RELIGION STUDY GUIDE

Chapter 1 The terms that describe the faith journey are: deist, theist, monotheist, polytheist, atheist, antitheist, and agnostic. Deist- a person who affirms an impressionable God Theist- a person who affirms a personal God Monotheist- a person who believes in one God Polytheist- a person who believes in more than one God Atheist- a person who denies the existence of God Antitheist- a person who opposes the idea of God Agnostic- a person who neither affirms nor denies God

The three faith levels are: mind level- openness to truth, heart level- openness to love, and soul level- openness to grace. Faith is a free gift that is Gods contribution. Our contribution is freedom in which we accept or reject Gods gift of faith. The three faith realities are: Loving trusttaking a risk, ongoing effort- evolving and changing and making a re-commitment, and suffering darkness- growth times. The three sources of suffering darkness are: Human nature, ourselves, and God. The three stages of faith are: Childhood stage- cultural stage. Our family tells us what our faith is. Adolescent stage- transitional stage. This stage is full of questions. Destructive questioningproves something wrong and do whatever we please. Constructive questioning- looking for the truth. It fosters faith clarity, widens faith horizons, and deepens faith commitment. Adult stage- convictional stage. Where we know what our faith is.

Chapter 2 Divine revelation- means to unveil. It is the unveiling of Gods plan to the human race. The three ways of knowing divine revelation are: experiencing God, reasoning to God, and believing another (about God). Gods plan is to bring all of Gods creation together. Handing on revelation is: Immediate stage: the unveiling of Gods plan to His people in biblical times. Mediate stage: the transmission of divine revelation to future generations. The two ways of handing on revelation are: Sacred Tradition- Oral Word Sacred Scripture- Written Word Divine Inspiration is not divine dictation or divine correction. Canon means list. Canon of Scripture is the measuring stick of our faith.

The Old Testament Canon includes: 1. Pentateuch 2. Historical books 3. Wisdom books 4. Prophetic books The Jewish canon of scripture has 39 books. The Protestant Canon has: Old Testament- 39 books, New Testament- 27 books, Total- 66 books. The Catholic Canon has: Old Testament: 46 books, New Testament- 27 books, Total- 73 books. The Apocrypha has 7 books: Judith, Sirach, Baruch, Wisdom, 1-2 Maccabees, and Tobit. The three languages in the Bible are: Hebrew, Greek, and Arabic. Arabic is the language in which Jesus spoke. Saint Jerome translated the bible to Latin. Septuagint- the number of scholars who translated the bible into Greek. Chapter 3

The two groups of biblical interpretations are: 1. Literalists- who take the bible word for word 2. Contextualists- who takes the bible context by context The top world is where God is. The middle world is where humans live. The bottom world is the land of the dead. Sheol means place of sleep. The patterns for creation are: 1. Command- let there be (light) 2. Execution- the light appeared 3. Reaction- God was pleased 4. Conclusion- evening passed The pattern of the week: 3 days of creation 3 days of population 1. night and day 4. Sun, moon, and stars 2. sky and sea 5. Birds and fish 3. Vegetation and land 6. Humans and animals 7. God Partied A contextualist would use this model.

The four religious truths are: 1. God as one Old teaching- many gods New teaching- one God How taught- God creates gods

2. God planned creation Old teaching- creation by chance New teaching- creation by plan How taught- God follows plan 3. God created everything good Old teaching- creation is part good New teaching- creation is good How taught- God says it is good 4. God blesses the Sabbath Old teaching- Sabbath is ordinary New teaching- Sabbath is special How taught- God blesses it The second creation story is that humans were made first and creation were made second. 1. intimacy with God 2. equality between the sexes

The first creation story is that creation was made first and humans were made second. The two types of sin: 1. Personal sin- acting by ourselves 2. Social sin- acting in a group Sin of omission is not doing anything wrong Sin of commission is doing bad The primary symbols of the fall of man are: - Snake - Eating of the Fruit - Hiding The three responsibilities are: - Adam: said yes to eating the fruit - Eve: said yes to eating the fruit - Snake Sin: - Sin introduced evil into the world - flawed the human race - doomed us to destruction The three-act play of creation is: - Creation: God creates - De-creation: Sin destroys - Re-creation: God saves us The three covenants are with Abram, Israel, and David. Covenant with Abram:

New identity- chosen person New destiny- father of many nations 3 promises were: land, descendents, and fidelity Covenant with Israel: New identity- chosen people New destiny- priestly people Covenant with David: New identity- chosen king New destiny- ancestor of the Messiah New Testament: 1. 27 books A. 4 gospels B. Acts of the Apostles C. 21 letters D. Revelation 2. Birth Narratives: A. Matthew situates Jesus birth in Jewish history B. Luke situates Jesus in world history