Nature of God- Creator God

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Give me a summary on the Christian teachings on the nature of God.
Comes from biblical revelation, he is the creator of all things, the holy one, appears as humanity’s redeemer, unchanging sovereign lord of creation, all powerful, all knowing, God of eternal love, providence, morality, grace and truth.
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Give me an anology on God as creator.
The potter and the clay. Shown creating order out of formless chaos, like a potter working clay. (Genesis 2:7, Isaiah 27, 41)
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What is creation about?
God’s control over chaos and his ordering of the universe. (Psalm 74:12-13)
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What did Gnostics believe?
Two gods. One supreme god who was the source of the spiritual world and one lesser god (creator god, demiurge) who created the physical world. Also bought into account later arguments for whether the physical world was evil and the goodness of the sp
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Were the Gnostics critics of 'God as creator'?
Yes.
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What is a Gnostic?
Person who believes in Gnostism-the belief that the material world should be shunned and the spiritual world should be embraced.
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What does 'ex nihilo' mean?
(out of nothing). There was no pre-existent matter. God is the creator of everything and therefore creation is good.
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Which council decided on the orthodox Christian postition on God as creator?
The Orthodox Christian position was consolidated at the council of Nicaea ‘maker of heaven and earth’
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What did Plato and other Greek philospers believe about creation?
Did not accept that God created the world out of nothing (ex nihilo). They saw God as an architect, who put matter of the universe into proper order, giving it definite shape and structure.
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Whats a similar view that early Christian writers took?
God constructed the universe from matieral that was often of poor quality, leading to defects and evil within the created universe.
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Who maintained that creation was 'good' (Genesis 1:31) and that it was later tainted by sin?
Irenaeus
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What did Tertullian argue?
The creation of the world was entirely down to God and its continued existence depended on God. He didn't create it because of the nature of the matter.
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What did Calvin believe?
Creation should be regarded in two ways, God's original creation, which was to be honured and affirmed, and the fallen creation, creation tainted by human sin, which should be saved and redeemed.
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Four important theological issues arise from God as creator:
1. God is not creation. 2. stewardship 3. Restoration to perfect creation. 4. Human's made in God's image.
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Elaborate on 1.
There is a difference between God as creator and creation itself. Creation is not divine. Paul warned that people should not reduce God to the level of creation and be like those who 'worshipped and served created things rather than the creator.'
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What's a bible verse to support 1.?
Romans 1:25 (quoted in previous card)
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Summary of 1-
God is distinguished from creation. God created the mound, stars and sun but they did not become gods themselves and should not be worshipped.
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Elaborate on 2.
God- authority over his creation. Humans= creation. Thus humans = stewards.
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What does it mean to be a Steward?
Creation is not just for the enjoyment of humanity- stewards hold the world in the trust of God. Deep responsibility looking after the world.
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Bible verse for 2.
Genesis 1:28 ' God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fished the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground"'
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Elaborate on 3.
God's creation is good. The world is not, as the Gnostics suggested and evil place. However creation is not perfect- because of human sin. Christian redemption suggests that world will be redeemed.
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What does Christian redemption suggest?
Christian redemption suggests that there will, at some point be a restoration and that God's purpose for his creation will eventually be fulfilled.
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Alistair McGrath quote-
'The world we see is not the world as it was intended to be, the existence of human sin, evil and death are themselves tokens of the extent of the departure of the created order from its intended pattern.
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Continued...
For this reason, most christian reflections on redemption include the idea of some kind of restoration of creation to its original integrity, in order that God's intentions for his creation might find fulfilment,'
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Elaborate on 4.
Humans are made in God's image. This means that humans are linked to God and their ultimate destiny rests in God.
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What did Augustine of Hippo remark?
'You made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you.
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What is Emanation-
The creation of the world came from the 'overflowing' of God's creative energy.
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Analogy for this -
Like light coming from the sun. Just as the light reflects the nature of the sun, so creation comes 'emanates' from God and reflects his divine nature.
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What does Emanation derive from?
Platonic idea...
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What is Construction?
God 'constructing' the universe: god has planned the universe and given it a purpose. This underlines the skill of the creator and the beauty and intricacy of the creation.
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What does this image of the builder suggest?
God made the world out of pre-existent material.
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Where does the idea come from?
The Old Testament with the imagery of god as a craftsman who constructs the world. Psalm 127:1
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What is artistic expression?
Creation the handiwork of God. A work of art and beauty that expresses the love and personality of god. This view opens up the possibility of creation out of nothing. Just as artists create their work out of nothing. Ex nihilo
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When was the world created? (General theologian view)
Creation did not happen at any particular time but time was created with the rest of created order.
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Who argued this?
Augustine of Hippo in 'Confessions'
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Augustine quote-
You have made time itself. Time could not elapse before you made time.
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Elaborate on general held view of theologians-
Eternity is timeless, but time is part of the created order.
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QUICK INSERT- what does emanation imply?
That creation was an involuntary act, whereas the bible teaches that god decided to act in the matter of creation.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Give me an anology on God as creator.

Back

The potter and the clay. Shown creating order out of formless chaos, like a potter working clay. (Genesis 2:7, Isaiah 27, 41)

Card 3

Front

What is creation about?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What did Gnostics believe?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Were the Gnostics critics of 'God as creator'?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
View more cards

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