1.1 The Universe and the Place of Human Beings

Question 1

What do compatibilists say about about the origins of the universe?

Answer 1

God was the first cause

Question 2

What is the teleological argument?

Answer 2

The complex functionality of the world is so intricate that it could have only been created by a God

Question 3

What is the cosmological argument?

Answer 3

God is the first cause

Question 4

What does Genesis 1 explain?

Answer 4

• God is the creator
• God existed before nothing
• God blessed creation
• God made the world good ‘and he saw it was good’
• Good created the heavens and the Earth in 6 days
• God rested on the 7th day

Question 5

Humans in relation to God

Answer 5

• ‘God made mankind in his image’ - Genesis 1:27
• Humans share characteristics with God (for Christians this explains their relationship with God)
• So humans should try to be like God - caring, loving

Question 6

2 Christian beliefs about taking care of the world

Answer 6

• Stewardship
• Dominion

Question 7

Stewardship

Answer 7

• Christians should look after the world and all life on it, that God has created
• God created humans for the role of stewards

Question 8

Quote for Stewardship
Genesis 2:15

Answer 8

‘The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it’

Question 9

Dominion

Answer 9

Humans have the power to use the world and its resources as they like, but humanity should not exploit its resources

Question 10

Quote for Dominion
Genesis 1:26

Answer 10

‘let them have dominion over the fish in the sea and the birds of the heavens’

Question 11

Trinity

Answer 11

The Father
The Son
The Holy Spirit

as one

Question 12

Ways of interpreting the Bible

Answer 12

Literalists
Conservative
Liberal

Question 13

Literalist Christians

Answer 13

The Bible is literal
e.g. God created the world in 6 days

Question 14

Conservative Christians

Answer 14

The Bible is inspired by God and interpreted in many ways

Question 15

Liberal Christians

Answer 15

The Bible stories are metaphors/symbolic descriptions
The message it conveys is more important

Question 16

Scientific Beliefs about Creation

Answer 16

Big Bang
Evolution

Question 17

Big Bang

Answer 17

1. All the matter in the universe started at a single point.
2. It then expanded rapidly
3. This is proved through red shift and cosmic background radiation that proves that the unvierse is still expanding

Question 18

Evolution

Answer 18

Life forms that exist today are due to natural selection -> individuals most best adapted to the environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. ‘survival of the fittest’

Question 19

Why Evolution challenges Christian beliefs?

Answer 19

The world was created in 6 days, not millions of years
God is the designer and the first cause.

Question 20

What are Christians who accept the big bang and evolution called?

Answer 20

Compatibilists

Question 21

Christian beliefs on animals

Answer 21

Humans are different to animals
Humans are special

Question 22

How do Christians take care of the environment?

Answer 22

Recycling
Using renewable energy
Reducing their carbon footprint

Question 23

Hindu beliefs about the environment

Answer 23

Reincarnation
Brahman is in every being = God
Good karma/bad karma