The Trinity

Introduction to the Trinity

• What is Monotheism?

- the belief in and worship of only one God
- began with the covenant between God and Abraham
- grew through Abraham, Sarah and their descendants

• Catholic Christians pray "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." This may lead some to think that Catholics worship three Gods, not one.
• Catholics have always affirmed the truth that God is one.

• What is the Trinity?

- comes from the Latin Trinus, meaning "threefold"
- refers to the central mystery of the Christian faith
- Mystery - God exists as a communion of the three distinct and interrelated Divine Persons: Father, Son, Holy Spirit

• The Holy Trinity is a unique and defining trait of Chrisitan faith.
• The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that the Trinity is the Church's "most fundamental and essential teaching" (234) and the central Mystery of our faith, which only God can fully reveal to us.

Many images and analogies throughout our Church's history have tried to bring clarity to this mystery faith.
-According to legend, Saint Patrick used the Shamrock to explain the Trinity. How does the shamrock represent the Trinity?

Salvation

Text book page 110-111

Discussion Questions

1. What reasons do Christians have for being filled with hope?
Because God offers eternal life to all people, if they wish to accept it.

2. How can a Christian show that he or she hopes in a life beyond death?
Prayer, going to church etc.

3. If you have ever attended a Catholic funeral, recall the ideas that came through the service. Certainly there would have been a feeling of sadness, but did any other feelings or ideas come through to you?
Priest would talk about eternal life and how God has taken the person. Or the person has returned home.


4. Catholics often use the term heaven to refer to life after death. What do you understand by this term?
Heaven or Paradise is for me everyone's home in the end.



5. Develop an explanation of the word "heaven " for someone who does not know what the word means.

Heaven is a real place and can be known as paradise and your home when your journey on this earth ends.

God in Art

Page 102 To Know Worship and love

 Cornelis Monsma, Contemporary artist, New Zealand, Regeneration

This image could represent either people climbing/ reachin for God or how light always overcomes darkness. Or he could be spreading waves of love on all people.



 This shows that God (right hand) and Man/ Adam (left hand) are trying to connect. ie; God is reaching out however man are'nt really trying.

The Nicene Creed

Definition of a Creed

• A creed is a statement of belief, in particular a statement of faith that describes the beliefs shared by a religious community.
• For Catholics, the Nicene Creed is the most important expression of faith in the community.

The Nicene Creed;

I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
Begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from Heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate
of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the scriptures.
He ascended into Heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his Kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, Holy, Catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.



Five Themes of the Nicene Creed

• God is the creator of all that extists.

• Jesus was and is totally one with God, fully divine; of one substance (consubstantial) with the Father.

• In Jesus, God took on human flesh and lived amongst us. He was eventually executed by crucifixion, but death did not defeat him as God raised him up so that we could know that all Jesus taught us was true.

• The Holy Spirit remains with us. Guiding the Church and empowering believers not only to remember but also to live out the message of Jesus.

•  We are called to live out our faith in community, in "one holy catholic (meaning universal) and the apostolic (following in the tradition of the Apostles) Church.

Beliefs in Religion

Text book page 96

List each aspect of a Belief include a brief summary and a Christian example.

A belief in a religion is an idea which people/followers in the religion hold to be sincerely true.





1. RITUALS; Christians have the celebration of the Eucharist, Christmas, Easter and sacraments.

2. SYMBOLS; Cross (and/or) Crucifix are a powerful and meaningful symbol of Christ's Sacrifice

3. VALUES & LAWS; For Christians it is the Bible especially the Ten commandments and the New Commandment to Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul and love thy neighbour as yourself.




4. STORIES & LITERATURE; Christians have the stories and literature from the Gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke and John as well as stories about Saints, Holy people , Religious practices as well as letters, directives and written advice from church leaders.




5. SOCIAL STRUCTURE; which relates to the the religion is organised, the roles that people have in it and places for worship. example; Christians have priests, bishops, nuns and sisters, cardinals & the Pope and we tend to worship in a church, cathedral, chapel etc.




6. SACRED TEXT; The text that is the centre of the religion example; For Christians it is the Bible including the Old & New Testaments.

7. INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCE; What it means to be apart of the religion. example; Christians can pray anytime, in church, at home, school etc. Also it's how followers of the Religion get involved for example; reading at church, being part of the band/choir for the church.