RS

• a belief found in the writings of St Augustine about creation ex nihilo.

  nothing existed before God created it.
• what are the four principles about creation ex nihilo found in St Augustine's writings?

  - God created heaven and earth from nothing

  - before God created heaven and earth, nothing other than God existed

  - God is good and everything He makes is good

  - God is different from and greater than his creations
• a quote from St Augustine about creation ex nihilo

  "you o'lord made something in the beginning... you created this thing out of nothing."
• what are Traditional Catholic beliefs about creation in Genesis?

  - take it literally.

  - stems from the view that the Bible is the inspired word of God.
• what are Jewish beliefs about creation in Genesis and Big Bang Theory?

  - the Torah was given to Moses by God so should be read literally so what is written in it must be the truth.

  - each week they celebrate the Sabbath (recalling that god made the world in six days and rested on the seventh).

  - God could've created world in an instant, supporting big bang.
• what is the Catholic view of the Big Bang Theory?

  - many accept it and thinks that it goes hand in hand with Genesis.

  - the Big Bang was supported by a Catholic Priest, Father George Lemaitre.

  - Christians would argue that God made the world with a purpose which therefore included the Big Bang.
• describe the Atheist view on evolution.

  - Charles Darwin, live came about from evolution.

  - supported by fossils, which show a large number of species have died out.

  - Richard Dawkins: an atheist, believes that evolution takes away the need for God and the belief that humans have souls, argues that each living organisms' body is just a survival machine for its genes.

  - humans are just genetic mutations and advanced animals.
• who was Richard Dawkins and what were his beliefs?

  - an atheist.

  - believes evolution deletes the need for God and so disproves imago dei.
• what is the Catholic view of evolution?

  - life came from God.

  - believe it is an attack on their faith, they read the Bible literally.

  - some understand the Bible symbolically though.

  - Pope John Paul II said there is no conflict between evolution and Christian faith.

  - God is the 'why' of creation and evolution is the 'how' of creation, and it is most important from Christians to know why it happened, not how.

  - God created the universe with purpose and so everything that exists is part of his plan.

  - some Christians believe that the 'millions of years' evolution took to occur equate to the 'days' in Genesis that it took God to create the universe.
• what did Pope John Paul II say about evolution?

  "there is no conflict between evolution and the teachings of Christian faith."
• what was the Catholic priest who supported the Big Bang Theory?

  George Lemaitre.
• what do Catholics believe about the sanctity of life?

  - each person is unique because God made them in his image.

  - humans are unlike the rest of creation because they're made image dei.

  - all human life is sacred, so things like abortion and euthanasia is strictly prohibited.
• what are Saint Catherine of Siena's views on 'image dei'?

  - human beings are mirrors of God.

  - this mirror helps a person to see their own dignity reflected.

  - it also helps them to see their own faults and the ways in which they do not reflect God.

  - when God looks at humanity, he sees a human reflection of himself and loves the person unconditionally.

  - God creates out of love ("for by love indeed you created her).
• what did Saint Catherine of Siena say about God creating out of love?

  "for by love indeed you created her."
• what is the Jewish belief on the sanctity of life?

  - God alone gives and takes life.

  - in the Tenakh there are references to a relationship with God even before birth.

  - the Ten Commandments given to Moses forbid taking a life.
• what is the Catholic view on abortion?

  - all humans are sacred, from conception to natural death, and made in God's image

  - God gives and takes life

  - life starts at conception, which is the start of the human's relationship with God - "before I formed you in the womb I knew you."

  - abortion is seen as murder - ten commandments

  - foetus has right to life

  - in instances where the life of the mother is in risk, treatments may be allowed that threaten the life of the foetus - principle of double effect.
• Bible quote on relationship with God beginning at conception

  "before I formed you in the womb I knew you."
• what is the Jewish view on abortion?

  - humans are sacred and made in the image of God.

  - permitted for serious reasons and after consultation, eg with a rabbi.

  - most Jews believe the foetus is not considered to be human until after birth, so pikuach nefesh does not apply.

  - God is the creator of all life and is the only one who can end life.

  - Ten Commandments forbid taking a life.
• humanist views on the abortion.

  - value happiness and personal choice.

  - campaigned for abortion to be legal in the 1960s.

  - Peter Singer.
• who is Peter Singer about what are his beliefs about the sanctity of life and abortion?

  - all human life has value but not equal value.

  - if a person has no ability to think, then their life has limited value.

  - therefore it is morally acceptable to take the life of those with "lesser" value if it will bring about less suffering.

  - applies to abortion and euthanasia.
• what are Peter Singer's views on specieism?

  - he argues an animal has more mental capacity than a baby or elderly person with dementia.

  - animals feel pain and pleasure, which ought to be taken into account.
• what do Catholic's believe about caring for the environment?

  - sanctity of life: humans are created last in Genesis and are the highpoint of creation; God personally created Adam and Eve

  - image of God: humans were created in God's image; this makes them unlike an animal, makes them superior because they have free will and reason

  - stewards of God's creation: God commands that humans take responsibility to care for nature; in Genesis, Adam is put in the garden to 'work it and take care of it' and God asks him to name the animals.

  - ten commandments: 'love thy neighbour' means Catholics should be concerned about others who are suffering.

  - common good: Catholic Church teaches every individual has a duty to contribute to the good of society.
• what is inspiration?


  the belief that the spirit of God guides an individual to act or write what is good and true
• what is revelation?


  describing all the ways that God makes himself known to human beings
• what is transcendence?


  God exists outside of space and time; He is nothing like anything else that exists
• describe the features of the Creation of Adam

  - Adam mirrors the pose of God -> he was made in imago dei.

  - God despite being older than Adam is still strong and powerful.

  - they are reaching towards each other with their fingertips -> shows the spark of life from God (life is a gift from God and is sacred).

  - God is on a cloud and carried by angels in contrast to Adam on earth (God is transcendent).

  - the cloud is in the shape of a brain -> God is omnipotent.
• what is the Catholic belief on inter-faith dialogue?

  - Jesus taught 'love our neighbours, as we love ourselves'.

  - Common Good.

  - interfaith dialogue aims to promote tolerance, respect and harmony.

  - Pope Benedict said that "inter-religious and intercultural research and dialogue are not an option but a vital need for our time."

  - the Vatican II Council stressed the importance of dialogue with Jews and Muslims.
• what did Pope Benedict say about inter=faith dialogue?

  "inter-religious and intercultural research and dialogue are not an option but a vital need for our time."
• what is CAFOD's aims?

  - seeks to overcome poverty in the world which can undermine human dignity; human life is sacred and should be respected and cared for.

  - they work with all people regardless of gender, race, religion, etc, and help them to help themselves by promoting long-term development, [gaudium et spes] "the basic equality of all must receive increasingly greater recognition".
• describe the features of the Tree of Life mosaic.

  - cross and a tree.

  - the cross -> the crucifixion scene, when people believe they were saved.

  - the tree -> reference to the Garden of Eden, Jesus reverses the actions of Adam and Eve by sacrificing himself on the cross.

  - the apostles appear as doves around Jesus -> doves are symbols of peace and a sign of the Holy Spirit.

  - the lamb -> twelve lamps for the disciples

  - lambs were a symbol of sacrifice -> reference to passover story.

  - the four evangelists, eg Luke is represented by a winged ox, and John by a flying eagle.
• what does SVP do?

  - helps the lonely.

  - visits housebound elderly.

  - providing drop-in centres for lonely people to socialise.

  - organise children's camps and holiday schemes for poor or troubled homes.