Hi, I'm Miss Minton, and welcome to this lesson on the Trinity and Orthodox Christianity.

By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to describe features of Orthodox Christianity, including belief in the Trinity that make it a distinct denomination.

Now, lots of this learning might be new to you today, but please don't worry because I'll be guiding you through every step of your learning, and I'm confident that by the end of the lesson, you will achieve the outcome.

So let's start by taking a look at the key words for this lesson.

We have denomination, Orthodox, preserve, and Trinity.

Now, a denomination is a branch of Christianity, and the word Orthodox means right belief, and it's also the name of a Christian denomination, and it's the name of the Christian denomination that we'll be looking at in this lesson.

The word preserve means to keep something in its original state or the way that it was intended to be, and the Trinity is the belief in one God as three persons and these are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Now our lesson today will have three parts.

We'll start by looking at Orthodox Christianity, we'll then move on to look at the belief in the Trinity, and we'll finally look at the Trinity in Orthodox Christian worship.

So let's get started with Orthodox Christianity.

Now, Alex is a little bit confused.

He says, "I have two friends who both say they are Christian, but sometimes they disagree on things, for example, how often they should go to church.

I don't understand how they can both be Christian if they don't believe and do exactly the same things." Now, Aisha wants to help Alex understand how both of his friends can be Christian, even if they don't agree on everything.

So she says to Alex, "We're both football fans, but we support different teams. We might support different teams because we prefer the players of a team, or we relate to the ethos of a team, but we're both still football fans even if we don't support the same team." So here Aisha is trying to explain to Alex that both of his friends can still be Christian, even if they don't agree on doing exactly the same things or believing in exactly the same things.

Now Christianity is one of three Abrahamic religions, and since Christianity began in the first century, it's developed into different branches, which we call denominations.

Now, denominations occur when there are disagreements on beliefs and practises within one of the denominations, and in an attempt to solve these disagreements, the people who disagree separate from the original denomination and develop into a new denomination.

Now throughout the history of Christianity, this has resulted in the existence of lots of different Christian denominations, and these denominations often share beliefs that have existed since the beginning of Christianity, so for example, the belief in only one God.

However, they also have beliefs that make them a distinct Christian denomination, and they often have unique ways of expressing these beliefs.

Examples of famous divisions within Christianity are the great schism and the Protestant reformation.

The great schism resulted in the formation of the Catholic church and Orthodox Christianity, and the Protestant reformation began as a rejection from some of the Catholic church's beliefs and teachings, and this resulted in the emergence of many Christian denominations.

Now, Orthodox Christianity is a denomination of Christianity that believes in the preservation of the original teachings and practises from the apostles, so from the early Christians.

Now, I would like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself, what does it mean to preserve something.

Off you go.

So to preserve something means to keep it in its original state or as close to the way it was intended to be as possible.

Now, the name of the Orthodox Christian denomination reflects this idea.

So the word Orthodox comes from two Greek words, the first word orthos, which means right, and the second word, doxa, which means belief.

Now, when we look at this word as a whole, the word Orthodox means right belief.

And the teachings of the Orthodox Church and the practises that are associated with these teachings are considered to be correct and what was originally intended.

Now, there are many Orthodox churches within Orthodox Christianity.

So two examples would be the Greek Orthodox Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church.

But all of these churches share the belief that they are preserving the original beliefs and teachings from Christianity.

So let's check your understanding so far.

True or false, the word, Orthodox means right belief.

Fantastic, that statement is true, and why is this statement true? So how do we know the word Orthodox means right belief? Well, it's because the word originates from the Greek words orthos, which means right, and doxa, which means belief.

So together, the word Orthodox means right belief.

So well done for identifying that that statement is true and the reason why.

Now, within Orthodox Christianity, worship is a really important way of preserving the original traditions from the Bible.

And many Orthodox Christians will take part in worship that reflects the traditions from early Christianity.

Now, one of these traditions was taught by St.

Paul, and St.

Paul taught about the use of bread and wine to remember Jesus.

Now, in 1 Corinthians, St.

Paul recalls the events of the Last Supper and he says, "For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you, the Lord Jesus on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'This is my body, which is for you.

Do this in remembrance of me.

'" Paul then goes on to say that, "'In the same way after supper, He took a cup of wine and he said, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood.

Do this whenever you drink it in remembrance of me.

For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.

'" Now, I would like you to pause this video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself.

How might Orthodox Christians preserve this original teaching? Off you go.

So for many Orthodox Christians, they preserve this teaching originally from Jesus and then spoken about again by St.

Paul through the celebration of the Eucharist.

And during the celebration of the Eucharist, they'll follow these original teachings by consuming bread and wine.

So let's check your understanding.

