Man-Made in God’s Image Chapter 1 Lesson 2

Can you name some of God’s attributes that we can know from nature? Powerful Beautiful Ordered

How does each level of creation share in the qualities of God? Inanimate: rocks, wind, light, gold, etc. Vegetative: plants, flowers, trees, fruit, etc. Animals: fish, birds, foxes, dogs, dolphins, etc. Humans: man and woman Angels: guardian angels, cherubim, seraphim, archangels, etc.

Read page 13, Learning about ourselves through reason We are physical creatures. What does this mean? We have bodies. Is this a good thing? Because of our bodies, we have the senses, we can move around and relocate, we can grow and reproduce, etc.

Humans are also spiritual beings. We know this by looking at a living person and a dead person- nothing physical changes at the moment of death, but the soul is separated from the body. A soul is the form of the body, it determines and maintains the body. So, if one has a female soul, one will be female. If one has a male soul, one will be a male.

Human souls have two special powers. Intellect: We have a rational soul. The power to understand. We can think. We can reason. We can feel emotions and have relationships. Free will: We have a rational soul. We can make choices. We have the ability to choose.

Man is unique in that he shares in part of the spiritual and the material world. Material World Man - body Animals Plants Inanimate objects Spiritual World Man – Soul God Angels Man

All men are created with equal dignity: male and female. Equality does not mean that all have the same talents, strengths, intellect, etc. It does mean that all have the same dignity and rights from God. All men have great value, no matter their race, religion, class, health, age, size, etc.

Knowing Ourselves through Reason 1.How can we learn about ourselves through reason? We can learn about ourselves through reason by examining our selves, our desires, and our actions. 2.How are we like animals? We are like animals in that we have bodies. 3.How are we greater than animals? We are greater than animals because we are intelligent and free. 4.What does our body enable us to do? It enables us to move around and relocate, use our senses, grow and reproduce, etc. 5.What does our soul enable us to do? Our soul enables us to have reason and free will.