Christian Practices 2026 Revision for AQA Paper 1 GCSE Religious Studies 2026

Hello to you. do hope you're well. Welcome to this GCSE Religious Studies video. I'm Ben Wardle and today we are revising the Christian practices. We'll be talking through all of the practices from worship to evangelism so you can feel confident about securing 24 out of 24 in this section of the exam. And remember, this is the second section of the AQA paper one exam. You will have already answered your question on the Christian beliefs and this section is then on the Christian practices. So, there will be five questions totaling 24 marks. advise you spend 24 minutes on this section. In terms of your exam timings, that means you have allocated 1 minute per mark. Question one will be worth one mark and it will ask us which keywords. So, you just need to identify if it's or Question two is now worth one mark as well and the command word is to give. So, you just need to bullet point one line about the practice. Question three is worth four marks and it will ask us to explain two similar or different ways of performing practice. And throughout today's video, we'll be looking at different ways of performing the practices. For example, we will be comparing infant baptism with believers baptism and when we talk about pilgrimage, we'll compare going to Lourdes with Iona. So, as we go through the video, we will talk about the different ways of performing each practice. Question four is now worth six marks and it will ask us to explain two with reference. So, for one of your explanations, you need to make sure you state source of authority such as the Bible and then you apply it as part of your answer. And then finally, question five. It is always worth 12 marks and it will always ask us to evaluate the statement. So, you will be explaining two arguments to agree and then explaining two arguments to disagree before reaching justified conclusion. And the example like to ask us to evaluate the importance of the practices and whether one of them is more important than the others. will share with you the past paper questions in question five in just moment and as we go through the video, we will keep thinking about the importance of each practice and whether it is the most important. So, let's have look at the practices, shall we? We'll be talking through all of them in today's video beginning with worship. We'll compare public and private worship as well as liturgical and non-liturgical worship. We'll then be talking about prayer including the Our Father prayer taught by Jesus in the Bible. We'll then talk about different ways of performing baptism. We will be comparing the Catholic sacrament of infant baptism with the Baptist ordinance of believers baptism. We'll then do the same for Eucharist, also known as Holy Communion. We will compare the Catholic sacrament with the Baptist ordinance. We'll then talk about different ways of going on pilgrimage. So, we'll compare pilgrimage to Lourdes in France with pilgrimage to Iona, which is remote island off the coast of Scotland. We'll then talk about the different celebrations of Christmas and Easter. We'll talk about the local church and how Christians help their neighbors by donating to food banks or volunteering as street pastor. We'll talk about evangelism and how Christians go out and make disciples of all nations as Jesus asked them to do in the Great Commission before we conclude by talking about the worldwide church. So, we'll talk in particular about responding to persecution and working for reconciliation. And at the end, we've got two Christian charities who are CAFOD and Christian Aid. We'll take look at their work and the reasons that they do it. So, all of this is about putting faith into action. brilliant quote from the Bible is from the Epistle of James which says faith without works is dead. So, in today's video for the practices section, we're always thinking about how Christians put their faith, how they put their beliefs into action in the world today and we'll be talking about why they do that based on the teachings from scripture. So, in terms of your revision, here's what would focus on. For each practice, make sure you know the key terms so you are able to define what baptism means or what pilgrimage is. It's then really important that you know at least one key quote for each of the practices. They are going to be signposted in yellow throughout this PowerPoint. Really important you memorize them and then you apply them as part of your question four and question five answers. It's also important we know the different ways of performing each practice. We know that question three will ask us to explain two similar or different ways and we'll keep comparing those ways and asking which one might be better. For example, is infant baptism more important than believers baptism or is liturgical worship better than non-liturgical worship? We also need to know the importance of each practice. will share with you on the next slide all the previous 12 markers for this section of the exam. And quite few of them ask which of the practices is the most important. So, we need to think about why each one matters and what the significance of it is for Christians today. You know, what does it achieve? For example, with baptism, washing away sin and representing your new life in Christ. We'll also be looking at the quotes from the Bible underpinning each practice because of course they illustrate why the practice is important. With evangelism for example, Jesus said, "Make disciples of all nations." So of course that shows why it's important because it's something Jesus said to do. The same with Eucharist. He said, "Do this in remembrance of me." So, that is why it is such an important part of Christian worship today. And then the final thing to focus on of course is your evaluation. So, we want to be looking at the strengths and the weaknesses. We want to be thinking about the different ways and which one might be better because that will help us to plan and prepare for the 12 mark question. And as promised, here are all the 12 markers that have previously come up for this section of the paper. As you can see in 2018, students were asked to evaluate whether infant baptism is not as important as believers baptism. Other questions have been whether the Lord's Prayer is the only prayer that Christians need to use. Whether Christmas is the most important Christian celebration. If celebrating Holy Communion is the most important part of Christian life. If only adults should be baptized into the religion. If following set structure of worship is the best way to get close to God. We're going to start by talking about that in minute with liturgical and non-liturgical worship. If celebrating Holy Communion is the most important part of Christian worship. Very similar there to 2021, isn't it? And then finally, in 2025, students were asked if helping in the local community is the most important role of the church. So, as say, that's quite common phrase there of the most important. So, as we go through all of the practices, we'll be talking about their importance and we'll be thinking about their significance for Christians today. Why is it that they perform that practice? would be interested to hear from you if you think one of the practices is more important than the others. Do you think for example that baptism is more important than Holy Communion? Do you think that evangelism is more important than pilgrimage? Please let me know in the comments below and as say, we will keep focusing on that as we go through today's video. Okay, let's get started, shall we, with our first topic, which is worship. And this is when Christians give praise to God and there lots of different ways of doing this. We're going to compare public with private and then we'll compare liturgical with non-liturgical afterwards. Let's begin with public worship, shall we? This is where you worship with group of Christians. For example, you go to church on Sunday. Really interesting in the UK that church attendance has decreased significantly. Less people are attending church than ever before. We could have really interesting discussion about why that is. but for now, let's have look at quote on the importance of public worship. Jesus said in the Bible that where two or three people gather in my name, am there with them. Now, interestingly, that doesn't mean you have to be in church building. It's just about being with other Christians. And obviously, the point there is that when you do gather as group to worship, Jesus is with you. And of course, Christians would want that to be the case. They want to feel close to Jesus. They are followers of him. So, what are the strengths of public worship where you gather together and worship with other Christians? Well, of course, there's definitely going to be sense of community, isn't there, because you are gathering together with like-minded people who share your beliefs. So, that will really strengthen feelings of community. That will then lead to feeling of belonging that you are part of something. You are part of this group that you share faith with them and you are gathering together with them. So, you know, those feelings of belonging that all human beings need and crave will be found in public worship when you are then together gathering with like-minded people who share your religion. It can also help with feelings of routine can't it? So, let's use the example of Sunday service. If you know that every Sunday at 9:00, you're going to be in church, that helps you build routine. It gives sense of routine. That can be quite comforting in your busy and quite uncertain life that you know that's where you'll be on Sunday. And human beings really do like routine, don't they? It can also be chance to get guidance and support because, of course, when you're worshipping with other people, you can speak to them, you can discuss any issues with them, you can then obviously listen to what the worship leader is saying and also what the other people are saying. It's not just what the priest is saying at the front. You know, you might be sat alongside somebody who has been Christian for much longer than you. And they might have some wisdom to share. They might have some thoughts to impart. So, when you are gathering with other people, the benefits are all about that community, that sense of belonging, the routine it can bring if it's part of your schedule in the week, but also then learning from the people that you're around. What could the weaknesses be then? What might the setbacks be here? Well, obviously there could be distractions, couldn't there? So, if you're with other people, you might be distracted by them. You know, you might think, what's she wearing today?" You know, he's turned up late. I've not seen her for while." So, the other people that you're around could actually be distraction from God and it could take away from that focus on worship. If we think logistically, there could be transport issues. You know, if there is tube strike, if the buses aren't running, there could be then barrier to getting there. So, public worship which takes place with group of people could obviously be affected by transport issues that you do have. it could potentially be seen as impersonal. So, when it's with group of people, it's not tailored directly to you, is it? It's not about that personal relationship you have with God. So, whereas with