Creation “In the beginning…” The Relevance of This Topic Catechesis on creation is of major importance. It concerns the very foundations of human and Christian life: for it makes explicit the response of the Christian faith to the basic question that men of all times have asked themselves. "Where do we come from?" "Where are we going?" "What is our origin?" "What is our end?" "Where does everything that exists come from and where is it going?" Errors About Creation Natural reason can arrive at God as the Creator of all that exists. But in the course of history, there have been errors about creation: pantheism, deism and materialism. The Notion of Creation “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). The eternal God gave a beginning to all that exists. Only God can create. All that exist comes from God. The Work of Creation This work is common to all the persons of the Blessed Trinity. It is “appropriated” to the Father because of its congruence with the distinctive characteristic of the Father. The Purpose of Creation God did not need to create. He does not need anyone or anything to make him perfect. God created to manifest and communicate his goodness. God Wanted to Create God created the world freely. The universe is not a product of necessity. Nor is it a product of chance. God wanted creatures to participate in his wisdom and goodness. Conservation of Creatures With creation, God does not abandon his creatures to themselves. He not only gives them being and existence, but also, and at every moment, upholds and sustains them in being, enables them to act and brings them to their final end. Recognizing this utter dependence with respect to the Creator is a source of wisdom and freedom, of joy and confidence” (CCC, 301). The Providence of God Divine Providence consists of the dispositions by which God guides creatures towards their perfection. God cares for all, from the least thing to the greatest. Science and Faith The scientific study of the origins of the universe does not conflict with the truths of the faith. Science is not a comprehensive knowledge. There is another realm of knowledge other than the physical — the metaphysical. God Created the Angels The existence of angels is a truth of our faith. They are personal creatures and are pure spirits. They have a role to play in our sanctification. God Created Man God created man in his image and likeness (cf. Gen 1:26). God created man to become a sharer in his own life. God created man to perfect the work of creation through work. The Dignity of Man “Being in the image of God the human individual possesses the dignity of a person, who is not just something, but someone” (CCC, 357). Man and woman possess the same dignity. They are complementary, not incomplete. The Unity of Man “The unity of soul and body is so profound that one has to consider the soul to be the ‘form’ of the body: i.e., it is because of its spiritual soul that the body made of matter

2. Creation
“In the beginning…”

3. The Relevance of This Topic
• Catechesis on creation is of major
importance. It concerns the very
foundations of human and Christian life: for
it makes explicit the response of the
Christian faith to the basic question that
men of all times have asked themselves.
• "Where do we come from?" "Where are we
going?" "What is our origin?" "What is our
end?" "Where does everything that exists
come from and where is it going?"

4. Errors About Creation
• Natural reason can arrive at God as
the Creator of all that exists.
• But in the course of history, there
have been errors about creation:
pantheism, deism and materialism.

5. The Notion of Creation
• “In the beginning, God created the
heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1).
• The eternal God gave a beginning
to all that exists.
• Only God can create.
• All that exist comes from God.

6. The Work of Creation
• This work is common to all the
persons of the Blessed Trinity.
• It is “appropriated” to the Father
because of its congruence with the
distinctive characteristic of the
Father.

7. The Purpose of Creation
• God did not need to create. He
does not need anyone or anything
to make him perfect.
• God created to manifest and
communicate his goodness.

8. God Wanted to Create
• God created the world freely.
• The universe is not a product of
necessity.
• Nor is it a product of chance.
• God wanted creatures to participate
in his wisdom and goodness.

9. Conservation of Creatures
• With creation, God does not abandon
his creatures to themselves. He not
only gives them being and existence,
but also, and at every moment, upholds
and sustains them in being, enables
them to act and brings them to their
final end. Recognizing this utter
dependence with respect to the Creator
is a source of wisdom and freedom, of
joy and confidence” (CCC, 301).

10. The Providence of God
• Divine Providence consists of the
dispositions by which God guides
creatures towards their perfection.
• God cares for all, from the least
thing to the greatest.

11. Science and Faith
• The scientific study of the origins
of the universe does not conflict
with the truths of the faith.
• Science is not a comprehensive
knowledge.
• There is another realm of
knowledge other than the physical
— the metaphysical.

12. God Created the Angels
• The existence of angels is a truth of
our faith.
• They are personal creatures and are
pure spirits.
• They have a role to play in our
sanctification.

13. God Created Man
• God created man in his image and
likeness (cf. Gen 1:26).
• God created man to become a
sharer in his own life.
• God created man to perfect the
work of creation through work.

14. The Dignity of Man
• “Being in the image of God the
human individual possesses the
dignity of a person, who is not just
something, but someone” (CCC,
357).
• Man and woman possess the same
dignity.
• They are complementary, not
incomplete.

15. The Unity of Man
• “The unity of soul and body is so
profound that one has to consider the
soul to be the ‘form’ of the body: i.e., it
is because of its spiritual soul that the
body made of matter becomes a living,
human body; spirit and matter, in man,
are not two natures united, but rather
their union forms a single nature”
(CCC, 365).

16. The Soul of Man
• It is immediately created by God. It
cannot be educed from matter.
• It is spiritual.
• It is immortal.

17. The Material World
• “God created everything for man,
but man in turn was created to
serve and love God and to offer all
creation back to him” (CCC, 358).
• Man has been called by God to
“subdue” the earth. This
domination of the earth must be
done reasonably and responsibly.

18. Some Consequences
• Respect and uphold the dignity of each
human person.
• Recognize God’s purpose in creating
man: to give glory to God and to work.
• Recognize the equal dignity of man
and woman.
• Respect the plan of God regarding
human sexuality.

19. More Consequences
• Use the things of the world wisely.
• Use our intelligence and freedom
wisely, according to the will of God.
• It helps us value work as a
participation in the creative work of
God.
• Helps us know the answers to the
fundamental questions about man.

20. The End