The Beginning of Salvation History**The story of God's saving actions in human history.

Remember the big picture!• Throughout all of human history, God has acted to bring us

into relationship with Him and give us salvation (eternal life)• Creation - Adam & Eve• Covenant with Abraham• Covenant with Moses• Prophets • JESUS - his life is continuation of God's call to be in relationship

• Throughout all of human history, human beings have chosen own wants over God's goodness & guidance.

• God keeps inviting us into relationship

• Don't get lost in the details!!

Origins of World & Humankind• A basic human need is to question• God created us to seek and know the truth, to question• Various philosophies have arisen as response to search for

truth• Church and other religions have pieces of truth but none have

whole truth of God because we are limited• "The Catholic Church rejects __________________________ in

these religions."• However, Church must share with others the

_______________________________________________.

Understanding Divine Revelation• Divine Revelation – way God ______________ himself to us• God wants us to know him; he doesn’t want to remain unknown• List some ways people encounter God (not in text)• 1. • 2. • 3.

• CCC 27: God created us to know him, to love him, and to be called into communion/relationship with him

• The Deposit of Faith is core of our faith found in _____________ and ______________. It was handed down from the ____________ in their ______________ & ________________

• Define• Sacred Tradition

• Sacred Scripture

• Magisterium

• Deposit of Faith - see previous slide

• Divine Revelation - see previous slide

• Biblical Inspiration (pgs. 6-8)• Authors of scripture were inspired by Holy Spirit to write “speech

of God” in their own words• Each author was unique individual and wrote in own style• Need to read and interpret scripture recognizing

• type of writing• the purpose• the audience• distinguish between literal truth and religious truth

• God’s message; his truth can be applied over all time to questions of life and how we should live

• Problems arise in how we interpret the passage

How Scripture is Interpreted (pgs. 9-10)

• Creation Accounts in Genesis• 2 creation stories

• Which is right? How do we look at them?• Second Vatican Council offered guidelines for interpreting

Scripture. What is Second Vatican Council? (Not in text) • Guidelines:• Must carefully investigate what writers intended• What God wanted to teach us• Language of 2000 years ago, in diff culture is not our language• Look at literary forms

• Different genres should be read differently• A story can teach us truth about human behavior without being

literally true

Adventure is out

there!

• Examples of how audience dictates language/style of speech & writing• College Essay• Instagram • Telling story to friends vs family • Explaining story in news to little kids vs young adults

Literary Forms• It is important to interpret Scripture from two main senses -- the

literal and spiritual.• What is literal sense or meaning? • What do words mean as written?’

• Discover this through exegesis (pg 11) – determining the authors intention, purpose in writing

• Types of writing in OT (be able to explain a few)• Anthem• Census• Debate• Epigram• Etiology• Genealogy• Maxim• Parable

• What is spiritual sense; the deeper meaning?• Is story an allegory• Is it a moral• Is it anagogical – leading us to eternal life

• Task of all to read and interpret Scripture according to literal and spiritual meaning

First Creation Account• Define primeval history• Literary form – myth – def. pg. 13• Myth in this sense is not made up story like Robin Hood• Myth = symbolic story used to express spiritual truth; used to

explain belief about God• Israelites like all cultures wanted way to explain creation• Borrowed elements of other cultures but changed to reflect

belief in one God• 7 days of creation may be based on 7 day week with Sabbath on

seventh day• Goodness of creation contrasts with other cultures' stories• Parallel construction of separation & decoration – Pg 13

• Day 1- 3 separation• Day 4-6 decoration

• Males/females created at same time; in the divine (God) image• Language is male because culture at time was very patriarchal

• Based on male leaders • "Let us make man in our image

• What does it mean that humans are made in God's image?

Religious and Theological Truths of First Creation Story• Not a _____________ explanation of beginning of universe• Story that reveals important religious and theological truths• 1.• 2.• 3.• 4.

• a.• b.• c.

• 5.• 6.

2nd Creation Account• Written in more down to earth style• Portrays God as __________________ which means....• Unlike 1st account when humanity is created_______ in this

account, humans are ________• Key points to this account• 1. Image of closeness between God & humanity• 2. God is ________ and gives first humans animals for _____• 3. Creation of Eve is about relationship

• a. Man & woman are _______ and ___________• b. Relationship between man & woman is mirror of.....• c. Natural & original condition of humanity with God was.....

• Together two accounts teach us that.....

Truths of 2nd Account• Emphasizes the ______ and _______ between men/women• Teaches that God created humanity in friendship with• a. • b. • c.

• Teaches that humanity was born in orignal _______ & original ___________ (what does this mean?)

Theme of Creation in Theology & Scripture

• First 3 chapters of Genesis reveal important truths about creation

• Theme of creation is found throughout both OT & NT. • For each item below, write a one sentence summary about

what it tells us about creation • Isaiah• Psalms• Proverbs• Christ & Creation• Trinity