HRE4M1 Exam Review: Ethical Experiences, Church Traditions, and Moral Concepts

Vocabulary terms summarizing key ethical, theological, and social justice concepts from the HRE4M1 curriculum, including thinkers like Aquinas, Kant, and Aristotle.

The Beggar

The ethical experience of the "Face"; seeing another person's vulnerability forces you to recognize your responsibility to help them.

The Scream

The immediate, automatic physical and emotional reaction to assist someone in danger (e.g., hearing a cry for help).

The Curfew

The experience of obligation or duty; feeling compelled to follow a rule or law because it is the right thing to do.

The Contrast

The feeling of deep shock and anger when witnessing a terrible injustice or cruelty, realizing that "this should not be happening."

Eschatological Ethics

Morals and actions driven by the ultimate fulfillment of God's plan at the end of time, striving to live out the Kingdom of God right now.

Prophets

Messengers chosen by God to speak His word, call people back to the covenant, and demand justice.

The Kingdom of God

God's reign of love, justice, and peace, which is already present but not yet fully realized.

The Mosaic Law

The Ten Commandments given to Moses; it serves as the foundational law that Jesus later deepens in the Sermon on the Mount.

God's Revelation

God making Himself known to humanity; it is both a noun (the content of what is revealed) and a verb (the ongoing action of God connecting with us).

Parousia

The second coming of Christ at the end of time.

Pentecost

The event where the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles, marking the birth of the Christian Church.

Holiness

Being set apart for God; living a life directed toward purity, love, and goodness.

Magisterium

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

Deposit of Faith

The body of saving truth contained in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, handed down by the Church.

Encyclical

An official letter written by the Pope to the entire Church concerning important doctrine or social issues.

Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)

The official text summarizing the essential beliefs, doctrines, and moral teachings of the Catholic Church.

Personhood

The unique dignity of a human being, created by God as a unity of body and soul (a composite).

Conscience (3 Senses)

Recognized as a capacity (knowing right from wrong), a process (searching for the truth), and a judgment (the final decision you must follow).

Primacy of Conscience

The Catholic teaching that a person must follow their well-formed conscience above all else.

Rationalization

A symptom of a misinformed conscience involving making excuses for bad behavior to distort moral truth.

Trivialization

A symptom of a misinformed conscience involving making a big sin look small and unimportant.

Natural Law

The moral law written into human nature that allows us to understand good and evil through human reason alone.

Moral Relativism

The belief that there is no absolute or objective truth; what is "right" or "wrong" depends entirely on individual or cultural opinion.

Naturalism

The belief that humans are purely physical beings shaped entirely by genetics and biology, meaning free will does not exist.

Religious Determinism

The belief that God has already predestined every human action and choice, leaving no room for free will.

Social Determinism

The belief that your choices are completely controlled by your environment, upbringing, and social factors.

Passions

Emotions or feelings (like love, anger, or fear) that incline us to act or not act.

Virtues

Firm, habitual dispositions to do what is good.

Vice

A bad habit or practice that leads a person to sin.

Original Sin

The wounded human nature we inherit from the first humans.

Actual Sin

A personal, voluntary wrong choice we commit ourselves.

Venial Sin

Sin that harms our relationship with God but doesn't destroy it.

Mortal Sin

Sin that completely breaks our relationship with God; requires 1. Grave/serious matter, 2. Full knowledge of the evil, and 3. Complete consent of the will.

Sanctifying Grace

A permanent gift from God that heals our soul and shares His divine life with us.

Actual Grace

Temporary, everyday help from God to prompt us to choose good in specific moments.

Doctrine of Double Effect

A moral rule used to determine if an action with both a good and a bad effect is permitted based on four specific conditions.

Commutative Justice

Fairness and equality in agreements, contracts, and transactions between individuals.

Distributive Justice

The fair distribution of society's resources by authorities to meet the needs of all citizens.

Retributive Justice

Focuses on punishing the offender to fit the crime.

Restorative Justice

Focuses on healing relationships, repairing harm, and rehabilitating both the victim and offender.

Consistent Ethic of Life

The Catholic framework stating all human life is sacred from conception to natural death and must be protected at every stage.

Common Good

The sum total of social conditions that allow individuals and groups to reach their human fulfillment.

Solidarity

The principle of global oneness and unity, recognizing everyone as brothers and sisters responsible for one another.

Subsidiarity

The principle that social issues should be handled by the lowest or most local authority possible before a higher authority steps in.

Palliative Medicine

Specialized medical care focused on providing relief from the pain and stress of a serious, terminal illness to improve quality of life.

Consequentialism

An ethical theory that judges whether an action is right or wrong based solely on its consequences or outcomes.

St. Paul's Conversion

The realization that blind obedience to religious laws does not bring salvation, but true transformation comes from faith and love in Jesus Christ.

Christian Notion of Freedom

True freedom is freedom "for" doing good and freedom "from" the slavery of sin, rather than just doing whatever you want.

Blessedness (Aquinas)

True happiness (beatitude) that is found not in wealth, power, or pleasure, but only in God.

Aristotle

Thinker who believed human purpose is to find happiness (eudaimonia) by living a life of virtue and finding the "golden mean."

Immanuel Kant

Thinker who believed ethics is based on duty, goodwill, and the Categorical Imperative; you must never use people as a means to an end.

Sigmund Freud

Argued human behavior is driven by unconscious desires and early childhood experiences, supporting Psychological determinism.

Thomas More

A witness to the authority of conscience who refused to compromise his moral beliefs even when it cost him his life.

Agape Love

Total, unconditional, self-sacrificing love; the way God loves us.

Unitive Purpose

One half of the twofold purpose of sex, designated to bring the couple closer together in love.

Procreative Purpose

One half of the twofold purpose of sex, designated to be open to creating new life.

Chastity

The moral virtue of integration and healthy expression of sexuality according to one's state in life.

Celibacy

A formal vow or promise to remain unmarried and abstain from sexual relations, usually for religious ministry.

Sacrament

A visible sign of God's invisible grace, instituted by Christ.

Annulment

A declaration by a Church tribunal that a valid, sacramental marriage covenant never truly existed due to a missing core condition.

Primary Vocation

The universal call to holiness and love expressed through states like Single, Married, or Religious Life.

Secondary Vocation

How a person lives out their call to holiness through daily work, career, and state in life.