"I BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY, CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH"

Size: px
Start display at page:

Download ""I BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY, CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH""

Transcription

1 Studia theologica I, 3/2003, "I BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY, CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH" in the view of St Augustine and St Thomas Aquinas Andrei GOŢIA 1. St Augustine. The Doctor of Hippo distinguished three ascending levels of faith: (1) Credo Deum; (2) Credo Deo; (3) Credo in Deum. When he explained briefly in his In traditione symboli the contents of faith, St Augustine wrote: "The time has come for you to learn the Creed, which enumerates briefly all that you must believe in order to attain eternal salvation." 1 When so much is at stake, one can only believe in a person, not a concept, a person to whom one abandons himself. Accordingly, St Augustine proceeds: "You must believe, then, in God the Father Almighty, invisible and immortal, King of the universe, Creator of all things visible and invisible, and whatever else is fittingly said of His grandeur, as dictated by pure reason or by the authority of Sacred Scripture." 2 St Augustine is using the Apostles' Creed, without insisting on the unicity of God, and he adds the spiritual nature (invisible) of God, along with the transcendence (immortal); by speaking of God as the 'King of the universe', St Augustine explains the omnipotence and the providence of God, Who not only is the author of all creation, but also the governor (rex) of the universe. The author of the Confessions, who knew from his own experience that one cannot exhaust speaking of God, much less comprehend Him, exhorts the candidates to baptism to the contemplation of God's grandeur, without abandoning the two indispensable tools for knowing God: reason and the Holy Scripture. In the catechesis which completes this first one, In redditione symboli, St Augustine preserves the elements already established - faith gives salvation, the attributes of God - and he adds the manner in which creation was accomplished - "out of nothing" -. He then explains how God transcends time and space: "Time in no way adds anything to His stature, nor does space extend His jurisdiction, neither does matter encompass Him or limit Him." 3 In a manner reminiscent of St Cyril, St Augustine ends these brief considerations by a question, exhorting his listeners to contemplation in front of the Dei arcana: "For if the reward promised to His saints is such that 'eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man', then how can the mind conceive, or the heart picture, or the tongue describe Him Who makes the promise?" 4 In De fide et symbolo, St Augustine expands on the omnipotence of God. He presents the problem of prime matter as something contesting the omnipotence of God: if He has power over anything, there clearly is not a single thing which He needed in order to create or of which He was not the author. Understanding the omnipotence of God gives one the understanding that creation was ex nihilo: "If 118

2 they admit that the world was made by an omnipotent God they must admit that He made what He has made out of nothing." 5 Then St Augustine goes into the more difficult aspect of the potentiality and actuality of matter saying: "Only from God omnipotent did it receive whatever mode of being it had, and whatever potentiality it had to receive other different forms. For it is by His gift that any formed thing not only has its being but even is capable of receiving form." 6 In writing this St Augustine emphasizes that God is the first agent and that He does not 'simply' create, but He creates, besides the being of a creature, the mode of being fitting to that creature, because He has a plan for every single creature. The Enchiridion is the work in which St Augustine deals at length with the various aspects of the Creed. In the text previously quoted he implied that the cause of creation is God's goodness, since everything about creation is a gift. In chapter 9 of the Enchiridion, St Augustine states: "It is enough for the Christian to believe that the only cause of all created things, whether heavenly or earthly, whether visible or invisible, is the goodness of the Creator the one true God; and that nothing exists but Himself that does not derive its existence from Him; and that He is the Trinity [ ]." 7 St Augustine, as a former Manichean, understood deeply that he cannot overemphasize the goodness of the Creator. He first explains in a few lines (chapter 10) the foundation for the goodness of the creation; the reason for this brevity can be found in the fact that God, Who is Goodness, is also Simple; only evil, which is a corruption of good, is complicated and needs to be dealt with extensively (chapters 11-22). He wrote: By the Trinity, thus supremely and equally and unchangeably good, all things were created; and these are not supremely and equally and unchangeably good, but they are good, even taken separately. Taken as a whole, however, they are very good, because their ensemble constitutes the universe in all its wonderful order and beauty. 8 This dense chapter deserves more than a few observations; but the main points I would like to underline are the participation of the entire Godhead, Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the creation, although the Creed seems to appropriate it exclusively to the Father. Then St Augustine points out that the Trinity is Goodness itself, a pastoral element which gives the Christian the model towards which to strive, Goodness supreme, equal and unchangeable. The goodness of the creation is a derived goodness, it cannot equal the Goodness from which it originates; creation is good in two ways according to St Augustine: every creature in itself, and the whole of creation together, united (uni-versum) by the plan and order given to it by its Creator, the goal of all creation. It is not the purpose of this paper to analyze in detail the doctrine on evil as explained by St Augustine. Two are, I think, the elements of interest here: evil is not a part of creation, it is the corruption of the good of creation; secondly, God permits evil to exist in order to bring good out of it. One immediate such good is that, by contrast, evil makes good stand out: 119

