Religion Final Exam 2026

Anthropology

The subset of theology that studies the nature of the race of man (human nature) as it relates to God and Revelation.

Didache

An early Christian writing (mid-first century) of unknown authorship. It summarizes morality as a choice between the path of life and the path of death, liturgical practice, and disciplinary norms.

Dominion

The authority God gave Adam to rule over creation. 

Social Doctrine

Moral teaching of the Church with regard to the dignity of the person, the basic rights of the person, and the requirements of the common good. 

Apologist

One who defends and explains the Christian faith

Apologetics

The rhetorical art of defending and explaining the Christian faith

Body of Christ

The New Testament’s preeminent image of the Church, which lives in communion with Christ as its head

Communion

From the Latin for “mutual participation” or “oneness together”, communion denotes the most intimate fellowship, a sharing of life; the bond that believers share with Christ, and in Christ, with one another

Family of God

A description of the fellowship of believers in the Church; the Communion of Saints united to Christ, enjoying the life of the Trinity

Polytheism

The idolatrous worship of many gods

Commutative Justice

The form of justice that governs the ordinary transactions of everyday life, directing us to honor promises, contracts, and commitments. 

Distributive Justice

The form of justice that governs the ways and means by which authority distributes the goods and obligations of social life among the members of society. 

Justice

One of the four cardinal virtues; this virtue refers to the steady and lasting willingness to give to God and to others what belongs to them by right.

Legal Justice

The form of justice that governs the way individuals respond to the obligations of living in society or living under the state.

Responsibility (or duty)

The demand for an account of one’s acts; it includes accepting the consequences of those acts.

Rights (also natural rights)

The goods that are owed to a person by nature. Are inviolable and belong to every human being because of his or her inherent dignity as a person, possessing a rational intellect and free will. 

Social Justice

The form of justice that governs the cultural, political, and economic aspects of human community, with particular concern for structural problems or solutions.

Class Struggle

In Marxist ideology, the never-ending conflict between the ownership and working classes, based on their opposing interests. The Church has opposed the idea as contrary to fraternal charity.  

Cold War

A state of tense political and military rivalry between two powers; usually applied to the hostility between the United States and the Soviet Union through much of the twentieth century.

Communism

A political theory based on the writings of Karl Marx, promoting violent class struggle and the abolition of private property.

Encyclical

An authoritative papal letter, usually addressed to all the bishops of the world and treating a matter of great importance.

Laissez-Faire Capitalism

 An economic approach that opposes governmental interference in business and industry.

Nazism (National Socialism)

The statist, racist, nationalist ideology behind the National Socialist German Workers Party, which reigned under Adolf Hitler in the 1930s and 1940s. Nazi racism was condemned by Pope Pius XI in his encyclical addressed to the German people, Mit Breenender Sorge (“With Burning Concern”) and by Pope Pius XII in his radio and other addresses. 

Socialism

A variety of political and economic theories that advocate a high degree of government control over— or outright ownership of— the means of production, distribution, and exchange. Though most forms of socialism reject violence as a means of achieving their ends, many of its forms espouse the idea of class struggle.

Statism

The tendency, in politics or economics, to concentrate control in the state at the cost of individual liberty.

Common Good

The total of social conditions that will allow both individuals and groups to reach their human and spiritual fulfillment more easily

Development of Doctrine

The process by which Christian teaching becomes gradually more explicit and detailed, though later statements of doctrine remain consistent with earlier statements.

Participation

The principle by which people take active responsibility for their roles in society—by means of labor, voting, community life, and so on. 

Private Property (Right To)

The right of a person or community of persons to own, govern, and otherwise dispose of some part of creation. 

Solidarity

The qualities of communities or individuals being united in interests, sympathies, and aspirations. Also, the principle of “friendship” or “social charity” manifested first in the distribution of goods and the remuneration of work.

Subsidiarity

An organizing principle in society, subsidiarity, proposes that matters should be handled by the smallest and most local competent authority, rather than being handled default by a central authority. 

Universal Destination of Goods

Catholic doctrine that God created the goods of the earth to be shared in common by all people.

Dignity

The quality of being worthy or honorable; worthiness, nobility, excellence. Every human person, by reason of his or her creation in the image and likeness of God, has an intrinsic dignity. Certain characteristics that are distinctive in human beings— such as work and freedom— are endowed by God with a special dignity. 

Ecology

From the Greek oikos meaning a house or dwelling, this science deals with the relations of living organisms (especially humans) to their surroundings or habitats. This field also studies environmental issues.

Eminent Domain

This legal principle of civil law states that a government can claim private property, with compensation to the owner, because of a legitimate and overriding public concern. It is consonant with Catholic social doctrine when exercised in a just way, i.e., for the common good and with just compensation to the owner. 

Person

An individual substance of a rational nature. Complete in itself, uncommunicable, and possessing responsibilities and rights as well as the essential elements of distinctiveness, uniqueness, intelligence, and will. 

Poverty

The condition of want experienced by those who are poor, whom Christ called blessed, and for whom he had a special love. Poverty of spirit signifies humility and detachment from worldly things.

Racism

The theory that distinctive human characteristics and abilities are determined by race. This can be manifested in the different treatment of people based solely on race; in this way, it is a violation of human dignity and a sin against justice. 

Anarchy

A state of disorder due to the absence of authority; lawlessness.

Detraction

The action of taking away from a person’s merit or reputation by disclosing another’s true faults or sins. This is a sin against the Eighth Commandment because each person has a right to his good name.

Gossip

Idle speech about another person’s affairs, especially of an intimate nature. The word can also refer to a person who who does this. It is a sin against the Eighth Commandment.

Infanticide

The act of killing a newly born child, a sin against the Fifth Commandment.

Perjury

To make a promise without any intention of completing it, or to lie under oath, a sin against the Eighth Commandment.

Rape

The forcible violation of the sexual intimacy of another person. This act deeply wounds the respect, freedom, and physical and moral integrity to which every person has a right. It is a sin against the Sixth Commandment.

Rash Judgment

The formation of an opinion about someone’s character without sufficient evidence. It is a sin against the Eighth Commandment.

Slander

A maliciously false statement or report intended to defame or injure a person. It is a sin against the Eighth Commandment. 

Individualism

Belief in the primary importance of the individual and in the values of personal independence and self-reliance.

Materialism

The belief that nothing exists except physical matter; also, a tendency to value possessions and physical comfort above spiritual life.

Relativism

The belief that knowledge and morality do not correspond to any absolute truth, but are rather conditioned by individual experience or cultural context.

Secularism

The doctrinaire exclusion of religion from public life. 

Secularity

The special character of the laity, at work and living in the world.