Development of Christian Thought - Key Words

Question 1

St Augustine

Answer 1

Early Christian and philosopher whose writings influenced the development of western Christianity. Among his important works are the city of God and the Confessions

Question 2

Genesis

Answer 2

The first book of the old testament dealing with the creation and fall of man

Question 3

The Confessions

Answer 3

The confessions is the name of an autobiographical work, consisting of 13 books, by St Augustine, written in Latin between AD 397 and 400

Question 4

The City of God

Answer 4

The City of God is a book of Christian philosophy written in Latin by Augustine in the early 5th century AD. The book was in response to allegations that Christianity brought about the decline of Rome and is considered one of Augustine’s most important works

Question 5

Human Nature

Answer 5

The general physiological characteristics, feelings, and behavioural traits of humankind regarded as shared by all humans

Question 6

The Doctrine of the Fall

Answer 6

The belief that when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they ‘fell’ from perfection and brought evil into a perfect world

Question 7

Rational Act

Answer 7

Acting in accordance with reason and logic

Question 8

Original Sin

Answer 8

Original sin is an Augustine Christian doctrine that says that everyone is born sinful. This means they are born with a built-in urge to do bad things and disobey God

Question 9

Temptation

Answer 9

In the context of Genesis, it is the human inclination to Sin

Question 10

Concupiscence

Answer 10

A strong (often sexual) desire

Question 11

God’s grace

Answer 11

The free and unmerited favour of God

Question 12

Summun Bonum

Answer 12

A Latin expression meaning ‘the highest good’

Question 13

Heaven

Answer 13

It is a place where the believer experiences unending joy and bliss. The joy will be in the vision of God that each person experiences

Question 14

The Firmament

Answer 14

A biblical idea relating to the structure above the atmosphere believed to be a vast solid dome

Question 15

The Empyrean

Answer 15

The highest part of heaven, thought by early Christians to be the dwelling place of God

Question 16

The Blessed

Answer 16

Those who are rewarded with heaven

Question 17

Hell

Answer 17

A place of permanent, everlasting punishment

Question 18

Purgatory

Answer 18

A traditional Catholic idea of a ‘between’ state so that a person can be purified before after death before they go to heaven

Question 19

Beatific Vision

Answer 19

In Christian theology, the beatific vision is the ultimate direct communication of God to a person

Question 20

Intellectual vision

Answer 20

Supernatural knowledge in which the mind receives an extraordinary grasp of some revealed truth

Question 21

Limited election

Answer 21

The idea that God has only chosen some to be saved

Question 22

Unlimited election

Answer 22

The idea that all people are called to salvation but not all are saved

Question 23

Universalism

Answer 23

Universalism refers to the belief that all humans will be saved through Jesus and eventually come to harmony in Gods kingdom

Question 24

Final judgement

Answer 24

In Christianity and certain other religious traditions, the final judgement by God of all humankind

Question 25

The Parable of the Sheep and Goats

Answer 25

A parable used by Jesus in the Gospel of Mathew teaching that all those on Earth at that time will be brought before God, and he will separate them ‘as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right an the goats on his left’.