IO-RE2

FUNDAMENTAL THEOLOGY
CENTER FOR RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS (CREED)
OFFICE OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS (ORA)
 PRAYER BEFORE STUDY
By St. Thomas Aquinas

Lord, true source of light and wisdom,

give me a keen sense of understanding,
a retentive memory,
and the capacity to grasp things correctly.
Grant me the grace to be accurate in my expositions
and the skills to express myself
with thoroughness and clarity.
 Be with me at the start of my work,
guide its progress and bring it to completion.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Our Father…
St. Thomas Aquinas (Pray for us.)
 ORIENTATION
•Getting to know
•Expectation Check
•House Rules
 RE COURSES
1. IO-RE 1 (Life and Works of St. Dominic &
Other Dominican Saints)
2. IO-RE2 (Fundamental Theology)
3. IO-RE3 (The Historical Church)
4. IO-RE4 (Morals and The Social Teachings
of the Church)
 COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course focuses on the basic theology of the Catholic
belief (Creed) and worship (Sacraments). It also discusses
briefly the life of Jesus (Christology) and his Mother Mary
(Mariology). This course is not a comprehensive discussion
of Catholic theology on Creed, Sacraments, Christology,
and Mariology. Rather, this course gives the students an
overview of the Catholic beliefs that influence the Catholic
practices, particularly in the country.
 COURSE OBJECTIVES
At the end of the course, the students are expected to have:
1. deepened their knowledge and understanding about the basic theology of the
Catholic creed and sacraments;
2. learned the life and works of Jesus;
3. understood the role and valued the importance of Mary in the salvation history;
4. strengthened their personal relationship with Jesus & Mary;
5. practiced their beliefs as Christians; and
6. expressed their gratitude to God for the gift of faith through active
participations in the celebration of the sacraments
 COURSE OUTLINE
Catholic belief (Creed)
Catholic worship (Sacraments)
Life of Jesus (Christology)
Mother Mary (Mariology)
Downloadable Syllabus and modules are available on CREED FB Page @UST-L CREED
 COURSE REQUIREMENTS
OPTIONS:
1. Fundamental Theology Corpus: The Thomistic Way
2. Presenting the Life & Work of Jesus using “specific” Gospel
3. Compilation of Marian Devotion in the Bicol Region (per Diocesan
devotion)
4. Simple Research: Interview of 10 to 15 Bicolano elderly (aged 60
and above) about their (Bicolano) belief on heaven, or hell, or
purgatory, or death, specific sacrament, or God, etc.
QUESTIONS
SO FAR?
 Mo d u
 
le 1
  

FUNDAMENTAL
THEOLOGY:
AN INTRODUCTION
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
In this module, the students will be able to
◦ understand the definition and description of theology, fundamental
theology, revelation, faith, creed, and sacraments;
◦ sum up the salvation history using the concept of ‘covenant’;
◦ enumerate the different contents of the Catholic faith;
◦ learn by heart the Apostles’ Creed and Nicene Creed, and
sacraments; and
◦ write a brief reflection paper regarding the importance of learning
the creed and sacraments.
 LMG Activity (Let-Me-Guess Activity)

Task 1: Write the Apostles’ Creed

Task 2: Enumerate the Sacraments of Healing
Task 3: Enumerate the Sacraments of Service
Task 4: Enumerate the Sacraments of Initiation
 Mo d u
 
le 1
  

FUNDAMENTAL
THEOLOGY:
AN INTRODUCTION
What is theology?
THEOLOGY
LOGIA
THEO “study or
“God” or “Divine
discourse”
things”
 “Theologia Deum docet, a Deo
docetur, ad Deum ducit”

Theology teaches of God, is taught by God, and leads to God

For St. Anselm (11th century monk &
archbishop),

theology is
“faith seeking
understanding”.
What is Fundamental Theology ?
It is the branch of
theology that
systematically reflects on
the foundations of
the Catholic faith.
 REVELA
  

TION
HUMA
N
FAITH
 

EXPERI
ENCE

FUNDAM
ENTAL
FIDES
THEOLO
ET GY TRANSMI
SSION
RATIO

BIBLICA
INTERPRET L
ATION INSPIRA
TION
Why?
“always be prepared to make a
defense to any one who calls you to
account for the hope that is in you, yet
do it with gentleness and reverence”
1 Peter 3:15
 GOD’S REVELATION
Revelation is the process
through which God, in His
goodness and wisdom,
makes himself known to
humanity in order to invite
them in His own company
(Dei Verbum 2).
 Humanity’s response to God’s
Revelation
By faith, human beings
completely submit their
intellect and will to God (Dei
Verbum, 5).
Sacred Scripture calls this
human response to God, the
author of revelation, “the
obedience of faith” (Rom 1:5;
16:26).
To “obey” (from Latin ob-audiere, to “hear or listen to”)
 God’s Revelation

Creation Church
(Sacraments) Experiences

Scripture
(Salvation Other
History) Religion
 a. In creation
“The heavens
declare the glory of
God, and the
firmament proclaims
His handiwork”
(Psalm 19:1)
b. In Scripture, through Salvation History
The Bible records
God’s entering into a
special covenant
relationship with His
chosen people, the
race of Abraham, the
people of Israel.
 Summary of Salvation History
Covenant Adam Noah Abraham Moses David Jesus
Mediator

