1.2 Creation

Question 1

Which Catholic scholar talks about Creation ex nihilo?

Answer 1

St. Augustine

Question 2

What happens in Genesis 1?

Answer 2

God creates the world in 6 days and rests on the 7th. He looks at all he has made and sees that it is good.

Question 3

What happens on the 1st day?

Answer 3

light was created

Question 4

What happens on the 2nd day?

Answer 4

the sky was created

Question 5

What happens on the 3rd day?

Answer 5

dry land, seas, plants and trees were created

Question 6

What happens on the 4th day?

Answer 6

the Sun, Moon and stars were created

Question 7

What happens on the 5th day?

Answer 7

creatures that live in the sea and creatures that fly were created

Question 8

What happens on the 6th day?

Answer 8

animals that live on the land and finally humans, made in the image of God were created

Question 9

What happens on the 7th day?

Answer 9

God finished his work of creation and rested, making the seventh day a special holy day.

Question 10

What happens in Genesis 2?

Answer 10

Short: Adam names all the animals in the world but is still lonely. God creates Eve from Adams rib.

God creates a man from the dust
of the ground, breathing into his
nostrils to bring him to life.

God places the man in the
Garden of Eden to work it and
take care of it

God commands the man not
to eat from the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil

God takes a rib from the man
and uses it to create a woman,

The woman and man eat
the fruit from the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil.

God banishes the woman and
man from the Garden of Eden

Question 11

What do Literalist Christians (Creationists or Fundamentalists) believe about the creation story?

Answer 11

They believe that the Bible account is accurate and is exactly how the world was created.

The world was created in 6 calendar days.

They believe this because the Bible is the sacred word of God and is never mistaken.

Question 12

How many days do Literalists believe the world was created in?

Answer 12

6

Question 13

Why do literalists have a literal view?

Answer 13

They believe this because the Bible is the word of God and is never mistaken.

Question 14

Do non-literalists support the big bang?

Answer 14

Yes

Question 15

Who proposed the Big Bang Theory?

Answer 15

George Lemaitre (a Catholic Priest)

Question 16

What part of Genesis correlates with the Big Bang Theory?

Answer 16

‘Let there be light’ could be reference to the explosion.

Question 17

How does Science correlate with Christianity?

Answer 17

Science explains HOW the universe came about and Genesis explains WHY.

Question 18

Is there a problem between science and religion?

Answer 18

No - for Catholics there is no conflict.

Yes -for people who take the Bible literally (Creationists) there is a conflict.

Question 19

What does Creation Ex Nihilo mean?

Answer 19

Creation out of nothing.

Question 20

How does Genesis 1 present God as transcendent?

Answer 20

God is transcendent - he exists outside of space and time (God created the heavens and the earth)

Question 21

How does Genesis 1 present God as eternal?

Answer 21

Eternal - God already existed and has no beginning.

Question 22

How does Genesis 1 present God as omnipotent?

Answer 22

Omnipotent - God can speak the world into creation and God creates from nothing - only God can do this.

Question 23

How does Genesis 2 present God as omnibenovolent?

Answer 23

Omnibenevolent - God loved humans so much that he created a world that had everything on it that they needed to survive.

Omnibenevolent - God doesn’t want man to be alone so he creates Eve.

Question 24

How does Genesis 2 present God as omnipresent?

Answer 24

Omnipresent - God is involved in creation and he creates everything.

Question 25

What do the Genesis creation stories tell us about human beings?

Answer 25

Sanctity of Life - We are created last and are the high point of God’s creation.

Humans were created in the image of God

We were made Male and Female to have children.

God gave us free-will.

We were made stewards of creation.

Question 26

What are Christian’s duty as stewards of creation?

Answer 26

Every individual has a duty to care for their neighbours around the world.

Question 27

How and why did God make Christians superior to other animals?

Answer 27

They are made in the image of God. This allows them to have a personal and loving
relationship with God

Christians believe God made humans superior to other animals by giving them reason and free will and this is why they should look after the world.

God gave humans the responsibility to look after the world on his behalf. This belief in stewardship means that Christians should try to protect the environment and leave the world in a better place for future generations

Question 28

Creation SOW- Jesus and analysis

Answer 28

“In the beginning was the Word…Through him all things were made”

The Word’ is another name for Jesus (the Son of God).

Christians believe the Son of God played an essential role in the act of creation

Question 29

Creation SOW- light and analysis

Answer 29

“And God said, ‘Let there be light, and there was light”

John 1: 1-3 says that all things were made through the Word. Genesis 1 helps to explain what this means.

In Genesis 1, God creates by speaking. His words lead to the creation of the world, so all things are made through God’s Word (the Son of God)

Question 30

Creation SOW- Holy Spirit and analysis

Answer 30

“In the beginning…the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters”

The Holy Spirit was present during the act of creation, to protect what was being created.

Question 31

How can Christians act as Stewards of Creation?

Answer 31

• Help reduce pollution
• Treat animals kindly
• Sharing with the poor
• Looking after the environment
• Conserving resources