Download Higher Christianity Revelation wiki

CfE Higher World Religion: Christianity
Use as a check list revision guide
and for homework tasks
CfE Higher World Religion: Christianity
Use as a check list revision guide
and for homework tasks
RMPS Skill
Try and look through the eyes of a person of faith
You keep your beliefs and values but you are trying to see
what things about their faith are significant (important) to
them and what impact these things have on them and the
world around them. You are also looking for connections.
You can take the glasses off after the lesson!!
Christian belief about Revelation
Revelation is God’s way of revealing Himself to His Creation
GOD
Christian belief about Revelation
Revelation is God’s way of revealing Himself to His Creation
Christians believe revelation is the process by which God makes Himself known to
His creation. All knowledge about God comes by way of revelation. Without
revelation we would not know God, what God is like and what His purpose is for us,
His creation. God is completely different to us, wholly spiritual, from a spiritual
dimension – invisible to the human eye far above human comprehension. It is
impossible to understand God without God making the effort to communicate to us revealing Himself to us. Revelation is God closing the communication gap with us
His creation.
Task:
Pair up with someone
you don’t know.
Try to reveal the real
you to someone else.
Tell them about:
• Your likes
• Your dislikes
• Hobbies
• Your hopes
• Your dreams
GOD
Reflection Task:
Analysis & Evaluation
1. How did you do?
2. How easy was it to
reveal the real you to a
person who doesn’t know
you?
3. How could you
improve the
communication so the
other person understands
you better?
Christian belief about Revelation
There are 2 ways God reveals Himself to His creation
General
Special
GOD
Nature
Designed By God
Also known as Natural Revelation.
This is where we look at nature – the
universe, the world and it’s
creatures and work out whether they
have been designed and if God is
the designer.
The Bible
God’s Word
The Incarnation
God becomes Human
Jesus of Nazareth
Supernatural
Experiences
This is where God relates directly with
people. This type of revelation is more
relational. This is where God interacts
with humans beings on a more personal
way so that they get a better insight into
what God is really like and who they
really are.
Christian belief about Revelation
General
Nature
Designed By God
Special
GOD
The Bible
God’s Word
God becomes Human
Jesus of Nazareth
The Incarnation
Supernatural
Experiences
Tasks
1. Describe what Christians believe about Revelation in depth. Go into detail like Mr P’s PPT.
2. Why do you think Revelation is so significant (important) to the Christian faith?
3. Do you think one type of revelation is more significant and impacting than another for
Christians in the modern world? Explain and give your reasons.
4. There are roughly 3 types of Christians in churches today.
Literal Christians who believe every word of the Bible & believe Supernatural Experiences still happen
Literal Christians who believe every word of the Bible but don’t believe in Supernatural Experiences
Liberal Christians who don’t believe the Bible is the word of God or in Supernatural Experiences
Why do you think there are different types of Christians?
5. Make up PPT, study cards, memory aids, etc on Revelation
Higher in depth answers will include some or all of the following
Explain the key point in 1-2 sentences (Exp)
+ additional detail
+ examples
+ reasons
+ evidence
+ implications
(Add)
(Exa)
(R)
(Ev)
(Imp)
Impact on a person of faith
• Daily living
• Work practices
• Personal relationships
• Ethical choices
• Financial choices
• Social life
• Spiritual Life
• Any relevant area of life
Revelation: Scripture
God communicating to humans
1. What have you been learning
about Christianity from John Wimber’s
Personal story?
2. Can you see any of the course in
his story ?
Revelation: Scripture
So what is in the Bible?
New Testament Books
27
Old Testament Books
39
A library of Books called the Bible
(TORAH)
Revelation & Scriptures (The Bible)
Research & report back to the class
1. What is the Bible & why is it so significant to Christians?
2. What is the difference between the Old & New testaments?
3. What does it mean that the Bible is the inspired and infallible word of God?
4. What is the canon of scripture?
5. How is the Bible used in individual and community Christian worship?
6. What does a literal Interpretation of scripture mean?
7. What does a metaphorical Interpretation of scripture mean?
8. Give an example for each interpretation from a miracle in the NT.
9. What are the Gospels and why are these significant to Christians?
Click on link
In a team of 3 or 4
A Christian’s Mission in life is to share their faith with others.
The goal of mission for many Christians is to convert others to the Christian faith from
Atheism, Agnostism or other faiths. The ultimate goal for mission/evangelism is the
Evangelisation of the world where the whole world comes to faith! The word Evangelism
is based on the Greek word Evangelion which literally means ‘good news’.
Task 1: Find out what the good news Christians are to share?
The Risen Jesus actually commanded evangelism in Matthew Chapter 28 verse 16-20
Task 2: Find these verses and copy them into your jotter. Explain why these verses
has been so significant to Christians over the centuries.
The act of mission is called evangelism. This can be done individually, or in small or
larger numbers and in all sorts of ways.
Task 3: We studied the mission of 3/4 different Christians when you were in S1/2 RME.
a. Who were these Christians you studied?
b. How did they do mission?
c. Who were they evangelising?
d. What impact did their evangelism have on the people they were reaching?
Clue: We learned their true stories through DVD/Movie
Reflection on previous lessons
Get into a group of 3 or 4 to talk
about the questions below
In the last episode of John Wimber’s story
where did you see:
1. Revelation through Scripture
2. Revelation through the Supernatural
3. How significant were these revelations to
him?
4. What impact did these revelations have on
him?
5: Where did we see Mission and a Community
of Faith (Church) as part of his story?
