RE - Origins and Meanings

• Creation Ex-Nihilo


  Made out of nothing; God is responsible for all that exists
• SOA(St Augustine) - 'You created this thing out of nothing'
• God


  • Eternal (Before time), creator, transcendent (Beyond time), omnipotent/scient/benevolent
• Genesis 1, all God creates is 'good', benevolent, creates humans 'Imago Dei'
• SOA - 'God commanded "Let there be light"'
• Genesis 2, breathes life into Adam, omnipotent, gives free will and stewardship to humanity
• SOA - '"It is not good for the man to be alone"'
• Religious Beliefs about the Origin of the Universe


  • Catholics: Myth, God made all, everything was good, humans were last and most important
  • Fundamentalist: Factual/Literal, created universe in 6 days, Eve created from Adam's rib
  • Jewish: God source of life, omnipotent/scient/present, sustains universal life
• SOA(Gen2) - 'God formed a man from the dust of the ground'
• Jewish on Gen 1&2, Orthodox like Fundamentalist, Reform like Catholic
• Non-Religious Views about the Universe's Origin and Catholic/Christian Response


  • Big Bang: Lack of evidence for a creator
  • Evolution: Species have changed over time, from a single bacteria
• Fundamentalist response is fully opposed, contradicting the Bible
• Christian open to concept, initiated by God, explaining issues with theory
• Genesis explains why, Big Bang explains how, story is simply symbolic
• Dawkins supports evolution, explaining origins better than God
• Catholics accept evolution, apart from humans existing by chance
• SOA(Pope John Paul II) - 'There is no reason for conflict between evolution and… the Catholic faith'
• For Fundamentalists, evolution contradicts the belief that God brought about all life, and all appeared at once
• Beliefs about the Sanctity of Life


  • Christians believe life is all unique and special, given by God
  • Catholics believe in Imago Dei, as Genesis shows God's plan for the world, so human life is sacred, made in God's image and have freedom for morality
  • All Christians believe life is sacred
• SOA(Catechism of Catholic Church) - 'Human life is sacred…it involves the creative action of God'
• Non-religious mainly believe human life is important
• St Catherine taught humans originate from God, have conscience to make moral decisions, and are capable of loving, created from God's everlasting love
• (Non-)Religious Views on Human Life and Abortion

  • British Law: Dictates for abortion if it would cause harm otherwise, is before 24 weeks and two doctors agree
  • Catholics: Never agree with abortion, as life begins at conception, thus is murder, and all life is valuable, only exception is doctrine of double effect, to save life of mother
  • SOA(Jeremiah 1) - 'Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you'
  • Christians: Against abortion, suggest adoption instead, but making exceptions for potential harm, rape or child's quality of life
  • Jewish: See God as the sole giver and taker of life, and is forbidden in 10 Commandments, the Talmud equating it to ending the world, but Reform make exceptions
  • Humanist: Do not consider life as sacred, valuing QoL more than preservation, believing life begins far after conception
  • Singer: Believes humans can all make moral choices, and killing anything else is fine, something Catholics heavily oppose, as they have a soul
• All life is valued and special, so all family must help with keeping quality of life
• SOA(Jeremiah 1) - 'Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you'
• Creation Story in Genesis 1&2


  God is transcendent/eternal, omnipotent, capable of such creation; Humans sacred as creation's pinnacle, in God's image; Omnibenevolent, considerate of creation's happiness, making himself known to Adam and Eve; Humans made to serve the garden, and be able to choose right from wrong, and makes Adam and Eve distinct, through gender
• SOA(Gen1) - 'In the beginning, God created the heavens and earth'
• SOA(Gen2) - 'She shall be called a woman'
• Relationship between Humans and the Rest of Creation


  • Catholics: We are stewards of the Earth, and must preserve it for the future
  • SOA(Laudato Si) - 'We realise the world is a gift which we freely received'
  • Humanists: The world is still valuable, and should be preserved, but was not given by God, though we still should preserve it, through avoiding overpopulation, but also valuing the live of animals apart from humans
  • Jews: Believe it to be their duty to improve the world, as the Torah says not to destroy trees, creating a connection with nature enforced during Sukkot and Tu BiShvat, where new trees are planted
• We must show care for others, serving society, to keep the world sacred
• Origins of Scripture and Literary forms

  • Old Testament: Law, History, Prophets and Wisdom
  • New Testament: Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, Letters and Revelations
  • Revelation: The way God has shown himself to humans, such as through creation
  • Inspiration: The way God has guided us to create scripture
  • Catholics: Believe the Bible tells myths, but is not always literal
  • Fundamentalists: Believe everything in the Bible is exactly what happened
  • Orthodox: Believe same as Fundamentalists, and all of Mitzvot
  • Reform: Believe same as Catholics, but adapt the Mitzvot for modern life
• The Bible provides a basis for most Chrisitan beliefs, over thousands of years
• Michelangelo's Creation of Adam


  Adam, reflects Gen 1, similar to God's physique (Imago Dei) but youthful, lack of strength suggests God's necessity; God, elder being, reaching out to Adam, showing love, God is the Father of all; Hands, giving spark of life life to Adam, Adam's fingers bent, close, loving relationship; Cloud, transcendent, brain shape is omniscience, womb shape shows giving of life, and omnibenevolence
• SOA(Gen2) - 'God formed a man from the dust'
• Imagery in Christian Art

  • Alpha and Omega: Beginning and end, God is eternal
  • Chi Rho: Beginning of Christ in Greek, above the cross, emphasising Jesus' importance
  • Gospels: Along the top, essential for spreading God's word
  • Lambs: Shows Jesus and Apostles, sacrificial for sins, under the cross
  • Doves: Apostles by Jesus, went to spread the good news
  • Cross: Atop the tree of life, removing original sin, absolving humanity
  • Tree of Life: Leads to crucifix
  • SOA(Revelation22) - 'The leaves of the tree are for the healing of all nations'
  • Vine: Branches from the Tree of Life, reminiscent of Garden of Eden
• Imago Dei and Castholic Social Teaching


  • United Nations for universal rights
  • Social Justice: The belief for total equality
  • SOA(Gen1) - 'God created mankind in his own image'
  • CST: Includes dignity, helping the poor and working for common good
  • Justice: Live a life that changes systems for the better
  • Peace: Help everyone trust, to bring peace from all
  • Reconciliation: Accept righteous anger, similar to Jesus' actions in the Temple
• Can all be achieved through work and prayer, to help all
• Inter-faith Dialogue


  • Challenges: Varied society can be tension, extremists, scapegoats and discrimination, leading to war
  • IFD: Communication between different faiths, allowing a common ground to be found, more respect for each other and act for the good of society
  • Promoted by the Pope, by showing his humility in prisons and with different faiths, reminding of our similarities and shared goals
• SOA(Pope Benedict XVI) - 'Together with all people of good will, we aspire to peace'
• Catholic Charities


  • CAFOD: Works to overcome poverty (Sustainable short/long term development), respond (Natural disasters/Emergencies), educate (School assemblies), campaign (Ensure fair policies), fundraise (Fast days in March and October) and respect creation (Environmental projects)
  • SVP: Helps vulnerable in society, promotes loving your neighbour and treating people with dignity and respect, visits the isolated, protects the environment, runs support centres