HSC Syllabus Notes Religious Traditions Depth Study: Christianity

9.3 Christianity Depth Study

1. explain the contribution to the development and expression of Christianity of ONE significant person OR school of thought, other than Jesus, drawn from: Pope John XXIII Pope John XXII set in motion ideas and forces that affected the development and expression of the Christian faith expanding and changing for all Christians. Pope John's revival and re-birthing of the Ecumenical Council, known as Vatican II (1962), provided the infrastructure for revolutionary changes/amendments to be made to the expression of Christianity which resulted in the digressed progression of the Christian faith. John's mission and vision has been described to endow the Christian faith with a new Pentecost which is embodied by Vatican II. The Vatican II is aimed to not only bring the Christendom into closer touch with the modern world, but also ending the division that has dissipated the Christian message for centuries. The ending of this division and unification of all Christian denominations was a primary objective of Vatican II and high ranking goal of Pope John's mission. In Vatican II this was known as The Sources of Revelation which attempted the shelve the Ottaviani document that emphasised the dissimilarities between all Christendom. John Paul XXIII furthermore contributed the to development of the Christian faith via the push for ecumenism with the use of propaganda and elimination of such ideologies as socialism and secularism separating the church. Thus we observe John Paul's influence and contribution to Christianity through the efforts of the revived Vatican II and driving force for the unification of Christian denominations. The Council would involve a change in mentalities, ways of thinking and prejudices. Pope Blessed John Paul XXII's calling of the Vatican II for 'pious discussion of the Virgin Mary' in 1961 led to the analysis of Church meta-ethics and the nature of the Church, focussing on Catholic presence in the modern world. Cardinal Ottaviani's draft proposal on the nature of the modern church was returned for re-writing thus opening the way for more tolerant Catholic positions on church-state relations, religious freedom and the hierarchical authority of the church. John Paul's optimism for the revolutionised nature of the Church is embodied by its language that would shed light on and remove misunderstandings, and it should dissipate error by the force of truth. Therefore we are able to observe, retrospectively, how John Paul XXIII's modifications and changes to the Christian faith through the Vatican II contribute to the changed development of the Church. This continues to impact in today's modern environment on perspectives toward the Christendom. Furthermore, John Paul XXIII's work to change the forms of worship within the Church contribute to both the development and expression of the faith. Pre-1960, church worship existed in a tight and rigorous format as the priest recited the mass in Latin which, however, presented problems for accessibility of followers a direct result of the educated level (or lack of) of Latin, and therefore many could not understand the blessings or prayers. John Paul XXIII faced this problem by introducing policy that the mass be conducted in the vernacular of the people which enabled the translation of mass into the dominant language of the country. Additionally, John Paul altered the priest's orientation to the people during Mass so that the priest would face the congregation in a far more engaging manner. Aforementioned adaptations contributed significantly to the expression of devotion and understanding of Christianity. Particularly, Paul XXII's composition of the Guata Recordatio (1959) encyclical urged for the use of 'rosary beads' during mass, which was evidently approved by other (arch)bishops by the prevalent use and significance of the rosary beads in many Catholic-Orthodox churches. Consequently the domain of the priest's altar, initially fenced off from the congregation was adapted in order to allow lay people to approach and read from the altar. Thus the improved interaction of followers in church matters contributed to the development of Christianity and engaged expression in the technologically changing modern world. John Paul XXIII's development of the Pacem in Terris Peace on Earth (1963) was a concluding encyclical before his death which demanded for peace and contentment between Christian and nonChristian, including their relationship with God. You are the true peace of the heart, you are its only resting place... the one eternal God [Imitation of Christ: Bk. 3, Ch. 15] embodies the message at the heart of Paul XXIII's encyclical. John Paul's latter work, including the aforementioned encyclicals fall under

the umbrella term of evangelisation the spreading of the Christian faith and core messages of love, unity and care. Such evangelisation is observed in Pope John Paul XXIII's ecumenist and interfaith dialogue diplomacies. Despite tension between Christian and non-Christian denominations at the time, the good Sheppard defending truth and goodness, Blessed Pope John Paul XXIII, continued to meet with Soviet and Communist rulers to discuss diplomatic relations,promoting Christian unity and the evangelisation of Christian faith. Pope John's actions have begun a reconciliation that is bound to make the Christian message a more unified and vital force was applied to John Paul's dedicated and loving work toward the unity and peace of world religions by the Time Magazine (1962) forging a strong sense of ecumenism and religious international relations. John Paul's dedication and passion to the development and presence of the Christian faith in the modern world is evidenced above which has provided the infrastructure for a dynamic and living Christian expression. Pope John's kind and passionate nature has resulted in everlasting impacts on the way in which the Christian faith is practised globally. The establishment of Vatican II, along with the significance of Papal encyclicals, leave an imprint on the Christendom and additionally altered its development throughout history, Pope John XXIII has brought... a renewed sense of optimism at the heart of the Christian message. 2. analyse the impact of this person OR school of thought on Christianity Refer to dot point above. SPIRITUALITY HIS RULES OF LIFE Daily discipline at least 15 mins mental prayer per day. Weekly Confession & Communion. Monthly set aside one day for more profound recollection; chose a special patron saint for each month. Annually time in order to be praying harder while others feasted and revelled. IMPACT OF WORKER-PRIESTS Many priests from prison camps or resistance movements looking for a new form of ministry immersed in lives of normal people.

