creation the beginning of salvation history

8/19/2019 Creation the Beginning of Salvation History

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Science and Religion

Where did we come from? Why are

we here? These are ultimatequestions of people all over the world. How does our history answers

these questions? What ‘s the truth ofour being and eistence?


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Harmony of Science and Religion

Science Religion

Systematic body of!nowledge acquired by

empirical andeperimental method

The human person"srelationship to #od$ as

%hristian %reed& asystematic body of!nowledge revealed by#od.

Scientific 'nowledgee.g. (volution) *ig *ang)+uantum) and Relativitytheories

%reation as described inthe boo! of #enesis


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How the world todayhas evolved? What too!place from the beginning until now?

Why is there somethingand not ,-TH,# andfor what purpose? Whythe world eists?

,ot absolute beginningof all reality /fromnothing to something

#od0 %reator& share hisdivine lifeThe absolute origin ofthe universe and all

forms of life.


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Two %reation stories in the boo! of #enesis1. #enesis 101&12 /3riestly Tradition4

5. #enesis 506b&57 /8ahwist Tradition4

These stories in the *ible present images of#od the %reator as both 9lmighty andpowerful) but also present an intimate andpersonal #od who love us so much that heshared his life for us.

To create means to put and !eep somethingin eistence out of nothing. This somethingmaybe living or nonliving things around us.


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3roper attitudes in reading the #enesis

creation stories

1.#enesis is not scientific or historical boo! about creation but it is a

symbolic narrative:story withreligious significance.

5.; days do not mean a 56hr solardays/the sun was made on the 6th day4

They are the inspired author"s way ofpresenting religious truths proclaimed inthe boo! of #enesis.


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There is no contradiction between Science

and Religion in their attempts to eplainthe origin of the world.

>amous en

9lbert (instein @to be sure) the truth of a personal #od

as the %reator could never be refuted byscience) for this truth is beyond thedomains of scientific !nowledge.A


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saac ,ewton@This most beautiful system of the sun)

planets) and comets could only proceedfrom the counsel and dominion of anintelligent and powerful *eingB. This*eing governs all things) not as the soul ofthe world) but as Cord over all$ and onaccount of his dominion) he is wont to becalled Cord #odB as a blind man has no

idea of colors) so we have no idea by whichthe all&wise #od perceives andunderstands all things.A


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3ope =ohn 3aul

@Science can purify religion from error

and superstition$ religion can purifyscience from idolatry and falseabsolutes. (ach can draw the other intoa wider world in which both can flourish.

We need each other for us to be what wemust be) what we are called to be.A


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n %hristianity ) #od is the one

who sustains and !eepseverything in eistence. Thus)He is the %reator.

He creates out of sheer love) toshare His divine life andgoodness. %reation is the first

step in #od"s plan of salvationthrough =esus %hrist.


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The %atholic %hurch teaches0

%>% D


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The #enesis 9ccount begins with

the world as a formless wastelandcovered in dar!ness a Hebrewconcept which presents @chaosA anddisorder. The Holy Spirit who was hoveringas a mighty wind is part of thecreative power of #od in creation.

#od brought order in the chaoticsituation of the world that made nosense at all.


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This ordering has ta!en place in ; daysas narrated in the *ible. -n Eth day#od rested. We are story&tellingpeople. We always ma!e friends withour stories. We are also !nown by

people through the stories ourfamilies had created and madethrough the years. -ur identity and

reputation are influenced by our ownstories. -ur family tree always trace bac! the importance of our origin.This is how we are made.


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Fay ,aming Separating Fay >illing

1 light Cight formdar!ness

6 Sun) moon)s tars

5 s!y Waters above

from waters below

7*irds ) fishes

< (arth ) Sea Fry land from waters below ; 9nimals)humans beings


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9ll of #od"s creation is good andhas a purpose. 9t the end of everycreative day) #od paused and

viewed His creation and found that what He had created was good.Thus everything on earth reflects

#od"s goodness and beauty.


