5. Creation Flashcards
Nature of God (Genesis 1)
- God is creator
- God is omnipotent
- God is transcendent
God is creator meaning?
- All creation is special because all created by God - equal value, stewardship
- Humans share qualities with God and all blessed by God
God is omnipotent meaning?
• God has the power to do whatever he wants
• This inspires Christians to trust in God
-Only needs his word to create
Meaning of God is transcendent?
‘Let there be …’ shows he is above and beyond the universe and human understanding
Nature of humans (Genesis 2)
- God gives humans the Spirit of God as he breathed life into Adam(Hebrew word for breath means spirit)
- God gives humans some of his qualities
- God gives humans free will as He does not prevent Adam from eating from the tree…
Significance of the creation stories:
Stewardship
Dignity of humans-
Sanctity of Life
What do the creation stories tell us about stewardship in the creation stories?
•The stories tell us that God expects us to look after the world with love
What do the creation stories tell us about the Dignity of humans in the creation stories?
- God made humans ‘in his image’
- Therefore, all humans are equal
- All people have dignity – deserve great respect
What do the creation stories tell us about the Sanctity of Life in the creation stories?
- God made humans ‘in his image’
- Therefore, all life is holy and sacred
- Catholics would therefore be against euthanasia and abortion
Books of the Bible
- Law
- History
- Wisdom
- Prophecy
- Gospels
- Acts of the Apostles
- Epistles
- Book of Revelation
Inspiration in the Bible explanation
- Bible is the word of God – it reveals God and what he wants for humanity
- The writers were inspired (guided) by the Holy Spirit
How should the Bible be interpreted?
• The Bible should be interpreted through the teachings of the Magisterium (Catholic teaching authority)
How to interpret the Genesis creation stories:
• The Catholic Church teaches that they should NOT be interpreted literally.
• Catholics accept the theory of evolution & the big bang
-Are myths that conveys deep truths - but not in a literal way
Teachings about Science and religion from the Second Vatican Council
- Science and religion support each other
- The RC Church supports advances in science that help understand God’s creation
- Religion and science might come up with slightly different answers
Example about • Science and religion support each other
• When read as myths, the Genesis stories do not contradict evolution