3 And in the universe, even that which is called evil, when it is regulated and put in its own place, only enhances our admiration of the good; for we enjoy and value the good more when we compare it with the evil. For the Almighty God, Who, as even the heathen acknowledge, has supreme power over all things, being Himself supremely good, would never permit the existence of anything evil among His works, if He were not so omnipotent and good that He can bring good even out of evil. For what is that which we call evil but the absence of good? 9 2. St Thomas. The position of St Thomas is restricted to one single text, In symbolum apostolorum, which begins with the first principles: since the first word of the Creed is 'credo', it is only fitting that St Thomas present the four boons (bona) which faith provides and that he explain the appropriateness of faith, which means believing things one does not see. St Thomas uses, when needed, the Nicene Creed, because his purpose in this sermon is mainly pastoral and the formula established at Nicaea-Constantinople offers a richer text. Thus, having divided the first article of the Creed in two, he insists on the oneness of God (I believe in one God), the first thing one has to believe. Systematically St Thomas then proceeds to explain the next word, God (Deus); his approach is not etymological or semantic, but theological: he tells his congregation what is understood by this word: "nihil est aliud quam gubernator et provisor rerum omnium." Since the government of the physical world could be only contested by a fool who lacks common sense, Doctor communis goes on to detect views which contest the range of God's omnipotence, namely that He should govern by His providence human actions. St Thomas, having identified the cause for this belief in the apparent paradox "that in this world the good suffer and the wicked prosper," 10 compares the holders of this view to patients who presume to know better than the doctor; this answer suggests two things: we are ill and need medicine to be restored to health and only God can provide it; then, that God has a plan for us and that we cannot fathom the divine operation: "It is so with God: Who with good cause and by His providence disposes such things as are necessary to man: and thus He afflicts some good men, and allows certain wicked men to prosper." 11 The one who would see hazard in this is a fool (insipiens). In the beginning of this article St Thomas affirmed the oneness of God. At this point in his catechesis he compares, resorting to common sense, the government of human things, which is better when the governor is one, and the government of the universe, which pleads for one divine Governor. The next element for St Thomas is to analyze the causes of polytheism: 'the weakness of human intelligence', 'human flattery', 'carnal affection for children and kindred' and 'the wickedness of the devil'. The last element, the most important, reveals the real purpose of satanic worship, a problem then and nowadays, which is not that the devil have an animal sacrificed to him, but that men worship him with the worship due to God alone. 12 The original aim of this sermon was to help believers prepare to celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord in For this reason St Thomas proceeds elucidating the consciences by detecting polytheistic 120

4 attitudes which can escape unnoticed, then as now: belief in the influence of the stars on the human will, obedience of earthly rulers being given precedence over obedience to God, more love for humans or earthly things than for God, sorcery; 13 all these attitudes are sinful against the first commandment, in that they give to stars, humans, family, possessions, personal desires the first place which is due to God alone. St Thomas then turns to the second half of the first article: "The Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth." Like St Augustine, he points out to the order in the universe and suggests a way of attaining more beauty and excellence: "And the same will happen to anyone who considers this world in detail. For he will observe that all things are arranged according to their degrees of beauty and excellence, and that the nearer they are to God the more beautiful and the better they are." 14 Once the common sense demonstration has been made and the scriptural basis for this article of faith given, St Thomas deals with three errors which occurred in regard to it: that of the Manicheans, according to whom the devil was co-creator ('responsible' for visible things), that of those who held the eternity of the world and that of those who presupposed prejacent matter for the creation. St Thomas uses St Augustine to refute the error of the Manicheans, which was due to the incapacity to see that created things are not simply good and simply evil and that what is good for something may be evil for something else, according to the plan of the Creator, Who has a definite plan for every single creature, which cannot be fulfilled by any other creature. St Thomas then reminds his congregation of the definitions of the Church against this error: "Of all things visible and invisible. -In the beginning God created heaven and earth. -All things were made by Him." The second error is treated with the same simplicity which is the companion of truth: if one ignores the beginning of a creature that does not mean there is no beginning for that creature. And since we hold God to be creator of the universe, it is clear we imply the beginning in time of the created world, St Thomas argues. The third error occurred because some patterned God's power to ours, who are limited to prejacent matter when we 'create' anything. St Thomas writes: The reason for this is that a man's power is confined to the form only, and consequently his causality is confined to the production of this or that form. On the other hand God is the universal cause of all things, and creates not only the form, but also the matter; so that He made all things out of nothing: wherefore to remove this position we say: Creator of heaven and earth. 15 St Thomas completes the exposition of this article with the fruits these considerations yield: a knowledge of God's greatness, which cannot be de-fined by any human representation of it; the second fruit is gratitude, when seeing that everything comes from God and, closely connected, the third fruit, patience in difficulties, which one bears easier if they are taken as a gift: "For by pain sins are cleansed, the guilty are humbled and the good are urged on to the love of God." 16 The fourth fruit is a good use of 121

5 the creatures, namely in agreement to the plan that God had when He created them, to His glory and our profit. The last fruit is an acknowledgement of man's dignity: God freely chose to make man the crown of creation, impressing His likeness and image in man. Therefore the conclusion of St Thomas: "[We] must rule and hold dominion over the things of the earth, but we must be subject to God by obeying and serving Him and thus we shall attain to the enjoyment of God." 17 Notes 1 St Augustine, Sermon 28, "On the Creed to the Candidates for Baptism (In traditione symboli)", in Selected Easter Sermons of Saint Augustine, with introd., text of thirty sermons, notes and comm. by Ph. T. Weller (St. Louis: B. Herder, 1959), Ibid. 3 St Augustine, Sermon 30, "On the Creed to the Candidates for Baptism (In redditione symboli)", in Selected Easter Sermons, Ibid. 5 St Augustine, "Faith and the Creed", in Augustine: Earlier Writings, selected and trans. with introd. by J. H. S. Burleigh, The Library of Christian Classics, Ichtus ed. (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1953), Ibid. 7 St Augustine, The Enchiridion; Or On Faith, Hope And Love, trans. by Prof. J. F. Shaw, Londonderry, available at 8 Ibid. 9 Ibid., St Thomas, "Exposition of the Apostles' Creed", First Article, in The Treasury of Catholic Wisdom, ed., with and introd. and notes by J. A. Hardon, S. J. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1995), Ibid. 12 Cf. Ibid., Cf. Ibid., Ibid. 15 Ibid., Ibid., Ibid. 122

