Roman Catholicism: Ethics - Key Terms

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Conscience
A person's sense of right and wrong. For many Christians it is linked to God.
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Dignity
The value of a human person.
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Sin
Behaviour which is against God's laws and wishes/against the principles or morality. A thought or action which is wrong, we know is wrong and we freely choose.
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Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Qualities from the Holy Spirit which will help a Christian to live a holy life.
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Fruits of the Holy Spirit
Signs of the Holy Spirit in Christian behaviour.
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Commandment
A rule for living, given by God; or one of the Ten Commandments.
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Adultery
Sex outside marriage where one or both of the couple are already married to someone else.
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Bear false witness
To lie
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Covet
Wish, long or crave something, especially the property of another person or someone.
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Beatitude
Meaning 'blessed' or 'happy'. The Beatitudes is the beginning portion of the Sermon on the Mount. In it, Jesus describes the qualities of the inhabitants of the Kingdom of Heaven and indicates how each is or will be blessed.
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Sermon on the Mount
A collection of Jesus Christ's religious and moral teachings recorded in Matthew's Gospel in the Bible, much of which Jesus Christ set out in a speech to his disciples form a hillside.
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Kingdom of God
Wherever God is honoured as king and his authority accepted. Jesus taught about the Kingdom of God both on earth and in heaven. The rule of God.
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Righteousness
Following moral principles.
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Mercy
To be kind and forgiving
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Peace
An absence of war and conflict
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Marriage
A legal union between a man and a woman. The sacramental union between a man and a woman in the Roman Catholic Church witnessed by a priest and the community.
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Sacraments
Rites and rituals through which the believer receives a special gift of grace. Roman Catholics believe that the sacraments are 'outward signs' of 'inward grace'. Different Christian traditions celebrate different sacraments.
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Christian marriage
When a man and a woman come together and promise to live together in a lifelong, permanent and exclusive relationship.
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Permanent
Lasting or remaining without essential change.
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Exclusive
Not divided or shared with others.
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Life-giving
Having the power to give life.
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Rite
A set pattern of words and actions, for example those which are used in the celebration of the sacraments.
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Vows
Solemn promises that are made, usually with God and people as witnesses.
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Fostering
The taking of a child from a different family into a family home and bringing them up with the rest of the new family.
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Adoption
The legal process where a person(child) is taken(adopted) into the family as a son or daughter.
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Sexual relationships outside marriage
Sex between people who are not married to each other; this includes adultery, sex before marriage and casual sex.
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Divorce
Legal ending of a marriage
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Re-marriage
When people who have been married before marry again.
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Annulment
When the Roman Catholic Church declares a marriage invalid. Various conditions must be met to prove this. For example, if one of the couple was unable to understand the demands of being married.
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Vocation
Doing something for the love of it; a feeling that God is calling someone to a special ministry or way of serving others.
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Talents
Qualities, attributes or abilities which in Christian belief are gifts from God and should be used in his service.
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Lay people (laity)
Members of the Church who are not in Holy Orders
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Lay Ministry
A role of service within the Church, such as a reader or Eucharistic minister. All those who are not ordained are expected to serve God and others in their daily lives.
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Apostles
The leaders of the early Church. The word literally means 'sent out'.
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Priesthood
The roles and duties of a priest. Central to this is saying Mass.
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Deacon/Diaconate
A minister who may lead some services such as baptism and marriage, reads the Gospel at Mass and participate in charity such as visiting the sick.
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Pastoral
From the word 'shepherd' and is to describe the care that is given, for example, by a priest to those in his parish.
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Ordination
The status of being ordained to a sacred office: a deacon, priest or bishop.
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Celibacy
The obligation to abstain from sexual relationships; part of the vows taken by people entering religious life.
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Religious life
Dedicating life to God, taking vows and living in a particular holy way. A calling to live like Jesus in poverty, chastity and obedience.
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Poverty
Living simply and sharing talents, money and material goods for the support of the community.
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Chastity
Making a vow not to take a wife, husband or partner and not to have sexual relationships.
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Obedience
Obeying the superior(person in charge) of the religious order.
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Contemplative
In the context of Christian Vocation, this applies to those who choose to live out their vocation in structured prayer, meditation and work, usually in enclosed religious orders.
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Apostolic
Religious communities which combine a life of prayer with a life of working in the world, for example in education.
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Unmerciful
Not showing forgiveness
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Confession
Acknowledging and stating sins committed
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Penence
An act, such as prayer required of a person who has received God's forgiveness.
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Contrition
A genuine sense of being sorry for sins committed
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Absolution
The removal of the guilt that results form sin; the final part of the sacrament of reconciliation; forgiveness
