Unit 1 – Creation Fact Sheet

Sources of Authority for Christians

 3 equal sources for a catholic: Bible (sacred scripture), Magisterium (Pope and Bishops) and
Sacred Tradition (divine wisdom in human lives)
o The Bible has authority because: It is the Word of God, Contains the life, teachings and death
of Jesus, acts as a set of Guidelines for Christians to follow.
o Magisterium has authority because: jesus gave the apostle authority to teach and interpret his
teachings for the world they live in. The Magisterium makes sense of God’s teachings and
applies them to our world. Bishops are believed to have the Holy Spirit working through
them.
o Sacred Tradition has authority because In John’s Gospel it says that ‘not all the things Jesus
did are written down.’ As well as reading the Bible, Catholics believe that there is also
wisdom to be found in the customs, lives and writings of other inspired Christians.
 Sacred Scripture is the word of God while sacred tradition takes the word of God and hands it on to
the apostles’ successors. Dei Verbum.
 Protestants reject that the Pope, Magisterium and Apostolic Tradition have any AUTHORITY over
the Church (the People of God). ‘Sola Scriptura’ - Protestants believe that authority and truth are
found only in the Bible

Creation Accounts
Similarities Differences
• Both show God’s authority Gen 1 – commands of • Introduction of Free will – Genesis 2. God is
creation, Gen 2 – authority life of humans (Adam) teaching about choice, good and bad.
• Both show humans made in God’s image – or humans • No tree of knowledge or detail of the Garden
reflect God. of Eden in Genesis 1.
• God made creation on his own – 1 God. • Writing styles are different – poem v parable,
• Everything God made was good. era it was recorded.
• God made everything – humans, animals, plants heavens. • Genesis 1 – commands – let there be light.
• Order of creation similar. • Genesis 2 – God crafting, creating objects.
• Shows God as being all powerful (omni-potent), • Genesis 2 – God created Humans from dust –
omniscient (all knowing) and all loving (Omnibenevolent) woman from Adams rib.

Key Quotes

Genesis 1 Genesis 2
 ‘In the beginning when God created  God formed man from the dust…breathed into
the heaven and earth’ his nostrils the breath of life’
 ‘Let there be light’  ‘Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
 ‘So God created humankind in his you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of
image’ it you shall die’.
 ‘God saw everything that he had  ‘The man gave names to all’.
made, and indeed, it was very  ‘The rib that the Lord God gad taken from the
good.’ man he made into a woman’.
 ‘Have dominion over …every living  ‘The Lord God took man and put him in the
thing that moves upon the earth’. garden pf Eden to till it and keep it’.

Key beliefs from the Creation Accounts

1. Nature of God as:
 Transcendent: God is beyond and outside life on earth. ‘In the beginning when God created …’
showing God already existed. We cant fully appreciate God as he is far beyond our understanding.
However we can see the power and wonder of God.
 Omnipotent: God is almighty, all powerful. He is able to create the universe and all in it with only
his words (Gen 1) from nothing (ex nihilo), ‘Let there be light’. Everything that God made was
‘good’.

2. Humans are the pinnacle of God’s creation

 Humans are the last thing God created – the end point of his work. This shows the importance of
humanity
 Furthermore humanity was made in the image and likeness of God meaning humans share in
qualities with God like love, knowledge etc.
 Lastly humans were given dominion responsibility over creation showing their role.
 Gen 2 shows how precious humanity is in that God breathed life into Adam. Which means humans
were given the ‘spirit of God’. This therefore means all life is sacred (sanctity of life). Therefore we
must care for all life from the moment of caption to death.

3. Dignity of Human beings

 Humans are made in the image and likeness of God therefore we are all equal and share in God’s
qualities.
 Therefore no one should be mistreated and everyone’s dignity must be upheld.
 ‘Every person, from the first moment of his life in the womb, has an inviolable dignity’.

4. Gift of free will.

 Humanity was given the gift of free will in creation by God. ‘of the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die’.
 He is giving Adam the choice to decide for himself.

5. Dominion – Stewards of Creation

 God created all things but believers have a duty to care for, respect and protect God’s creation
(environment, people and animals)
 God made everything ‘good’. God’s creation is a reflection of God so we have a duty to uphold this.
 Adam names the animals showing that humans have both authority and responsibility for them.
 The Lord God took man and put him in the garden pf Eden to till it and keep it’.
 ‘have dominion over …every living thing that moves upon the earth’
 ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself’.
 ‘The world is a gift which we have freely received and must share with others’.
 ‘Entrusted by God to human care’.
 ‘Everyone’s talents and involvement are needed to redress the damage caused by human abuse of
God’s creation’.

