Creation

• What is the Image of God?

  The creation story in Genesis 1 shows that God is creator of everything, and that he created humanity in his own image
• What is Transcendent?

  Beyond and outside life on earth and the universe
• What is Omnipotent?

  All-powerful
• What is Stewardship?

  the idea that Christians have a duty to look after the environment
• What is the Sanctity of Life?

  the belief that life is precious or sacred because humans are made in ‘God’s image’
• Give a quote about omnipotence and its meaning

  • “God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31)
  • Genesis 1:31 says everything God made is ‘very good’; God is so powerful he can make everything the way he wants it
• What does belief in God’s omnipotence inspire Christians to do?

  Trust in God, as they know he has the power to do or change anything
• Give one quote about transcendence and its meaning

  • “Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.” (Genesis 1:3)
  • God only needs his own word in order to create; when he says ‘Let there be…’; that thing immediately comes into being. God is completely above and beyond the created world - he is transcendent
• What does the idea of transcendence mean?

  • God is beyond human understanding
  • Christians believe God cannot fully be described in human words
  • God’s transcendence inspires awe
• God is the only…?

  God is the only creator, who has created everything
• Why is God’s creation special?

  • Because all of it has been created by God
  • Therefore it should be cared and looked after
• What does Genesis 1:27 show?

  • God created humans in his own image
  • This means humans share qualities with God (like love and compassion)
  • These qualities allow humans to have a close relationship with God
• What does the Word of God mean?

  Inspired by the Holy Spirit
• What is the Bible?

  • The sacred book of Christianity
  • Contains different types of writing (literary forms) such as historical accounts, poems and letters, which were written for different audiences and purposes
• What is the Old Testament?

  • Describes how God guided the Jews throughout their early history, before the arrival of Jesus.
  • It contains four main sections.
• What is the New Testament?

  • Deals with the life and teachings of Jesus and his apostles (Jesus’ closest followers, who became leaders of the early Church).
  • It can be split into four main sections
• What are the sections/genres of the Old Testament?

  • Law
  • History
  • Wisdom
  • Prophecy
• What are the sections/genres of the New Testament?

  • The Gospels
  • The Acts of the Apostles
  • The Epistles
  • The Book of Revelation
• What is Prophecy (OT)?

  • The books of the prophets whose inspired words challenged the people to remain faithful to God
  • Taught them that God is active in the world
• What is The Gospels (NT)?

  Covers the actions and teachings of Jesus
• What is The Epistles (NT)?

  • Letters that were written by the apostles
  • Discusses how to follow Jesus’ teachings in everyday life.
• What is ‘imago dei’?

  • Catholics will often use the Latin term ‘imago dei’ to describe this unique relationship (image of God (mental, moral and social qualities of God.)) between God and humans.
  • It singles out humans as those specially chosen by God
• Give one quote about imago dei

  “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”(Genesis 1:26-27)
• What are the different understandings of imago dei?

  • Some understand it to mean that humans share God’s character and nature, or that humans are representatives of God on earth
  • Others understand that it allows humans to be in communion with God, and gives responsibility over his creation
• What are the characteristics of humans?

  • Imago Dei
  • Dignity
  • Sanctity of Life
  • Free Will
  • Stewardship
• What does the Church say about the dignity of human beings? Quote

  • Genesis 1 states that God made humans ‘in his image’ (Genesis 1:27)
  • All humans are equal because they have all been created by God and share in the qualities of God
• What do Catholics believe about the dignity of human beings?

  • For Catholics, this means that all people have dignity - they are worthy of honour and respect
  • Catholics believe that everyone should respect their own dignity and the dignity of other people
• What does Genesis say about the Sanctity of Life? Quote

  God blesses all humans after he creates them (Genesis 1:28)
• What do Catholics believe about the Sanctity of Life?

  • All creation is holy because it has been created and blessed by God
  • Belief in the sanctity of life means that every stage of life should be treated with care and respect.
  • This is an important reason why Catholics are against euthanasia
• What do Christians believe about the human gift of free will? Quote

  • Christians believe Genesis 2 shows that God has given humans free will
  • It describes how God made the garden of Eden for Adam to live in
• How is free will presented in God’s conversation with Adam?

  • God tells Adam that he may eat from any tree in the garden except for the ‘tree of the knowledge of good and evil’
  • Although God ‘commands’ Adam not to eat from the tree, he doesn’t actively prevent Adam from doing so
  • He gives Adam a choice: the free will to decide for himself whether or not to eat from the tree
• Why doesn’t free will mean that humans can do whatever they want without consequences?

  • Christians believe that using free will to sin results in turning away from God, and this is why evil exists in the world
  • Using free will to live in a way that pleases God brings humans closer to God
• What does the Bible say about the human characteristic of stewardship?

  • God tells Adam and Eve to ‘subdue’ the earth and ‘have dominion’ over every living thing.
  • This suggests that humans have been given power and authority to rule over all other creatures
• What does the Bible say about the human characteristic of stewardship?

  • God puts Adam in the garden of Eden to ‘till it and keep it’.
  • This suggests looking after the world with care and love
• What does the Bible teach about the human characteristic of stewardship?

  • That Christians have a duty to look after the environment on behalf of God
• What do Christians believe about the human characteristic of stewardship?

  • That the world is a gift from God, but God expects them to protect and care for the world in return
• Give a quote about the human characteristic of stewardship

  “This responsibility for God’s earth means that human beings… must respect the laws of nature and the delicate [balance] existing between the creatures of this world.” Laudato Si 68
• What is natural law?

  The idea that humans are born with an understanding of what is right and wrong.
• Why does the Catholic Church teach that humans are born with the ability to know what is good and what isn’t? Quote

  • God made all of creation good (Genesis 1). Humans are part of this creation
  • Humans are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). They share in his qualities, including being good
• What does natural law mean to the Catholic Church?

  • Following natural law is important because it is part of God’s will for humans
  • Humans should not need rules to tell them what is right. Natural law states that humans should know right from wrong intuitively