Announcement
• We will have our class on Jan. 18 at the Soc-Science Conference Room 3 and 4.
What we will cover today?
• Road Map• Topics to be covered today– The Problem of Evil and the Unique Christian
Message– The Answer to the Problem of Evil: Jesus Christ
and the Resurrection• Debate: Is Christianity True? Yes or No?Why?
Outline of Our Course
• Understanding our Faith: Theology• What we Believe (have Faith) in: Revelation• Passing on the Faith: Scripture and Tradition• Jesus Christ: Focal Point of Our Christian Faith• Faith: Our Response
Outline of Our Course
• Understanding our Faith: Theology• What we Believe (have Faith) in: Revelation• Passing on the Faith: Scripture and Tradition• Jesus Christ: Focal Point of Our Christian Faith• Faith: Our Response
Road Map
Faith God
Jesus Christ
Existence
Knowledge
Analogy of Faith and Revelation
Reasons to believe: Christianity is TrueAuthority
Revelation
Faith
Reasons to believe: Christianity is TrueAuthority
Why? Trust• Expertise• Experience• Evidence they have seen
What we will cover today?
• Road Map• Topics to be covered today– The Problem of Evil and the Unique Christian
Message– The Answer to the Problem of Evil: Jesus Christ
and the Resurrection• Debate: Is Christianity True? Yes or No?Why?
The Problem of Evil and the Unique Christian Message
• Key Question• A Picture Story of Suffering• The Focal Point of the Christian Message:
Jesus Christ• The Unique Christian Story!! (The Chart of
Alternatives
We have come to believe in God's love: in these words the Christian can express the fundamental decision of his life. Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person (Jesus Christ), which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction. DEUS CARITAS EST 1
Benedict XVI
The Focal Point of the Christian Message: Jesus Christ
The Focal Point of the Christian Message: Jesus Christ
I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: "I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher.
The Focal Point of the Christian Message: Jesus Christ
He would either be a lunatic-on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg-or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. CS Lewis, Mere Christianity
Jesus Claims to be God
He was a Fool for He died for it!
Claims were False Claims were True
He knew his claims were False
He made a deliberate Misrepresentation
He was a liar
He was a hypocrite
He was a Demon
He did not know his claims were False
He was sincerely Deluded
He was a lunatic
He is Lord
Accept Reject
The Unique Christian Story!!
The Problem of Evil and the Unique Christian Message
Story of Faith: Healing of the Paralytic
The Answer to the Problem of Evil: Jesus Christ and the Resurrection
The Answer to the Problem of Evil: Jesus Christ and the Resurrection
Story of Faith: Healing of the Paralytic (Mar 2:1-12)
What is disturbing or inspiring about the story?
Based on the story, what are your questions about Jesus Christ?
Discussion:
Debate
• Is Christianity True? Yes or No?Why?
The End
• Mar 2:1-12 And when he returned to Caper'na-um after some days, it was reported that he was at home. (2) And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not
Story of Faith: Healing of the Paralytic (Mar 2:1-12)
• even about the door; and he was preaching the word to them. (3) And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. (4) And when they could not get near him because of the crowd,
Story of Faith: Healing of the Paralytic
• they removed the roof above him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. (5) And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven."
Story of Faith: Healing of the Paralytic
• (6) Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, (7) "Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
Story of Faith: Healing of the Paralytic
• (8) And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question thus in your hearts
Story of Faith: Healing of the Paralytic
• ? (9) Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your pallet and walk'? (10) But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins"--God, saying,
Story of Faith: Healing of the Paralytic
• "We never saw anything like this!" he said to the paralytic-- (11) "I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home." (12) And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God.
Story of Faith: Healing of the Paralytic