Church And The Kingdom Of God Flashcards
What is a pilgrimage
A journey that has a spiritual purpose,where the destination may be a scared or religious place.
Catholics believe that life is a pilgrimage-a journey to meet God at death
What does pligrimage mean to catholics?
Catholics believe that life is a pilgrimage towards heaven.
-Life is a journey towards God;Catholics will complete this journey and meet God when they die during their lifetime, a Catholic’s actions should reflect the ides of making progress on the journey towards God.
-Everything they do should contribute to this purpose of getting closer to God.
This is why Catholics think the church as THE PILGRIM PEOPLE OF GOD
“Christians, on pilgrimage toward the heavenly city,should seek and think of these things which are above” (Gaudium et spes 57)
Stations of cross
Stations of cross- series of 14 images that remind Catholics of the events that happened during this journey
-can be found in every Catholic church
-During lent, many catholics like to make the stations of cross so walk between stations,reflect on a short reading about event shown and say a prayer at each one-this is a form of dramatised prayer which can help a person feel more involved in meaning of prayer
Moving between stations:
-a way to accompany Jesus on his last journey
-A way to share in Jesus suffering as a sign of gratitude
-helps person to stay focused on their prayers
Pilgrimage to sacred places
Jerusalem:
Why important:
-The city in Israel where Jesus died
-Catholics might visit Jesus tomb, the via Dolorosa and other nearby places connected with Jesus life
Why do Catholics visit:
-To share in Jesus life and suffering
- To renew their faith and commitment to Jesus
Rome:
Why important:
-Centre of Catholic faith
-Where St peter died and where Current pope lives
-Catholics might visit Vatican, the tomb of St Peter inSt Peter’s basilica and the Cathedral of St john Lateran (most important Catholic church)
Why Catholics visit:
-To show their commitment to Catholic Church, and their unity with the Pope and all Catholics
Lourdes:
Why important:
-A town in France where young girl (Bernadette) saw visions of Mary
-Mary told her to dig in ground, and where she died a spring appeared
-Waters of this spring are believed to have healing powers, and Catholics visit to bathe in waters
Why Catholics visit:
-To be healed physically or spiritually by waters
-To feel stronger and more at peace in body and mind
Walsingham:
Why Important:
-A village in Norfolk which contains the Catholic national shrine for England
-In 1061, a noblewoman had visions of the house where Mary lived in Nazareth. She built a copy lf this house in Walsingham,which is now called the Holy house
-Catholics often walk in procession between Slipper chapel and Holy house. May attend mass
Why Catholics visit:
-To go on pilgrimage without having to travel abroad
-to spend time in prayer with other Catholics
-Make themselves more aware of their place in Church, the community of believers
How are mission and evangelism shown in drama
Catholics attitude towards mission and evangelism:
-Main idea of mission is to show God’s love through doing good actions
-Missionaries hope actions which express God’s love and forgiveness will have a real effect on other people, influencing them to do good things in return
- In Les miserables, a thief called Valjean steals silver from the Bishop of Digne
-The bishops stops police from throwing Valjean to jail for theft by saying it was a gift and urges Valjean to use the opportunity he has been given to do good
-Bishop’s act of love and forgiveness persuades Valjean to become a better person
-Sets up a factory to help creat jobs and benefit from the wealth the bishop gave him
2)- Missionaries and evangelists are guided by teachings of Jesus, who taught that having the right attitude is more important than blindly following God’s law
-Showing love,kindness and forgiveness are sometimes more important in missionary work than simply following rules
-In les miserables, Valjean is constantly pursued by his former jailer, Javert who refuses to forgive Valjean for his crimes and wants to send him back to prison as the law demands
-One point, Valjean saves Javert’s life and after Javert finds he cannot arrest Valjean
-Valjean’s kind act towards Javert ultimately saves Valjean from imprisonment. Goodness wins out over the law
-‘ to love another person is to see the face of God’
3) - require total commitment to God
-Missionaries and Evangelists may face hardships or ridicule as part of their work, but this should not lessen their commitment to there faith and work
-sometimes goodness may involve ignoring the demands of Church Law
-In the mission, some European priests are doing missionary work with a group of native people in south America
-When the native people are attacked by their slave traders, the priests stay to defend the native people despite the danger to their own lives and the order of their bishops to abandon the people
The influence of mission and evnagelism in drama
Catholic church has said ‘the production and showing of films that have value… ought to be encouraged and assured by every effective means’ (Inter Mirifica 14)
Christian values:
-Illustrate the power such values can have to change and improve peoples lives
-Inspire and encourage Christians to show these values in their own lives
-Help to inspire Christians to preach the Gospel message to others and to show in their lives by their actions
What is the Kingdom of god?
