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What is the meaning of the incarnation?
It shows how much God loves the human race- he was prepared to experience being human
It helps us value God’s love as he knows what it is like to be human
What does Luke 1:26-38 show?
“He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High” Luke 1:32
“Let it be with me according to your word”
Focuses on Mary’s role in the incarnation and how she was given the choice of whether or not to be Jesus’ mother- she was given free will
Through Jesus’ birth, God fulfils his promises to the Jews
Jesus is fully human and fully divine
What does Matthew 1:18-24 show?
“She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20b-21
Focuses on Joseph’s part in the incarnation
Confirms that Jesus is the Son of God
Confirms that Jesus is being sent to Earth by God to save humanity from its sins
What are the similarities between the accounts in Luke and Matthew’s Gospels?
Mary was a virgin
God worked through human beings to bring about his plan for humanity
Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
Jesus was the Son of God
The angel Gabriel announced Jesus’ birth
What is the relationship between the Word and God?
The Son of God is also known as the Word of God
The Word of God became human in the form of Jesus, which is why Jesus is sometimes called ‘the Word of God made flesh’
What do we know about the nature of the Word of God from John 1:1-4?
The Word of God is eternal- “In the beginning was the Word”
The Word of God is God- “the Word was God”
The Word of God is distinct from God- “the Word was with God”
The Word of God is how God expresses his power and love- “What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people”
What does John 1:14 tell us about Jesus as the Word of God?
“And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.”
Jesus is the Word of God- He has always existed but has taken on human nature to live on earth as Jesus
Jesus is God’s free gift to humanity and is an expression of God’s love
The Word came to Earth to guide people closer to God and teach them how to share in his love
What does it mean that Jesus is the ‘Son of Man’?
“the Son of Man must undergo great suffering” Mark 8:31
Jesus is fully human and just like any one of us- this allows us to feel closer to Him
Jesus is given power and authority by God
What does it mean that Jesus is the ‘Son of God’?
When asked if he was “the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One”, Jesus replied “I am” Mark 14:61
“you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power” Mark 14:62
This shows that Jesus is fully divine and always was God, but during his life on Earth, he limited himself to the human condition
What does the Ichthus symbol show?
It is an acronym for the titles Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour
It is a reminder of the persecution of Christians in early Christianity and the persistence of their faith- they would use the symbols to confirm their belief in God and signal where meetings were held
What does the Alpha and Omega symbol show?
Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and Omega is the last letter
This shows that God and Jesus are involved in everything from beginning to end
They are used in churches, vestments, Christian art, and most notably, the Paschal candle
What does the Chi-Ro symbol show?
It is a monogram formed from the first two letters of the Greek word for Christ when written in capitals
This is a reminder of the death of Jesus and our being saved by God, which inspires Christians
This may be worn as an alternative to the cross or crucifix as an expression of their faith
What are some reasons against religious art?
It is impossible to portray God accurately- an infinite God cannot be represented using finite means
Art can mislead people about what God is like
Praying in front of an image or statue may mislead people- people may get the impression that the image or statue is being worshipped as a god
It is against the second commandment- “You shall not make for yourself an idol” Exodus 20:4
What can religious art do?
It can:
inspire people
give people something to focus on as they pray
help people to learn about aspects of God’s work
have a positive role in religious life
Why does the Catholic Church approve of religious art?
Jesus was fully human- this makes it acceptable to show Jesus in a human form
Jesus was fully God- God revealed himself through a human form so can be depicted in that form
Jesus died to save all of humanity- Jesus can be shown as a member of any ethnicity because everyone was affected by his death and resurrection
How does the ‘Sacred Heart of Jesus’ show the qualities of Jesus?
He has an expression of peace and love- his giving up his life was the ultimate act of love
Flames come from the heart- Jesus has a burning love for all people as shown through his saving us from sin
A hole/piercing through the heart represents the soldier piercing Jesus’ side with a spear after his death- Jesus was willing to go through immense pain for us
Holes in his hands from where Jesus was nailed to the cross
A crown of thorns surrounding the heart represents the crown placed on his head when mocked- Jesus is the King of the world
One of his hands points to his heart- to emphasise his heart that he extends to all of us
What are different attitudes to art that portrays Jesus?
The second commandment indicates it is wrong to worship images and some people may believe that Christians are worshipping the art
Depicting Jesus as a human could be misleading as it ignores the fact that he is also fully God
No one knows what Jesus looked like- it is wrong to try and depict him through art
How was the Jesus’ approach to the Law different?
