Religious Freedom

Describe freedom in general terms

Generally, freedom means being able to choose for oneself and implies a commitment to be responsible for what one chooses. However, what it means to be free means different things to different people

Define Catholic Freedom

For, the Catholic Denomination of Christianity, true Freedom is found only in knowing and relating with God

List the features of Catholic Freedom

1. freedom is knowing and relating to God

2. Christ’s death and resurrection has freed people from sin

3. Catholics should use their freedom to live out according to God’s will

True freedom is found in relationship with God

• St Augustine states, ‘You have made us for yourself, O Lord and our hearts are restless until they find rest in you’ .
  =Because humans are created by God and for God, only a relationship with Him can bring true freedom.

Explain how through Christ, people are freed from sin

• Sin separates people from God, the source of true freedom.
  “For freedom Christ has set us free’ Galatians 5:1
  =highlights through his death and resurrection, Christ frees humanity from sin and restores people’s relationship with God

Explain how Catholics are called to use their freedom to live according to God’s will

freed by Christ, Catholics are called to live according to Jesus’ teachings. In Galatians 5:13, Catholics are called to use this freedom to ‘serve one another through love.’
=highlights freedom received through Christ should be used to live according to God’s will, which is expressed through loving and serving others

List the challenges for Catholics in sharing in the work of Jesus

• Sin

• Social attitudes and trends

• abuse of freedom

Explain how sin can challenges Catholics from sharing the work of Jesus

Sin challenges Catholic freedom as it separates people from God.

‘By refusing God’s plan of love (man) deceived himself and became a slave to sin.’ CCC 1739

=shows sinning can enslave people to selfish desires and prevent them from living according to God’s will

Explain how social attitudes and trends can challenge Catholics from sharing the work of Jesus

People struggle to challenge social trends that conflict with Jesus’ teachings

e.g In Australia 80,000 abortions happen annually, making it hard for Catholics to publicly reject it to defend Christ’s teaching of human dignity

=shows how people fail to achieve freedom in expressing God’s will as it is difficult to challenge secular trends

Explain how the concept of freedom of choice can challenge Catholics from sharing the work of Jesus

The concept of doing whatever one wants promotes a delusion of not being responsible to God and the human community
For example, utilitarian philosopher Peter Singer justifies infanticide stating, ‘ fetuses are neither rational nor self aware and can therefore hold no preferences”
=concept on freedom of choices leads to justifying assaults on right to life

define how Catholic Freedom finds expression through the Church

The Church expresses Catholic freedom through its teachings and actions

how the Church expresses Catholic freedom through its teachings

the Church’s teachings guide people towards truth, goodness and a relationship with God
In Genesis 1:27, it states, ‘God created mankind in His own image’
= Bible teaches us that every person has God'-given dignity because they are created in God’s image. Encourages Catholics to treat others with respect, helping them find Catholic freedom through goodness.

how the Church expresses Catholic freedom through its actions

The Church’s actions that help people grow in holiness and experience God’s grace
e.g The Sacrament of Reconciliation confers God’s forgiveness and grace on Catholics
= shows how Sacraments help Catholics deepen their relationship with God and grow in freedom

Define a Catholic Sacrament

The CCCC 1131 describes it to be ‘an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace’

List the features of a Catholic Sacrament

1. outward sign - God conveys His grace through words and gestures.

2. instituted by Christ

3. God gives sanctifying grace through someone ordained to do so

Define the Sacrament of Reconciliation

• a Catholic ritual that includes the confession of a person’s sins and receiving the forgiveness of God through the ministry of the priest.

• Through this ritual, a person is reconciled with God, the Church and continues to live as a disciple of Church

List the beliefs of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Catholic Freedom

1. True freedom is found through a loving relationship with God
   -the sacrament restores a person’s relationship with God

2. Jesus gave the Apostles authority to forgive sins, allowing people to receive freedom through the church
   -the sacrament allows the church to mediate God’s forgiveness through the priest

3. growing in freedom from sin leads to growth in holiness
   -the sacrament frees people from sin, helping them grow in Catholic holiness

List the four parts to the ritual of Reconciliation

1.Contrition

2.Confession

3. Act of Penance

4. Absolution

Define contrition

The penitent expresses sorrow for their sins and a sincere intention to avoid sin in the future. By turning away from sin, back to God, penitents express their desire to restore their relationship with God.

Explain the part of confession

Penitents openly confess their sins to a priest.
CCC 1455 states, ‘The confession of sins.. frees us’
=highlights how the confession frees penitents from the burden of sin, allowing them to receive Christ’s mercy

Explain the part of Act of Penance

The penitent performs an act of prayer, service or restitution.
-’Reconciliation requires conversion’ Catholic Encylopaedia, ‘Penance, Sacrament of,’

=highlights how penance encourages penitents to make amends for the harm their sins have caused. This guides them to live according to God’s will, helping them grow in holiness and freedom.

Explain the part of Absolution

the priest represents the Church community and acts in the person of Christ, absolving the sinner.
Mark 2:12, Christ entrusted to his Apostles the ministry of reconciliation stating , ‘If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven.’ passed on through Apostolic succession to priests. Through absolution, the priest grants God’s forgiveness and restores the relationship between the penitent and God’s family

Explain how the sacrament mediates God’s forgiveness through the priest

Jesus gave the Apostles authority to forgive sins, allowing people to receive freedom through the sacrament of penance
in Matthew 16:18, Jesus said to Peter, ‘Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven’
=This demonstrates that the authority Jesus gave the Apostles continues through apostolic succession, enabling priests to forgive sins on God's behalf.

Explain how the sacrament reconciles a person’s relationship with God

it includes the forgiving of sins that have damaged the relationship
‘The power of the sacrament of Penance consists in restoring us to God’s grace’ CCC 1468
=highlights that by receiving God’s grace, a person is reconciled with God