The Trinity Central Mystery Of Faith

Introduction to the trinity:

What is monotheism?
-The belief in and worship of the only one god
-Began with covenant between god and Abraham
-Grew through Abraham, Sarah, and their descendants

Catholic Christians pray "in the name of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
This may lead some to think that Catholics worship three gods, not one.
Catholics have always affirmed that god is one.

What is the trinity?
-comes from the Latin trinus, meaning "threefold"
-refers to the central mystery of the Christian Faith
-mystery
- God exists as a communion of three distinct and interrelated divine persons:

• Father
• Son
• Holy Spirit

-The Holy Trinity is a unique and defining trait of Christian Faith.
-The Catechism of the church states that the Trinity is the church's "Most fundamental and essential teaching" (234) and the central mystery of our faith, which only God can fully reveal to us.

-Many images and analogies throughout our church's history have tried  to bring clarity to this mystery of faith.
-According to legend, Saint Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Trinity.
How does the shamrock represent the Trinity?

-The druids in Ireland looked at the shamrock as a sacred plant because its leaves formed a triad. Three was a mystical number in the Celtic religion.
The shamrock was used to represent the Trinity by St. Patrick. By doing this he could show people how the church was connected. St. Patrick used this to symbolize how The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit can be separate but also part of the same entity. But this is only a myth, as it is not supported in any factual literature in Ireland.

God In Art

Analyse the picture on pg. 102 and discuss

" The Regenerated Man"

Changed, touched, filled and baptized with Holy fire. The birth of the regenerated man. Ready to live a purpose-filled life.

Looks like a fire- the fire of the Holy Spirirt

                         - like climbing up to God

                         - is powerful

                         - heavenly

 This photo represents God looking over Earth and everyone.

The beard suggests he is older and wiser.
Represents freedom that God has given us

Salvation Questions

Discussion


1. What reasons do Christians have for being filled with hope?

God gives us through Eternal Life.

2. How can a Christian show that he or she hopes in a life beyond death?

Believe in God and obey his rules, be good and moral.

3. If you have ever attended a Catholic funeral, recall the ideas that came through the service. Certainly there would have been a feeling of sadness, but did any other feelings or ideas come through to you?
The celebration of them joining God n Heave.

4. Catholics often use the term heaven to refer to life after death. What do you understand by this term?

Gods sanctuary, there is no sin, the perfect place

5. Develop an explanation of the word “heaven” for someone who does not know what the word means.

Heaven is where you go to be with God after death and into eternal life. God decides whether you go there or not. It is like Gods sanctuary and where he looks over us. This is a get away from life it is peaceful and perfect. There shall be no sin.

 

The Nicene Creed

Definition Of A Creed

~A creed is a statement of belief, in particular a statement of faith that describes the beliefs shared by a religious community.
~For Catholics, the Nicene Creed is the most important expression of faith of the community

Nicene Creed

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. 
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end. 
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come.
Amen. 

Five Themes of the Nicene Creed  (Colour Activity)

-God is the Creator of all that exists. (Red)

-Jesus was and is totally one with God, fully divine; of one substance (consubstantial)
with the farther. (Orange)

-In Jesus, God took on human flesh and lived amongst us. He was eventually executed by crucifixion, but death did not defeat him as God raised him up so that we could know that all Jesus taught us was true.. (Yellow)

-The holy spirit remains with us. guiding the church and empowering believers not only to remember but also to live out the message of Jesus. (Green)

-We are called to live out our faith in community. In "one holy catholic (meaning 'universal') and apostolic (following in the tradition of the Apostles) church." (Blue)

 

Beliefs In Religion

Beliefs in Religion

1.       Religious communities have BELIEFS.  A religious belief is an idea that the followers of the religion hold to be deeply and permanently true. A Christian example of this is Jesus Christ the Son of God.

2.       Religious communities have RITUALS. A religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order. A Christian example is the Celebration of the Eucharist.

3.        Religious communities have SYMBOLS. A thing that represents or stands for something else. A Christian example is the Cross.

4.       Religious communities have VALUES AND LAWS. Is a guide line, a Christian example is law- Ten Commandments, value- treat others as you would want to be treated.

5.       Religious communities have STORIES AND LITERATURE. Story- an account of imaginary or real people and events told for entertainment, literature- Books and writings published on a particular subject. A Christian example is the stories and literature about saints and hold people and religious practices as well as letters.

6.       Religious communities have a SOCIAL STUCTURE. Social organization: the people in a society considered as a system organized by a characteristic pattern of relationships. A Christian example :

GOD

JESUS

 

MANKIND

7.       Religious communities often have a SACRED TEXT.  Writing that is venerated for the worship of a deity. For Christians the sacred text is the Scripture: Old and New Testaments.

8.       All followers of religion have an INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCE of what it means to be a member of that religious community. Example someone has been in a car accident and you pray for that person.

Beliefs

What are Beliefs? Write a description

An acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists.
Something one accepts as true or real; a firmly held opinion or conviction.

What is the difference between believing in something rather then someone?

One is believing a thing an object with no feeling but someone is so much more real and a living breathing being.

What are something's you believe?

In people, it will get cold in winter, that I will do well in netball, there will be peace eventually world wide, education is for the best.

What are something's you believe in?

In people, Santa Claus, Easter bunny ect, myself, my friends loyalty and honesty, family, that I or others can achieve there goals.

Why do you believe in them?

Because I have been taught and brought up to think and believe these things. I have grown to know about them and put trust in them.