Catholic Christianity - Religious Studies A - Edexcel GCSE

What is a sacrament?

An outward sign of an inward gift instituted by Christ, in order to give grace to a human being.

It is a religious ritual performed in the life of the church that makes people holier.

What is the sacramental nature of reality?

It means finding the grace of God within the physical world. God is invisible, but Catholics believe he speaks to humans through everything he has created.

How can God speak to Catholics in the sacramental nature of reality?

- Bread
- Wine
- Water
- Oil
- Words
- Hands upon the head
- Songs
- Gestures
- Movements
- Books
- Debates
- Buildings
- Music
- Work
- Love
- Sport

What are the seven sacraments?

Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and Matrimony

What do the Sacraments mark?

An important point between life and death for Catholics and links an individual's physical life with their spiritual life.

What is Baptism?

The ceremony that welcomes a person into the family of God.

What is Baptism important?

- Person becomes a member of God's universal family.
- Person is freed from original sin, by sharing in the new life that comes from the Paschal Mystery.
- Person receives strength from God to continue Jesus' mission.

What SOWAA is there for Baptism?

Matthew 28:19, "make disciples of all nation"

What is Confirmation?

Receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit to encourage a faithful life; literally confirming the faith.

Why is Confirmation important?

- It strengthens the faith ready to become a mature, active Catholic.
- Candidates receive the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.

What SOWAA is there for Confirmation?

John 14:26, "the Holy Spirit [...] will send in my name"

What is the Eucharist?

Receiving the body and blood of Christ.

Why is the Eucharist important?

- Receiving the real presence of Christ in a physical way.
- Uniting the Catholic community through the Mass.

What is the SOWAA for the Eucharist?

Mark 14:22 "this is my body...this is my blood"

What is Reconciliation?

The forgiveness of sins.

Why is Reconciliation important?

- Removes spiritual illness of sin.
- Restores relationship with God and community.
- Offers mercy, forgiveness, and advice to the penitent.
- Sins are forgiven.

What is the SOWAA for reconciliation?

"If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven" - John 20:23

What is Anointing of the Sick?

Healing and forgiveness of sins in preparation for the journey into the next life.

Why is Anointing of the Sick important?

- Gives strength in sickness and suffering.
- Prepares an individual for death.
- Shows God's presence and love throughout their life.

What is the SOWAA for anointing of the sick?

"they were sick and healed them" Mark 6:13

What is Matrimony?

The joining together of two people as one in marriage.

Why is Matrimony important?

- Two people give themselves permanently and exclusively. This is the only sacrament in which the people give the sacrament to each other.
- They are open to the possibility of procreation and new life. God is present through the couple's lifelong love and commitment.

What is the SOWAA for matrimony?

"they are no longer two but one" Matthew 19:6

What is Holy Orders?

The giving of a distinct mission within the Church.

Why is Holy Orders important?

- Priesthood establishes Christ's presence throughout the ages in the sacraments, above all the "Sacrament of sacraments", the Eucharist.

What divergent attitudes are there towards the sacraments?

- Not all Christians recognise seven sacraments. Not recognising a sacrament means they do not believe it was instituted by Jesus - but they might still perform it (e.g marriage).
- Not all Christians believe the sacraments are a communication of God's grace, instead, they are expressions of faith.

What is liturgical worship?

Structured, public worship that follows a set pattern set out by the Catholic Church.

What does liturgical worship help Catholics to do?

Grow in holiness and be saved from sin.

What is the mass?

The central act of worship, celebrated nearly every day in the Catholic Church. Catholics are expected to attend mass weekly.

What are the four main parts to a mass?

1. Introductory Rites
2. Liturgy of the Word
3. Liturgy of the Eucharist
4. Concluding Rites

What happens in the introductory rites?

- A call to mind of sins and an ask of forgiveness in preparation for receiving the Eucharist.

What happens in the liturgy of the word?

- Readings from the Old and New testaments including the Gospels.
- Homily (commentary on the meaning of God's word).
- Nicene Creed (Sundays and feast days).
- Prayers of Intercession.

What happens in the liturgy of the eucharist?

- Bread and Wine are brought to the altar.
- Eucharist prayer transforms these by the power of the Holy Spirit.
- This becomes the actual body and blood of Jesus.
- Received by the Congregation.

What happens in the concluding rites?

- The priest greets, blesses, and sends out the people to build the kingdom of God.

What is the place of the Eucharist in the Church?

- The celebration of the Eucharist was began in the Last Supper.
- "Do this in remembrance of me".

What does Lumen Gentium make clear about consuming the Eucharist?

- Makes individuals part of Jesus' body of the Church.
- Makes Catholics part of one another.
- Creates the Church, the Body of Christ.

What do Catholics believe about Liturgical Worship?

- Structured
- Ordered signs and symbols link back to Apostolic Tradition.
- Transubstantiation.

