Unit 1
Who is the president of SFHS?
What discipline of study can help us reach conclusions about God's existence using reason?
Philosophy
What is God?
Love
What is prayer?
Lifting our hearts and minds to God
What is the Incarnation?
The doctrine that God was "made flesh" and took on human form.
What is the BRIC value for the year?
Respect
Which famous Saint came up with 5 "proofs" for the existence of God?
St. Thomas Aquinas
What is Love?
Putting the wants and needs of others in front of our own.
What type of prayer form has to do with praying for others?
intercession
What does the word "Messiah" mean and what is the Greek word for it?
"Anointed one"
Christos
What religious order oversees SFHS, and other Catholic schools around the world?
Congregation of Holy Cross
Explain the argument from common consent
1. most humans have believed in god(s) throughout all of history
2. What is more likely: that most humans were correct in this belief, or that most humans were incorrect in this belief?
3. Probability suggests most humans were correct in this belief
What are the vocab words used to describe God's
1) infinite power
2) infinite knowledge
1) omnipotence
2) omniscience
What is redemptive suffering and who gets "redeemed"?
Its when we 'unite' our personal sufferings with Jesus on the cross. We "offer them up" as a prayer, which can be said for ourselves, others, souls in purgatory, or whatever intentions we have. Those we pray for can be redeemed through our prayers.
What is the feast day celebrating the Incarnation?
Christmas!
When was SFHS founded?
1955
Explain the argument from design
1. the universe is complex
2. a universe that permits human life is even more complex
3. complex things are a product of intelligent design, or random chance
4. intelligent design is a more sufficient to explain the complexity
What is a possible answer to the problem of evil?
Free will
we have limited perspectives of what is "evil" or "bad"
the natural world is full of death and rebirth - does not mean it is necessarily "bad"
1. We read Scripture
2. We re-read the passage and meditate on what it might be trying to tell us
3. We end with a "call to action" meaning the prayer prompts us to do something new in our life as a consequence of the prayer experience
What does it mean to say that Jesus has 2 divine natures?
What are the BRIC values?
Bring Hope
Respect
Inspire Integrity
Celebrate Family
Explain the moral argument
1. is morality subjective or objective?
2. objective moral obligations exist do exist
3. if objective moral obligations exist, they must be sourced from a moral standard i.e. goodness itself must exist
4. the anchor of morality, goodness, truth, etc. = God
The question has contradicting terms and is illogical. Omnipotence is not the ability to do anything that is said, but the ability to do any rational thing.
How does God respect humans by giving us the "dignity of being a cause"?
God does not need humans to do anything. period. God is all powerful.
However, God still invites us to participate in building the Kingdom of Heaven by being causes. We can cause change in ourselves and others through prayer, redemptive suffering, service, being virtuous, etc. Our actions can make a difference. We can be "Co-redeemers with Christ" not because He needs us, but because he loves us.
How does the Incarnation exemplify what it means to be in healthy relationship with others, and creation?
God loves by becoming one of us, this requires sacrifice, empathy, being on our level, etc. This is how we should treat others in our relationships. Focus on them, not ourselves.
God loves his creation by literally entering into their word and spending time with them. To create and abandon is hopeless, but to create and be in relationship with is hopeful.