unit 3, outcome 1

• A concise statement of essential articles
• of faith expressed in a fixed formula and approved by church authorities.

• Creeds are-
• -Developed and used to instruct
• people into the Christian faith.

-Profession of faith

-Doxology (giving glory to god)

• -Statements of belief about the
• trinity and the divinity and humanity of Jesus.

• express meaning about the purpose of human
• life, provide a reference for understanding the world and a guide for daily
• life.

Religious beliefs are-

Consciously held

Develop through time

Give direction

Guide our daily actions

Influence thought and behavior

Provides framework for understanding world

Helps understand the nature and meaning of human life

Unite followers

• A distinctive belief is a belief is a
• belief in a religious tradition, which is central to the religions teaching. A
• distinctive belief provides followers with the main messages of the tradition
• and other beliefs are derived from it. It is the foundation upon the tradition
• establishes it’s unique understanding of ultimate reality.

Without them the tradition wouldn’t exist and hold no purpose

Other beliefs are based on these beliefs

Fundamental

Foundational and stable

Essential to the uniqueness of the tradition.

• Trinity- revelation of god in three persons,
• spirit & life giver
• Without beginning or end

Immanent- existing in all parts of the universe

• Source, creator and sustaining power of all that
• exists

Transcendent, independent of the world other then creation



One god- first last and only god

Fullness of being - every perfection

• Mystery, deepest reality, beyond what we can
• know fully

• 1.
• Catholics begin and end prayers
• with the sign of the cross to remind themselves that they live in union with
• the trinity.

• 2.
• Nicene creed states “we believe
• in one God, the father”, “we believe in one lord, Jesus Christ” and “we believe
• in the Holy Spirit”

• 3.
• Reconciliation is the sacrament
• that celebrates the forgiving, compassionate and loving god.

• The core belief of the
• Trinitarian God helps Catholics bring meaning to their lives it helps them
• realize Gods traits and personality helping them to understand what God asks of
• Humanity and ultimately of them.

• Good- God created everything good “and god saw that it was good”
• Genesis 1:10

• Out of nothing that existed-“In the beginning when god created the
• heavens and the earth, the earth was formless void and darkness covered the
• face of the deep.” Genesis 1:1-2

Freely out of generosity.

• Image of God “Let us make human kind in our image, according to our
• likeness” Genesis 1:26

Source and sustaining power of all that exists

Humans, Special trust and responsibility to care for all of creation

• 1.
• Nicene creed-.. The almighty
• maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen.

• 2.
• Prayer at Eucharist ‘blessed
• are you lord god of all creation’

• 3.
• Genesis 1 1-2,4- “In the
• beginning, when God created the universe, the earth was formless and desolate.

• Calls on Roman Catholic Christians to be
• stewards for all that god created and be thankful to all he has done to as by
• doing this.

Trinity- consisted with god & holy spirit

Human- ‘God made flesh’

Revelation of God

Only son of god

Word, messiah



Son of man

Ultimate model of what it means to be human

Mediator between God & humanity



Divine- God is expressed of revealed through him

Incarnation of god

Reconciled humanity with God.

Through his life death & resurrection

• 1.
• Sharing of the bread and wine
• at Eucharist celebrates Jesus’ presence.

• 2.
• Creed- “we believe in one lord
• Jesus Christ”

• 3.
• In Marks gospel Jesus says “the
• most important commandment is: the lord our god is our only lord”, showing that
• he was sharing gods word to people.

• Through Jesus Roman Catholic Christians are
• shown how to live. Through his stories, his sayings and his actions. Jesus
• taught that followers should love one another as God has loved them. Roman
• Catholic Christians have been called upon to be generous, to give to those who
• no one cares about and to create a world where peace and justice will be a
• reality for all. All actions should reflect on the law of love that Jesus gave
• us as a moral guide by which to live.

• Explain- The Holy Spirit is the spirit of
• god, working in the world today. This spirit works in and through humanity to
• promote the gospel values of justice and compassion in the world.

• Gifts of the spirit, wisdom, understanding, knowledge, courage,
• wonder and awe

Role of the spirit, reflected in every positive idea

Active, creative or presence to his world or his people

Fruit of the spirit is love, peace, joy, patience, kindness etc

Third person of trinity

Spirit of Jesus sent to be with all followers of Jesus.

Expressions-

• 1.
• Confirmation celebrates and
• acknowledges Jesus’ spirit as alive and at work on earth.

• 2.
• Wind is a symbol of the Holy
• Spirit, the wind can’t be seen like the Holy Spirit but has the power to bring
• about changes. Roman Catholic Christians believe that the power of the Holy
• Spirit can be seen in peoples lives even though it’s invisible.

• 3.
• Water is a powerful symbol of
• RCCT’s belief about the Holy Spirit as water is life giving, vital to growth,
• refreshes, cleanses and purifies.

Implications-

• God loves every human being and through the work of
• the Holy Spirit He touches lives and changes lives. This gives meaning to God
• and our lives.

Explain-

Social beings

Nature- to be like god

Ultimate model of Jesus

Freedom, Rights and Responsibilities

From love



Dignity of human person is rooted from creation



Purpose- love God, love neighbour

Image- grow towards gods image

Co- creators, so care for creation

Kingdom of God is to be built on earth

Love god, and one another

Enjoy eternal life



Nature

• To be like god- goodness, compassion,
• justice.

Unique value and dignity to every person.

Created to be social beings.

• To take responsibility for own decisions
• and actions

Purpose

To love god

Love one another

To build Gods kingdom on earth

To enjoy eternal life

To care for creation

To be co-creators



Experience-

Marriage- loving one another

• Recon ciliation- opportunity to acknowledge
• sinfulness

Implications-

Explain-

Hope

Eternal life after death

Supreme happiness



Death is not the end

Identify and individuality retained after death

Relationship with God fully realized in next life

Death is just a stage in ‘ life journey’



Expressions-

• 1.
• The Easter Tridium that
• includes Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. During these days the
• church celebrates Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.

• 2.
• The symbol of the cross
• represents the death and resurrection of Jesus.

• 3.
• In the Gospel of John Jesus
• says, “I am the one who raises dead to life. Everyone who has faith in me will
• live, even if they die.

• Implications- Through the
• death and resurrection of Jesus Roman Catholic Christians believe that there is
• hope for resurrection of all who follow Jesus’ way of life.