What do some Protestants believe about Liturgical Worship?

- Similar structure to Catholic Mass.
- Eucharist is important but does not have same meaning, i.e the bread and wine are symbolic.

What do other Protestant believe about Liturgical Worship?

- Is symbolic.
- Less structured worship, which many believe is important for a less restrictive connection with God.
- May include spontaneous involvement from members.
- Varied music.

What do all Christian groups recognise?

The importance of God's Word in the Bible and sharing that in community.

What is the funeral rite?

The ceremonies carried out when a Catholic dies.

How is the funeral rite practised in the home?

In Ireland, it is common to have a Vigil of Prayer in the home. This may take place in the church if the body is laid out the night before.

How is the funeral rite practised in the church?

Requiem Mass or just a Liturgy of the Word. Most priests encourage Mass so that the Eucharist is celebrated.

How is the funeral rite practised in the cemetery?

Rite of Committal and Commendation takes place at the cemetery or crematorium. People say their goodbyes with hope in their hearts that they will meet again in the next life.

What does the Nicene Creed say about the funeral rite?

"I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come"

What are the aims of the funeral rite?

- Communion with deceased: to support the deceased person on their journey into the next life with efficacious prayer. Significance: Catholics are reassured that they can support the deceased after death, and forgive them for any wrongdoing.

- Communion of the community: to show how people gathered are still connected to the deceased person in the Church, the Body of Christ. Significance: Catholics are reassured they remain in connection with one another through prayer and the Eucharist.

- Proclamation of eternal life to the community: to remind people that death is not the end of life but the passage from this world to life with God. Significance: Catholics are given hope for the future and can refocus on their own life and priorities.

What is prayer?

Prayer is communication with God.

What are the different times of prayer and their importance?

- Repentance: Acknowledging their sins and asking for forgiveness, e.g the I Confess.
- Thanksgiving: Expressing love and gratitude to God, e.g Grace before meals.
- Adoration: God is God, e.g the Glory Be.

What is the Trinity?

"One God in Three Persons" CCC 253

What is the Nicene Creed?

The Christian declaration of faith, first drawn up in 381 CE at Constantinople.

How is Baptism related to the Trinity?

It is the entry rite into the Catholic Church and most Christian churches and denominations perform it "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" as instructed by Jesus in Matthew 28:19.

When in the Mass is the Trinity mentioned?

1) The Sign of the Cross.
2) The Eucharistic Prayer.
3) Doxology - glory to the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.

What is a doctrine?

Anything that one person teaches to another.

What does CCC 253 say about the Trinity?

"The Trinity is One. We do not confess three Gods, but one God in three persons"

Why is the Trinity important to understand God?

The explanation of God as a Trinity is significant for Catholics because it reveals some of the mystery of God, as well as providing a way for them to understand how he connects to them in different ways. Most importantly, the relationships of love within the Trinity teach Catholics about love in their own lives.

What is a "creed"?

The word Creed comes from the Latin word credo, which means "I believe". It is a set of words, a formal expression of what the Catholic Church believes and teaches , a summary of some of its main doctrines. Each of the Catholic Church's creeds was written in response to a mistake/heresy.

What is Apostolic Tradition?

The wisdom inspired by the Holy Spirit which influences the words and practices of the Church.

At what point did God reveal himself as Trinitarian?

In Matthew 3:16-17 "the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting in him, and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son""

Who believed that Jesus was only a prophet (a spokesman for God), but not God himself. He was lower than God, similar to God but not quite God himself?

An Egyptian priest named Arius

Who was Alexander that opposed Arius' idea that God was just a prophet?

The bishop of Alexandria, he excommunicated Arius from the Church leading the Roman Emperor Constantine to become unhappy and was the reason for the Council of Nicea to be called.

What was the Council of Nicea?

Constantine created the first ecumenical council to discover the nature of Jesus.

What does homoousios mean?

Of the same substance.

What does homoiousios mean?

Of a similar substance.

What was the Holy Spirit and the First Council of Constantinople?

The First Council of Constantinople (Constantinople I) met to resolve the disputes. It was decided to: reaffirm the Creed of Nicaea of 325, but expand it a bit to underline that the Holy Spirit was also fully God.

What are the first words of the Bible?

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" Genesis 1:1

What does creatio ex nihilo mean?

Creation out of nothing

What is described in Genesis 1?

It describes how God created the Earth in six days, and then he rested on the seventh day.

What is described in Genesis 2?

Catholics believe Genesis 2 is a more detailed overview of creation and describes when God created man.

What does it mean for God to be a benevolent creator?

A loving creator. He placed humans in a garden full of wonderful trees and plants. Another sign of his goodness is that he creates human beings as free.

What does Genesis 3 describe?

