Year 10 Religious Education - Conscience Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards for Year 10 Religious Education covering concepts related to conscience, moral decision-making, natural and divine law, principles of conscience, and Church teachings.

Conscience

Derived from the Latin conscientia ('with knowledge').

God's voice calling them to do good and avoid evil.

Ideal

A standard or moral principle that a person aspires to, such as honesty, loyalty, or courage, which typically develops during adolescence.

Human heart questions

Recurring questions at different life stages that can never be fully answered—such as 'What is the purpose of my life?'—which begin in conscience and represent God's call to seek truth.

Action (Element of a Moral Decision)

An element of a moral decision that must obey God's law, as some actions (such as murder or theft) are always wrong regardless of intention or circumstance.

Intention (Element of a Moral Decision)

The reason behind a moral act, which must be good for the act itself to be considered morally good.

Circumstances (Element of a Moral Decision)

The situation surrounding an act, which can make an otherwise good act wrong or alter a person's level of moral responsibility.

Natural law

The law of God inscribed in human nature that is discovered through human reason, though it can be damaged or confused by sin.

Divine law

The law directly revealed by God—such as the Ten Commandments interpreted through Jesus' teaching—to provide clarity free of confusion.

Sin

A deliberate thought, word, or deed against the law of God, requiring both prior knowledge of the law and deliberate consent.

Formed conscience

A conscience trained through discipline, instruction, and prayer to understand moral principles and correctly apply them to real situations.

Principle 1 of Conscience

The principle stating that everyone is obliged to form their own conscience through active training and education rather than expecting it to develop automatically.

Principle 2 of Conscience

The principle stating that everyone is obliged to follow sincere conscience judgements, even if mistaken, provided the mistake is not the person's own fault.

Principle 3 of Conscience

The principle stating that conscience does not decide right or wrong; only God determines right and wrong, while conscience discerns it.

Principle 4 of Conscience

The principle stating that a good end does not justify immoral means, meaning an evil method cannot be used to achieve a good goal.

The Golden Rule

The command spoken by Jesus in Luke 6:31: 'Treat others as you would like people to treat you.'

Examination of conscience

A daily review of one's thoughts, words, and actions against God's teachings to give thanks or seek forgiveness and strength to improve.

Magisterium

The Pope and bishops together, serving as the official teaching body of the Church carrying the spiritual authority handed down from the Apostles.

Orthodoxy

Meaning 'right opinion/teaching,' derived from the Greek words orthos (straight/right) and doxos (opinion).