Pointers to Review : Theology 1

Our Catholic Identity:

The word Catholic is come from the Greek Adjective “katholikos” meaning “universal or according
to the whole”. In the context of the Catholic Church the term “Catholic” refers to the belief of the
that the Church is universal and encompasses believers from all nations, cultures, and all walks
of life. It has its mission to spread the Gospel to all humanity.
4 Pillars of Catechism.
Profession of Faith- It is the truths of our Catholic faith. It is what we believe in, In the Apostle’s
Creed we always the phrase “I believe” because it signify that we believe in the 12 articles written in
the Apostle’s Creed.
Celebration of the Christian Mysteries – In this pillar we celebrate and express our faith through
the Sacraments, Traditions, and the celebration of the Liturgy (Holy Mass – who also considered
as the source and summit of Christian life, also considered as the highest form of prayer).
Jesus Christ instituted the sacraments (Baptism, Holy Communion, Confirmation,
Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Marriage and Holy Order) and later spread by his apostles,
especially Peter who was appointed as the head of the Church the leader in spreading the
Roman Catholicism we known today.
Life in Christ- This pillar emphasized the importance of following and living the commandments of
God, Through this commandments who serve as our ethical compass (direction) in living the
moral life that God’s want us to be. Moral life in a way that we choose to show humility and act of
selfless love among others.
Christian Prayer- This emphasized our way of praying ang worshipping God, though we had
different practices still the bottom line is that we are all praying. Through the help of prayers we put
our full trust and confidence for the intentions we are offering.
WHAT CATHOLICS BELIEVE:
We believe that there is one God who create and source of everything. God creations is the living
proof of his unconditional love for us. All the things that existed is for the benefit and use of MAN.
(who consider as the greatest among the creations)
God the Father is the first person in the Holy Trinity, who creates all the things visible and invisible.
God the Son is Jesus Christ who was the second person in the Holy Trinity, who is the who fulfill
what is written the Sacred Scripture (Bible), who saves us from sins and promise the eternal life
on him in heaven.
God the Holy Spirit who was the third person in the Holy Trinity, who was the giver of life to the
man and to his Church, by the gifts of the spirit, it serves as our guidance and represents the
actual presence of God in the life of his all believers.
The Existence of the Holy Trinity- Catholics believe in the existence of the HOLY TRINITY. That there
is one God in three persons, Christians believe that God is one being who exists as three persons,
each of whom fully possess the divine nature. Christians are not unitarians but trinitarians. They
believe that because there is only one God, and the Bible shows that the Father is God, the Son is
God, and the Holy Spirit is God, this means the one God must be three persons. Matthew 28:19 hints
at this reality when it says that Jesus commanded baptism in the name (not names) of the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, God is one being that exists as a Trinity of three coequal,
coeternal divine persons

