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Apostles Creed Power Point |
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Vocabulary-Apostles Creed
The God of Our Ancestors
faith is our response to God's invitation to enter a personal, trusting relationship with him.
creed is a profession or summary of our faith. The word creed comes from the Latin credo, which means "I believe". The Apostles' Creed, which reflects the teachings of the apostles, begins with the words " I believe". When we say "I believe", we pledge ourselves to uphold, or remain faithful to, these traditional beliefs. The Nicene Creed is the result of two great Church councils. This more detailed creed was written to clarify the Church's beliefs concerning Jesus' divinity.
idols are images of false gods.
Chapter 1 Quiz Chapter 1 Essay
Disciples of Jesus
incarnation is the Christian belief that the Son of God took human form in Jesus. Jesus is both human and divine. In the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, the incarnation is explained in terms of the birth of Jesus, the Christmas story (Matthew 1 and Luke 1:26-2:20). John's Gospel, however, describes the mystery of the incarnation in a border or divine perspective: "In the beginning was the Word...the word became flesh and made His dwelling among us" (John1:1 and John 1:14)
compassion means to "suffer with" another, to feel that person's suffering and to desire to lessen his or her pain. The Gospels tell us that Jesus frequently felt and showed compassion for others. For example, Jesus fed the hungry crowd (Matthew 14:13-21), cured lepers (Mark 1:40-45), spent time with sinners (Matthew 9:9-13), and consoled those who were grieving (Luke 7:11-17).
conversion involves the transformation of the entire
person - mind, heart, and will - toward God. The person who has experienced true
Christian conversion grows in self-discipline, responsibility, goodness, and
holiness.
Chapter 2 Quiz
Chapter 2 Essay
The Word Made Flesh
divine means "godly" and "godlike". Christians believe that only God is divine. Our one God, however, is also a Trinity of three Persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Both the miracles and the words of Jesus attest to his identity as both human and divine, the son of Mary and the Son of God.
assumption was the taking up of Mary, body and soul, into heavenly glory after her life on earth had been completed. Mary now participates in the mystery of her son's resurrection. Mary's assumption is a powerful sign of hope for all Christians because we believe that one day we, too, will be raised up and united body and soul in God.
Chapter 3 Quiz Chapter 3 Essay
The Good News
gospel comes from the Old English gospel, which means "good news". One should understand gospel as a message as a record. The gospel is the message, or good news, that God sent his Son into the world to save us from the power of sin and everlasting death. The gospel is also the written record of faith of Jesus' life and work, at the center of which are his cross and resurrection.
evil is the absence or rejection of the goodness in which all things were created. Theologians distinguish between physical evil - experiences such as earthquakes and hurricanes, which are morally neutral in themselves but which cause suffering - and moral evil - the deliberate choice to turn away from what is good.
sin is the deliberate choice to turn away from God's loving goodness. The Hebrew word for sin is translated literally as "missing the mark", falling short of the good and loving image in which we were created.
original sin is our term for the lasting effects of the first humans' choice to turn away from God. Because of original sin, we are born subject to concupiscence, a disordered attraction to those things that lead us away from relationship with God. Only Jesus and Mary, his mother, were free from the effects of original sin. However, their wills remained free to chose good or evil.
redeemer comes from a Latin word that means "to buy back". In ancient times redeemers were those who could buy back, or rescue, enslaved family members or friends. Both Jews and Christians believe that God is our redeemer, our rescuer, who saves us from every evil. Jesus' death on the cross redeemed us from the power of sin and everlasting death. Redeemer is a title of Jesus that expresses our belief that by his suffering, death, and resurrection he won for us freedom from the power of sin and everlasting death.
resurrection is a term that refers to the new life God the Father gave Jesus on the first Easter. The term also refers to the new life all the faithful will enjoy with God at the end of time. For believers the resurrection of Jesus is proof that God's love and forgiveness are stronger than sin and death. In our new, resurrected state, our bodies will be different from their form on earth. We will enjoy perfect happiness with God forever.
Paschal mystery is the term that refers to the whole saving action of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. Christians believe that Jesus "passed over" from death to new life with God. The church celebrates the Paschal mystery in each Mass and sacrament, and especially during the Easter Triduum (Holy Thursday evening through Easter Sunday evening prayer).
Chapter 4 Review Quiz Chapter 4 Essay
The Holy Spirit
Holy Trinity refers to one God who is three distinct Persons - Father (Creator), Son (Redeemer), and Holy Spirit (Sanctifier). The persons are distinct in their relationship to one another and to us. Christians believe that Jesus is the incarnation of the second Person of the Trinity. Made in God's image, people are communal because God is.
prophet is a human who is a messenger of God. In their preaching, prophets are inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit. Like John the Baptist, the prophets of the Old Testament prepared the way for the messiah by calling the Israelites to remain faithful to God.
gifts of the Holy Spirit -wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear the Lord- are given to us in Baptism and strengthened in Confirmation. These gifts are God's own presence working within us by the Spirit to keep the Church community faithful to its mission to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. Through these gifts we can be open to the influence of the Holy Spirit; we learn to be charitable, to make good choices, and to engage in activities that help the Church become a vital presence in the world.
