THEO 111: Theological Foundations Final Exam Study Guide

Practice flashcards for THEO 111 Final Exam covering Jesuit values, theology of meaning, Borg's historical Jesus, liberation theologies, eco-theology, and religious pluralism.

Who is the founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and what event led to his conversion?

Ignatius of Loyola; his conversion occurred after a cannonball wound forced him to reflect on his life's purpose.

What is the core insight of the Ignatian principle 'Finding God in All Things'?

The belief that God is not only in church, but can be found in work, nature, relationships, and all daily experiences.

In Ignatian spirituality, what does the term 'Cura Personalis' mean?

Care for the whole person, including their intellectual, spiritual, emotional, and physical dimensions.

What is the difference between 'consolation' and 'desolation' in the process of discernment?

Consolation is a movement drawn toward God, others, and life; desolation is a movement marked by withdrawal, self-centeredness, and darkness.

What are the four pillars of Ignatian spirituality?

Finding God in all things, being a contemplative in action, looking at the world in an incarnational way, and seeking freedom and detachment.

What phrase did Pedro Arrupe use to describe the purpose of Jesuit education?

'Men and Women for Others' — stating that education is for service to the world, not just personal success.

How did Paul Tillich define 'faith'?

Faith is 'ultimate concern' — whatever a person organizes their deepest life around.

What are the four sources of theology that work together to seek understanding?

Scripture, Tradition, Reason, and Experience.

According to Thomas Moore in 'Care of the Soul,' what is the 'soul'?

A deep quality of everyday life involving depth, value, and relatedness, rather than just a religious concept.

What does Thomas Moore mean by 'honoring symptoms as a voice of the soul'?

Stop fighting struggles like depression or obsession and start listening to them as indicators of what the soul needs.

What are the three 'mechanics' of religion described in Unit 3?

Creed (what is believed), Code (how one acts), and Ceremony (how one worships).

What is Marcus Borg’s definition of the 'Domination System'?

The organized social structures (imperial, religious, and economic) that maintain inequality through power, violence, and ideology.

What were the three elements of the Domination System in Jesus' time?

Roman imperial rule, the temple-state economic system, and purity codes that excluded marginalized groups.

According to Marcus Borg, what is the 'Narrow Way' as opposed to the 'Broad Way'?

The Narrow Way is a path of transformation organized around compassion, justice, and solidarity; the Broad Way is the conventional path of status, wealth, and conformity.

What are the four distinct types of Christian communities and their approaches to Scripture?

Mainline Protestant, Roman Catholic, Fundamentalist Protestant, and Catholic Fundamentalism.

What are the four key markers of Evangelicalism?

(1) Authority of the Bible, (2) Centrality of conversion ('born again'), (3) Emphasis on the cross as atonement, and (4) Active sharing of faith (evangelism).

In biblical criticism, what is the difference between Source Criticism and Redaction Criticism?

Source Criticism asks what earlier written sources an author used; Redaction Criticism asks how editors shaped and arranged those materials for theological reasons.

How does liberation theology define 'Social Location'?

The combination of race, gender, class, and other factors that shape where a person stands in society and how they experience the world and God.

What is the 'preferential option for the poor' in Latin American Liberation Theology?

The conviction that God is found especially among those who suffer most and is on the side of the oppressed.

How does Patrick Cheng define 'Radical Love' in Queer Theology?

A love so extreme and boundary-crossing that it erases the lines separating people from each other and from God.

What is 'Anthropocentrism' in the context of Pope Francis' 'Laudato Si' '?

The error of placing humans at the center as masters of the Earth rather than as stewards within the natural world.

According to Pope Francis, what is 'Integral Ecology'?

The recognition that caring for the environment and caring for the poor are inseparable moral callings.

What are the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism?

(1) Life involves suffering (dukkha), (2) Suffering arises from craving/attachment, (3) Suffering ends when craving ends, (4) The Eightfold Path is the way out.

What is the Buddhist concept of 'Pratityasamutpada'?

The teaching of interdependence — that everything arises in relation to everything else.

What does 'Tawhid' mean in Islamic Creed?

The absolute oneness of God, implying that all creation is unified and depends on God.

In Islam, what is the role of a 'Khalifa'?

Humans are stewards or vicegerents of God on Earth, acting as trustees rather than owners.

What is 'Zakat' in Islamic practice?

An obligatory almsgiving of $2.5\%$ of wealth given to the poor, serving as a comprehensive wealth redistribution system.