The Apostles' Creed. Study Guide by Third Millennium Ministries

The Apostles' Creed. Study Guide by Third Millennium Ministries Study Guide LESSON TWO GOD THE FATHER 2013 by Third Millennium Ministries www.thirdmill.org For videos, manuscripts, and other resources, visit Third Millennium Ministries at thirdmill.org. 2 STUDY GUIDE

More information

Man and the Presence of Evil in Christian and Platonic Doctrine by Philip Sherrard

Man and the Presence of Evil in Christian and Platonic Doctrine by Philip Sherrard Man and the Presence of Evil in Christian and Platonic Doctrine by Philip Sherrard Source: Studies in Comparative Religion, Vol. 2, No.1. World Wisdom, Inc. www.studiesincomparativereligion.com OF the

More information

A Catechism Ryan Kelly

A Catechism Ryan Kelly A Catechism Ryan Kelly I. On the Doctrine of God 1. Who made you? God made me. Genesis 1:27 God created man in his own image. 2. What else did God make? God made all things. Genesis 1:1 In the beginning,

More information

ARTICLE 1 (CCCC) "I BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY, CREATOR

ARTICLE 1 (CCCC) I BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY, CREATOR ARTICLE 1 (CCCC) "I BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY, CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH" Paragraph 2. The Father I. "In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" 232 233 234 235 236 Christians

More information

LIFE IN HIS NAME : THE PURSUIT OF WHOLENESS AND THE GOSPEL OF JOHN THE WORD OUR CREATOR (JOHN 1:2-3)

LIFE IN HIS NAME : THE PURSUIT OF WHOLENESS AND THE GOSPEL OF JOHN THE WORD OUR CREATOR (JOHN 1:2-3) Sermon Outline LIFE IN HIS NAME : THE PURSUIT OF WHOLENESS AND THE GOSPEL OF JOHN I. Introduction THE WORD OUR CREATOR (JOHN 1:2-3) Why must the world trust and obey Jesus? Because Jesus is the Christ,

More information

The Apostles' Creed. Study Guide GOD THE FATHER LESSON TWO. The Apostles' Creed by Third Millennium Ministries

The Apostles' Creed. Study Guide GOD THE FATHER LESSON TWO. The Apostles' Creed by Third Millennium Ministries 1 Study Guide LESSON TWO GOD THE FATHER For videos, manuscripts, and other resources, Lesson 2: God visit Third the Father Millennium Ministries at thirdmill.org. 2 CONTENTS HOW TO USE THIS LESSON AND

More information

THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRIUNE GODD

THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRIUNE GODD THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRIUNE GODD THREE DISTINCT PERSONS IN ONE GOD THE CENTRAL MYSTERY OF THE CATHOLIC FAITH AND LIFE I. IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT Christians are

More information

THE LAST THINGS. Outline Composed by James F. Gontis Director, Department of Religious Education

THE LAST THINGS. Outline Composed by James F. Gontis Director, Department of Religious Education THE LAST THINGS Outline Composed by James F. Gontis Director, Department of Religious Education When we speak of the Last Things, we are specifically talking about Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell. This

More information

Evil as Privation. Augustine ( ) Augustine: Evil as Privation

Evil as Privation. Augustine ( ) Augustine: Evil as Privation Augustine: Evil as Privation Evil as Privation Augustine (354-430) Augustine was born in a Roman province on the north coast of Africa in 354 to a pagan father and Christian mother. His mother, Monica,

More information

Holy Baptism is appropriately administered within the Eucharist as the chief service on a Sunday or other feast.

Holy Baptism is appropriately administered within the Eucharist as the chief service on a Sunday or other feast. Holy Baptism Concerning the Service Holy Baptism is full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ s Body the Church. The bond which God establishes in Baptism is indissoluble. Holy Baptism is

More information

The Debate about the Nature and Authority of the Holy Spirit

The Debate about the Nature and Authority of the Holy Spirit The Debate about the Nature and Authority of the Holy Spirit Prayer Before Studying Theology: Almighty God, who taught the hearts of your faithful people by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit:

More information

Creation & necessity

Creation & necessity Creation & necessity Today we turn to one of the central claims made about God in the Nicene Creed: that God created all things visible and invisible. In the Catechism, creation is described like this:

More information

THE TRINITY GOD THE FATHER, GOD THE SON, GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT

THE TRINITY GOD THE FATHER, GOD THE SON, GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life. It is the mystery of God in Himself. It is therefore the source of the other mysteries of faith, the light that

More information

fp01e01.qxp 12/4/2008 7:49 AM Page 14

fp01e01.qxp 12/4/2008 7:49 AM Page 14 fp01e01.qxp 12/4/2008 7:49 AM Page 14 fp01e01.qxp 12/4/2008 7:49 AM Page 15 Chapter 1 I Believe That God Created Confessing God as Creator means that we believe that he is the only un-created One. He has

More information

Lesson 11: The Wisdom of God

Lesson 11: The Wisdom of God Lesson 11: The Wisdom of God Part 2. God Alone is Wise Definition: The wisdom of God is that attribute by which He arranges His purposes and His plans, and arranges the means which bring forth the results

More information

The Definition of God

The Definition of God The Definition of God Before we start: The Holy Scripture is Inspired and Inerrant. Inspired and Inerrant 2 Timothy 3:15-17 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to

More information

God is a Community Part 1: God

God is a Community Part 1: God God is a Community Part 1: God FATHER SON SPIRIT The Christian Concept of God Along with Judaism and Islam, Christianity is one of the great monotheistic world religions. These religions all believe that

More information

Page 1. All major religions and civilizations have dealt with this issue in one form or the other, with each providing variant doctrines on the matter

Page 1. All major religions and civilizations have dealt with this issue in one form or the other, with each providing variant doctrines on the matter Eschatology is derived from the Greek, εσχατος [eschatos] which means last. Specifically [and for our purposes] it is the branch of Systematic Theology that deals with the last things eschata. Generally,

More information

I Believe The Creed: Essentials of our Faith!