Chapter 5 Review Quiz Chapter 5 Essay
The Body of Christ
marks of the church - one, holy, catholic, apostolic -these marks point us toward God's kingdom. These four marks come from Christ, who calls us as the Church to make the marks a reality.
Church comes from a Greek word that means " a group or assembly that belongs to God". As Church members we are adopted sons and daughters of God. The Church is universal, open to people of all ages, races, and nationalities. Throughout the centuries the Church has been portrayed through various images, including the Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ, the People of God, and the Temple of the Holy Spirit. The purpose of the Church is threefold- to teach the gospel, to build community, and to serve those in need.
evangelization is the proclamation of the gospel in word and deed. Jesus himself evangelized by preaching (word), healing the sick (deed), or expelling demons (deed) . He told his apostles to "Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creation"(Mark16:15). The Church continues this mission of evangelizing; all baptized members are called to contribute their talents in proclaiming the good news.
ecumenism promotes the unity and mission of the Church. Its goal is to draw all Christians together because Christ willed the Church be one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. The Church has an obligation to proclaim the gospel to the world, which can best be accomplished by a unified body, a body of Christ without division.
Chapter 6 Review Quiz Chapter 6 Essay
Saints and Sinners
communion of saints The Holy Spirit unites the faithful, living and dead, into one body in Christ, the communion of saints. Members of the communion of saints on earth are in union with the Church community and participate in the Church's life through the Eucharist, prayer, and service to others. Since the earliest days the Church has honored those members of the communion of saints in heaven and sought their help.
purgatory is a state of psychological and spiritual purification that a person may experience between death and heaven. During the purgation people who were unrepentant of venial sins at the time of death may find the reconciliation needed before entering heaven, and those who have sinned greatly and asked forgiveness may make up for the wrong they have done in life. Those in purgatory are part of the Body of Christ. The Church remembers and prays for them each November 2, on All Souls' Day.
Canonization is the process by which a person's name is added to the Church's official list of saints. In the earliest days of the Church, the disciples of Jesus and the martyrs, as well as holy persons from the Old Testament, were honored as saints. Eventually, however, so many people were being honored as saints that the Church decided to set up a formal process for declaring sainthood. Canonization involves a lengthy, detailed investigation of the person's life and writings and associated miracles.
Patron saints are honored for the special protection they give or for the special role they play in presenting our needs to God. These saints were originally singled out as patrons by popular custom, not by an official process. The patron saint of the United States is Mary, the Immaculate Conception; the patron saint of students is Thomas Aquinas.
The saints can intercede, or act as special messengers, for us with God. Church teaching clearly distinguishes between worship, which is reserved for God alone, and devotion, by which we honor saints. While cautioning against practices that would detract from worshiping God, the Second Vatican Council encouraged devotion to the saints as a way to enrich our worship.
Chapter 7 Review Quiz Chapter 7 Essay
From Here to Eternity
Hell is not a place but a state of being separated from God. In hell one has the experience of being absolutely alone forever, without the peace, life, and joy that only God can give. Hell is the result of freely choosing to turn completely away from God and his love forever. The images of hell as a place of fiery torment are symbolic, not literal; they are to show how terrible it is to be separated from God.
The kingdom of God is God's reign of perfect peace ,love ,and justice. Although God's kingdom "does not belong to this world" (John18:36) and will be fully realized only at the second coming, we work with God's kingdom when ever we follow the words and example of Jesus.
Conversion involves the transformation of the entire person - mind, heart, and will - toward God. The person who has experienced true Christian conversion grows in self-discipline, responsibility, goodness, and holiness.
Chapter 8 Review Quiz Chapter 8 Essay
Vocabulary - Morality
Chapter 1
What's Right? What's Wrong?
Justice is the cardinal virtue that helps us carry out our moral obligations toward others. Justice is giving each person what he or she is due, not based on material standing on merit, but simply because he or she is a child of God. We work for social justice on earth as a sign of everlasting justice of God's reign.
Injustice is the opposite of justice - the firm will, which arises from love of God and neighbor, to give each person what he or she is entitled to. The Church teaches that every person has the responsibility to participate in society must make sure that everyone has the opportunity to do so. Social injustice occurs when people are not allowed to participate fully, as, for example, when they are deprived of the right to shelter, food, a decent education, the right to vote, or the right to speak freely.
Morality is the way we put our beliefs into action for what is good. For Christians morality flows from our personal relationship with Christ. We strive to be good because we love and are loved by God, who is all good. This goes beyond keeping the Ten Commandments and obeying the good laws of society. For Catholics morality includes these along with the law of love, the Beatitudes, and the teachings of the Church.
