Catholicism: Creation

What beliefs about Adam are reflected in Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam?

• Adam is not fully alive as he and God are not touching, showing humans depend of God for life

• Adam is shown as the perfect man, full of strength

What beliefs about humanity are reflected in Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam?

• God is shown bringing humans to life because we are unique

• God and Adam reaching out to each other shows there is a longing for a close relationship between God and humanity but we are separated by sin

• God and Adam both look powerful and they are lying in similar positions showing man is created in God’s image

What beliefs about God are reflected in Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam?

• God looks much older than Adam showing that he is wise and eternal

• God is carried through the sky by angels showing he is transcendent

What does transcendent mean?

Beyond and outside all life on Earth and the universe

What Bible verse tells us humanity is made in the image of God?

“So God created mankind in his own image” -Genesis 1:27

What Bible verse shows that God made everything good?

“God saw everything he made, and indeed, it was very good” - Genesis 1:31

How is Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam limited?

• Genesis1:27 says God breathed life into Adam through his nostrils, not by touching him

• God and Adam look the same and are the same size which may be misinterpreted and God and man being equal

What beliefs are expressed by Meiere’s Mosaic?

• Lines from God’s hand show how God created everything and how is influence affects all things

• God’s hand is large compared to the cloud showing that God is great and powerful

How is Meire’s Mosaic limited?

It does not show the relationship between God and humanity

What do Catholics believe about Genesis and the Creation story?

They believe it is not a scientific account of creation but it does teach many truth about God’s nature and role in creation

What do Catholics believe about God being a creator?

He is the only creator who created everything, so Christians should only worship this one God

How does Genesis 1 show that God’s creation is special?

• All of creation is special as it has been created by God, it should be cared for and looked after

• Genesis 1:27 shows God made humans in his own image and share qualities with him, allowing for a close relationship

What do Catholics believe about God being omnipotent?

God has the power to do anything he wants, even creating things from nothing

How is God being omnipotent shown in Genesis 1?

• Genesis 1:31 says God made everything “very good”; God is so powerful he can create everything exactly the way he wants

• Belief is God’s omnipotence inspires Christians to trust in God as he has the power to do anything

• God creates everything from nothing

How does Genesis 1 show God is transcendent?

• God only needs his words to create

• “ ‘God said let there be light’; and there was light”

• This shows that God is completely above and beyond the created world

• God is beyond human understanding- he cannot be fully imagined or described by humans

What Bible verse shows humans share the spirit of God?

“ then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being” -Genesis 2:7

• God breathed life into the first man; God’s spirit gives man his qualities

How does Genesis 2 show God has given humans free will?

• God made the Garden of Eden for Adam and Eve and told them not to eat the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge

• God commands this but does not try to stop them doing it showing God has given humans free will to decide what they do

What do Catholics believe about free will and evil?

• Free will doesn’t mean humans can do whatever they want

• Using it to sin turns us away from God and that is why evil exists

• Using free will in a way that pleases God brings humans closer to God

What is stewardship and why is it important?

• Humans having a duty to protect the Earth on behalf of God

• The World is a gift from God, but God expects us to take care of it in return

What two Bible verses tell us about stewardship?

• Genesis 1:28 says Adam and Eve to ‘subdue’ and ‘have dominion’ over the whole Earth

• In Genesis 2:15, God tells Adam in the Garden of Eden to ‘till it and keep it’ meaning he should care for and love the world

What does the Laudato Si 68 say about stewardship?

“ human beings must respect nature and the delicate balance existing between creatures of this world”

What do Catholics believe about dignity?

• Genesis 1:27 says God created humans ‘in his image’

• All people have dignity- they are worthy of honour and respect

• Catholics believe we should respect our own and each other’s dignity

What does Genesis 1:28 say about blessing?

• God blesses humans after he creates them (Genesis 1:28 “And God blessed them”)

What is the Old Testament about?

How God guided the Jews throughout early history before the arrival of Jesus

What are the four sections of the Old Testament and what are they about?

• Law- Tells how Jews became the people of God and the laws God set in place

• History- How God tried to guide the Jews and how they refused- helps later generations from making the same error

• Wisdom- A book of advice teaching people to live a life that pleases God

• Prophecy- The book of prophets which challenged people to remain faithful to God

What is the New Testament about?

The life and teachings of Jesus and his apostles

What are the four main sections of the New Testament?