6. What do you think he will say next?
Click link
An example of a person’s story recounting their faith journey
Enlightened Europe
Western Europe has for the last couple of centuries
accepted the enlightened view that reality should be
based on naturalistic empirical explanations.
Where before people would have given a supernatural God
as an explanation for the beginning and meaning of life
now science had taken that place.
His Story
Types of Christian
Relating to the
Supernatural
Cessasionist
Continuationist
Liberal
1. What scientific discoveries do you think have most
impacted the religious view on life and meaning?
2. How significant do you think the scientific view of life is
on the average person on the street in Scotland?
3. How significant do you think the religious view of life is
on the average person on the street in Scotland?
4. Is there a place in our modern rational world for a
supernatural God? Give your reasons with proof/evidence.
5. There are many different views Christians have on
Supernatural Revelation. Describe the 3 main types
of Christian beliefs. Explain what they believe and why.
Revelation & Scriptures (The Bible)
Research & report back to the class
1. What is the Bible & why is it so significant to Christians?
2. What is the difference between the Old & New testaments?
3. What does it mean that the Bible is the inspired and infallible word of God?
4. What is the canon of scripture?
5. How is the Bible used in individual and community Christian worship?
6. What does a literal Interpretation of scripture mean?
7. What does a metaphorical Interpretation of scripture mean?
8. Give an example for each interpretation from a miracle in the NT.
9. What are the Gospels and why are these significant to Christians?
You are required to read some Bible Sources in the Higher Course
www.Biblegateway.com
Bible gateway App
Christian Revelation
1. What is it?
2. Where do you see it in any of these
Christians stories?
Rev David Wilkerson
Father Damien
Pentecostal/Charismatic Christianity
Catholic Christianity
Christian Mission
Evangelism and Evangelisation
1. What is it?
2. What does Matthew 28 say about it?
3. What is similar about evangelism in
these Christians stories?
4. What is different about evangelism
in their stories?
5. Do you think all Christians agree on
evangelism? Why?
Rev John Wimber
Evangelical/Charismatic
Christianity
Miss Corrie Ten Boom
Evangelical Christianity
Key Bible sources
The Old Testament
The book of Genesis Chapters 1-3
The Prophecy of Isaiah Chapter 53
The New Testament
The Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel of Luke
The Gospel of John Chapters 1-3
The book of the Acts of the Apostles
The New Testament Cont..
The Apostle Paul’s letter to the:
Romans Chapters 3, 5 & 6
I Corinthians Chapters 12-15
Philippians Chapter 2
Colossians Chapter 1 verses 15-23
The book of Revelation Chapter 4, 5, 21 & 22
Religion and Revelation
Summary Notes
•The word revelation in ordinary English is used to mean the
‘realisation of something which was previously unknown’. In
this sense, God.
•Revelation is communication from God to humans.
•It can be in many forms. In Christianity, examples of
revelation are:
– Individuals: Jesus, his life and teachings
–Scriptures: the Bible
–Nature: the world around us and use of reason
•Religious faith is accepting these revelations and acting on
them
•Hugh Mackintosh: “All religious knowledge of God comes by
revelation. If this was not the case then we would be
committed to the belief that human beings can know God
without God ever having revealed Himself.”  We wouldn’t
know about God if he hadn’t let himself be known – as there
are religions, He must be letting himself be known.
General Revelation
• It is possible for anyone to know God through
general revelation.
• This can happen in a number of ways:
– Reflecting on nature, and drawing conclusions [e.g. the
order and beauty must have been designed by a God]
– Use of our conscience [develops from an early age, and
although subject to influences, al humans have a sense of
this = must be ‘in-built’]
– Reflecting on scriptures [the culmination of human
reflection on God and what He wants – often believed to
be the word of God written down, although most
Christians would accept some human interpretation]
– Reflecting on the lives of important figures (e.g. Jesus,
Mother Teresa, etc) [people who have acted according to
what they believe God wanted, and inspire others to do
the same]
Special Revelation
• This refers to individuals having DIRECT
experiences of God:
– Dreams / Miracles / Receiving Messages (e.g.
Terma tradition in Tibetan Buddhism) / A
Strong Feeling of ‘God’ Linked to an Event
•
Often interpreted as a ‘calling’ from God
to ‘do’ something specific
e.g. David Wilkerson’s mission to the
gangs in New York.
• These experiences are individual, and so
open to interpretation
Strengths and Weaknesses of revelation in the culture we live in
Strengths
•
• A significant spiritual
experience can affect and
change a persons whole life
•
• Different types of revelation
‘add up’ to reinforce belief
• Sharing experiences with
others also reinforces belief
•
• There is a long tradition of
revelation dating back to start
of the Judeo/Christian religion.
Abraham, Moses, Elijah all had
significant spiritual revelations •
• Christianity is a religion of
revelation. From the
Incarnation to the Resurrection
Weaknesses
God is out with our realm of
senses, and as such cannot be
‘known’ scientifically
Because God is separate,
different and ‘other’. Humans can
never fully understand or fully
know God this side of heaven.
Ideas of God through revelation
are only human descriptions
which so are limited in what they
can say
Ideas of God through revelation
are interpreted which can mean
our ideas of God can be
inaccurate or biased
Check your learning about:
Revelation as a source of human knowledge
1. What do Christians understand by revelation?
2. Describe 2 key benefits of revelation for a person of faith
living in 21st century Dunoon
3. Describe 2 key drawbacks of revelation for a person of faith
living in 21st century Dunoon
4. Why is revelation important to Christians?
5. Do you think science and religious belief are compatible?