Notes for the WJEC Eduqas Christianity course for year 1. These are in depth notes that have enough points to get full marks. This is for the new specification, and so are hard to find elsewhere.
Religious Identity through diversity in the Eucharist
Is God Male
All for this textbook (16)
Written for
A/AS Level
WJEC
Religious Studies
Unit 1 - Religion in Contemporary Society
All documents for this subject (20)
1
review
By: caillin • 4 year ago
Seller
Follow
henryrayner
Reviews received
Content preview
The Community of Believers
The New Testament community of believers
The Acts of the Apostles is the earliest account we have of the spread of Christianity during the
1st century CE. There is a general consensus that Acts was written by Luke, probably before 70
CE.
The life of the early Christian community is characterised by its enthusiasm, under the guidance
of the Holy Spirit.
From the beginning it demonstrates elements of an organised structure, reflected in its
practices, communal life, worship and discipline.
These are described in Acts 2:42-47.
We are told that the early Christians ‘devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and
fellowship’ and that ‘they all had things in common’.
‘They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship’ (overlap with year 2)
‘The apostles’ teaching’ (Greek, didache) was preached in the early church in what the New
Testament scholar CH Dodd termed the kerygma, which means ‘a proclamation’.
The aim of the kerygma was to proclaim the key facts of the Gospel. It followed a particular
pattern:
● Old Testament prophecies have been fulfilled; the Messiah has come.
● This has happened through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus
● He was born of the House of David, and died to save humankind
● He was buried but resurrected on the 3rd day
● He ascended into Heaven and sits on the right hand of God
● He will come again to be Humankind’s Judge and Saviour
● Therefore, all are called to repent and be baptised in his name
This was the teaching to which the early community was devoted. Acceptance of this teaching
and Baptism led the believers to a ‘fellowship’ - a special relationship with God through Christ,
expressed through communion and following apostolic doctrines.
‘(They devoted themselves) to the breaking of bread’
The phrase ‘breaking of bread’ can signify two things:
● The Lord’s supper - the sacrament to remember Jesus’ sacrifice
● The dividing of loaves at a communal meal. In apostolic times such meals were held
regularly in some Jewish communities (e.g. the Essene community)
The meaning of the phrase is determined by its context.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller henryrayner. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $3.87. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
