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How does Michelangelo’s ‘Creation of Adam’ reflect Catholic beliefs about Creation?
God and Adam both look powerful and lie in similar positions- God made us in his image and likeness
Adam is presented as physically perfect- God intended for humanity to be perfect
God looks much older than Adam- God has existed since the beginning of time, He is eternal
God is carried by a host of angels- He is transcendant
God and Adam reach out their hands to each other- God wants to have a relationship with Him
God is only depicting bringing life to humans- shows that humans are unique and are God’s chosen beings
Adam appears to be waiting for God’s touch- humanity are reliant on God for life
What are some criticisms of Michelangelo’s ‘Creation of Adam’?
Genesis 2:7 says God brought Adam to life by breathing into his nostrils, rather than touching him
God and Adam are depicted as equal in size- suggesting humanity and God are equal. This goes against Catholic teachings.
God is shown as an old man which some Christians object to as they believe an eternal God should not be depicted as an ageing man
How does Meière’s mosaic reflect Catholic beliefs about Creation?
Lines extend from God’s hand to the edge of the circle- showing that God created everything in the universe and that His presence can be felt everywhere
God’s hand is large compared to the size of the cloud above- this shows the extent of God’s greatness and power
Only God’s hand is shown- this shows that God is infinite and cannot be confined
What does the Catholic belief in God as Creator mean?
Catholics believe he is the only Creator, and so is the only one who should be worshipped
As everything has been created by God, all of creation should be cared for and looked after
Genesis 1:27 shows that God created humans in His image and likeness, meaning we share qualities that allow us to have a close relationship with God.
What does the Catholic belief in God as omnipotent mean?
“God saw everything that he had made and indeed, it was very good.” Genesis 1:31
It means that God has the power to do whatever he wants, which inspires Christians to place their trust in Him because they know he can do anything
What does the Catholic belief in God as transcendent mean?
“Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.” Genesis 1:3
This means only needs his own word in order to create- he is completely above and beyond the created world
It also means that God is beyond human understanding- we will never be able to describe or understand Him, which inspires awe.
What does it mean that we share the ‘Spirit of God’?
“then the Lord God…breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.” Genesis 2:7
The Hebrew word for ‘breath’ (ru’ach) can be translated also as ‘spirit’
Humans share the Spirit of God, share some of God’s qualities and therefore can have a close relationship with God.
What does it mean that we were given ‘free will’?
Genesis 2 shows that God has given humans free will- although God tells Adam not to eat from the tree, he does not actively prevent Adam from doing so, thus giving him the choice whether to obey Him or sin
Using free will to sin results in turning away from God and has consequences
Using free will to live in a way that pleases God brings humans closer to God
What does it mean to be ‘stewards of the Earth’? Why might somebody disagree with this title?
“The responsibility for God’s earth means that human beings…must respect the laws of nature” Laudato Si
God puts Adam in the garden of Eden to ‘till it and keep it’ (Genesis 2:15) which suggests we must care and look after the Earth
The world is a gift from God but God expects us to protect and care for the world in return- we have a duty to do so.
Some Christians believe that we ‘have dominion’ over every living thing as per Genesis 1:28, and so we have the power and authority to do whatever we like
What do Catholics believe about the dignity of human beings?
Genesis 1:27 states we are made in His image and so all share in His good qualities and thus have dignity
Genesis also shows that we are all God’s Creation and so everyone should be respected and honoured
They believe that we should dignify ourselves through living a Godly life and respect other peoples’ dignity
What do Catholics believe about the sanctity of life?
Genesis 1:28 shows that God has blessed all humans after creation and so all creation is holy and sacred
This means that Catholics are against practices that do not treat each stage of life with respect, like abortion and euthanasia
Which sections are in the Old Testament and what do they include?
Law; these contain the laws that God wanted the Jews to follow and why Jews are the chosen people
History; these show how God guided the Jews and how they disobeyed God to help us avoid making the same mistakes
Wisdom; these include prayers, psalms, poems and books of advice to help people understand their faith
Prophecy; books of prophets who teach us how God is active in the world
Which sections are in the New Testament and what do they include?
