Religion: Conscience, Sin and Mercy

Learn about God's mercy, our sin, and conscience. Blue highlighted words are vocab/potential vocab words.

What does fundamental moral law tell us to do?

“do good and avoid evil”

What does conscience do?

Conscience helps us discern good and evil

What does the Holy Spirit guide us towards?

Moral maturity

Where will our moral maturity reach its fulfillment?

In Heaven

What are the elements that determine morality?

Act, intention, and circumstances

Acts can be…

inherently good or inherently evil

Does intention matter? (yes/no)

Yes

Do circumstances affect the morality of an action? (yes/no)

Yes

For an act to be judged as morally good, all elements (object, intention, and circumstances) must be good. (true/false)

True

Are we allowed to pursure moral goals using immoral means? (yes/no)

No

What are two themes that run throughout both the Old and New Testament?

The reality of sin in history and God’s ever-present mercy and willingness to forgive

What does sin deviate from?

Human reason

How does sin deviate from human reason?

It leads us away from the goal for which we are all destined for: being together with God

How do commit a sin of commision?

We do what we know is wrong

How do we commit a sin of omission?

We fail to do what we know is right.

Mortal sin

A serious violaton of God’s law ; seperates us from God’s grace and damages our relationship with the Church community

Venial Sin

Less serious offense that weakens the relationship with God and the church community yet does not seperate from God’s grace

How can we be forgiven for a venial sin?

Through expressing our sorrow and performing good works. The Church still encourages the confessing venial sins in Reconciliation.

How can we be forgiven for a mortal sin?

Confessing the sin in Reconciliation

What happens when we commit a mortal sin without seeking forgiveness?

Eternal seperation from God/eternal death

What are personal sins?

Individual choices made out of our free will

Do we have a personal responsibility for the sins of others that we cooperated in? (yes/no)

Yes

Scandal

Knowingly leading others to sin

Grace

God's gift, filling individuals with love and enabling them to fulfill His will

Sanctifying Grace

Heals sin, making individuals Christlike; received initially at Baptism and operates throughout life for holiness.

What 3 conditions define mortal sin?

seriousness, full knowledge that what we are doing is wrong, and free choice

Virute

An ability to make morally good decisions that leads to the habit of doing good.

What are Christian virtues considered as?

Gifts from God that we can develop into habits of Christian living