private worship, we can say it's very much tailored to you and what you're going through in life at that time. Whereas public worship, the topic, the tone is going to be set by the worship leader. And so, it might be seen as impersonal. You know, they're following the plan. The lectionary, for example, is what the church has used to decide the readings for each service. So, it's not going to be tailored directly to you because there's other people and it's being led by worship leader. And you could therefore say the focus is on other people, not on God. You know, does the balance tip towards social rather than spiritual? So, there could be distractions. There could be barriers to getting there. And it might feel little bit impersonal because it's not directly targeted to you and your particular circumstances. How about private worship then? How could we compare this? Well, private worship, in contrast, is where you worship on your own. So, it's worshipping in your own home, for example, that you are praying in your lounge after busy day at work. Now, quote to support this is again from Jesus. He said to close the door and pray to God. So, obviously that shows us the importance of privately worshipping, in particular when you are praying. When we talk about public worship, we might say that you would say prayers together, for example, the Lord's Prayer might be used as part of Sunday service, but then privately, prayer can be bit more personalized, can't it? It can be tailored to you and what is going on in your life. So, what might the benefits of worshipping privately be? think the first one we could say is your focus is completely on God. You know, you're not being distracted by other people and what they're doing. Your focus is completely on God and your relationship with him. So, we can say that it's more personalized because you are the only person involved. So, you decide what prayer you're going to say or what verse of the Bible you will read. We can therefore build on that by saying it's tailored to you. It can be based on what's going on in your life. So, as said with public worship, you would be following the lectionary. You know, there are set readings for each service. Whereas when it's personal private worship, you can decide, "Right, well, at the moment, I'm going through really difficult time. So, want to read verses in the Bible that are about how God can help you. Or want to pray for help and guidance." You could say there are therefore no distractions from other people because it is just you in your own home. And it might be more comfortable. People might feel bit more comfortable in their own home. They might be able to pray for things that they actually want to pray because there's going to be no self-consciousness. There's going to be no worry about what other people might think or what other people are doing. So, you know, it's quite common thing to say you feel comfortable in your own home. So, that might be benefit. That might be strength. However, what about the weaknesses? Well, of course, it is going to lack all of the strengths that public worship have because there's not going to be sense of community because you're on your own at home. There's not going to be feeling of belonging because again, you're on your own at home. You also wouldn't be able to take part in the sacraments, which are very important for Catholics, such as receiving Holy Communion in church on Sunday because again, you're at home on your own without the priest there to distribute that. So, you know, it takes, you could argue, takes away some of those really important elements of worship. the Catholic Church says that Holy Communion, the Eucharist, is the source and the summit of Christian life. So, you can't take part in that if you are on your own at home. And also, building on that, you can't learn from the priest either because they're not there. they're in the church and you're at home. So, obviously you could say in the modern world, well, you could be reading book. You could be watching sermon on YouTube. You could be using prayer app. So, modern technology can absolutely help us with private worship. But, you know, if you think about this yourself in terms of learning at home during COVID and then being back in the school classroom, is it the same? You know, do we feel we learn as much when we're at home on our own or when we are in public with the priest in front of us and other people alongside us? You could definitely say that it's personal preference. You know, different things suit different people. And you could also say you don't have to pick between them. You know, you want to do public worship on Sunday, but then through the week, private worship is important. And you could say that Jesus has said both are important because he said when two or three gather in my name, I'm there. But he's also said close the door and pray. So, if we did get question five asking us if public worship is better than private worship, we could actually conclude by saying they are both just as important. You know, or you could conclude by saying they suit different people. So, that is our look at public compared with private worship. Let's now compare liturgical with non-liturgical worship because liturgical worship is where the worship service is following set structure. And so, you won't be surprised to hear that non-liturgical worship does not follow set structure. But there are still key features and things that happen, but it's not as fixed and it doesn't follow the same set structures. So, let's start by talking about liturgical worship. As say, it follows set structure. would use the Catholic Church as key case study here. former Pope Paul said that liturgy is like strong tree. So, that reminds us that it is rooted in tradition and it all links back to how things have always been done. The key features therefore are set Bible readings, singing hymns, saying set prayers such as the Lord's Prayer that all the congregation know and they're able to recite off by heart, receiving sacraments such as Holy Communion, and listening to sermon from the priest. So, liturgical worship is where it is scripted, it is planned in advance. So, obviously, you know what to expect. There is structure to it and it follows certain format. So, it's very traditional, it's about routine, and it's about following script. What are the benefits of doing that then? Well, you could say it is consistent. You know what you're going to get. When you walk into the church and you sit down for the service, you know what's going to happen and in what order. It's very methodical. It follows format and that does not change. As said, liturgy is like strong tree. It is rooted in tradition. So, certain things happen in certain order by certain person at certain time. So, it's all about consistency and it's all about maintaining routines. That therefore would be very familiar, wouldn't it? You know, if you've been brought up within the church and then you're going as an adult, it would be very familiar from your childhood. So, that can be quite comforting and reassuring. As we said before about public worship, you know, that that can be an anchor in your busy life that you know on Sunday you're going to church and that certain things will happen in certain order. Those rituals and routines can be very comforting because of their familiarity, that they don't change. The other benefit is that it's traditional. So, of course, it's linked to the past and so, it's got the weight of history behind it. You feel like you are uniting not only with the Christians in the building, but also with the history of the religion. You know, for example, during Holy Communion, the priest says the words that were said at the Last Supper. So, you feel like you are literally taking part in that Last Supper from 2,000 years ago. So, you know, it's got real significance to it and weight behind it. You can learn from the priest, of course, because their sermon is scheduled as part of the service. You know that they're going to say words of wisdom, or at least we hope. and you can also receive the sacraments. That is an important part, for example, Holy Communion is at the heart of Catholic liturgical worship. So, that is seen as very important for securing your salvation. And we'll talk about that lot more later on. What might the weaknesses of this be though? What could the potential problems be? Some people might find it too formal. mentioned at the top of the video about the declining church attendance. Could this be why? People maybe find it little bit too formal, bit too strict and rigid. they might find it impersonal as well, you know? It's following set structure. There's none of that room that we have in non-liturgical worship for more flexibility and spontaneity. With liturgical worship, it's very much led by the priest, whereas with non-liturgical, it's led by the Holy Spirit. It could be seen as outdated. So, again, as said about that decline in church attendance, is this why? That the fact that it's so traditional is actually putting some people off. and they don't think that it's something they want to spend their Sunday doing. It might be seen as old-fashioned. So, again, the idea that in the 21st century, people would prefer to be doing something else on Sunday rather than attending this very traditional set service. And you might think it's repetitive. You know, obviously we've said that is benefit, how consistent it is and the familiarity attached to that, but equally someone could say it's too repetitive for them. They want bit more spontaneity. And that brings us on to non-liturgical worship, which does not have set structure. And the case study always use there is the Pentecostal Church. and they are key case study for non-liturgical worship. So, this is still where you're attending church, but as we're about to see from the features, it is much more flexible. You know, it's not like, right, we do this, and then we do this, and then we do this in really structured way. There is bit more flexibility. There is bit more space within the service. So, let's have look at the key features. We've got things like speaking in tongues, which is where member of the congregation is empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak in an unknown language. Laying of hands, where the congregation will all place their hands on someone and pray for them. Personal testimonies, where members of the congregation will stand up and speak about their own faith journeys. And unscripted prayers as well. So, again, rather than set prayers, which follow format, it's unscripted. So, it's more spontaneous and from the heart. So, what might the benefits of this be? Well, we could say it's more flexible, isn't it? Because it's bit more dynamic. We see it as more spontaneous. As mentioned before, with non-liturgical, it's seen as led by the Holy Spirit. So, rather than being led by the priest, who's being led by the the liturgy, it's actually being led by the Holy Spirit active in that room, who is obviously God's active presence in the world today. You could say it's more active. People feel more involved because they're laying their hands on someone, they're speaking in tongues, they're giving their personal testimony. It therefore could feel more engaging. And so, you could say that with the declining church attendance, this is great because it attracts younger people to the church. It gets more people in the building