Distinctive Characteristics of Early Christians
Early Christians Tertullian and St. Justin Martyr offered explanations or defenses of the Christian Faith, also known as this
What is apologetics? (Apologeticum also acceptable) (pp. 20–21)
The most basic teaching of Christianity, referring to the union of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one God
What is the Trinity? (p. 25)
This event occurred 50 days after Easter Sunday when the Holy Spirit, described as a mighty wind and tongues of fire, was poured out upon the Apostles in the Upper Room
What is Pentecost? (p. 28)
The term used in the New Testament to describe how closely Christians are united to each other in Christ
What is “the Body of Christ”? (p. 28)
A gift of the divine life of God that allows us to enjoy supernaturally what we cannot possess by nature
What is grace? (p. 31)
The first Christians collected these voluntarily from their members, using them to provide for the needs of the poor
What are donations? (p. 21)
From the Latin for “one with,” the term used by St. Augustine to refer to the close love of the Trinity
What is communion? (p. 25)
This book of the Bible tells about the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and the early Christians’ interactions as a community of unified individuals
What is Acts of the Apostles? (pp. 27–28)
Jesus referred to himself as this in the Gospel of John, while Christians were called the “branches”
What is the vine? (p. 28)
We are able to share communion with others because of our communion with God, both in Heaven and also in this place
What is on earth? (p. 31)
This trait was shown through the early Christians’ willingness to work together to serve the poor, revealing that Christians are part of one family
What is unity? (p. 21)
The saving work of Jesus on the Cross, his Resurrection and Ascension into glory, through which Christ shared his divine life with humanity
What is the Pascal Mystery? (p. 26)
A Christian receives the Holy Spirit in a particular way through these two Sacraments
What are Baptism and Confirmation? (p. 28)
This writer of much of the New Testament, converted after a vision of Jesus accused him of persecuting Christ by oppressing early Christians
Who is St. Paul? (p. 28)
A word that means “uniting the whole,” the work every Christian is called to do to unite all Christians together in Christ and his Church
What is ecumenism? (p. 30)
Jesus gave us this principle as a commandment: “Love one another,” a phrase that is summed up by this word
What is charity? (p. 22)
The Church on earth works through these to make Christians “partakers in the divine nature” of the Trinity
What are the Sacraments? (p. 26)
Because of the gift of the Holy Spirit, we can address God by this title, which shows that we have been made children of God
What is “Our Father”? (p. 28)
The Church is referred to as the “Body,” and this person is referred to as the “Head”
Who is (Jesus) Christ? (p. 29)
The second commandment given after the Greatest Commandment: “Love God”
What is “love your neighbor”? (p. 31)
Contrary to society around them, Christians accomplished this state of interaction without force
What is peace? (p. 22)
Because God himself is a Trinity and humans are created in the image and likeness of God, St. John Paul II said that man exists to become this for others
What is a gift? (p. 31)
Jesus Christ established this as the simple way for people to receive the Holy Spirit through the Sacraments
What is the (Catholic) Church? (p. 28)
This Sacrament shows the unity of Christians as the Body of Christ as each person eats the bread about which Christ said, “This is my body”
What is the Eucharist? (p. 28)
This body of teachings of the Church describes how Christians are to live together in society to witness to the unity of the Trinity
What is Catholic social doctrine? (p. 32)