Creation depicted in ART

Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam

 Shows Adam as the perfect man – ‘God made
Stain Glass window by Capronnier – 19th century everything good’. th
 Represents Gen 2 Account Mosaic depicting God’s Godhand by Meiere,
is the Creator20 centurycomer into being without
– nothing
 Shows importance of humanity because the animals are
behind God but humans are in frontShows
of God God’sGod. Adamand
influence is dependent on God
power – lines fortolife
going the– He is
edgeand
– God waiting all
touches for things.
God’s life force to straighten him.
 Physical similarities between humans God
 despite
God is powerful yet ancient: muscular body, white
God beginning a little bigger.  God’s hand is large in comparison
hair and
and power.
to the cloud
beard suggests age.
showing
 Snake = the Fall in Gen 3 God’s greatness
 Suggests  Adam is a younger version of God suggesting humans
 The way Adam and Eve are standing reflectsGod
theyisare
a Creator
areismade in his image – they are both also lying in a
subservient to and dependent on  God.
Suggests God infinite
similar position to reinforce this idea.
 Outstretched arms suggesting a close relationships
 How Christians live out these beliefs
a. Care for the Environment
 Taking care of the world, protecting for future generations and not abusing it
o Local level: reduce unnecessary rubbish, recycling, walk more or use public transport.
o National Level: Put pressure on politicians to support laws that protect the environment and
species, put pressure on companies to be environmental friendly.
o Global: Pressure on governments to support Earth Summits, boycott or expose companies
that are threatening the environment.
 Being aware of the effect of our actions and trying to reduce this: reducing demand or exploitation
of natural resources. Eg the Vatican installed solar panels in 2008 and as a result cut their carbons
emissions by about 200 tonnes each year.
 Pope Francis has called for a ‘bottom up’ approach that puts the poorest and their needs at the
centre of world politics and economics. (Laudato Si his letter to all people to care for the common
home). He believes we need to listen to one another about our needs and work together.
 Support CAFOD and sustainable development.
o This is supporting a way of life that is in the right balancing: giving people what is needed
but not destroying for future generations.
o The United Nations have 17 sustainable goals to transform our world such as protecting life
below the water, gender equality. This aims to allow all aspects of life to prosper, reverse
some of the damage already done, reduce tensions in the world.
o CAFOD examples:
 Encourages people in England and Wales to live more simply to prevent using up of
resources
 Helping to found the ‘Beyond 2015’ campaign: which supported the creation of the
UN Sustainable goals in 2015.
 Help farmers to use sustainable techniques: Such as working with MONLAR in Sri
Lanka to introduce natural fertilisers.

b. Natural law
 Moral principles and values considered to be inherent to all humans
 Trying to be the people God wants us to be which reflects ‘do good and avoid evil’ (Youcat).
Catholics believe human know natural what good actions are because we have been made by God
and given this information.
 Aquinas teaches about Natural law. “Good is to be done and pursued…and evil is to be avoided..”
 This can be seen through:
1. Preservation of Life- This means murder is wrong
2. Ordered society – This means stealing is wrong.
3. Worshipping God- This means you should pray and go to church
4. Education- Work hard in a school
5. Reproduction- having children is part of marriage. Avoiding having children is wrong.
 Interpreting the Creation Story
1. Catholic Church understanding
• The Catholic Church teaches that the creation stories should not be interpreted literally. It
accepts they come from a different time and reflect the attitudes and thoughts of those
societies.
• ‘interpreter of Sacred Scripture … should carefully investigate what meaning the
sacred writers really intended’. Dei Verbum 12
• Since Catholics do not interpret the stories literally they are able to accept both the creations
stories and the theory of evolution.
• ‘Creation continued for … millennia and millennia’ ‘The Big Bang … does not contradict
the divine act of creating, but rather requires it. Pope Francis 27 Oct 2014

2. Fundamentalists, Creationists and Literalists believe

 The Bible is the word of God and must be accurate in all respects
 God has informed humanity of his truth
 Since God loves all humans, he will not mislead people with incorrect information
 Humans have no right to interpret the Bible

Therefore, some literalists, e.g., Anglican Archbishop Ussher in the 17 th Century, believe that the world is
6000 years old. Other literalists are a little more relaxed, they still believe the Genesis stories but accept
that a day of 24 hours can be considered a longer period in Genesis 1, however they believe the order of
creation in this account.

Relationship between Church and Science

 Members of the Catholic Church have always been involved in scientific discoveries. (Eg – Lamarck,
devised an early theory of evolution).
 Second Vatican Council stressed the need for science and religion to work together.
 Catholics believe scientists should use their God given talents to understand the nature and
purpose of God’s creation.
 Religion and science when working together can give a fuller pictures because often science focuses
on how and religion focuses on why.
 ‘Never truly conflicts with faith, for earthly matters and the concerns of faith derive from the same
God’.