Reaching heaven by faith alone
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how Martin Luther's teaching on reaching heaven by faith alone may influence Christians today.
Key learning 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.
- 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.
Keywords
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 misconception
That reaching heaven by faith alone means that works and deeds do not matter in that understanding of Christianity.
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.
Teacher tip
Students may like to listen to the songs "Amazing Grace" and "Blinded by your Grace", which are referenced in this lesson. The lives of John Newton and Stormzy can also be explored in relation to their Christian faith.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these holy books is most important to Christians?
Q2.Which person do most Christians believe lived without sinning?
Q3.What word is often used by Christians as the name of a perfect place where they hope to spend eternity with God?
Q4.Which type of data involves numbers and statistics?
Q5.Which statements are accurate about the Christian Bible?
Q6.What term means to let go of blame or anger towards someone who has done wrong towards you?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What Latin term means 'faith alone'?
Q2.Finish this phrase from Paul in Romans: For it is by grace you have been saved through ...
Q3.Finish this phrase from the book of James: Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is ...
Q4.Which of these statements are accurate about Christian beliefs shown in the PEW research?
Q5.Grace is a term that means God's unearned ...
Q6.What experience happened to Martin Luther where he contemplated his sinfulness and God's love?
To help you plan your 9 religious education lesson on: Reaching heaven by faith alone, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 9 religious education lesson on: Reaching heaven by faith alone, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 religious education lessons from the Rebels: should we embrace or challenge authority? unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.