Final Exam - Study Guide
Chapter 1
1. Can human beings deduce God’s
existence from reason alone?
Yes – this is called Natural
Revelation
Final Exam - Study Guide
2. Can humans fully know God using
reason alone?
No – to fully know God we must
have Divine Revelation
(mysteries, etc.)
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3. Give several examples of supernatural
truths (mysteries) that can only be known
through Divine Revelation.
• the Blessed Trinity
• the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist
•The Virgin Birth
Final Exam - Study Guide
4. What is the relationship between faith
and reason? Are they opposed to each
other?
•Faith perfects reason
•They are not opposed to each other
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5. Why did God reveal himself to us?
So that every person may enter
into a relationship with him
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6. What is the effect of sin on human
reason?
Sin clouds human reason (our
own self-centered “agendas” can
sometimes muddle our reason
and motivations
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7. What does it mean to say that humans
are religious beings?
•Every person comes from God, seeks
God and desires God; thus, he/she does
not live a truly human life if not freely
choosing to live in friendship with God.
•Every person has a natural desire for
God written on the human heart
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8. What are the twin sources of Divine
Revelation?
•Sacred Scripture
•Sacred Tradition
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9. Is our faith universal? Can it be applied to
any culture?
Yes
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Chapter 2
1. To what/whom does the term “Word of God”
refer?
•Jesus Christ
•Sacred Scripture
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2. What/whom is the guardian and transmitter
of Divine Revelation?
The Church
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3. What or whom did Christ guarantee would
assist the Church in faithfully transmitting
Divine Revelation to all people in all ages?
The Holy Spirit
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4. Define the term “motives of credibility.” List the four
principal Motives of Credibility used to verify the
truthfulness of Divine Revelation.
• definition = The signs and evidence that certain affirmations
are made by God (or by those chosen by God to speak with his
authority) and that they have been passed along to us
completely and w/o error
• “Reasons to believe”
• The miracles of Jesus & his saints, the fulfillment of
prophecies, the sublimity or dignity of the message, and the
stability of the Church
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5. Why does God work miracles today?
In order to call our attention to something
important for our salvation
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What is a prophecy? Who is the author of
every true prophecy?
Prophecy = something said in the name of
God. God is the author of every true
prophecy.
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7. What is the ultimate purpose for which every
person has been made?
To be in eternal, intimate union with God
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8. What/whom is God’s final public Revelation?
Jesus Christ
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9. Define miracle. What is the purpose of a
miracle?
•Miracle = a sign, wonder or event which
transcends laws of nature and therefore can be
attributed to divine power
•They display God’s omnipotence and offer
external proof of God’s revelation
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10. What is a covenant?
A solemn agreement between people of
between God and man involving mutual
commitments and guarantees.
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11. What is the greatest miracle?
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
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12.What are the three major categories of
miracles which have occurred over the past
2000 years?
•Miracles of Healing
•Miracles of the Eucharist
•Apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Final Exam - Study Guide
Chapter 3
1. Describe the significance of the Council of
Jerusalem.
•It resolved the conflict in the early Church
between those who wished to retain the practices
of the Mosaic Law and those who thought Christ
had come to establish a new law
•It served as a model for all future ecumenical
councils to come
Final Exam - Study Guide
2. What is the Magisterium? Who/what
comprises it?
•The teaching office of the Church
•The Pope and the bishops
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3. Can the Pope sin? Why or why not?
•Yes – Papal Infallibility means that Holy Spirit
protects the Pope – in his role as the Head of
the Church – from teaching error in matters of
faith and morals.
•The Pope is human and therefore shares our
concupiscence.
Final Exam - Study Guide
4. How did Jesus ensure that his teachings
would be transmitted faithfully to all
generations?
•He trained the Apostles to lead the church and to
carry the Gospel message to all ends of the earth
(Apostolic Succession, Magisterium)
•He sent the Holy Spirit to guide and protect the
Church (Infallibility, Ecumenical Councils)
Final Exam - Study Guide
Chapter 4
1. Name the four gospels.
Matthew, Mark, Luke & John
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2. Which was the first written?
Mark
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3. To whom was St. Matthew’s gospel
directed?
•Jewish communities
•Wanted to convince them that Jesus was
indeed the Messiah for whom they had
been waiting
•Starts with a geneology connecting Jesus
back to the Jewish patriarchs
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4. To whom was St. Luke’s gospel directed?
•To the Gentile converts to Christianity
•He wanted to give an “orderly account” of
Christ’s life.
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5. To whom was St. John’s gospel directed?
•To the entire Church
•Was the last gospel written – probably around 100
AD
•It presupposes the existence of the other gospels
and was written to complete them
•The most theologically sophisticated of the
gospels
Final Exam - Study Guide
6. Who wrote the Acts of the Apostles?
St. Luke wrote it as a sequel to his gospel.
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7. Who wrote Revelation? To what literary
genre does the book of Revelation belong?
•St. John the Evangelist (the “disciple
whom Christ loved”)
•It is a book of prophecy
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8. Which gospel is considered the most
theologically sophisticated?
St. John’s
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9.Who/what decided which books made it in to
the Bible (a.k.a. the Canon of Scripture)?
The Church – under the guidance of the
Holy Spirit (made official in 382 AD)
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10. What are the four genres in the Old
Testament? In the New Testament?
•Law
•History
•Wisdom/Poetry
•Prophecy
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11. In what language was the Old Testament
primarily written? The New Testament?
Old Testament = Hebrew
New Testament = Greek
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12.Do Christians need the Old Testament?
Why or why not?
Yes; It is God’s Word and a big part of his
Divine Revelation
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13. What are the synoptic gospels?
•Greek for “seeing together”
•Matthew, Mark & Luke
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14. How many books are in the Catholic Old
Testament? The New Testament?
46 & 27
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Chapter 5
1. Is matter/creation evil? Why or why not?
No – God created all matter and declared it
“good”
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2. What name did God reveal to Moses?
“I Am Who I Am” (Yahweh)
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3. Name four consequences of Original Sin.
•Childbirth will be painful
•People will be subject to physical death
•Relationships will be marred by sin
•Work will be toilsome
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4. Name two “types” of Baptism found in the
Old Testament.
•The parting of the Red Sea
•Noah’s flood
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5. Name – in order – the first three patriarchs
of our faith.
•Abraham
•Isaac
•Jacob