Righteousness means finding favor with God because of one's innocence or moral uprightness. People who are righteous strive to follow the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes in their daily lives.
The Great Commandment - You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Chapter 2
Our Conscience and Convictions
Conscience comes from a Latin word meaning "Knowledge within." Our conscience gives us inner knowledge to judge a situation and then act in a way that shows love and respect for ourselves and others. Conscience is free will and reason working together to distinguish right from wrong. Many people have described this as an "inner voice." A well-formed conscience helps us adhere to moral standards even if they conflict with our own desires and wants. The church teaches that in all moral situations, we are obliged to follow our well- formed conscience. We have an obligation to educate and inform our conscience.
Chapter 3
The Bottom Line
Compassion means "to suffer with" another, to feel that person's suffering and to desire to lessen his or her pain.
Reign is another word for kingdom or power. God's reign is a kingdom of justice, love, and peace, announced by Jesus Christ, present in our midst, and yet to come in fullness.
Faith is our response to God's invitation to enter a personal, trusting relationship with him. If we have faith, we trust in God's promises and accept his invitation by the way we live our lives.
Chapter 4
A New Understanding
The word worship comes from the Old English word meaning "honor". Worship includes all the many ways we praise, thank, and revere God, especially as a community.
Chapter 5
Freedom to Choose
Free will is the God-given ability to choose between good and evil.
Sin is free and willful turning away from God's law and love.
The word venial means "easily excused or forgiven." A venial sin is a "small" sin that weakens our relationship with God but does not destroy it.
Chapter 6
Making Decisions
Prayer is the act by which we speak and listen to God. Prayer can be vocal, consisting of words that are spoken, sung, or recited, as in the Lord's Prayer, or it can be mental, an act of opening oneself to God's presence through a technique such as meditation. Prayer is initiated by God, who moves us by grace to respond.
Virtue, which comes from a Latin word meaning "strength," is a habitual and firm disposition to do good.
Theological Virtues -faith, hope, love - are gifts from God and the foundation of Christian moral activity. They are God-given virtues. They affect all our relationships.
Moral Virtues- prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance - are acquired by human effort and help us live a morally good life.
Grace is God's gift that enables us to share in the loving relationship that makes up the HolyTrinity. We do not earn grace; God gives it to us freely. In their definition of grace, theologians have included both our yearning for God and God's gift of himself.
Chapter 7
What Do You See
Faith is God's gift given to us by God that moves us to seek him out and believe in him. Faith, hope, and love are the theological, or God-given, virtues.
To be canonized means that one has been officially declared a saint by the church. The process involves four basic steps: (1) An individual or group petitions the bishop to consider the person. (2)Experts conduct an investigation of the person's life, writing, and miracles. (3) The Congregation for the Causes of the Saints (in Rome) reviews all documents. (4) The pope issues an official announcement of canonization. On the path to sainthood, a person is first declared Venerable, then Blessed, and finally Saint.
A saint is someone whose life bears special witness to the gospel message. Saints are people of all ages, national origins, and walks of life. Saints are forever happy with God. The Church honors the saints by celebrating their feast days by asking for their prayers.
Canonization is the process by which the Catholic Church formally recognizes a deceased person as a saint. Once a person's virtues are publicly recognized, he or she is given a place in the Church's official calendar, or canon, of feast days. Many saints of the early Church, and other holy men and women of later years, are not canonized, but we celebrate their virtues with those of all other holy men and women on November 1, the Feast of all Saints.
Martyrs are faithful witnesses who have died for the Christian faith. Some saints are martyrs, but not all martyrs are canonized saints. The Church survived despite years of persecution largely because martyrs faced death rather than deny their faith. We pray in gratitude for saints like Stephen, the first Christian martyr, and Felicity and Perpetua, two early martyrs.
To be sanctified means to be made holy, to be changed by God's grace into a person who truly loves God and others through his or her thoughts, words, and actions. All of us are called to holiness. The church helps us achieve this loving response to God through the celebration of the sacraments, the teachings of Jesus, and the gathering of the faith community,
Chapter 8
You're Not Alone
The magisterium is the teaching authority of the Church, exercised by the bishops together with the pope. The Holy Spirit guides and directs the teachings of these successors of the apostles, keeping the Church faithful to the truth.
Infallible means "incapable of error." Because the Holy Spirit guides the Church. the Church's teaching is infallible in certain matters by a definitive act that a doctrine of faith or morals is to be embraced as a matter of faith.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation celebrates God's forgiveness of sin through the Church. This sacrament is known as Penance. The word reconciliation means "coming back together" or "making peace".
Contrition is sincere sorrow for sin, strong dislike for sin, and the pledge not to sin again. Contrition is the first step in reconciliation with God; without it there can be no forgiveness. God cannot forgive our sins if we are not truly sorry for them or do not want to change our behavior.