Many Orthodox Christians preserve the original teachings of Jesus at the Last Supper by celebrating the, A, matrimony, B, baptism, or C, Eucharist.

Fantastic, the correct answer is C, Eucharist.

So many Orthodox Christians preserve the original teachings of Jesus at the Last Supper by celebrating the Eucharist.

Well done.

It's now time for you to have a go at a task.

So some of these statements are incorrect, and I'd like you to identify which ones are incorrect and rewrite them so that they become true.

So the statements are, A, Orthodox means incorrect belief, B, Orthodox Christianity is a denomination of Christianity, C, Orthodox Christianity aims to abandon all tradition, D, An example of how Orthodox Christians follow early Christian traditions is the Eucharist, and E, there are many churches within Orthodox Christianity.

So pause the video and have a go.

Well done for your hard work during that task.

So you were asked to identify the incorrect statements and rewrite them so that they become true.

Now, your answers might look something like this.

A and C were the incorrect statements.

So these were the statements that needed to be rewritten.

B, D and E are correct statements.

So for A, you may have rewritten this to say that Orthodox means right belief, and for C, you may have rewritten this to say that Orthodox Christianity aims to preserve all tradition.

So well done for your work during that task.

We're now moving on to the second part of our lesson, which is to look at the belief in the Trinity.

So the belief in the Trinity is also known as the doctrine of the Trinity.

Now, the word doctrine refers to a belief or teaching of a Christian Church, and the word Trinity refers to one God in three persons.

And if you notice the word trinity starts with tri, which means three.

So it's one God in three persons.

Now, the concept of one God in three persons is a belief and teaching of the Orthodox church.

Now, the word trinity isn't actually used in the Bible, but the three persons of God are mentioned in the Bible.

And the three persons that are mentioned in the Bible are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Now, Orthodox Christianity teaches that the three persons are entirely distinct from one another, but at the same time each of them is God.

Now, this is quite a tricky concept, and actually it's okay that it's a tricky concept because the Trinity within Christianity is considered a mystery for many Christians.

So it's something that is and should be difficult to understand, because God is beyond human understanding.

So let's check your understanding.

The blank of the Trinity refers to the belief that God is one in three persons.

Is the missing word, A, doxa, B, divine, or C, doctrine? Fantastic, the correct answer is C, doctrine.

So the doctrine of the Trinity refers to the belief that God is one in three persons.

Well done.

Orthodox Christian beliefs about the Trinity are reflected in a statement of belief called the Nicene Creed.

And the Nicene Creed very clearly sets out beliefs about God and makes reference to each person of the Trinity.

Now, this statement of belief was first adopted at the Council of Nicaea, which was a meeting involving the Pope and the bishops, and this meeting took place in the year 325.

In the Nicene Creed, the Father is described as the Maker of heaven and earth, and the Son is named as Jesus and described as the only begotten Son of God.

And finally, the Holy Spirit is described as the giver of life.

So let's check your understanding.

Fill in the blanks.

The statement of belief used in Orthodox Christianity is called the blank Reed.

The statement outlines the belief in the Father, the Son, and the Holy blank.

Fantastic, the missing words are Nicene and Spirit.

So the statement of belief used in Orthodox Christianity is called the Nicene Creed.

This statement outlines the belief in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Well done.

So let's take a look at the three persons of the Trinity in more detail now.

So the three persons of the Trinity are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Now, the Father is seen as a creator and a carer, but He's also seen as someone who enforces laws and punishes people who don't follow these laws.

Now, God can be seen in the role of the Father on many occasions throughout the Bible.

For example, in the Book of Genesis, which is the first book of the Old Testament, God is seen as the Father when he creates the heavens and the earth.

The Son is Jesus, and Jesus is God in human form on earth.

Now, humans are able to relate to Jesus, the Son, because He's human, and the Son has felt emotion and pain and experience life in the same way that we as ordinary people have.

For example, in the New Testament, the Son is shown to be human when He gets angry and He turns over the table in the temple and when He felt pain during His crucifixion.

So this emotion and experience of pain are very normal human things.

Finally, the Holy Spirit is the invisible force and presence of God, and this force and presence has always been there and is still active in the world today.

And the Holy Spirit is seen as being present on a number of important occasions throughout the New Testament, for example, during Jesus' baptism, when the Holy Spirit descends in the form of a dove, and during Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit fills the apostles and they're then able to speak in different languages and spread the Word of God.

So let's check your understanding on the Trinity.

Which statement best describes the Father? Is it A, the Father is Jesus Christ, B, the Father takes on the form of a dove, or C, the Father is the creator.

Well done, the correct answer is C.

The statement that best describes the Father is that the Father is the creator.

