Religion 11 Final Exam Review - Catholic Morality

Flashcards covering key terms, virtues, laws, and principles of Catholic Social Teaching from the Religion 11 final exam review.

Catholic Morality

The body of knowledge based on human experience, reason, and God’s revelation which helps us discover what we ought to do to live fully human lives.

Human Reason

One of the three sources of Catholic morality, defined as our God-given intellects.

Human Experience

One of the three sources of Catholic morality, defined as the collective wisdom of others, living and dead.

Divine Revelation

One of the three sources of Catholic morality, defined as the teachings of God as found in the scriptures and teachings of the Church.

Conscience

A judgement of reason whereby the human person recognizes the moral quality of a concrete act that he is going to perform, is in the process of performing, or has already completed.

Character

Who we really are and who we are becoming through our choices and actions.

Discernment

A decision making process that attends to the implications and consequences of an action or choice, which includes prayer.

Determinism

The philosophical position that argues free will does not exist and is only an illusion.

Dignity

The quality of being worthy of esteem or respect, based on being made in God's image.

Freedom

The power rooted in reason and will that enables a person to perform deliberate actions on one’s own responsibility.

Free will

The power that allows a person to be a master of their own actions.

Imago Dei

The Latin phrase for being made in the image and likeness of God.

Magisterium

The official teaching authority of the Church.

Original Sin

The consequence of the sin of Adam and Eve, which is removed at baptism.

Nihilism

A philosophy that claims there is no meaning to existence, rejects all positive values, and believes in nothing.

Vocation

Living out God’s plan.

Virtues

Good habits or traits that bring us closer to others and God.

Vices

Bad habits or traits that bring us further from God and others.

Mortal sin

A sin that completely breaks and severs one’s relationship with God and others.

Venial sin

A sin that damages but does not necessarily destroy one’s relationship with God and others.

Means

A method, course of action, or instrument by which something can be accomplished.

Ignorance

An impediment to freedom defined as not knowing what we should do or not do.

Inadvertence

An impediment to freedom defined as not paying attention or being distracted while we are acting.

Duress

An impediment to freedom occurring when someone tries to force us to do something.

Fear

An emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger.

Moral Law

God’s loving plan for His creatures.

Natural Law

The light of understanding that God has placed in us which helps us to understand the laws of the created or natural world.

Revealed Law

The law revealed in the scriptures, subdivided into Old Law and New Law.

Civil Law

The law that governs civilians which comes from the government.

Canon Law

The full body of officially established rules governing the Catholic Church, also known as Church law.

Subsidiarity

The principle that holds that a higher unit of society should not do what a lower unit can do as well or better.

Solidarity

The principle that calls people to try to help everyone in their society who needs it.

Human Dignity

The principle that establishes that no one should be hurt, violated, or disrespected.

Common Good

The principle dedicated to a pursuit of that which would be best for everyone.

Preferential option for the poor

The principle that calls people to look out for the poorest among them.

St. Thomas Aquinas’ Definition of Law

A law must be reasonable, for the common good, from competent authority, and promulgated.

Promulgated

Announced so that all people can be expected to know it.

Prudence

The cardinal virtue known as “right reason in action” which involves good decision making.

Justice

The cardinal virtue consisting of giving God and each person his or her due by right.

Fortitude

The cardinal virtue providing the courage to persist in living a Christian life, also known as “spiritual guts.”

Temperance

The cardinal virtue regarding moderation in controlling our desires for physical pleasures.

Moral Object

The moral quality of an action that suggests whether the action is directed toward the true good.

Intention

The aim or objective of a course of action.

Circumstances

The setting in which all moral actions occur that can determine the degree of fault for which a person is responsible.

Theological Virtues

Three gifts from God that empower us to be good so that we may do good: Faith, Hope, and Charity.

Faith

The theological virtue that enables us to believe in God and all that He has said and revealed.

Hope

The theological virtue that enables us to desire heaven and eternal life, relying on the help of the Holy Spirit.

Charity (Love)

The greatest virtue of all that empowers us to love God above all things and our neighbor as ourselves.

The Paschal Mystery

The process of Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection which has freed humanity from the grips of sin.

Abortion

Defined in Evangelium Vitae as the deliberate killing of an innocent human being in the womb.

Euthanasia

Defined in Evangelium Vitae as an action or omission that, by its nature or intention, causes death to eliminate suffering.

Golden Rule

The teaching of Jesus: “Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them.”