R.E. - philosophy and ethics

R.E. - philosophy and ethics

1. Revelation

   • the word revelation is used in religion to describe God making himself known to humanity
   • God has revealed himself through:
     • Natural revelation
       • The idea that you can look at the world and signs of God. religious believers see life as spiritual as well as material. They believe that the vastness of the universe and the beauty of nature are enough to make people believein God.
     • Special revelation
       • The idea that God has revealed himself in special ways, such as sending his word in the bible.
   • The Bible
     • it is inspired by the holy spirit - comes from God
     • God speaks through both the Old Testament and the New Testament.
     • it contains God's laws, such as the Ten Commandments; these rules are there to help people live as God intends by showing them how.
     • it can bring people closer to God by learning about what God wants and how God cares for them.
   • Revelation is culminated in the incarnation
     • All old testament revelations are summed up in Jesus' life
     • Catholics can't completely agree with other religions formed after the time of Jesus because gods final truth came in Jesus
     • God made a complete revelation through the incarnation as Jesus was God
   • Catholics believe that Gods final truth came in Jesus
   • God's revelation in Jesus shows that God is:
     • god is omnibenevolent
       • he loved the world so much he became flesh through Jesus
     • God is forgiving
       • he was prepared to die on the cross for us to bring forgiveness for the worlds sins
     • He can heal physically, mentaly and spiritually
       • Which is shown through his miracles he performed while on earth
     • wants everyone to have eternal life
       • he rose from the dead to make this possible for us

2. Religious Experience

   • religious experience is an event that people feel gives them direct contact with God such as:
     • visions
     • miracles
     • conversion
       • an experience of God which is so great that the personwants to change their life or religion and commit themselves to God - they feel that God is calling them to do something for him
     • the numinous
       • a feeling of the presence of God. for example, when you are in a religious building or a beautiful place or looking at the stars you are filled with the awareness that there is something greater than them that can be interpreted as being God.
         • this is often described as an experience of the transcendent and can lead people to believe in God
     • prayer