2. Foundations

The origins and development of Christianity, and the sources of wisdom on which it is based

2. Foundations: List

Divinity and Revelation

Knowledge of God’s Existence

Content

Natural knowledge of God’s existence:
- as an innate human sense of the divine
- as seen in the order of creation
Revealed knowledge of God’s existence:
- through faith and God’s grace
- revealed knowledge of God in Jesus Christ

Key Knowledge

as all humans are made in God’s image they have an inbuilt capacity and desire to know God, including:
- human openness to beauty and goodness as aspects of God
- human intellectual ability to reflect on and recognise God’s existence
what can be known of God can be seen in the apparent design and purpose of nature
as humans are sinful and have finite minds, natural knowledge is not sufficient to gain full knowledge of God; knowledge of God is possible through:
- faith
- grace as God’s gift of knowledge of himself through the Holy Spirit
full and perfect knowledge of God is revealed in the person of Jesus Christ and through:
- the life of the Church o the Bible

Son of God, Teacher, Liberator

Content

Jesus Christ’s authority as:
- the Son of God
- a teacher of wisdom
- a liberator

Key Knowledge

Jesus’ divinity as expressed in his:
- knowledge of God
- miracles
- resurrection With reference to Mark 6:47–52 and John 9:1–41
Jesus’ moral teaching on:
- repentance and forgiveness
- inner purity and moral motivation With reference to Matthew 5:17–48 and Luke 15:11–32
Jesus’ role as liberator of the marginalised and the poor, as expressed in his:
- challenge to political authority
- challenge to religious authority With reference to Mark 5:24–34 and Luke 10:25–37

2. Foundations: CV