because it's bit more engaging and dynamic. What about the weaknesses though? Well, we could say it's less structured and some people don't like that. They prefer structure, they prefer routine and consistency. It's less traditional, so they don't feel it's as anchored in the past. Remember what the Pope said, liturgy is strong tree. They don't feel that it's got those roots. Now, interestingly, the Pentecostal Church's roots lay in Pentecost, of course, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples and compelled them to go out and preach in all different languages. but you could say that for many Christians, this doesn't feel as traditional because it's not following those strict structures that they might be used to. For example, if they've been brought up in Catholic church, this might seem less traditional to them. They might think it's unpredictable. You know, they prefer familiarity and they want to know what they're getting. Whereas, of course, with non-liturgical, there is that element of spontaneity because it is being led by the Holy Spirit. It's also inconsistent. Again, that is because we don't know quite what's going to happen. We obviously know the key features and we know the standard format, but there is that element of spontaneity involved. And finally, no sacraments. You know, Catholics might not be happy about that because they want to know that on Sunday morning, they will be in church receiving Holy Communion. And of course, it is the Catholic Church who practice sacraments. so, if they were not attending Catholic liturgical service, they wouldn't be able to take part in the sacraments in the same way. So, we'll talk more about the importance of Holy Communion, which as we know has come up few times as 12-marker, little bit later on. But just for question brief for you to think about. Explain two different types of Christian worship. And of course, you would explain the first one being liturgical and the second non-liturgical. You could of course also get question five asking you to evaluate which one is more important or which one is better. So, of course, you'd be talking about the features of each one and why they might be good compared with why they might be seen as weakness by some people. So, let's have look, shall we? Our prayer. Our next topic. Prayer is communication with God, where you are directly communicating with God using words. Two quotes about the importance of prayer are from St. Paul in the Bible. He wrote to be constant in prayer. He also wrote to pray on all occasions. So, how do Christians pray? Well, we have got, first of all, set prayers, such as the Our Father, but then we have got informal prayers, which are personal to you. So, when we are thinking about prayer, we've got to think about the types of prayer. So, we are thinking about why would Christians pray? This is really for me great way to remember them, the ACTS acronym. So, would think, right, if want to remember the different types of prayer, the different reasons that Christians pray, always think of the ACTS acronym. So, the first type of prayer is adoration. This is when you are praying to give praise to God. The second type is confession. This is when you are praying to confess your sins and to say sorry for something that you have done. The third type is thanksgiving. This is when you pray to give thanks to God. And then the final type of the acronym, supplication, is when you are asking God for help. So, if we got question two asking for one type of Christian prayer, you could obviously write the Our Father, but you could also write for confession, thanksgiving, supplication, adoration. and we're going to talk little bit more now about the different types of prayer. So, set prayers, such as the Our Father, is prayer that has already been written. It is scripted, it is set in stone. And they are prayers then that Christians would memorize and they would use regularly, whether that's at home privately or in public worship service. We have then got, in contrast, our informal prayers. And these are said from the heart. They are spontaneous, they're in the moment, and they're personal to you. So, of course, we want to think, well, which one is more important, which type is more important, or are they equally important? Do we need to say set prayers, such as the Our Father prayer, but as well, then say informal prayers as well? Let's start by talking about set prayers, shall we? Such as the Our Father prayer that Jesus taught in the Bible. So, these are prayers that follow fixed format because they have been written down. They've been set in stone, as like to remember them. They are then regularly repeated and regularly used throughout Christian's life. For example, they would be said together in church on Sunday, during wedding, during funeral, during baptism. But also, they would be said privately at home. The key case study is the Our Father prayer, also known as the Lord's Prayer, that Jesus taught in the Bible. And this prayer includes all of those key features of prayer. You know, there is adoration, saying, "Hallowed be your name." There is thanksgiving, there is supplication, there is confession. For example, for supplication, the Our Father says, "Give us today our daily bread." So, that prayer is described as the perfect prayer because it is taught by Jesus in the New Testament, but also, it encapsulates all the key ingredients for prayer. We then have informal prayers, which are said from the heart. So, this is you in the moment responding to what's happened in your life and speaking to God about it. So, it's personal to you, it's unscripted, it's what you want to say in that moment, and it's expressing personal feeling. This is really important for Christians because it allows you to strengthen your personal relationship with God because you are, you know, you are confessing to him, you are thanking him, you are asking him for something. So, it's very personalized. It's tailored to you in your circumstances in that moment. Now, why is informal prayer important? Well, St. Paul wrote in the Bible to pray on all occasions. So, you could say that shows the importance of responding to whatever's going on in your life by praying to God. For example, asking him for guidance, asking him for support, thanking him for something that's happened. So, it might be for you, before going into your exam, that you say quick prayer. And then on results day, when you get your grade 9 in RE, you say quick prayer. Whereas, obviously, with the Our Father, it is set and it's pre-written, it can then be memorized. The informal prayers are made up in that moment. It's from the heart. It's responding to whatever's going on in that moment. So, we could obviously be asked about which one is more important, which type is more important, but think you could make really strong argument in your conclusion that they're both important, that you need set prayers because they're taught by Jesus, but then informal prayers because they are personal to you. And both of them together help you to strengthen your relationship with God. question four we could get is to explain two Christian beliefs about prayer, and you could say about set prayers and as well informal prayers. Using those quotes from St. Paul, or of course you could use as your source of authority that in the Bible Jesus taught the Lord's Prayer. So, that would also be great source of authority, and you could say, "This means that saying set prayers is important for Christians today." Let's have look at our next topic now, shall we, which is baptism. And baptism is all about welcoming you into the religion. Now, the age at which this should happen is obviously disputed. For Catholics, it's as soon as possible with an infant baptism linked to their beliefs in original sin, that that needs to be washed away so you can then start your journey to salvation. But then, infant baptism is the first of the sacraments. There are seven sacraments in total, each person needs to complete six. The first one, the foundational one, is infant baptism. Whereas for Baptists, it's an ordinance that should happen when you're bit older, when you can actually decide for yourself, and it can be public declaration of your faith. Baptists don't believe in original sin, so there is no immediacy. The sin being washed away is any personal sin you've accumulated in your life so far. In terms of the key quotes then for this one, the first one is from Jesus in his Great Commission. He said to make disciples of all nations, which will be important when we talk about evangelism, and to baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So, that of course tells us that baptism is an important practice. It's something Jesus orders us to do, which is why Baptists see it as an ordinance. It tells us he wants you to baptize people. That is what he is commissioning his church to do. It also tells us that baptism is centered around that Christian belief in the Trinity. You are being baptized into unique religion, which has unique understanding of God. So, that is what sets Christianity apart, and that's going to be central to your identity as Christian, that you believe there is one God made up of three people, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Our second key quote is from Jesus as well. He said, "No one can enter God's kingdom unless they are born of water and the spirit." So, that tells us of the two key components to baptism, the use of water, you know, baptism is about washing away sin and being reborn to new life in Christ, and then the Holy Spirit as well, who starts to work in your life as result of your baptism. So, this quote tells us that baptism is needed for salvation. So, you can't enter God's kingdom, you can't go to heaven unless you've been baptized. We know it involves water both for Catholics and Baptists. Water is important, washing away sin, that regeneration and rebirth, and it's when the Holy Spirit enters your life. Catholics, for example, say at an infant baptism, it's when the Holy Spirit starts to work with you, work through you, and supports you on your journey to salvation. So, let's actually compare these two approaches and these two different ways of performing baptism. So, we could get 12-marker in mark or in the actual exam saying that infant baptism is better than believer's baptism. So, we're going to be looking at the importance of each one. We'll talk about the key features as well. And then we need to make that judgment at what age should we be baptized. so, we'll begin, shall we, with the Catholic sacrament of infant baptism. This is where you are baptized as baby. So, of course, it is your parents' choice. You are little baby, you're not able to speak, you're not able to make these decisions. It is your parents choosing to give you Christian upbringing. So, in terms of who's doing the talking, it's going to be your parents and your godparents who make promises to teach you about the religion and raise you within the faith. Now, as part of the service, holy water is going to be poured on your forehead by the priest, and that represents and symbolizes the washing away of original sin, which Catholics believe we are born with. So, that is why there is some immediacy there to have that infant baptism, to wash away that original sin so you can then begin your journey to salvation within the church. So, when we talk about the importance of Catholic baptism, we talk about it being