CST - Final Exam Study Guide

What are two basic ways we can respond to suffering in the world?

1. We can do something 2. We can do nothing

What is individualism?

Responsibility for one's own life.

What is enlightened self-interest?

Helping others helps us.

What is compassion?

Everyone benefits when people help one another.

What is hopelessness?

Choosing not to act.

What are three truths about human beings made in the image of God?

1. We were made good 2. We are made to be in relationship with God and others 3. We were made free

What is human dignity?

The basic goodness and equal worth of human beings that comes from being created in God's image.

Can anyone lose their human dignity? Why or why not?

No, because God loves every person and all are created in His image.

What is justice?

The establishment of loving relationships among human beings, God, and creation so life can flourish as God intended.

What is injustice?

A condition in which people place obstacles in the way of loving relationships, preventing life from flourishing as God intends.

Why did the Son of God become a human being in Jesus Christ?

God chose to be with humanity to lead us out of suffering and death.

What is Catholic social teaching?

The teaching of the Church that examines society in light of the Gospel and Church Tradition to guide Christians in continuing Jesus' mission.

Why did the Catholic Church formally develop Catholic social teaching?

To apply timeless truths to modern social realities.

What is cooperation between classes?

Social classes should work together instead of fighting one another.

What is the dignity of work?

Work has value because it reflects human dignity and participation in God's creation.

What are workers' rights?

Workers deserve fair wages, safe conditions, and the right to organize.

What is the role of the state?

The government should protect justice and the common good.

What is private property?

People have the right to own property, but it must serve the common good.

What is the responsibility of society regarding the poor?

Society has a responsibility to protect and care for the poor and vulnerable.

Who are the marginalized?

Those unable to participate fully in society.

What is the common good?

Social conditions that allow people to reach their full dignity and potential.

What is subsidiarity?

Problems should be solved at the lowest level possible, with government stepping in only when necessary.

What is the most basic principle of Catholic social teaching?

Life and dignity of the human person.

What is participation in society?

The right and responsibility of all people to take an active part in society.

What limits people's rights?

People must respect the rights and dignity of others.

What are the rights of workers?

Items necessary for dignified work and fair pay.

What is solidarity?

Union of one's heart and mind with all people.

Why does God call humanity to place the needs of the poor and vulnerable first?

Because they have the least representation and are most in need.

How does work contribute to human dignity?

1. Allows people to share in God's creation and express talents 2. Provides support for oneself, family, and community

Why are Christians called to work for environmental justice?

Because creation is God's gift for all people, and harming the environment especially harms the poor and vulnerable.

What is awareness in the context of social justice?

Recognizing suffering and injustice through seeing, hearing, and experience.

What is analysis in social justice?

Examining why social problems and injustice exist.

What is action in social justice?

Responding with love and working to change injustice long term.

What is worldview?

The basic beliefs that guide how someone relates to the world.

How do experience and culture shape worldview?

Experiences teach what to trust or fear, while culture shapes values, traditions, and beliefs about what is normal.

What does acting for justice in solidarity mean?

Standing with those who suffer as members of one human family instead of treating them only as charity cases.

How does action based in love confront injustice?

It seeks to change hearts without hatred and respects the dignity of even wrongdoers.

What two convictions are at the heart of the Catholic approach to human life?

1. All human life and dignity are sacred 2. Society must protect life from conception to natural death.

What is abortion?

The intentional destruction of unborn human life.

What is euthanasia?

The deliberate ending of a life to relieve suffering.

What is the death penalty?

A punishment that attacks the dignity and inviolability of the person.

What is war/genocide?

Mass violence that destroys human life and dignity.

What is a culture of life?

A society that respects and protects every human life from conception to natural death.

What is a culture of death?

A society that values people based on usefulness, productivity, or independence.

How does the culture of death define human beings?

Human worth depends on productivity, health, and independence.

According to the culture of death, what must people do to be fully alive?

Maximize success and avoid suffering or vulnerability.

How does the culture of life define human beings?

Human beings are sacred and made in the image and likeness of God.

According to the culture of life, what must people do to be fully alive?

Love, serve, and sacrifice for others while protecting the vulnerable.

Why is participation in community essential to human dignity?

Humans are social by nature, and denying participation isolates people and violates their dignity.

What does it mean to say human beings are social?

People are made in God's image and meant to live in loving relationships with others.

What is inclusion?

Recognizing that differences are small compared to the dignity all people share.

What is exclusion?

Deciding who does not belong in a community by focusing on differences.