Download DG01_We_Believe_in_One_God

We believe in One God
DOGMA-01
October 2010
Saint Mary’s Coptic Orthodox Church of Ottawa
We believe in One God
1. God vs. no God
(against Atheism)
2. One vs. Multi-gods
(against Polytheism)
3. The One God of Christianity
(the Holy Trinity)
IS THERE A
GOD ?
Is there a God?
JUST LOOK AROUND YOU!
Who made the
trees & mountains?
the fish & the sea?
Who made the butterflies?
… the flowers?
… the animals?
Beautiful !
Is this created
from a colour
explosion?
NO!
The ARTIST
carefully drew
every line!
Did we all just appear?
Did someone make us?
WHO?
Some scientists believe …
there was a BIG
… EXPLOSION billions of years ago,
and that’s how the world came into being!
That GOD did not plan the WORLD
… it was just an ACCIDENT!
LIKE A PAINT EXPLOSION
REALLY MESSY !!!
But we believe that
such beautiful things must have been
created by someone AWESOME
GOD!
1) God vs. no God
Proofs of God’s Existence are all around us
a) Human body
b) Nature
c) The Universe
“The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork.
Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard.” (Psalm 19:1-3)
a) God is manifest in the Human Body
• Circulatory System
• Immune System
• Skeletal System
• Excretory System
• Muscular System
• Endocrine System
• Digestive System
• Nervous System
• Respiratory System
Our BODY
+ Our SOUL
+ Our SPIRIT
Created by Our
Awesome God
b) God is manifest in Nature
 Plants
 Animals
 Matter and Energy
 Atmosphere, Climate, Weather Systems
 Physical Laws and Phenomenon
c) God is manifest in the Universe
 Earth & other planets rotate around the Sun
... Our Solar System
 More than one solar system forms a Galaxy
... The Milky Way
 Billions of Galaxies exist within the
observable universe
Earth ... the home we all share
Earth seems pretty big, right?
Earth compared to other planets ...
Earth is about 150 000 000 km from
the Sun (or 1 “Astronomical Unit”)
Now, let’s go beyond our Solar System ...
Antares is more than 600 Light Years away from Earth
1 LY ~ 63,000 AU ~ about 13 Trillion Km
From Earth to Antares
7,800,000,000,000,000 km
The Milky Way (our Galaxy)
100,000 Light Years
Now, let’s go beyond the Milky Way ...
Red Regions correspond to Galaxies
Billions of Galaxies are estimated in
the Observable Universe
What about the Non-Observable Galaxies that are
not yet discovered?
WHO IS MANAGING ALL OF THESE SYSTEMS?
GOD
ALMIGHTY!
“The fool has said in his heart, there is no
God." (Psalm 14:1)
1) God Exists (our response to Atheism)
God, the Almighty Creator ...
 Created our Human Body
 Created Nature
 Created the Universe
“We believe in one God, God the Father, the Pantocrator, who
created all things seen and unseen.” (Orthodox Creed)
2) God is One (our response to polyeism)
 Christian belief: God has to be One
 Some other religions believe in polyeism (multi-gods)
 Hinduism, Buddhism, Ancient Greek religions
 The Holy Bible clearly emphasizes the One God
“O You, who art, who were, and who abides forever ...
It is fitting indeed, and right, that we praiseYou, blessYou, serveYou, worship
You, and glorifyYou; the one, only, true God, the Lover of Mankind,
Unutterable, invisible, infinite, without beginning; everlasting, timeless,
immeasurable, incomprehensible, unchangeable Creator of all; Saviour of
everyone.” (St. Gregory’s Liturgy)
3) The One God of Christianity
 God is Spirit
 God is Infinitely Perfect
 God and His Perfections are one
 God is the source of all goodness
 God is Love, Light, Truth, Righteousness, ...
 God is Personal
 God is Trinitarian (we worship the Holy Trinity)
“The love of God the Father and the grace of His only-begotten
Son, our Lord, God, and Saviour Jesus Christ, and the
communion and the gift of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.”
(St. Gregory’s Liturgy)