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
Example of • The RC Church supports advances in science that help understand God’s creation
• George Lemaitre was an RC priest who first proposed the Big Bang Theory
Example of religion and science might come up with slightly different answers
• Science tries to explain how things happen and religion tries to explain why.
Natural Law:
Catholic belief that humans are born with a understanding of right and wrong.
Natural laws are based on two beliefs:
- God made all creation good
* Humans are ‘made in the image of God’ ….therefore must…PROTECT AND PRESERVE LIFE
Stewardship:
Christian belief that humans have been given responsibility by God to look after the earth
(not exploit it for their own ends)
Quote for stewardship
‘…till it and keep it’ Genesis 2:15
Why should humans be stewards?
• Creation comes from God and is therefore holy
• Christians show love of God by treating people,
animals and the environment with love and respect
Loving others quote
‘….love your neighbour as yourself’ (Mark 12)
Catholic teaching about how to protect environment
- Natural resources (oil, trees…) should be used carefully to preserve them
- We must accept our interdependence with the rest of creation
- Catholics must take action to improve a situation
Example of CC showing stewardship
For example, the Vatican have installed thousands of solar panels – reducing their carbon emissions by 200
tonnes each year
We can care for the earth …(3)?
- Locally
- Nationally
- Globally
What is Sustainability?
• Sustainability is living in a way that respects the environment and its natural resources
Why should we live sustainably?
• Living sustainably helps us be good stewards
CAFOD general aim?
CAFOD supports sustainability by helping those in
poverty, in a sustainable way.
Ways CAFOD act sustainably?
- Helps farmers in Sri Lanka to use sustainable, inexpensive farming methods (e.g. natural fertilizers)
- Sets up projects that use renewable energy
- Encourages people to live more simply - use fewer natural resources
- Helped create the UN Sustainable Development Goals (2015)
Two study creation artworks
“Hand of God”
“The Creation of Adam”
Features in Creation of Adam
Adam’s perfect depiction, God’s creation is good
Limp hand reaching out to God shows dependence
Both hands reaching out desiring relationship
Lying in similar positions, made in image of God
God old, eternal
God carried in cloud, transcendence
Misleading aspects of Creation of Adam:
- God didn’t douch him, breathed life into him
- God and Adam same size
- God as human
- God as aging
Features of Hand of God
Big hand
Coming from clouds
Limes coming out God’s touch reaches everything
Misleading features in Mosaic
God human form
Similarities between artworks
- God in human form
- God floating above men
Reasons some Christians prefer mosaic
- Onky hand ahown, less blasphemous
- More abstract showing how little known about the nature of God
