Theology 200: Final Exam Study Guide
Sacraments Part 2
Sacrament: An outward sign of an inward reality
Actual grace: God's intervention and support for us in everyday moments
Sanctifying grace: Free gift of God's life that heals our human nature wounded by sin and restores us to friendship with God
Be able to identify (via multiple choice questions) the effects of the sacraments
Reason Series
Natural faith: Complete trust of confidence in someone or something that is of the natural world
Supernatural faith: Complete trust and confidence in the supernatural world based on spiritual apprehension
Principle of non-contradiction: Truth cannot contradict truth
Philosophy: "love of wisdom" understanding
Theology: The study of God aka "theos".
Major concepts of faith and reason:
why science cannot disprove God: b/c god's outside the bounds of science. It proves natural laws and God is outside of those laws
a universe that expands must have a beginning (BVG Theory) : if it's expanding there must have been a time where it was nothing/didn't exist
evidence that the universe is not random
fine tuning (constants are so exact, there must be an intelligent creator)
the Bible vs science
why isn’t there a conflict?: because the bible is talking about theology, which isn't science, which means it can't conflict with science
Theology of the Body
Adequate anthropology: the study to better understand ourselves as people
Love: a decision to “will the good of another” person; a sincere gift of oneself to others
Lust: sexual desire that is selfish and apart from God’s love; a selfish desire that seeks one’s own pleasure at the expense of another
Sacramentality of the body: humans are both body and soul that reveal the truths about God
Original solitude: The experience that humans are unique in all of creation b/c we're made in the image and likeness of God
Original innocence: being able to see and love the other person rightly
Original unity: perfect unity between man and woman as they lived in perfect communion with one another through their bodies
Spousal meaning of the body: giving themselves as a gift to each other in love
Agape: divine, unconditional love; the love with which God loves us
Chastity: the virtue that frees us from the selfish attitude of using others; makes us capable of love
Virtue: A morally good habit or character trait that is considered beneficial to society and the individual. Habit that leads to “good”
Ethos: One’s entire way of living, rooted in the interior world of a person’s desires and attraction; based on one’s inner perception of values.
Redemption: The ransom of humanity from the slavery of sin to a new life of freedom through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the Cross
Freedom: The ability to desire and choose the good. Accepting and living out the truth of who we are and for what we are created. Free from internal constraints not external constraints
Internal constraints: Lust and selfishness. Keep us from the truth, making us less free.
External constraints: Rules and responsibilities. Stopping at a red light, not speeding, 3 strikes you’re out.
Objective truth:
Meaning of
“free”: Freely given to us - no strings attached. Chooses to love each of us.
“total”: Complete. Gives all of himself. Doesn’t withhold anything. Jesus’ pierced side is an example of God’s total love for us
“faithful”: Never abandons us. Never stops loving us.
“fruitful”: Brings us to life.
faith and reason —> truth = understanding and knowing god —> understanding and knowing ourselves
go together; need both to lead us to the truth (where we want to go)
truth about gods existence and who god is
faith tells us who he is and shows us his love
reason tells us there is an intelligent creator and we are created with purpose
truth about universe
Faith tells us we are created for humans, for good, and out of love
Reason tells us something can’t come from nothing and the universe had a beginning: constants of the universe: 13 billion yo: big bang: intelligent creator