Origins and Meanings Flashcards
List three qualities of God:
• Omnipotent
• Omniscient
• Omnibenevolent
• Omnipresent
• Eternal
• Transcendent
What do Catholics believe about Genesis?
That it a symbolic story and it is not meant to be taken literally.
Why do Catholics accept scientific theories about creation?
They believe that God is the driving force behind them.
What did Pope Francis say about Catholics accepting scientific theories?
“The Big Bang theory does not contradict the intervention of a divine creator but depends on it.” - Pope Francis
Provide evidence for God as Creator:
“In the beginning God created the heavens and Earth.” - Genesis 1
Provide evidence for Creation ex nihilo:
“All things came into being through him and without him not one thing came into being.” - Gospel of John
What do Jewish people believe about Creation?
They believe that God created the world from nothing in six days and rested on the seventh. Because of this belief, Jewish people celebrate Shabbat.
What do Orthodox Jews and Creationist believe about Genesis
That the Genesis stories are literally true
What do Reform Jews and Catholics believe about Genesis?
That they are symbolic stories
Provide a quote for God’s eternality :
“I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no God.”
What did Stephen Hawking say about creation?
“The universe can and will create itself from nothing.”
Provide a source of wisdom from Charles Darwin about Evolution
“It is not the strongest species that survive, but the ones that are responsive to change.”
What happened in Genesis 1?
God created the world, animals and humankind in his own image.
What happened in Genesis 2?
God created Adam and “breathed into him the breath of life.” He then created Eve from the ribs of Adam
What is the Big Bang Theory?
The theory that the universe was once a singularity then exploded and began expanding by its own accord
What is the theory of evolution?
The theory that all life came from one single organism and evolved into different species and variations of species based on their habitat
What do Darwin and Dawkins say about Evolution?
That evolution is a more logical explanation that a divine creator.
How does Imago dei affect how Catholics treat each other?
Catholics believe that God made humans specially as a the pinnacle of his creation. God has given humans a special dignity which is why Catholics treat everyone equally.
What are the meaning of Catherine of Siena’s writings?
- Humans come from God - ‘…seeing that she is created in the image of god.’
- Conscience - ‘…the soul knows her own indignity, which is the consequence of her own fault.’
- Love - ‘For by love you created her.’
What is the UK law on abortion?
Abortion cannot happen after 24 weeks in the UK. This is because after 24 weeks the foetus is viable (can live outside the womb).
Provide a quote that supports the pro-life argument:
“Before I formed you in the womb in knew you.”
What is the Doctrine of Double Effect?
Double Effect says that if the mother’s life was in danger during pregnancy, then the action to save the life of the mother is acceptable even if it destroys the life of the unborn child. This is the only time Catholics would allow abortion
What do Jewish people think about abortion?
• Some Jews believe that only God can give and take life. They believe in Pikuach Nefesh - the saving of a life - and therefore are pro-choice.
• Reform Jews believe that an unborn foetus is not a child. They believe that abortion can be permitted but only for serious reasons
What do Humanists think about abortion?
The believe that a woman has a right to choose and that the happiness of the woman should be taken into consideration.
Provide a quote from Humanists regarding abortion:
“My body, my life, my choice.”
Provide two pro-life arguments
• Abortion is playing God
• Life begins at conception
• Life is sacred and everyone has a right to life
Provide two pro-choice arguments:
• A woman has a right to choose
• It is not right to have a child if the child isn’t wanted
•Life begins once the foetus is viable
•The rights of the mother are more important than those of the foetus
Creation ex nihilo
• Creation out of nothing
• Before God created the universe, nothing existed. Only God can create out of nothing
Evolution
• The process of mutation and natural selection
• This leads to changes in species over time to suit particular environments
Imago Dei
• In the Image of God
•The belief that human beings are uniquely a reflection of God’s personhood
•Unlike the other animals, human beings are rational, free and moral
Inspiration
• God breathed
• The belief that the Spirit of God guides an individual to act or write what is good and true
Omnipotence
• The belief that God is all powerful
Revelation
• The word used to describe all of the ways in which God makes himself known to human beings
• Christians believe that God does this finally and fully in the person of Jesus Christ
Stewardship
• The duty to care for creation responsibly, as stewards rather than consumers
•To protect it for future generations
Transcendence
•Existing outside of space and time
• God exists in a way that makes him nothing like anything else that exists, above and beyond creation
What do Humanists believe about stewardship?
They believe that humans have a duty to be “Good without God.” and take care of the planet
What do Catholics believe about Stewardship?
They believe that we were created with intelligence and the responsibility to care for God’s creation.
How many books are in the Bible?
66
How many books are in the Old Testament?
39
How many books are in the New Testament?
27
What is the New Testament about?
The story of Jesus and his role as messiah and saviour
What is the Old Testament about?
The story of God’s chosen people, the Israelites. It contains laws and prophecies
Where is the Creation of Adam and who painted it?
It is in the Sistine Chapel and it was painted by Michealangelo.
What does the Creation of Adam show?
• It shows Imago Dei, as God and Adam are exact reflections of each other.
• It shows God as the giver of life
• It shows God as the omnipotent creator
• God as transcendence
How does the CoA show God as the giver of life?
God is reaching out his hand to a sleepy Adam to give him life.
How does the CoA show Imago Dei?
God and Adam look alike showing that humans reflects God’s qualities.
How does the CoA show God’s transcendence?
God is shown as being carried through the air, showing his ability move outside earth.
What does the Tree of Life show in the Apse Mosaic?
It reflects the idea that Jesus is the new, Adam who brought us salvation by dying for our sins and restoring our relationship with God.
Identify two symbols in the Tree of Life apse mosaic.
•The Alpha and the Omega - represents God as Eternal
•The Doves on the cross
•The tree of life
•The Lamb of God
•The Cross
•The Vine
What does the Alpha and Omega represent in the ToL?
It represents the belief that God is the beginning and the end; he is Eternal.
“I am the alpha and the omega.”
What do the Doves represent in the ToL?
They represent evangelising and spreading messages of faith and expanding the Church.
“Go and make disciples of all nations.”
- New Testament.
What does the Tree of Life represent in the ToL?
Reminder that all people are saved through Jesus’ death.
“I am the resurrection.” - New Testament
What does the Cross represent in the ToL?
It represents that Jesus’ sacrifice is about life and hope and bringing light into the world through his sacrifice.
“I am the resurrection and life.”
What does the Vine represent in the ToL?
It is a reminder of the Garden of Eden and the green paradise the God created for all humanity. It also represents Christ who said “I am the vine”. Jesus’ word spreads throughout the world just like the vine.
