Download Religious Studies One - Unit 4 “Catholic Culture and Values”

CULTURE & THE CATHOLIC RESPONSE
Religious Studies One – Unit 4
“Catholic Culture and Values”
CULTURAL SHIFTS
TRADITIONAL
Virtue Education
Work
Authority
Reputation
Common Good
Delayed
Sacrifice
MODERN
Value Education
Leisure
Negotiation
Celebrity
Individual success
Instant
Egoism
GROUP ASSIGNMENT
Which of these
“cultural shifts”
is most significant
in our culture today?
READING ASSIGNMENT
Understanding Catholic Christianity
Pages 269-279
CULTURE & THE CATHOLIC RESPONSE
Religious Studies One – Unit 4
“Catholic Culture and Values”
SPIRITUALITY
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God-Consciousness
Transcendent
Ontological (depths of being)
Wholesome
Relationship with God, self, others, creation
Communal (ecclesial)
Way of Life
SPIRITUALITY AT WORK
• Modern society does not endorse or
promote a spiritual life, however, we have a
responsibility to ourselves and our
communities to foster a sense of spirituality
• There is mystery to the inner workings of God
• Where, when, and how God chooses to
have a relationship with us is a mystery to us
• Like all relationships there is give and take,
highs and lows
SPIRITUAL ACTIONS
Prayer, reflection, contemplation
Study, investigation, questioning
Awareness and mindfulness
Openness and invitation
SPIRITUAL THEMES
Commitment
Community
Conversation
Compassion
Celebration
(lifelong journey into holiness)
SPIRITUAL HOLINESS
Patience
Simplicity
Self-Discipline
Selflessness
Justice
Integrity
Faith
Courage
Perseverance
Wisdom
Love
Hope
READING ASSIGNMENT
“Christian Myth”
William O’Malley
CULTURE & THE CATHOLIC RESPONSE
Religious Studies One – Unit 4
“Catholic Culture and Values”
TYPES OF EVIL
• Natural evil – beyond the control of
humanity such as natural disasters,
certain types of diseases, and random
acts of randomness
• Preferential (moral) evil – when evil is
chosen such as immorality, unhealthy
living, blatant meanness and
disrespect
THEODICY
• A vindication of the justice of God
ordaining or permitting natural and
moral evil
• That department of philosophy that
treats the being, perfections, and
government of God, and the
immortality of the soul
CLASSICAL THEODICY
• Incomprehensibility of God – which argues that God’s
will is unknown to us, therefore we cannot explain why
there is evil; we must have faith that God does have a
plan and that whatever happens has a greater purpose
of goodness (evidence by Story of Job)
• Divine Chastisement – we suffer because we are bad;
seriously called into question by Jesus (evidence by
teachings of Calvin)
• Divine Pedagogy – suffering is God’s way of getting us to
have a relationship with God; suffering is a teaching
technique God uses to bring us closer to himself
(evidenced by writings of Paul)
MODERN THEODICY
• Protest Theodicy – calls into question the goodness of God to begin
with; no easy answers, but a clear demonstration of the frustration
that the problem of evil presents
• Process Theodicy – God is good, but divine power is severely limited
in scope metaphysically; precisely because God created such a
complex world with free will and naturally occurring structures, God
cannot get involved for fear of undermining the order of creation
• Person-making Theodicy – whatever doesn’t kill you makes you
stronger; this is probably the most influential theodicy in modern
theology
• Liberation Theodicy – you cannot work with the poor, oppressed, and
suffering without calling into question God’s love; this teaches that
we must participate (with God) in the struggle against suffering; God
triumphs over evil but we are God’s agents in that fight
ASSIGNMENT
Which Theodicy
works best for you
and why?
CULTURE & THE CATHOLIC RESPONSE
Religious Studies One – Unit 4
“Catholic Culture and Values”
CHRISTIAN MYTH
• Christianity = only myth of human meaning
where God endures doubt
• Gospels seem to be more scrutinized than other
religious texts, because the claims are so
outrageous;
• Certainty is elusive because of the problem of
historicity
• Furthermore, Jesus is not portrayed as victorious
• The Bible is a human book written by humans for
humans representing a Divine message
• The myth of Jesus is also problematic –
art/tradition portray “feminine” side
METANOIA
• Metanoia = reversal of thinking
• The old way of looking at the universe
is no longer correct (conversion)
• Proper reflection upon the Christian
myth can bring you to a
metamorphosis in your thinking
• “Metanoia is an insight, beyond the
surfaces of reality, to a level beneath”
RESPONSE PAPER 4A
Describe your relationship with God.
Is the Christian myth unrealistic?
What do you think is the best
explanation for why there is evil?