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Crime
Not obeying a law established by a government
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Retribution
To 'get your own back' on the criminal, based on the Old Testament teaching of 'an eye for an eye' An aim of punishment.
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Deterrence
To put people off committing crimes. One of the aims of punishment.
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Protection
To stop the criminal hurting anyone in society, an aim of punishment
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Reformation
To change someone's behaviour for the better. An aim of punishment.
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Imprisonment
A method of punishment. Taking away a person's freedom, usually in prison
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Community Service
A method of punishment. Forcing a person to undertake work for the community
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Death penalty/capital punishment
Form of punishment in which a prisoner is put to death for crimes committed
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Prejudice
Unfairly judging someone before the facts are known. Holding biased opinions about an individual or group.
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Discrimination
To act against someone on the basis of sex, race, religion etc. Discrimination is usually seen as wrong.
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Racism
To have prejudices about and/or discriminate against a group of people because of their skin colour or racial background.
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Gender
Another word for a person's sex (male/female)
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Disability
When a person has a mental or physical condition that limits movement or activities
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Samaritans
Te Samaritans were mixed race Jews. They regarded each other as enemies, so in Luke's Parable of the Good Samaritan, the Samaritan had no obligation to help the injured Jew
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Anointing
Being blessed with holy oil. This occurs during certain sacraments eg. the anointing of the sick
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Anointing of the sick(extreme unction)
A sacrament traditionally given to people who are dying, now also given to people who are ill or having an operation
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Laying on of hands
An ancient sign from the Bible symbolising the Holy Spirit giving the person gifts
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Resurrection
When Jesus rose from the dead after dying on the cross. That other people may experience resurrection is one of the key beliefs of Christianity
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Judgement
God deciding who should be saved on the basis of actions in this life
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Purgatory
The purification of sin from a person who has died so they can come close to God in Heaven
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Heaven
Being with God after death
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Hell
Being apart from God after death
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Death rites
Ceremonies for believers in preparation for life after death
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Viaticum
A sacrament given to a person close to death to prepare for the next life
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Sanctity of human life
The special value of every person's life. Christians believe that all human life should be respected as a great gift from God
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Abortion
The deliberate termination(ending) of a pregnancy, usually before the foetus is 24 weeks old. Roman Catholics see this as wrong in all circumstances
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Contraception
The artificial and chemical methods used to prevent pregnancy taking place
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In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF)
A scientific method of making s woman pregnant, which does not involve sex. Conception occurs via sperm and egg being placed in a test tube.
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Donor
Another person who donates sperm or ovum for a couple who are infertile
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Surrogate mother
A woman who carries and gives birth to a child of another couple
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Infertility
An inability to conceive a child naturally
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Euthanasia
Inducing a painless death, by agreement and with compassion, to ease suffering. From the Greek meaning 'Good Death'. Some Christians believe it is 'mercy killing' while others see it as taking life
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Neighbour
A word which for Christians refers to anyone in need
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Less economically developed countries (LEDC)
Poorer countries
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World poverty
The idea that the majority of the world's population actually live in conditions of extreme need or hardship
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Charity
Christian action for those in need
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CAFOD
Catholic Fund for Overseas Development - charity established by the Bishops of England and Wales to bring aid to less economically developed countries
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Trócaire
Irish word for mercy; charity established by the Irish bishops to help alleviate poverty in the developing world
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Exploitation
When a person is used by another for the interests of the other at their expense
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Just War
A war that the Christian Church defines as acceptable: this must fit certain criteria. The idea was developed by St Thomas Aquinas and the Roman Catholic Church
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Nuclear war
A war in which the participants use nuclear weapons
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Nuclear Proliferation
The increase in the number of states that have the potential to use nuclear weapons
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Disarmament
When a country gets rid of its weapons
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Multilateral Disarmament
The view that all countries should destroy their weapons at the same time
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Unilaterally disarm
When countries get rid of their weapons without waiting for others to do the same
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Terrorism
When groups use violence, or the threat of violence, to achieve their aims, rather than using a democratic process
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Pacifism
The belief that it is unacceptable to take part in war and any other form of violence
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

The value of a human person.

Back

Dignity

Card 3

Front

Behaviour which is against God's laws and wishes/against the principles or morality. A thought or action which is wrong, we know is wrong and we freely choose.

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

Qualities from the Holy Spirit which will help a Christian to live a holy life.

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

Signs of the Holy Spirit in Christian behaviour.

Back

Preview of the back of card 5
View more cards

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