Component 1 Route B: Foundational Catholic [theme two]

Question 1

What is meant by the term “evil”?

Answer 1

The absence of good and the impulse to seek our own desires at the expense of the good of others which often results in suffering.

Question 2

What is meant by the term “free will”?

Answer 2

The decision-making part of a person’s mind. A will is free if a person is able to choose from right and wrong without being controlled by other forces.

Question 3

What is meant by the term “suffering”?

Answer 3

Pain which harms human beings. Some suffering is caused by other human beings called moral evil and some is not which is called natural evil.

Question 4

What is the Catholic response to evil through free will?

Answer 4

> free will a gift from God.
believe that God created humans with the ability to choose between good and evil.
when humans choose the wrong thing it causes suffering.
humans are to blame not God as they have abused their gift and bad choices cause suffering.
humans are not programmed robots.
what about suffering not caused by humans such as natural evil.

Question 5

What is the Catholic response to evil through original sin?

Answer 5

> the story of Genesis tells how the world was created.
Adam and Eve decided to eat the forbidden fruit going against God’s wishes.
this is the first original sin sometimes known as the Fall.
this pain and suffering were introduced into a perfect world as a result.
all humans have original sin, the tendency to go against God.
original sin is a reminder that we all share some responsibility for the evil and suffering in the world.

Question 6

What are St Augustine’s views on suffering?

Answer 6

> says that the existence of evil helps people to appreciate the good in the world such as being unwell helps us to appreciate when we are healthy.
says that evil is just the absence of good things which is called privation as God doesn’t cause or permit evil as evil isn’t even a thing.
says God allows suffering because he is omnipotent and good and he allows evil because in his goodness and power he is always able to bring a greater good out of suffering. Suffering can be beneficial.

Question 7

What is meant by the term “goodness”?

Answer 7

The quality of being like God: seeking the well-being of others selflessly.

Question 8

What is meant by the term “privation”?

Answer 8

The loss or absence of a quality or something that is normally present.
E.g. evil is the privation of good.

Question 9

What are Non-Christian’s views on evil?

Answer 9

> David Hume put forward the inconsistent triad as it seems that not all of them can be true at the same time.
Hume concluded that either Good does not exist or he is not worthy of worship.

Question 10

What is in the inconsistent triad?

Answer 10

❶ God is omnipotent.
❷ evil exists.
❸ God is omnibenevolent.

Question 11

What is meant by the term “moral evil”?

Answer 11

Suffering which is a result of human action such as theft, burglary, terrorism, assault, rape and murder.

Question 12

What is meant by the term “natural evil”?

Answer 12

Suffering which is not to do with human actions but with the way the world is such as floods, volcanoes, cancer, disease and earthquakes.

Question 13

What are John Mackie’s views on free will and evil?

Answer 13

> “Evil is necessary as an opposite of good”
↳ rejected this as even if it is true that we need some
evil and suffering to help us to appreciate the good, we only need a little bit. He argues that there is far more and worse suffering than needed to contrast with the good in the world.
“Evil helps us to become better people”
↳ rejects this as questions why God needs to
make us better through suffering. Why not make us perfect to begin with. If this is true, then why dies suffering often make people worse not better.
“Evil is a consequence of free will”
↳ St Augustine and John Hick both rely on free will
to explain why God allows evil to exist. Why couldn’t an omnipotent God simply make free human beings who always choose good instead of evil.

Question 14

What are other Christians’ views on evil?

Answer 14

> John Hick developed the ideas of St Irenaeus where humans were made in the image of God but are not perfect.
suffering and evil is the best way for humans to develop.
through free choices they can learn to make the correct choices.
this type of evil allows humans to grow and become better people which explains why God allows natural evil.

Question 15

What do Christian’s believe about God?

Answer 15

> there is only one God.
God exists as three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
each of these three persons is distinct from the other two.
each of these three persons is fully God but there are not three Gods.

Question 16

What are the roles of the Persons in the Nicene Creed?

Answer 16

> God is Father created heaven and earth.
God the Son, Jesus, is the saviour of the world.
God the Holy Spirit is an invisible spiritual power who guides, helps and inspires human beings.

Question 17

What is the impact of the Nicene Creed?

Answer 17

> recited by Catholics during prayer, worship and at baptisms.
↳ a way of reminding worshippers of the main points
of Christianity.
➝ the worshippers are declaring publicly that this is
what they truly believe.
➝ said together by everyone which is a sign that they
share these beliefs.
➝ binds them together as a group who share
common beliefs.

