Catholic Christianity: Redemption Flashcards
(45 cards)
1
Q
What is Salvation?
A
Being saved from sin and eternal separation from God
2
Q
What was the Church Architecture like Pre 1965?
A
- Altar was at the front of the church
- Facing Jerusalem
- Mass was in Latin
- Church in cross shape
- Priest faces away from congregation
3
Q
What is the Church Architecture like Post 1965?
A
- Churches built around the altar
- Altar brought forward to bring the congregation closer
- Mass in local language
- Priest faces congregation
4
Q
What happens at the start of the mass?
A
- Catholics come together to offer worship. Together they form the Body of Christ on earth
- At the start of the mass, Catholics apologise to God and each other for the sins that separate them
- This strengthens unity, making people “at one” with God and with one another as they accept that God has forgiven and redeemed them
5
Q
What happens during the Readings at mass?
A
- Catholics are reminded of how God has guided his people throughout the years
- In the Gospel readings, Jesus demonstrates through his words and actions how God loves, heals, restores and forgives people
6
Q
What happens during the Eucharist at mass?
A
- Offertory
- Consecration
- Communion
7
Q
What happens during Offertory?
A
- People present bread (the hosts) and wine to God as a sign of thanksgiving
8
Q
What happens during Consecration?
A
- The Eucharistic prayer is read which reflects the words of Jesus at the last supper.
- “Take this all of you and eat of it, for this is my body, this is the blood of the new and eternal covenant which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins”
9
Q
Explain the Eucharistic prayer
A
- The action of breaking the bread and pouring the wine symbolises the death of Jesus, which he accepted for the sake of humanity
- Jesus’ command to eat and drink makes his followers sharers in the offering that he made to the Father on the cross
- The command to eat emphasises that Catholics join in a celebratory meal that binds them to each other and to God in Christ
- Blood of the “new covenant” symbolises how the new promise between god and humans is different to the old one, Jesus seals the covenant with his blood and therefore it will never end or be broken
10
Q
What happens in the Our Father?
A
- Through Christ’s redemption believers are allowed to call God “father”. At this point in the mass they say the prayer that Christ has taught, the “Our Father”
11
Q
What happens in communion?
A
Believers receive the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ, through this action:
- Believers are brought closer to Christ
- They are given the power and grace to resist the temptation to sin
- Jesus’ words are remembered - “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day”
12
Q
What happens at the End of mass?
A
- After a period of silent prayer reflection on the gift received in the Eucharist, Catholics go out into the world, and through their daily actions, sharing the presence of Christ that they received in the Eucharist with everyone that they meet
13
Q
What is Conscience?
A
- The voice of God in peoples hearts, guiding them to make the right choices
- The more someone ignores their conscience the more they go against what they feel is right
14
Q
What does Conscience made up of “Natural instincts” mean?
A
- People instinctively know the right thing to do through Natural Law
15
Q
What does Conscience “needs to be educated” mean?
A
- The conscience needs to be shaped and developed so we interpret it correctly, we can do this by listening to others, especially church teachings (Bible, Magisterium, Tradition)
16
Q
What is the Lectern?
A
- A reading stand which the Bible is proclaimed
- It is a prominent place for all to see and hear from
- Christ is truly present when the word of God is proclaimed as he is the “Word of God”
17
Q
What is the Altar?
A
- A place for sacrifice where the bread and wine
are offered - It is at the front of the Church for all to observe the consecration
- At every mass the words of Jesus are repeated and Christ is truly present on the altar offering himself to the Father on behalf of humanity
- God the Father, through the Holy Spirit, offers the Body and Blood of Christ in communion to strengthen the lives and faiths of believers
18
Q
What is the Crucifix?
A
- A model or image of a cross with Jesus dying in pain on it
- A reminder that Jesus suffered for our sins and rebuilt the relationship between God and Humans
- Emphasises Jesus’ suffering and inspires thankfulness and gratitude
19
Q
What is the Tabernacle?
A
- A small cupboard where the consecrated bread and wine are kept after the mass
- It shows that Christ is always caring for us and shows the new relationship between God and humans
- People can pray in front of the Tabernacle, creating a deep sense of peace as Christ is still there caring for them in the Consecrated Bread and Wine
- It also saves the Eucharist for those who cannot attend mass due to illness or other arrangements, in this way they can stay empowered by Christ
20
Q
What is a Table?
A
- Some churches have a table at Mass as a re-enactment of the Last Supper, when Jesus ate with his disciples around a table
21
Q
What is a Cross?
A
- An empty cross emphasises Christ’s victory over death
- Jesus is not on the cross as he has risen from the dead
22
Q
What is Risen Christ?
A
- Focuses on Christ as the risen glorified saviour, this emphasises the importance of Jesus’ resurrection and his victory over death
23
Q
What are the 4 ways that Christ is present in the Eucharist:
A
1) The consecrated bread
2) God’s word proclaimed in the Bible readings
3) The priest acting in “persona christi” (through whom Christ works, especially in consecration)
4) The worshippers as the body of Christ - “when 2 or more are gathered in my name, I am there”
24
Q
When did salvation take place in the past?
A
Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and ascension made it possible for people to enter heaven as they have been dreed form sin and death
25
When does salvation take place in the present?
- People choose whether to accept or reject salvation (by following Jesus' teachings) - therefore sin has to exist
- The holy spirit guides people towards salvation
26
When does Salvation take place in the Future?
- Salvation will be completed at the end of time - sin and death will be completely destroyed and all believers will share in the Glory of Christ
27
What metaphor does St Anselm use to describe salvation?
