Intro to Sacred Theology and Christian Ethics Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering the historical development of theology, Aquinas' proofs for God, contemporary ethical systems, intersubjectivity, discipleship, and the sacraments based on lecture notes.

Theos

Ultimate reality, an infinite, eternal, and self-existent spirit who created, sustains, and governs the universe.

Logos

A Greek term meaning word, study, or science.

Theologia (Pagan Era)

A term rarely used in antiquity to talk directly about God, associated with mythologizing or ancient poets like Homer who composed the origins of gods to explain world mysteries.

Aristotle's Division of Knowledge

Divided knowledge/science into three branches: Physical (study of change), Mathematical (abstract), and Theological (eternal, immovable).

Imperial Cult

A period in Roman reception where theology shifted toward emperor worship, redefining theologizing as worshipping political leaders as divine gods.

Theoi Thesei

Pagan gods that are gods by social convention, as contrasted with the Christian God.

Theos Phusei

God by nature, referring specifically to the Christian God.

Natural Theology

Philosophical reflection on God conducted through human reason alone.

Revealed Theology

Reflection grounded in divine revelation accepted by faith and deepened through reason.

Scientia Divina

Divine Knowledge that bridges philosophical natural theology (metaphysics or first philosophy) and revealed sacred doctrine (sacra doctrina), operating as a supreme form of wisdom that orders all other truths.

Scientia Dei

Knowledge of God where faith itself is a response to God that gives life to belief, demonstrating that reason backs true faith.

Sola Fide

The Protestant doctrine taught by Martin Luther that salvation comes through faith alone.

Sola Gratia

The Protestant doctrine taught by Martin Luther that salvation comes through God's grace alone.

Manualistic Method

A Tridentine period method focused on clear, practical answers for hearing confessions and administering sacraments using a controversialist-apologetic approach.

Arianism

A heresy promoted by Bishop Arius teaching that God is not divine, but only human (a special human).

Dogmatic Theology

A branch of theology that includes Christian Anthropology, Sacramentology, Christology, Mariology, Soteriology, Pneumatology, Ecclesiology, and Eschatology.

Exegete

A person skilled in the critical explanation, analysis, or interpretation of a written text.

Absolute Truth

Inflexible reality and unalterable facts (doctrine, dogma) that humans are uniquely capable of understanding due to possessing intellect and free will.

Veritas est adaequatio rei et intellectus

A Latin definition stating that Truth is the adequation or correspondence of thing and intellect.

Quinque Viae

St. Thomas Aquinas' five philosophical arguments for the existence of God: Argument from Motion, Causality, Contingency, Gradation & Perfection, and Design.

Argument from Motion (Prime Mover)

Aquinas' proof that the first mover must exist and be put in motion by none other, which is God.

Argument from Causality (First Efficient Cause)

Aquinas' proof that it is impossible for a being to cause itself, necessitating an uncaused first efficient cause, which everyone calls God.

Argument from Contingency

Aquinas' proof from possibility and necessity stating that because nothing can come from nothing, a necessary being (God) must exist at all times.

Argument from Gradation & Perfection

Aquinas' proof based on the great chain of being, asserting that there must exist a being of the highest form of good and perfection (God).

Argument from Design

Aquinas' teleological proof stating that the order, design, and purpose of the universe cannot be a result of chance, implying a supreme intelligent designer (God).

Eudaemonism

An ethical system that maximizes personal gratification and happiness through pleasure, holding pleasure as the only good and pain/sorrow as real evil.

Utilitarianism

An ethical framework aimed at achieving the greatest happiness of the greatest number, evaluated by quality of good (John Botham Mill) or quantity of beneficiaries (Jeremy Bentham).

Nietzsche's Ubermensch & Will to Power

A philosophy asserting that God is dead, framing humanity as a slave to morality, devaluing others, and viewing envy as a driving force for success.

Kantian Ethics

An ethical system asserting that an act must be done strictly from obligation or duty to have moral worth.

Emotivism

An ethical theory holding that evaluative judgments are nothing but expressions of personal preference.

Subjectivism

An ethical perspective asserting that moral judgments are equivalent to statements about the psychological status or attitudes of those who utter them.

Situation Ethics (Joseph Fletcher)

An ethical model holding that all situations are relative and that only one thing is intrinsically good: love.

Social Darwinism

A theory holding that humans are products of natural selection and evolutionary genetic mutation (survival of the fittest), leading to racism and ideas of superior races.

Intersubjectivity

The philosophical concept of recognizing others as subjects with their own thoughts, feelings, dignity, and freedom rather than objectifying them.

I-It Relationship

A monological, one-sided, and utility-based interaction defined by Martin Buber where another person is treated as an object or a means.

I-Thou Relationship

A dialogical, mutual, and respectful relationship defined by Martin Buber based on genuine encounter, recognizing another person as a unique subject with dignity.

Ethics of the Face (Levinas)

Emmanuel Levinas' concept that encountering the face of the suffering Other issues an immediate call to moral responsibility.

Alterity

The concept in Emmanuel Levinas' philosophy of recognizing and respecting the other person as genuinely different from oneself.

The Good Samaritan

A parable told by Jesus demonstrating that true neighborly love is universal and action-oriented, transcending social, religious, and tribal divides.

Beatitudes

A portrait of a true disciple taught by Jesus that outlines the internal attitudes and virtues developed when following Christ.

Paradox of Happiness (Aquinas)

The concept exemplified by Christ crucified as a picture of a happy man, who rejected disingenuous happiness (wealth, pleasure, power, honor) for true happiness found in fulfilling God's will and self-giving love.

Sacraments

Christ-instituted channels of grace and tangible encounters with God in the Church through the Holy Spirit that mirror stages of human spiritual life.