condensed religion exam flashcards

Exegesis

Studying what a Bible text meant to its original audience in its original time period.

Hermeneutics

Taking a Bible text and figuring out how it applies to our lives today.

Conversion

A total, radical turnaround of your heart and life toward God.

Parable

A shocking story told by Jesus that uses everyday life to explain God's Kingdom.

Typology

Old Testament people or events that prefigure (foreshadow) things in the New Testament.

Magisterium

The official teaching authority of the Church, made up of the Pope and bishops.

Sacred Tradition

The living faith and teachings passed down from the Apostles through history.

Divine Inspiration

The Holy Spirit guiding human Bible writers to write God's truths without erasing their personal styles.

Parousia

The second coming of Christ at the end of the world.

Paschal Mystery

The core saving events: Jesus’ Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension.

Incarnation

The mystery of the Son of God becoming fully human while staying fully divine.

Natural Law

God's moral law written on every human heart, discoverable through basic human reason.

Secularism

A worldly lifestyle or viewpoint that totally excludes God and religion from everyday life.

New Evangelization

The call to share the Gospel using fresh energy, modern methods, and digital tools.

Cardinal Virtues

Good habits built by practice: Prudence (wisdom), Justice, Fortitude (courage), Temperance (self-control).

Theological Virtues

Virtues given directly by God at Baptism: Faith, Hope, and Charity (Agape love).

Human Dignity

The unchangeable worth of every human, because everyone is made in God's image.

Indissolubility

The rule that a valid, sacramental marriage can never be broken by any human power.

Annulment

A Church court ruling that a valid sacramental marriage never actually existed from the start due to a hidden defect.

Covenant

A sacred, permanent family bond between people, way deeper than a legal business contract.

Objective Moral Truth

Right and wrong things that are true everywhere, regardless of personal opinions or feelings.

Conscience

An inner judgment of reason that tells you whether a concrete action is right or wrong.

Social Sin

Systemic injustices in society (like racism or extreme greed) born from individual bad choices.

Chastity

The virtue of controlling your sexual desires and keeping them pure based on your life stage.

Domestic Church

The Christian family unit acting as the primary place where prayer and faith are lived out.

Agape

The highest form of love: unconditional, sacrificial, and focused entirely on the good of the other.

Common Good

Making sure social conditions allow everyone in a community to thrive and reach fulfillment.

Moses

The prophet chosen by God to free the Israelites and receive the 10 Commandments.

Sermon on the Mount

Jesus' famous speech in Matthew 5-7 containing the Beatitudes and his core moral laws.

Ten Commandments

The Decalogue; 10 clear moral laws about loving God (1-3) and loving your neighbor (4-10).

The Beatitudes

Eight paradoxes taught by Jesus that completely flip worldly ideas of happiness upside down.

St. Francis

The saint who chose radical poverty, loved nature, and cared deeply for the poor.

St. Paul

A former Christian-persecutor who converted and became the ultimate missionary to the Gentiles.

Corporal Works

Seven actions that fix a neighbor's physical needs (feeding hungry, clothing naked, etc.).

Spiritual Works

Seven actions that help a neighbor's soul (comforting the sad, forgiving offenses, etc.).

Priest, Prophet, King Roles

Priest = offering sacrifices and being holy; Prophet = speaking truth and standing for justice; King = serving others and mastering self.

Vincibly Erroneous Conscience

A poorly formed conscience where you make a bad choice because you were too lazy to learn the truth.

Invincibly Erroneous Conscience

Making a wrong choice through no fault of your own because you honestly couldn't know the truth.

Lax Conscience

A lazy conscience that treats major sins like they are no big deal.

Scrupulous Conscience

An over-fearful conscience that panics and sees sin even where there is none.

Laudato Si' (2015)

Pope Francis' letter calling us to take care of the environment and protect the poor.

Familiaris Consortio (1981)

Pope John Paul II's letter listing the 4 core tasks of the Christian family.

Four Pillars of Marriage

Free (no force), Total (full gift of self), Faithful (exclusive), and Fruitful (open to children).

Two Purposes of Sex

Unitive (bringing the couple closer in love) and Procreative (remaining open to having children).

Natural Family Planning (NFP)

Tracking a woman's natural cycle to space out pregnancies without using artificial birth control.

Catholic Social Teaching (CST)

Church principles about helping the poor, worker rights, human dignity, and solidarity.

Precepts of the Church

The absolute bare minimum rules for Catholics (Mass on Sundays, confession once a year, etc.).

Early Church Life

Animated by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, shared all wealth, and established bishops, priests, and deacons.

Good Samaritan Meaning

True love means crossing cultural or social boundaries to show mercy to someone in need.

Workers in Vineyard Meaning

God's grace is a free gift based on what we need, not an economic system where we earn points.

Lost Son Meaning

God is a merciful father waiting to forgive flagrant sinners, while warning legalistic people not to be bitter.