I Believe The Creed: Essentials of our Faith! I Believe The Creed: Essentials of our Faith! We live in a world where there are different faiths and faith formulae. Organizations or groups, whether political, social or spiritual, come up with their

More information

KNOW YOUR CHURCH HISTORY (6) The Imperial Church (AD ) Councils

KNOW YOUR CHURCH HISTORY (6) The Imperial Church (AD ) Councils KNOW YOUR CHURCH HISTORY (6) The Imperial Church (AD313-476) Councils A. Introduction 1. The Imperial Church was the period of church history between these two significant events: The Edict of Milan in

More information

CHAPTER FIVE FAITH. (Catechism nn )

CHAPTER FIVE FAITH. (Catechism nn ) CHAPTER FIVE FAITH (Catechism nn. 142-197) 53 Faith In Chapter One we outlined the argument that, if reality as we experience and know it is really intelligible, there must exist a Being ( God ) that provides

More information

The Trinity and the Enhypostasia

The Trinity and the Enhypostasia 0 The Trinity and the Enhypostasia CYRIL C. RICHARDSON NE learns from one's critics; and I should like in this article to address myself to a fundamental point which has been raised by critics (both the

More information

The Attributes of God

The Attributes of God He Alone Is God And there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior; there is none besides Me. (Isaiah 45:21c) Jesus, in praying to His Father for His disciples, prayed: And this is eternal life,

More information

DTGmin.org ( TO BE A SON OF GOD ) By: Scott Stanley February 11, 2017

DTGmin.org ( TO BE A SON OF GOD ) By: Scott Stanley February 11, 2017 DTGmin.org ( TO BE A SON OF GOD ) By: Scott Stanley February 11, 2017 Word Power: Belial [H1100] First time used in the OT Deu. 13:13 and transliterated in the NT [G955] one time. 2 Cor. 6:15 bel-e-yah'-al

More information

THEISM AND BELIEF. Etymological note: deus = God in Latin; theos = God in Greek.

THEISM AND BELIEF. Etymological note: deus = God in Latin; theos = God in Greek. THEISM AND BELIEF Etymological note: deus = God in Latin; theos = God in Greek. A taxonomy of doxastic attitudes Belief: a mental state the content of which is taken as true or an assertion put forward

More information

The Confessions of the Church Dr. Todd B. Jones November 8, 2018

The Confessions of the Church Dr. Todd B. Jones November 8, 2018 The Confessions of the Church Dr. Todd B. Jones November 8, 2018 In [the creeds and confessions in the Book of Confessions] the church declares to its members and to the world who and what it is, what

More information

A study of Jesus Christ

A study of Jesus Christ The next degree of glorification is Christ sitting at the right hand of the Father. It doesn t matter if one considers this the final degree of His glorification or whether one considers the judgment of

More information

The Communicable Attributes of God. What do we have in common with God? Copyright , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries.

The Communicable Attributes of God. What do we have in common with God? Copyright , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. The Communicable Attributes of God What do we have in common with God? 1. Omniscience 2. Omnipotence 3. Sovereignty 4. Goodness 5. Righteousness 6. Love 7. Grace Omniscience Omni all scientia to know Webster

More information

Contents. Lessons. Course Description and Objectives 4. Directions for Class Leaders and Students 5. (1) God s Book 9. (2) Attributes of God 23

Contents. Lessons. Course Description and Objectives 4. Directions for Class Leaders and Students 5. (1) God s Book 9. (2) Attributes of God 23 Contents Course Description and Objectives 4 Directions for Class Leaders and Students 5 Lessons (1) God s Book 9 (2) Attributes of God 23 (3) The Trinity 33 (4) Humanity 45 (5) Sin 55 (6) Spirits 65 (7)

More information

RCIA CLASS 4 OUR KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT

RCIA CLASS 4 OUR KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT RCIA CLASS 4 OUR KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT I. We come to know God on earth by reason, revelation, and experience, and one day hope to see Him face to face. A. We can learn a certain

More information

Ephesians 4:1-16 New International Version December 31, 2017

Ephesians 4:1-16 New International Version December 31, 2017 Ephesians 4:1-16 New International Version December 31, 2017 The International Bible Lesson (Uniform Sunday School Lessons Series) for Sunday, December 31, 2017, is from Ephesians 4:1-16. Questions for

More information

(Ephesians 4:1) As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

(Ephesians 4:1) As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Ephesians 4:1-16 New International Version December 31, 2017 The International Bible Lesson (Uniform Sunday School Lessons Series) for Sunday, December 31, 2017, is from Ephesians 4:1-16. Questions for

More information

15 Does God have a Nature?

15 Does God have a Nature? 15 Does God have a Nature? 15.1 Plantinga s Question So far I have argued for a theory of creation and the use of mathematical ways of thinking that help us to locate God. The question becomes how can

More information

REVELATION. of JESUS CHRIST. chapter 4

REVELATION. of JESUS CHRIST. chapter 4 The REVELATION of JESUS CHRIST chapter 4 Lesson 9 Revelation 4 begins the revelation of the heavenly perspective. Revelation chapters 4-19 are mainly concerned with God s judgment upon the world which

More information

Lords Day 8 Our Faith in the Triune God Rev. Herman Hoeksema

Lords Day 8 Our Faith in the Triune God Rev. Herman Hoeksema Lords Day 8 Our Faith in the Triune God Rev. Herman Hoeksema Q.24. How are these articles divided? A. Into three parts; the first is of God the Father, and our creation; the second of God the Son, and

More information

Evil as a Privation of Good

Evil as a Privation of Good Evil as a Privation of Good by Augustine of Hippo translated by Albert C. Outler (1955) from Confessions, Book 7, Chapters 11-13 (~400 AD) CHAPTER XI And I viewed all the other things that are beneath

More information

Genesis 1:1 In the Beginning God...

