Catholic Church - origins of universe and creation

• God created the universe out of nothing - ex nihilo
• God is omnipotent “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” - Genesis 1;1
• God created the world in 6 days

  he rested on the 7th day

  catholics don’t take this literally

  Creationists would take it literally
• God created animals and humans
• Humans were created in God’s image - Imago Dei
• Humans have free will and a soul
• God gave dominiom ,they’re rulers , over the earth
• Humans are meant to protect the earth
• Humans were given stewardship of the earth, its a gift from God and should be protected
• God created life with a purpose and saw that it was good
• Genesis 2: God created the world then formed Adam. Eve was formed from his rib. Then they disobeyed God
• Genesis shows :

  • God created the world
  • Humans have a special place in creatio
  • humans have stewardship of the earth
  • God is powerful and eternal
• I’m 2015 Pope Francis wrote a letter called “Laudato Si“ (on care for our common home)
• In Laudato si he calls all people to take better care of ”our common home” + to think carefully about how we are shaping the further of our planet
• Pope Francis asks that we acknowledge the urgency of the environmental challenges + to change our ways to live in a more sustainable way
• St Augustine of Hippo had thought of the idea that everything in the world is still completely dependent on God for its existence
• In return for good stewardship the Earth provides everything humans need to survive
• Humans don’t have the right to abuse the natural world ; instead they must live in a sustainable way