The Kingdom of God is not a place but to the idea of God’s authority and rule, and is seen among those who follow Jesus
-Also known as the reign of God, when all people live as God ittends.
Gradual process:
1)The kingdom began when Jesus was born. This is when God’s power came to earth.
2) Was established through Jesus’ resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit
3) Extended by Christians, who from and help to spread the Kingdom of God on earth
4) It will be completed at the end of time, when all people will enjoy the eternal happiness of heaven
The Lord’s prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven- Jesus wants all people to be able to call God their ‘Father’ and to have a trusting relationship with him
Hallowed be thy name- This is a prayer for God to be accepted as Holy. When people respect the majesty and holiness of God, they recognise the importance of God in their lives, so they accept the call to become members of God’s kingdom.
Thy Kingdom come- A prayer for God’s kingdom to come, and for all people to accept the rule of God in their hearts
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven- Accepting and following God’s will is important for establishing the kingdom. When everyone does the will of God, the kingdom will be fully established
Give us this day our daily bread- Prayer asking God to help provide the basics needed to survive, so people can focus more on God, thus helping the kingdom of God to grow
Forgive us our trespasses- Forgiveness is an important part of helping people to become closer to God. To help spread the kingdom, people need to show forgiveness to others as well as accepting God’s forgiveness for their own sins
Deliver us from evil- Prayer to resist temptation to sin, which will be assisted by God’s grace. Kingdom will grow as more people choose to accept God instead of rejecting him
Sign of Kingdom: justice, peace and reconciliation
Justice:
To help creat justice, Christians should live in a way that respects the rights of others. They should also take the action to help change the systems in the world that allow injustice to continue. Helping to uphold justice will help to spread the kingdom of god on earth.
Justice…
-ensure all people have access to basic human rights
-recognises that all people are created and loved equally by God
-treats all people fairly and equally,regardless of e.g sex,race and religion
- ‘goods created God for everyone should in fact reach everyone’ (CCC)
-respect the dignity of every person
Peace:
-Christians should support all efforts to establish peace and harmony in the world. Includes supporting organisations that work for justice and unity. Christians believe this will lead to peace of God’s kingdom being experienced on earth.
Peace…
-is a state of total trust and unity between all people
-flows from injustice-there can be no peace where there is injustice
-is the removal of tensions caused by suspicion,resentment and mistreatment
-requires people to accept the rights of every individual
-is believed by Catholics to come from person heart
-“founded on truth,built up on justice,nurtured and animated by charity”
Reconciliation:
Breaks down the barriers that exist between people. This helps peace and justice to spread, which helps the kingdom of god to grow
Reconciliation…
-restores damaged relationships between people
-Brings back together people who have broken apart
-relies on acceptance and empathy
-requires people to learn from the past and work together
The hierachy of the Catholic Church
There is a hierarchy in Catholic Church that recognised people’s authority and responsibility and brings about unity
The Pope-Head of the Church
Cardinals-Appointed by the Pope; they elect his successor
Bishops-Successors to the apostles;responsible for a diocese (a large number of churches)
Priests-Responsible for a small area of the Church called a parish;administer the sacraments and preach the word of God
Deacons-Preach the word of God and assist the priests
Lay people- Non-ordained members of the Church; they share in priestley office of Christ through their baptism
-The pope leads the Church and all authority in the Church ultimately lies with him
-Pope may need to consult with other people in hierarchy to make sure he is making the right and best decisions for whole church
-For this he might call a council: a meeting with bishops to discuss issues that affect the whole world
The second vatican council
Dei Verbum (word of God):
- deals with the importance and the interpretation of the Bible
-Stresses that the Bible should be taken seriously, but should not be read in a literal way
Sacrosanctum concilium (on the sacred liturgy):
-deals with the liturgy and church services
-emphasises that people should be able to take a full part in the worship of God
-Allows Catholics to hear the Mass in their own language
Lumen Gentium (on the church):
-Deals with the nature and structure of the church
- Stresses that all members of the Church have important roles to play, not just the Pope
-emphasises the idea of a pilgrim church moving forwards within society
Guadium et spes (The Church in the Modern Society)
-deals with issues related to modern society
-stresses that the Church should not be separate from modern society, but should guide people on how to live in the modern world
How is the church conciliar and pontificial
The Church is conciliar because:
Councils (meetings of the Pope and bishops) are sometimes held to make important decisions and update Church teachings
these help the Pope to discuss difficult issues with other members of the Church, and to understand the feelings of the whole Catholic community
• Councils influence the teachings and direction of the Church
• Councils express the voice of the whole
Church.
