Ultimate_Reality

Ultimate Reality What is the Christian Catholic Tradition opinion on the concept of ultimate reality' All Religious traditions believe in a Supreme Being or Ultimate reality. Ultimate Reality in the Christian Catholic Tradition is known as, or referred to as God. Catholics are monotheistic, meaning they only believe in the one God. The Trinity is one of the many beliefs most common to the Catholic Church. It is through the trinity that God reveals himself in 3 dimensions, God the father and Creator, God in flesh as his son Jesus, and God as the Holy Spirit. Although there are 3 essences of God, they all equal to the one God. The Catholic Church states that God is the creator of everything, visible and invisible, spiritual and corporeal beings, such as angels and the visible world, and is the creator of man. Relationship between God and Humanity Genesis chapters 1 verse 27 and chapter 2 verses 7 & 21-23, states that God created man in his image. God created Adam, the first man, out of soil from the ground. He breathed life-giving breath into Adams nostrils and from there Adam began to live. God thought it was not suitable for man to live alone and therefore formed Eve, the first woman, out of Adams rib. God gave man the dominancy over the animals and the Earth and had provided Adam and Eve with everything. There was only one thing God had asked of them. That was for them to not eat from the tree of knowledge. In the end, man did eat from that fruit and as a punishment from God, woman were to suffer more from pregnancy and man were to work hard to produce food out of the soil. The human person was created in the image of God in the sense that he or she is capable of knowing and of loving their creator in freedom and of free will. As Christian Catholics, worshipping God and obeying his commandments is how the catholic church sees This is just one of the many relationships between God and humanity. Genesis chapters 6 to 9, reveals the story of Noah and the flood. Through this story God’s promise to humanity was portrayed as a rainbow. Deuteronomy chapters 5 to 6, shares the story of Moses receiving the 10 commandments from God. These commandments were to be used as guidelines for mankind to live by. Luke chapter 1 verses 6 to 38, reveals the announcement of Jesus’ birth. This is also the announcement of God revealing himself in flesh as his son Jesus. God reveals himself to mankind through his goodness and wisdom. The most significant appearance of God to humanity was through his son Jesus. It was through Jesus that all the sins of the world were to be forgiven. God had planned this out of loving goodness and so that people may also share the divine life as adopted “sons” in the only begotten Son of God. Relationship between Humanity and the Rest Genesis chapter 1 verse 28 states that God gave man the dominancy over the animals and the Earth. This means that as human beings, we are to become stewards and nurture and care for the Earth in which we live on, for it is a sacred and limited resource. We are also to take care of it for future generations. Thomas Berrys quoted that Earth is a sacred reality. It is a communion of subjects, not a communion of objects. Earth is the centre of everything, of our conscious, and physical being of our world. Of course, God is not out of the picture, God is the picture of Earth. Everything is for a communion relationship, not for a use relationship. With this understanding it is crucial that as responsible stewards, we take care of our planet Earth and of the animals that roam on it. As responsible stewards, not only are we to maintain a reasonable use amount of Earth resource but also our amount of meat intake. By using up just enough, there will sure to be enough for future generations. God had willed for his creations to share a bond. There is an Interdependence and a hierarchy that’s exists among the creatures, and at the same time there is also a unity and solidarity among them since they all share the same creator. They are loved by him and are ordered to his glory. Relationship between Humans Genesis chapter 1 verse 28 says that God had blessed Adam and Eve and said to them to reproduce and cover the Earth with their descendants. God had created Man and Woman in equal dignity. He had willed for them to form as one, through marriage, and reproduce children. That’s is why a man leaves his father and mother to unite with his wife, so they may become as one (Genesis chapter 2:24). In John chapter 13 verse 34, Jesus had given his disciples a new commandment. He said to them to love one another as I have loved you. If you love your neighbours, then everyone will know that you were one of Jesus’ disciples. This also works alongside the commandment of you shall not covet your neighbour’s house, wife, manservant, ox, donkey or anything that is your neighbours. The fourth commandment in the 10 commandments states, “ Honour your Father and your Mother”. As children, you owe respect, gratitude, docility and obedience to your parents. Life and Death – Life everlasting The nature and purpose of human life came from God. Catholics believe that we come from God, we live our lives orientated to God, and then we return to God.