Y10 RS 1

Y10 RS 1

1. Key words

   • Creation 'ex nihilo': Creation out of nothing.
   • Evolution: Development of humanity over millions of years.
   • imago Dei: Humans created in the same Mage and likeness of God.
   • Inspiration: Authors and editors of the bible were led or are influenced by God.
   • Omnipotence: All powerful.
   • Revelation: The divine or supernatural disclosure to humans.
   • Stewardship: Responsibility for care.
   • Transcendence: Not bound by time or space.
   • Old Testament : God and humanity told through stories of the Israelites
   • New Testament: God and humanity told through stories of Jesus and the early church.
   • Canon of scripture: Standard list of books in the bible.
   • Aetiology: ancient writings that explain origin with symbols, images and imagination.

2. Creation of the universe

   • Catholic teaching on creation
     • In genesis 1-2, God created the heavens and earth, this was ex nihilo, humanity was created in imago Dei and the earth was created in 7 days.
     • St Augustine says that God made something in the beginning, and created it out of nothing. He also made it on his own and that know on is equal to God.
     • The bible is used to teach this as it is the word of God.
     • Magisterium as it is the tradition and teaching of authority.
     • Strengths: Simple to understand and challenges scientific theory. Also the authority scripture shouldn't be challenged.
     • Weaknesses: No evidence of it happening. Easy to interpret in different ways. Many creation stories, which one is accurate.
   • Intelligent design
     • Everything was created by an intelligent being.
     • Simple to understand, supports imago Dei and challenges scientific theory.
     • Unscientific, seen as extreme, and disguises creationism.
   • Scientific theory
     • Th Big Bang created everything.
     • More understandable, and there is more evidence to support it.
     • Only a theory, we don't know what started the Big Bang.

3. Scripture

   • Fundamentalists
     • Read the text, and that's the meaning.
     • Reads every passage and book in the same way.
   • Catholics
     • To understand the author, must take into account of the conditions of their time and culture.
     • Must read the bible in context, and consider the genre of literature.
     • Must interpret to understand.
   • Catechism: "In order to understand the scared authors intention the reader must take into account [...] genres in use at the time and the modes of feeling, speaking and narrating than current."
     • Each individual text must be dealt separately.
   • Catholic beliefs
     • Gods Holy Spirit influenced the story of the chosen people.
     • Bible reveals something of God.
     • Bible contains Gods revelation, He communicates His will by inspiring the writers of the Bible.

4. Genesis 1 and 2

   • God in Genesis
     • One
       • 'God created the universe'
         • Omnipotence
       • 'Then commanded "let their be light" '.
         • Ex nihilo, and Omnipotence.
       • 'And now we will make human beings; they will be like us and resemble us'.
         • Imago Dei, and all loving.
     • Two
       • 'when the lord made the universe', an act of omnipotence and ex nihilo.
       • 'Took some soil from the ground and formed a man out of it [...] and from rib he made woman.', omnipotence and ex nihilo.
   • Humans in Genesis
     • One
       • 'Making them to like him self ' imago Dei.
       • 'Blessed them', shows an all loving God.
     • Two
       • 'I will make a suitable companion to help him', this is an act of omnipotence and an all loving one.

5. Catholic belief on evolution

   • God created evolution.
   • The magisterium have created a tradition of teaching evolution and gained momentum in their teaching of this.
     • Created out of nothing.
     • By his love and wisdom.
     • RC Catholics still believe we are created in Imago Dei.
   • Puis XII, "no opposition between the Catholic Church and evolution."
     • Pope Francis endosses this statement and carries on the tradition of the teaching when he says "he created human beings and let them develop."

6. St Catherine of Siena

   • Uses the idea of a mirror.
     • So we can reflect on the idea that our origin is God and we're aren't alone.
     • We have an inner conscience that tells us we have done wrong.
     • The light of God shows up the stains on us as light does on a mirror.
     • She practiced this belief by spending time with the outcasts of the world, so all people are in the image and likeness of God.
     • And that life is scared from the start to the end.

7. Abortion

   • This is the termination of a foetus in the womb before the end of a pregnancy.
   • UK law states you could have an abortion if there is a physical injury to the mother, or death, or mental. Or a risk of the mother becoming disabled.
     • Injury to the child or a severe disability.
     • Cases are legal up to 24 weeks.
       • Can be carried out later on, in special circumstances.
   • RC Catholic beliefs
     • God gave us the gift of life, "before I formed you in the womb, I knew you" (Jer 1.5). Everyone has a right to life.
     • All people have a right to life because of nature, know one should interfere with this. Imago Dei, only God dan interfere.
     • The unborn child is an individual, not just apart of the mother, therefore the mother can't just make the decision to abort.
     • Believed
       • Based on bible teaching and tradition.
       • This is a guide by the Holy Spirit.
       • Catechism states, a human must be recognised as having human rights.
       • "When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit".
       • Ha mums created in imago Dei.
       • Humans are sacred, as they are made by God in the image of God.
       • Genesis, " be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth", God wants us to have children.
     • Practice this by the SPUC, society of the protection of the unborn children.
       • Defends the foetuses rights, life starts at conception.
       • Examines existing laws.
       • Promotes awareness of humanity of the unborn child to encourage more widespread recognition, with the problems of abortion.
   • Humanists
     • Reason not revelation, humans should make their own choices, not relay on god as a decision.
     • Social commitment, anything that helps us flourish and let life be embraced.
     • If human life won't be of good quality, then it shouldn't have to live it, e.g. Severe disability.
     • If the mothers life is in danger, can abort as we have to focus on the here and now.