Catholic Christianity : Beliefs and Teachings Flashcards

To help learn the content from the beliefs and teachings part of the Catholic Christianity section.

1
Q

Who is in the Trinity?

A
  • God the Father
  • God the Son
  • God the Holy Spirit
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2
Q

What is the Trinity?

A

‘one God in three persons’ CCC253

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3
Q

What do Catholics believe about the Trinity?

A
  • There is only one God (monotheism)
  • God exists as three persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
  • Each of these three are distinct from one and other, but each is wholly God.
  • There are NOT three Gods.
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4
Q

Why do Catholics believe in the Trinity?

A
  • It is how God makes himself known in the world.
  • It is called ‘the doctrine of the Trinity’
  • It is a fundamental belief for all Catholics.
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5
Q

What does the Nicene Creed say about the Trinity?

A

The Trinity works as one - yet each of the three persons has a special role.

a. God the Father created heaven and earth,
b. God the Son, Jesus, is the saviour of the world.
c. God the Holy Spirit guides, helps and inspires human beings.

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6
Q

How does God reveal himself through the Trinity?

A
  1. ‘Outside’ them through God the Father
  2. ‘Beside’ them through God the Son and Saviour
  3. '’Inside’ ‘ them through the Holy Spirit.
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7
Q

How is the Trinity used during the sacrament of Baptism?

A

‘I baptise you in the name of the father, and of the son and of the Holy Spirit’

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8
Q

How is the Trinity shown in the sacrament of the Eucharist?

A
  1. It begins with the sign of the cross
  2. It is an act of thanksgiving and praise to the father, the son becomes present in the bread and wine and then the Holy Spirit comes down through it.
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9
Q

What is a doctrine?

A

A belief held by the Church

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10
Q

What is a creed?

A
  • It means ‘I believe’.
  • A creed is a formal expression of what the Catholic Church believes and teaches.
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11
Q

Where does the belief in the Trinity originally come from?

A

Apostolic Tradition.

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12
Q

What is apostolic tradition?

A

The wisdom inspired by the Holy Spirit which influences the words and practices of the Church.

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13
Q

Why is the baptism of Jesus important for the Trinity?

A

It is the moment God revealed himself as the Trinity.

‘The spirit of God descended on him like a dove and a voice from heaven said “this is my son whom I love’

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14
Q

Why did the early Church have disagreements about the Trinity?

A
  1. Some would not accept Jesus as more than a prophet
  2. Some did not believe that Jesus was truly God himself.
  3. Some thought Jesus was lower than the Father.

Constantine called the Council of Nicea to sort out these differences.

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15
Q

What is the first council of Nicea?

A
  • The first of the Church’s ecumenical councils.
  • They produced the Creed of Nicea which said that Jesus was just as much God as the Father is God.
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16
Q

What is the First council of Constantinople?

A

Where they declared that the Holy Spirit was also as much God as the Father was and Jesus.

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17
Q

What do Catholics believe about Creation?

A
  1. Nothing existed before God created the world - Creation Ex Nihilo
  2. Only God creates because he is omnipotent
  3. This belief can be found in the Bible in Genesis.
  4. They believe it is a symbolic story.
  5. The world was NOT created in 6 days exactly as it says.
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18
Q

What does Creation Ex Nihilo mean?

A

Creation out of nothing.

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19
Q

What happens in Genesis 1?

A

God creates the world in 6 days and rests on the 7th. He looks at all he has made and sees that it is good. He creates humans on the 6th day.

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20
Q

What happens in Genesis 2?

A

Adam names all the animals in the world but is still lonely. God creates Eve from Adams rib.

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21
Q

What happens in Genesis 3?

A

This describes the original sin of Adam and Eve: Eating the fruit from the tree and introduced the idea that sin leads to suffering.

If humans do not obey the teachings of God things cannot work out right or happily.

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22
Q

What do Other Christians (Creationists or Fundamentalists) believe about the creation story?

A
  1. They believe that the Bible account is accurate and is exactly how the world was created.
  2. The world was created in 6 calendar days.
  3. They believe this because the Bible is the word of God and is never mistaken.
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23
Q

What can Catholics learn from the creation story?

A
  1. God is creator ‘God said “let there be light” and there was light.
  2. God as omnibenevolent ‘God saw what he had made and it was good’
  3. God as omnipotent ‘Let the waters under the heavens be gathered…and it was so’
  4. God as eternal ‘ in the beginning was the word… and the word was with God’
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24
Q

What do Catholics believe about the Big Bang?