the foundation for Christian upbringing. You know, you are being welcomed into the church and you are beginning your journey to salvation. So, it's when original sin is washed away, and as say, you are welcomed into the church community. You are literally going into the church, and that represents, doesn't it, that you're beginning your upbringing within the church. You might then be going to Catholic school, for example, as family you'll be celebrating Christian celebrations and festivals like Easter and Christmas. and therefore, it is about you as little baby beginning your journey within the church, providing that foundation for Christian life. And it's when the Holy Spirit then starts working in your life. Remember from Christian beliefs that the Holy Spirit is the advocate who is here to support and guide Christians on their journey to salvation. That begins with your infant baptism. So, they are the key features for the Catholic sacrament of infant baptism. What about the Baptist ordinance then and this idea of having believer's baptism? Already the title of it tells us quite lot, doesn't it? So, the idea of it being believer's baptism is that you already believe. So, whereas the infant baptism happens before you grow into faith, the believer's baptism is public declaration of your faith, that you've already decided for yourself. What the Catholics do is they have sacrament called confirmation, which happens when you get to about high school age, where you actually then confirm that you want to be Catholic, because of course you couldn't do that with the infant baptism. It was your parents' choice. But for Baptists, with this ordinance, this is all about you publicly declaring your choice. and just quick note on ordinance, that just means it's based on an order given by Jesus. So, they believe you should be baptized as teenager or an adult. The key point is that you are choosing for yourself. So, as part of that service, you are then giving your testimony and you're answering questions such as, you know, do you want to be faithful Christian and follower of Christ? And you are then fully immersed in the baptismal pool. So, we're not sprinkling the water on your forehead as little baby, we're actually immersing you in the baptismal pool, and that's symbolizing your rebirth as follower of Christ. So, this is very much public declaration of your personally chosen faith. If we look at the example set in the Bible, Jesus himself was baptized as an adult. He was baptized in the River Jordan by John the Baptist. So, of course, we could say for Baptists, they want to follow his example. They practice adult baptism, or believer's baptism, should say, cuz you could be teenager. They don't believe in original sin, so there is no immediacy to wash away sin as soon as you're born, because you've not done anything yet, you're blank slate. So, it's only personal sin in your life so far that would need forgiving. And they expect you to actually want the baptism. You know, it's not about following tradition, or it's not the decision of your parents or family. It is about you publicly declaring the faith that you have. So, only someone old enough can therefore make the decision and have that public baptism. So, have think about the evaluation question there, whether infant baptism is better than believer's baptism, because of course you're going to talk about the fact, well, it provides the foundation for Christian upbringing, it washes away original sin, but then in comparison with that, you could say, "Well, actually Jesus was baptized as an adult." And if you don't believe in original sin, there's no rush to get you baptized. So, you know, really interesting to consider both ways of practicing baptism and think about what your conclusion would be. Let's have look now at our second comparison between the Catholic Church and the Baptist Church, which is Eucharist. Now, this is also known as the Holy Communion. The word Eucharist I've chosen because it means Thanksgiving, and that helps us to think about the importance of this practice. It is sacrament for Catholics, or in the Baptist Church, Holy Communion is an ordinance. But for both churches, for all Christians that practice this, it is an act of remembrance and an act of Thanksgiving. And that is for the sacrificial death of Jesus, which happened on Good Friday. His death on the cross, the crucifixion, is the act of atonement, paying the price for human sin, and restoring the relationship between God and humanity. It's also important though because of the day before, the night before, when Jesus had the Last Supper, because it is at this event at this meal the practice originated. word like to use is inaugurated, which means he started it off. And 2,000 years later the churches are still using the same ingredients, the bread and wine or grape juice for Baptists, and they are reciting the same words. But we will look at how Catholics and Baptists do things differently in just moment. For now, let's look at the key teachings that underpin its importance. Saint Paul wrote in his letters that Christ died for our sins, of course talking about the crucifixion there, and the importance of it as the act of atonement. John the Baptist said Jesus is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. So, Eucharist is about Thanksgiving for this. This quote tells us that Jesus' death was the act of atonement for human sin. It was the ultimate sacrifice, and many Christians therefore will remember this by taking part in Holy Communion, and they will do that regularly. You know, part of Catholic liturgical worship on Sunday, but also for other occasions as well. It is very important to give thanks for the fact that Christ died for our sins, and they believe in doing that in the way Jesus taught them to. He said at the last supper, "Do this in remembrance of me." So, what does he mean? Well, he tells us in this quote that he wants Christians to remember his sacrificial death on the cross, and he teaches them to do that using bread and wine, which is what he used at the last supper, although Baptists would use grape juice. So, these two quotes tell us why Eucharist is important. It's an act of Thanksgiving for Christ's death on the cross, but it also shows us that it was started by Jesus himself. He literally said, "Do this in remembrance of me." as he took the bread and the wine at his last supper. So, let's find out bit more, shall we, about the comparison between how Catholics do this as sacrament and the Baptist ordinance of Holy Communion. So, for Catholics, Holy Communion is the source and summit of living Catholic life. And what that means is that it is the source, it is the foundation, it's your fuel, but also it's the summit. It's the ultimate destination and where you want to go. It's what you want to achieve. So, it shows you that it encompasses and encapsulates the entirety of Catholic life. That really shows us the importance of the sacrament for them. They use bread and wine because they believe, and we call this transubstantiation, that in that moment, in that service, the bread and the wine literally become the body and blood of Christ. So, they change substance, and that's why we call it, or the Catholic Church call it, can't take the credit, transubstantiation. So, trans means to change, you know, transport means change ports, go to different place. Transubstance means change substance. The bread and the wine become the body and the blood of Christ, which has been sacrificed on the cross for the forgiveness of human sin. Now, please don't ask me about the science behind that. The church calls it mystery of faith. But they are very strict about this because of that significance, because it has changed substance, you have to be baptized Catholic in order to receive Holy Communion. If you are not, you can go up and receive blessing from the priest, but of course that illustrates, doesn't it, the importance and just how sacred it is that the bread and wine literally become the body and blood of Christ, which has been sacrificed for you, Catholics believe, on the cross. Just quick note on why you could argue Eucharist is more important than baptism. You could say for Catholics you can't actually take part in the Eucharist unless you've been baptized. So, that shows you just how foundational infant baptism is. For Baptists then, how do they do things differently? Well, their focus is on the fact Jesus said, "Do this in remembrance of me." Remember, it is seen as an ordinance, something that Jesus ordered them to do. They do things slightly differently in that they use bread and grape juice. The reason why is they see them as being symbolic rather than changing substance. So, they are there to help you remember what Jesus did rather than actually changing into his body and blood. So, they are symbolic reminders. So, for the Baptist church this is seen more of shared meal rather than sacrament. So, the Catholic Church have sacraments, whereas the Baptist Church have ordinances. So, for them, the bread and grape juice are symbolic reminders of the last supper, and therefore they can be distributed and shared by all. As say, it's bit like sharing meal together. Whereas for the Catholic Church, it is sacrament that must be distributed by the priest or by someone that's consecrated, and only baptized Catholics can receive it. So, as you can see, they are both focused on Thanksgiving and remembrance, but there are different ways of doing it. In terms of the technicalities of the bread and wine for Catholics literally becoming the body and blood of Christ through transubstantiation, but then for Baptists, of course, the bread and grape juice are symbolic reminders of his last supper and his sacrifice. So, if you've got question three asking you to explain two different ways of practicing Holy Communion for four marks, you could of course compare the Catholic sacrament with the Baptist ordinance. Let's talk about pilgrimage now, shall we, our next topic. And pilgrimage is journey with religious significance to important religious places. so, you know, we wouldn't say that you've gone on pilgrimage to Sainsbury's. or you've gone on pilgrimage to Tesco. As great as their meal deal is, don't think we can call that sacred journey. what we would call sacred journey for Christians though is pilgrimage to Lourdes in France, and pilgrimage to Iona, which is the remote island off the coast of Scotland. So, they are the two case studies that we're going to compare for the exam so that we could then use them in question three, but also in question one, two, three, four, or five. So, whenever you're talking about pilgrimage, always great to use examples, and we'll be using the examples of Lourdes and Iona, which we do need to know for the exam in terms of why Christians go there, what they do there, and what impact it has. So, talking of that impact, thought we could start by thinking more generally about pilgrimage as whole. So, what impact does it have? Why is it important to go on pilgrimage? The first point is that it strengthens faith because you're going to learn more about the religion, you're going to be with other members of the religion. It can strengthen your personal faith in God. It can bring about physical or spiritual healing. So, we're going to look at some of the miracles said to have happened at Lourdes, 70 miracles now said to have happened at Lourdes thanks to the healing water that Saint Bernadette