Genesis 1:1 In the Beginning God... Genesis 1:1 In the Beginning God... What comes to your mind when you think about God? That is the most important thing about us, suggests A. W. Tozer. That says more about us than anything else. What you

More information

The Trinity, The Dogma, The Contradictions Part 2

The Trinity, The Dogma, The Contradictions Part 2 The Trinity, The Dogma, The Contradictions Part 2 In the second part of our teaching on The Trinity, The Dogma, The Contradictions we will be taking a deeper look at what is considered the most probable

More information

The Holy Trinity. Part 1

The Holy Trinity. Part 1 The Holy Trinity Part 1 The Lenten Triodion of the Orthodox Church O Trinity, O Trinity, the uncreated One; O Unity, O Unity of Father, Spirit, Son: You are without beginning, Your life is never ending;

More information

MANKIND AND THE SON OF MAN

MANKIND AND THE SON OF MAN MANKIND AND THE SON OF MAN October 23, 2017, Linda Corrigan Intro First Module:: The Creed: The Story in Miniature Who is God Scripture God is a Trinity One God, One Nature, Three Persons Creed is Trinitarian

More information

THE SUPREMACY OF GOD

THE SUPREMACY OF GOD THE SUPREMACY OF GOD INTRODUCTION The absolute and universal supremacy of God is clearly affirmed throughout the Word of God. God s supremacy is manifested in all that He has created: the control and movement

More information

What the Bible Teaches About Salvation

What the Bible Teaches About Salvation What the Bible Teaches About Salvation Class Description A study of what the Bible teaches about how sinful man can be accepted by and right with a holy God. Errors prevalent in our area with regard to

More information

C. Glorification is the culmination of salvation and is the final blessed and abiding state of the redeemed.

C. Glorification is the culmination of salvation and is the final blessed and abiding state of the redeemed. Churches from the beginning have written and stated their beliefs. Below are the basic beliefs of First Baptist Church Vero Beach. These beliefs are found in the Baptist faith and Message as adopted by

More information

HOLY SPIRIT CATHOLIC CHURCH RCIA THE INQUIRY PERIOD: YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CATHOLIC FAITH THE CATECHUMENATE PERIOD

HOLY SPIRIT CATHOLIC CHURCH RCIA THE INQUIRY PERIOD: YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CATHOLIC FAITH THE CATECHUMENATE PERIOD HOLY SPIRIT CATHOLIC CHURCH RCIA THE INQUIRY PERIOD: YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CATHOLIC FAITH NOT BAPTIZED BAPTIZED You are an inquirer. In this period, you will receive help and attention, answers

More information

Thomas Aquinas on the World s Duration. Summa Theologiae Ia Q46: The Beginning of the Duration of Created Things

Thomas Aquinas on the World s Duration. Summa Theologiae Ia Q46: The Beginning of the Duration of Created Things Thomas Aquinas on the World s Duration Thomas Aquinas (1224/1226 1274) was a prolific philosopher and theologian. His exposition of Aristotle s philosophy and his views concerning matters central to the

More information

Angels Throughout the Ages

Angels Throughout the Ages Angels Throughout the Ages Lesson 1: Who are the Angels? Introduction: Have you ever noticed the some of the angels in the Bible have names and others don t? Have you ever wondered why? It s because the

More information

JOHNNIE COLEMON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. Title KEYS TO THE KINGDOM

JOHNNIE COLEMON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. Title KEYS TO THE KINGDOM INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW 1. Why are we here? a. Galatians 4:4 states: But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under

More information

Translated by Arthur West Haddan. Vol. 3. A Select Library of the Nicene and Post- Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church Kindle Edition.

Translated by Arthur West Haddan. Vol. 3. A Select Library of the Nicene and Post- Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church Kindle Edition. Theology Proper Part 3 God is One What and Three Who s The doctrine of the Divine Unity is a truth of natural religion; the doctrine of the Trinity is a truth of revealed religion. - William Shedd Can

More information

The Definition of God

The Definition of God The Definition of God Before we start: The Holy Scripture is Inspired and Inerrant. Inspired and Inerrant 2 Timothy 3:15-17 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to

More information

Knowing. God. A Printable Workbook for Studying the Character & Attributes of God.

