Midterm Flashcards
Monotheism
Religions that believe there is only one God. Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are the three monotheistic religions.
Polytheism
Religions that believe in the existence of many gods and goddesses.
Agnosticism
The belief that God’s existence cannot be known.
Atheism
Denies the existence of God.
Irreligion
A vice contrary to the virtue of religion that directs us away from what we owe God in justice.
Names for God
YHWH Adonai (My Lord)
Deposit of Faith
The heritage of faith contained in Sacred Scripture and Tradition, handed down in the Church from the time of the Apostles, from which the Magisterium draws all that it proposes for belief as being divinely revealed.
Tradition
Tradition means handing down. Sacred Tradition is the living transmission or “handing down” from one generation to the next of the Church’s gospel message.
Magisterium
The official teaching authority of the Church. The Lord bestowed the right and power to teach in his name on Peter and the Apostles and their successors. The Magisterium is the bishops in communion with the successor of Peter, the bishop of Rome (pope).
Inspiration
God inspired the sacred writers of the Bible. God is the author of the bible; he used the human authors as his instrument to convey Divine Revelation to us.
Revelation
God revealed himself fully through his Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus turned over this revelation to the Apostles after he ascended into Heaven.
Divisions of the Old Testament (Jewish and Christian)
Christian: Pentateuch (Torah) Historical Books Wisdom Books Prophetic Books
Jewish:
Torah (Law)
Nebiim (Prophets)
Ketubim (Writings)
Major Prophets
Four of the latter prophets whose books in the Old Testament are quite lengthy.
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Ezekiel
Daniel
Minor Prophets
The 12 prophets of the Old Testament whose recorded sayings are much briefer than those of the major prophets.
Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi
Other types of prophets
Non-writing prophets
Pre-exilic prophets
Prophets of the exile
Post-explicit prophets
A prophet
Speaks for God. A messenger of God, one God called in difficult times to challenge or comfort the people.
Patriarchs
The “fathers of the faith,” male rulers, elders, or leaders. The patriarchs of the faith of Israel are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.
Names of the Chosen People
Hebrews, Israelites and Jews
Literary Forms
A type of writing that has a particular style or content.
Historical book
Prophecy
Poetry
Letters
Allegory - an extended comparison where many elements of the story stand for deeper realities like abstract ideas, moral qualities, or spiritual realities.
Biography - a written account of a person’s life
Creed - a formal statement of religious belief
Etiology - a story that gives the cause of something
Fable - a brief story with a moral; often uses animals that act or speak like human beings.
History - a chronological narrative or record of events, as in the life or development of a people, country, or institution.
Law - a rule or conduct or standard of behavior established by proper authority, society, or custom.
Prophecy - an inspired utterance made by a prophet, which expresses God’s will.
Genealogy - a record of one’s ancestors
Hyperbole - a deliberately exaggerated saying to highlight the topic under discussion
Miracle story - a nature miracle is a report of a powerful sign performed by Jesus to show his mastery over the elements
Riddle - a question or statement that teases the mind; it requires thought and application
Parable - a vivid story told to convey religious truth, usually with a surprise ending
Pronouncement story - a passage whose purpose is to set up an important saying
Canon
The standard list of books recognized as genuine and inspired Holy Scripture.
Septuagint
An important Ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament. The word Septuagint comes from the Latin word for seventy, referring to the legendary seventy (or seventy-two) scholars who translated the work in seventy-two days.
Apocrypha
The disputed books that are printed in a separate section in the back of Protestant Bibles. They are hidden or withdrawn from common use.
Pentateuch
The first five books of the bible. They lay the foundation for Christ's coming. Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy
Covenant
A binding and solemn agreement between human beings or between God and people, holding each to a particular course of action.
A solemn contract of love between God and his Chosen People. A testament.
Torah
Torah means law. The first five books of the bible.
Levite
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Descriptions of the books in the Torah
Genesis - beginning. The first 11 chapters of Genesis contains stories of prehistory, that is a time before there was writing. Passed down by word of mouth, they tell stories of God’s creation of the world, the sin of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah and the Flood, and the Tower of Babel. The last chapters tell the story of the Patriarchs, that is the fathers of the Chosen People. Abraham, Isaac, Esau, Jacob. Joseph, his father, his brothers living in Egypt where they escaped famine.
