Catechism of the Catholic Church

Part One: The Profession of Faith

Section One: "I Believe" - "You Believe"

26 We begin our profession of faith by saying: "I believe" or "We believe". Before expounding the Church's faith, as confessed in the Creed, celebrated in the liturgy and lived in observance of God's commandments and in prayer, we must first ask what "to believe" means. Faith is man's response to God, who reveals himself and gives himself to man, at the same time bringing man a superabundant light as he searches for the ultimate meaning of his life. Thus we shall consider first that search (Chapter One), then the divine Revelation by which God comes to meet man (Chapter Two), and finally the response of faith (Chapter Three).

Chapter One: Man's Capacity for God

1. The desire for God
2. Ways of coming to know God
3. The knowledge of God according to the Church
4. How can we speak about God

Chapter Two: God Comes to Meet Man

1. Article One - The revelation of God
   1. God reveals His "plan of loving goodness"
   2. The stages of revelation
      1. The Covenant with Noah
      2. God chooses Abraham
      3. God forms His people Israel
   3. Christ Jesus - "Mediator and fullness of all revelation"
      1. There will be no further revelation
2. Article Two - The transmission of Divine Revelation
   1. The apostolic Tradition
   2. The relationship between Tradition and Sacred Scripture
   3. The interpretation of the Heritage of Faith
3. Article Three - Sacred Scripture
   1. Christ - The unique word of Sacred Scripture
   2. Inspiration and truth of Sacred Scripture
   3. The Holy Spirit, Interpreter of Scripture
   4. The Canon of Scripture
   5. Sacred Scripture in the Life of the Church

Chapter Three: Man's Response to God

1. Article One - I Believe
   1. The Obedience of Faith
   2. I know whom I have Believed
   3. The Characteristics of Faith
2. Article Two - We Believe
   1. "Lord, Look upon the Faith of your Church"
   2. The Language of Faith
   3. Only One Faith
      1. The Credo