(S5-12-13)

The Creed: I believe in God

This section used in RCIA_Stuff

• “O my God, I firmly believe that you are one God

in three divine Persons, Father Son and Holy Spirit; I believe that your divine Son became man and died for our sins, And that he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church Teaches Because you have revealed them, Who can neither deceive nor be deceived.” (Act of Fatih – From the US Catholic Catechism for Adults)

references/resources

• CCC
• Fides et ratio John Paul II, (recommended)
• Bolt, Robert. A Man for All Seasons. NY: Vintage International, 1990. ACT II.
• Dulles, Avery. Newman (from Outstanding Christian Thinkers Series), NY: Continuum, 2002. p.50.
• Hahn, Scott. Reasons to Believe. NY: Doubleday, 2007. Pp 15-27.
• Pieper, Josef. Faith Hope and Love. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1997.
• Tanner, Norman P. The Councils of the Church. NY: The Crossroad Publishing Company, 2001. Pp 21-25.

Content

“I believe” Cuts to the core of our identity… “I” believe Bolt, R. Act II “I would not give in because I oppose it – I – not my in my pride, not my spleen, but I…”

What is belief? CCC (Gloss.)

Both a gift of God and a human act by which the believer gives personal adherence to God who invites his response, and freely assents to the whole truth that God has revealed. It is this revelation of God which the Church proposes for our belief, and which we profess in the Creed, celebrate in the sacraments, live by right conduct that fulfills the twofold commandment of charity (as specified in the ten commandments), and respond to in our prayer of faith. Faith is both a theological virtue given by God as grace, and an obligation which flows from the first commandment of God (26, 142, 150, 1814, 2087).

Faith as a theological virtue

Pieper – “to think a statement true and consider the stated matter real, objectively existent.” Cf. Augustine – “Belief seems to convey conviction of the statement’s truth with deep knowledge of it.”

However, experience would seem to indicate that when discussing belief we rely not only on the knowledge of the object concerned, but also on the quality of the message and messenger. (Pieper IV) “We participate in the knowledge of the knower.” (Pieper, IV.42) “Belief cannot establish its own legitimacy; it can only derive legitimacy from someone who knows the subject matter of his own accord. By virtue of contact with someone, belief is transmitted to the believer.” (Pieper 42)

Newman – the deepest point of contact between these two persons is the conscience. (Dulles p. 50 – Summary of argument from conscience) Consequently, belief demands: Freedom A personal encounter with the one whom you believe “Religious belief” is faith… the one believed…and the message are one and the same, Jesus Christ. (Pieper VI)

Faith and its relationship with reason Pieper VIII – If God expects belief, then he must be (to some degree) understandable. Hahn, 15-27 JPII, Fides et ratio (recommended)

In God the Father Almighty… (see chapter V – US Cath. Cat. for Adults)

“I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.”

Contained within the Creed Original kerygma Development of Creeds (Tanner, 21-25) Apostles at Jerusalem Councils of Nicaea, Constantinople

Cultural Applications

• Rembrandt – The Prodigal Son