Sexuality Unit Review: Catholic Teaching and Perspectives

Comprehensive vocabulary and concept review flashcards based on the sexuality unit lecture notes covering Catholic teaching, scripture, and modern developments.

Basic Ideas of Catholic Sexuality Teaching

Sexuality is part of God’s good creation, and people are capable of being misused or exploiting others.

Natural Law approach

The moral approach using human reason to consider what sexuality means and what its purposes are.

Unitive meaning

The purpose of sex that unites spouses and expresses their love.

Procreative meaning

The purpose of sex that can create new human life.

Dimensions of Sexuality

Includes emotional, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions, making it more than physical.

Basic Moral Standard

No sex outside of marriage.

Male/female complementarity

Part of how God wants humans to behave “as written” in the body.

Genesis 2

Scripture teaching that marriage comes from God and woman is presented as a suitable partner for man.

Song of Songs

A biblical book that celebrates love and sexual intimacy with a positive appreciation of sex.

Leviticus and Deuteronomy

Old Testament laws that prohibit sexual activity between males.

Scriptural Parallel for Unfaithfulness

Unfaithfulness to God is often connected to unfaithfulness to a spouse or adultery.

Jesus' Teaching on Others

People should not see others as objects; Jesus warned specifically against adultery and lust.

Jesus' Design for Marriage

Permanent marriage is God’s design for humans.

St. Paul's Condemnations

condemned prostitution, incest, and homosexual activity while advising Christians to honor God with their bodies.

U.S. Teen Birth Rate

A rate that has been declining but remains substantially higher than other Western industrialized nations.

Teen Sexual Activity Statistic

About $40\%$ of teens said they had sex.

Sexual Orientation Debate

The controversy of nature (born/biology) versus nurture (environment/upbringing/life experiences).

Massachusetts (2004)

The first state to legalize same-sex marriage.

Supreme Court (2015)

The year the Court eliminated prohibitions on same-sex marriage.

Modern Distinction in Homosexuality

The development of distinguishing heterosexual orientation from homosexual activity.

Traditional Christian View on Homosexual Activity

Viewed as immoral conduct that homosexual persons should abstain from.

Catechism on Homosexual Persons

States they must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity.

Theology of the Body

Catholic teaching about the meaning of the human body and sexuality.

Celibacy

Choosing not to marry or have sexual relations.

Abstinence

Choosing not to engage in sexual activity.

Modesty

Dressing and behaving respectfully and appropriately.

Lust

Sexual desire that treats people as objects.

Pornography

Explicit sexual material intended to arouse.

Prostitution

Exchanging sexual acts for money or goods.