Covenant Marriage Rainbow Circum- Deca- Throne Eucharist

Sign cision logue

Covenant Universal
Couple Family Tribe Nation Kingdom Family
Form (Catholic)
 c. In the Church
God continues to
reveal Himself in
His Church
(ekklesia =
“assembly of the
people”), and
through the
Sacraments
d. In Other Religions
The Church believes that even non-
Christians “who do not know the
Gospel of Christ or his Church, but seek
God with a sincere heart, and, moved
by grace, try in their actions to do His
will as they know it through the dictates
of their conscience, may achieve
eternal salvation” (Lumen Gentium, 16).
e. Personal Experiences
God continues to
reveal Himself to us
in our personal
experiences through
the inspiration and
movement of the
Holy Spirit.
 THE CONTENT AND FOCUS OF
THIS COURSE
The content of
our faith is Jesus
Christ Himself,
who is the Way,
the Truth, and
the Life (Jn 14:6).
 God’s Revelation

Faith
Contents of faith: Jesus as the…

Way Truth Life

Code Creed Cult

Articles of
Decalogue 7 Sacraments
Faith
1. THE CREEDS
The Catholic
CREED is the
“summary of faith”
or symbols of
faith”
Whoever says “I believe” says “I pledge myself to what we believe”

THE APOSTLES’ CREED
 
I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ,
his only Son, our Lord.
 He was conceived by the power of
the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand
of the Father.
He will com again to judge
the living and the dead
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
 the holy Catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.
THE NICENE CREED
 
I believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
THE CREEDS
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
In accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand
of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge
The living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of
life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and
glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and
apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for
the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
 2. THE SACRAMENTS
The Sacraments are
the efficacious SACRAMENTS CATEGORIES
1. Baptism
signs of grace, 2. Confirmation Initiation
instituted by Christ 3. Eucharist
4. Reconciliation/Confession
and entrusted to 5. Anointing of the Sick
Healing
the Church, by 6. Matrimony
Service
which divine life is 7. Holy Order
dispensed to us.
ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
1. Do you think God is still revealing himself
to us (to you)?
2. Do you have a personal experience where
God reveals something to you, like simple
decision, enlightenment, etc.?
3. What was your response to that
revelation?
 SUMMARY
 Theology is the study of God and of scientific knowledge of God and Divine things.
 Fundamental Theology is the branch of theology that systematically reflects on
the foundations of the Catholic faith.
 Revelation is the process through which God, in His goodness and wisdom, makes
himself known to humanity in order to invite them in His own company
 Faith is our belief on what we hope for. It is our response to God’s revelation to
us. Jesus, who is the Way, Truth, and Life, is the content of our faith.
 Creed is the profession of faith. We have The Apostles’ Creed and Nicene Creed.
 The Sacraments are the efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and
entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us.
 INTEGRATION
If we do not “believe” basic Catholic doctrine we certainly will
not be motivated to obey fundamental Catholic moral
principles, nor participate meaningfully in Catholic worship.
Whether because of pride, distrust, or indifferent negligence,
we will not commit ourselves to the service of others for
Christ’s sake, nor be concerned for authentic worship of the
living God revealed by Jesus Christ. Thus, rejecting belief in
God, Christ and the Church involves many evil consequences
for individuals, families, and the community at large.
 So we ask God to “help for our lack of faith”
as the only means of coming gradually to the
“truth” of ourselves, of others, and of God, in
our thoughts, our moral acts, and our prayer.
Only in Christ and the Spirit can we
perseveringly respond to the challenges of
“life in Christ” today.
Assignment:
In a ½ sheet of paper, write a brief reflection paper
answering the question:
1. (As a catholic, or as non-catholic, or as non-
Christian, or as a non-believer of God) What is the
importance of studying the Catholic creed and
sacraments?
2. What benefit shall I gain in studying this subject?
FOR NEXT MEETING…
 ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY
OPTION 1:
Revelation Experience Semi-BEC
Looking at the different ways how God reveals himself (in creation, Scripture,
Church and Sacraments, other religion, personal experiences), describe your
revelation experience/s whether they are through the creation, Scripture (Bible),
Church or Sacraments, other religions, or personal experiences.
◦ How did you experience God? Or how do you experience God?
◦ How did you respond to God’s revelation to you?
◦ What is your experience of God’s providence or love for that increased your faith to him?
◦ Rating from 1 to 10 (1 is lowest and 10 is the highest), how do you rate your faith or belief
in God? Why?
EVALUATION

Get ¼ sheet of paper.

HOMEWORK

Memorize the
Nicene Creed and
the Sacraments.
HOMEWORK
For IO-RE1 Supplement, Read the
life and work of St. Thomas
Aquinas and make a short
reflection on his important
contributions. (Short Bond Paper to be submitted next week.)
CLOSING PRAYER
13 Century Dominican Blessing
TH

May God the Father bless us.

May God the Son heal us.
May God the Holy Spirit enlighten us,
and give us eyes to see with,
ears to hear with,
hands to do the work of God with,
 feet to walk with,
a mouth to preach the word of salvation with,
and the angel of peace to watch over us and lead us
at last,
by our Lord’s gift, to the Kingdom.
Amen.

Hail Mary…
St. Dominic (pray for us)