He developed the Law to make it more perfect
He focuses on people’s attitudes rather than actions
Name some Beatitudes
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth”
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God”
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy”
What is the significance of the Parable of the Sheep and Goats?
“I was hungry and you gave me food” Matthew 25:35-36
It shows Christians how they should respond to those in need
It tells people that if they show love and kindness to others, they will be judged favourably by God and rewarded with eternal life
What does it mean that Jesus is the ‘meeting point between God and humanity’ ?
God is invisible; he is beyond human sight and understanding
Christians can only get to know what God is like through Jesus
Because Jesus is the son of God, he displays qualities of God
This means that Christians can develop a better understanding of God’s nature through examining the life and actions of Jesus
What does it mean that ‘the glory of God is a human being, fully alive’?
Jesus was the perfect human being- he followed all of God’s wishes and perfectly displayed all the qualities God wants people to have
Jesus sets the example for all other Christians to follow
All people can become ‘fully alive’ by following Jesus’ teachings and becoming more open to God
Jesus helps Christians to know God in the incarnation
How does Dei Verbum 4 help Catholics understand Jesus is fully human and fully divine?
“For He sent His son… so that He might dwell among men and tell them of the innermost being of God”- God is revealed and speaks through Jesus, His Son. This shows Jesus is fully divine.
“Jesus Christ, therefore, the Word made flesh, was sent as a ‘man to men’.”- The Son of God became a human to live among other humans. This shows Jesus is fully human.
How does Verbum Domini 12 help Catholics understand Jesus is fully human and fully divine?
“the eternal word became small- small enough to fit into a manger”- The Word of God limited himself to a human form so we could understand God. Jesus is fully human
“Christ…crucified… is the Lord of all things.”- Through the human act of dying, Jesus gave himself into God’s hands. Jesus is fully human.
“[Jesus] does the will of the father at all times…Jesus thus shows that he is the divine Logos”- Jesus always knew the will of God because he is God but he was also the perfect human. Jesus is fully human and fully divine.
What is grace?
an outward sign of inward grace
the love that unites the three Persons of the Trinity
helps people to become aware of what God wants for them
gives believers the strength to do what God wants
is a free and unconditional gift of love from God
pours into people’s hearts and calls them to a deeper relationship with God
pours out from the Trinity and gives life to all things
What does the sacramental nature of reality mean?
The whole of reality can be seen as a sacrament
The world and everything in it is a sign of God’s love
God’s presence and love can be seen throughout the world
How has the incarnation helped Catholics view reality as sacramental?
Before the incarnation, God was seen as a distant being
Jesus was the ultimate gift from God to show his love for humanity
Since Jesus has lived on Earth, people can see God as a living and active presence
Although Jesus is no longer present on earth, his spirit is active in sharing God’s love with all people
Jesus helped to bring God’s love and presence into the world, making the world sacramental in nature
What happens in the sacrament of baptism?
Water is poured on a person’s head to symbolise the washing away of sin
The person becomes a child of God and a member of the Church
What happens in the sacrament of confirmation?
When a person chooses to confirm they are a member of the Church and are anointed with holy oil
The person’s faith is strengthened and deepened
The power of the Holy Spirit is renewed in their life
What happens in the sacrament of the Eucharist?
A person receives the Body and Blood of Christ which has been given up for them
They can keep growing in God’s love
What happens in the sacrament of marriage?
A man and a woman give their consent to be united as one in marriage
The couple accept that through their love for one another the love of God is active in their lives
What happens in the sacrament of ordination?
A person becomes a priest, bishop or deacon through the laying on of hands and anointing of hands with chrism
This person commits himself to God and the Church and is given certain powers such as being able to consecrate a mass and forgive sins
What happens in the sacrament of reconciliation?
A person confesses their sins to a priest and is forgiven
The person’s relationship with God is restored
What happens in the sacrament of the sick?
A person who is very ill is anointed with oil
This gives strength to the person and forgives their sins
When do Catholics believe life begins?
“For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy.” Luke 1:44
Catholics believe life begins at conception and that the whole person is present from that moment
Why are Catholics against abortion?
All human life is holy (Imago Dei)
Human life begins at conception
All life should be protected, including the unborn
Abortion is therefore wrong
How might a Catholic help protect the unborn?
Support a pro-life organisation that campaigns to reduce the abortion limit or ban abortion completely
Support an organisation that cares for women who have decided not to abort their child, but who are facing emotional and financial problems as a result
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