Catholicism: Sources of Wisdom and Authority Flashcards
What is the Old Testament ?
- Jewish Tenakh
- Pentateuch/Books of Moses
- 613 mitzvot
- history of Jews
- prophets (messages from God about the future)
- writings (told stories + educated about God’s nature, reality and virtue)
What is the New Testament ?
- access to testimony, witnessed life and teachings of Jesus
- new covenant with humanity through Jesus
- gospels (Mark, John, Luke, Matthew); reflect authors’ properties and retell Jesus’ life and experiences
- 21 formal letters (challenges of the congregation + reminders to focus on life + teachings of Jesus)
- book of revelation (apocalyptic)
What does canonical mean ?
parts of the Bible approved by the Catholic Church
What does deuterocanonical mean ?
approved later additions to the Bible
What does the CCC refer to the gospels as (quote) ?
the “heart of all scriptures”
“if every one of them [things that Jesus did] were written down… the world itself could not contain the books that would be written
John 21:25
What is the difference between the contents of the Catholic Bible and that of Protestants (specifically some Orthodox denominations) ?
- Catholic Bible = deuterocanonical books
- Protestant Bible = Catholic without the deuterocanonical books as many were deleted during the Reformation
- Eastern Orthodox Bible = additional scriptures, deuterocanonical books, order of books differ
What does the CCC say about the Catholic interpretation of the Bible ?
“Its books are divinely inspired”
What is the inspired interpretation of the Bible ?
- Catholics belong to this group
- Bible = God’s message in human words (HS inspired human authors)
- there is spiritual and real truth, but not every word is literal
- Bible is not a science or history book, so no problem w/believing in scientific theories for the creation of the world/universe alongside faith
- Bible is viewed under a modern lens and understood as a document of the time by the CCC
What is the literal interpretation of the Bible ?
- Bible is inerrant
- if the Bible contradicts itself, there is a reason
- if contradicts science, science is wrong
- all moral guidance is universal and applicable
- Bible contains spiritual and literal truths
What is the liberal interpretation of the Bible ?
- only contains spiritual truths
- some parts irrelevant or outdated
- symbolism and poetry
- is human interpretation of God written to get closer to Him
What does the CCC say about referring to some parts of the Bible as irrelevant ?
“ignorance of the scriptures is ignorance of Christ.”
What is the lectionary ?
selection of readings for Mass
Why do Catholics read the Bible outside of Mass ?
- personal devotion
- reflection/meditation
- joy
- to understand the scriptures more fully
- to consult in times of distress/confusion
What is the role of a parish priest ?
- emotional and spiritual care for a parish
- lead Mass and administer sacraments
What is the role of a bishop ?
- responsible for diocese + priests/deacons/laity within it
- administer the sacrament of Holy Orders
What is the role of an archbishop ?
in charge of archdiocese
What is the role of a cardinal ?
- college of bishops nominated by the Pope
- elect future popes
- head of the department of Curia (official Church work)
What is the role of the Pope ?
- head of Catholic Church
- bishop of Rome
- head of magisterium
- guides and is an authority to Catholics
- appoints bishops
- successor of St Peter (apostolic succession)
What is the magisterium ?
- Pope + all bishops
- Jesus gave authority to teach/preach to apostles, now called magisterium
- teachings from Pope = pontifical teachings
- extraordinary ecumenical council = conciliar
What are the two types of magisterium ?
- ordinary
[] everyday teachings of Church found in sayings + writings of bishops + popes
[] ordinary + universal magisterium = infallible + has complete authority - extraordinary
[] infallible Church teachings on special matters
[] can come from either a conciliar or can be pontifical (declaration of the Pope ex cathedra (w/St Peter’s authority)
What are two examples of pontifical documents ?
- Immaculate Conception
- Assumption of Mary
What does the CCC say about the authority of the magisterium (quote) ?
“the task of interpreting [the Bible]… entrusted solely to the magisterium of the Church”
What is apostolic tradition ?
- oral teachings of the apostles
- “hold to the traditions which you were taught”
Why is the magisterium important for Catholics ?
- supreme Catholic authority
- continue to live by and believe religious truth
- interpret the Bible and give its applications to modern day life
What was the second Vatican Council ?
- 21st ecumenical council
- produced 16 documents (4 constitutions, 3 declarations, 9 decrees)
What is Sacrosanctum Concilium ?
- constitution liturgy
- focused on reform of church services to ensure more laity participation
- permission for Mass to be in local language
- congregation allowed to receive Eucharist in both forms (bread + wine)
- revision of lectionary to include more readings
What is Lumen Gentium ?
- dogmatic constitution
- focused on the Catholic beliefs about the Church
- salvation for non-Christians and atheists suggested
- encouraged collegiality among bishops
- reminded that all are members of the priesthood of the faithful and there is a universal call to holiness
- discussed Mary’s role
- importance of ordinary Catholics
What is Dei Verbum ?
- constitution of divine revelation
- focused on the relationship between tradition and the Bible
- Word of God = Jesus
- Bible and tradition equally important
- Bible is inspired word of God
- highlighted Gospels as important because of the revelation in Jesus
What is Gaudium et Spes ?
- church in the modern world
- humanity’s relationship to society (economy, poverty, social justice, culture, science, technology, ecumenism
- highlighted impact of modern science and technology + the danger of losing human dignity in the modern world
- reflected the importance of talking with atheists and other Christian denominations
What is the Body of Christ (explanation + 2 quotes) ?
