Furthermore, creation is a massive part of being human, without it we wouldn't be here. There are two versions of the creation story, Genesis 1 and 2. They both outline the steps over the six days leading up to the completion of the creating the universe. The difference between the two creation stories is that males are made before the females in Genesis 1. Psalm 139 talks about how God is always there watching over everyone, through any situation, as well as this, it talks about God and the way in which is created humans to fit his design for his creation. The phrases "I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made" and "My frame was not hidden from you" both emphasise that God is omniscient; "wonderfully" expresses this, that God has a complex mind and he made humans using this knowledge. The second phrase emphasises the point previously made about God always watching over you.
The ability to rationalize is very important when using your reason to make moral decisions. Morality in itself comes about in the human mind through development in age and experience, allowing you to make decisions rather than having an inbuilt sense of morality at birth, many atheists argue this. However the power of free will granted by God can challenge your sense of morality. St Thomas Aquinas, a Christian philosopher, believed in the link between faith and knowledge, his point was that without faith there is no knowledge which contemplates your sense of rationality, they determine each other.
OK, Katherine, some good bits, some not so good:
ReplyDelete1. The stuff in the first paragraph is excellent, but it's missing the one bit that would bring all the points you have made together, that is, that God in Godself is relational - he is Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, all in one Being, all relating to each other in the most connected way. If we created in the imago dei, i.e., in the image of this trinitarian God, then we must also be in relation all the time - with others, and with God.
2. Second paragraph makes some tantalisingly interesting points, then doesn't really explain them in much detail. For example, you mention the two versions of the Genesis creation story (man is made before woman in Genesis 2, by the way), but you don't go anywhere with that. You could have talked about religious teachings about what it means to be male, as opposed to female.
3. In your third paragraph you go off on a tangent about morality before bringing it back to Thomas Aquinas. Make sure that you stick closely to the question at all times: it asks about religious teachings about what it means to be human.
Generally speaking, make sure you stick to the question in order to check that everything you are saying is 100% relevant. Pop by the Wednesday workshop to go over this in more detail if you get the chance.