Catholic Christian principle beliefs are outlined in the Nicene Creed, which is recited by Catholics at Mass on Sundays. This Creed are common to all mainstream Christians and their denominations. Such beliefs include the belief in One God, which is understood to be the Holy trinity of the father, Son and Holy Spirit. There is a belief that God, who was the ‘son’ became Jesus (a human being) and lived on Earth. Jesus Lived in Nazareth, preached and was put to death on a cross, then ascended to heaven, after the Resurrection to be seated at the right hand of the father. The Father then sent the spirit that Jesus had founded on Earth to the Church to be eternal.
Catholic Christianity is based on the belief that, in the end, good will triumph over evil. Catholic teaching implies that every effort needs to be made in order to overcome poverty, disease, oppression and the many other forms of suffering.
Catholics believe that there are three distinct persons, or elements to their teaching. The father, God the creator, the son, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, who gives life to all that was created to be worshipped and glorified. These three persons are referred to as the Holy Trinity.
An intensely important element of the Catholic Teaching is the acknowledgment that there is one God, and he is the creator. This fundamental element is stated in the Nicene Creed. ‘We believe in One God,
The father the Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth.
Of all that is seen and unseen”
For Catholics, there is only one God, not many Gods, and this God is all-powerful, that he created absolutely everything, whether we, as humans are able to witness it or not.
“We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
True God from true God,
Begotten, not made,
Of one being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.”
This part of the Nicene Creed goes on to state how Catholic’s teach the belief of ‘the Son’ as part of the Holy Trinity. God who is the Son is also known as Jesus Christ, Our Lord. As the Nicene Creed states that Jesus Christ the Son was begotten and not made, it is to say that he came to earth through God the Father, but always existed. He and the Father are one in being, and so Jesus Christ was God himself.
“For us and for our salvation.
He came down from heaven:
By the power of the Holy Spirit
He became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
And was made man”
The Nicene Creed goes on to explain the significance of the life of Jesus Christ and his time on earth. It states our belief that Jesus Christ, the Son of God came to earth for our salvation, which is something we had lost through our sins. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, a virgin named mary became pregnant and gave birth to the Son of God, and named him Jesus. He was born and lived in the Middle East during the first century and living like any other.
The Creed then goes on to state how Jesus lived among us as a man, preaching repentance and was rejected by many that thought his preaching was too radical. In Jesus’ early thirties, he was put to death under the orders of Pontius Pilate, and was nailed to a wooden cross on the outskirts of Jerusalem. He died and was buried. On the third day after his death he rose from the dead, which complies with what he said Scriptures. Catholics know this day as Easter Sunday. He ascended into heaven and was placed at the right hand of the father. A time will come again where the Son of God will return again to judge those still living and their sinfulness as well as the dead who may inherit eternal life through good deeds, practices and belief. The kingdom that the Son of God has created will have no end.
“We believe in the Holy Spirit,
The Lord, the Giver of Life,
Who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son
He is worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the prophets”
God, the Father, is the creator of heaven and earth and created all that exists through God the Son. God the Holy spirit then gave life to all that was created. God the Holy spirit is worshipped as much and in the same way as God the Father and God the Son. The writings written were all inspired by the Holy Spirit.
“We believe in one, holy, catholic apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
In the life of the world to come. Amen.”
This part of the Creed, the end, affirms all of the Catholic beliefs. There is a belief that the church is one, united, undivided Church, which is holy, even if it’s members are not holy themselves. The Church is apostolic because it’s teachings, rules, laws and sense of hierarchy have been handed down from the apostles. It affirms the belief that baptism starts a Catholic spiritual journey and takes away sins, as well as the forgiveness of these sins in the name of the Holy Trinity. If we have truly merited salvation in the eyes of God, Catholics will be resurrected and go forth to live in Heaven with Christ.
Catholics accept that we are all made in the image and likeness of God, and we appreciate his involvement in our world, from God’s creation, to Jesus’ time on earth and the constant activity of the Holy Spirit. Since we are all made in the image and likeness of God, it is very much the Church’s concern that human life is valued and preserved and human dignity is protected.