- “The Church is the Body of Christ.” - CCC
- baptism makes people members of the BOC
- for Protestants, the BOC is all humans, not just the Church as in Catholicism
- “For as in one body, we have many members… are one body in Christ,”
How do the laity work to serve each other and the Earth ?
- all baptised and confirmed
- live out vocations to evangelise and follow Christ in different ways
How do the clergy work to serve each other and the Earth ?
- lay down their lives for service of others
- build the kingdom of God by evangelising and running parishes/dioceses
- lead public worship + administer sacraments
- act in “persona Christi”
How do the religious (monks, nuns etc.) work to serve each other and the Earth ?
- commit to lives of poverty, chastity and obedience
- evangelical counsels
- seek solitude to free themselves from distractions from God
- live, pray and minister with the world
- actions called active/apostolic as they bring the Gospels to life
What are the four marks of the Church ?
- one
- holy
- catholic
- apostolic
How is the Church one ?
- source (Trinity) is one
- reconciliation of all humanity through Jesus
- “soul” unites faithful according to CCC 813
- sacraments also unite the Church
- important because reminds all Christians are part of the BOC, Vatican III places duty to work for unity among all humans
How is the Church holy ?
- Jesus is source of all holiness
- teaching prayer/worship = visible sign of holiness
- remind catholics of special life purposes
- important because the Church provides access to holiness through prayer and sacraments
How is the Church apostolic ?
- apostolic succession of authority
- some protestant denominations believe apostolic connection is through commitments, beliefs and mission
- important as magisterium guides Catholics on modern day issues in the light of the Bible and Apostolic Tradition
- duty to preserve, teach, defend and pass on faith continuing in the tradition of the apostles
How is the Church Catholic ?
- catholic = universal
- care for and evangelise everyone
- important as gives evidence of the Catholic Church’s unchanging nature, so the universal catholic community are still deeply connected
What is special about Mary’s role in the Church according to the CCC ?
“Mary’s role in the Church is inseparable from her union with Christ and flows directly from it.”
How is Mary a model of the Church ?
- joined w/Jesus
- models discipleship
- models faith + charity
How is Mary joined to Jesus ?
- many doctrines concerning Mary concern Jesus also (like immaculate conception)
- called the mother of the Church as is the mother of Christ and Church is BOC
- still needed to accept God’s gift of Jesus despite being destined to carry him, showing her dedication to her son
How is Mary a model of discipleship ?
- had faith in Jesus even before his birth
- “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord”
- “Her complete adherence to the father’s will” - CCC
How is Mary a model of faith and charity ?
- young + unmarried; risked death and ostracization by carrying Jesus
- faith shown by accepting that she would carry Jesus, and also obeying the command in Joseph’s dream to flee to Egypt, avoid Herod and return to Nazareth
- sacrificed as she taught + raised Jesus lovingly into his godhood knowing that she would have to watch him die
- Catholics should follow her example + have faith in God during times of trouble
Give 2 quotes from the CCC supporting Mary as a model of faith and charity for the Church.
- “The Virgin Mary is the Church’s model of faith and charity.”
- “Mary so loved the world as to give her only begotten son.”
How does the Catholic Church pay tribute to Mary ?
- 4 Marian feast days
- the Rosary containing the Hail Mary prayer
- most have statues of her in a chapel dedicated to her
- Mary gardens
- any places where Marian visions have occurred are places of pilgrimage (like Lourdes and Walsingham)
- religious orders/societies dedicated to her
In what ways is Jesus a model of and authority for morality for Catholics ?
- shows love for others (loves all people equally (dined with sinners, lepers etc.), his Golden Rule, self-sacrificial love for humanity)
- forgives
- model of servanthood (ref. to as the ‘servant king’, washed disciples’ feet, sacrificed for humanity)
- fulfillment of God’s law (came to fulfil God’s law so is good guide on ethics and morality)
- social justice (values physical wellbeing w/spiritual, parable of sheep + goats shows need to help others)
Give one quote that shows Jesus to be a model of love for others.
“love one another as I have loved you”
Give two quotes that show Jesus to be a model of forgiveness.
- “forgive them father, for they know not what they do”
- “if you forgive… your heavenly Father will also”
Give one quote that shows Jesus to be a model of fulfilling God’s law.
“I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them”
How do Catholics make moral and ethical decisions ?
- use their conscience
- refer to scripture
- refer to the magisterium’s interpretation of scripture
What is Natural Law ?
- unchanging universal moral laws, by St Thomas Aquinas in Summa Theologica
[] to preserve human life
[] to procreate
[] to educate and seek the truth
[] to live in society
[] to worship God
What are virtue ethics ?
two main categories of virtues:
- cardinal (prudence, justice, temperance, fortitude)
- theological (faith, hope, charity)
these virtues can be used to evaluate different actions
Give two Christian points of view on natural law.
- can be more widely interpreted than Aquinas suggested
- (Baptists, mainly) should concentrate on the “freedom of conscience” informed by the Bible instead of Natural Law
Give a quote from St Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica supporting that humans ought to be moral.
“good is to be sought, evil avoided.”
Give one Catholic teaching about making moral and ethical decisions.
Catholics have a sacred obligation to follow conscience informed by the Bible and the magisterium’s teachings