- St Anselm uses the metaphor of "slavery"
- Anselm says that after the fall, humans became slaves to sin
- Jesus paid a ransom for the sins of all humans with his life (sacrifice)
28
What metaphor does St Irenaeus use to describe salvation?
- St Irenaeus used the metaphor "the tree of the cross"
- The tree (in the garden of Eden) created the need for salvation, it causes the broken relationship between God and humans
- The tree (the cross) brought salvation for all (through Jesus' death), it restores the relationship between God and humanity
29
What is the Criticism of Anselm's metaphor?
It may indicate there may be something greater than God as it involves Christ paying a ransom to someone
30
What is the Criticism of Irenaeus's metaphor?
It is based on interpretations of Genesis that may simply be regarded as a myth
31
Why did Jesus have to come? [Free Will and Sin]
- Adam and Eve changed from obedience to God to disobedience by eating forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden
- This is the fall of men. Due to the fall of men human's are born with the tendency to commit sin (original sin).
- God gave humans free will as he wanted them to choose to follow him, but people misuse their free will - so sin has to exist
- Jesus came to earth, taking the human condition, to restore the relationship between God and Humans
32
What is the Anglican Christian understanding of the Eucharist?
- The bread and wine do not liberally become the body and blood of Christ, rather the bread "symbolises" Christ's body and the wine "symbolises" his blood
- Christ is present in the community that shares in the Eucharist rather than Eucharist itself
33
What is the Quakers understanding of the Eucharist?
- Do not celebrate any form of Eucharist
- They believe that Christ is present through their prayers and actions - when they serve God and other people
- They do not celebrate any form of sacrament as they believe that the whole of life is a sacrament
34
What is the Catholic understanding of the Eucharist?
- Catholics believe that the mass is the "source and summit" of Christian life
- The source - receiving the Eucharist gives spiritual strength and offering mass fulfils the commandments to keep the sabbath day holy
- The summit - The Mass re-enacts Christs sacrifice. The most important event in Christianity, so it is the highest form of prayer
Christians believe that bread and wine become the actual Body and Blood of Christ, Christians cannot live the full life that Jesus wants
35
What is the Orthodox Christians understanding of the Eucharist?
- Like Catholics, the Orthodox Church believe that the bread and wine becomes the actual Body and Blood of Christ
- However the consecration takes place behind iconostasis as it is too holy to be seen by the congregation
- The iconostasis is a screen dividing the altar from the congregation
36
What is the the Nonconformist Christians understanding of the Eucharist?
- Non-conformist Christians are protestant Christians who do not follow the rules of a central authority, unlike Catholics and Anglicans. Examples include Baptists and Methodists
- They believe that the Eucharist is to remember the last supper but not to re-enact it. For them the Bible is the most central part of worship - Christ is present in the word of God
37
What is Benediction/ Eucharistic Adoration?
- A short service in which the real presence of Christ is adored and praised.
- The consecrated bread is put on display in a "monstrance" and lifted.
- The incense burnt symbolises prayers going to God
- It does not take place during mass but is a separate service
38
What is "Agnus Dei" and Explain it.
- "Agnus Dei" means Lamb of God
- The last supper was a Passover meal that celebrated the Jew's escape from Egypt. Passover meals remember how God ordered the Jews to eat a lamb and smear the blood on their door. The lamb was a sacrifice that saved the Jews
- For Christians Jesus is the new "Lamb of God". His death and blood destroyed sin and death. All people have been saved by the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God.
39
What happens when the Words of Institution are Said ?
- When these words are said, the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ.
- The bread and wine look the same but in reality there's changes
- This is shown in the words "this is my body"
- By taking Christ's Body and Blood, his followers are able to share in redeeming the effects of his death and resurrection.
40
What does Acts 1:6 - 11 show us?
- Before Jesus ascended to heaven, Jesus told his disciples they would be witnesses "to the ends of the earth".
- They were redeeming Jesus' work on earth. Jesus expected the disciples to continue spreading teachings once he was gone, so all could accept and share his redemption.
- After Jesus ascended to heaven, two angels told the disciples he would return in the future. Jesus will complete the redemption of the world at the end of time, when sin and death will be completely defeated.
41
What does Acts 2:1 - 4 show us?
- On the day of Pentecost, the apostles were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.
- The holy spirit then gave the apostles the courage and ability to go into the world and teach people about Jesus, so they could accept his redemption.
42
What does the passage of John 20:1 - 18 show?
- When Jesus first appeared to Mary after his resurrection, she didn't immediately recognise him
- Suggests Jesus, while physically present, was different.
- He entered new creation. Reflects the idea that redemption changed creation making it more perfect.
43
How is Jesus a restorer in the Bible?
- His death restored the relationship between God and humanity.
- Mark tells how (after Jesus died) the holy temple in Jerusalem the veil that separated the holiest part of the temple from the rest tore in two.
- This shows that Jesus' death broke down the barrier between God and Humanity.
44
How is Jesus a victor in the Bible?
- Mark shows how Jesus experienced pain, death and suffering as a human.
- By bringing the presence of God into these experiences, Jesus was victorious over them.
- He made it possible for all people to share in the final defeat of suffering and death.
45
How do we see Redemption and salvation in the liturgy?
- In the Mass, Christ's offerings of himself to the Father on the cross is re-enacted. Catholics also offer themselves up with Christ.
- Through receiving Holy Communion, Catholics receive the Body and Blood of Christ. Christ enters their lives to give them grace and strength to resist sin.
- Mass is a chance to experience what the heavenly banquet will be like.