The first original sin of Adam and Eve: eating the fruit from the tree of knowledge. Genesis 3 introduces the idea that sin leads to suffering. If humans do not obey the teachings of God, things cannot work out right.

What is said in Genesis 1:3?

"God said 'Let there be light' and there was light"

What is said in Genesis 1:2?

"The spirit of God was moving over the face pf the waters"

What is said in John 1:1-3?

"He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him"

What do literal Christians believe about Creation?

They believe that everything described in Genesis really happened, including God creating the world in six days.

What do liberal Christians believe about Creation?

Liberal Christians interpret them as myths; sacred stories which are metaphorical or symbolic and are told to help humans understand that God brought all that exists into being.

How do religion and science coincide?

Science explains how the universe and human beings came into being (the physical processes and scientific theories) whereas religion explains why they came into being (because God desired that the universe should exist).

What evidence is there that God is Creator?

"God said, 'Let there be light' and there was light" Genesis 1:3

What evidence is there that God is benevolent?

"God saw that the light was good" Genesis 1:4

What evidence is there that God is omnipotent?

"God said, 'Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together in one place, and let the dry land appear' and it was so" Genesis 1:9

What evidence is there that God is eternal?

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" John 1:1

What paragraph in the CCC reveals the first indication of God's loving nature?

CCC 268

What is humanity?

Humanity means 'the human race'. Genesis 1:26-31 describes the creation of humans and the power and responsibility God gives them.

What part of the Bible is this from, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion"

Genesis 1:26

What does 'imago dei' mean?

Image of God.

What does Genesis 1:27 say?

"God created man in his own image"

What is the first way human beings are said to bear the image of God?

1. Human beings are rational.
Humans have been given intelligence, and so by reflecting on things in the created world, they can find their way to God who created them.

What is the second way human beings are said to bear the image of God?

2. Human beings have free will and conscience.
Human beings are meant to use their ability to choose in order to choose what is true, not false, and what is right, not wrong. In this way they imitate God. Genesis 3 illustrates the result of a misuse of free will, when Adam and Eve disobey God and are banished from the Garden of Eden.

What is the third way that human beings are said to bear the image of God?

3. Human beings can relate to God.
To be created in the image of God means that human beings also have the potential to enter into a relationship with the God who created them.

What is the fourth way that human beings are said to bear the image of God?

4. Human beings can give and receive love.
God is a community of persons (the Trinity) who give and receive love to one another and to Creation. If human beings are made in the image of God, this means that human beings are made to give and receive love. Human happiness can only come through love.

What is the fifth way that human beings are said to bear the image of God?

5. Human beings are answerable to God.
The image of God can also be a reminder of the authority of God over human beings, as their Creator. To be created in the image of God could be interpreted as humans being accountable or answerable to God for their lives. Those who bear God's image must use their lives to serve him by giving and receiving love, as he does.

What does dominion mean?

The authority to rule, but the nature of the world as a garden suggests God intended this to be expressed in loving cultivation and care. Human beings are meant to be stewards of Creation.

What are secular understandings to stewardship?

Many secular groups have definitive ideas about the nature of humanity, which are sometimes compatible in part with the ideas of Catholics even if they do not follow from a belief in God. Humanists do not believe that God granted humans stewardship over the earth, but they do believe humans have a moral responsibility to care for the planet, as this is in the best interests of humanity.

Are humans the most important part of Creation?

In the Genesis account of Creation, God created humans last. They are seen as the most important part of Creation, but they're still creatures.

What does incarnation mean?

'En-fleshment' - it refers to God becoming a human being in Jesus.

What Gospel does this quote come from? "The Word become flesh and dwelt among us".

John 1:14

What is John 1:1?

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

What example of Jesus' divinity is found in John's gospel?

"Jesus said to them, 'truly, truly, I say to you before Abraham was, I am'"

Jesus is claiming for himself the name that God revealed to Moses.

What example of Jesus' divinity is found in Matthew's gospel?

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away"

Jesus is claiming that his words will last longer than Creation itself because God is eternal and everlasting.

Why did scribes condemn Jesus as a blasphemer?

They thought he was showing contempt for God by claiming to be God's equal in forgiving the sins of the paralysed man. The anger towards Jesus is often seen because people think he is committing blasphemy. When Jesus claimed to have existed before Abraham, some people wanted to kill Jesus. Jesus is often seen not to keep the sacred command to the Sabbath day in order to perform some act of compassion or love. He allows his disciples to pick grain when they are hungry on the Sabbath, which would have been a forbidden act of work for Jews.

Why is the Incarnation important for Catholics today?

The Incarnation was the day of Jesus' conception. Catholics believe the gospel - the good news - that Jesus was the divine Word made flesh; God becomes fully human. He was crucified by the Romans, died, and then resurrected before he ascended to heaven. Catholics believe that God became human in Jesus so that human beings might become divine by sharing in Jesus' life through the Church.