Heresy4. The Emperor Constantine5. Great Schism6. Reformation7. Today

Using these 7 headings you will make your notes.

TIP: Don't try to copy out entire slides – just make some brief notes that will prompt your memory

1. JesusChristian history begins with Jesus of Nazareth, a Jew who was born in a small corner of the Roman Empire.

Little is known of his early life. The Bible mentions an incident when Jesus was 12 years old but otherwise - nothing!

Jesus• When Jesus was 30, his mission began• He was baptised by John the Baptist and the Bible

states that a voice from heaven was heard by all who were there. It said,

“This is my son with whom I am well pleased” Matthew 3:17

• The ministry of Jesus was full of teaching, healing, and miracle-working. The 4 gospels are a record of all he said and did.

• Jesus spoke mainly of the “Kingdom of God". he condemned religious hypocrites and introduced people to new ways of thinking about God.

• He spoke before crowds of people, but also chose 12 disciples whom he taught privately. They eagerly followed him, believing him to be the long-awaited Messiah – the saviour of the world - who would usher in the long promised Kingdom of God on earth.

Jesus

• After just a three years, however, opposition mounted against Jesus, and he was crucified by the Romans – the worst form of execution that the Romans reserved only for the worst criminal

• Most of Jesus' followers scattered, terrified at such an unexpected outcome.

• But three days later, women who went to grieve over his body reported that the tomb was empty and that Jesus had risen from the dead!

• The disciples were initially sceptical, but later came to believe. The New Testament reports that Jesus appeared to them on several occasions to teach them and commission them to spread the gospel.

Jesus• Of the twelve disciples,

eleven of them were eventually martyred for preaching this message of the resurrected Christ. They must have been pretty convinced....

• Martyr: Someone who is prepared to give up their life for a cause

The Early Church• The remainder of the

first century saw the number of Jesus' followers, who were soon called "Christians," grow rapidly.

• The name Christian was initially used as an insult – it meant 'little Christ'.

The Early Church• One of the most important

missionaries was a man named Paul, a strict Jew who had severely persecuted Christians for breaking away from the traditional religion.

• Paul used to see to it that Christians were killed.

The Early Church• However, Paul converted to the faith after experiencing a vision of the risen Jesus. This story is recorded in the book of Acts in the New Testament.

• When Paul converted he was so impacted by his vision of Jesus Christ that he committed the rest of his life to spreading the gospel.

• Paul became the first international missionary.

The Early Church• Taking advantage of the extensive system of Roman roads and the time of peace, Paul went on numerous missionary journeys throughout the Roman Empire. He started churches, then wrote letters back to them to advice and encouragement. Many of these letters now form part of the New Testament.

The Early Church: Persecution

• The Roman Empire demanded that all people come and pledge allegiance to the Empire once every year. This process involved agreeing to the belief that the Emperor was one of the gods.

The Early Church: Persecution• The Roman Empire demanded that all people come

and pledge allegiance to the Empire once every year. This process involved agreeing to the belief that the Emperor was one of the gods.

• Why was this a problem for the Christians??

The Early Church: Persecution

• To put it mildly, this went against their beliefs. How could they contradict their own faith by agreeing to such a lie?

• The Emperor Nero was outraged by their disobedience and decided that he would make them suffer

• Nero was known to be a rather nasty character...

The Early Church• In the second and third centuries AD, Christians struggled with persecution from outside the church and debates on doctrine from within the church.

The Early Church: Persecution According to the Jewish historian Tacitus: -

“Besides being put to death they (the Christians) were made to serve as objects of amusement; they were clothed

in the hides of beasts and torn to death by dogs; others were crucified, others set on fire to serve to illuminate the night when daylight failed......All this gave rise to a feeling of pity.....for it was felt that they were being destroyed not

for the public good but to gratify the cruelty of an individual.”

• The Christian faith wasn't just under physical attack – it was also under doctrinal attack. There were lots of beliefs that people were introducing – and who was to say that they were wrong?

The early Christian leaders often had to defend the faith which was constantly under attack. Apologetics is the act of explaining the correct version of your faith.

• Doctrines were explored, developed, and solidified, the New Testament part of the Bible was compiled, and systems of authority were put in place to guard against wrong interpretations of Christian teachings.

Heresy

Constantine• A major turning point in

Christian history came in the early 4th century AD, when, much to everyone's surprise, the Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity.

Constantine

• Emperor Constantine hoped Christianity would be the uniting force of his empire.

The Christian religion became legal, persecution ceased, and thousands of people converted to the emperor's new faith.

• As a result, the Church gradually rose in power....

