RE Y10 Semester 2 Exam

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Vocation

The life-calling of each person, created by God, and details each aspect of their life, such as their job, their wealth, and their relationships

Freedom

The power within people to do whatever they want, which calls people to love God, others and self, and grows in virtue. This is obstructed through sin

Justice

A basic sense and part of human nature that relates to everyone being treated fairly and rightly, instead of violating another or their rights

State of Grace

A term meaning a person has a living relationship with God (has not committed mortal sin)

Sin

Any deliberate thought, word, or deed that goes against the word of God

Original Justice

The state of harmony people were meant to have, and included the harmonious relationships with God, the self, others, and creation. Was destroyed through the original sin

Original Sin

The sin committed by the first parents that destroyed their relationship with God by disobeying him. This also resulted in people experiencing personal confusion, emotional conflicts, guilt, and inner struggles

Ecumenism

The idea that Christians of different denominations should come together and resolve areas of sincere disagreement through ecumenical councils

Charity

The power of divine love that empowers people to love God and others as Jesus did, as well as develop friendships, self-giving, and forgiveness. Can be developed by praying and worshipping daily, receiving the Holy Communion, and living as Jesus did

Martyr

A person put to death caused by their belief in their faith, principles, or cause is so great, they refuse to give it up to save their life, for example, St. Stephen and St. Felicity

Reformation

The division of European Christianity into Catholic and Protestant, beginning in 1517 and caused by the corruption that existed in the Catholic Church

Magisterium

The body that officially teaches in Jesus’ name within the Church, and is formed by the Pope and the Bishops

Conscience

The place where, deep within, God speaks to people, telling them to love, do what is good and avoid evil. Contains the law of God, and is a person’s most secret core and sanctuary

God’s Creative Activity

The way that God sustains and perfects the universe. We can partake in this in several areas and ways, such as in the world through taking care of the world, in society and families by treating other with God’s love, and in individuals through people taking care of themselves. (Note: creative leans more into actual creation than being creative)

Work

The way a person participates in God’s creative activity. Is more than just employment (like volunteering). Employment, though is a large part of it, and should be chosen using God-given gifts to fulfill vocation

The Threefold Mission of Jesus

Priest - To put others first always

Prophet - To speak out on behalf of those less fortunate

King - To show stewardship over all of God’s creation

All baptised Christians are called to participate in this

The Sacrament Someone Celebrates to enter Priesthood

Holy Orders

The Priestly Call to Serve

A threefold mission, which includes:

• Teaching the Gospel

• Sanctifying to becoming Holier - helping people growing holier also grow toward God

• Guiding the Community - supporting the bishop to guide the Community

Celibate Love

A special form of love that is inclusive, meaning a person is available to provide for the needs of all people, and was practiced by Jesus

The Three Vows Taken by those in Religious Life

• Chastity - imitating Jesus by loving others celibately

• Poverty - imitating Jesus by owning nothing personally, and surrendering them to the Church

• Obedience - imitating Jesus by placing your gifts, and how they are used, in the hands of the Church

Two Questions Required for Moral Decision Making

1. Do I have sufficient relevant knowledge? (think about the pros and cons of each alternative to choose the best one)

2. Do I have sufficient personal freedom? (am I making this choice while experiencing internal and/or external pressures)

Why Responsible Choices are Moral Choices

The ultimate intended outcome of all choices is long-term happiness. The key requirement for a choice to lead to this is for it to be a morally good choice to make, meaning it’s directed toward what is good and leads to happiness. When people make responsible choices that consider all options and choose the best one for everyone, they are also making a moral choice

Human Heart Questions

Questions that originate from the conscience, which God uses to call people to seek the truth, and can never truely be answered. Arise as young people mature.

E.g.,

• What is the purpose of my life?

• Who am I?

• Why do people suffer?

• What happens after we die?

Ways people can experience goodness

• Ideals

• Being inspired by others

• Feelings of guilt

• The desire for truth

Ideals

A way a person can experience goodness, which is a standard or moral principle to which people aspire. These begin to develop in adolescence, and are a part of the process to mature. They are echoes of God’s voice and reflect his power. Examples are faithfulness, loyalty, and honesty

Being Inspired by Others

A way a person can experience goodness, in which their conscience resonates with the good qualities of another’s. The call of conscience leads people to desire to have the good characteristics of another, like bravery, courage, etc.