A
  1. They believe in the Big Bang.
  2. The theory supports their belief of creation out of nothing.
  3. The Big Bang theory was put forward by a Catholic Priest.
  4. ‘Let there be light’ could be reference to the explosion.
  5. Science explains HOW the universe came about and Genesis explains WHY.
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25
Q

What does John I say about creation?

A

The gospel of John also refers to creation but focusses on how Jesus was also present as ‘the word’

“In the beginning there was the word, and the word was with God.

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26
Q

What does John say about the Trinity?

A

Jesus is God incarnate

‘The word became flesh and dwelled among us’

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27
Q

What is Humanity?

A

‘The human race’

28
Q

What does Genesis tell us about Gods intention for the human race?

A
  • Make mankind in his image
  • They are to have dominion over the fish and birds and cattle and the earth.
29
Q

What is Imago Dei?

A
  • Being made in the image of God.
  • ‘God created man in his own image’
30
Q

How do human beings bear the image of God?

A
  1. Human beings are rational
  2. Human beings have free will and conscience
  3. Human beings can relate to God
  4. Human beings can give and receive love
  5. Human beings are answerable to God.
31
Q

What do Catholics think about Stewardship?

A
  • We should all be stewards of creation.
  • Catholics believe God made humans superior to other animals by giving them reason and free will and this is why they should look after the world.
  • Every individual has a duty to care for their neighbours around the world.
32
Q

What do Humanists think about stewardship?

A
  • Humanists think we need to look after the world.
  • We need to be stewards of the world out of concern for human beings and other animals.
  • We should work towards a more sustainable world.
33
Q

What is the incarnation?

A
  • This means ‘made flesh’
  • The Christian belief that Jesus was both fully human and fully divine.
34
Q

What does the Kenosis hymn say about the incarnation?

A
  • Kenosis means ‘emptying’
  • This refers to the idea Jesus gave up some of his divine attributes when he became human.
  • Jesus became a slave for us.
35
Q

What does John 1:1 say about the incarnation?

A

‘The word became flesh and dwelt among us’

36
Q

Why is the incarnation important for Catholics today?

A
  • God became human so that humans might become divine by sharing in Jesus’ life through the Church
  • We continue to share in the life of Christ through the Sacraments of the church.
37
Q

What is the Paschal Mystery?

A

Jesus’ passion, death, resurrection and ascension into heaven

38
Q

How is the Paschal Mystery linked to salvation?

A
  • Salvation is God’s plan on how to bring people back to him.
  • Through the death and resurrection of Jesus and through his sacrifice humans have been saved and their relationship with God renewed.
39
Q

What is redemption?

A

The forgiveness of sins through Jesus’ sacrifice; redemption is part of salvation.

In Romans people are described as ‘slaves of sin’ - we are set free through Jesus’ death.

40
Q

What is justification in relation to salvation?

A
  • Only a just person can be in a relationship with God.
  • As a man without sin, Jesus was able to pay the price of a sacrifice to God.
  • Humans are then ‘justified by his grace’(CCC). They live by Jesus’ grace.
41
Q

What does the Church teach about the life of Jesus?

A

During Jesus’ life people did not understand that he was God.

It was only after Jesus’ death that the people started to realise His importance.

42
Q

What does the Catholic Church say about why Jesus came to earth?

A
  1. To save us from our sins
  2. So that we might know Gods love
  3. So He could be a model of holiness
  4. To share the grace of God.
43
Q

How did Jesus respond to his death sentence?

A

He responded with forgiveness to the betrayal, lies, corruption, violence and cruelty which he endured.

‘Father forgive them for they know not what they do’

44
Q

What do Catholics believe about the death of Jesus?

A

Jesus erased the sins of the world with God’s mercy, because it was God himself that died on the cross.

45
Q

What does the Catholic Church teach about the resurrection of Jesus?

A
  • Jesus rose again after three days
  • The Son of Man must be crucified and on the third day rise.
  • The Catholic faith is based on the resurrection of Jesus, no one but God can conquer death.
46
Q

Why is the resurrection important today?

A
  • Christ had a transformed risen body and so will humans after death.
  • The resurrection is present still now as Jesus is risen
    ‘I am with you always’
47
Q

What is the ascension of Jesus?

A
  • Jesus goes up to heaven human body and divine soul.
  • ‘He was carried up to heaven’
48
Q

What is redemptive efficacy?

