Topic 12 - Religious Structures And Practices

Question 1

What are religious structures and processes?

Answer 1

Religious structures refer to the organisation of a religion (leadership system). - Learning intention

Religious processes refer to how things are done and carried out in terms of its structure. - success criteria

Question 2

What is the Magisterium?

Answer 2

• Magisterium (Latin word for “teaching authority”)
• Every Catholic is apart of the Magisterium, however only certain members of the Magisterium can exercise authority ; bishops, pope

Question 3

What is the ordinary and extraordinary Magisterium?

Answer 3

Ordinary - day to day teachings of Bishops and and Priests eg Christian values and morals, everyday behaviour, main beliefs etc

Extraordinary - rare and formal teachings made by the Pope or the Council themselves eg issues of morality or faith

Question 4

What are the four levels of offical Catholic teaching ;

Answer 4

1) Infallible Teachings - relate either to faith or the essential requirements for Christian morals. They are called infallible for two main reasons ;
- They are found in what God has revealed through Jesus
- The Holy Spirit has guided the Church’s understanding of Jesus
Infallible teachings cannot be changed and require complete acceptance from Catholics.

2) Definitive Teachings - also teach in God’s revelation but are not infallible. Help define a Catholics faith. Examples of definitive teachings are ;
- A person so does not believe cannot be forced to worship
- Deliberate abortion and euthanasia break the fifth commandment

3) Teachings that help understand revelation - the most frequent teachings of Popes and Bishops that help Catholics better understand the Christian message and how it relates to every day life. Examples are ;
4) Teachings on Contemporary issues - the best available knowledge relating to contemporary issues. Ultimately this means that although these teachings are not infallible, they should still be treated with respect and understanding.