Christianity
Christianity questions center on Trinitarian and Christological definitions, atonement and salvation by grace or works, the sacraments, and the divisions among Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant bodies.
Core doctrines
The Trinity is one divine essence (ousia) in three persons (hypostases): Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Council of Nicaea in 325 affirmed the Son as homoousios, of the same substance as the Father; Constantinople in 381 defined the Spirit; the Latin filioque addition later became a point of schism. The Council of Chalcedon in 451 defined one person in two natures, without confusion, change, division or separation. The incarnation and the hypostatic union follow from this. Oriental Orthodox churches hold a miaphysite formula.
Salvation and sacraments
Catholic and Orthodox teaching joins grace with faith formed by love, sacraments and works of mercy; Protestant teaching stresses sola fide, sola gratia and sola scriptura. Atonement theories include ransom (Origen), satisfaction (Anselm), moral influence (Abelard), penal substitution (the Reformers) and Christus Victor. Catholics and Orthodox recognize seven sacraments; most Protestants recognize two, baptism and the Eucharist. The Orthodox emphasize theosis, divinization.
Branches
The East–West Schism of 1054 separated Rome from the patriarchates. The Reformation dates from Luther's 1517 theses. Major families include Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican, Anabaptist, Baptist, Methodist and Pentecostal.
Worked example
Which doctrine, defined at Chalcedon, holds Christ to be one person in two natures? Reasoning: the hypostatic union. The definition deliberately excludes monophysitism, one nature after union, and Nestorianism, two persons. Note that the formula addresses person and nature separately, which is exactly what the exam tests.
Traps that cost marks
- Confusing dulia, veneration of saints and Mary, with latria, worship of God.
- Rendering sola scriptura as solo scriptura; the first accepts creeds and tradition as subordinate.
- Assuming all Protestants reject sacramental grace; Lutherans and Anglicans do not.
- Forgetting that the filioque dispute concerns the procession of the Spirit, not the Trinity's existence.