Well done.

It's now time for you to have a go at task.

So I would like you to explain what Orthodox Christianity teaches about the Trinity, but I would like you to use the following keywords in your response.

The word one, distinct, creed and doctrine.

So pause the video and have a go.

Well done for your hard work during that task.

So you are asked to explain what Orthodox Christianity teaches about the Trinity, and your response might include that Orthodox Christianity teaches that there is one God who can be known in three persons.

Each person is distinct from each of the other persons, but they are all God.

This belief is known as the doctrine of the Trinity.

The belief in the Trinity is set out in the Nicene Creed, which is a statement of belief used within Orthodox Christianity.

So again, well done for your work during that task, particularly for using the words that you were asked to include.

We're now moving on to the final part of our lesson, which is to look at the Trinity in Orthodox Christian worship.

Now, the belief in the Trinity is seen within Orthodox Christian worship in a number of different ways, and one example is through reciting the Nicene Creed.

So the Nicene Creed, if we remember, is a statement of beliefs that sets out the belief in God and it makes reference to the three persons of the Trinity.

Now, within Orthodox Christian worship, the words of the Nicene Creed will be recited by the priest or the congregation during religious ceremonies and services.

So let's check your understanding.

Fill in the blank.

The Nicene Creed is often blank drawing worship.

Fantastic, the missing word is recited.

So the Nicene Creed is often recited during worship.

Well done.

Now, another way that the Trinity can be seen within Orthodox Christian worship is through the sign of the cross.

Now, many Orthodox Christians will make the sign of the cross by taking their thumb and first two fingers, and they'll make the shape of a cross on their body whilst saying the words in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

They'll do this by first of all, touching their forehead, then their chest or stomach area, then their right shoulder, and finally their left shoulder.

Making this sign and reciting the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit helps remind Orthodox Christians of their core belief in the Trinity.

So let's check your understanding.

What sign do many Orthodox Christians use to represent the Trinity? Is it A, the sign of the creed, B, the sign of the cross, or C, the sign of the Eucharist? Fantastic, the correct answer is B, many Orthodox Christians use the sign of the cross to represent the Trinity.

Well done.

Now Orthodox Christian worship can also incorporate beliefs about the Trinity through religious ceremonies that are known as the Sacred Mysteries, or sometimes these ceremonies are called the sacraments.

Now, during the Sacred Mysteries or the sacraments, the priest will often use the sign of the cross or other references to the trinity like Bible verses, and in using the sign of the cross or Bible verses that mention the Trinity, the congregation and people in attendance of these ceremonies are reminded in this core belief in the Trinity.

So let's check your understanding.

True or false, the priest will make reference to the Trinity during religious ceremonies.

Fantastic, that statement is true.

So making reference to the Trinity during worship is important for two reasons.

Firstly, because it acts as a reminder of the core belief in one God, and secondly, because these references serve as a reminder of God as a creator, saviour and guide.

So these references to the Trinity remind Orthodox Christians about the characteristics and qualities of God.

So let's check your understanding again.

Which statement best describes the importance of making reference to the Trinity during worship? Is it, A, the references are a reminder of the belief in three Gods, B, the references are a reminder of God as a creator, saviour, and guide, or C, the references are a reminder of the belief in one God as two persons.

Fantastic, the correct answer is B, the references are a reminder of God as a creator, saviour, and guide.

It's now time for you to have a go at a task.

So Laura and Izzy are discussing how the Trinity is a feature of Orthodox Christian worship.

Laura says, "References to the Trinity are made during celebrations of the sacraments," and Izzy says that many Orthodox Christians make the sign of the cross during worship.

I'd like you to explain how else the Trinity features in Orthodox Christian worship.

So pause the video and have a go.

Well done for your work during that task.

So you were asked to explain how else the Trinity is a feature of Orthodox Christian worship and your response might look something like this.

The Trinity is also a feature of Orthodox worship when the Nicene Creed is recited.

The Nicene Creed is a statement of belief which states that there is one God in three persons known as the Trinity.

The Nicene Creed can be recited by the priest or congregation during religious ceremonies in Orthodox Christianity.

So again, well done for your work during that task.

We've now reached the end of our lesson on the Trinity and Orthodox Christianity, but before we finish up, let's summarise some of the key things that we've learned.

So we've learned that Orthodox Christianity is a Christian denomination, and that Orthodox Christianity places emphasis on preserving the original teachings and traditions from the apostles.

We've also looked at how Orthodox Christianity teaches that God is one in three persons, and that this is known as the Trinity.

We've looked at how the Trinity consists of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and how the Trinity features in Orthodox Christian worship.

So finally, a big well done for your work during this lesson, it's been wonderful learning with you today.