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Home , Omnibenevolence

Year Ten GCSE RS

Week Twelve Answers

Starter: Match up the key terms for the Christianity paper to their definitions – each key term has been numbered. The correct definition has the corresponding number after it.

1. Omnipotent The belief that Jesus’ death on the cross healed the rift (separation) between humans and . 5 2. Omnibenevolent Preaching of the gospel to others with the intention of converting others to the Christian faith. 8 3. The all-powerful, almighty and unlimited nature of God. 1 4. Incarnation The three persons of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 3 5. Atonement An outward sign of a visible and inward blessing by God, for example: baptism and Eucharist. 7 6. Resurrection The state of being all loving and infinitely good which is a characteristic often attributed to God. 2 7. Sacraments The belief that Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday, conquering death. 6 8. Evangelism The act of God becoming human in the form of Jesus. 4 Revision Research:

1. Explain how God demonstrates His in the account of the Ten Plagues which can be found in Exodus 7-11. (Stuck? Omnipotence means God is all powerful) https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zf9g4qt/revision/1 In the account of the Exodus from Egypt God shows His omnipotence by helping the Hebrews escape slavery. God gives Moses the power to inflict ten plagues upon the Egyptian people. These plagues show His power over different elements of life e.g. He shows His power over nature when He causes the rivers to turn to blood and darkness to fall over Egypt, He shows His power over insects when He causes the plagues of locusts and flies, God shows His power over life and death with the death of the cattle and the firstborn son. Ultimately God gives Moses the power to part the Red Sea so that the Hebrews can escape the Pharaoh and his army. This shows God’s power and the fact that He is involved in the world – He is present and will intervene to help His people.

2. “But you, , are a compassionate and gracious God; slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” (Psalm 86:15). Write this quote out and explain what it teaches a Christian about God’s omnibenevolence? (Stuck? Omnibenevolence means God is all loving) https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zf9g4qt/revision/1 This quote teaches Christians that God is caring and compassionate, that He is not an angry God and is full of love for His people.

3. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16. Write this quote out and explain what it teaches a Christian about God’s omnibenevolence. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zf9g4qt/revision/1 This quote teaches Christians that the ultimate declaration of love for humanity is shown when God is willing to send His son to earth to live as a human and be persecuted by many people so that God can demonstrate how to live in order to achieve a place in heaven. This shows the ultimate altruistic love – God allows Jesus to be killed in order to save humanity from sin.

4. Epicurus was a Greek thinker who said this: “Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then He is not omnipotent. Is He able, but not willing? Then He is malevolent. Is He both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is He neither able nor willing? Then why call Him God?” What does this mean? What questions does it raise about God? What questions does it raise about the purpose of suffering? (Stuck? Use this page to help you https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zf9g4qt/revision/2) This quote states that the existence of evil and suffering calls into question key beliefs about God e.g. how can God be all powerful if He cannot stop evil from happening? If God is powerful enough to stop suffering but doesn’t then this calls into question whether He can be omnibenevolent – a loving God would want to use His power to stop suffering. If God isn’t all-powerful and loving then the quote asks how we can call him God.

5. Read the section on this page https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zf9g4qt/revision/2 called ‘Christian solutions to the ’ and the text in the screenshot below. Explain in your own words how Christians respond to the problem of evil. Christians may respond to the problem of evil by arguing that most evil acts are caused by a misuse of freewill. Freewill is a gift from God, given to humans so that we are not robots. If people choose to misuse their freewill and cause evil to others this is not God’s fault – it is humans fault. God cannot intervene in freewill otherwise humans wouldn’t really have freewill. Christians believe entered the world when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and committed the original sin – this led to the balance of the universe being disrupted and evil and suffering occurring. Many Christians believe that through suffering we can understand what is good in the world. Some Christians believe that suffering is part of a test of faith to see if we are worthy of a place in heaven. Some believe that suffering is a punishment for sin, however, many disagree with this as it doesn’t explain why innocent people suffer and it doesn’t fit in with the idea of a loving God. Some Christians believe that some of the evil in the world is caused by the Devil, a fallen angel who disobeyed God and now tempts humans to sin against God. Suffering in this life is only temporary; if humans believe in God and follow His teachings in the Bible there will be a place for them in Heaven which will be a place of peace and tranquillity where there will be no more suffering and pain.

6. Read the section on this page https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zf9g4qt/revision/2 called ‘The Book of Job (1: 8–12 and 42:1–6)’. Explain in your own words: a) Who was Job? Job was a good man who had been blessed by God with many children and much wealth as a result of his loyalty to God. b) What happened to him? The Devil challenges God by claiming that Job is only loyal to God because God blesses him with so much wealth. He says that if God took away Job’s wealth he would curse God. God allows the Devil to test Job’s faith. First he loses all of his cattle, camels and sheep, his children are killed and his wife curses him. Job does not lose his faith. The Devil then claims that if Job suffered physically he would curse God. God allows the Devil to test Job again. He makes him very poorly and Job is thrown out of home to lie outside the city walls. Job questions God and asks why he has done this to him. God appears to Job and tells him that there are some things it is impossible for Job to know, that he just has to keep his faith and accept what is happening. Job apologises to God and God reinstates his wealth and he is blessed with more children. c) What does this account teach a Christian about the purpose of suffering? The account teaches a Christian that there is not always a reason for suffering, sometimes it just happens, it is not always a punishment for sin – good people can suffer too. That the aim of suffering is to learn to keep your faith in God and that if you do this He will reward you.