Knowing. God. A Printable Workbook for Studying the Character & Attributes of God. Knowing my God A Printable Workbook for Studying the Character & Attributes of God www.thoughtsanddesigns.com The Knowing My God Notebook Pages were created by Kimberly Eddy (www.thoughtsanddesigns.com),

More information

John 3:1-21 Nicodemus

John 3:1-21 Nicodemus 1 John 3a John 3:1-21 Nicodemus 1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher

More information

pages on (Jn 5:19). + St Athanasius the Apostolic wrote seven Lectures about (Prov 8:22) and St. Augustine wrote twenty

pages on (Jn 5:19). + St Athanasius the Apostolic wrote seven Lectures about (Prov 8:22) and St. Augustine wrote twenty There will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies (2Pet 2:1) Lecture VII: Things Hard to Understand (Holy Gospel of St. John) In His second epistle, St. Peter says

More information

QUESTION 22. God s Providence

QUESTION 22. God s Providence QUESTION 22 God s Providence Now that we have considered what pertains to God s will absolutely speaking, we must proceed to those things that are related to both His intellect and will together. These

More information

Application for Faculty or Administrative Position

Application for Faculty or Administrative Position 2301 Westside Drive, Rochester, New York 14624-1997 (585) 594-6300 Application for Faculty or Administrative Position Please note that all gray text boxes will expand as information is typed into them.

More information

Deified Likeness: Creation, Sin and the Path to Deification. Nicholas Rockweit. Marquette University

Deified Likeness: Creation, Sin and the Path to Deification. Nicholas Rockweit. Marquette University Deified Likeness: Creation, Sin and the Path to Deification Nicholas Rockweit Marquette University 2 Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner. The Jesus prayer, a prayer centered on the

More information

LOOKING BACK AT THE CREATION OF MAN

LOOKING BACK AT THE CREATION OF MAN The Whole Counsel of God Study 11 LOOKING BACK AT THE CREATION OF MAN If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So also it is written, The first MAN, Adam, became a living soul. The last

More information

1 Peter 3: Peter

1 Peter 3: Peter The Sermons of Dan Duncan 1 Peter 3: 8-17 1 Peter Trading Good for Evil TRANSCRIPT [Message] Let s begin with a word of prayer. [Prayer] Father, we thank you for the time we have together again this evening

More information

Throughout all nature there is abundant evidence of the existence of a supreme, intelligent, personal Being.

Throughout all nature there is abundant evidence of the existence of a supreme, intelligent, personal Being. The God of Israel Throughout all nature there is abundant evidence of the existence of a supreme, intelligent, personal Being. The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament showeth His handiwork.

More information

Christology. Christ s Eternal and Preincarnate State Part 3. ST302 LESSON 04 of 24

Christology. Christ s Eternal and Preincarnate State Part 3. ST302 LESSON 04 of 24 Christology ST302 LESSON 04 of 24 C. Fred Dickason, Th.D. Experience: Chairman of the Theology Department, Moody Bible Institute. We re beginning lesson four today in the series on Christology. And we

More information

The Names of God. from Summa Theologiae (Part I, Questions 12-13) by Thomas Aquinas (~1265 AD) translated by Brian Shanley (2006)

The Names of God. from Summa Theologiae (Part I, Questions 12-13) by Thomas Aquinas (~1265 AD) translated by Brian Shanley (2006) The Names of God from Summa Theologiae (Part I, Questions 12-13) by Thomas Aquinas (~1265 AD) translated by Brian Shanley (2006) For with respect to God, it is more apparent to us what God is not, rather

More information

Miracles: A Philosophy, Theology, and Apologetic

Miracles: A Philosophy, Theology, and Apologetic Miracles: A Philosophy, Theology, and Apologetic Richard G. Howe, Ph.D. Miracles warrant special consideration precisely because of what miracles are, why miracles are, and whether miracles are. 1 What:

More information

Contents The Apostles Creed

Contents The Apostles Creed Contents The Apostles Creed Introduction to Being Reformed: Faith Seeking Understanding... 3 Introduction to The Apostles Creed... 4 The Apostles Creed Traditional Version... 5 The Apostles Creed Contemporary

More information

WE RE ALL HERE TODAY BECAUSE WE DESIRE GOD

WE RE ALL HERE TODAY BECAUSE WE DESIRE GOD I BELIEVE IN god WE RE ALL HERE TODAY BECAUSE WE DESIRE GOD He made from one the whole human race to dwell on the entire surface of the earth, and he fixed the ordered seasons and the boundaries of their

More information

THE BIBLICAL RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION, IS IT WORTH SERVING GOD?

THE BIBLICAL RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION, IS IT WORTH SERVING GOD? THEBIBLICALRESPONSETOTHEQUESTION, ISITWORTHSERVINGGOD? 34 Then Elihu continued, 2 Hear my words, you wise men; listen to me, you men of learning; 3 for the ear tests words as the tongue tastes food. 4

More information

For clarity and historical accuracy, the proposed Statement of Faith is inserted here: STATEMENT OF FAITH WESTMONT COLLEGE

For clarity and historical accuracy, the proposed Statement of Faith is inserted here: STATEMENT OF FAITH WESTMONT COLLEGE COMMENTARY ON PROPOSED STATEMENT OF FAITH Submitted to the Westmont College Board of Trustees by Jonathan R. Wilson Professor of Religious Studies Co-chair, Articles of Faith Task Force Westmont College

More information

CHAPTER 2 OF GOD, AND OF THE HOLY TRINITY

CHAPTER 2 OF GOD, AND OF THE HOLY TRINITY #351 Westminster Standards Western Reformed Seminary (www.wrs.edu) John A. Battle, Th.D. CHAPTER 2 OF GOD, AND OF THE HOLY TRINITY God s absolute and relative attributes 1. There is but one only living,

More information

I. Jesus Is The words of the holy one,

I. Jesus Is The words of the holy one, Revelation 3:7-13 7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.

More information

Is Love a Reason for a Trinity?

