the nature and purpose of religious beliefs in religious traditions generally
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Search for Meaning
 
Across time and cultures, humanity has sought to understand the why and how of existence, in the face of hopes, fears, death, survival and suffering. In this quest humans have consistently posed big questions of life, the existential questions, such as: Where did humans come from? Is there someone or something greater than us – an ultimate reality? What is the purpose of human existence? How should we live? Why do we die? Is there anything beyond death?
In response to this quest, systems of meaning and belief have evolved. These systems have offered ways of establishing meaning and purpose – not only for human existence but also for all that exists. There are beliefs about ultimate reality and the relationship that humans have with that reality. There are beliefs about the nature and purpose of human life as well as the meaning of suffering, death and afterlife. Beliefs have also attempted to explain the nature of relationships between humans, between humans and the rest of the natural world, and between humans and ultimate reality. Beliefs of this type are often designated ‘religious’.



Beliefs
Beliefs are the affirmation of truth that may be individual but are corporate in the case of a religious tradition - the convictions of a community of faithful adherents. Particular truths, or belief statements, held by communities of faith have usually emerged as part of a dynamic synthesis of faith in response to the ultimate questions of human life, perfected and refined by experience and historical circumstance. In Lonergan’s account, truth is the product of a fourfold consciousness of attentiveness, intelligence, reasonableness and responsibility. Beliefs ground the faithful in a distinct religious tradition and provide a basis for living a good life, a blueprint for relationships with the divine, human and natural worlds. To this extent a belief is distinctive for that tradition; that is, traditions may share a common belief but this belief may have a distinctive meaning for each variant within a tradition. It is this distinctiveness creates the multiplicity of religious meanings and emphasis in our world. For example, the belief in monotheism (one God) does not create the distinctiveness of Christianity but sacramentality is so emphasized in Roman Catholicism that it is significant for identifying that belief system.
Religious Traditions
A religion is a system of thought, feeling, and action that is shared by a group and that gives the members an object of devotion, a code of behavior by which individuals may judge the personal and social consequences of their actions, and a frame of reference by which individuals may relate to their group and their universe. Usually, religion concerns itself with that which transcends the known, the natural, or the expected; it is an acknowledgment of the extraordinary, the mysterious, and the supernatural. The religious consciousness generally recognizes a transcendent, sacred order and elaborates a technique to deal with the inexplicable or unpredictable elements of human experience in the world or beyond it.
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Central to any belief system are the beliefs held about ultimate reality. These in turn inform particular beliefs about human existence; about its meaning, purpose and destiny. Some traditions hold to beliefs that are said to be revealed at some time, others find truth to be a naturally occurring phenomenon within a universal system. The revealed religions include Judaism (where God revealed the Commandments to Moses), Christianity (where Christ, the Son of God, revealed the Word of the Father), and Islam (where the angel Gabriel revealed God's will to Muhammad). Some religions are non-revealed, or "natural," the result of human inquiry alone. Included among these and sometimes called philosophies of eternity are Buddhist sects (where Buddha is recognized not as a god but as an enlightened leader), Brahmanism, and Taoism and other Chinese metaphysical doctrines.

The Categories of Beliefs in the Roman Catholic Church

The Creeds of the Roman Catholic Church

Ultimate Reality


 
The Christian faith rises and falls on the profession of faith in Jesus as the son of God. Jesus refers to God as Father (abba in Aramaic). It is a central, foundational and definitive belief for all those who claim to be members of the Body of Christ, the Church. This central Christian tenant is, therefore, shared by Roman Catholics. Faith is Christ is critical to the letters of Paul and the other apostolic letter writers and is essential to the understanding of each evangelists, the gospel writers. It gives rise to Trinitarian faith in a creator, a saviour and the Spirit that flows from them.
To say that Jesus is son of God is to make a profound statement about ultimate reality. The universe is not meaningless. Following the Hebrews, Christians believe that God is responsible for the creation of the universe (Genesis 1-2:4). And that the creative word of God, Jesus in the spirit, brought order out of chaos to form all that there is. God is omnipresent (in all things), omniscient (all knowing) and omnipotent (all powerful)
God enters into a personal relationship with the creatures of creation. It is outpouring of love in the Spirit that binds and holds all in God’s safe-keeping. All creation comes from God and awaits a hope-filled return to God. This will the Parousia (the return of Jesus) and the beginning of a new heaven and a new earth.

Nature and Purpose of Human Life


Roman Catholics believe that the nature of human beings is imprinted by their creator. Human beings are created in the image of God as spirit-flesh. Humans are made is God’s image the crown of a divine creation and a called into relationship with the creator.
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them. 1.27
Humans are born into communal life of a Trinitarian God and so are essentially oriented to other people and all of creation. The purpose of human life is to know, love and serve God. Roman Catholics believe that the knowledge, love and service of God occurs most fully in the baptized community called the Church. Roman Catholics believe that human existence is social existence and that humans are sexual beings. Humans share in the creativity of the divine love. With the divine gift of sexuality, humans act as co-creators in the mystery of conception, which is the beginning of life. With God as its author, life is orientated towards relationship with the divine persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Life is about communion with the divine communion of love. It is in the love of God that we live and move and have our being.
Given freedom by the creator, the human condition is also characterized by a split, the struggle to know and do what is good. Roman Catholics believe that human beings are plagued by weakness and sin and experience themselves as limited creatures. This generates a sense of anxiety and reliance on a graced relationship of reconciliation and forgiveness with Jesus Christ.  Salvation is found in the pattern of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, known as the paschal mystery. 