READING ASSIGNMENT
Understanding Catholic Christianity
Pages 280-293
PRAYER &
COUNTER-CULTURALISM
Religious Studies One – Unit 4
“Catholic Culture and Values”
PRAYER
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Act of religion
Asking gifts and graces
Application of the mind towards divine objects
Not merely to acquire, but to use
Union with God is the goal
Necessary for salvation (according to the Church)
Obligation to pray is present always
CONDITIONS FOR PRAYER
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Object of prayer must be worthy of God
Faith
Humility
Sincerity - meaning
Earnestness – seriousness and commitment
Attention – prayer ends when attention ends
FORMS OF PRAYER
Vocal
Mental
Private
Public
TYPES OF PRAYER
Prayers of conversation
Prayers of petition
Prayers of thanks and praise
Prayers of meditation
Formal prayers
ASSIGNMENT
How is prayer related to spirituality?
How does private prayer
unite us with others?
What is gained from public prayer
practiced in community?
RESPONSE PAPER 4B
What role does prayer
play in your life?
Is this role too little or too much?
PRAYER &
COUNTER-CULTURALISM
Religious Studies One – Unit 4
“Catholic Culture and Values”
COUNTER-CULTURALISM
• Catholic teachings derive primarily from
Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7)
• These teachings run completely counter to
modern American culture
• To be a rebel means to be Catholic
ASSIGNMENT
Which of Jesus’ teachings
would the hardest
for our culture to embrace?
Which of Jesus’ teachings
would the hardest
for you to embrace?
PRAYER &
COUNTER-CULTURALISM
Religious Studies One –
Unit 4
“Catholic Culture and
Values”
THE EMPEROR’S CLUB
• In what ways has Sedgewick failed, how has Martin become
a success?
• What do the following quotes mean to you?
– “The end depends on the beginning”
– “Deeds without contribution are insignificant”
• Describe Sedgewick’s father’s influence on him
• What is your reaction to the following events from the
movie?
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Teacher’s decision to include Sedgewick instead of Martin
Tripping him up (both times)
Not calling him out (both times)
Sedgewick’s son’s reaction to finding out his father cheated
RESPONSE PAPER 4C
In what ways are the teachings
of the Church contrary
to the tenets of modern culture?
Use examples from The Emperor’s Club.
CATHOLIC MORALITY & SOCIAL TEACHING
Religious Studies One - Unit 4
“Catholic Culture and Values”
FREE WILL
• Capacity for self-determination
• Three kinds of action
– Spontaneous acts – proceed from an internal principle
(impulse, growth)
– General voluntary acts – proceed from an internal principle
(desire)
– Strict voluntary acts – proceed form deliberation and choice
• Most theologians accept that the “rational” being is
always attracted by what is apprehended to be good
• Sane humans will not be drawn towards evil
CONSCIENCE
• Conscience is a judgment of reason by which the human
person recognizes the moral quality of a concrete act
• Well-formed consciences formulate judgments in
accordance with reason and in conformity with the Divine
good
• Therefore, human will operates in conjunction with Divine
will
• Conscience leaves open the choice between a right
judgment and a contrary or erroneous judgment, but
whatever the judgment, conscience must be obeyed
• Conscience can remain in ignorance or in error, but that
does not impute culpability
• No matter what the decision of conscience, one must never
do evil in order to promote good
• One must follow the Golden Rule
• Interfering with another’s conscience in unconscionable
SIN
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Sin – an offense against reason
Reason is…
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Sin is a personal act involving personal choices about personal
situations
Sin damages our relationship with God in two ways
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– Determining what is right and wrong
– Understanding the necessary cause and effect relationship that our
actions have consequences
– Mortal sin – separates us from God’s grace when the following three
conditions are met
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Grave matter
Full knowledge in wrongness of the action and in its consequences
Complete consent
– Venial sin – only wounds our relationship with God, because it fails to
meet at least one of the above criteria
Furthermore, we have a responsibility for the sins committed by
others when we cooperate in them in the following ways
– Participating directly and voluntarily in a sinful action
– Ordering, advising, praising, or approving a sinful action
– By not disclosing or not hindering someone in the process of
committing a sin or about to commit a sin
– By protecting a person or persons who have committed a wrong
GRACE
• Grace is…
– Our weapon against sin
– God’s transforming love
– Favor – the free and undeserved help that God
gives us to respond to his call
– Participation in the life of God
– First and foremost a gift of the spirit
– More powerful than sin
– Catholicism stresses that God’s grace and love
can transform sin
– Free will comes into play here as it is up to us
to accept grace and make choices that
maintain our relationship with God
RESPONSE PAPER 4D
Is sin easy or hard to commit?
