Assessment: Christianity Practices Part 1

Unit Review: Key Concepts

Lesson 1: Worship

• Liturgical: Formal, set prayers (Catholic, Anglican, Orthodox)
• Non-liturgical: Spontaneous, led by the Holy Spirit (Baptist, Pentecostal)
• Private: Personal prayer and study alone
• Key verse: Matthew 18:20

Lesson 2: Prayer

• ACTS: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication
• The Lord's Prayer: Jesus's model for how to pray
• Set vs. spontaneous: Both valued; different traditions emphasize different types
• Key verse: Philippians 4:6

Lesson 3: Baptism

• Infant baptism: Removes original sin, makes child part of Church (Catholic, Anglican, Orthodox)
• Believers' baptism: Full immersion; conscious personal choice (Baptist, Pentecostal)
• Significance: Forgiveness, new life, Holy Spirit, Church membership
• Key verses: Matthew 28:19, Acts 2:38, Romans 6:3–4

Lesson 4: The Eucharist

• Catholic: Transubstantiation—bread and wine become body and blood
• Protestant: Symbolic—bread and wine represent body and blood
• Orthodox: Mystery—transformation happens but how is beyond explanation
• Key verse: Luke 22:19–20, 1 Corinthians 11:23–26

Lesson 5: Sacraments

• Catholic/Orthodox: Seven sacraments; means of grace
• Protestant: Two sacraments (Baptism and Eucharist); signs of grace
• Quaker/Salvation Army: No formal sacraments; all life can be sacramental
• Purpose: Convey grace, mark transitions, build community, connect to Jesus

Quick Test

Answer these in 1–2 sentences each.

1. What is the difference between liturgical and non-liturgical worship?

Liturgical worship is formal with set prayers; non-liturgical is spontaneous and led by the Holy Spirit.

2. What do Catholics believe happens to the bread and wine in the Eucharist?

Transubstantiation—they literally become the body and blood of Christ.

3. Why do Baptists practice believers' baptism instead of infant baptism?

They believe baptism requires a conscious personal choice to follow Jesus, which only older children or adults can make.

4. What does ACTS stand for in prayer types?

Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication.

5. How many sacraments do Catholics recognize, and what is a sacrament?

Seven sacraments. A sacrament is a sacred action using physical signs (water, bread, oil) to convey God's grace.

Guidance

• What to address:
  • How worship and prayer are connected
  • What prayer is and why it matters in worship
  • How liturgical worship uses set prayers
  • How non-liturgical worship uses spontaneous prayer
  • How private worship involves personal prayer
  • What the Lord's Prayer reveals about prayer
• Mark scheme (8 marks):
  • 2 marks: Clear explanation of worship and prayer relationship
  • 2 marks: Description of prayer in liturgical and non-liturgical contexts
  • 2 marks: Reference to specific examples or scriptures
  • 2 marks: Analysis—why these differences exist; theological reasons

12-Mark Evaluation Question

Question: "Sacraments are central to Christian faith and practice." Evaluate this statement with reference to different Christian traditions.

What to include in your answer:

For the statement (Catholic/Orthodox perspective):

• Sacraments are means of grace—they deliver grace through their performance
• Jesus instituted sacraments (baptism, Eucharist, others)
• Seven sacraments cover all of Christian life—birth, maturity, marriage, sickness, death
• The priest's authority to perform sacraments is central to Church structure
• Without sacraments, believers can't access grace in the same way

Against the statement (Protestant perspective):

• Only faith saves, not rituals or practices
• Sacraments are good practices but not essential for salvation
• The Reformation rejected the idea that priests control grace through sacraments
• Only two sacraments were clearly commanded by Jesus (Baptism and Eucharist)
• Grace comes through faith, not through external rituals

Alternative view (Quaker/Salvation Army):

• They don't practice traditional sacraments
• All of life can be sacramental if lived spiritually
• Inner transformation and social action matter more than rituals
• Proof that Christianity doesn't require formal sacraments to be authentic

Conclusion:

Different Christian traditions have fundamentally different views. For Catholics and Orthodox, sacraments are central. For Protestants, they're important but not essential. For Quakers and the Salvation Army, they're not part of their faith at all. Rather than being "central" to all Christianity, sacraments are central to some Christian traditions.

Unit 21 Summary: Christianity — Practices (Part 1)

This unit covered five key Christian practices:

Key Learning Points

• Christian practice varies by tradition — Catholics, Anglicans, Orthodox, Protestants, Quakers, and others have different approaches
• Physical and spiritual are connected — God works through material signs (water, bread, oil) to reach spiritual reality
• Community and individual both matter — These practices are usually communal but also deeply personal
• Scripture guides practice — Matthew 18:20, Matthew 6:9–13, Matthew 28:19, Luke 22:19–20 are all foundational
• Tradition matters in some churches — Catholics and Orthodox value centuries of liturgical tradition; Protestants prioritize direct scripture and personal faith

Next Unit (Unit 22)

In the next unit, we'll explore Christianity: Practices (Part 2), which will cover additional practices like pilgrimage, festivals, and social action.