Catholic Theology PDF

Terms to Know: Bego/en: In Chris4an theology, "bego/en" refers to the unique rela4onship between God the Father and Jesus Christ, the Son. It signifies that Jesus is not created but is of the same essence as the Father, emphasizing the divine nature of Christ. Pantheism: This is the belief that God...

Terms to Know: Bego/en: In Chris4an theology, "bego/en" refers to the unique rela4onship between God the Father and Jesus Christ, the Son. It signifies that Jesus is not created but is of the same essence as the Father, emphasizing the divine nature of Christ. Pantheism: This is the belief that God is iden4cal with the universe and everything in it. It contrasts with the Catholic understanding of God as a dis4nct, personal being who created and transcends the universe. Diocese: A diocese is a district under the pastoral care of a bishop in the Catholic Church. It is a territorial division that helps organize the Church's ac4vi4es and governance. Pope: The Pope is the Bishop of Rome and the spiritual leader of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is considered the successor of Saint Peter, whom Catholics believe was appointed by Jesus as the head of his disciples. Bishop: A bishop is a senior member of the Chris4an clergy, typically in charge of a diocese. Bishops are responsible for teaching doctrine, governing Catholics in their jurisdic4on, and represen4ng the Church. Parish: A parish is a local community of the faithful within a diocese, typically served by a parish priest. It is the basic unit of the Church's structure where most Catholics par4cipate in worship and community life. Concepts to be Familiar With: Uniformity: In the context of the Catholic Church, uniformity refers to the consistency and unity in doctrine and prac4ce across the global Church. While the Church is universal, it maintains a unified set of beliefs and liturgical prac4ces. Ecumenism: This is the movement toward unity among Chris4an denomina4ons. The Catholic Church engages in ecumenical efforts to promote understanding and coopera4on with other Chris4an communi4es. Catholic Viewpoint of What It Means to Be a Missionary: From a Catholic perspec4ve, being a missionary involves spreading the Gospel and the teachings of the Church to all corners of the world. It is rooted in the belief that the Church is universal and has a mission to bring Christ's message to everyone. The Origins of the Word “Catholic” in the Early Chris4an Community: The term "catholic" was first used to describe the Church in the early Chris4an community to denote its universality and inclusiveness. It signified that the Church was meant for all people, transcending cultural and geographical boundaries. Acts of the Apostles (pg 163-164): This sec4on likely discusses the early Church's efforts to spread the Gospel and establish Chris4an communi4es, highligh4ng the Church's missionary nature and its catholic (universal) mission. The Church is Necessary for Salva4on (pg 160-161): This concept is rooted in the Catholic belief that the Church, as the body of Christ, is the means through which salva4on is offered to humanity. The Church is seen as the custodian of the sacraments and the teachings of Christ, which are essen4al for salva4on. Benefits of Catholic Schools: Catholic schools are valued for their emphasis on holis4c educa4on, integra4ng faith with learning. They aim to develop students intellectually, morally, and spiritually, fostering a sense of community and service. Similari4es/Differences Between The Catholic Church and Other Religions: Protestant Chris4anity: Both Catholicism and Protestant Chris4anity share core Chris4an beliefs, such as the divinity of Jesus and the importance of the Bible. However, they differ in their views on authority, with Protestants rejec4ng the papal authority and emphasizing sola scriptura (scripture alone) as the basis of faith. Islam (Muslims): Islam and Catholicism are monotheis4c religions that believe in one God and have a rich tradi4on of prayer and worship. However, they differ significantly in their understanding of God, with Islam rejec4ng the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus, viewing him instead as a prophet. Judaism (Jews): Catholicism and Judaism share a historical connec4on, with Chris4anity emerging from Jewish tradi4ons. Both religions value the Old Testament, but they diverge in their beliefs about Jesus, with Judaism not recognizing him as the Messiah. Introduc4on: What It Means to Be Catholic with a Small “c” (pages 147-148) "Catholic Church" refers to the specific Chris4an denomina4on led by the Pope in Rome, while "catholic" with a small "c" means universal, indica4ng the Church's mission to be for all people everywhere. While the word “catholic” is not in the Bible, the early Church started describing herself as catholic to highlight the difference between the Church and many of the here4cal sects that were arising. St. Igna4us of An4och uses the word during the second-century when he stated: “Where there is Christ Jesus, there is the Catholic Church.” The mark of catholicity begins with God’s very act of crea4on, which is all-encompassing. It is also present in the fullness of the divinity of Jesus Christ. Humans are surrounded by a diversity of crea4on and survive and thrive together with these many elements of life. Jesus is one Divine Person with a divine nature and a human nature. He is consubstan4al with the Father, bego/en, not made. He is the Redeemer of all crea4on, including humans and the cosmos itself. All things in Heaven and on Earth are summed up in Christ, and to celebrate the sacredness of crea4on is to celebrate Christ. True. There is nothing in crea4on that is good that exists outside of Christ. One can share in the fullness of Christ by par4cipa4ng in the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, and by living a life of faith and love. We enter into communion with him through bap4sm and by being part of the Church community. False. With the grace of Faith present at bap4sm, one is fully incorporated into Christ himself through par4cipa4on in the Body of Christ, the Church. Irish novelist and poet James Joyce described the Church as "Here comes everybody," highligh4ng its inclusivity and universality. St. Paul. The Church’s catholicity operates on a fine line that must be protected by the local bishop in union with the college of bishops and the pope. It is the bishop’s task to draw diverse groups of beliefs, prac4ces, and people together into an enduring communion without depriving the local Church of the richness the diversity brings. Bishops have a special obliga4on to challenge bigotry, racism, sexism, or any other ahtude mo4vated by fear of differences in people or cultures. According to St. Igna4us of An4och, the office of the bishop is essen4al in promo4ng the Church’s unity. The responsibility of the pope and college of bishops is to teach and make judgments about ma/ers of Faith that enhance the Church’s catholicity. However, more ojen than not, the pope and bishops support catholicity by keeping the universal and local churches in dialogue with one another. True. The bishop represents a diocese just as the pope represents the universal Church.  