discovered. and also spiritual healing when we talk about Iona, you know, the peacefulness. It's seen as having thin veil between heaven and earth. So, does that bring about spiritual healing for people and bring about sense of peace and closeness of God. It renews their faith. Pilgrimage is shared experience with other pilgrimens Pilgrimens? I'm making up words. Do excuse me. shared experience with other pilgrims. So, you could say, you know, for example, Lourdes, 200 million people have now been there since it became place of pilgrimage in the 1800s. You know, it's about that sense of belonging we talked about with public worship. It brings you together with other people. and you can obviously then learn from them, and you feel you've shared that experience with them. It gives you chance to learn about the history of the religion. You know, Iona, for example, there is rich history to Iona, and you can go to the abbey to learn about its history. The same with pilgrimage to Lourdes, you can go to the Bernadette museum and learn about her life. So, there's an opportunity to learn more about your religion. And then think the key one, which is important for all the practices, is that it develops your relationship with God. So, you could put them down as question to answer if you were asked one reason Christians go on pilgrimage. Let's talk, shall we, about our two case studies now. So, the first one on the left is Lourdes, which is in France, and then the second one is Iona, which, as you can see, is remote island off the coast of Scotland. They are very different places of pilgrimage. There are different reasons people go there, and we're going to compare them now. So, we're going to talk about why you might go on pilgrimage to Lourdes, why somebody might like to go to Iona. Let's begin with Lourdes in France, shall we, and our key saint associated is Saint Bernadette, who was young teenage girl who had visions of Virgin Mary at Lourdes, and that is when it became place of pilgrimage. So, today, in the 21st century, over 5 million pilgrims visit Lourdes every year, and particularly Catholics, because of the importance of Virgin Mary in the Catholic Church. So, why do they go there? What is the importance? Well, they believe that Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette here when she was 14 years old. And in those visions, when she was appearing to Bernadette, she told her to do several things. The first thing should say though is that she announced herself to her as the Immaculate Conception. That's how she introduced herself to Bernadette who I'm sure was quite startled by all of this. but then in the visions that followed, she told her to build chapel which happened to have processions there which now take place every evening and also to bathe in the water she discovered. So she told her to dig and so Bernadette did and discovered this spring of water that still flows to get today and is seen as having healing powers and properties. I've been told here that spring water discovered after being told to by Virgin Mary is said to have healing powers and the church have said 17 miracles have actually happened as result of people bathing in that water, drinking that water. Now they have very, very strict criteria for verifying it as miracle. So you know, many more are said to have happened but these are the 70 that the church has actually said there can be no other explanation for. You know, they rule out everything. Is there coincidence? Is there medical explanation? And there are 70 that they are 100% sure are actually miracles. because of course if we're saying 5 million people go every year and 200 million people have gone in total, you know, 70 is quite low number, isn't it? So actually the credibility there could be questioned but the church's argument is that they are the 70 they have verified beyond any doubt whatsoever. They are completely confident that there have been miraculous healings as result of that water. Only discovered because Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette. Now at the time local people did not believe Bernadette. They did not think she was telling the truth but that experience for her understandably had massive impact and she then actually left the area entirely. She became nun. Unfortunately, she died quite young from quite serious health complications. but what she's left as her legacy is very important pilgrimage, isn't it? So pilgrims go there now to drink the water, to bathe in the water from that spring in the hope of physical healing and miraculous cures. They attend religious services and pray. They take part in those processions of an evening and they're very, very moving for people to experience. You know, to take part in that is very spiritually moving experience for them. they visit the Bernadette museum to find out more about Bernadette, about her life, about what happened with those visions you know, and how Lourdes came to be place of pilgrimage. They go and visit the grotto where those visions took place. They attend those services there, those important moments to pray are available. And really interesting feature is that volunteers go to help the sick and disabled pilgrims because of course if you think lot of people are going seeking that physical healing or maybe spiritual healing as well. So lot of people who might be ill or disabled and elderly will be going on pilgrimage. So lots of Catholic schools send volunteers to go and actually help the pilgrims and support them as they take part in pilgrimage. And then we've got to compare Lourdes which is obviously very busy place, isn't it, with 5 million pilgrims year with Iona which is much quieter place of pilgrimage. one way often describe Lourdes is it's little bit like the Disneyland of Catholicism. You know, some people head to France to go to Disneyland Paris and see Mickey Mouse on parade. Others go to Lourdes to take part in those processions and seek physical healing from the holy water. so you know, it is very much significant place of pilgrimage for Catholics in particular. The reason that I'm really emphasizing the number of people and the sort of the Disney-like style of things is because want you to remember how different Iona is. You know, Lourdes very busy, very significant place of pilgrimage whereas Iona in contrast is much quieter. And for start, you can see that from the number of pilgrims who go because only 130,000 pilgrims visit each year. mean say only, appreciate that's still large number but obviously in comparison to Lourdes, that is much smaller number. So we can instantly see this is going to be quieter, it's going to be much more peaceful and it's lot more remote. You know, it's little island off the coast of Scotland. Why do people go here? Well, this place of pilgrimage we associate with Saint Columba. So he is the saint that we'll refer to when we're writing about Iona and it's where he founded monastery many, many years ago and it's from here that he then went out evangelizing onto the mainland to convert people to Christianity. It's very important in terms of the historical spread of the religion in the UK. Pilgrims have been traveling here for much longer. So for example, Lourdes has been place of pilgrimage since the 1800s whereas Iona has been place of pilgrimage since the 7th century. So you know, there's real historical record to this being place of pilgrimage. When pilgrims arrive on the island and it you know, it does take quite journey to get there because it is remote island. They will worship in the abbey which has got lot of history behind it and they would learn about the long history as say of this island. For example, 51 kings have been buried here and that of course reflects the significance of the island in the history of Scotland in particular. They might take part in the weekly pilgrimage walk around the island and it's important because they say there is thin veil here between heaven and earth and that is because of the natural beauty of the landscape. You know, it is so peaceful, it's so quiet and the landscape is so incredible and naturally beautiful that it's said to be thin veil. It's place of particular closeness to heaven that you can almost touch heaven because of how incredible the scenery is and how peaceful the place is. so of course that shows you why you would go there, not necessarily for physical healing as you might do at Lourdes but for spiritual healing, for that feeling of closeness with God, of renewal and restoration. You know, taking time out of your busy life to feel close to God and even close to heaven because of the natural beauty. remember the psalm say that the skies proclaim the work of his hands. So you know, that might be why you head to Iona because you can then actually appreciate the beauty of God's creation and take time for peace and calm and reflection which obviously we all need in our busy lives, do we not? so they would obviously enjoy the island's peace and the natural surroundings. And it's very much focus on that private prayer and personal reflection. So obviously with Lourdes, it's about people coming together, taking part in those processions, volunteers helping the sick pilgrims. Whereas with Iona, the focus is little bit more individual. It's about you taking that time out, having that peace, having that quiet, having that time with God that you can actually appreciate his creation and feel particularly close to heaven. So would be really interested to hear, where would you be heading if you could only go to one place of pilgrimage, which of the two is more appealing to you? Would you be heading off to Lourdes in France or would you be taking trip up to Iona in Scotland? Let's take look at our next topic now, shall we, which is celebrations. And in particular, we are talking about Christmas and Easter. So let's begin by talking about Christmas. Just note by the way before get started on that question at the bottom, Christmas is more important than Easter. So if you had to compare them, which one would you conclude is the most important? Is it Christmas because it's when Jesus was born and as John's gospel says, the word became flesh or would it be Easter because that is when he died on the cross on Good Friday, then rose from the dead on Easter Sunday. Let's have think about that, shall we, starting with Christmas. So this is when Christians celebrate the incarnation and to incarnate means to become flesh, to take on human form. So of course Christmas is when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem and it was miraculous event. He was born to the Virgin Mary who was visited by Angel Gabriel who said you will give birth to God's son. And of course I'm sure if you have been to Christian primary school, you will remember taking part in nativity play. was King Herod. Read into that what you will. But would love to hear what role you played. Were you sheep? Were you shepherd? Were you Mary or Joseph? do let me know in the comments. but that is an important part of Christmas for many Christians that they actually either take part in nativity if they are at Christian primary school or they might read the story together at home. because of course that story is so important for Christians as it's when Jesus entered the world and when his earthly life began. As John's gospel says, the word became flesh so God took on human form and made his dwelling among us. In terms of what Christians do then, how do they practice it? They