READING ASSIGNMENT
Understanding Catholic Christianity
Pages 295-307
CATHOLIC MORALITY & SOCIAL TEACHING
Religious Studies One - Unit 4
“Catholic Culture and Values”
PERSONAL MORALITY
• Personal Morality
– We have a responsibility to act in accordance with
general principles that support humanity, progress, and
order
– One of the most ancient codes of morality that has been
handed down to us is from the Hebrew tradition
• Ten Commandments
– Rules from Exodus 20 form the basis of the JudeoChristian moral standard
– Being that the laws are God’s laws, breaking the law is
an offense to God
– Meant to bring order to a nomadic tribal society
– Original letter vs. modern spirit
• Individual student assignment
– Each student should rate themselves according to the
questions found on pages 302-303 of UCC
SOCIAL MORALITY
• We must understand that our actions have bearing beyond
our immediate lives, and we have a responsibility to act in a
way that promotes justice
– As students and practitioners of faith, we must progress
beyond the conceptual boxes of right and wrong
– Instead, we must embrace the dichotomy between that
which is just and that which is unacceptable
• Justice
– The institutional, social, and personal scenario where the
prevailing attitude of peace, love, civility, tolerance, and
self-actualization is articulated, embraced, and
maintained as an evidenced, practical, and universal
reality
• Justice in action
– Justice approach to morality is often referred to as faithbased morality as well
– We must act in such a way that the opportunity for all
people’s self-actualization is maximized
BIBLICAL FOUNDATIONS
God of Justice
Creation
Covenant
Exodus
The Poor
The Prophets
Example of Jesus
FROM CHARITY TO JUSTICE
• Strata of Justice
– Charity – providing for the needs of the oppressed
– Volunteerism – working with the oppressed
– Social action – educating about and working for the oppressed
on their behalf
– Praxis – Alteration of social structures and institutions
(actually making a change on the levels where it matters)
• Influences on Justice
– Relationships
– Politics
– Gender
– Background
– Economics
– Personal vs. Institutional
CATHOLIC ANTHROPOLOGY
• Imago Dei
• We are intrinsically valuable as
individuals, therefore we have a
responsibility to others
• Solidarity – We can’t thrive unless all
people are thriving
• As human beings we are created “good”
but we have the “choice” to do
otherwise
PERSONHOOD
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Intelligence
Free will
Emotions
Capacity to be active/creative
Endowed with rights/duties
Capable of interpersonal relationships
Called to specific mission in the world
Self-Actualization
Drawn towards God
Graced
READING ASSIGNMENT
Understanding Catholic Christianity
Pages 295-307
CONSISTENT LIFE ETHIC
Life,
in all its essential and existential forms,
must be preserved at all times
READING ASSIGNMENT
Understanding Catholic Christianity
Pages 310-319
CATHOLIC MORALITY & SOCIAL TEACHING
Religious Studies One - Unit 4
“Catholic Culture and Values”
THE WORLD WE LIVE IN
• We face higher rates of murder, assault, rape, and
other violent crimes compared to other societies
• Most violent place in America is not on our streets –
more than 50% of the women murdered in the US are
killed by their partner or ex-partner
• Only civilized nation that still permits capital
punishment
• Entertainment media glorifies violence – children see
over 8000 murders and over 100,000 other acts of
violence by the sixth grade
• John Paul II coined the term “culture of death” – he
argued that we need a “culture of life”
CST - OVERVIEW
• As human beings created in the image of God, we are called to
transform the world we live in
• A faith without action is an underdeveloped faith
• CST is often called the best-kept secret
• Young Catholics refer to justice as high on their list, but often
associate justice with charity and not transformation
• CST was given its birth in 1891 with Leo XIII’s Rerum
Novarum, which criticized the plight of workers in the
Industrial Revolution
• Since then, popes, bishops, and lay Catholics have addressed
every social threat including the need for international order to
maintain peace (UN), gap between rich and poor, basic human
rights, economic justice, heartless capitalism, mindless
communism, worker’s rights, racism, poverty, proper role of
government, arm race, unemployment, etc.
• Quote from Paul VI (1971) – It is not enough to recall
principles, state intentions, point to crying injustices and utter
prophetic denunciations; these words will lack real weight
unless they are accompanied…by effective action
CST - ELEMENTS
Human Dignity/Equality
Community and the Common good
Rights and Responsibilities
Preferential option for the poor and
vulnerable
Participation
Work and the Rights of Workers
Stewardship of Creation
Solidarity
Proper Role of Government
(Consistent Life Ethic)
(Just-War Theory)
THE JUST-WAR THEORY
• The strict conditions for legitimate defense by military force
require rigorous consideration. The gravity of such a
decision makes it subject to rigorous conditions of moral
legitimacy. At one and the same time:
– the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or
community of nations must be lasting, grave, and
certain;
– all other means of putting an end to it must have been
shown to be impractical or ineffective;
– there must be serious prospects of success;
– the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders
graver than the evil to be eliminated. The power of
modem means of destruction weighs very heavily in
evaluating this condition.
• These are the traditional elements enumerated in what is
called the "just war" doctrine.
• The evaluation of these conditions for moral legitimacy
belongs to the prudential judgment of those who have
responsibility for the common good.
THE LARAMIE PROJECT
• What moments/characters
struck you?
• Contrast the Catholic priest with
the Christian minister. How do
their words and actions inform
us about their religious beliefs?
• How does that much hate
develop?
RESPONSE PAPER 4E
Which elements of
Catholic Social Teaching
are addressed in The Laramie Project?
What can you learn as a student of these
two sets of ideas?
Religious Studies On