Theology 115 Franciscan

Absolute moral norms

Moral principles that are universally unchanging

Act

External expressions of one’s moral beliefs

Actual grace

Grace that enables us to act in accordance with God

Apostasy

To deny the faith

The Beatitudes

Blessed are… The poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, all those who hunger and thirst, the merciful, and the pure in heart.

Autonomy

Self-governance and the ability to make decisions that recognize the Moral Law of God

Cardinal virtues

Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, Temperance

Character

the behaviors that distinguish people from one another

Charity

Loving God above all and loving our neighbors as ourselves

Christian freedom

The liberation from sin and the ability to act with accordance to God’s will

Christian moral law

What we as Christians know is right or wrong

Circumstance

The specific factors that surround a sinful act

Civil law

Human made rules for the common good

Common good

Allowing society to reach its full potential of well-being

Concupiscence

The human tendency to sin

Concupiscible

The human appetite for pleasure

Consequentialism

The idea that the morality of an act depends solely on its outcome

Consent

The deliberate and free act of the will

Conscience

The God given ability to judge right from wrong

Congruous merit

Arouses the soul to move toward God

Covenant

A sacred promise

Cowardice

Being afraid to take a prudent risk or sacrifice because of fear

Created grace

A supernatural gift from God given to humans and angels, it is a participation in the divine life that elevates the soul

Deontological

Ethics that’s are based on duty and divine law

Despair

The deliberate abandoning of hope

Divine law

Enacted by God and made known to man through revelation

Domestic church

Refers to the Catholic family; here it is where faith and formation are first learned

Double Effect, Principle of

Used to determine when an action has two effects- one good one evil- may still be chosen without sin

Ecclesiastical law

An ordinance issued by legitimate authority in the Catholic Church

Economy of salvation

Gods entire plan for creating the world and sending a savior

Emotions

different mental states

Eternal law

The plan of divine wisdom and God binding the whole of creation to the fulfillment of its purpose

Eudaemonism

The theory that the ultimate goal of human life is happiness

Fear of the Lord

Avoiding sin and attachment to created things out of reference and love of God

Fortitude

The Cardinal Virtue that provides firmness in difficulties

Grace

Gods free gift of Divine assistance

Golden Mean

The virtue of choosing the midpoint excess and defect in action

Grave matter

Sins that seriously violate Gods law

Habit

The affect of repeated acts

Habitual/sanctifying grace

Supernatural gift infused into the soul and perfects the soul to live with God

Happiness

A deep and lasting fulfillment only found through God

Hatred

Where someone regards someone or something with bitter aversion

Heteronomy

The moral doctrine that man is subject to laws that are not created by himself but

Hope

the desire to make it to heaven

Human/Positive law

Laws created by human authorities

Immutable

Absolute changelessness; God is unchangeable because he is infinite

Indissolubility

The bond of marriage that cannot be dissolved

Infused grace

The act of God pouring grace into our souls

Infused/theological virtues

A good habit/virtue that is given to the soul by God

Intellect

The power of cognition, being able to understand reason

Intemperance

The act of trapping the soul to constantly want pleasure; opposite of temperance

Intention

The purpose or goal behind the action

Intrinsically evil

An intentional act that goes against every aspect of Divine Law

Invincible ignorance

Lack of knowledge where a person is not morally responsible for being ignorant

Irascible emotions

Feelings and emotions associated with a difficult task: anger, fear, hope, despair

Justification

When a sinner is made right with God and cleansed from sin

Knowledge

Any act, function, state, or effect of mental activity

Law

An ordinance of reason for the common good

Lust

Sinful desire for pleasure

Material cooperation

Assisting in another’s wrongdoing without approving it

Matter

That which constitutes a body

Merit

Divine reward for the practice of virtue

Merit (Condign)

Reward of good works by God

Moral object

The inherit nature of the act itself and rather it is good or evil

Moral Theology/Christian ethics

The ways that we must live by according to Christ

Mortal sin

Removes grace completely from your soul

Natural happiness

A state of fulfillment that satisfies human desire

Natural inclination

The tendencies and desires within humans that influence their behavior

Natural law

The knowledge inscribed on the human heart of knowing how things are designed

Nature

The essence of a being considered as the principle of activity

New law

The Law of Christ meaning the selfless love of God in neighbor, rather than the Law of Moses

Original sin (Sin of nature)

A consequence of Adam and Eve, all humans are born with it and it separates us from God

Personal sin

Action, word, or desire that goes against God’s eternal law

Piety

Devotion and reverence to God

Potency

Being able to be, act, or receive

Presumption

Assuming you can do anything and expecting God’s grace and forgiveness

Primary precepts

Principles derived from Natural Law

Principle of Double Effect

Used to determine what to do when an action has a good and bad effect and which is without sin

Proportionalism

Justifying an act based on its good and evil consequences

Proximate cooperation

An act closely linked to the wrongdoing of another; example, an abortionist performing an abortion

Prudence

The knowledge of things that ought to be done and then doing them

Rashness

Hasty judgements regarding one's character

Relativism

choosing what is best for yourself

Remote cooperation

When a person provides the material item for an evil act but doesn’t participate in the sin themselves

Remission of sin

Forgiveness of sin

Revelation

The communication of some truth by God to a rational creature through means which are beyond the ordinary course of nature

Revealed morality

The moral teachings God has revealed to us through Divine Revelation

Seven deadly sins

Pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, sloth

Sin

A deliberate act contrary to the Law of God

Sloth

One of the seven deadly sins, it is spiritual laziness

Subjective norm

The social pressure to engage or not to engage in a behavior

Subjectivism

That our own mental activity is the only unquestionable fact of our experience

Subsidiarity

The teaching that decisions should be made by the lowest possible competent authority

Supernatural happiness

The perfect happiness attained through God’s grace

Synderesis

The habit of knowing the basic principles of moral law

Temperance

The Cardinal Virtue that helps you use moderation

Teleological

The belief that everything has a purpose or goal

Temptation

An impulse to sin

Temporal punishment

the consequences of sin even after the sin has been confessed

Theonomy

Divine Law governs society