Feelings of Guilt

A way a person can experience goodness, in which they feel sorry for not behaving as God wants them to. Usually occurs when a person neglects and represses their need to reflect God and show love, like by ignoring someone in need, stealing, lying, or harming another

How God speaks to people Through the Conscience

Through the stirring of personal thoughts or feelings, like love or joy, which over time gradually create a clearer picture of what God wants. People can ‘listen’ to these by becoming sensitive to them by developing their relationship with God like through praying daily and worshipping Him

Three elements of Moral Decisions

• the action itself (where the thing done must follow God’s Laws, and if it doesn’t, it is morally wrong)

• the intention (where the choice must have a morally good reason for doing it)

• the circumstance/consequence (where the context of the action must be morally right. [aka drinking wine isn’t bad, but wine before driving is])

How the Three Elements of a Moral Decision help People to do Good

When all three elements of a moral decision, the act, the intention, and the circumstance, are all morally good, the decision becomes morally good. If they are not, the act is morally wrong

Natural Law

Law that comes from human nature as created by God, in which we discover through our natural sense of right or wrong. By using their reason, they can also work out what is right an wrong.

For example, every person should be treated equally, preventing racism and discrimination

The Moral Divine Laws

• The Ten Commandments

• Jesus’ Two Great Commandments

Three Conditions for Sin

• Which Law of God did the thought, word, or action did I disobey?

• Did I know beforehand that the thought, word, or action was against the law of God?

• Did I do it on purpose?

Serious Sinful Habits

Habits which a person develops either physically or psychologically, in which a person breaks the law of God.

This may be things like:

• Suffering an addiction to drugs

• Persistent habits of bullying

• Persistent habits of stimulating self sexually

These may be hard to break, though can be lessened if a person genuinely tries to resist a habit, avoids situations in which they know this habit is likely to arise, and makes an effort to understand the causes of the habit

The Sacraments of Healing

1. Reconciliation/Penance - in which Jesus forgives sins and heals the relationship with God and the Church

2. Anointing of the Sick - in which Jesus gives strength, peace, and courage to overcome difficulties in illness

3. Baptism - in which all sins are forgiven

The 4 Principles of Conscience

1. You are obliged to form your own conscience

2. You are obliged to follow sincere conscience judgements

3. Conscience does not decide right or wrong

4. Moral ends does not justify immoral means

You are obliged to form your own conscience

The principle of conscience in which you are required to develop the potential of listening to and obeying their conscience, which can be done through discipline, training, and instruction

Ways people can form their conscience

This can be done by practicing its use, through both recalling God’s Laws before an action to work out the best thing to do, and recalling God’s Laws after an action to work out if you did the right thing. People should not just do what ‘feels right’, but should instead be able to understand the moral principles behind a decision, and understand how to apply moral principles to real life

You are obliged to follow sincere conscience judgements

The principle of conscience in which you are required to always follow what your conscience says is the right thing to do, even if your conscience is wrong

How Conscience can be Mistaken

This can happen when a person has poor moral education, are misinformed in a situation, or have internal or external influences on them. Due to this, people are obligated to avoid situations where emotions may cloud judgement, and to change bad attitudes and habits

Conscience does not determine right and wrong

The principle of the conscience that teaches how God is the only one who can differ right from wrong, and conscience only has the ability of saying of telling someone if they think they are doing right or wrong. A person can be uninformed and make honest mistakes, though their action is still wrong, as what you think is right may be actually wrong

A good end does not justify immoral means

The principle of the conscience that explains that making moral judgements should not just involve choosing the best outcome, but the best way to achieve that outcome.

