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
mono – one
theos – God
poly – many
Polytheistic religion
Hinduism
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
Bible
Abraham
Noah
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
&
Sacred
Scripture
Christ
The Apostles
Magisterium
Pope & bishops
dogma
central truths
Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator
Who Is God?
Personal
Omnipresent
Omnipotent
everywhere
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
God
Son
Holy
Spirit
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.
In the beginning,
God is totally beyond us. At the same
when God created the
time, God is present to us, upholding and
heavens
and
the
earth…
sustaining creation.
Genesis
1:1
God guides creation through divine
providence.
God created human beings in his
image and likeness.
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.
Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator
Creator of Heaven and Earth
The Fall and Original Sin
Adam
& Eve
misuse of freedom
disobedience
Original
Sin
 Loss of Original Holiness and
Justice
 Disunity between God and their
descendants
 Disharmony between nature and
humans
 Alienation from each other
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
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
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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)
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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)
Psalm 23
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.