1 PRE-TEST Directions: Answer the following questions as directed by your teacher. 1. The man known as Jesus Christ lived two thousand years ago in what region of the world?. 2. Jesus is believed by most Christians to have been the. 3. The book that Christians hold most sacred is the. 4. The branch of Christianity that has the most members is the. 5. The city in Israel where Jesus spent part of his life and was crucified is.
2 CONTENT OUTLINE The following is a list of some of the topics presented in this video program. 1. The Beatitudes an outline for the whole of Christian teaching 2. The Apostles Creed a summary of the Christian faith 3. The Old and New Testaments of the Bible 4. The Dead Sea Scrolls 5. The Christian concept of compassion 6. The ritual of baptism 7. The Eucharist 8. The Catholic and Eastern Orthodox branches of Christianity 9. The monastic/contemplative tradition 10. The Reformation and Protestant sects
3 VIEWER S GUIDE Directions: Answer the following questions immediately after viewing the video or as instructed by your teacher. Use the back of this sheet if necessary. 1. What is the New Testament and why is it important to Christians? 2. What is the central idea common to Christianity, Judaism, and Islam? 3. Why do Christians celebrate the Lord's Supper? 4. Name one reason why Christians believe in helping others. 5. What is the most widespread form of Christianity? 6. What do the Stations of the Cross represent? 7. What is the main significance of the Gospels? 8. With whom did the ritual of baptism originate? 9. What was one of the main contributions of the Middle Ages to Christianity? 10. What is your understanding of what it means to be a Christian?
4 VOCABULARY disciple - One who adheres to the doctrines of another; a follower; an apostle. Messiah- The prophesied deliverer of the Jews; a savior. creed - A brief statement of the main points of religious belief. orthodox - Generally accepted views, especially on religion; approved; conventional. mystical - Known only to those of special comprehension or especially initiated. Eucharist - The sacrament of the Lord's Supper; Holy Communion. The Resurrection - The rising of Christ after His death and burial. Orthodox Church - Of or having to do with the Eastern Church of Europe or any of various national churches conforming to its doctrines. secular - Pertaining to the world or to things not spiritual or sacred. Old Testament - Sacred book of the Jews and dates from before the time of Christ. Essenes - Members of a monastic sect of Jews in Palestine from about 100 B.C. to 100 A.D., believed by some to be the originator of some of the teachings of Jesus. Fundamentalist - Person who believes the Bible to be literally true. Gospels - Four books of the New Testament, written by the apostles Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John about the life of Jesus, the Christ, and his teachings. baptism - Visible sign of one's entrance into the Christian community. Beatitudes - The verses in the Sermon on the Mount beginning with "Blessed are...", which can be used as an ouline for Christian teachings. Stations of the Cross - Believed to be the sites of the events that led to the death and resurrection of Jesus.
MIDDLE EAST MAP Name Published and Distributed by ACC/United Learning
6 MIDDLE EAST MAPACTIVITY Directions: Using an atlas or textbook, locate the following on the map below: Israel Egypt Saudi Arabia Syria Lebanon Jordan
7 WEBSITES The following sites contain useful information that can be used in conjunction with the material found in this lesson. www.christianitytoday.com www.christianitytoday.com/search/ www.catholic.org www.ecusa.anglican.org www.goarch.org www.orthodoxinfo.com www.uua.org
8 POST-TEST Part 1 - Multiple Choice 1. Christianity teaches: a. the survival of the fittest. b. do unto others before they do it to you. c. the most blessed are those who show kindness and mercy toward others. 2. In Christianity, there: a. is only one branch. b. are many branches. c. is disagreement what distinguishes the branches. 3. Some Christians called Fundamentalists believe: a. the Bible is literally true. b. Jesus wrote the Bible. c. the Bible was written by a prophet named Guttenburg. 4. Christians believe that: a. it is important to take care of those less fortunate. b. you need to keep as much money as possible for your own security. c. every is responsible for his or her own welfare. 5. In the Christian faith, baptism means: a. being born again or receiving spiritual awakening. b. taking a bath every morning in Holy water. c. another way of saying the Lord s prayer. 6. The Lord s Supper, also called Communion or the Eucharist, is important to Christians because it: a. is a symbol of their unity with Jesus. b. is a good way to feed the poor and hungry. c. reminds them to forgive their enemies. 7. Jerusalem, in Israel, is important to Christians because: a. the Pope often vacations there. b. it contains the 14 Stations of the Cross where Jesus was crucified. c. the Temple on the Mount is where Jesus ascended into heaven. 8. The split within Christianity in the eleventh century resulted in the: a. Presbyterian and Baptist churches. b. the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church. c. the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches. (Continued on Blackline Master 9)
9 POST-TEST (continued) Part 2 - True or False Directions: Place a "T" before the true statements and an "F" before the false statements. 1. The Beatitudes may be used as an outline of Christian teaching. 2. The New Testament is especially important to Christians because they believe it contains the teachings of Jesus. 3. The only connection between Christianity, Judaism, and Islam is that they all originated in the Middle East. 4. Christians believe that "might makes right." 5. Christians believe that Jesus was a prophet but that the "Messiah" is yet to come. 6. Most of the followers of Christianity now live in the United States. 7. The cathedrals built in Europe in the Middle Ages were powerful expressions of faith. 8. Helping people less fortunate than one's self is basic to Christian teaching. Part 3 - Essay Directions: Answer the following questions in the space provided or on the back of this sheet. 9. Why do you think that following the teachings of Jesus is important to Christians? 10. From what you have just learned in the program, what do you think it means to be a Christian?