The Messiah

What do Christians believe about this important figure?

• Life
• Text

What does ‘Messiah’ mean? You may have heard the term ‘messiah’ in popular culture. The 18th century composer Handel wrote a choral work called The Messiah, featuring the famous ‘Hallelujah’ chorus. People often use the term ‘messiah complex’ to describe someone who acts like they […]

Judgment versus Mercy

How can God be just and loving at the same time?

• Issues
• Video

Does God exist? And if He does exist, what is He like? For centuries religions have provided different answers to these big questions. Within Christianity there can seem to be a contradiction. The Old Testament (written before Jesus was born) appears to paint a picture of […]

John’s Prologue

What does this passage from John’s gospel suggest about Jesus?

• Jesus
• Text

John chapter 1 is very often known as ‘John’s Prologue’. A prologue is an opening or introduction to a bigger piece of work. In a play, the prologue is often a dramatic recitation given by the narrator that will help the audience know what to […]

John’s Prologue – analysis

What was remarkable about Jesus' arrival on earth 2000 years ago?

• Jesus
• Text

The opening verses of John’s gospel is designed to paint the big picture of Jesus – who he was, what he came to do, and what it means for all people. Read the passage and comments below, and reflect on some of the questions for […]

God, the World and Stuff: The Bible

Is the Bible true?

• Issues
• Video

Is the Bible true? What does true even mean? Is the Bible trustworthy? RE:quest spoke to the President of the London School of Theology, Dr. Krish Kandiah, to hear his perspective on these questions.

God, the World and Stuff: the Existence of God

Is God real?

• Issues
• Video

Does God exist? How can you know? What is God like? Do Christians worship one God or three? RE:quest caught up with theologian Dr. Krish Kandiah and asked him what he thinks.

Meet a Christian

What does it mean to be an evangelist?

• Life
• Video

Evangelism is at the very heart of the Christian faith. The English word evangelism comes from the Greek word euangelion and means good news or gospel. In this film Nathan and Guvna B talk about what it means for them to be an evangelist and […]

Using the Bible

How can an ancient text be relevant today?

• Bible
• Text

Christians believe that the Bible was inspired by God. This means that they believe that God was speaking to the people who wrote each book, and so each book has something special that it can say to its readers. Christians read it together in church, […]

Bible Quiz

How much do you actually know?

• Bible
• Video

How many books are there in the Bible? Is there a manga Bible? Which single author wrote the most books in the Bible? What does the word testament mean? Pit your wits against this quiz to see how much you actually know about the Bible.

Jesus’ Miracles

What are miracles and what do Christians believe they tell us about Jesus?

• Jesus
• Timeline

In the New Testament  Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, tell of 35 times when Jesus performed miracles but also say that there were many more miracles than these. Christians believe that miracles show us who Jesus is.

The Bible

An interactive introduction to the Bible

• Bible
• Video

Why do Christians think the Bible is such a special book? How many books are there in the Bible? Is the Bible one book? Who are the main characters in the Bible? What is the difference between the Old and New Testaments? Find out the […]

Communion

Why and how do Christians celebrate this really important shared meal?

• Life
• Text

What are the most important events in your life? Being born is pretty important, which is why most people remember and celebrate it every year on their birthday. For Christians, communion is an action that helps them remember and celebrate. In communion, Christians eat bread and drink […]

Key Bible Stories – Ruth

What can we learn from this amazing woman?

• Bible
• Video

What is true sacrifice? Is there hope beyond despair? Find out what the ancient story of Ruth can teach us about life today. Catherine retells her favourite bible story and speaks about why it is important to her.

Key Bible Stories – The Waiting Father

Why does a father wait for his prodigal son?

• Bible
• Video gallery

What was so terrible about asking your father for your inheritance? What was so amazing about the father looking out for his lost son? What was Jesus trying to teach us through this parable? Watch the film and find out more about one of Jesus’ […]

Key Bible Stories – Philemon

What can we learn from this short but important book?

