Religion grade 12 notes

Question 1

What is a contextual approach to a text?

Answer 1

A contextual approach involves noting who wrote the text, why it was written, the social situation at the time, and the religious truth it expresses.

Question 2

What does the Catholic Church permit regarding biblical interpretation?

Answer 2

The Catholic Church permits both a literalist interpretation and a contextual approach to the Bible.

Question 3

What is the literal sense of scripture?

Answer 3

The literal sense is the meaning conveyed by the words of scripture, discovered through exegesis following sound interpretation rules.

“All other senses of sacred scripture are based on the literal.”

Question 4

What is the scriptural sense?

Answer 4

The scriptural sense indicates that both the text of scripture and the realities it speaks about can serve as signs due to the unity of God’s plan.

Question 5

What is the allegorical sense?

Answer 5

The allegorical sense allows for a deeper understanding of events by recognizing their significance in Christ, such as the crossing of the Red Sea as a sign of Christ’s victory and Christian baptism.

Question 6

What is the moral sense of scripture?

Answer 6

The moral sense suggests that the events reported in scripture should lead us to act justly, as they were written ‘for our instruction.’

Question 7

What is the anagogical sense?

Answer 7

The anagogical sense views realities and events in terms of their eternal significance, guiding us toward our true homeland, such as the Church on earth being a sign of the heavenly Jesus Christ.

Question 8

What is exegesis?

Answer 8

Exegesis is a branch of theology that deals with the true interpretation and meaning of sacred scripture, focusing on the intent of the biblical author and the historical context.

Question 9

What is hermeneutics?

Answer 9

Hermeneutics is the study of how texts should be interpreted, establishing principles for proper exegesis and ensuring accurate biblical interpretation.

Question 10

What are the four ways of locating the ethical in you?

Answer 10

1. The scream: the experience of personal response. 2. The beggar: the experience of the other. 3. The experience of obligation. 4. The intolerance: the experience of contrast.

Question 11

What does ‘the scream’ refer to in ethical experience?

Answer 11

‘The scream’ refers to the natural tendency of humans to help those in immediate danger, responding to calls for help despite personal risk.

Question 12

What does ‘the beggar’ signify in ethical experience?

Answer 12

‘The beggar’ signifies how humans react to the plight of others, generating awareness of compassion or feelings about responsibility and justice.

Question 13

What does the experience of obligation entail?

Answer 13

The experience of obligation reflects how humans react to obligations, generating a clear conscience or anxiety depending on whether they are met.

Question 14

What does ‘the intolerance’ refer to in ethical experience?

Answer 14

‘The intolerance’ refers to the outrage felt when witnessing blatant injustice or unfairness, such as images of abused children.

Question 15

What is the conceptual framework of action?

Answer 15

The conceptual framework of action examines human capacity to make things happen by asking questions about actions: Who? What? How? Under what circumstances? With what outcome?

Question 16

What factors determine the morality of human action?

Answer 16

The morality of human action depends on the object chosen, the end in view (intention), and the circumstances of the action.

Question 17

What does ‘the who’ refer to in the context of action?

Answer 17

‘The who’ refers to the agent, the person who makes things happen, possessing the power to act and being responsible for their intentions and actions.

Question 18

What does ‘the what’ refer to in ethical terms?

Answer 18

‘The what’ refers to the action itself, focusing on intentional actions that have ethical value, as opposed to unintentional actions.

Question 19

What is the significance of ‘the why’ in ethics?

Answer 19

‘The why’ refers to the motive behind an action, which explains the reasons for acting and reflects on who a person is becoming based on their motives.

Question 20

What does ‘the how’ indicate in the context of actions?

Answer 20

‘The how’ refers to the means by which an action is carried out, affecting the agent and reflecting their character.

Question 21

What is the importance of circumstances in ethical actions?

Answer 21

Circumstances impact actions, with each action having aggravating or mitigating factors that must be accounted for.

Question 22

What does ‘with who or against who’ signify in ethical actions?

Answer 22

‘With who or against who’ refers to the social context of actions, where justifications may seek approval or avoid disapproval.

Question 23

What does ‘with what outcome’ imply in ethics?

Answer 23

‘With what outcome’ questions the responsibility of the agent for the results of their actions.

Question 24

What constitutes an informed conscience?

Answer 24

An informed conscience considers scripture, church teachings, community guidance, humility, and the Eucharist.

Question 25

What is a well-formed conscience?

Answer 25

A well-formed conscience is shaped by scripture, church, and community, recognizing guilt from past wrongdoings.

Example: Sam turned down a crime offer after reflecting on his past in prison.

Question 26

What is a wrongly formed conscience?

Answer 26

A wrongly formed conscience is based on mistaken information.

Example: Paula broke up with her boyfriend due to a false rumor.

Question 27

What characterizes a lax conscience?

Answer 27

A lax conscience shows indifference to right or wrong.

Example: Joe disposed of industrial garbage irresponsibly.

Question 28

What defines a legalistic conscience?

Answer 28

A legalistic conscience strictly follows rules, focusing on the letter rather than the spirit of the law.

Example: Beatrice attends school daily despite being sick.

Question 29

What is warranted guilt?

Answer 29

Warranted guilt occurs when one knows an act is wrong, does it anyway, and recognizes the wrongdoing.

Example: Ron felt guilty after stealing Sarah’s iPod.

Question 30

What is unwarranted guilt?

Answer 30

Unwarranted guilt arises without justifiable reason, often due to a wrongly formed conscience.

Example: Huck Finn felt guilty for helping Jim escape slavery.

Question 31

What is too little guilt?

Answer 31

Too little guilt occurs when one becomes desensitized to sin, often due to a lax conscience.

Example: Tobias felt no remorse after selling drugs for years.

Question 32

What is excessive guilt?

Answer 32

Excessive guilt is disproportionate to the wrongdoing, typically stemming from a legalistic conscience.

Example: Jessica cried for being late to class.

Question 33

What is an encyclical?

Answer 33

An encyclical is a high form of communication by the pope, usually addressing aspects of Catholic teaching.

Example: Laudato Si.

Question 34

What is the golden rule?

Answer 34

The golden rule encapsulates the empathic essence of morality.

Question 35

What is a pastoral letter?

Answer 35

A pastoral letter is an official document sent by a bishop to clergy or all the faithful in a diocese.

Question 36

What does sin refer to?

Answer 36

Sin refers to an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience, and is considered venial when less serious.