The Church is pontifical because:
• the Pope is the leader of the Church and has the highest authority
• this authority has been passed down over generations from Peter,
who was chosen by Jesus to lead the apostles
• this makes the Pope the representative of Christ on earth
• the Pope’s teachings must be taken very seria. and can be declared infallible (without error
• the decisions of a Council have no authority they are approved by the Pope.
The importance of mary and magnificat
The magnificat is a prayer that Mary said after she became pregnant with Jesus and visited her cousin Elizabeth.
Quality and explanation:
Mary shows humility:
-Mary recognises that she is only social because of what God has done for her.
-E.g ‘for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant’
Mary praises God’s greatness:
-Mary is aware that God has shown his love for all people by doing great things for her and for all humanity
-Her whole prayer praises God for this
- E.g ‘My soul magnifies the Lord… for the Mighty One has done great things for me’
Mary shows acceptance to God’s will:
-Mary willingly accepted the role of mother of Jesus
-Her praise of God in this prayer confirms her readiness to follow God’s will
Mary shows trust in God:
-When Mary said this prayer,she was pregnant, unmarried teenager who could have been killed for alleged adultery
-But she trusted God to protect her as she was doing his will
-The prayer shows Mary’s belief that God will help people who are weak and poor,like her
A controversial Kingdom Prayer
-Controversial as magnificat has a sense of revolution within prayer
-‘He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly’ Luke 1:52
-‘he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty’ Luke 1:53
-Some people think Magnificat supports those who rebelling against their governments. They believe it encourages the weak and poor to rise up against those in power to help spread the kingdom on earth-by creating equality, promoting justice and recognising the value of all people
-May show God supports weak and helpless, and that those who trust in God will be saved
The four marks of church-needed to exist and define nature of Catholic Church
One:
-The church is united in one body
-Whilst made up of many individual churches, these are all part of one church, just as limbs form part of one human body
-At last supper, Jesus prayed to God that his followers ‘may all be one’ (john 17:21);the church aims to achieve this today
Catholic:
- means ‘related to the whole’ or ‘worldwide’
-The belief of the church as universal,held by Catholics everywhere in the world
Holy:
-presence of God makes the church holy
-All christians and the church as a whole are guided by the Holy spirit
-Every member of church is also made holy through baptism
Apostolic:
-The church’s teachings are built on the teachings of 12 apostles
-The successors to the apostles guide the church today
Apostolic succession and magisterium
-Catholics believe that bishop and pope are successors of apostles
-This means authority of the apostles has been passed down from one generation of bishops to next. Also, authority of peter-who led the apostles and church-has been passed down by the current Pope, whomleads church today
-Combined authority is known as magisterium
-Catholics believe that church is guided by holy spirit. When pope makes formal declaration of an official doctrine of the Church, he is speaking as head of church and on those occasions, he speaks infallibly-he cannot be wrong
Catholic social teachings
-Church believes God loves all people
-Church acknowledges that people are vitally important to its existence: without human beings, no church
-These beliefs have helped ti recognise the importance of helping to support the weakest and poorest members of society, so all people can live in an equal way
“The church sincerely professes that all men.. ought to work for the rightful betterment of this world in which all alike live’
-The church is against economic exploitation and a culture of greed, as leads to in equality and suffering
‘Today we… have to say ‘thou shall not’ to an economy of exclusion and inequality’
The importance of charity for Catholics
As members of the Body of Christ,christians follow Jesus command to ‘love your neighbour as yourself’, by showing love to those in need.
