Year 9 - Religious education
Reaching heaven by faith alone
Rebels: should we embrace or challenge authority?
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit pupils study three case studies of individuals who challenged authority. They will analyse the inspiration behind their actions and the historical impact of their choices. Pupils will reason the degree to which religious beliefs might cause someone to challenge authority.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain how Martin Luther's teaching on reaching heaven by faith alone may influence Christians today.
Key Notes
- Martin Luther emphasised the idea that Christians will reach heaven through their faith in Jesus, not works.
- Martin Luther emphasised that the main authority for Christians should be the Bible as a scripture.
- Reaching heaven through faith alone continues to be an influential Christian idea today.
- Evangelical Christianity today is influenced by Martin Luther's ideas.
- Different types of data can have different uses as tools to help us know more about religions.
Vocabulary To Learn
- evangelical: an interpretation of Christianity that emphasises the authority of the Bible and the need for a personal faith in Jesus Christ
- faith: believing something strongly
- grace: unearned love of God
- Sola Fide: faith alone, the principle that it is faith, not works, that will help someone get to heaven
- works: actions or deeds that God has commanded or sees as good
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- That reaching heaven by faith alone means that works and deeds do not matter in that understanding of Christianity.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Martin Luther emphasised the idea that Christians will reach heaven through their faith in Jesus, not works. Martin Luther emphasised that the main authority for Christians should be the Bible as a scripture.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'evangelical'
an interpretation of Christianity that emphasises the authority of the Bible and the need for a personal faith in Jesus Christ.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: That reaching heaven by faith alone means that works and deeds do not matter in that understanding of Christianity. Correction: Good works and deeds are still important even though they do not help a person reach heaven. In this understanding of Christianity, these actions and deeds come about because of faith and show the faith is genuine.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 9 Religious education guide library.