Topic: Faith & Revelation Notes



Topic: Faith & Revelation Notes

Faith and Revelation study outline 

Sacred Scripture

• literal translation:  “Holy Writing”

• A written history of God and God’s people, originally handed down by way of oral tradition.

• Scripture contains unique life stories about everyday people like us.

o Genesis – new birth, beginning or new idea

o The creation stories in Genesis tell us we are “called into being” by God who loves us and wants to be in relationship with us.

o We are gifted and uniquely created in God’s image.

• Our own unique life story is sacred scripture.

• Sacred Scripture is the holy writings of God’s people. 

For Christians and Jews:The Bible   Hindus:The Vedas   Muslims:The Koran

Metaphor

• A means of expression that tries to describe a trait or characteristic of a person or thing. 

• Because  God is not human, we use metaphor to describe our perception and experience of God.

Revelation

• God’s self disclosure.  God making God’s self known to us.

• Holy Trinity who is one God, three persons, sharing one nature.

• Culture and society both impact our perception of God’s revelation.

Faith

• Trusting and believing in God

• A gift given to us at our creation, available to all humans.

• Involves both trust and belief, which are compatible and inseparable.

• Begins as God invites and we respond. Our religion can be defined as the expression of our faith

• A response can’t be forced from us; it is an act of free will.

• Faith is a continual, ongoing interaction between God and us, occurring throughout our lifetimes.

• Does not guarantee us a trouble free life, but promises God’s presence in our sufferings and struggles.

• Faith tells us that if we hang in there and continue to believe that perhaps some good can eventually come from our suffering.

Agnostic – A person who is unsure of the existence of God.

Atheist – A person who denies the existence of God.

Sacred Mystery – The belief in some kind of power beyond us.

• Sacred Mystery is revealed in and throughout our Salvation History.

Salvation History – The story of God and God’s people.       

We come to know God through:

Signs of God’s Existence (The Sacred Mystery)

• Human Reason – Using intelligence, intellect and reason to come to an understanding of God’s presence.

• Sacred Scripture – God’s presence throughout human history is our Salvation History.

• The experience of Nature – Finding God in the immense beauty of all creation.

• The experience of ourselves and others as humans – the holy presence of another points us to the spiritual beginnings of humanity.

• Loving and being Loved – a basic fundamental human need.  Puts us in touch with the awesome love God has for us.

Ultimately, our faith response is a choice, when freely given, brings us into a lifelong relationship with our Creator.

Assigned Readings:

In your Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth:  pgs. 20-25,32-37,40-51.

 

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