beliefs and teachings

• The Trinity

  "I believe in one God...I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, I believe in Holy Spirit" - Nicene Creed

  Trinity in Catholic Worship:

  • Priest welcomes worshippers at mass in the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit. Catholics respond by making the sign of the cross
  • During mass - when they pray the Nicene Creed
  • All sacraments are performed in the name of the Trinity
• Importance of the belief in the Trinity

  Son of God - helps Catholics to understand love of God > leads to salvation of sin

  Holy Spirit - understands Gods presence > strength it brings humans

  God the Father- understand power and creativity as well as care for the world
• Significance of Paschal Mystery

  Importance of salvation:

  • Need to be saved from sin to have good relationship with God > so they don't go to hell or purgatory
  • Reason why God became man > death opened the gates of heaven so we can spend eternal life with him

  "Salvation is to be found through him alone"
• Creation

  • Some Christians interpret the Creation accounts literally

  > believe they are the exact retellings of what actually happened

  Some believe God brought the universe out of nothing (ex nihilo)> shows omnipotent nature
• The Trinity in the Bible

  God the Trinity shown in Bible:

  • Christians believe the Bible reveals God as one

  "The lord is our God, the Lord is one"

  > Confirms God must be unity

  • Jesus referred to God as his father > Bible shows Christians should pray to God as father

  Beliefs about the Holy Spirit:

  gives guidance, gods presence on earth, inspired the Bible
• Eschatology

  "I am the resurrection and the life: whoever believes in me shall not perish but live eternal life"

  Catholic belief about life after death:

  • Believe they will be judged
  • CC believe in resurrection of the body
  • Impure souls will be cleansed in purgatory

  Christian beliefs:

  • believe only in immortality of the soul
  • some believe after death, soul will go straight to heaven
• Creation and Nature of Humanity

  Importance of Imago Dei:

  • Reflects responsibility humans have been given by God
  • stewards of world

  "Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living thing that moves over the ground"

  
  

  • Shows humans have self knowledge and conscience. Given freedom to choose between good and evil.

  "God thus enables men to be intelligent and free" CCC
• Creation and Nature of Humanity

  Earth and all life on it are a part of Gods creation - humans are called to respect this gift

  > responsible for taking care of it and sharing the resources and wonders

  Humans have free will

  Abuse of natural environment is a consequence of human sinfulness > symptom of the earths disobedience to care for the world
• Paschal Mystery

  Importance of resurrection:

  • reminds Catholics that Jesus overcame death

  > assurance of eternal life

  "that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life

  > allows salvation of sin

  • sign of power of Jesus, even over death, proves Jesus as God - no-one but God can conquer death
• Importance of Paschal Mystery

  • Confirms final payment for sin had been made> Jesus is seated at the right hand of the father
  • Reminds Catholics to share the gospel until Jesus returns.> Catholics know he will come back to set all things right and bring people close to him for eternity