• Bible
• Video

Who was Philemon? Who was Onesimus? Why was it important for Onesimus to return to Philemon? Does a story of a runaway slave teach us anything for today? Is there a deeper meaning to the story? Watch the film and find out why this is […]

The Bible (Abridged)

The Story of the Bible in 5 minutes

• Bible
• Video

Why is there pain in the world? Can we ever trust earthly leaders and politicians? What does it mean for Christians to see God as king of the universe? As  DJ Galactus Jack journeys through the story of the Bible in 5 minutes he explores […]

The Books of the Bible

What do the books of the Bible contain?

• Bible
• Timeline

Nature and the Bible

What does the Bible teach about the world we live in?

• Issues
• Text

The Bible has a lot to say about the natural world, from the famous opening chapters of Genesis to the final words promising a new heaven and a new earth in Revelation. The Bible makes it clear that God created the world, and that His […]

Marriage

What do Christians believe about marriage?

• Issues
• Text

Marriage in the 21st century means different things to different people. For some, it is a bit of paper – a legal contract between two people. It is not something that is necessary to live a fulfilled and happy life as a couple. For others, […]

The First Christmas

What do we learn about Christmas in the Bible?

• Festivals
• Video

Christmas is an important time for Christians. It is the time when they remember God coming to earth in the form of a baby (this is known as the incarnation). In the Bible, Jesus is referred to as ‘Immanuel,’ which means ‘God with us.’ The […]

The Bible – God’s Word

How do Christians view the Bible?

• Bible
• Video

‘All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.’ This statement is part of Paul’s teaching to a young Christian leader called Timothy and can be found in 2 Timothy 3:16. Christians believe that this is a key passage […]

Versions of the Bible

How many versions of the Bible are there?

• Bible
• Text

If you were to click on ‘Bible Gateway,’ an online Bible resource, you would be able to read 42 different English versions of the Bible alone. This does not include other versions in other languages. The Bible was originally written in Hebrew and Greek with […]

Ethics

How do Christians decide what is right and wrong?

• Issues
• Video

A number of Christians from different backgrounds and situations share how they decide what is right and wrong. Is it always easy to know or are there some grey areas?

Reading the Bible

When and where do Christians read the Bible?

• Bible
• Text

At home Many Christians will spend time each day in a quiet place, praying, reading the Bible and thinking about what it says. Jesus said: “When you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father secretly”. (Matthew 6:6) […]

Old Testament Introduction

What's the story?

• Bible
• Text

Many people see the Old Testament as one of the greatest collections of books, 39 in all, ever written. As well as making up the largest part of the Christian Bible, the Old Testament also holds special authority for Jews and Muslims. The amazing stories […]

The Apocrypha

Why do some Bibles have more books than others?

• Bible
• Video

At the beginning of the 5th century AD (400s), an early Christian scholar, Jerome, was given the job of translating all the books of the Bible into one common language, Latin. Amongst these books was a collection that Jerome did not believe had the same […]

New Testament Introduction

Life of Jesus and Early Church

• Bible
• Text

Gospels The 27 books of the New Testament are important to all Christians. It was first written in the language used throughout the Mediterranean region – Greek. The first four books, (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) are eyewitness accounts about Jesus’ life and work. These […]

Bible Translations

Why has the Bible been translated into many languages?

• Bible
• Text

At the end of Jesus’ time on earth he gave his disciples a job to do. This job has become known as the ‘Great Commission’ and throughout history the Christian church has believed that every new generation should also take on the same task: ‘Therefore […]

Reflecting on the Bible

What can the Bible teach us?

• Bible
• Text

Christians believe that all parts of the Bible are useful for learning about God. Take a look at some of these different kinds of writing. As you read them, think about these questions: What is God like? How might this passage comfort people reading it? […]

Miracles

Did they really happen?

• Bible
• Text

Whether miracles really happened or not is, for Christians, a case of faith and trust in God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and in the Bible as ‘God’s word’. The miracles are important to the whole Bible story. They are there to […]

An Introduction to Miracles in the New Testament

What do the miracles teach us about what Christians believe is possible?

