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How We Know God

How We Know God. The Bible’s Purpose. Big Questions. A theology class asks you to think about many “big questions ”. Big Questions. “Big questions” ask us to look beyond empirical data Sometime empirical data is not What are other forms of data?. Big Questions.

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How We Know God

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  1. How We Know God The Bible’s Purpose

  2. Big Questions • A theology class asks you to think about many “big questions”

  3. Big Questions • “Big questions” ask us to look beyond empirical data • Sometime empirical data is not • What are other forms of data?

  4. Big Questions • The Bible is designed to answer big questions • It uses “revelation” (revealed data) • The Bible’s purpose is to help us understand both the “big questions” and to give us insight in the answers

  5. The Bible’s Purpose • Therefore, the Bible is not a storybook • The Bible’s chief concern is not to answer our questions about

  6. The Bible’s Purpose • The Bible’s purpose is to teach us about our life in God • Our life in God begins with “salvation history”

  7. Salvation History • Salvation History and Redemption are clearly presented in Genesis • Genesis is historical… • Genesis is about … • Genesis presents …

  8. Salvation History • Salvation History is primarily centered around mankind, but is good for all creation • The narrative is for men, to men • KEY: To read the Bible (& Gensis) as a ____book • Specifically a _____book

  9. God’s Good Creation Why God Created

  10. The Origins • Genesis is about origins (beginnings) • (Gen 1) • (Gen 2) • (Gen 3) • (Gen 4-5) • (Gen 6-10) • (Gen 11) • (Gen 12-50) • “Origin” is the root for “original”; hence “original” means not unique, but first

  11. The Creation • Listen carefully to Genesis 1.1-2.3 • Hebrew poetry, which uses patterns instead of rhyme • List the patterns that you hear

  12. The Creation • The most important pattern is: • What do these patterns show? • All creation … • God created …

  13. The Creation • The second most important pattern is the one that is broken • Where is “And God said” not used? • What does this tell you about man compared to all other creatures? • What else does God say that is not said to any of the other creatures?

  14. The Creation • IMPORTANT: Man is unique, made in God’s “image and likeness”

  15. The Creation • Third most important pattern is how the days are arranged • Chart on page 6 • Why are only six days listed? • The days of creation build to a pinnacle. • What is the pinnacle of God’s creation? • What words show you that God made everything for the man?

  16. Stewardship • Everything is made for humans • Everything is ____________ from God to man • BIG QUESTION: What is man’s responsibility? • Locate the words that describe the responsibility • What does “subdue it” mean? (p. 7)

  17. The Trinity in Creation • Look again at Genesis 1.1-3. Where is the Blessed Trinity in this account?

  18. St Augustine • It is the Blessed Trinity that is represented as creating. For, when Scripture says, “In the beginning God created heaven and earth,” by the name of “God” we understand the Father, … and when Scripture says, “And the Spirit of God was stirring above the water,” we recognize a complete enumeration of the Trinity. So in the conversion and in the perfecting of creatures by which their species are separated in due order, the Blessed Trinity is likewise represented: the Word and the Father of the Word, as indicated in the statement, “God said.”

  19. Before the Fall How Man is Supposed to Be

  20. The Creation of Man • Genesis 1 presents the big picture • It gives us a glimpse about why God created • BIG QUESTION: Why did God create? • Possible answers • Summary: God creates to ….

  21. The Creation of Man • Genesis 2 zooms in on one part of Day 6 • Locate the words that describe the creation of man • What do these words tell you about yourself? • Locate the words that describe the creation of woman • Do you see any hints at salvation history?

  22. The Soul • Genesis 2.7 shows what man is made of • With the soul, humans are able to • Love (________) • Believe (________) • Hope (________) • The soul means that man is ….