Is Love a Reason for a Trinity? Is Love a Reason for a Trinity? By Rodney Shaw 2008 Rodney Shaw This article originally appeared in the September-October 2008 issue of the Forward. One of the arguments used to support a trinitarian view

More information

WHEN JESUS WROTE TO THE CHURCH Part 2: What the Spirit is Saying By Rev. Will Nelken

WHEN JESUS WROTE TO THE CHURCH Part 2: What the Spirit is Saying By Rev. Will Nelken WHEN JESUS WROTE TO THE CHURCH Part 2: What the Spirit is Saying By Rev. Will Nelken Presented at Trinity Community Church, San Rafael, California, on Sunday, November 25, 2007 The Book of the Revelation

More information

We Believe in God. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen.

We Believe in God. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen. We Believe in God PRE-READING Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen. I Timothy 1:17 Introduction We now consider what the Bible reveals

More information

12. 2 Thessalonians 2

12. 2 Thessalonians 2 12. 2 Thessalonians 2 The main purpose of this chapter is to refute the false teaching that the Lord Jesus Christ has already come. However, Paul also enters into the discussion the revelation of the man

More information

Lesson 4. Systematic Theology Pastor Tim Goad

Lesson 4. Systematic Theology Pastor Tim Goad Lesson 4 Part One Introduction to Systematic Theology I. Introduction a. What is Systematic Theology? b. What is the relation between Systematic Theology and Hermeneutics? c. Why is it important to study

More information

God Article II. There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and

God Article II. There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and 1 God Article II There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness

More information

Trinity. One God, Three Persons. A Bible Study Course for Adults SAMPLE. by Norman F. Burger Jr. Leader s Guide

Trinity. One God, Three Persons. A Bible Study Course for Adults SAMPLE. by Norman F. Burger Jr. Leader s Guide Trinity One God, Three Persons A Bible Study Course for Adults by Norman F. Burger Jr. Leader s Guide Lesson One How Can We Know God?... 2 Lesson Two I Believe in God... 9 Lesson Three The Father and the

More information

JESUS CHRIST...SON OF GOD AND SON OF MAN Lesson 1 PARENTS & CATECHISTS READING REFLECTION & PRAYER. Catechism of the Catholic Church

JESUS CHRIST...SON OF GOD AND SON OF MAN Lesson 1 PARENTS & CATECHISTS READING REFLECTION & PRAYER. Catechism of the Catholic Church I BELIEVE IN ONE GOD HEART OF CATECHESIS JESUS CHRIST...SON OF GOD AND SON OF MAN Lesson 1 WHAT IS A CREED? The Creed is a summary of our Catholic Faith. It is called a Creed because the first word is

More information

Cornerstones of Truth. Unit Student Reports and answer sheets

Cornerstones of Truth. Unit Student Reports and answer sheets Cornerstones of Truth Unit Student Reports and answer sheets 302 Student Report for Unit One DIRECTIONS When you have completed your study of each unit, fill out the unit student report answer sheet for

More information

LESSON TWO - GOD THE UNCAUSED CAUSE UNCAUSED CAUSE UNCAUSED CAUSE

LESSON TWO - GOD THE UNCAUSED CAUSE UNCAUSED CAUSE UNCAUSED CAUSE LESSON TWO - GOD The doctrine of God is essential to understanding the Bible and life. No human can fully understand God, as He has limited the depth of our understanding of Him (Job 11:7; Isaiah 55:8-9;

More information

St. Thomas Aquinas Excerpt from Summa Theologica

St. Thomas Aquinas Excerpt from Summa Theologica St. Thomas Aquinas Excerpt from Summa Theologica Part 1, Question 2, Articles 1-3 The Existence of God Because the chief aim of sacred doctrine is to teach the knowledge of God, not only as He is in Himself,

More information

Home-Learning Guide. FINDING GOD for Junior High

Home-Learning Guide. FINDING GOD for Junior High FINDING GOD for Junior High Home-Learning Guide The Finding God for Junior High Home-Learning Guide provides you with an opportunity to work with your juniorhigh child to grow together in faith. Whether

More information

Ideliver to you a message that I know to be

Ideliver to you a message that I know to be Message Sublime WILLIAM R. BRADFORD Ideliver to you a message that I know to be true. There will be no speculation in my words. It is the greatest message that can be known either in the heavens or upon

More information

THE HOLY SPIRIT. The principal work of the Spirit is faith; the principal exercise of faith is prayer. John Calvin

THE HOLY SPIRIT. The principal work of the Spirit is faith; the principal exercise of faith is prayer. John Calvin THE HOLY SPIRIT The principal work of the Spirit is faith; the principal exercise of faith is prayer. John Calvin But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit

More information

Worldview Basics. Distinctives of a Biblical Worldview. WE102 LESSON 04 of 05. The Bible and Reality

Worldview Basics. Distinctives of a Biblical Worldview. WE102 LESSON 04 of 05. The Bible and Reality Worldview Basics WE102 LESSON 04 of 05 Our Daily Bread Christian University This course was developed by Christian University & Our Daily Bread Ministries. In our multicultural global age, tolerance seems

More information

Nicene and Apostles Creed

Nicene and Apostles Creed Nicene and Apostles Creed St Teresa of Avila RCIA September 28, 2017 Creed Credo: I Believe Definitive statement of Christian belief and orthodoxy Also known as Profession of Faith and Symbols of Faith

More information

Romans. Lesson 2: Good News and Bad News. Introduction. Romans 1:16-32

Romans. Lesson 2: Good News and Bad News. Introduction. Romans 1:16-32 Romans Lesson 2: Good News and Bad News Introduction In this portion of Romans, Paul gives both the charter of his entire epistle and the beginning of his diagnosis of deadly ills afflicting mankind. Readers

More information

- Online Christian Library

- Online Christian Library Concerning the ministers of Christ, and his church, and the testimony of them. How God has anointed the ministers of Christ, and his church, and they have the anointing in them. By George Fox Now he who

