Unit 1.1 The Trinity

Question 1

Why do Christians only worship one God?

Answer 1

• It is the teaching of the Bible
• Jesus taught that there is only one God
• God’s unity is the teaching of the magisterium, the creeds and the Catechism

Question 2

Believing in God the Father means Catholics believe…?

Answer 2

• A Christians relationship with God should be like a child’s relationship with its father
• God has a continuing relationship of love and care with his creation
• God will provide for and protect our people because he is ‘our Father’

Question 3

Believing in God the Son means Catholics believe…?

Answer 3

• Jesus is God who has become a human being
• Christians can worship Jesus because he is God
• Jesus was concieved by the action of the Holy Spirit (the virgin birth)

Question 4

Believing in God the Holy Spirit means Catholics believe…?

Answer 4

• The Holy Spirit is the means by which God communicates with humans
• The Holy spirit is the means by which God helps the Church preserve and explain Christ’s teachings
• The Holy Spirit is the means by which all the sacraments of the Church put believers into communion with Christ

Question 5

How is the Trinity reflected in worship and belief?

Answer 5

• Every Mass begins with a welcome in the name of the Trinity
• Worshippers state their belief in the Trinity in the Nicene Creed in the Mass
• The Trinity is the main belief of the Nicene Creed
• Belief in God the Holy Spirit helps Christians understand the presence of God in the world

Question 6

How is belief in the Trinity reflected in the life of a Catholic today?

Answer 6

• Praying to the Father, through the Son, in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit gives Catholics the spiritual sense of God as ‘beyond us, with us and in us’
• The Trinity gives Catholics the sense that God is active and present in the world as Father, Son and Holy Spirit
• The TRinity teaches Catholics they must work together to bring God’s love into the world, just as the persons of the Holy Trinity work together to bring God’s love into the world.

Question 7

The trinity sources of wisdom and authority

Answer 7

-The Catechism says that the Trinity is a holy mystery central to the Christian faith
- The Nicene Creed states that the Trinity is ne God experienced as Father, Son and Holy Spirit
- The Catechism says that belief in only one God is the basis of Christianity

Question 8

FOR: ‘ You can’t be Christian if you don’t believe in the Trinity’

Answer 8

• The Nicene Creed contains a statement of belief in the Trinity
• The Catechism of the Catholic Church says the Trinity is central to Christian belief and life.
• Churches can only be members of the World Council of Churches if they believe in the Trinity

Question 9

AGAINST- ‘ You can’t be Christian if you don’t believe in the Trinity’

Answer 9

• Jesus said the most important things weren to love God and love your neighbour
• Christians such as Mormons and Unitarians do not believge in the Trinity
• Jesus said, ‘by their fruits shall you know them’, that is, what you do is more important than what you believe