Kingdom Of God Flashcards
What is kingdom of God
The idea of God’s authority and rule. It is seen among Jesus’ followers
Began when Jesus was born, established through his resurrection and holy spirit through christians and completed at the end of time
Explain ways which the Lords prayer influences catholics
• it assures Christians that God is a loving Father with whom they can have a relationship but who at the same time is transcendent, beyond their understanding
• it reminds Christians that through forgiveness of their sins they are part of God’s Kingdom/but this entails willingness to forgive the sins of their fellow humans etc.
How is kingdom values shown in Christian vocations
• by becoming a priest, a man commits himself totally to the work of God on earth by taking vows of poverty and obedience to show that he is obedient from the normal values of human life. He is a sign to other people of how to follow Jesus’ example of service/just as Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, so the priest is called to serve other people with his whole life
Being a Member of a religious order means that a person has got to ‘take up his cross’ and follow Christ by being obedient to God. This has to be done without any questions asked. A vow of poverty shows that the monk or nun does not want to be tied to material objects but is following the command of Jesus ‘seek first the kingdom of God and all these other things will be given to you’.
Family: Love unites a family, parents teach values that spread the Kingdom
Signs of kingdom values and how can christians follow this?
Justice: Christians should live in a way that respects the rights of others. They should also take 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.
Peace: establish peace and harmony in the world this includes supporting organisations that work for justice and unity. Christians believe that this will lead to the peace of God’s kingdom being experienced on earth.
Reconciliation: breaks down the barriers that exist between people. This helps peace and justice to spread which helps the kingdom of God to grow.
Kingdom values shown by a key christian figure
Justice: he encourages people to live more simply- and stands for equality (‘if a person is gay and seeks God who am I to judge)
Peace: he brings together leaders of countries at war (e.g. Israel/Palestine)
Reconciliation: every Maundy Thursday he washes the feet of 12 prisoners, including those of other religions
What is a pilgrimage and examples
A journey with a spiritual purpose - often to a religious
place
Jerusalem
Rome
Lourdes (France)
Walsingham (Norfolk, U.K)
How do catholic believe life is a pilgrimage to heaven
• We will meet God when we die
• Our daily actions should help us progress on our journey
• The Catholic Church is called the ‘pilgrim people of God’
How do people feel closer to Jesus when on a pilgrimage
• During Lent, in Jersuald, Catholics take a token pilgrimage through hid stations of the cross and walk between the stations, stop at each station, listen to a reading and say a prayer
• This is dramatized prayer
• It helps the person feel closer to Jesus
How is mission and evengelism shown in Les Miserables and The Mission what can this do
Les Miserables:
Shows God’s love through doing good actions will help influence others to do good things in turn.
Jesus taught having the right attitude (love, kindness, forgiveness) is more important than simply following the law/rules.
The mission:
Mission and Evangelism require total commitment to God
May face hardships (ridicule etc.) but this should not lessen commitment. European priests doing missionary work with native people in South America convert the people. They become committed Christians.
Doing the right thing might involve ignoring the demands of Church law - but following your conscience.
How does the hierarchy of the church bring unity within it
The Catholic hierarchy recognises authority and responsibility
The Pope leads the Church… all authority lies with him as he is infalliable (can’t be wrong)
But, he sometimes calls a Council (with bishops) to discuss
issues that affect the whole Church This brings unity to the Church
What are the 4 major documents produced by the second vatican council and how are they relevant to the modern world
Dei Verbum:
• The Word of God
• Bible is the word of God but should not be read in a literal way
Sacrosanctum concilium:
On the sacred liturgy
Catholics can take a full part in worship and can hear Mass in their own language
Lumen Gentium:
On the Church
All members of the Church have important roles
The Church is a pilgrim Church moving forwards with modern society
Gaudium et Spes:
The Church in the modern world
Stresses that the Church should guide people on how to live in the modern world
Why is Mary important
The Immaculate Conception: Catholic belief that Mary was free from original sin from the moment of her conception
Magnificat: The prayer said by Mary when she was greeted by Elizabeth at the Visitation
Magnificat shows what four qualities of Mary and how
Accepting: God’s will- Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed
Humility: ‘favour on the lowliness of his servant.’
Praising God- : ‘Mighty One has done great things for me’
‘He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
And lifted up the lowly’
Trusting God: ‘According to the promise he made to our ancestors, To Abraham and his descendants for ever’
Controversial aspects of the Magnificat
‘He has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly’- Some Christians think this encourages the weak/poor to rebel against the government
Four qualities of a catholic church
One: The Church is one united body ( individual Churches are part of the one) - ‘May they all be one Father’
Holy: Christians and the Church are
guided by the Holy Spirit
Catholic: (universal) - beliefs of the
Church are held by Catholics worldwide
Apostolic: Church’s teachings are built on
the teachings of the 12 apostles
- Their successors guide the Church
today
What is apostolic succession
Jesus gave his 12 apostles authority to lead the Church- Apostolic authority passed onto all bishops
This combined authority is called the Magisterium.
When the Pope makes a formal declaration he can speak infallibly – cannot be wrong
Conciliar and pontificial meanig
Conciliar– Catholic Church teachings are issued by a council.
Pontifical– the pope is the representative of Christ on earth – his teachings must be taken very seriously and can be declared infallible.
Example of catholic social teachings
God loves all people equally (‘made in the image of God’)
So the Church and individual Catholics must do what they can to help the weakest and poorest in society - so we can live in an equal way
The magisterium leads by example – recent popes have sold off Church valuables to give aid to those in need
What is the body of christ and how does it influence catholics
This is the belief that we do not personally make up Christ’s body Since we don’t have him anymore, we have to do his work with our bodies.
Christians do this by supporting charities:
Local: Saint Vincent de Paul
National and global charity: CAFOD
‘All of you are one body with many parts’ 1 Corinthians 12:12 (St Paul)
Quotes which show charity
‘You shall love your neighbour as
yourself. ’ (Mark 12:31)
What is CAFOD and what do they do (provide examples)
• Provide farming equipment so communities can grow own food
• Campaign against policies that lead to inequality
• Provide legal help to farmers in danger of losing their land to large companies
‘Give a man a fish he’ll eat for a day; teach him how to fish and he’ll eat forever’
Examples of a biblical story which supports CAFOD or SVP
Parable of the good servant
What can part of Jesus’ stations of the cross show and which ones
‘We adore you, O christ we bless you, because of your holy cross you have redeemed the world.’
Third station- Jesus fall with the cross (the weight is unbearable) represents the weight of all of humanity (sin) which he will cleanse - showcases justice
Fourth stations- Jesus meets his mother both are in pain ( seeing her son in pain and his mother in tears) - Jesus determined to fulfill his mission (their love will bind them to the kingdom)
Fifth station- Jesus recieves help from Simon of Cyrene Jesus also experiences our burden of poverty - shows justice (supported Jesus in a time of desperation)
Eighth station- women of Jerusalem see him and support him as he had to them. Jesus suffers pain of helplesness- mother’s show kingdom values of supporting those in need
