Introduction to Christianity How is the term ‘Christian’ often used today? Why i

Introduction to Christianity
How is the term ‘Christian’ often used today? Why is that incorrect?
How will we use the term ‘Christian’ for this unit?
Where does the quote ‘God became man (human) so that man (humans) might become God’ come from? What does it tell us about the Christian religion?
Historical Overview
Who was Jesus? Why is he often called Jesus of Nazareth? When and where did he live?
What is a “Jewish Apocalyptic Prophet?” And how does the term apply to Jesus?
What religion did all the first Christians come from? How does Christianity and Judaism finally part ways with each other?
What was the status of Christianity during its first 300 years in the Roman Empire? How did that affect the development of the Christian religion?
What was the Edict of Milan? When was it passed?
What was the Edict of Thessalonica? When was it passed?
What was the Great Schism? When was it?
What was the Protestant Reformation? When was it?
How does the Protestant Reformation affect the number of churches/denominations there are in Christianity?
How many Christians are there today in the world?
Myths of Origins
Why do Judaism and Christianity have the same creation story in their sacred texts?
Why did early Christians decide to keep virtually the entire Tanakh in the Christian Bible?
How do Christians and Jews interpret the story differently?
What is the “Jesus Event?” Why would this have been confusing for his followers?
What are the titles that were applied to Jesus both before and after his death?
Historical Myths
Where do Christians learn about what happened during Jesus’ life?
What is a Gospel?
What are the stories about what happened before/after Jesus’ birth?
What are the “missing years” of Jesus’ life and why are they referred to in that way?
What are some aspects of Jesus’ teaching/preaching/healing ministry?
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What are the main themes of Jesus’ teaching?
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How did Jesus die?
What happened after Jesus’ death and burial?
Myths of Endings
What is the “Second Coming of Jesus?” When do Christians believe it will happen?
What is the “theology of waiting?”
What do Christians believe will happen to individuals after death?
What are some unique aspects of the beliefs in the afterlife of each of the three major branches of Christianity?
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Doctrine
What theism is Christianity?
And how is their monotheism different from other monotheistic religions?
What is the Trinity?
What are the three aspects of the trinity?
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How are they related to each other?
What is the “dual nature” of Jesus?
What is “atonement” in Christian theology?
What are the 3 versions of “atonement” in the 3 branches of Christianity?
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What is the Christian Bible composed of?
When was it canonized?
What is “scripture and tradition” and which branches of Christianity see them as both necessary for understanding the Christian religion?
What is “sola scriptura?” What branch of Christianity views the Bible in this way?
Ethics
How do Christians view the Halakha, or Law Code given in the Torah?
How is Jesus a “new covenant” for Christians?
What are the two great commandments?
Why have some called Jesus’ ethical teachings “radical”?
What is the Sermon on the Mount?
What are some of his teachings that were given there?