CSB Sessions: Who and What God is
Many religions have different notions of who and what God is. The God of Christianity revealed himself through the prophets, and lastly through Christ. Although we cannot fully understand God, it is through his revelation that we get a glimps of who and what he is.
In this talk we will understand what it is we know about God's nature, and why we can only prove his existence, not by science, but by the intellect. We will explore some of the ways we can prove God, based on the Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas. We will try to understand how God can be three persons sharing one single divine nature. We will also tackle the age-old problem of evil and suffering in a universe of an all-good creator.
Topics
- What it is we know about God
- The evidence for God
- God's nature
- The Blessed Trinity
- The problem of evil
Schedule
| Time | Activity | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 - 12:15 | Arrival | |
| 12:15 - 12:20 | Opening Prayer | |
| 12:20 - 12:30 | Scriptural Reading and Commentary | Mark 4:35-41 |
| 12:30 - 13:45 | Interactive Talk | |
| 13:45 - 14:00 | Questions and Wrap Up | |
| 14:00 - 14:05 | Departure |
Preparations
The talk is lead by a speaker, but it is an interactive talk where your opinions will be sought in some topics. To get most out of the talk, it would be nice to prepare by reading the following:
- What do we know about God?
- How do we know there is a God?
- Why study about God? (CCC 27)
- According to St. Thomas Aquinas we can know God exists (CCC 31-38, 50)
- What is God? What can he do? What can't he do?
- What does it mean God is eternal?
- The difference of God as a being, and God as being (existence) itself (CCC 36-37, 212-213)
- The Call and Commission of Moses (Exodus 3:13-14)
- How does God identify himself? What name does he give? What does God's "name" suggest about his nature? (CCC 198, 206-207, 214)
- How can God be one and three at the same time?
- Israel has one God (Deuteronomy 4:35; 4:39; Isaiah 45:22; Mark 12:29; 1 Corinthians 8:4)
- God refers to himself in the plural (Genesis 1:26)
- Jesus and the Father are one (John 14:10, 14:14, 15:23)
- the Holy Spirit is part of the Blessed Trinity (John 16:7,16:13)
- How do we know God is a Trinity of persons? (Matthew 3:16-17, Matthew 28:19; CCC 232, 234, 237, 240, 243)
- Do each of the Persons of the Blessed Trinity have a different task?
- The dogma of the Blessed Trinity (CCC 253-256)
- If there is a God, why is there evil and suffering?
- God and suffering (CCC 310, 311, 314)
- God answer Job when he asks why he had to suffer (Job 1, 2, 3, 38, 40, 42)
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the talk cost?
There is no charge to join the sessions. However donations are welcome. Donations will be used for materials, transportation, and other expenses used in the ministry.
Do I need to prepare for the talk?
The talks are interactive in the sense that the speaker tries to draw responses from those attending. There are recommended readings listed on a section on this page entitled "Preparation". You will get more out of the talk if you read them and answer the guide questions.
Must I participate during the talk?
No. Do not feel pressured to participate if you don't want to. You can just listen if you feel more comfortable that way.
Is there anything I need to bring?
No, not really. However it would be nice to bring a Bible. We recommend the New American Bible (NAB) or New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) because we will be quoting from that. If you don't have that, any Catholic Bible will do. (We suggest the Catholic version because we might read from verses that might not be in non-Catholic Bibles. A quick way to check if you have a Catholic Bible is to see if it has the Book of Judith as part of the Old Testament.)
Another thing you might want to bring is the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
If those are too bulky, you can access them on a laptop or mobile phone as follows:
New American Bible: http://www.usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/index.cfm
Catechism of the Catholic Church: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/ccc_toc.htm
Another thing you might want to bring is the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
If those are too bulky, you can access them on a laptop or mobile phone as follows:
New American Bible: http://www.usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/index.cfm
Catechism of the Catholic Church: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/ccc_toc.htm
Do I need to be Catholic to attend?
Absolutely not. While the talks are intended to help Catholics understand their Faith, all are are very welcome to attend.. However, we must stress that this isn't an apologetics talk. The speaker will be handing down what the Church teaches; he will not try to defend it using proofs vis–à–vis different beliefs.
Location
Room A310 SDA Building, College of Saint Benilde, P. Ocampo Street, Manila, PhilippinesSpeaker Joby Provido