would attend midnight mass on Christmas Eve because of how important Christmas is. They would stay up that little bit later, have mince pie to keep them going and attend the midnight mass. You know, for that emphasizes the importance of the incarnation. And then of course the next morning exchanging gifts. Now of course big criticism of Christmas is that it's become more over-commercialized, hasn't it? It's too commercial. It's you know, it's more about Santa than Jesus. but the gift, if we think about the wise men, are very important because they brought gifts to Jesus, the gold, the frankincense, and the myrrh symbolizing his kingship, his divinity, and the importance of his death. but then the gift of Jesus is very important for Christians as well. They believe that he is gift from God, that he has sent Jesus into the world to teach people, heal people, and ultimately die for people on the cross. so why is Christmas important? It means that God has entered the world. It is the beginning of his earthly life. And as opposed you could say that is why Christmas is more important than Easter because without it, the events of Easter wouldn't take place because if he hadn't originally been born, he couldn't then die on the cross or indeed rise from the dead as well. In terms of which one is more important, it is interesting, isn't it, that Christmas has become such big deal that is extended far beyond Christianity. It has become such big secular event and occasion as well for people. does that maybe take away from its importance for Christians? You know, do they think well it's over-commercialized now, so it's not as important as Easter, which has retained more of its original meaning? just something to think about that. But no, with Christmas it's all about the incarnation. It's celebrating that Jesus was born. And that of course brings Christians together as family to celebrate. And that follows Advent, which is time of preparation for Christmas. Now, Easter is then our second celebration we need to talk about. And Easter follows period called Lent, which is where Christians will traditionally give something up in preparation for Easter. And that reflects Jesus spending 40 days in the wilderness where he was tempted by the devil. Now, unlike Christmas, which in the Western church is always on the 25th of December, the date of Easter is subject to change. So it will always take place in March or April. and it always celebrates the same things. And we actually have week. So with Christmas we've obviously got Advent and then Christmas Day. But then was going to say Christmas Eve then and thought no, that's the Santa. Huge apologies. but Easter, excuse me, is bigger deal in terms of the time spent because we actually have Holy Week. It starts the week before on Palm Sunday, which is when Christians remember Jesus arriving into Jerusalem on donkey. He was welcomed. Everyone was so happy to see him. They were waving palm branches as they yelled "Hosanna!" And then by the end of the week, the same crowds want him killed and they've turned up to watch him being crucified on cross. So you know, lot goes on in that week. And you know, Jesus' reputation is really turned on its head because then by the next Sunday he's risen from the dead. so you know, very busy week for Christians to look back on. So it begins on Palm Sunday. We then have Maundy Thursday, which is very important for Christians because it is when the Last Supper takes place, which of course begins the practice of Holy Communion. It's also when Jesus is betrayed in the Garden of Gethsemane by Judas. And then we have the trial followed by that public execution. His death on the cross on Good Friday. And of course you know, crucifixion was very brutal method of execution that the Roman Empire liked to use to cause maximum pain, but also to send message. It was warning to the people, "Don't challenge us. You know, don't rock the boat or we will do this to you." And of course Jesus was being charged because of their claims he was an insurrectionist. They thought that he was challenging the authorities of the day. He was threatening their power by saying he was the son of God. So they wanted to kill him off. They wanted to get rid of him so he couldn't threaten their authority. And of course he'd upset people at the beginning of the week when he went into the temple in Jerusalem and started overturning the tables in protest against the commercialization of that space. So you know, he he did upset quite few powerful people. But we could say that is at the heart of the Christian message, isn't it? If we think about his teachings, he said that the first will be last. His focus was on the poorest and helping those in need, challenging the worldly authorities of the day. Anyway, that tangent aside, let's talk about why Easter is celebrated today, shall we? And for Christians, Good Friday is very important because it is when Christ died for our sins. So of course historically he was executed by the Roman Empire, but then spiritually Christians believe this had to happen as the act of atonement that paid the price for human sinfulness and then restored the relationship between God and humanity. So he is, according to John the Baptist, the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. So that is obviously why Holy Communion is so important because you're remembering that Jesus gave up his body and his blood so that sins can be forgiven. And of course we link that back to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden when they introduced into the world. St. Paul writes, "Death through Adam, life through Christ." So Jesus is sinless, so he is the one who can pay the price for human sin and be the sacrificial lamb, who is the ultimate sacrifice, killed on the cross so that sin can be forgiven. So of course that is an important day for Christians because it's about their salvation. And it means that their sin can be forgiven. But then of course that is not the end of the story. It does not end there because then his body is taken down from the cross, handed back to his followers, who place it in tomb. And then Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb on Easter Sunday and he's not there. He's nowhere to be seen. So obviously she's very worried about this. And an angel appears to her and says, "Do not worry. He has risen." So Christians believe that Jesus has risen from the dead. And so that is seen as victory of good over evil and of life over death. So of course that then gives them hope for eternal life as well, that Jesus has now opened the door, so to speak, to eternal life. So if we think about Easter, it is the celebration of the crucifixion as the act of atonement and the resurrection of Jesus. So of course they are both very, very important. Good Friday has got much more somber tone because it's about his death. And of course they're going to, you know, remember that. So the Passion of Christ, for example, they might look back at the story of what happened to Jesus from his sentencing all the way through to his crucifixion. but then they also on Easter Sunday will be celebrating. So you know, Good Friday much more somber. they may eat fish on Good Friday. And then Easter Sunday celebration because he has risen. So what might they do over the Easter period? Well of course they'll be attending the special religious services. They would read the biblical stories, you know, to remember the events of Holy Week, in particular Jesus being sentenced to death, being made to carry his cross, being nailed to the cross, being killed. what then happened in terms of him then being taken down and placed in the tomb before of course the resurrection as well. They might also light paschal candle. Paschal just means that it is related to Easter and the season. So very important to obviously remember what happened. They might spend time, as say, reading the Bible with their family, attending the church services, lighting the paschal candle. now of course another tradition, more secular tradition, is exchanging the Easter egg that the Easter Bunny has left. But what do think is quite interesting about the Easter eggs is first of all how good the chocolate tastes. always think that the Easter egg chocolate tastes so much better than when you just buy it as bar or you eat it at another time of the year. maybe that's why Easter is more important than Christmas because the chocolate tastes better. but the important thing, and this is quite helpful for us to remember his resurrection, is what's inside the egg or what's not. Because of course Easter eggs are hollow. There is nothing inside. although actually think this one has got chocolate buttons inside. But we won't hold that against Cadbury's. the point is when you open that Easter egg and it's empty, that reminds us, doesn't it, of the empty tomb. That when Mary Magdalene went to the tomb, it was empty. Jesus was nowhere to be seen. He has risen. There was nothing inside, not even some Cadbury's Dairy Milk button. and of course that is about hope and it's about celebration. And think Easter as whole is very much about new life, isn't it? If we think about the time of year, it is about spring, it is about new life, and it's about optimism as we look forward to the summer. look forward to it being warmer so we can sit outside in the garden. but Easter Sunday very much about new life and that hope for eternal life. And not finding anything inside the Easter egg. mean, as say, this one does have chocolate buttons in. But the thought is still there that the tomb was empty and so into the chocolate egg. and remember Easter Sunday, therefore, is celebration. But, is it more important celebration than Christmas? You know, do you prefer Christmas selection box to an Easter egg chocolate? There's an important question. Please let me know in the comments. So, why is Easter important? Well, it means that sin can be forgiven because of Jesus dying on the cross, that act of atonement, and Easter Sunday then gives hope for life after death. So, of course, the question we've got to ask and the statement we've got to evaluate is whether Christmas is more important than Easter. Do you think that one of these celebrations is more important, or are they equal in their importance? Have think about that in anticipation for potential 12-marker, and also let me know in the comments your thoughts on Easter eggs. And what is your favorite Easter egg chocolate? remember many years ago they used to put mug in with the Easter eggs. So, you don't actually get mug with like cream egg on it, but they seem to have disappeared from the shelves. But, yes, let me know what is your favorite Easter chocolate. also think that you can't beat Lindt Gold Bunny. however, I'm not sure how can make that relevant to the resurrection. So, unfortunately, this video does not feature Lindt Gold Bunny, but think they are another essential part of Easter for many people today, are they not? but before go on for the next 2 hours about chocolate, let's move on, shall we, to our next topic, which is the church in the local community. So, what we're looking at now is the role that Christians play and the things that they do in their local community. So, it's about putting faith into action in your local area. And great quote from the Epistle of James is that faith without works is dead. So, obviously, with all of the practices, it's about faith in action, but with this one in particular, it's about how they then translate their belief in Jesus and their status as follower of him into reality, what they then do as the result of that belief. And of course, another classic quote which think you can use here is love your neighbor, because this is literally about your neighbor. It's about helping the people in your local community. So, one of the times when think love your neighbor can very much be justified in your answers. Now, couple of other great quotes you could use. The first one is from the parable of the sheep and the goats, Matthew 25, taught by Jesus, in which he said feed the hungry. He outlined the different works you need to perform to be counted as righteous, to be seen as sheep who's been good follower. Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, invite strangers in, care for the sick, visit the prisoners. Not quite sure how practical all of those are today. don't think you should be turning up at your local prison anytime soon, or inviting strangers in. Just warning about stranger danger there. but we can certainly get on board with the first one to feed the hungry, because this tells us that Christians must help those in need, for example, those in the local community who might be in poverty and unable to afford essential food. So, that means that they should donate food to food bank. and they might also volunteer their time as well to help with the running of the food bank. Many of them are actually located in churches or parish halls. Our second quote then that mentioned is from the Epistle of James, faith without works is dead. And this tells us that Christians must put their faith into action. It's not enough to just believe in Jesus and attend church, you must actually follow his example. You must put his teachings into practice. We could say that involves helping those in need. And remember, of course, God's judgment will include your works. You know, that focus in the parable of the sheep and the goats is on whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me. It's about what you do and how you help, or if you don't help, other people. Remember the goats in that parable who go to hell are those who have neglected and refused to help those who are in need. So, Christians want to help those in need in their local community. Let's have look at how they do that then, shall we? The two case studies we need to know are street pastors and food banks. Now, it is really important for me to put health warning on here, that for both of these case studies, they do not evangelize. think sometimes people hear the word pastor and they think, right, they're preaching. They're telling them about the religion. They're handing out free Bibles. That is not what's going on here. This topic on the local community is about helping people, not converting people. We're going to talk about evangelism in moment's time. For now, this is about putting faith into action in practical way. So, with the street pastors, for example, they're not handing out Bibles, they're handing out flip-flops and lollipops. There we go. but, the key quote we're going to use is that faith without works is dead, that it's not enough to say believe, it's not enough to pray or go to church, you've got to put it into practice. You know, you've got to actually do something to help your neighbors in the local community. So, let's find out how street pastors do it. Street Pastors UK, it's Christian charity, and it's made up of Christian volunteers who actually go out and they patrol town and city centers late at night. they wear blue uniform, so they are identifiable, and they are recognizable, and they work in small groups offering calm, visible presence during the night. So, it's about being friendly face and being supporter of people who might be in need. So, they are there for vulnerable people who might need support or help. For example, they would listen to them and give them reassurance. If somebody is in distress, if somebody is lost, if somebody is not in good way, they are there as friendly face, and they are there to offer kindness and support. They are not going to offer Bible. They are not going to drag you into church. What they want to do is give practical care and support. For example, you know, if someone's been on night out and they're not very well, they're not very with it, shall we say, they'll give them bottle of water. If they are walking around in high-heeled shoes, for example, or no shoes at all after night out, they've got flip-flops to help them. They also would give out blankets if somebody's not very warm, they've not worn many clothes, and now it's dark and cold, they would give them blanket to keep them warm. So, it's about those practical things. They're doing something to help people. They are not trying to convert them, they're not trying to bring them to the religion, they're trying to put their faith into action. And so, as put as our final bullet point, they put their faith into action by showing love to their neighbors. And of course, that is our classic teaching from Jesus, isn't it? They are loving their neighbors, and they're thinking, if was in this situation, would hope someone would help me. I'm going to do the same. I'm going to, you know, be good Samaritan, be kind person, and help them. But, I'm not going to convert them. That is not happening. What about food banks then? Let's talk about the Trussell Trust food banks, because they are network of local food banks that provide emergency food for people who cannot afford it. So, this is about giving them the essentials that they need if they are in poverty and they need help. So, these food banks, and this is where we link it to Christianity, are staffed by volunteers, people giving up their time, and they're often based in church halls. So, the church might provide them with space at the back of the church or in the parish hall they can actually run the food bank from. and then obviously, members of the church congregation might be the ones donating their time and, you know, helping to run the food bank. Now, one of the key points to note is they provide at least 3 days of food to people in crisis. So, it's to help people who, as we said, are in need of food. So, of course, in order to provide that food, they need to have donations of food. So, Christians would donate food, you know, when they go to the supermarket, they might put in an extra few items they can then donate to the food bank to help people who are in need. And it's way of them then putting faith into action and following Jesus's parable of the sheep and the goats. Remember the quote to feed the hungry. But again, you're not trying to convert the hungry, you're not saying you can have the tin of beans if you start believing in God. It's about just helping people and putting your faith into action. So, the way remember it with the local community, it's about caring, not converting. So, if you've got six-marker asking us to explain ways that Christians help in the local community, would use the quote that faith without works is dead, just to be original, because think most people would be using love your neighbor. and would then obviously explain what street pastors do, that they are providing support to vulnerable people by giving them water and blankets, and what food banks do, that you donate food to help people in need who might need emergency support. Okay, so I've made big point there about the local community and not converting, that it's about loving your neighbor and helping them. Let's now actually talk about converting people, shall we? Because the mission and evangelism topic is where we do talk about preaching the gospel and spreading the religion, because to evangelize means to preach and promote the religion. It's where you are telling people about the religion, and in particular, about Jesus Christ, that he is the source of salvation. So, we're going to talk about why Christians do that and how they would go about it. Let's begin with our quotes, shall we? The first one is from Jesus himself. He said in his Great Commission, Matthew 28." And of course, that is where the idea of the mission comes from. You know, you've been commissioned to do it by Jesus. He says, "You make disciples of all nations." So, of course, that tells us that Christians should evangelize. It's something he wants them to do. That means telling people about Jesus and teaching them about the religion. So, the goal is to preach the gospel to everyone around the world. And of course, lots of methods of doing that. They might actually go out and take part in missionary work. they might stand outside train station or London Underground station handing out leaflets. They might be in Leicester Square with little megaphone. Although today, of course, lot of people go online, don't they? They might be on Tik Tok live telling people about Jesus. They might do YouTube. They might do an Instagram. So, it's all about preaching the gospel. And of course, the gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ. And it's about telling them about what's taught in the New Testament around Jesus, his life, his death, and the fact that he is the savior of humanity according to Christianity. In terms of what Jesus said himself then, he said, am the way, the truth, and the life." And this shows us why evangelism is important because he's not saying, am one way or am one version of the truth." He's saying that am the path to salvation. So, Christians would evangelize because they believe Jesus is the only source of salvation. He is the way. So, that shows Christians he is the path to being saved and the route to heaven. So, that of course means he alone can teach the truth. So, if you believe that he is the teacher of the truth and that the Bible contains the truth, you want everyone to know about him. You want everyone to read the Bible. So, you're going to hand out the Bible. You're going to quote verses from scripture. You're going to promote the religion. So, of course, it tells us that it is Jesus alone who gives people eternal life. So, if you want people to be saved, if you want them to go to heaven, which of course, as compassionate loving person you do, you're not just going to want to help in the local community. You're not just going to give them tin of beans. You're going to want to tell them about the religion. You're going to want to convert them to Christianity because you don't want to just help them in this life. You want to help them get eternal life as well. So, of course, that could show why evangelism is more important than volunteering in the local community because you shouldn't just be thinking about have they got food for the next 3 days. You should be thinking, "Are they going to get into heaven?" So, that is why they would evangelize because Jesus said, "Make disciples of all nations, preach the gospel, convert people to Christianity." And he said he is the way, the truth, and the life. So, they need to know about him and become follower of him. Let's find out bit more about this then, shall we? In terms of potential question, we could get question four, which is six-mark question, asking us to explain two reasons evangelism is important for Christians. So, of course, we could refer to making disciples of all nations or that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Let's begin with missions. So, as said, Jesus gave the great commission. That is where he told his disciples just before he