More information

PARADOX THE UPSIDE DOWN TRUTH OF FAITH

PARADOX THE UPSIDE DOWN TRUTH OF FAITH PARADOX THE UPSIDE DOWN TRUTH OF FAITH PARADOX Week 4 Seeing the Unseen to Truly See Outline Seeing the Unseen to Truly See I. RECONFIGURING 3 REALITIES (regarding seeing the unseen to truly see) Hebrews

More information

This Message In Christ Alone We Take Our Stand

This Message In Christ Alone We Take Our Stand Series Colossians This Message In Christ Alone We Take Our Stand Scripture Colossians 2:8-15 In this message we move into the heavy significant portion of the letter, to the section in which Paul takes

More information

THE HOLY SPIRIT. The principal work of the Spirit is faith; the principal exercise of faith is prayer. John Calvin

THE HOLY SPIRIT. The principal work of the Spirit is faith; the principal exercise of faith is prayer. John Calvin THE HOLY SPIRIT The principal work of the Spirit is faith; the principal exercise of faith is prayer. John Calvin But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit

More information

The Five Solas of the Reformation by Prof. David J. Engelsma

The Five Solas of the Reformation by Prof. David J. Engelsma The Five Solas of the Reformation by Prof. David J. Engelsma Speech #3 The Place of Good Works in Our Salvation (Speech given on December 30, 2014) Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10 For we are his workmanship,

More information

How are the two chief mysteries of the faith expressed by the Sign of the Cross? How is the Sign of the Cross made? What is the Apostles Creed?

How are the two chief mysteries of the faith expressed by the Sign of the Cross? How is the Sign of the Cross made? What is the Apostles Creed? Chapter: 1 Q. 1 Chapter: 1 Q. 2 How is the Sign of the Cross made? How are the two chief mysteries of the faith expressed by the Sign of the Cross? Chapter: 1 Q. 3 Chapter: 1 Q. 4 What are the truths revealed

More information

Announcer: And now a message from Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia.

Announcer: And now a message from Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia. 49 Cardinal Rigali Message Living the Fourth Commandment The Fourth Commandment enjoins us to honor our father and mother. This is a simple command to love and respect our parents, whom God has vested

More information

CHAPTER 4. The Heavenly Scene. Worship of the Creator. Revelation 4:1-11. Scene in Heaven

CHAPTER 4. The Heavenly Scene. Worship of the Creator. Revelation 4:1-11. Scene in Heaven P a g e 49 CHAPTER 4 The Heavenly Scene Worship of the Creator Revelation 4:1-11 Scene in Heaven 1. After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I

More information

X. "A HOLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH."

X. A HOLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH. 390 THE ARTICLES OF THE APOSTLES' CREED. X. "A HOLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH." Sanctam ecclesiam catholicam. Sanctorum communionem. Remissionem peccatorum. Carnis resurrectionem et vitam reternam. Amen. A holy

More information

Genesis 1:26-31; 2:4-7 English Standard Version September 16, 2018

Genesis 1:26-31; 2:4-7 English Standard Version September 16, 2018 Genesis 1:26-31; 2:4-7 English Standard Version September 16, 2018 The International Bible Lesson (Uniform Sunday School Lessons Series) for Sunday, September 16, 2018, is from Genesis 1: 26-31; 2:4-7.

More information

A Case for the Worship of the Son of God: Reflecting on the Nicene Creed. By Tami Jelinek

A Case for the Worship of the Son of God: Reflecting on the Nicene Creed. By Tami Jelinek A Case for the Worship of the Son of God: Reflecting on the Nicene Creed By Tami Jelinek What the Nicene Creed Says about Jesus and His Relationship to God the Father: First, we believe in one God, the

More information

Walking in Liberty pt4 Free to Serve. Galatians 5:13-15/ Deuteronomy 10: 12-13/ John 13:3-5;12-17

Walking in Liberty pt4 Free to Serve. Galatians 5:13-15/ Deuteronomy 10: 12-13/ John 13:3-5;12-17 Walking in Liberty pt4 Free to Serve Galatians 5:13-15/ Deuteronomy 10: 12-13/ John 13:3-5;12-17 RECAP A. Define Liberty Liberty is the state of being exempt from the dominion of others or from restricting

More information

QUESTION 65. The Work of Creating Corporeal Creatures

QUESTION 65. The Work of Creating Corporeal Creatures QUESTION 65 The Work of Creating Corporeal Creatures Now that we have considered the spiritual creature, we next have to consider the corporeal creature. In the production of corporeal creatures Scripture

More information

We Believe in God. Study Guide HOW GOD IS DIFFERENT LESSON TWO. We Believe in God by Third Millennium Ministries

We Believe in God. Study Guide HOW GOD IS DIFFERENT LESSON TWO. We Believe in God by Third Millennium Ministries 1 Study Guide LESSON TWO HOW GOD IS DIFFERENT For videos, manuscripts, and other Lesson resources, 2: How visit God Third Is Different Millennium Ministries at thirdmill.org. 2 CONTENTS HOW TO USE THIS

More information

PART V: Theological Vocabulary

PART V: Theological Vocabulary Exploring Theological English: Reading, Vocabulary, and Grammar for ESL/EFL Understanding the Reading Find each word in the text. Based on the meaning in the text, write a definition for each word. Do

More information

BELIEVE SERIES Lesson Two

BELIEVE SERIES Lesson Two The Three-in-One God Key Verses: 2 Corinthians 13:14; Romans 1:20 Key Idea: I believe in one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit Key Question: Who is God and how can we know Him? BELIEVE SERIES Lesson Two

More information