7. Using the information on this page https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zf9g4qt/revision/3 explain in detail the following: a) What is the Trinity? The belief that there is one God, known in three ways – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. b) What is the role of ? God the Father is the creator of the world, He is a loving parent (as shown in the parable of the Prodigal Son), He is the Judge but is also merciful and forgiving. c) What is the role of God the Son? Incarnation of God, miracle worker, set the perfect example of how to live life, atoned for the sins of humanity, will return on Judgement Day. d) What is the role of God the Holy Spirit? Power of God on earth today, guiding and supporting Christians.

8. Using this page https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zdhmtv4/revision/1 explain what Genesis chapter 1 teaches a Christian about creation. God creates the world in 6 days and rests on the 7th. He creates the world in an order beginning with light and dark and ending with humanity. The creation is planned. God blesses creation making it holy. God exists before the creation of the universe – He has always been here.

9. Using the information in the boxes below explain what Genesis chapters 2 and 3 teach a Christian about creation: Genesis chapter 2 teaches Christians about the creation of humans. There is a different order to creation – Adam is created before plants and animals, they are created for him to use for food. Eve is created as Adam’s companion. Humans are made in the image of God and given freewill. They are given the instruction not to eat from the tree of knowledge.

Genesis chapter 3 teaches Christians about the Fall from God’s grace. Adam and Eve use their freewill to disobey God. They eat the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of and are cast out of the Garden of Eden for their disobedience. This means they no longer have eternal life and death and suffering enters the world. It also explains how the relationship between God and humans became broken and sets the scene for the rest of the Bible narrative – God and humans trying to repair the relationship culminating in Jesus coming to earth as God’s incarnation to atone for sin.

10. Using this page on bitesize https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zdhmtv4/revision/2 explain what Christians understand by the term made in the ‘image of God’? (Stuck? You will find the answer in the first section of the page where it says ‘The nature and role of human beings in creation’) Most Christians believe that being made in the image of God does not mean humans look like God. Instead it means that we share in some of God’s qualities and characteristics e.g. being kind, compassionate and loving. It also means that we have a special relationship with God.

11. Using this page again https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zdhmtv4/revision/2 explain what this quote from Genesis 2:7 teaches a Christian about the soul: “Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7) This quote teaches Christians that life is ‘God-breathed’, there is a spiritual aspect to life that was breathed into us by God and this is known as the soul. The soul is a non-physical ‘spiritual dimension’ that connects humans with God and will live on after death.

12. Using the same page (https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zdhmtv4/revision/2) explain what this quote teaches a Christian about the concept of Stewardship and Dominion. “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26) This quote teaches a Christian that God gave humans dominion or power over His creation. It is our responsibility to look after the world and everything in it for God. Many Christians reject the idea of dominion as this suggests we can do what we like with the world, most accept the concept of stewardship which means it is our duty to look after the world God has created.

13. Using this page https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zdhmtv4/revision/3 explain what the Bible teaches Christians about the role of the Holy Spirit and Jesus in the creation of the world. In Genesis the Holy Spirit is mentioned as having a part to play in the creation of the world when it says “The Spirit of God was hovering over the water. And God said, ‘Let there be light.’ And there was light” (Genesis 1:2–3). The Gospel of John suggests that Jesus had a role to play in creation; John’s prologue says that Jesus was with God at the beginning of time and it was through Jesus that all things were made.

14. In this Bible quote who is ‘The Word’ and what does this teach a Christian? “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made.” John 1:1 Jesus is thought to be the Word, this teaches a Christian that Jesus was with God at the creation and without Jesus the earth and everything on it could not exist.

15. Using the information in the boxes below explain the different ways the Biblical creation account can be interpreted. You will also find information on this page https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zdhmtv4/revision/3 to help you with this too. Literalist Interpretations- take the word of the Bible to be 100% true. If it is in the Bible it is fact therefore the world was created in 6 days and God rested on the 7th. Non-literalists - the Bible needs interpretation, it should not be taken literally. The messages and teachings within the Bible are what is important – not whether or not it is 100% accurate. Inspirational – the Bible was inspired by God but was written by people and may contain human errors. Metaphorical – the accounts in the Bible are stories containing meanings and messages, not facts.

Assessed Task: Practice part c) question

Explain Christian beliefs about the creation of the world. (8 marks)

As this is an assessed task please hand in your work via Teams or email for feedback.