Constantine

Constantine• In 325 AD, Constantine called a special meeting to

help formalise Christian beliefs and safeguard important doctrine against heresy.

• The Council of Nicaea was formed so that the bishops could work out their official doctrine. The Nicene Creed is one that every Christian denominations in the 21st Century would agree with.

 

Constantine: The Nicene CreedWe believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father [and the Son], who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

The Great Schism• In the meantime, the considerable differences between the Eastern and Western churches were becoming increasingly apparent.

• There were different views on topics such as the use of icons (pictures), the nature of the Holy Spirit, and the date on which Easter should be celebrated.

The Great Schism• But most of all the

Eastern Church was not happy with the idea that the Pope was the leader of the entire Church.

The Great Schism

• In 1054 AD, the 'Great Schism' took place.

• The Church had split into two sections

- In the West was the Roman Catholic, - In the East was the Orthodox

• In 2014 the split still remains.

Reformation• The Roman Catholic Church dominated in Western

Europe and many abuses started to take place.• The Church began buying and selling important

positions, as a result many Priests didn't know the Bible and couldn't preach at all!

• These same Priests ignored the teachings of the Church and had many children (who also became priests!)

• The Church had become very corrupt.

Reformation• Perhaps the worst of all was the selling of indulgences. This was the belief that forgiveness from God could be bought from the Church.

• Many poor people were desperate to go to heaven and often spent their life savings on indulgences.

• In the 1400s, some western Christians began to publicly challenge aspects of the Roman Catholic church.

• They spoke against the abuse of authority and corruption in its leadership. They called for a return to the gospel and a stripping off of all the man made traditions and customs that the Church had gathered.

• These Christians began to translate the Bible – which was only available in Latin - into the common languages of the people.

The Reformation

The Reformation• In 1517, a German Catholic monk

named Martin Luther posted 97 complaints against the Roman Catholic Church.

• He believed in a return to the simple faith of the early Church, he preached that belief in Jesus was all that mattered.

• He also taught that people could have a relationship with God without going through as Priest

The Reformation• The invention of the printing press ensured that

Luther's teachings would be spread quickly.

• He was excommunicated from the Catholic church and barely escaped with his life on more than one occasion, but Luther lived out his life spreading the Reformation, and died a natural death.

• Luther was known as a Protestant as he protested against the corruption of the Catholic Church.

• His ideas had already spread throughout Germany, and similar reforming movements sprung up in Scotland and Switzerland.

• Soon much of Europe was embroiled in a civil war, with Protestant fighting Catholic for religious and political freedom.

Today• Today, Christianity is the largest world religion,

with about 2 billion followers.

• There are thousands of Christian denominations, all of whom believe in the basic doctrines established at the Council of Nicaea but differ in other matters.

Today• There is an emphasis on healing the divisions

between the Christian churches. • In 1948, the World Council of Churches was

founded for that very purpose.

Today

Church History Overview

The Early ChurchGreek Orthodox

Roman Catholic

Protestantism

01054

16thC

21st C

Essay TaskNow imagine the exam question is: Describe the history and spread of Christianity. 10 marks

Write your own short version of the history and spread of Christianity – based entirely on your notes.Try using the subheadings1. Jesus2. The Early Church3. Heresy4. The Emperor Constantine5. Great Schism6. Reformation7. Today

Peer Assessment: 2 Stars and a Wish

• Exchange essays with your partner and READ

As you do so you will write 3 comments. • Two comments will be the strengths of the essay, • One comment will be what they could improve on

for next time

Peer Assessment: 2 Stars and a Wish

• I think the strengths of this essay are.....

• I think ______ could improve if he/she......

(Your Signature goes here)

HOMEWORK: Is Scotland still a Christian Country?

• Interview 2 people to ask them their opinion on this.

• Write a summary of what they have said. Also include your own opinion.

To think about

–If God exists why would He create human beings?

• Answers on a postcard...

Why did God create human beings?

So what exactly is the Human Condition?

It goes back to the Old Testament.

Genesis is the first book of the Old Testament. The Old Testament is an important part of the Christian Bible. It is also used as the Sacred Scripture for Jews. Genesis is often called ‘the book of the beginnings’ or ‘origins’ and it tells the story of how and why humanity was created.

The Human Condition God, one creator, beyond human understanding, reveals self to humanity .

‘God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. (Genesis 1:31)

Christians believe in ONE God who created everything. God not only creates but also continues to support and provide for the world.

The idea of God as creator is first found in the Genesis story and is an important part of Christian teaching. Christians believe that God created the universe out of nothing (ex nihilo – important term, learn!) Everything owes its existence to God. God as creator guarantees the ‘goodness’ of creation

Activity - Read Genesis 1-2v4

Highlight in different colours ‘God commanded’, ‘God was pleased’, ‘Evening passed and

morning came’.

