Origins and meanings

• Catholics


  Believe that God created the universe
• Catholic - origin of the universe and the concept of creation ex nihilo


  St Augustine (specifically Confessions XII, 7)
• St Augustine


  • Wrote a book called Confessions
  • Said that nothing existed before God created it
  • Wrote that God created the earth from nothing
• creation ex nihilo


  creation from nothing
• Augustine


  • Said God is good and greater than all creation
• SECTOON


  Supreme being - eternal - creator - transcendent - omnipotent - omnibenevolent
• Catholics


  • Read the creation story in a SYMBOLIC WAY
  • Interpret the story
  • See it as a MYTH that reveals TRUTHS
• The MESSAGE matters - God created (Gen) the universe ex nihilo (Augustine) = God is SECTOON
• This means that Catholics accept scientific theories of creation - Big Bang/Evolution
• Imago Dei


  The concept that all humans are made in the image of God
• Catholics believe that all life is sacred - this is known as sanctity of life
• Man is made in the image of God (imago Dei) - all are unique and all reflect God
• All have right to life - all have dignity and value
• The Dialogue of Divine Providence by Catherine Of Siena


  A reflection on a conversation between a soul and God in the mirror
• The soul is the image of God (created imago Dei)
• What humans have from God


  • Conscience
  • Origin
  • Love
  • Dignity/Destiny
  • Sanctity
• Life is a gift from God and should be cherished from conception to death
• Catholic teaching about the value of life

  • Life must be respected from the moment of conception
  • Life is holy
  • Adoption is preferred
  • All have the right to life
  • Ten Commandments say do not kill
• Principle of Double Effect


  The Church does allow life-saving treatment for the mother even if the unintended side-effect is to kill the foetus
• Other Christian views on abortion

  • Might think abortion is the 'lesser of two evils' in case of rape, disability and endanger the mother's mental/physical health
  • Encourage better sex education to avoid unwanted pregnancy
  • Encourage adoption
• Jewish beliefs about sanctity of life

  • God gives and takes life
  • All made in the image of God
  • God knew you before you were born - in the womb
  • Ten Commandments say 'do not kill'
  • Pikuach Nefesh teaches to break Mitzvots to save life - Orthodox Jews believe abortion is unacceptable
• Catholics are against abortion in all circumstances, even in cases of rape
• Catholics must preserve life - all life is equally valuable - unborn child has rights and the mother has responsibilities
• Evolution


  The scientific theory that life came as a result of a process where organisms change and develop into new species through natural selection and survival of the fittest
• Charles Darwin


  • Discovered that organisms change and develop into new species through natural selection and survival of the fittest
• Man can be traced back to

  Apes-mammals-reptiles-fish-simple bacterium
• Darwin said he could not accept that a powerful and loving God would have knowingly designed a 'parasitic wasp'
• Evidence of evolution


  • Fossils and DNA technology that shows links between species
• Richard Dawkins


  • Atheist who supports Darwin's theory, believes evolution is more logical than belief in God
  • The body of living organisms are survival machines for its genes
  • Humans are carriers of DNA, have no soul
• Humans are simply genetic mutations, advanced animals
• Genesis


  Catholic belief about the creation of the world
• Pope John Paul II


  • Says there is no conflict between evolution and the doctrine of faith
  • Evolution is how God created humans
• Humans are sacred and part of God's loving plan
• Catholics are not asked to believe the world was created in 6 days
• Catholics are called to ask not HOW it happened but WHY we are here
• Fundamentalist Christians


  • Believe the Bible is literally true
  • Science that contradicts the Bible is wrong
  • Man and animal species were created complete at time of creation
  • Human life was created last, with all characteristics complete at time of creation
• BIC AW
• Creation and evolution are compatible

  With reference to Pope John Paul II's Message The Pontifical Academy Of Sciences On Evolution
• Evolution


  Life came as a result of a process
• Charles Darwin's discoveries


  • Organisms change and develop into new species
  • Natural selection
  • Survival of the fittest