Core Beliefs

Core Beliefs

1. Teachings

   • The parable of the sheep and goats
   • Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us
   • He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead
   • He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead
   • By the holy spirit was incarnate of the virgin Mary, and became man
   • Love the Lord your God...Love your neighbour as yourself
   • Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness
   • Holy Spirit 'the giver of life, who proceeds from the father and the son'
   • He ascended into heaven
   • Father, all things are powerful to you
   • The 10 commandments AKA Decalogue

2. Judgement

   • the evaluation of evidence to make a desicion

3. Sin

   • Going against God's will
   • Original Sin
     • AKA ancestral sin, is the Christian Doctrine of humanity's state of sin resulting from the fall of man (Adam + Eve's Rebellion)
     • Cleansed during Baptism
   • Venial sin = Small sin
   • Mortal sin = performing 'grave matter' voluntarily, very serious

4. Salvation

   • Being saved/protected from harm or a dire situation
   • Religious Salvation
     • Saving the soul from sin

5. Saints

   • Mother Teresa
     • I have found the paradox that if I love until it hurts, then there is no hurt, but only more love.
     • Died at 87 years of age
     • 1979 - Nobel Prize
     • Teacher who felt 'a call within a call'
     • The greatest destroyer of peace is abortion because if a mother can kill her own child, what is left for me to kill you and you to kill me? There is nothing between.
     • Born in Albania
     • Sought permission from Pope to have her own order
     • Beatified, then canonised as 'Saint Teresa of Calcutta'
     • For a long time she was head of the missionaries of charities
   • Padre Pio
     • Born 1887 in Italy, died at 81 years of age
     • Devoted and busy Friar, later turned priest
     • Lead confessions for 14 hours a day
     • Many Christians and non-Christians wrote him letters
     • Received Stigmata
     • “The demon has only one door by which to enter into our soul: the will; there are no secret doors. No sin is a sin if not committed with the will. When there is no action of the will, there is no sin, but only human weakness.”
   • Maximillian Kolbe
     • A Polish Priest
     • Knew about Philosophy and Physics
     • Built a monastery in Japan
     • Hide 2,000 jews
     • Arrested and went to Auswitz
     • Offered his life for anothers
     • Survived for 3 weeks without food
     • Martyr
     • Canonised, and the man he swapped with was there

6. The Trinity

   • God the son
     • Yahweh - used for God in the Old Testament. It means, 'I am who I am'
       • This was considered too holy to be said or written so Adonai (Lord) was used instead
     • Christ = Son of God Messiah = Anointed one
     • Incarnation; the act of which God became human
     • Christians believe he was 100% God and 100% Human
     • 'And by the holy spirit, was incarnate of the Virgin Mary...'
     • The Gospels say that Jesus was 'born of a virgin' Mary gave birth through the holy spirit
     • He wore a crown of thorns and was stripped of his clothes and given vinegar on a sponge
     • He was stabbed in his side, and was mocked and whipped
     • Jesus rose again on the third day
     • Thomas didn't believe
     • After the resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven
     • 'He was taken into heaven' 'He departed from them'
     • Born in Bethlehem, grew up in Nazareth
     • His first Miracle was at Cana's wedding
     • His first 2 disciples were Peter and Andrew
     • He was baptised by John the Baptist
   • We believe in one God, who has three parts - Catholics believe God has revealed himself in three different persons
   • God the Holy Spirit
     • 'The Lord' - Creed
       • Makes the holy spirit part of God
     • 'The giver of life'
       • The holy spirit was at creation
       • The holy spirit was at the incarnation, according to the bible
       • Mary becomes pregnant through the holy spirit
     • Proceeds from the Father AND the son
     • 3 forms - Wind, Dove, Flames
     • Hebrew 'Ruach' - Wind
     • Hebrew 'Paraclete' - Comfort
     • Pentecost - 50 days after Easter, 10 days after ascension
   • God the father
     • We believe in one God - Monotheism
       • Old testament ' The Lord our God is one Lord'
     • The Fatherhood of God
       • Jesus' favourite description of God was 'Father'
       • He taught his disciples to do this too
         • This is shown in the Lords prayer 'Our Father'
     • Christians use the word 'Father' to remind them of their strong relationship with him
     • Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omnibenevolent, Omniscient
     • He created the world out of nothing and guides us to do all things
     • God is creator of heaven and earth. The story of creation is told in Genesis
       • Science asks how whereas religion asks why, they're NOT opposites
     • He gave Moses the Decalogue on Mount Sinah

7. Decalogue and Sermon on the Mount

   • Decalogue = 10 commandments
     • Thou shalt not kill
     • No Blasphemy
     • Thou shalt not covet your neighbours goods
     • Do not give false witness against your neighbour
     • Thou shall not steal
     • Keep the Sabbath day holy
     • Thou shall honour your Mother and Father
     • Given to Moses by God on Mount Sinah
     • Written in Exodus
   • 8 collective teachings given by Jesus - Beatitudes
     • Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted
     • Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God
     • Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy
   • Sermon on the mount recorded in Matthew 5-7
   • Jesus condemns those who judge others before first judging themselves: "Judge not, that ye be not judged."
   • Jesus concludes the sermon by warning against false prophets, and emphasizing that humans are unable to do right ("bear fruit") apart from God

8. Mary, the mother of God

   • Intercessor and Role model
   • Why is she admired
     • She accepted the will of God into her life
     • She is said to have witnessed the dreadful tragedy that befell Jesus on the cross and is said to have held him in her arms hen he was taken down
     • was the hub of the early Christian community despite her sorrow and loss
   • How is she admired
     • A Prayer of devotion to her called the Hail Mary. Through this we ask for her intercession
   • a saint, part of the communion of saints
     • The communion of saints
       • A belief, not a fact
       • Catholicism says all these people who are now in heaven constantly ask God to be merciful to human beings, and allow them to enter the Kingdom of heaven