Catholic Christanity Flashcards
Nature of God (Cool)
Creator, ominpotent, omnibenevolent and law giver
Creator
God created the world from ex-nihilo (from nothing) and continues to sustain it
Omnipotent
God is all-powerful. Shown in Genesis when he created the world
Omnibenevolent
God is all-loving. Catholics believe that God is all-loving as he created humans in his image (imago dei)
Law Giver
God has given commands for Catholics to live a moral life. These divine commands are found in the Bible e.g. 10 commandments given to Moses on Mount Sinai told in Exodus
Key beliefs about Jesus (TIMSAWRE)
Trinity, Incarnation, Messiah, Salvation, Atonement, Word Of God, Resurrection and Eternal Life
Trinty
Catholics believe that Jesus is the second person in the Holy Trinity, God the son
Incarnation
Jesus is the incarnation. Means becoming flesh. God became man through Jesus to allow salvation
Messiah
Jesus is the messiah. Means the annointed one. Jesus revealed he was the messiah through his miracles e.g. turning water into wine
Salvation
Jesus’ crucifixion allowed salvation. Jesus dying on the cross on Good Friday saved us from sin. The barrier of sin was destroyed as shown by the curtain in the temply dividing into 2.
Atonement
Jesus’ death allowed the relationship between God and humans to be restored (at one)
Word Of God
Jesus is the word of God. Jesus spread the word of God through parables such as the Good Samiritan which teaches agape
Resurrection
Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday told in all 4 gospels
Eternal Life
Jesus is eternal which means that he will live forever. At the ascension Jesus rose into Heaven to prepare a place for us and that he will come again at the end of time to judge us. Taught in the parable of the Sheep and the Goat
Holy Trinity
Belief that one God has revealed himself in 3 divine forms; God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy spirit
God the Father
God is omnipotent, omniscience, omnipresent and omnibenevolent. Creator of all things from ex nihilo, is loving as shown in the Parable of the Good Samiritan and forgiving as shown in the Parable of the Prodigal Son
God the Son
God the son is Jesus Christ. (TIMSAWRE)
God the Holy Spirit
Power of God on Earth. Jesus promised to send the holy spirit on pentecost. At pentecost the Holy Spirit in the form of fire empowered the disciples to speak different languages and were sent out to spread the Good news. The Virgin Birth was possible through the Holy Spirit
St Augustine
Taught that all divine forms of God are equal and that no one part is greater than the other
Key events in Jesus’ life
Birth, Death, Resurrection and Ascension
Jesus’ Birth
Bethlehem. Told in Matthew and Luke’s Gospel.
Matthew’s Gospel: Magi (wise men) visited Jesus and brought Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.
Luke’s Gosepl: An angel appeared to the shepherds and they visited Jesus
Important: Birth of the messiah and incarnation. His birth fulfilled Isiaiah’s prophecy that the messiah would be born of a virgin. He needed to be born for our salavtion and to allow other significant events to happen
Jesus’ Death
Jerusalem on Good Friday. Told in all 4 gospels.
Jesus was tried before Pontius Pilate and was whipped, stripped and forced to wear a crown of thorn. He had to carry the cross and he fell 3 times. He was nailed to the cross infront of his mother and between 2 criminals. When he died the curtain tore into 2 and a Roman centurion said ‘This man truly was the Son of God’
Important: His death allowed salvation. His death was an act of atonement. Jesus was born to die for us and he needed to die to resurrect to show there is eternal life.
Jesus’ resurrection
Jerusalem. Told in all 4 gospels
Mark’s gospel: Mary Magdalene and Salome brought spices to annoint Jesus’ body. The stone had been rolled away and they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting ‘Don’t be alarmed, Jesus has risen, go tell his disciples’. They left but didnt say anything to anyone as they were afraid.
Important: Proof that Jesus was God as no ordinary person could rise from the dead. Jesus said ‘I am the resurrection and life’. Showed that there is eternal life in Heaven.
Jesus’ Ascension
Bethany. Told in Acts.
In front of his disciples Jesus was taken up in a cloud into Heaven.
Important: Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit and this promise was fulfilled at Pentecost. Jesus ascended to prepare a place for us in Heaven
Morality
Morality are principles that determine what is right and wrong. Jesus taught his followers to be moral through his actions, teachings and parables. Jesus taught morality through love, forgiveness, wealth and the afterlife.
Love
‘Love thy neighbour’ ‘Love one another’ ‘Love your enemy’. He taught the golden rule ‘Treat others how you would like to be treated’. Parables on love like Good Samiritan and the Sheep and the Goat
Forgiveness
‘Forgive 70 x 7’ Our father teaches ‘forgive those who trespass against us’. Parables on forgiveness like Prodigal Son
Wealth
‘Do not store riches on Earth’ as treasures on Earth are temporary and spiritual treasures are important. Parables like Rich Man and Lazarus
Afterlife
Jesus taught that if we are moral we can be rewarded in Heaven. Parables like Sheep and Goat whereby a person will be judged at the end of time by Jesus.
Social role and mission of the Church
Refers to the Church’s role in society. Catholics can ‘live the mass’ by (SHEEPS) Sheep and Goats, Helping charities/organisations, Evangelisation, Equality, Protecting the vulnerable and Stewardship
Sheep and Goats
Parable that encourages Catholics support everyone including the poor and vulnerable
Helping charities/organisations
Supporting the work of Missio created in 1922 to tackle poverty, discrimination and to raise money for those in need
Evangelisation
Church’s mission is to carry out and continue the work of Jesus on Earth. Missionaries are Catholics who devote their life to evangelising this is where they will spread the Word of God and encourage people to become Christian
Equality
Discouraging discrimination and prejudice as ‘For you are all one in Jesus Christ’. Promoting human rights and dignity.
