The incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, and the beliefs about sin, salvation, atonement and grace that flow from them.

What this dot point is asking

AQA wants you to explain the key events in Jesus' life and what they mean for Christians, and to define and connect sin, salvation, atonement and grace. The dot point ties the historical events (incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension) to the doctrines that flow from them, and the 12-mark evaluation often asks you to weigh which event matters most.

The life of Jesus

Each event carries meaning, and AQA rewards the meaning, not just the bare fact. The incarnation shows that God values humanity enough to share human life, suffering and death; it is the basis for Christmas. The crucifixion is understood as a willing sacrifice in which Jesus took the punishment for human sin, remembered on Good Friday and in Holy Communion. The resurrection is the turning point: for Christians it proves Jesus defeated death and validates everything he taught, so Saint Paul writes that "if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile" (1 Corinthians 15:17). It is celebrated at Easter, the most important Christian festival. The ascension marks Jesus' return to the Father and his ongoing reign, after which the Holy Spirit was given to the church at Pentecost.

Sin, salvation and atonement

Sin is any thought, word or action that goes against the will of God. Christians teach that humans inherit a tendency to sin, often linked to the Fall of Adam and Eve and called original sin, so people cannot put the relationship right by their own effort. Salvation is being saved from sin and its consequences, including death, and being given eternal life. Atonement is how this is achieved: Christians use several models, including the idea that Jesus paid a debt or ransom, that he took the punishment humans deserved (penal substitution), and that the cross shows God's love so powerfully that it draws people back to him. You do not need every model, but you should be able to explain the central idea that the cross repairs the relationship damaged by sin.

Grace

Salvation cannot be earned by good works alone; it is offered through grace, the free and undeserved love of God. Christians believe they receive this primarily through faith in Jesus, summed up in John 3:16. Beyond that, traditions differ: many Protestants stress that salvation is "by grace through faith" alone, while Catholics and Orthodox Christians teach that faith works together with good works and the sacraments as the means through which grace is received and lived out. This difference is a common source of contrasting views in the exam.