In the OT Book of Genesis (book of beginnings), there are two creation stories. The first story is a list of the 7 days of creation, and what God does in each one. The second story focuses more on human beings, so it is not as relevant.
The list of events in Genesis 1 is not what we would today call scientifically accurate – the plants are made before the sun, and all animals seem to be made on the same “day”. However, it does make some important philosophical points:
- God creates the world out of nothing (ex nihilo) – he just says “let there be…” and things are made. There is no other “stuff” to make things out of, only the power of His word.
- Also, it shows that creation was an act of decision: God willed it. It didn’t simply happen by accident, a cosmic chance against the very unlikely odds.
- Also God makes creation and sets it free, to develop and evolve itself according to the nature it has been given: “let the waters teem with living creatures”….”let them be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth”. God doesn’t make it to be controlled by Him – he gives it freedom.
Nicene Creed
A Creed is a statement of belief. The Apostle’s Creed was what the Apostles taught the first Christians to believe about God and Jesus. The Nicene Creed is a slightly more detailed version.
- About God, the Nicene Creed says “We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all that is, seen and unseen”.This teaches us that God is the Creator, and He is the only one. He made everything that there is, even non-physical and non-visible realities (like love, beauty, heaven)
- About Jesus, the Nicene Creed says “He is one being with the Father…through him all things were made”. This means that the Son was in God as Creator, and God created everything “through” His Son. God created in an outward love and understanding – the same love and understanding that He has towards himself as “Son”. Through this love and understanding, He created all that exists.
St. Aquinas
There is a reason for everything: things don’t “just happen” or pop into existence. Nothing exists because it just has to –nothing exists necessarily. Everything is contingent –everything is caused by something else, and depends on something else for its existence.
Aquinas’ argument is that ultimately, there must be a first cause, which exists necessarily, and gives being and existence to other things, and this must be God, because only God exists necessarily, of himself, and not dependent on anything else.
Aquinas thinks it is very unlikely that there could be an endless, infinite chain of causes, each depending on a previous one, in order to exist – we know from the Big Bang that even time had a beginning. So the First Cause must exist necessarily. It cannot be dependent on any other cause, but must exist of itself. We can call such a necessary Being, who is the First Cause, “God”.
St. Augustine
St. Augustine wrote a famous book called “Confessions” where he reflected about the way he had grown up, and how God had been with him, even during the times when he was sinning. In this book, he also reflects on the fact that the world exists, and how God must have made it. This is what he says about God as Creator:
“... you, O Lord... created heaven and earth but you did not make them of your own substance. If you had done so, they would have been equal to you, and equal to your only-begotten Son. What was not made of your own substance,could not be equal to you. You are good and all that you make must be good, both the great Heaven of Heavens and this little earth. You were, and besides you nothing was. From nothing (ex nihilo), then, you created heaven and earth.” (Conf.XII,7)
Book of Genesis Task:
Row 1: Write out a quote from Genesis, and explain what it tells you about how God created.
Row 2: Repeat, for a 2nd quote.
Row 3: repeat, for a 3rd quote
Nicene CreedTask:
Row 1: define what a Creed is.
Row2: Write out a quote from the Creed and explain what it tells us about God as creator.
Row3: as above, for a second quote.
St. AquinasTask:
Row 1: define “contingent”
Row 1: write out Aquinas ‘ argument (in bold)
Row 2: explain why there has to be a first cause, and why this first cause (God) has to exist necessarily.
St. AugustineTask:
Row 1: Write out a quote from the Confessions, and explain what it tells us about God as creator.
Rows 2: repeat, for a 2nd quote
Row 3: repate, for a 3rd quote
Book of Genesis Task:
Row 1: Write out a quote from Genesis, and explain what it tells you about how God created.
Row 2: Repeat, for a 2nd quote.
Row 3: repeat, for a 3rd quote
Nicene CreedTask:
Row 1: define what a Creed is.
Row 2: Write out a quote from the Creed and explain what it tells us about God as creator.
Row 3: as above, for a second quote.
St. AquinasTask:
Row 1: define “contingent”
Row 1: write out Aquinas ‘ argument (in bold)
Row 2: explain why there has to be a first cause, and why this first cause (God) has to exist necessarily.
St. AugustineTask:
Row 1: Write out a quote from the Confessions, and explain what it tells us about God as creator.
Rows 2: repeat, for a 2nd quote
Row 3: repate, for a 3rd quote