Question 18

What supports the Nicene Creed in the Bible?

Answer 18

> ‘go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.’
↳ Matthew 28:19.
‘all things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’
↳ Matthew 11:27.
‘we also see the trinity at Jesus’ baptism.’
↳ Mark 1:9-11.

Question 19

What is St Augustine’s explanation on the Trinity?

Answer 19

> love needs three things: the person who is doing the loving, the person who is being loved and the love itself.
these three aspects are present in God even before God had made any creatures to love.
says that the Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit is like this Trinity of love, lover and beloved.

Question 20

What is meant by the term “incarnation”?

Answer 20

Made flesh. The Christian belief that God became man in the person of Jesus, fully human and fully divine.

Question 21

What is meant by the term “kenosis”?

Answer 21

A greek word which means ‘emptying’ referring to the idea that Jesus gave up some of his divine attributes when he became human.

Question 22

What is the significance of the Incarnation?

Answer 22

> in Jesus, God the Son became a human being.
called incarnation as God became visible ‘in the flesh’ in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.
this belief is expressed by calling Jesus the ‘Son of God’.
↳ connects to the doctrine of the Trinity where the
term ‘Son’ is used to name the second person of the Trinity.
when Christians call Jesus the ‘Son of God’ they mean that he is God who has become a human being that is the ‘incarnate Son’.
Jesus is ‘fully God and fully human’ and is one person with two natures: one human nature and one divine (meaning godly) nature.
‘the word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.’

Question 23

What is Salvifici doloris?

Answer 23

> a document written by Pope St John Paul II.
means ‘the saving power of suffering’.
say the problem of evil is not easy to understand and the only way for humans to get an idea about it is to try and understand the depth’s of God’s love for humans which he showed through Jesus’ willingness to die on the cross.
if Christians willingly ‘offer up’ their own offering in prayer for the sake of others that they can share in the saving suffering of Jesus therefore being an act of love resembling Jesus’ own act of sacrifice.
believes that if we try and bear our suffering patently and offer it to God in prayer God will somehow be able to use it to bring about good for others.

Question 24

What is the meaning of the Sermon on the Mount?

Answer 24

> Jesus is a source of moral authority as he came to fulfil God’s law.
Jesus says the requirements of being a follower of Jesus goes further and deeper than the Law of Moses which is why it’s sometimes known as the ‘fulfilment of the law’.
Jesus says that ‘you have heard that it was said…’ and ends with ‘but I say to you…’ showing the ways in which being a follower of his is more demanding than the religious law which his listeners have been living by.

Question 25

What is the new teaching for the old teaching ‘do not murder’?

Answer 25

Don’t be angry, Settle arguments quickly.

Question 26

What is the new teaching for the old teaching ‘do not commit adultery’?

Answer 26

Do not look lustfully at a woman. If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.

Question 27

What is the new teaching for the old teaching ‘divorce is allowable’?

Answer 27

No divorce except for sexual immorality.

Question 28

What is the new teaching for the old teaching ‘do not break oaths’?

Answer 28

Do not ake an oath.

Let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes and your ‘no’ be ‘no’.

Question 29

What is the new teaching for the old teaching ‘an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth’?

Answer 29

Turn the other cheek.

Question 30

What is the new teaching for the old teaching ‘love your neighbour, hate your enemies’?

Answer 30

Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you.

Question 31

What is the new teaching for the old teaching ‘giving to the needy’?

Answer 31

Give in secret. Do not let the left hand know what the right hand is doing.

Question 32

What is the new teaching for the old teaching ‘prayer, fasting’?

Answer 32

Don’t pray and fast for show - you’ve had your reward.

Question 33

What is meant by the term “conscience”?

Answer 33

Human reason making moral decisions. The knowledge we have of what is right and wrong and the God-given compulsion within all human beings to do what is right and avoid all evil.

Question 34

What is meant by the term “natural law”?

Answer 34

The moral laws of right and wrong which are universal and not dependent on human laws.

Question 35

What are Catholics’ beliefs on natural law?

Answer 35

> put forward by St Thomas Aquinas.
says that all humans have some purpose in common:
❶ preserving life.
❷ procreation.
❸ seeking the truth.
❹ living in society.
❺ worshipping God.
common law all humans must obey as we all have a common purpose.
humans should avoid evil and do good.
the ability to recognise suffering as an evil is a sign that we have this God-given ability to tell the difference between good and evil.