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The truths about %reation0

1. ,othing eists that does not owe itseistence to #od the %reator. The#ree! word #enesis refers to a

process of becoming or being made.The common focuson both Hebrew and #ree! names is

on how things and how they came to be as they are.


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5. (ach creature possesses its own

particular goodness andperfection.


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7. The hierarchy of creatures isepressed by the order of the sidays from the less perfect to themore perfect ones. #od loves allcreatures and ta!es care of each

one.;. an is the summit of #od"s wor!.

n #enesis 105;) man was created by

#od in his image and li!eness andno other creature was created withsuch dignity li!e man.


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E. The Sabbath is the seventh day where#od find rest after finishing his wor!.-n this day He sanctified and

blessed them. /#en. 501&


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respect the laws which the %reator

has written into it.

2. Worship is inscribed in the order

of creation. %reation wasfashioned with a view to theSabbath for the worship and

adoration of #od which indicates aright order of human concerns.


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Man is Made in the Image and likeness

of God

#enesis 105;&5E

@Cet us ma!e man in our image ) to our li!eness. B So #odcreated )an in his image$ in the image of #od he createdhim$ male and female he created them.A

While all of #od"s creations mirror the%reator) no one bears close resemblance

to #od as human beings do. #od"s imagecan be discernible in everyone of us.


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ntellect and will were freely given to us by #od. We are the most intelligent beingthat #od had created. *ecause we arecreated in the image and li!eness of #od)

we are endowed with inalienable dignity.This is the ultimate basis of all human

being"s self&worth and the reason why

every person should be respected.


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*eing the image of #od) the human

individual possesses the dignity of a person, who is not just something but

someone. He is capable of self&!nowledge) of self&possession and of freelygiving himself and entering intocommunion with others.an also reflects the social nature of #od

as /Trinitarian4. 9s a social being) hecannot live without others. @,o man is anisland.A


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@#od blessed man and woman and said0*e fertile and multiply$ fill the earth and subdue it.

Have dominion over the fish of the sea) the birds ofthe air) and all the living things that move on theearth.A

#enesis 105G

This is the empowerment that #od had givento man. The stewardship in the creation that#od had done. 9ll are called to use one"s

talents and gifts responsibly for the commongood) to administer the things on earth inaccordance to His will and purpose forcreating them.


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>aithful Stewardship is eercised in0

ac!nowledging #od as %reator of the world and to continue his wor! ofcreation

Showing respect for other people

and their right to own property Showing equality in the sharing of

goods and services of the material world.

showing the proper use of intellectualcapacities in accordance to the ultimatepurpose of human development


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Servicing our fellowmen through

good thoughts ) words and deedsshowing concern for the commongood and ecological care of theearth.

Second %reation ,arrative>ocuses on man and woman

9 personal #od in the name of 8ahweh who created man beforeanything else.


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#od forms the man from the dust of

the earth and breathes into himthe breath of life. The man wasmade of clay @adamahA in Hebrew.#od was li!e a potter moulding andshaping the clay. an is made up of body and breath /soul4 the principleof life in man. Thus it is clear that we

must ta!e care for both the bodilyand physical features in us.


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an was placed in the #arden of (den

to live and wor!) given aresponsibility for the environment.He was given a companion so that he will not feel lonely. The woman was

created from the rib of the manepressing how man and woman areintimately related to each other. The

ultimate manifestation of thisrelatedness is found in marriage) astable bond between man and woman.


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*oth were created with the same dignity

and are equal to one another. Theyreflect the creator"s wisdom andgoodness. They were created tocomplement and help each other. n theplan of #od man and woman have the vocation of subduing the earth asstewards not as absolute rulers. They

were given this power to fulfil what #odhas started and to bring the creationsto its fullest.


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Ten ways to be positive andcreative0

1&We must have confidence inourselves

5&We must have a very strong sense

of purpose


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;& We must wor! etremely hardtowards our goal

E& We must understand our

wea!nesses as well as ourstrong pointsG& We must accept and benefit

from criticism


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2& We must !now when to defend what we are doing

1& We must not be afraid to bea little different in findinginnovative solution inachieving our dreams

creation the beginning of salvation history

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