The Bible is inspired word of God and “error-free”- Since God cannot make any mistake, the
Sacred Scripture cannot contain any error. It requires us the deeper understanding to look for the
two sides, or the bigger picture of it contains.
The Bible is divided into two parts, Old Testaments contains 46 Books, while New Testament
contains 27 Books, when added there is 73 Books in total according to the Catechism of the
Catholic Church.
 Baptism, the first sacraments that all Christian and follower of Jesus Christ received.
Baptism takes away sin, unites us with Christ, and makes us members of his body, the Church.
Infants must be baptized because they are born with original sin. Baptism is the ordinary means
by which God removes original sin and makes us his adopted children. Jesus didn’t say
baptism merely showed other people we were Christians. Instead, Jesus declared that, “Unless
one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). St. Peter told
a crowd in Jerusalem, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you . . . for the forgiveness of your
sins” (Acts 2:38), and in his own letter to the entire Church Peter said that “baptism . . . now saves
you” (1 Pet. 3:21). Before Jesus’ earthly ministry, a prophet named John the Baptist called people
to give up their sins and faithfully worship the one, true God. John’s baptism didn’t take away sin,
but rather showed that a person was sorry for his sins.
1. PERSONAL VERSUS ORIGINAL SIN, But if baptism washes away sin, and babies don’t
commit any sins, then why do Catholics bother to baptize babies? The reason is that along
with personal sin, or acts of wrongdoing that violate God’s law, there is another kind of sin
we all have—original sin.
WHAT IS SIN?
• Original sin: An inherited absence of God’s grace that inclines us to sin and suffer death
(CCC 403-404).
• Personal sin: Choosing to do evil that violates God’s eternal law, or failing to do good (CCC
1849-1850). Unlike personal sin, original sin is not an evil thing we’ve done but an absence
of God’s grace in our souls.
Baptism “removes” original sin by filling our souls with the love and life of God, or grace.
The Commandments- This are the laws that that serves as our moral compass (direction) to live
our life more meaningful and in accordance of God’s wants us to be. Following this commandments
will help us to deepen our faith relationship to him but also knowing to serve others with
unconditional love, mercy and compassion. An ethical standard requires a lot of sacrifice, faith and
trust.
Sign of the Cross – A sacred gesture we do to profess our belief in the Holy Trinity, considered
also as our mark of discipleship. In making the the sign of the cross we express our willingness to
carry our own cross and follow Jesus Christ.
The CREED – Creed comes from the Latin word “credo” means “ I believe” – for Catholic
Christians the creed is the formal set of doctrines, statements that summarize our faith.
Consisting of 12 articles to summarize and profess our faith. It highlights the events from Old
testaments and fulfill of what is written in the New Testament in which Jesus Christ is present.
1. We believe that God the Father who create everything
2. We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God
3. That Jesus is a real person and his mother was Blessed Virgin Mary (blessed among all the
creation, who remain pure until her last day on earth)
4. That Jesus Christ accepted the prophecy written in the bible, in which he accepted pain,
suffering and death.
5. We believe that he died on the cross and on the third day he will rose again.
6. That he ascended into heaven and seated at the right hand of of his Father.
7. That after Jesus will comeback to judge us even the dead.
8. That Holy Spirit is God and having this is a gift.
9. That we believe in the Catholic Church,.
10. That all people can be forgiven
11. That one can be resurrected from the death.
12. That we all have everlasting life with God on his Kingdom.

FAITH- RELIGION- BELIEF

Faith- refers to the human response to God’s revelation, it is a gift from God who was given
because we have to find its own meaning, reason and purpose. Our faith is just like plants for it to
become tree it needs to grow, not on his own but with the help the owner who waters it every day. It
has to have movement for us to develop and experience the real presence and love of God.
Religion- refers to the set of practices followed for those who believe in God, comes from the Latin
word “religio” means respect for anything sacred or holy. Through religion we express and apply our
faith to other people.
Belief- Considered as the mental act or state of mind placing a full trust and confidence to our
faith and religion.
Religious practices without faith are nothing, and without our religion we cannot express our
faith, they are just like coin who need each other, to complete each other.

GOD’S REVELATION
Revelation – means that we unveil something hidden, or it is described as the process by God
manifests and communicates with us his Divine Self and will for our salvation, example of this
are the miracles that saints profess, apparitions (pagpapakita) of the Virgin Mary.

Natural Revelation
- Refers to God’s way of revealing himself through the creation of our natural world. This
form of revelation is through reasons and senses about the things that are visible in our
eyes proves that God Exists. A form of revelation that accessible to all regardless of the things
we believe it is also not rely on the sacred text or religious teachings.
Divine Revelation
- A revelation of God that he directs us to communicate His will for our salvation, through
the help of the sacred scripture (bible) and the tradition. It manifests the life,death and
teachings of Jesus Christ who is the fullness and the ultimate highlight of God’s
revelation. Unlike the natural revelation, divine revelation requires a strong faith for it to
be fully understand and accept. Natural revelation cannot comprehend the mysteries of
the Holy Trinity and salvation.