Teachings of Paul
Coming from the Greek word charis, this is God's free, unearned gift of salvation that cannot be achieved through good deeds. (5)
What is grace?
Before changing his life and adopting the name Paul, he was known by this Hebrew name, which means "prayer for". (4)
Who is Saul?
This Latin theological phrase translates to the "image of God," grounding the belief that every person possesses inherent dignity. (5,3)
What is Imago Dei?
The calling or invitation from God to love and holiness that every person receives, whether through marriage, priesthood, or consecrated life. (8)
What is a vocation?
The foundational Christian doctrine that God became human in the person of Jesus Christ, rooted deeply in Colossians 1 and Philippians 2. (11)
What is the Incarnation?
Paul taught that salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ, rather than following the rules of this traditional Jewish code. (5) (6,3)
What is the Torah (or Jewish law)?
The early Christian follower whose stoning death Paul stood by and witnessed before his own conversion. (7)
Who is Stephen?
The Greek word meaning "self-emptying," used by Paul to describe Jesus voluntarily setting aside his divine glory to become a servant. (7)
What is Kenosis?
Paul describes this physical sacrament as a profound spiritual entry into Christ's death and resurrection, where the old self is "buried" and a new life begins. (7)
What is Baptism?
In Colossians 1:15, Christ is described as the visible form of this otherwise unseen entity. (5,2,3,9,3)
What is the image of the invisible God?
The theological term Paul uses to describe the process of being made right with God through faith. (14)
What is justification?
The location of the road where Paul had a dramatic encounter with the risen Jesus around 34 AD, changing him from an enemy to a teacher of Christianity. (4,2,8)
What is the road to Damascus?
The term used in Lumen Gentium and the Catechism to describe the Christian family as the foundational unit of the Church. (8,6)
What is the Domestic Church?
Found in 1 Corinthians 11, Paul’s writing provides the Church's earliest written account of the institution of this sacrament. (9) (9)
What is the Eucharist (or Communion)?
Paul uses financial metaphors in 2 Corinthians to say that Christ did this so that humanity might become rich through His poverty. (6,4)
What is "became poor"?
This Greek term refers to the moral teachings or ethical instruction sections found in Paul’s letters that explain how a Christian should live. (9)
What is Paraenesis? (writing form focused on moral advice and practical counsel)
The city in modern-day Turkey where Paul was born around 5 AD, allowing him to grow up with both a strict Jewish heritage and Roman citizenship. (6)
What is Tarsus?
The New Testament letter where Paul embeds a famous early Christian hymn outlining Christ's descent to human form and ultimate cosmic exaltation. (6,2,3,11)
What is the Letter to the Philippians?
In 1 Corinthians 12:13, Paul states that the Holy Spirit breaks down ancient social classes, explicitly naming these two racial groups and two social classes unified into one body. (4,2,8) (6,2,4)
Who are Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free?
According to verse 17 of the Cosmic Christ Hymn in Colossians, this is what Christ is actively doing for the universe right now. (7,3,6,8)
What is holding all things together?
The German theological phrase meaning "setting in life," used to describe the original social context in which Paul wrote his letters. (4,2,5)
What is "Sitz im Leben"?
The famous Rabbi under whom Paul studied strict Jewish law while growing up in Jerusalem. (5,8)
Who is Rabbi Gamaliel?
The Latin-titled papal document by Pope St. John Paul II which explicitly states that the universal "call to holiness is rooted in Baptism." (14,5)
What is Christifideles Laici?
According to Paul in 1 Corinthians 11, someone eats and drinks judgment upon themselves if they participate in the Lord's Supper in this manner. (8,6)
What is an unworthy manner?
This 2nd-century church father wrote a famous defense of human flourishing that mirrors Paul's theology of Christian identity, stating: "The glory of God is man fully alive." (8,2,5)
Who is Irenaeus of Lyons?