For example, encouraging others to be more environmentally friendly is a good thing, but doing so through threats is bad

Examination of Conscience

The action in which a person examines their past thoughts, words, or actions, to discover whether or not they have behaved as God taugh

How an Examination of Conscience can help a person to learn about their Behaviour

As it can help people understand examples of:

• When they’ve done what is right

• Find examples of when they have improved in life

• Identify guilty feelings

• Recognise guilty feelings and whether or not they are justified

Internal Pressures that can inhibit a Person’s Ability to Hear God

• Strong Emotions - can both motivate a person to act well, but also cloud judgment so much people make poor choices

• Vices - can cause you to consciously or unconsciously make constant poor decisions

• Inadequate moral formation - people may have a poor understanding of right and wrong

• Guilt and Rationalisation - can cause a person to ignore God telling them they are wrong

External Pressures that can Inhibit a Person’s Ability to Hear God

• Social trends - can make a person make poor decisions that are accepted in society

• Peer pressure - can feel forced to do something bad (fomo)

How the Holy Spirit can Guide Human Conscience

The Holy Spirit, which was promised by Jesus to be gifted to us, directly helps baptised people by helping them to see more clearly how to love, what is good, and how to apply God’s Laws to daily life. By strengthening the influence of the Holy Spirit and it’s gifts through daily prayer, worship and living as Jesus taught, the influence of challenges to the conscience gradually weaken

What Jesus gave people to help the formation of their conscience

Jesus gifted people the special community of the Church, which he promised would never be conquered by evil forces as he would be with it always. He used this to help people form their conscience through:

• charging Peter + the Disciples to lead the Church, telling them to teach people to observe the commandments he gave them

• appointing Apostles to teach officially under his name, meaning that he would speak through them

• appointing Peter as the rock of the Church and giving him the keys of the Church

How the Pope and Bishops assist people to form their Conscience

• Teaching all the commands given to the Church by Christ

• Teaching how to apply these commands to contemporary situations

How the Church is the Body of Christ

All members of the Church are meant to be baptised, and the Holy Spirit dwells in the conscience of those baptised people, which as a result, draws them into one visible body. This visible body is known as the Body of Christ

The 4 Qualities of the Church

It is:

• One

• Holy

• Catholic

• Apostolic

The Church is One

Refers to the quality of the Catholic Church becoming one and united as the Holy Spirit stirs in the hearts of baptised, giving them charity and faith [which they get through Eucharist + Sacraments, Apostle’s Creed, and the Magesterium].

Occurs as all believers have the Holy Spirit in their heart as all of them have in common that they are baptised

The Church is Holy

Refers to the one of the qualities of the Church being that it is Holy, as both Jesus, the head of Church, and the Holy Spirit, who is present in the heart of each believer, is Holy. This holiness always prevents the Church from collapsing, even in times where Church members act unholy

The Church is Catholic

Refers to one of the qualities of the Catholic Church being that it is Catholic, which means universal. This is because wherever Jesus is, so is the Church, meaning the Church is everywhere. As well of this, the Catholic Church is meant to be spread to the whole human race, or spread universallly

The Church is Apostolic

Refers to one of the qualities of the Catholic Church, being that it is Apostolic, as it is founded from the Apostles and has the same gifts and mission passed from Jesus to the Apostles

How the Church is the Universal Sacrament of Salvation

As God created the Church as a response to the spread of sin, which damaged the original harmony people were meant to have with each other. In the same way that a Sacrament is an invisible sign of the presence and action of God, the Church is a visible sign and expression of the invisible actions of God. It also brings union between individuals and unions between the peoples of earth as they have union with God, just like a Sacrament

The Five Periods of Growth for the Church

• In Jerusalem since the Pentecost

• Beyond Jerusalem to Israel and Palestine

• In Rome

• The period of ‘Christendom’

• The Expansion Beyond Europe

The Church’s Expansion in Jerusalem since the Pentecost

The first period of growth for the Catholic Church, beginning in 30CE, in which the Holy Spirit did various miracles to preach the word of Jesus. It:

• attracted people through a violent wind to the Apostles

• Empowered the Apostles to speak in different languages

• Moved many to believe and become members of the Church

• Gave the Apostles the power to work miracles

The Church’s Expansion beyond Jerusalem to Israel and Palestine

The second period of growth for the Catholic Church, caused by the first Christian persecutions from Jewish Leaders between 30-33CE, resulting in many Christians fleeing. One such was Saint Stephen, who went to Samaria. He:

• Proclaimed the Gospel

• Worked Miracles (like curing paralytics)

• Performed Exorcisms

• Baptised those who converted

• Converted an Ethiopian man he was told was important, signifying the universal spread of Christianity

The Apostles also sent Peter and John to help people receive the Holy Spirit in what is now known as Confirmation.