ascended they should go and make disciples of all nations. So, mission is the duty of Christians today, 2,000 years later, to keep spreading the teachings of the religion. Let's be honest, they've done very good job with over 2 billion Christians around the world. That began with the great commission given by Jesus to his disciples when he said to make disciples of all nations, to get everybody to follow the religion. And Christians continue that work today through the church to spread the gospel. You know, the former Pope John Paul II wrote an encyclical Redemptoris Missio on the permanent validity of the church's missionary mandate. So, the idea that the church must continue evangelizing today until everybody knows about God and Jesus. So, that is where evangelism is important. So, Jesus have given this commission and that is therefore the mission. You know, Christians believe we are on mission. This is what we need to do. and so, that leads to evangelism. That is then the act and the action of preaching the gospel, which is the good news about God, to convert people to the religion. So, what does that involve and what does it look like? Well, it might involve speaking to people. It might mean knocking on their door, handing them Bible. It might mean preaching in public, giving talk, or just going out in the streets with microphone. It could though in the modern world mean posting on social media as well. So, you know, those new methods of evangelism in the 21st century, which have arisen from social media, the internet, and you know, modern technology. So, we could say, as mentioned before, that this is more important than helping people because of course, it's all about your salvation. It's not just about giving them some food. It's not just about giving them some flip-flops. This is about making sure they go to heaven. But of course, if we're thinking of our evaluation point, there are some issues with this. You know, this could be seen as too forceful, for example, that you are trying to force your beliefs onto other people. It could be, many Christians believe that Christianity is one of the truths. You know, so pluralism, for example, is the idea that all the religions are equally true. They're just different ways of attaining salvation. They're different paths up the mountain that suit different people and are based on the culture you've been brought up in. So, it's really interesting to think about evangelism. You know, is this the priority for Christians today? Should they be focusing on other practices? And also, what methods should they be using? Could some methods actually put people off Christianity? You know, if you think about it, the way in which you preach could determine whether someone thinks, "Yes, like this religion." Or they think, "Please stop." You know, so it's really interesting to think about evangelism. Is it important or not? Some Christians, for example, do not believe in evangelism. The Quakers, they're very interesting in their beliefs in that they don't practice baptism. They don't practice any outward display of the religion. Instead, they seek to find God in everyday life. So, you know, it's quite interesting to think and discuss about the importance of evangelism. Of course, we've got quotes from Jesus saying, "Make disciples of all nations." But you could say, "Well, how do you do that?" Quite famous quote from Francis of Assisi, he said, "Preach the gospel at all times. If necessary, use words." So, should it be more about your actions that, you know, people are drawn to Christianity, that they just see you're good person, and that then makes them think, well, Christianity must be good religion." Or should it be bit more explicit in you need to become Christian or you're going to hell, you know? Really interesting questions around this for us to think about. But for now, we're going to think about our final topic, which is the worldwide church. So, we've looked at the local community. We've looked at spreading the church. And now we're going to look at the worldwide church. And two key terms we need to know when we talk about the worldwide church is persecution and reconciliation because many Christians around the world do face persecution for their beliefs. The first word then is persecution. It means being treated unfairly or harmed because of your religion. And then reconciliation is restoring broken relationship. Obviously important when we talk about the crucifixion as the act of atonement that restores the relationship. Then obviously, it's important if you've been persecuted as Christian. You know, reconciling and forgiving those who have harmed you. So, why are persecution and reconciliation important? Well, Jesus said to forgive not seven, but 77 times. So, of course, that tells us that Jesus wants Christians to forgive. It tells us they should always forgive others, you know? It's not about counting the exact number, but it's about never tiring of forgiveness. And it then also can be linked to the day of judgment because you can say, "Well, you know, if you forgive others, God will forgive you on the day of judgment." And of course, Christians believe everybody is sinful. They do hope to be forgiven so they can have eternal life in heaven. Our second key quote for the topic is to clothe yourselves with compassion. So, that tells us that Christians should treat everybody with love and compassion. And that includes, importantly for this topic, enemies and those who have harmed or persecuted you. So, that idea of turning the other cheek, forgiving people, you know, and then restoring broken relationship by working for reconciliation. So, as say, our two key concepts when we talk about the worldwide church are persecution and reconciliation. So, we've got to ask, "How do Christians respond to persecution, which we know some Christians do face around the world?" And then, "How do they work for reconciliation with those who have caused harm?" And potential question four could be to explain two ways that Christians respond to persecution. Let's start with that question then, shall we? How do they respond to persecution? We could say they would pray to God and they would pray for their persecutors. They might ask for strength and for peace. They would be following Jesus' example, which is to forgive your enemies and to pray for those who persecute you. Jesus, for example, when he was on the cross being crucified, said, "Father, forgive them." We could say they should forgive those who've harmed them. Jesus, as we know, taught about forgiveness without limitation. He said to forgive not seven, but 77 times. You could also say that they should then support persecuted Christians. So, if they see persecution is happening around the world, they might read about it in newspaper, watch it on the TV news. They would then donate money, raise awareness, and volunteer with charities such as Open Doors, who work to raise awareness of the persecution some Christians face, and actually to help those people being persecuted. So, you know, they would want to put their faith into action by actually helping the victims of persecution. In terms of reconciliation then, how do Christians around the world work for this? Not only when they're facing persecution for their religion, but also for other reasons. You know, we know about war and conflict. You know, Christians around the world are victims of many war, conflict, you know, difficult situations. And so, it's about what role does Christianity have in bringing people together and working for peace. So, they might pray for peace and unity, for example, asking God to help repair broken relationships, whether that is between individuals, between countries, between different groups. It's also about loving others and being peacemakers. So, they want to follow Jesus' teachings to bring people together and resolve conflicts. And they also would want to show compassion and forgiveness, again inspired by Jesus' example, and by St. Paul's teaching, which is to clothe yourselves with compassion. Let's have look, shall we, at our final topic now, which is charity. So, we need to look at some case studies of putting faith into action around the world. And the two key case studies we've got, excuse me, are CAFOD and Christian Aid. So, let's look at what they do and why. So, CAFOD are Catholic charity who help people in over 40 countries. So, you know, really putting that faith into action worldwide. They provide emergency aid to victims of conflict and natural disasters, for example, hurricane, tsunami. And the reason they do their work is they are inspired by gospel values and the belief we're all made in imago Dei, in the image and likeness of God. So, of course, that means that every person has value, so human life should be protected and looked after. We then have Christian Aid. They are another Christian charity working to end poverty worldwide. That is part of their mission. So, you know, interesting, their mission isn't to evangelize, it's to end poverty worldwide. It's about faith in action. They provide emergency aid and they campaign for change. So, you know, they want to raise awareness of what causes poverty and get politicians to find solutions. And they are inspired in their work by the belief that everyone is equal in the eyes of God. So, Christians should promote the values of dignity, justice, and love. Remember, you know, at the heart of Jesus' teaching is, in the parable of the sheep and the goats, "Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me." You know, they want to help the poorest, the marginalized, the persecuted, help raise awareness about what people are going through, and give support to people in need, no matter where they are in the world. So, they are two case studies you can use of putting faith into action. And remember from the Epistle of James that faith without works is dead. So, that brings us to the end of today's video. thought we could conclude with look at some practice questions, which are absolutely great for obviously applying your knowledge and developing your exam technique. So, here are some questions 1 to 4. For example, which saying is associated with Lords? which one is form of private worship? Which one is the practice of spreading Christian beliefs? And you'd be identifying or from the options. For question two, give one way Christian churches respond to persecution, one type of prayer, one way Christians celebrate Easter. Question three, explain two different types of baptism, two different places of Christian pilgrimage, two different ways of practicing Holy Communion. And finally, question four, explain two ways Christians respond to persecution. Explain two reasons evangelism is important for Christians, and explain two reasons why celebrating Holy Communion is important for Christians. will just leave you with those question five statements. you might like to have go at one or two of them now we've talked through the topics. Or, and this is top exam technique from me, you might like to have go at creating your own as part of your revision, because it helps you to get into the mindset of an examiner, and it really does help you plan and prepare for what question could be on the paper this year. So, thank you very much for joining me. hope that's been helpful. Let me know any questions, comments, thoughts in the comments below, and wish you every success with your revision, and hope you have great day. Thank you, and goodbye.