Question 36

What are Catholics’ beliefs on conscience?

Answer 36

> the ability to discover natural law is what Catholics call ‘conscience’.
obligation to follow conscience.
make sure their conscience is informed by the Bible.
if humans followed their conscience more often there would be less moral evil in the world.
proof of the goodness of God who created us in imago Dei.

Question 37

What is the significance of statues and sculptures in Catholic tradition?

Answer 37

> there will be a crucifix, statue of Mary and statue of the saint after whom the church is named.
crucifix reminds of the incarnation and the suffering of Jesus which reminds Catholics of God’s love for them.
have places to kneel in front of them and place to light candles called votive candles.
don’t pray to statues.
reminders of God and Jesus and this helps to focus their prayer on what really matters.
ask Mary and the saints to intercede on their behalf and pray to God for them.

Question 38

What is the significance of statues and sculptures for other Christian tradition?

Answer 38

> goes against the second commandment.

> might use a simple cross without a figure of Jesus represented on it.

Question 39

What is the significance of Michelangelo’s Pietà in Catholic tradition?

Answer 39

> Mary holding the body of her son after his crucifixion.
‘pieta’ means holiness in Latin.
shows that suffering can somehow mirror love and can be source of blessing.
depicted as youthful and peaceful instead of broken-hearted and older.
seems at peace with what had happened to her son.
left hand positioned with an open palm which is a sign that she accepts what happened.
larger than Jesus showing her motherhood as it seems like she’s holding a baby in her arms.
right hand does not come in direct contact with Jesus’ skin but covered with a cloth showing the sacredness of Christ’s body.
Christ is presented as if he is almost in a peaceful sleep and not as if he has been bruised after hours of torture.
wounds are hardly visible.

Question 40

What are the reasons for going on a pilgrimage?

Answer 40

> to help strengthen their faith.
to share the experience and their faith with the believers.
to pray for something special.
to pray for the sick.
as a way of thanking God.
to seek physical, spiritual or emotional healing.
to do a penitential act as a reflection of sorrow for sin.
come closer to God by giving him time and attention.
a group pilgrimage may help someone feel part of the church community.
pilgrims pray together and feel supported by each other.

Question 41

Why may Catholics go Lourdes as a place of pilgrimage?

Answer 41

> one of the most popular shrines.
in 1858, a young girl called Bernadette Soubirous had a vision of Mary.
Mary told her to dig for a spring.
this spring is believed to have healing abilities and many pilgrims bathe there.
thousands go to the grotto to pray.
young people volunteer as helpers for the sick and disabled pilgrims which can be a life changing experience.
practical way that ordinary people can respond to the mystery of suffering.

Question 42

What is the Rosary?

Answer 42

> a series of beads used by Catholics to help concentrate during prayers.
can be said as an individual or a group.
each bead represents a prayer and are arranged in a sequence of one ‘Our Father’, ten ‘Hail Marys’ and one ‘Glory Be’.
recited as memories now.
don’t have to concentrate on what words mean allowing them to think more deeply.
each sequence of a bead is called a decade which a Rosary usually has five decades.

Question 43

What are the five sorrowful mysteries?

Answer 43

❶ the agony in the Garden.
❷ the scourging at the pillar.
❸ the crowning with thorns.
❹ Jesus is made to carry his cross.
❺ Jesus is crucified and dies on the cross.

Question 44

What happens in the first sorrowful mystery?

Answer 44

Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before he died. he prayed to be spared from the suffering he knew was about to come but in the end accepted God’s will out of obedience and love.

Question 45

What happens in the second sorrowful mystery?

Answer 45

Pilate had Jesus whipped in attempt to satisfy those who wanted Jesus to be crucified. It didn’t do any good and Jesus was condemned to death.

Question 46

What happens in the third sorrowful mystery?

Answer 46

The soldiers mocked Jesus, twisting thorns into a crown because he had been charged with claiming to be the King of the Jews.

Question 47

What happens in the fourth sorrowful mystery?

Answer 47

Jesus carried his cross to Golgotha, the place of his crucifixion.

Question 48

What happens in the fifth sorrowful mystery?

Answer 48

Jesus is nailed on the cross and after six hours dies on it.