RE Catholic christianity

• Jesus


  • Lived with humans
  • Is the Saviour
  • Is fully human and fully God
• Holy Spirit


  • Was seen 'descending like a dove' at Jesus' baptism
  • Inspires and strengthens believers
• Catholics also often recite the Nicene Creed, which says, 'I believe in one God, the Father almighty… I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ … I believe in the Holy Spirit.'
• The Mass


  1. Begins with Catholics making the sign of the cross

  2. Eucharistic prayer praises the Father and makes the Son present in the consecrated bread and wine, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit
• The Nicene Creed includes the phrases 'I believe in one God, the Father… I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ … I believe in the Holy Spirit.'
• Doctrine


  A belief held by the Church
• Eucharist


  The sacrament in which Catholics receive the bread and wine that has become the body and blood of Jesus
• Creed


  A formal statement of belief
• Trinity


  Belief that there is one God in three persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit)
• Apostolic Tradition


  Teachings and doctrines passed down from the earliest times through the Catholic Church
• Council of Nicaea


  The meeting where the Church agreed about Jesus' nature (325CE)
• Council of Constantinople


  The meeting where the Church made clear their belief in the Trinity (381CE)
• Jesus' baptism in the Bible

  1. The Holy Spirit is described as descending like a dove

  2. The Holy Spirit comes down from heaven and alights or lands on Jesus

  3. God the Father is described as a voice from heaven

  4. God the Father says, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.'
• The account of Creation in the Bible

  1. God created the universe including the first humans, Adam and Eve

  2. Adam and Eve lived in a garden full of wonderful trees and plants

  3. God told Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil

  4. Adam and Eve were tempted by the snake to eat from the forbidden tree

  5. They disobeyed God's command and ate from the tree

  6. Adam and Eve became afraid and hid from God

  7. Adam and Eve had to leave the garden
• Interpretations of the Creation accounts

  • Literal (creationism)
  • Metaphorical
• Literal interpretation (creationism)


  The Creation accounts are the 'word for word' truth
• Metaphorical interpretation


  The Creation accounts are symbolic stories
• The Creation stories show that God

  • Created the universe
  • Is loving and good (benevolent)
  • Is all powerful (omnipotent)
  • Is eternal (existing from before the start of time)
• God said, "Let there be light.": 'The quote shows that God is omnipotent because he only has to speak and light is created.'
• God saw that the light was good: 'The quote shows that God is benevolent because the creation he has made is good.'
• The Creation stories show that God creates everything to be good
• Imago Dei


  Humans are made in the image of God
• Free will


  Humans can choose between right and wrong
• Dominion


  Humans have been given authority by God to rule over Creation
• Stewardship


  Humans have been given a responsibility by God to look after Creation
• Conscience


  The voice of God showing humans what is right and wrong
• Catholics believe they should care for the world because God has made them stewards of it
• Catholics believe that humans are less important than animals because humans were created last
• Adam and Eve are given dominion over all the animals. This means they can do what they like with them.
• Human conscience tells us we should care for the earth.
• Following Jesus' command to love our neighbours means caring for the environment, as people suffer when the environment is damaged.
• Jesus is fully human because he was born a baby like all humans, his body functioned like a human's, he was vulnerable like a human, and died when he was crucified, and he had normal human emotions
• Jesus is fully God because his pregnancy was announced by the Angel Gabriel, Mary was a virgin while pregnant with him, he called himself the 'I am' – the name for God revealed to Moses, he did miraculous healings, and he said his words will not pass away
• Catholics believe that God became a human so that humans can receive God's grace and become children of God themselves
• The Incarnation is important because it shows that God loves all people, because he sent his only Son to earth to die, and it allowed humans to understand God better and to have a better relationship with him
• The Incarnation is important because Jesus' death and resurrection made it possible for people to go to heaven when they die
• Paschal Mystery


  • Jesus' arrest, trial, death, resurrection and ascension
  • Being saved from sin
  • Jesus rising from the dead
  • Jesus' life was exchanged for freedom from sin for all humans
• Passion


  Jesus was arrested, tried and sentenced to death
• Crucifixion


  Jesus was crucified (nailed to a cross and left to die) between two criminals
• Jesus responded to the people who arrested and crucified him with forgiveness. This gives Christians a strong moral example to follow when they experience violence and injustice themselves.