The Gospels- these cover the actions and teachings of Jesus
The Acts of the Apostles- these tell of the Early Church
The Epistles- these are letters written by the Apostles discussing how to apply Jesus’ teachings to our lives
The Book of Revelation- this is written by the apostle John and includes his visions on the end of the world
Why were the New Testament books accepted?
They passed four important criteria:
They were backed by the authority of one of the apostles or somebody close to them
They were written early on
They agreed with other teachings and accounts of Christian beliefs
They were accepted by all Christian Churches at the time
How is the Bible the word of God?
God guided the writing of the Bible through the Holy Spirit- the Holy Spirit is God’s presence in the world
The Bible contains the word of God given by the prophets- these people were inspired by God
The Bible tells of the actions and teachings of Jesus in the Gospels- Jesus is the Word of God made flesh
The Bible contains the writings of the apostles in the Epistles- the apostles were Jesus’ closest friends and were filled with the Holy Spirits
What is the Magisterium? What do they do?
“Sacred tradition takes the word of God… and hands it on to their successors in its full purity” Dei Verbum
The Magisterium is the teaching authority of the Catholic Church (Pope and bishops)- they have the authority to shape and confirm Church teachings
They guide Catholics in their interpretation of the Bible and work to make the word of God relevant to the modern world
They are continuously inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit
What is the Catholic interpretation of the Creation stories?
“The Big Bang…does not contradict the divine act of creating, but rather requires it.” Pope Francis
They believe that they are myths- they are intended to convey complex spiritual truths but are not meant to be taken literally
The main messages are that
God made everything
Everything that God made was good
Humans are the high point of God’s creation
Why do Fundamentalists interpret the Creation stories literally?
The Bible is the word of God so it must be accurate in all respects
God loves humans and so would not mislead them by giving them incorrect information
Humans have no right to prefer their interpretations to the word of God
What is Natural Law? Why do we believe in it?
Natural Law is the idea that humans are born with an understanding of what is right and wrong
We believe in this because:
God made all of creation good
Humans are made in the image of God, who is good
What does Natural Law mean for the Catholic Church? What are some examples
It means that:
Following natural law is part of God’s will for humans
Humans should not need rules to tell them what is right
Some examples are
Do good and avoid evil
Protect and preserve life
What does the Church say about science?
“if medothical investigation…is carried out in a genuinely scientifical manner… it never truly conflicts with faith" Gaudium et Spes
Religion and science do not have to contradict another
The Catholic Church is very supportive of advances in science that help people understand God’s creation
Why should Catholics care for the environment?
“Everyone’s talents and involvement are needed to redress the damage caused by human abuse of God’s creation.” Pope Francis
All of creation is special because it was created by God to be good (Genesis 1)
God made humans stewards of the Earth (Genesis 2)
Jesus taught Christians to ‘love your neighbour as yourself’ (Mark 12:31)- environmental degradation affects future generations so Christians are encouraged to minimise their impact on the Earth as an act of care
What is an example of the Church helping to protect the environment?
In 2008, the Vatican installed thousands of solar panels on the roof of one of its halls- this saves 200 tonnes of the Vatican’s carbon emissions each year
How can Catholics care for the enviornment at a local level?
Produce less waste
Recycle more
Walk, cycle or use public transport instead of driving
Take part in local environmental projects
Encourage churches to reduce their carbon footprints
Educate others about the importance of protecting the environment
How can Catholics care for the environment 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 environment-friendly policies
How can Catholics care for the enviornment at a global level?
Put pressure on governments to implement policies agreed at international meetings (such as Paris agreement)
Boycott or help expose international companies that threaten the environment
How does sustainability link to Catholic beliefs?
It links to the belief that God made every part of creation good so all of creation is important and valuable
Promoting sustainable living helps to respect the goodness of all of God’s creation
How has CAFOD supported sustainability?
Encouraging people in England and Wales to live more simply and use fewer natural resources through giving ‘livesimply’ awards
Helping to found the Beyond 2015 campaign which supported the creation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Supporting or setting up renewable energy projects
Working with groups that help farmers adopt sustainable farming methods (EG MONLAR in Sri Lanka)
