Our Catholic Faith Living What We Believe CHAPTER 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator  One, True God  Beliefs about God  Divine Revelation  Who Is God?  Creator of Heaven and Earth

Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator One, True God We need never fear the journey if we realize that God is our Father, a loving Father, and that he is in charge, directing us to our destination. Belief in one true God is central to all other aspects of our Catholic faith. The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky proclaims its builder’s craft. Psalm 19:2

Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator Beliefs about God Few questions are more important than the question of God’s existence. Through history, the vast majority of people have worshiped some kind of deity.

Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator Beliefs about God Monotheistic religions Judaism Christianity Islam Polytheistic religion Hinduism mono – one theos – God poly – many

Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator Beliefs about God  Deists – believe that God created the universe, but that he takes no further interest in it  Atheists – do not believe in the existence of God  Secular humanists – claim the world can operate without any recourse to God  Agnostics – people who claim that God’s existence cannot be known

Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator Beliefs about God By natural reason man can know God with certainty, on the basis of his works. But there is another order of knowledge, which man cannot possibly arrive at by his own powers: the order of divine Revelation. Through an utterly free decision, God has revealed himself and given himself to man. This he does by revealing the mystery, his plan of loving goodness, formed from all eternity in Christ, for the benefit of all men. God has fully revealed this plan by sending us his beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 50

Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator Beliefs about God Intellectual Proofs for God’s Existence 1. The Unmoved Mover – whatever is in motion must be moved by something else 2. First Cause – nothing causes itself 3. Everything Comes from Something – “nothing” cannot create “something” 4. Supreme Model – we can only speak of different degrees of qualities (truth, beauty, goodness) by comparing them to a reference point 5. Grand Designer – the beauty, immensity, symmetry, and power in the world forces us to conclude that a Grand Designer made it all

Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator Beliefs about God Heartfelt Proofs for God’s Existence 1. An unquenchable thirst for joy and happiness – God implanted a homing device that causes us to be restless until we find him 2. An experience of beauty and truth – when we experience profound joy and truth, we get a taste of God’s beauty and truth 3. A sense of personal conscience, moral goodness, and justice – we sense there is an absolute moral authority that teaches the standard of human behavior 4. Love – love comes from love itself: God

Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator Divine Revelation Divine Revelation – God’s self-revelation Human Reason Salvation History Covenant Noah Bible Abraham Sinai Jesus Christ

Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator Divine Revelation The Deposit of Faith ► entrusted by Christ to the Apostles Sacred Scripture divinely inspired writings Sacred Tradition the living “handing on” of the Church’s Gospel message

Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator Divine Revelation Sacred Tradition & Scripture Christ The Apostles Magisterium Pope & bishops dogma central truths

Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator Who Is God? Personal Omnipresent everywhere Omnipotent almighty Immutable unchanging Utterly simple Yahweh “I Am” Contains all things Infinite Unique Holy Immense Eternal

Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator Who Is God? The Blessed Trinity Father The central mystery of faith Son Holy Spirit

In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth… Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator Creator of Heaven and Earth Truths about God’s creation: God freely created an orderly and good world out of nothing. God is totally beyond us. At the same time, God is present to us, upholding and sustaining creation. God guides creation through divine providence. God created human beings in his image and likeness. In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth… Genesis 1:1

Truths about God’s creation: Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator Creator of Heaven and Earth Truths about God’s creation: God created us male and female out of love and for love. God is the creator of all that is seen and unseen. Though essentially good because God made us, humans are tainted with sin. Through Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, God invites us into a personal relationship with him.

misuse of freedom disobedience Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator Creator of Heaven and Earth The Fall and Original Sin misuse of freedom disobedience Adam & Eve Original Sin  Loss of Original Holiness and Justice  Disunity between God and their descendants  Disharmony between nature and humans  Alienation from each other

Our fallen human nature: Ignorance Suffering Concupiscence Death Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator Creator of Heaven and Earth Our fallen human nature: Ignorance Suffering Concupiscence Death Liberation from Original Sin: Only through Jesus Christ Baptism Constant help of Holy Spirit

The rewards for those who believe in the one, true God: Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator Creator of Heaven and Earth The rewards for those who believe in the one, true God: 1. We come to knowledge of God’s greatness and his love for us – God loves us unconditionally 2. Our life has meaning – we have dignity and should care for one another 3. God will always care for us – God will not abandon us when we sin

Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator VOCABULARY Atheist (16) Monotheistic (17) Polytheistic (17) Deism (18) Secular Humanist (18) Agnostic (18) Doctor of the Church (21) Revelation (22) Salvation History (22) Covenant (22) Bible (22) Sacred Tradition (25) Dogma (25) Omnipresent (26) Omnipotence (26) Yahweh (26) Blessed Trinity (27) Abba (27) Divine Providence (30) Original Sin (30) Original Holiness and Justice (31) Concupiscence (31)

Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. In green pastures you let me graze; to safe waters you lead me; you restore my strength. You guide me along the right path for the sake of your name. Even when I walk through a dark valley, I fear no harm, for you are at my side; your rod and your staff give me courage. You set a table before me as my enemies watch; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Psalm 23