Exodus - this central book of the Old Testament tells how Jacob’s descendants, now named Israelites after him, were enslaved by the Egyptian pharaoh and freed by God in the great event known as Exodus. Israelites’ wandering in the desert for forty years. Moses on Mount Sinai, Ten Commandments, the Law.
Leviticus - examines the particulars of the Law. The theme of holiness in all aspects of life.
Numbers - picks up the story of the Jews in the dessert and takes them to the border of the Promises Land.
Deuteronomy - sermons delivered by Moses, it repeats much of the material in the three previous books. Warns of dire consequences if the Chosen People do not follow the Law and live up to the terms of the covenant.
Existence of God. How do we know?
- Unmoved Mover. The world is in motion (neutrons, electrons, protons, atoms). For the world to move, there must have been a “First Mover” who started everything. That “unmoved mover” is God.
- First Cause. The original matter and spark of energy that started the universe must have been created by God.
- Everything Comes From Something. For anything to exist, there must be a necessary, eternal being (God) who always existed and brought other beings into existence.
- Supreme Model. The supreme model of goodness, truth, and beauty is the perfect being we call God.
- Grand Designer. The world contains beauty, symmetry, order, and power that must have been put in it by a grand designer. That someone is God!
Dead Sea Scrolls
Discovered in 1947 in caves near the Dead Sea, these manuscripts belonged to the Jewish Essene sect, which lived in a monastery at Qumran. The scrolls contain Essene religious documents, commentaries on certain Hebrew Scriptures, and ancient Old Testament manuscripts. They have proved valuable to scholars in studying the Old Testament and for learning about some Jewish practices at the time of Jesus.
Languages of the Bible
Hebrew Aramaic Greek Latin English
Major translations of the Bible
Latin - the Vulgate Protestant translation - King James Version Protestant - New Revised Standard Version Protestant - Revised English Bible Protestant - New International Version Catholic - Douay-Rheims Catholic - English - New American Bible Catholic - English - New Jerusalem Bible
Gospel
The heart of the Bible because they contain Jesus’ principal teachings and information about him. Narratives about Jesus’ public ministry of teaching and healing, and his Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension.
Gospels: themes and information (dates, audiences, etc.)
All four Gospel accounts tell of the Good News God accomplished for us in his Son, Jesus Christ, but each Gospel has its own way of telling the story.
Mark (60-75; most likely 68-73) - stresses Jesus’ deeds. He highlights Jesus as the Suffering Messiah, one who freely gave his life for us.
Matthew (80-90; +/- a decade) - emphasizes Jesus as a Teacher who perfectly fulfilled the Jewish prophecies made about him.
Luke (85; +/-5 years) - presents Jesus as a Savior for all people, a merciful and compassionate Lord who has a special place for the poor and neglected.
John (80-120; probably in the 90s) - portrays a majestic, divine Jesus, the Word of God who proclaims the truth that brings life.
Theophilus
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Gentile
A term for non-Jews
Jewish-Christian
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Various meanings of the word Gospel
The teachings of Jesus and the Apostles.
Any of the first four books of the New Testament.
Anything proclaimed or accepted as the absolute truth.
Heresy
A religious belief opposed the orthodox doctrines of the church
Evangelist
One who proclaims in word and deed the Good News of Jesus Christ. The four Evangelists refers to the author of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Epistle
A word that means “letter.” In the New Testament they are letters intended for public reading. Most Epistles have these elements: an opening address; a thanksgiving; the body of the letter with a main doctrinal teaching; a final salutation.
Apocalypse
A Greek word for revelation. It also refers to a type of highly symbolic literature that contains apparitions about the future and Final Judgement. This form of literature was used to give hope to a persecuted people that God’s goodness will triumph over evil.
Oral tradition and the three stages
Going out to the whole world and proclaiming the gospel to all creation. Preaching to the Gentiles.
- The kerygma - preaching to unbelievers.
- The didache - teaching. Further catechetical instruction for those who accepted Jesus.
- The liturgy - worship of the Christians - the celebration of the Eucharist.
Lex orandi, lex credenda
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