Genesis – Origins or the beginning

• Jews, Christians and Muslims believe that God created the universe and everything in it. Therefore life is not an accident-it has meaning and purpose given to it by God.

• God created the universe out of nothing -ex nihilo, therefore He is all powerful and is the cause of all life.

• As God has created the universe and God is good, so the universe must be good.

Genesis – Origins or the beginning

• Chapter 1 of Genesis also teaches us that God’s creation was good.

What are the problems with this?

Anything wrong with our world is the result of what human beings have done.

God gave people free will and at times they have used that free will to act in a harmful way.

The Human ConditionGod seeks a loving relationship with humans who are made in His image

So God created man in His own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:27)

What separates human beings from the rest of Creation?

Three things:

1. Humans are relational2. Humans are rational3. Humans exercise Free Will

Genesis Chapter 1 (Christian belief: the nature of human beings’)

Identifying beliefs from sourcesInstructions• By reading the text, try to identify key Christian

beliefs that have their origins in different parts of Genesis

Genesis Chapters 1–3 (Christian belief: the ‘nature of human beings’)

Genesis source

Key Christian belief

Gen 1:1 ‘In the beginning God …’

God is the source of everything that exists

Gen 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25 ‘And God saw that it was good ….’

Gen 1:26 ‘God said “Let us make man in our image.”’

• God created human beings in his own image, - Imago Dei - which means humans are a special creation.

• God created human beings last. They were the ultimate creation. This shows they are the most important part of creation.

• God has given humans the responsibility of caring for and safeguarding his Creation. This is called stewardship. It gives Christian life another purpose.

Genesis Chapters 1–3 (Christian belief: the ‘nature of human beings’)

Considering interpretation – Part AInstructionsGenesis should be understood poetically. The text contains some elements that are true but these ideas have been expressed poetically.Argument 1: Genesis Chapter 1 is structured like a poem.

Learners should read the famous poem below and compare it to Genesis Chapter 1.

Genesis Chapters 1–3 (Christian belief: the ‘fallen nature of human beings’)

The Charge of the Light Brigadeby Alfred, Lord Tennyson 1809-1892

Half a league half a league,Half a league onward,

All in the valley of DeathRode the six hundred:

'Forward, the Light Brigade!

Charge for the guns!' he said:

Into the valley of DeathRode the six hundred.

'Forward, the Light Brigade!'

Was there a man dismayed?Not though the soldier

knewSomeone had blundered:Theirs not to make reply,Theirs not to reason why,Theirs but to do and die,Into the valley of DeathRode the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,Cannon to left of them,Cannon in front of themVolleyed and thundered;Stormed at with shot and

shell,Boldly they rode and well,

Into the jaws of Death,Into the mouth of HellRode the six hundred.

Genesis Chapters 1–3 (Christian belief: the ‘fallen nature of human beings’)

The Charge of the Light Brigadeby Alfred, Lord Tennyson 1809-1892

Flashed all their sabres bare,Flashed as they turned in airSabring the gunners there,Charging an army, whileAll the world wondered:

Plunged in the battery-smokeRight through the line they

broke;Cossack and Russian

Reeled from the sabre-stroke,Shattered and sundered.

Then they rode back, but notNot the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,Cannon to left of them,Cannon behind them

Volleyed and thundered;Stormed at with shot and shell,

While horse and hero fell,They that had fought so well

Came through the jaws of Death,

Back from the mouth of Hell,All that was left of them,

Left of six hundred.

When can their glory fade?O the wild charge they made!

All the world wondered.Honour the charge they made!

Honour the Light Brigade,Noble six hundred!

Genesis Chapters 1–3 (Christian belief: the ‘fallen nature of human beings’)

Discussion questions for pairs or small groups:

1. There are some aspects of this poem that make it obvious to us that it is a poem. What are they?

2. Read Genesis Chapter 1 carefully and try to identify

aspects of it that are similar to Tennyson’s poem.

Genesis Chapters 1–3 (Christian belief: the ‘fallen nature of human beings’)

Examples of potential answers:

1. There are some aspects of this poem that make it obvious to us that it is a poem. What are they?

2. Read Genesis Chapter 1 carefully and try to identify aspects of it that are similar to Tennyson’s poem.

Clearly defined verses. Repetition of ideas (eg into the valley of death rode the 600). Some rhyming. Metaphorical language (eg ‘jaws of death’).

Clear repetition of ideas (eg ‘and it was good’). The structure appears to be organised into verses (ie days).