catholic beliefs and teaching

SOW for trinity

‘I believe in one God, the Father almighty…I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ…I believe in the Holy Spirit…’ (Nicene Creed)

How is the trinity reflected in Catholic worship today?

• Baptism - performed in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

• Eucharist - Eucharistic prayer gives thanks to God and makes Son present in the bread and wine, through the Holy Spirit

• Nicene Creed - said in mass every Sunday

Give two ways the oneness of God shown in the Bible. Include a SOW.

At Jesus’ baptism.

‘The Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved son”’ (Matthew)

And also during creation - Son the Word, Father creating, Spirit hovering over waters

Define doctrine and give an example of a Catholic doctrine.

A teaching. The Trinity is an example of a Church doctrine.

Define creed.

An expression of belief, written to correct mistakes (heresies) being taught / believed.

What were the two councils confirming the Nicene Creed?

• Council of Nicaea - Nicene Creed written to confirm that the Son was consubstantial with the Father

• Council of Constantinople - reaffirmed Council of Nicaea but expanded it to include that the Spirit was also God

What was the Arian Heresy?

Arius claimed that Jesus was only a prophet, not God.

What is the account of creation in Genesis 1?

• He creates ‘ex nihilo’ - ‘out of nothing’

• Creates by Word

RECAP OF DAYS:

1. Light and dark

2. Sky and sea

3. Land and plants

4. Sun, moon and stars

5. Fish and birds

6. Animals and humans

7. Sabbath: God rested

What is the account of creation in Genesis 2 + 3?

• God creates using his hands, breathing life into Adam

• Shows how man and woman complement each other

• Adam and Eve are both naked but not ashamed - symbol of innocence

• They were tempted by the snake to eat the fruit from the forbidden tree (free will), then became afraid and hid from God, eventually had to leave the garden

What are the divergent Christian interpretations of the creation story?

1. Creationism (literal)

• Genesis is historical and scientific account

• Most dispute the universe’s age and the theory of evolution

2. Theistic Approach (metaphorical)

• The Creation accounts are symbolic, sacred stories

• Science answers the how, religion answers the why

• Catholics believe this and accept the Big Bang and evolution

Why are the creation accounts important for Catholics? (Include SOWs)

• Shows God as Creator

• Shows God as benevolent: ‘God saw that it was good’ (Genesis)

• Shows God as omnipotent as he creates

• Shows God as eternal: ‘In the beginning was the Word (John 1)

SOW for the nature of humanity

‘God created man in his own image’ (Genesis) - humanity was created imago Dei

How do humans bear God’s image?

• Rational - humans are intelligent and can find their way to God. Significant as we can engage in debate about faith.

• Free will & conscience - humans can choose right or wrong; a conscience is the voice of God within. Significant as we can make moral choices that uphold Gospel values.

• Relate to God - humans can enter a relationship with God. Significant as we go to weekly mass and daily prayer.

• Give and recieve love - humans can only find happiness within a community of love. Significant as it means accepting the vocation of marriage.

• Answerable to God - humans are accountable to God for their actions. Significant as judgement will happen in the next life.

What are the divergent views about dominion and stewardship?

• A minority of Christians believe we should only focus on dominion (God-given authority to rule) as Jesus will soon return, meaning the end of the world anyway.

  • Over-farming for food, deforestation for wood / paper, burning fossil fuels for electricity, etc

• Most Christinas believe we should also focus on stewardship (our authority should be caring to creation) as most non-religious people agree we have a responsibility to care for the planet.

  • Recycling, using renewable energy, managing farming and fishing, etc

What do Catholics believe about the incarnate Son?

• Jesus is the Son of God

• Jesus is God incarnate (‘enfleshment’) - God made flesh

SOW for the Incarnation

‘The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.’ (John 1)

How can Jesus be fully human and fully God?

• Fully human - human emotions / pain and suffering, got tired, died

• Fully God - Mary was virgin, miracles, able to go without food / drink for 40 days

Give two examples of when the Jewish authorities accused Jesus of blasphemy.

• Healing + forgiving paralysed man (they thought only God could forgive)

• He let his disciples farm on the Sabbath when they were hungry - considered work

Why is the Incarnation important for Catholics today?

• Jesus can understand humanity and pain as he lived it

• Makes God’s grace accessible to humans - he is infinite and transcendent

• Meant we could receive salvation

What is the Paschal Mystery?

• Passion (suffering) - unjust trial, mocked, crowned with thorns, carried the cross

• Crucifixion - darkness came over the land as Jesus died, temple curtain split in two as barrier between us broke, Earth shook

• Resurrection - tomb found empty, Jesus appears to Thomas showing him his wounds

• Ascension - 40 days after resurrection, Jesus ascends to heaven in front of disciples and promises the Holy Spirit will come

What does ‘Paschal’ mean and what is the significance of this?

It is Hebrew for ‘Passover’ - where the Israelites are led to freedom by Moses. This is similar as Jesus saves us from sin. Lambs were killed in Passover; the Lamb of God was killed in the Paschal mystery.

Define redemption.

Jesus’ life was redeemed (exchanged) for freedom from sin for humans.

What is the significance of the Paschal Mystery?

• Passion - shows God’s unconditional love for us, shows how to respond to cruelty

• Crucifixion - proves that Jesus is human, allowed forgiveness of sins

• Resurrection - proves Jesus is God as only God can conquer death

• Ascension - gives us hope that we too will return to the Father, necessary for Pentecost to continue Jesus’ work

What is the role of the Holy Spirit?

• Empowered the apostles for their mission at Pentecost

• Peter understood Jesus much more after experiencing the Holy Spirit at Pentecost

• Empowers us to live out salvation

• We receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit through sacraments to help us with our mission

SOW for the Paschal Mystery

‘God sent the Son into the world…the world may be saved through him.’ (John)

Why must we accept salvation to receive it?

Jesus’ atonement (role in salvation) was his death ‘paying’ for our sins. However, we must accept salvation to be saved by Jesus through this sacrifice. Accepting it means embracing the gospel and becoming a disciple of Jesus.

How do Catholics receive salvation today?

• Catholics - receiving sacraments

  • The Eucharist is the most important expression of the Paschal Mystery, as taking it is a sign of accepting salvation + offers strength

• Evangelicals - through faith

• Protestants - through living a Christian life

SOW for eschatology

‘whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.’ (John)

What do Catholics believe about life after death?

• It’s explained in the Paschal Mystery

• We will be resurrected like Jesus

• Jesus said those who pleased God will be rewarded

What are the two types of judgement?

• Particular judgement - judgement after death (going to either heaven, hell or purgatory)

• Final judgement - happens at the end of time, solidifying a final judgement for all. In resurrection, our souls will reunite with a ‘glorified’ body.

Catholics believe in both.

What are heaven, hell, and purgatory? Why is this significant?

• Heaven - eternal life with God; a life of love (CCC)

• Purgatory - a stage of purification to enable people to reach heaven (Catholic belief in CCC)

• Hell - absence of love and community of God

Significant as reminds Catholics how every choice has a consequence.

What do other Christians believe about eschatology?

• Heaven, hell and purgatory - an omnibenevolent God wouldn’t allow hell to exist, so only heaven exists (universalism). Purgatory doesn’t exist as it isn’t biblical.

• Judgement - some put more emphasis placed on the Final Judgement

• Resurrection - some just believe in a spiritual resurrection, not a physical one