After this, St. Paul further spread the word of the Lord

St. Paul - Growth of the Catholic Church

An important missionary who was a big contributor to the spread of the Catholic Church to Israel and Palestine. Originally was a Jew and persecutor of Christians, that approved many of their executions, though converting when Jesus came to him in a vision. After his conversion, he went on three missions. Once he did his three missions, he was arrested in Jerusalem and later beheaded in Rome

First Mission of St Paul

Was between 46-49CE, where he preached through modern Cyprus, Türkiye, and Syria, then traveling to various towns, then went by sea to Antioch and Seleucia. In these places:

• Healed a cripple

• Stopped people thinking he was a God

Second Mission of St Paul

Was between 49 and 53CE, where he preached through Türkiye, Greece and Syria, yet again visiting various towns. During this mission, he:

• was imprisoned in Phillipi, after which an earthquake occurred right after

• preached to his jailor and jailor’s family

Third Mission of St Paul

Occurred between 53-58CE, where he preached in new towns of the countries he had already visited. He preached in various places like synagogues, and converted many people, as well as performing miracles like excorcisms.

The Church’s Expansion in Rome

The third period of growth for the Catholic Church. During the time of St. Augustus, Rome experienced much prosperity and luxury. This left people confused as they wanted their human heart questions answered. This resulted in Christianity spreading through the empire as it answered these questions. This was also due to the attraction towards the love people showed toward Jesus and each other, and the attraction toward Jesus’ message and will

Christians began performing many good acts, supporting those who were sick, unemployed, etc.

Persecutions in Rome and their Resolution

The Roman Empire began persecuting those who didn’t follow the Roman religion, and eventually starting persecuting the Christians in particular. This lead them to the worst persecution under Emp. Diocletian, starting in 303CE.

This changed though when Constantine became Emperor in 312 after defeating his rival, Maxentius. He then gave religious freedom in 313 through the Edict of Milan. Later he made many changes to spread Christianity more, changing laws, creating the Council of Nicaea, and punishing those who were cruel toward Christians

Expansion of the Church During Christendom

The fourth period of growth for the Catholic Church. The Roman Empire fell in 410CE, being defeated by various Germanic Tribes. This led to another period of Christian persecution, though partially ending with Clovis, who was a Christian warrior that conquered much land, providing safety to Christians.

Later there was the Great Schism that separated Christendom into Greek and Latin branches, later becoming the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church

Important Figures in the period of Christendom

There were two main important figures in this period:

• Pope Gregory I who sent monks through rural Europe to spread Christianity

• Charlemagne, a Frank king, who was crowned as the Emperor of the Romans and converted the Western Roman Empire to Christianity, becoming known as Christendom. The Church was suffering much at this time, though still continued to preach.

Expansion of the Church Beyond Europe

The final period of growth for the Catholic Church. Occurred as explorers discovered new areas of the world, like Henry the navigator and Christopher Columbus, leading missionaries to spread the word there.

The Church now continues to spread as Jesus asked it to be universal and to go to all nations, now through millions of ordinary priests and preachers spreading the word

Spread of the Church in Asia

The age of discovery led to many people being stirred to preach in Asia. In Japan, it began with St Xavier, though led to a mass persecution in Japan where many Catholics were executed and tortured. Soon, missionaries became more accepted as more Japanese people converted, until another persecution occurred. This soon ended, and religious freedom was granted.

The Church also spread to China, though many were deterred as a result of the clash between Christian and Chinese culture. Colonialism later resulted in the destruction of Chinese culture and religions, causing an increase in Christianity

The Church is now spreading in many countries throughout Asia

Spread of Church in America

Many diocese set up as early as 1511, with many missionaries spreading the word to the Native Americans. Fr Caroll later became the first American born priest, paving the way for many more

Spread of Church in Africa

Many missions occurred with missionary societies being established 1868 and onward, such as the Society of Missionaries of Africa. They faced much persecution and martyrdom, but continued preaching