Biblical Studies and Catholic Moral Tradition

Practice vocabulary flashcards reviewing key concepts, figures, terms, and principles of biblical interpretation and Catholic moral theology.

Contextual approach to interpreting the Bible

An interpretive method whose primary emphasis is on understanding the original context of the biblical text.

Symbolic language in the Bible

A form of language in sacred scripture that primarily aims to convey symbolic truth rather than literal or scientific facts.

Encyclicals

Catholic Church documents whose primary purpose is to provide guidance on moral and social issues in light of the Christian faith.

Divine revelation

A concept comprising two aspects: the process by which people communicate with God and the product of that communication.

St. Peter

The first leader of the Apostles and the first Pope in the early Church.

Old Testament

A collection of sacred writings comprising many books written by various authors over centuries, recounting the overarching story of ancient Israel's covenant with God.

"Old" (in the Old Testament)

A designation that primarily signifies esteem and deference.

New Testament

A collection of 27 volumes whose primary focus, as compared to the Old Testament, is centered on historical events.

Prophets (Old Testament)

Individuals whose primary role was to act as channels of God's communication.

Literary types (Biblical genres)

Text categories whose identification aids in biblical interpretation by indicating whether a passage conveys symbolic or factual truth.

Biblical criticism

The critical study of biblical texts with the purpose of discovering the original author's intent.

Biblical literalism

An approach to interpreting scripture that often leads to fundamentalism and misinterpretation of the intended meaning.

Righteousness (Prophetic view)

The prophetic understanding that true righteousness means to understand and know the things of God.

The Song of Songs (Solomon)

A book in the Old Testament known for using symbolic language to describe love.

Ecumenism

The effort to have Christians from various denominations come together and reconcile their differences.

Literature of faith

The primary literary genre classification under which the sacred Scriptures are considered.

Theologians

Scholars responsible for interpreting the moral tradition of the Church and helping bridge the gap between Jesus' time and the present.

Parousia

A term used in the context of the second coming of Christ that means the arrival or presence of Christ.

First stage of divine inspiration

The foundational stage in the development of the Bible marked by God's presence with the people of Israel, guiding and sustaining them.

Tradition and scripture (Catholic relationship)

The Catholic understanding that the Bible receives its life from a living tradition and directs that tradition forward.

Reason and faith (Catholic belief)

A complementary relationship where reason is essential, and faith complements reason by revealing deeper aspects of moral life.

Moses' Call

A significant event essential to understanding Old Testament ethics, characterized by God's revelation of His name to Moses.

Magisterium

The official teaching authority of the Catholic Church.