  23. The Soul • Most importantly, the soul allows us to love God • IMPORTANT: Man is made to be in communion with God • The soul makes all kinds of love possible • God’s love for us is ἀγάπη, and that is the love He desires us to have for Him

  24. The Trinity in Creation • Look again at Genesis 2.7. Where is the Blessed Trinity in this account?

  25. The Human Family • God creates two complimentary humans • Adam means … • Eve is originally named Isha (means “…”) • Later (Gen 3.20), Adam names her Eve

  26. The Human Family • Why does God create the woman? • Marriage is the community that man and woman form

  27. Ideal Man • BIG QUESTION: Why does God create humans? • God creates humans to live • Love is a choice to give yourself completely to another without demanding anything in return • All love is …

  28. Ideal Man • To live in love with God is to

  29. Original Sin The Origin of Sin

  30. Why the Tree? • What are the two trees? • What are the rules about the two trees? (Gen 2) • Who is first told these rules? • What do these rules mean?

  31. Why the Tree? • BIG QUESTION: Why does God place a forbidden tree in the Garden? • IMPORTANT: The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil is an act of God’s love

  32. What About the Devil • The devil is the diabolical one • The one who opposes • The devil rebelled (Rev. 12.7-11) because he chose his own way rather than God’s way

  33. Why Death? • Locate what God says to Adam about eating from the forbidden tree (Gen 2) • Death is not God’s action but the result of our choice • To choose against God is to choose against His desire to …

  34. Why Death? • God is Love • Choosing against God is choosing not to love • God is Life • Choosing against God is choosing death

  35. The Story • Read Genesis 3.1-6 • Where is Adam? • Where should he be? • What does the devil promise? • Is his promise the truth or a lie? • How does Eve’s answer differ from what God said? • Compare Gen 2 and Gen 3 • Why do you think the words are different?

  36. Hiding • What did Adam and Eve realize immediately after they had sinned? • What does this represent or signify?

  37. The Effects of Original Sin What Comes Next?

  38. Owning Up • Why does God come to Adam first? • What is Adam’s first response? • Who is he really blaming? • What are the three immediate consequences of Adam & Eve’s sin? • For Adam • For Eve • For the snake

  39. The Consequences • What are the long term consequences? • Temptation, evil and death… • All creation is … • The communion between God and man … • Sin is …

  40. The Consequences • Adam & Eve’s sin results in five “losses”

  41. The Consequences • BIG QUESTION: Why can’t I do the good I want to do? • Man still desires the good, but his nature bears the wound of Original Sin and, thus, is inclined to evil and subject to error. Because of this, the life of individual men and all of society is a dramatic struggle between good and evil. (Gaudium et Spes)

  42. Review Questions • What were the consequences of Original Sin for Adam and Eve? • What were the consequences of Original Sin for Adam and Eve’s descendants?

  43. Review Questions • What was the effect of Original Sin on our minds and wills? • What was the effect of Original Sin on sexual relations?

  44. Review Questions • Did Original Sin destroy our ability to know the truth or to act freely?

  45. Concupiscence • BIG QUESTION: Why do you suffer because of what Adam & Eve did? • Isn’t everyone responsible only for his own actions? • Sin (like all behavior) has a ripple effect • We are all interconnected • Because of the “unity of the human race” all men are implicated in Adam’s sin, as all are implicated in Christ’s justice.” In other words, we all suffer because of Adam, but we all benefit due to Christ. (cf CCC 404)

  46. Concupiscence • Sin (like all behavior) has a ripple effect • This is concupiscence: the inclination to sin • We are born with a damaged but not corrupted human nature, which inclines us strongly to every conceivable form of selfishness

  47. Good News • God does not leave Adam & Eve, nor the creation they ruined, to fend for themselves • God’s love is located in the three actions when He confronts Adam & Eve • The words of hope in the Protoevangelium(Gen 3.15) • The sacrifice of an animal • The banishment from the Garden

  48. Good News • All three signs of hope point to our redemption in Jesus • The seed that comes from the woman… • The sacrifice of an animal points to … • The banishment from the Garden points to …

  49. Good News • For us, this redemption is found in the Sacraments • Baptism removes the stain of Original Sin by infusing God’s sanctifying grace into the soul. • Sacramental Grace and our personal struggle is the key to living in conformity with the teachings of Christ

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