Re: Creation

Created by

jess

Cards (33)

How does Creation of Adam reflect Catholic beliefs
- Adam is not yet fully alive, he is waiting for God's touch to bring him to life. --> shows that humanity depends on God for life
- God looks much older than Adam. --> shows that God is eternal, while humanity is not
- God is carried through air by a group of angels. --> shows that God is transcendent.
how does the Creation of Adam NOT reflect catholic teachings?
- Genesis 2:7 says that God brought Adam to life by breathing into his nostrils, rather than touching him
- God and Adam are nearly the same size, suggesting that humans and God are equal which goes against catholic teaching
How does Meire's mosaic reflect Catholic beliefs
- Lines extend from God's hands to the edge of the circle --> the reflects the idea that God created everything in the universe and that his influence and power touch all things
- God's hand is large compared to the size of the cloud above it --> helps to show God's greatness and power
similarities in Meiere's mosaic and the creation of Adam
- Both show God is the creator
- both show God is powerful and eternal
Differences in Meiere's mosaic and the Creation of Adam
Meire's mosaic
- only God's hand is shown. some christians think this symbol of God's creative power is a more acceptable way of showing God as infinite
- is more abstract which conveys a greater sense that God is always creating everything however shows less about God's relationship with humanity
Creation of Adam
- God is shown as an old man. some Christians object to this as they think an eternal God should not be shown as an ageing man
- focuses on the act of God creating humanity
what does the creation story in Genesis 1 show?
- God is the creator of everything and the he created humanity in his own image
- God is omnipotent -> he has the power to do whatever He wants. Genesis 1:31 'very good'
- God is transcendent --> he is beyond human understanding
then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being' Genesis 2:7. Use this as evidence. What does this quote tell us? 
- explains how God made humans in his image
- God created Adam, the first man, by breathing into him
- the Hebrew word for 'breath' is ru'ach, which is also translated as 'spirit' --> shows that humans share the Spirit of God; God's spirit gives humans some of His qualites
How does Genesis 2 show that humans are given free will
- it describes how God made the garden of Eden for Adam to live in
- God tells Adam that he may eat from ANY tree in the garden except for the tree of knowledge of good and evil
- Although God 'commands' Adam not to eat from this tree, He doesn't actively prevent Adam from doing so. He gives Adam a choice: the free will to decide for himself
why might free will be a bad thing?
because it doesn't mean humans can do anything they want without any consequences. --> christians belive that using free will to sin may result in turning away from God, and this is why evil exists.
What is stewardship? 
Taking responsibility for conserving the environment for God
In Genesis 1:28, God tells Adam and Eve to 'subdue' the earth and 'have dominion' over every living thing. What does this suggest? 
humans have been given power and authority to rule over all other creatures
In Genesis 2:15, God puts Adam in the garden of Eden to 'till it and keep it'. what does this suggest ? 
humans should look after the world with care and love --> relating back to stewardship
why are all humans equal? 
because they have all been created by God and share in the qualities God
what do Catholics believe about dignity?
- All people have dignity
- Everyone should respect their own dignity and the dignity of other people
Catholics believe that all creation is holy because... 
it has been created and blessed by God - known as the sanctity of life
why are Catholics against euthanasia and abortion?
because belief in the sanctity of life means that every stage of life should be treated with care and respect
4 main sections of the Old Testament
- Law -> the Jews became people of God Ten Commandments
- History -> God guided the Jews + how they refused to listen
- Wisdom -> mix of psalms, prayers, poem and books of advice
- Prophecy -> prophets who inspired words to people
4 main sections of the New Testament
- Gospels -> cover the actions and teachings of Jesus
- Act of the Apostles -> some of the events in the early church
- Epistles -> written by apostles about how to follow Jesus
- Revelation -> by John description on the end of time
How is the Bible the "Word of God"? 
- God guided the writing of the Bible through the Holy Spirit.
- it contains the Word of God given by the prophets.
- it tells of the action and teachings of Jesus in the Gospels
- it contains writings of the apostles in the Epistles
what is the Catholic interpretation of the Genesis creation stories?
they see as myths which means that:
- they are stories that intend to convey deep or complex spiritual truths
- they are not meant to be taken literally
what is the main message of the creation story for Catholics?
1) God made everything
2) Everything the God made was good
3) Humans are the high point of God's creation
what is natural law?
the idea that humans are born with an understanding of what is right and wrong
why do Catholics believe in natural law?
- God made all of creation good (Genesis 1). Humans are apart of this creation
- Humans are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). They share in His qualities, including he quality of being good
so.. what does that mean for catholics?
- 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
Two teachings by the second Vatican council that show that religion and science support each other
1) religion and science do not have to contradict each other
- if the Genesis creation stories are read as myths, rather than
literally, they do not contradict the theory of evolution
2) The CC is very supportive of advances in science that help people understand God's creation.
- George Lemaitre was a Catholic priest who first proposed
the big bang theory, which explains how the universe began
Two reasons to care for the environment
1) All creation is special because it was made by God to be good (Genesis 1) -> this means that every part of it should be valued. Catholics can show their love for God by taking care of the world that he has created.
2) God made humans stewards of the earth (Genesis 2) -> this means that humans are given the responsibility by God to look after the earth.
How can Catholics care for the environment at a local level
- throw away less waste
- recycle more
- walk, cycle or use public transport instead of driving
- and many more
How can Catholics care for the environment at a national level?
- put pressure of politicians to support laws that protect the environment
- supply an buy products from environment-friendly businesses
- put pressure on companies to ensure they follow environment-friendly policies
How can Catholics care for the environment at a global level? 
- put pressure on governments to implement polices agreed at international meetings (such as Rio + 20)
- boycott or help expose international companies that threaten the environment
What is sustainability? 
living in a way that respects the environment and its natural resources in order to keep everything in balance and harmony
How does sustainability link to Catholic beliefs? 
It links because Catholics believe that God made every part of creation good, so all of it is important and valuable. Therefore, promoting sustainability helps to respect the goodness of all of God's creation and helps to reduce long-term damage to it.
what is CAFOD and its aim?
- the official aid agency for the Catholic Church in England and Wales which aims to help people living in poverty, in order to create a more balanced (sustainable) world.
examples of ways that CAFOD supports sustainability 
- encouraging people in England an Wales to live more simply and use fewer natural resources
- working with groups like MONLAR in Sri Lanka which helps farmers to adopt sustainable farming methods e,g natural use of fertilisers
- supporting or setting up projects that use renewable energy