“for god so loved the world that he gave his only son“
the problem of evil (epicurus)
god is omnipotent
god is omnibenevolent
evil exists
(inconsistent triad)
theodicies (answers to the PoE)
augustine
irenaeus
job
augustine: evil is a result of the fall (genesis ch3)
everyone is tainted with original sin.
humans created evil with the free will that a loving god gave us
irenaeus: god allows suffering as it serves a purpose- to learn
suffering forms us.
job: suffering can be a test of faith (muslims also suggest this) seen in the book of job
the book of job:
• job is faithful and happy
• the satan says to god that job is only faithful because he has never experienced suffering
• god allows the satan to test job, knowing that job does not deserve it
• despite the satan taking everything away from him, job remains faithful
•job is adamant that he has not sinned when his friends say he probably has
• eventually job caved in and asks god to defend himself and god appears in the form of a storm and shows job the complexity of the world
the trinity: 3 persons 1 substance
CREATION
genesis ch2
•garden already exists
•god makes adam out of dust / clay
•breathed into adam to make him alive
• god then makes animals and adam names them
• god makes eve out of adam’s rib
CREATION DAY 1
god creates light
”the god commanded ‘let there be light’”
CREATION DAY 2
a dome was created to divide the water (sky)
”he named the dome sky”
CREATION DAY 3
land was made- vegetation was produced, so was the sea
”let water below sky come together in one place so that land will appear.“
CREATION DAY 4
god created sun and the moon to separate the dark from the light
“let lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night“
CREATION DAY 5
animals are created
“ letthewater be filled with many livingbeings”
CREATION DAY 6
humans were made
”and now we will makehuman beings“
CREATION DAY 7
day of rest
literalists/creationists
believe that everything in the bible is a literal historical event
the incarnation= embodiment
john 1:14: ‘the word became flesh and lived for a while among us.’ (INCARNATION)
christians believe that jesus was both fully devine and fully human
the catholic church states ‘jesus is inseparably true god and true man‘
christian beliefs about death:
•death is not the end
• it separates life on earth and life with god
• death isnt something to be scared of
•‘he will wipe away every tear from their eyes. there will be no death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away’ (revelation 21:4)
the importance of the belief in resurrection:
• most christians believe in ressurection- that the dead will be restored to life
•”and if christ has not been raised, your faith is futile“
•the body is the ‘temple of the holy spirit‘ and should be treated with respect
•some believe it will be restored to life; for them the concept of resurrection is of a physical resurrection
•others believe that resurrection will be spiritual, not physical
christians reject the idea of cremation because of their belief in physical ressurection
christian’s believe that god will raise them back to life on judgement day
“when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given marriage” (mark 12:25) when jesus was questioned about the idea of resurrection
roman catholics believe in purgatory. this is believed to be an intermediate state of existence and the afterlife
if the soul is destined for heaven, purgatory is a place of purification for the soul to enter heaven
purgatory is not a physical place
different veiws about the resurrection:
•there is no scientific proof of resurrection nor the biblical stories about resurrection
• many believes our soul is what lives, not the physical body
• the soul is eternal
•christian funerals have references to the afterlife and resurrection
a creed is a statement of faith
resurrection: the dead will be restored to life, some believe that they will be resurrected physically while others believe they will be resurrected spiritually
christianity teaches that there will be a judgement day at the end of time by jesus according to how they behaved
‘will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.’ (nicene creed)
the catechism of the catholic church states that there are two judgements, the particular and the final judgements
the particular judgement occurs immediately after each individuals death and the final judgement takes place at the second coming
second coming (when jesus returns to earth)
many christian’s believe that the day they die, their souls will wait for judgement day