All people are called to know Christ in the Church, and all people belong or are connected to the Church. The Church is open to everything Jesus taught and she contains the fullness of a faith rela4onship to him. She sees a rela4on to all people with the Body of Christ, even with those who have not yet received the Gospel. Those fully incorporated into the Church are those who accept all the means of salva4on given to the Church along with her en4re organiza4on, and who are united with Christ in the visible structure of the Church through the bonds of the profession of faith, the sacraments, and ecclesias4cal governance. True. Non-Catholic Chris4ans who do not believe in the Catholic Faith in its en4rety remain in communion with the Catholic Church, though the communion is imperfect. False. The Church believes in one Bap4sm for the forgiveness of sins and generally accepts as valid most Chris4an bap4sms for anyone who later enters the Catholic Church. Besides Bap4sm, other key elements of Salva4on found in non-Catholic ecclesial communi4es include the Word of God, the life of grace, faith, hope, charity, and other interior gijs of the Holy Spirit. True. The bond between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches is very close to full communion. Catholics have a deep bond with the Jewish people because they are the original people of God, and Chris4anity has its roots in Judaism. The Jewish faith is a response to God's revela4on in the Old Covenant, and they are considered elder brothers in faith. The Church shares with Muslims the belief in one God, the Creator, and the acknowledgment of Abraham as a patriarch. Both faiths also emphasize prayer, almsgiving, and fas4ng. The Catholic Church holds that outside of the Church there is no Salva4on because the Church is the body of Christ, and it is through Christ that salva4on is offered to all humanity. However, this does not mean that those who are ignorant of the Church through no fault of their own are automa4cally excluded from salva4on. True. If someone rejects the Church, knowing that it is the Body of Christ, they are rejec4ng their own Salva4on. Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ or his Church may s4ll achieve salva4on if they seek God with a sincere heart and try to do his will as they understand it through the dictates of their conscience. To say that the Church is like a sacrament means that it is a visible sign of an invisible grace. The Church is a sign and instrument of communion with God and unity among all people. To say that the Church does not exist for her own sake means that her mission is to bring the message of Christ to the world, to serve others, and to be a sign of God's love and salva4on for all people. The Church was born by the power of the Holy Spirit through Jesus’ twin ac4ons of calling and sending. Jesus endowed the Church with his own authority, power, and responsibility. The ul4mate purpose of the mission of Christ and the Holy Spirit is for all people to share the love between the Father and the Son through the Holy Spirit. The Church’s mission began at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles, empowering them to preach the Gospel to all na4ons. This event marked the beginning of the Church's public ministry and mission to spread the message of Christ. When the Apostle Philip proclaimed the Messiah in the region of Samaria, the Samaritans accepted the Gospel and were bap4zed. Consequently, Peter and John went to Samaria to pray for them that they might receive the holy Spirit. When they laid hands on them, the Samaritans received the Holy Spirit, the early roots of the Sacrament of Confirma4on. Philip encountered an Ethiopian eunuch who was likely a “God-fearer,” meaning, someone who followed some elements of Judaism but was not circumcised and who did not obey Jewish dietary laws. Philip interpreted the text of Isaiah 53:7–8, revealing how the prophet’s words applied to Jesus. Consequently, Philip bap4zed him. St. Peter experienced a "conversion" in understanding that the Gospel was meant for all people, not just Jews. This realiza4on came through a vision and the subsequent encounter with Cornelius, a Gen4le, which led Peter to understand that God shows no par4ality. The Council of Jerusalem expresses the official recogni4on that the Gen4les could indeed find a place in the Church. At this gathering, Paul and Barnabas argued that Gen4les should receive Bap4sm without also having to become circumcised Jews, and Peter agreed. The Church embraces dis4nct features and prac4ces of different cultures, such as language, art, music, and customs, as long as they are compa4ble with the Gospel and the Church's teachings. Jesus belonged to the Jewish culture. The Church can only complete her mission to share the Good News by sharing it through culture. St. John Paul II said that a faith which does not become culture is a faith that has not been fully received. However, every culture must submit itself to the challenging Gospel of Jesus Christ and no human culture is above cri4cism. True. When the missionary St. Augus4ne of Hippo arrived in England, he found great diversity in the local churches, no4ng that many did not celebrate the liturgy in the exact way it was celebrated in Jerusalem. To truly live the Church’s moral and social teaching demands a “both/and” rather than an “either/or” approach because it requires balancing different aspects of faith and life, such as jus4ce and mercy, faith and works, and personal holiness and social responsibility, rather than choosing one at the expense of the other.