• The Gospels- Covers the teachings and actions of Jesus

• The Acts of the Apostles- Tells of events in the early Church

• The Epistles- Letters written by apostles discussing how to follow Jesus’ teaching in everyday life

• The Book of Revelation- Mystical visions of the apostle John of the end of the world

What criteria did Christian writings have to meet to be included in the New Testament?

• Backed by apostles/someone close to them

• Written early on; before the end of the first century

• Agreed with other teaching and accounts of Christian beliefs

• All accepted by Christian Churches at the time

How is the Bible the Word of God?

Throughout the Bible, God speaks to his people

How does God speak to his people through the Bible?

• Guided by the Holy spirit which inspires the writers to know the will of God

• Words given by prophets who were inspired by God to warn and teach others

• The actions and teachings of Jesus

• The Epistles teach us about how to apply Jesus’ teachings to everyday life

What is the Magisterium?

• The way Catholics are guided to interpret the Bible

• Teaching authority of bishops and the Pope

• Shapes and confirms the Bible’s teachings

• Magisterium is inspired by the Holy Spirit

How do Catholics interpret the Genesis creation stories?

• They are not meant to be taken literally but they convey spiritual truths

• They days mentioned are a much longer period of time

• Catholics can accept theories like the Big Bang and Evolution

What is the main message of the creation story for Catholics?

• God made everything

• Everything God made was good

• Humans are the peak of God’s creation

What did Pope Francis say about the Big Bang?

“ The Big Bang does not contradict the act of divine creating, but rather requires it. The evolution of nature does not contrast with the notion of creation”

What do Fundamentalists believe about the creation story?

• The creation story is exactly how it happened

• God loves humans so he wouldn’t mislead them

• Humans shouldn’t prefer their own interpretation over God

How do some fundamentalists differ from others in their beliefs about creation?

Some accept the world is as old as scientists suggest but reject evolution saying that God made humans separately rather than evolving

What is natural law?

Humans are born with an understanding on what is right and wrong

Why does the Catholic Church believe in natural law?

• God made all of creation good

• All humans are made in the image of God and share his qualities including goodness

What does natural law mean for the Catholic Church?

• Following natural law is important because it is part of God’s will for humans

• Humans shouldn’t need rules to tell them what is right and wrong

What is the most basic natural law?

To do good and avoid evil

What is one example of another natural law?

To protect and preserve life

What does the Gaudium et Spes say about science?

“If methodical investigation is carried out in a genuinely scientific manner, it never truly contradicts with faith”

What do Catholics teach about religion and science?

• They don’t not have to contradict each other

• The Church supports advances in science which helps people to understand creation

• Religion and science come up with different answers because they are asking different questions

Why do Catholics believe they should care for the environment?

• All of creation is special and all of it should be valued

• God made humans the stewards of the Earth so we have a responsibility to take care of it

• Jesus taught ‘love your neighbours as yourself’ in Mark 12:31 so Christians should not do anything such as littering or pollution that can affect human lives

What does the Church say about natural resources?

• They should be preserved for future generations

• The must be shared equally amongst people

What is one thing the Catholic Church has done to care for the environment?

The Vatican installed thousands of solar panels on the roof of one of it’s main halls reducing carbon emissions by 200 tones each year

How can caring for the environment be done at a local level?

• Throw away less waste and recycle more

• Walk, cycle or use public transport

• Encourage churches to reduce carbon emissions

• Educate others about stewardship

How can caring for the environment be done at a national level?

• Put pressure on politicians to support laws that protect the environment

• Support and buy products from environmentally-friendly businesses

• Put pressure on companies to ensure they follow environnmentally friendly policies

How can caring for the environment be done at a global level?

Put pressure on governments to implement policies at international meetings

Boycott or expose companies that threaten the environment

What did Pope Francis quote from the bishops of South Africa?

“Everyone’s talents and involvements are needed to redress the damage caused by human abuse of God’s creation”

How does sustainability link to Catholic beliefs?

• Sustainability involves using natural resources at a rate at which they can be replaced

• All of creation is important and valuable, so we should sustain it

• Sustainable living respect the goodness of God’s creation

How does CAFOD support sustainablility?

• Encouraging people to live more simply and use fewer natural resources

• Works with groups like MONLAR helping farmers to adopt to sustainable farming methods like natural fertilisers

• Supports/sets up projects that use renewable energy

• Helped establish the UN sustainable development goals to be reached by 2030