Protecting the vulnerable
Catholics should support charities that work for social justice like CARJ, CAFOD, SVP and Christian Aid. All these charites support human rights
Stewardship
Look after the world and it is encouraged in Genesis. Catholics should respect the world in their community and can do this by recycling
How do Catholics make decisions to be a moral person?
Ethical Decision Making
Divine Command Theory
Belief that the actions are right if God commands them to be. These divine commands are found in the Bible such as the 10 commandments and Jesus’ teachings. It is an absolutist theory which means it cannot be changed. It is a deontological theory as it focuses on the action e.g. murder will always be wrong because of the command ‘Thou shall not kill’. Therefore, the Church has an absolutist approach towards euthanasia and abortion. It is important to follow these divine commands as they could be rewarded with eternal life.
Situation Ethics
Looks at the situation before deciding what to do. Developed by Joseph Fletcher who argued that any action can take place as long as agape is the priority e.g. murder can be allowed if it is the most loving action. It is teleological theory because it focsuses on the purpose rather than action and it is a relative theory as it looks at the situation e.g. a Catholic who follows this theory may allow an abortion if the woman had been raped.
Virtue Ethics
A person should develop virtues to be a moral person. Thomas Aquinas taught that there are 4 cardinal virtues; prudence, temperance, justice and fortitude. He taught that there are 3 theological virtues which are faith, hope and charity
Interfaith Dialogue
Communication between faiths to promote positive relationships (The Interfaith Council of Wales). They will raise awareness, discourage discrimination, persecution and prejudice and promote human rights.
Role of the Church- Mass
Role of the Church includes the social role and mission of the Church (Sheeps).
What happens in Mass: Divided into 2 parts; Liturgy of the Word and Liturgy of the Eucharist. Begins with the sign of the cross and the penitential rite which is where Christians ask for forgiveness. Liturgy of the Word has 3 readings (Old and New Testaments and Gospel). Next the homily where the priest explains the meaning of the readings. The creed is said reinforcing their belief in the Holy Trinity. Bidding prayers for the community and Hail Mary said. Liturgy of the Eucharist begins with the offetory where gifts of bread and wine are brought to the altar to be consecrated. The Eucharistic prayer and consecration is then completed by the priest who will repeat Jesus’ words from the Last Supper ‘This is my body which will be given for you’. Transubstantiation takes place and Jesus’ body and blood is then received in the Communion Rite. At the end of the Mass, the priest will say ‘Go forth the Mass has ended’.
Key beliefs and importance: Mass is a sacrifice as Jesus’ sacrifice is renewed during Mass through transubstantiation. Jesus is present in the mass in the gathering of the people, in the priest, in the Word of God and in the Eucharist. Mass is a sacrament. Remembers the Last Supper. Mass is a collective form of worship and Jesus taught ‘Where two or more gather in my name, I am with them’
It is impossible to love everyone (15)
Agree- We aren’t omnibenevolent like God so it is hard to love everyone. Hard for a person to ‘love their enemy’ especially if the commited mortal sin against like murder. When made in Imago Dei we were given free will so we may use to choose not to love people we don’t like
Disagree- Jesus showed agape especially to socail outcasts like tax collectors so we should try to mirror his examples as he is the incarnation. Jesus taght that it is important to love everyone through ‘love your enemy’ and the Good Samaritan. Given free will so we should use it to try and love everyone.
It is easy to be a moral person (15)
Agree- Jesus taught to be a moral person through parables like the Good Samaritan that teach we should be moral by showing agape. Jesus modelled his disciples how to be a moral person and we should follow that e.g. ‘love your enemy’ and by doing this you can be rewarded with spiritual treasures in Heaven.
Morality is encouraged by the Magisterium e.g. Pope Francis’ Laudato Si encourages us to show stewardship
Disagree- We aren’t omnibenevolent and can be difficult to love everyone and be moral towards them. Hard to act moral towards your enemy especially if they commited mortal sin against you. Made in Imago Dei we were given free will and may misuse it and not be a moral person. We’re born with original sin due to Adam and Eve so we might give into temptation and not listen to our conscience
Catholics should always follow Divine Command Theory (15)
Agree- Catholics believe that if you follow God’s Divine Commands you can be rewarded with eternal life in Heaven. Jesus taught that by following his teachings a person can recieve spiritual rewards in heaven taught in Sheep and Goat.
Following God’s divine commands encourages a person to bw moral e.g. by not murdering. DCT is an absolutist theory so this should prevent bias decisions and can be seen as easy to follow as the commands are clear in the Bible.
Disagree- Does not consider the situation so people may prefer to follow Situation Ethics as it is still influenced by Jesus’ teachings on love and allows flexibility. Humans given free will and may use it to decide whether or not to follow DCT. DCT may be hard to always follow e.g. euthanasia would go against ‘thou shall not kill’ and sancitity of life but it could be seen as going against agape to force someone to stay alive with a poor qualitity of life. Some Christians may choose to follow virtue ethics which focuses on developing virtues which Jesus encouraged this is because this theory focuses on becoming a moral person rather than a specific situation.
It is important to store treasures on Earth (15)
Agree- Church teaches that we should use our wealth to support the common good, social justice and human rights, catholics can do this by using their wealth to support charities like CAFOD. Jesus taught to use our wealth to help others (parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus) and ‘do not store riches on Earth’. Catholics are selfish with their wealth then they can be judged and punished in the afterlife. Jesus taught to show agape and love our neighbour so we should not be selfish and store treasures on Earth.
Disagree- Humans made in imago dei so have free will and that it is up to us how we use our wealth e.g. if a people is in poverty they may have no choice but to be selfish with any basic needs they can acquire. If you have acquired your wealth through hard work and moral means then they may believe they deserve to spend their wealth on what they want.