• Bible
• Text

Miracles in the gospels The New Testament Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, describe 35 occasions when Jesus performed miracles and tell us that there were also many more than these. As John writes at the end of his gospel, ‘Jesus did many other things […]

Old Testament miracles

Did miracles really happen in the Old Testament?

• Bible
• Text

When people talk about miracles in the Bible, they might automatically think about Jesus. But the Bible is full of miracles performed by other people sent by God, throughout both the Old and the New Testaments. These stories of miracles were written to help God’s people […]

Miracles

What is a miracle?

• Bible
• Video gallery

The dictionary states that a miracle is: ‘A surprising or welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agent.’ Do miracles still happen today? What does the Bible say about miracles? […]

Bible evidence

How can one book written by so many people be reliable?

• Bible
• Text

The Bible was written over many hundreds of years. There were many authors, from kings to prophets to ordinary working people. Some are books of collected wise sayings, others poetry and others collections of eye witness accounts of important events. It is not surprising that […]

Is the Bible reliable?

Can it be trusted?

• Bible
• Video

The question of whether or not the Bible is reliable is a fairly important one. Christians say it is God’s word given to humankind for all time. They base their lives on its stories and teaching. If the Bible is reliable it adds weight to […]

Bible evidence

Is the Bible historically accurate?

• Bible
• Text

One of the biggest questions about the Bible is simply: is it true? This article looks at some of the historical evidence for the Bible’s reliability. “Not only is there the evidence of changed lives that makes the Bible believable but archaeology and other historical […]

Prejudice and the Bible

Is the Bible racist?

• Issues
• Text

Jesus was a victim of both religious and racial discrimination. Israel was under occupation by the Roman Empire, causing tension and animosity on both sides. There was hatred between the Jews and their neighbours of mixed race, the Samaritans (i.e. people from a region called […]

Giving

What do Christians think about giving?

• Life
• Video

A good test of how much something or someone means to you is how much you are willing to give for it. You may spend a huge amount of money or effort on a gift for a special person. You may spend all your time […]

Worship

How do Christians worship?

• Life
• Video gallery

What would you say is the most important thing in your life? How do you show that to other people? For some people the most important thing might be a football team. They might go to see them play regularly. They might have posters of […]

Worship in church

What happens inside a typical church?

• Life
• Timeline

Timeline of Jesus’ Life

What do the Gospels tell us?

• Jesus
• Timeline

What do we know about Jesus? How do we know about his life and work? What are the key features of Jesus’ life?

Jesus’ death

What do Christians believe about why Jesus died?

• Jesus
• Text

Jesus died by being crucified. ‘Crucifixion’ means nailed to a cross. The cross was then lifted up outside the city walls (in Jesus’ case, Jerusalem) so everybody could see it. The people on the cross were then left to die in the hot sun. It […]

Bible facts

How much do you know about the Bible?

• Bible
• Text

The Bible is: still a world bestseller and is still read by millions of people today   The Bible has: Been translated into more languages than any other book   The Bible was: written over a period of 1,500 years written in different places, at […]

What is the Bible?

Introduction to this best selling book.

• Bible
• Image gallery

Christians often refer to the Bible as ‘God’s Word’ and therefore see it as the most important book ever written. Although the Bible is more than 3000 years old Christians believe that, through this amazing book, God is still teaching, helping and guiding them today. […]

Jesus’ life and ministry

What do Christians believe about Jesus' life and ministry?

• Jesus
• Text

Jesus’ family Perhaps one of the most famous stories about Jesus is his birth: God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was […]

Questions about Jesus

What do we know about Jesus?

• Jesus
• Text

Did Jesus really exist? Yes. The New Testament part of the Bible tells us about who Jesus was, what he did, and why. But other writings by people who weren’t Christians also talk about a man named Jesus. Roman and Jewish historians such as Josephus […]