Death and Afterlife


 
For Roman Catholics, death is not the end of human existence. As it says in the liturgy of the Rite of Christian Funerals: “Life is changed, not taken away.” Humans are destined for glory with God, and to find a home within God forever. Death is the separation of the body and soul that is final for the individual but finds its pattern in the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Paschal Mystery (CCCC #112), pointing to a new bodily transfigured life within the love of God. This is sometimes described as the vision of the unseen God – the beatific vision.
In the gospels this is referred to as the kingdom of God. Biblically, Roman Catholics believe in both a general and an individual judgement that follows life and determines eternal life. Roman Catholics believe that, in freedom, a person may refuse the offer of divine love and the judgement may find any human wanting. The possibility of eternal life within the communion of saints is balanced with the need for purgation – further need for the acceptance of forgiveness of sin - and even the possibility of eternal damnation, life without God.
Roman Catholics believe in resurrection of the body and life everlasting. St Paul understands Christian faith as carrying within oneself the death and resurrection of Christ. Philippians 3:10-11. Christians live and die in Christ in this life and in hope of the resurrection and the beatific vision.

The Relationship Between Humans


At the heart of the quest for human flourishing is the fundamental moral understanding of the dignity of human persons. Roman Catholics believe that a human beings are created in the image of God. Persons experience themselves as free agents of thought and action, among other human agents and in relationship with the non-human environment. The subject of inalienable rights to life, liberty, social engagement and self-expression, the person bears responsibility towards self and others for the full realisation of human potential.
Roman Catholics believe that the Kingdom of God seeks right relationship between all people. While there are many possible ways of envisaging society there are essential values that are at the heart of a Christian vision. To live the values of the kingdom -  including peace, ecumenism, reconciliation, healing, social justice and mercy - is at the core of Catholic understanding of social relationships.
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Both testaments are deeply infused with advice concerning the relationships between humans but Jesus admonition is perhaps most recalled by Christians: Love one another as I have loved you. (John 13:34) Also the beatitudes give voice to that love. In Matthew 5: 3-12 and Luke 6 beatitudes (happy are … ) are at the heart of Jesus’ preaching and they take up and fulfill the promises of the Father. They characterize authentic Christian life and point to humility, mercy, poverty, gentleness and vocation. They reveal the ultimate goal of human activity, which is eternal happiness. The beatitudes respond to the innate desire for happiness that God has placed in the human heart in order to draw all people to himself. (CCCC 360-1). They are the foundation of the social teaching of the Church.

​​The Meaning of Suffering


 
Roman Catholic believe that suffering is a participation in the mystery of Christ. St Paul says that suffering is his way of “becoming like him (Christ) in his death” so that he “may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10-11). With Saint Paul, Romans Catholics believe that through associating personal suffering with Christ, people are participating in the Passion of Christ. Because humans are being saved through the death and resurrection of Christ they participate in his Passion as a way of salvation.
This is why Paul can say in his letter to the Galatians that “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me…who loved me and gave himself up for me.” (2:20) Suffering is Christ-like. Roman Catholics believe that suffering, when united to Christ, is salvation; death now means life. “By his own passion and death he gave new meaning to our suffering which, when united with his own, can become a means of purification and of salvation for us and for others.” (CCCC # 314)
Thus, Christians see suffering as a great gift from God. It is a gift of mercy by which we are being led to repentance and eternal life. It is also a gift by which we know that God is working some great good in us. In addition, suffering is another sort of divine gift, an opportunity to give something great to God, just as Christ did in accepting His sufferings. Finally, for a Catholic, suffering is an opportunity to participate in Christ’s sufferings, sharing in the fellowship of His sufferings.

​​The Relationship Between Ultimate Reality And Humanity


 Roman Catholics believe that the dignity of the human person resides in the person's intimate relationship with God. God is a community of love who invites humanity to the banquet of love. This Trinitarian love is a constant reaching out in grace and blessing. God’s love is mediated or known through human relationships with other human beings and all of creation. The prophecy of Micah in the Hebrew asks and famously answers the question about the requirements of the relationship between God and humans. What does the Lord require of you...do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with your God? 6: 8
In Jesus Christ, Christians recognize the eternal Son and Word of God who, though divine, took our human nature and came to dwell among us. In the Christian scriptures we read that God so loved the world that he sent a son (John 3:16). He is like us in all things but sin. He shared our life and death, and was raised to glory, victorious over the powers of sin and death. As the Christmas liturgy proclaims, "In him we see the love of God made visible, and so are caught up in love of the God we cannot see."  
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In the Tradition of the Church this necessary sending of the son is the essential redemption from the state of Original sin, into which all human beings are born. This is the state of deprivation of original holiness and justice. (CCCC#76). This divine relationship matters personally to Roman Catholics. Sacramental membership of the Church through baptism takes away original sin, all personal sins and all punishment due to sin. It makes the baptized person a participant in the divine life of the Trinity through sanctifying grace, the grace of justification which incorporates one into Christ and into his Church. It gives one a share in the priesthood of Christ and it bestows the theological virtues of faith, hope and love and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. (CCCC#263).  It gives credence to directive to pray always and to call God the name that Jesus taught his followers to use in prayer – Our Father.

​The Relationship Between Human Life And The Rest Of The Natural World

 Roman Catholics believe that human interest and responsibility extends beyond the human community to include relationships with animals, environments, the earth and its atmosphere. As that part of creation endowed with self-consciousness and freedom of decision and action, human persons exercise a particular responsibility in relation to creation, its life systems, environments and resources.  This is a part of what it means to act as the image of God. It is a responsibility of all humanity and particularly for the Church with its emphasis on a divine creation. Environmental concern in Catholic thinking is essentially concern for the other. The development of environmental concern can be traced in official catholic teaching from Pope John Paul II, through Pope Benedict XVI and to Pope Francis. Catholic institutions in the western world have become accountable for their ecological footprints and have been leading contributors to the ecological movement that seeks to further its home in Christian faith.