SVP (st. Vincent de Paul):
-an international catholic charity that works locally. Their main aim is to offer friendship and practical help to people in need in the local area.
-SVP members visit people in need their homes, or in hospitals, care homes and prisons. They offer support,friendship and advice To people who are vulnerable.
-SVP also helps individuals with practical needs. E.g they might help with shopping
-SVP run slightly bigger projects to help the local community. E.g might run summer camps for children or provide food for homeless
CAFOD:
-aims to help people living in poverty to become self-reliant, by working nationally and globally. It offers help to people in other countries, and challenges national and international policies policies
-CAFOD provides emergency aid in places overseas where natural disasters or war have ruined lives. They help the victims of these disasters to rebuild their lives by providing long-term aid. E.g might provide communities with farming equipment for food
-CAFOD challenges national and international laws and policies that hurt those living in poverty
-CAFOD provides legal assistance to people who are being threatened by the actions of national or international companies
What are the kingdom values
Kingdom values are the values that God wants people to have as members of his kingdom
Examples:
-humility
-obedience
-a wish to serve God
-peace
-love
-mercy
-gentleness
Kingdom values in christian vocations
Priesthood:
A priest is an ordained minister of the Catholic Church; one who is chosen to celebrate Mass, preach and forgive sins
• Priests take a promise of celibacy (a promise not to marry or have sex). They commit themselves,
Priesthood
body and soul, to God
• Like Jesus, a priest serves others and, because priests don’t have a family, they are always free to help others
• Priests take a promise of obedience to their bishop, knowing they are obeying the voice of God
Family life:
• Love is an important Kingdom value that unites a family together
• Catholic parents try to show Kingdom values in their relationship with each other
• They also aim to teach their children Kingdom values and by doing so they help to spread the Kingdom of God on earth
Religious life:
Monks and nuns are people who commit themselves to God by living in a small religious community where life centres around prayer. Religious brothers and sisters also commit themselves to God in a similar way, but are more focused on going out into the world to help other people
• Catholics who commit to a religious life as a monk or nun take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience to show they have committed to God’s values
• They live simple lives, dedicated to prayer and serving others
Monasteries have a sense of peace that other people can come and share in
• Religious brothers and sisters centre their lives around prayer and active service
• They start and end each day with prayer
• They may take on roles such as teachers, nurses or care workers, to show love through helping others
• By their care and commitment, they show people the love of God and express Kingdom values
Kingdom values in the life of catholic
Justice
pope Francis is particularly concerned with creating justice for the poor by trying to end poverty and inequality. Examples of how he has done this include the following:
When Pope Francis became Archbishop of Buenos Aires, he increased the number of priests working among the poor
By setting a good example, he aims to inspire others to live more simply to help reduce inequality
For example, he lives in a small, modest flat rather than the large official apartments in the Vatican
He criticises economic policies that lead to
inequality and exploitation
He also speaks out against all forms of abuse, as this damages lives and contributes to injustice
Peace
Pope Francis has helped to create or has called for peace in many different ways, including the following:
During 2014-15, he played a major role in restoring relations between Cuba and the USA
• There had previously been tension between these countries since the 1950s
He brings together leaders of countries that have been at war with each other For example, in 2014 he met and prayed with the Palestinian and Israeli presidents
He uses his public addresses to pray for peace
• He often prays for areas in the world that are facing great conflict and tension
Reconciliation
Here are some examples of how Pope Francis has tried to restore relationships between people:
Every Maundy Thursday he goes to a local prison and washes the feet of 12 prisoners, including Muslims This shows his belief that people who have committed crimes should still be accepted by society
He has visited areas of tension in the world, trying to help restore harmony
• He has helped to reconcile some of the tensions between Muslims, Jews and Christians For example, as archbishop he arranged services in his cathedral where Muslim and Jewish leaders could pray together with him
