Origin and Meaning

Belief

• God is creator of the universe and everything in it

• God created the Universe out of nothing

Evidence

• Bible- word of God, Genesis 1:1 ("God created the heavens and the Earth")

• St Thomas Aquinas- must be logical beginning, transcendant God most probable explanation

• St Thomas Aquinas- order of universe evidence of God, ordering force

• Niscene Creed- "creator of heven and Earth", core teaching

Augustine

• bishop in North Africa

• around 4th/5th century

• living in times of great upheaval

• influential ideas about sin and human failing

• The Confessions

What he says in The Confessions

• God is omniscient (all knowing and wise)

• God did not create anything from himself as it would be of equal value to him

• God is good and everything he creates is good

• only God remains superior to his creation

What is theology?

• literally means "God words" or "God talk"

• involves study of God

• study of all things to do with God

• study of God's relationship with us

3 Legged Stool

• sacred tradition- lived experience of being a follower of Christ

• sacred scripture- teachings of Jesus as the revalation of God

• magesterium- teaching authority of the leaders of the church

Origins of the Bible

• spoken- initially just spoken as not many people could read or write

• written- written around 1000 BC, gospels written later (eye witnesses were dying out

• collected- collected together in 383 AD, organized into OT and NT