A

The Paschal Mystery saved humans from eternal death and separation from God.

49
Q

How does the Holy Spirit show Gods grace?

A
  • Jesus told the disciples that the Holy Spirit would come in its place.
  • ‘If I do not go away the counsellor (Holy Spirit) will not come to you’
  • Through the Holy Spirit the apostles receive their evangelizing mission to live out the gospel.
50
Q

What do Catholics believe about evangelization?

A
  • We should make ‘disciples of all nations’
  • We are called to continue the work of announcing the gospel.
  • Evangelisation does not mean forcing people to convert.
  • It is about sharing and living out the message.
51
Q

What is evangelisation?

A

Proclaiming and living out the gospel or good news of Jesus.

52
Q

What is the Holy Spirit?

A
  • An expression of God’s grace and the means by which it is experienced.
  • The Holy Spirit came down on the disciples at Pentecost this is regarded as the start of the Christian Church
53
Q

Why is the Holy Spirit important for salvation?

A

After Jesus ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit is how God continued to work in the world today.

54
Q

Why is the Holy Spirit important today?

A
  • The Holy Spirit makes Jesus bodily present in the Bread and Wine as the Body and Blood of Jesus.
  • The Spirit is God inside us.
  • The Spirit is the bond of intense love between the Father and Son.
55
Q

How do Catholics accept salvation?

A
  • The events of the Paschal Mystery brought salvation for all.
  • This does not mean everyone is automatically saved, God offers salvation and the person must accept.
56
Q

What is Eschatology?

A
  • ‘The last things’
  • The study of teaching about the lasti things for a human life and soul: death, judgement, heaven, hell and purgatory.
57
Q

What does the Catholic Church say happens when you die?

A

You are judged by God and you go to heaven or hell.

58
Q

What is judgement?

A

Catholics believe there are two types of judgement - Particular and General (Last)

59
Q

What is particular judgement?

A
  • The first judgment of an individual’s life and asks whether a person has lived trying to follow Jesus’ example.
  • As a result of this:
    a. A person will enter heaven immediately if they die in a state of perfection
    b. Enter heaven after a state of purification called purgatory in which anything that is not love is removed.
    c. Be sent to hell if they have demonstrated an unwillingness to love and are set in un-repented sin.
60
Q

What is General/Last judgement?

A
  • The day of judgement refers to the end of time when General or Last judgement will be made.
  • Every person’s earthly body will be resurrected and reunited with their soul whether they are in heaven, hell or purgatory.
  • The Catholic Church teaches that Last judgement is final.
    The last judgement will reveal that God’s justice triumphs over all’ CCC
61
Q

What are the parables of judgement?

A
  • The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
  • The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus
  • The Parable of the Sheep and the goats.
62
Q

What do Catholics believe about Judgement?

A
  • When a person dies, God passes judgement on their soul.
  • Each person is responsible for their own actions.
  • There will be a final judgement ‘judgement day’ when the whole of creation will be judged.
63
Q

What do Catholics believe about heaven?

A
  • A person who has lived a holy life will be rewarded with eternal happiness in heaven.
  • Heaven is described in the Bible as a ‘banquet’ or ‘feast’
  • The Bible teaches there is no sadness, suffering or pain in heaven.
  • Christians believe it is a holy, happy and peaceful place to be with God.
  • It is beyond human experience.
64
Q

What do Catholics believe about Hell?

A
  • It is a place where unrepentant sinners go after death.
  • It is often thought of a place where eternal fire burns and you suffer.
  • It is a place of eternal separation from God.
65
Q

What do Catholics believe about purgatory?

A
  • The world to come will be different from now - so we need to prepare for that change.
  • We need to transfer from sinful to pure.
  • This happens in purgatory - it means to cleanse and get rid of sin.
  • Purgatory is a place where we prepare for heaven

Catholics believe you can help souls in purgatory by praying for them.

66
Q

Why do Catholics believe in resurrection?

A
  • Jesus rose from the dead
  • The Catholic Church teaches that resurrection is when a person’s soul is reunited with their ‘glorified’ body.
67
Q

Why are the Last things important to Catholics today?

A

The Catholic Church teaches that humans will probably not appreciate life in this world until they realise it is a fragile gift that is one day going to end.

Death, judgement and resurrection are reminders that for Catholics they should life consciously and not put off acts of love for tomorrow.