GCSE Religious Studies · key term

Old Testament

Definition

The part of the Christian Bible containing Jewish scriptures about creation, God's relationship with Israel and guidance for life.

Used by Edexcel

Specification 3.1 · Paper 1, Paper 2

The Old Testament contains Jewish scriptures rooted in the period before Jesus. The New Testament contains Christian writings produced after Jesus' death, centred on him and the early Church. Many of the earliest Christians were themselves Jewish, so these collections are connected rather than unrelated: the New Testament draws on the beliefs, promises and teachings of the Old Testament.
Revise: The Bible
The first main division of the Christian Bible, containing writings about God’s relationship with Israel before Jesus Christ.
Revise: The Bible as the Word of God

1
Explain the reasons for different canons: Catholic received Church tradition, Protestant preference for the Hebrew Old Testament collection, and Orthodox use of Greek scriptures and regional traditions.

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