7 Corporal works of mercy: feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, visit the sick 7 Spiritual works of mercy: counsel the doubtful, pray for the living and the dead
An everlasting and eternal impact on the global Christendom and Christian community. 3. describe and explain Christian ethical teachings on bioethics OR environmental ethics OR sexual ethics Ethics are the foundational philosophical values of a group or larger society that provide the infrastructure for the teaching of morals. Christian ethics are founded in he image of God and dictate guidelines in order for Christians to conduct themselves in such a way to eventually achieve affinity with God. These Christian ethical teachings have been adopted and applied over time to the environment becausethe goods of creation are destined for the whole human race, and developing an ecotheology to maintain a sustainable environment for the future. Moreover, these ethical values are derived from Christian scriptures, theologians and observed in Christian bodies to take action. Christian ethical teachings on environmental ethics are first and fore-mostly derived from the obvious and direct source of the Christian scriptures; more specifically the Bible's Old Testament. Genesis describes the world as God's creation and people as it's stewards: God willed creation as a gift addressed to man, an Inheritance destined for and entrusted to him. From a Christian's perspective, this may be observed a great and wondrous responsibility to serve God; however, noting the current state of the world's environment this 'gift' may have been misused. It is intrinsically clear that by the seventh commandment of the Decalogue [Exodus]You shall not steal. The seventh commandment enjoins respect for the integrity of creation considered a direct commandment of God and so should be strictly abided in order to achieve the ultimate Christian experience of an affinity with the Lord. However, from Deuteronomy Christians understand that to human beings God even gives the power of freely... 'subduing' the earth and having domination over it albeit is a misinterpretation of God's message of utilising the Earth's resources and maintaining and ecological balance when analysing the damaged condition of our milieu, the Earth. Nevertheless, the Christian message is distinct in defining a morale treatment of the Earth's resources.

Christian theology additionally deepens and extends ethical teachings on environmental ethics to solidify a universal value of environmental equity. Interest in Christian ecotheology which placed a focus on the interrelationships of religion and nature, peaked during the 20 th century once an obvious threat to the environment had been recognised. Both secular and religious bodies recognising the current threats of global warming and animal & habitat extinction. Aldo Leopold, an American ecologist, teaching that all creation is part of God's creative work and should be treated with reverence assisted the development of ecotheology by strengthening the argument for the significance of nature in sustaining life in accordance with God's directives. Such philosophy can be reaffirmed in the conclusion of the Anglican Environmental Commission Declaration: that God provides for all Creation, entrusting humans with divine responsibility for protecting and nurturing God's gifts for the good of all. Therefore a grounding foundation can be observed in the ecotheology of the 20th century for developing modern Christian ethical teachings on environmental ethics, placing an emphasis on the stewardship of the Earth. Despite being directly composed for the Catholic tradition, the Catholic Catechism can be applied far more broadly to the global Christendom, identifying a concern for the environment. Dispersing the faith that in the beginning God entrusted the earth and its resources to the common stewardship of mankind to take care of them..., the Catholic Catechism makes profound movements toward developing a complete understanding of the Christian message regarding the morale treatment of the environment and it's inhabitants. The significance of the Catechism in providing direction for the ethical use of the environment streams from the influence of the Pope John Paul XXIII's encyclical On Social Concern (1988) which expresses a concern for the inequity experienced by all living things (humans, animals and the environment) and therefore should be conducted in an ordered fashion. Intrinsically, this encyclical states that ...scientific experimentation on animals is a morally acceptable practice, however, only if it remains within reasonable limits and contributes to caring for or saving human lives. It can therefore be observed how Christian ethical teachings come from a variety of sources, describing practices that should be conducted in order to comply with founded beliefs of the environment. In the last thirty years alone, human activity has destroyed many of the planet's natural resources and environment in order to deal and mend this destruction numerous influential Christian bodies and organisations have implemented theories into action. Firstly, the National Churches Council Australia (NCCA), a body of 17 Christian churches, gathered at the 2002 Earth Summit along with Catholic Earthcare Australia to discuss matters on the damaged environment. These bodies recognise these matters are political issues but at a deeper level, they are much more. At their core, the constitute a spiritual and moral crisis which threaten the founding beliefs of Christianity (such as the 7 th commandment) if action were not taken. The use of mineral, vegetable and animal resources of the universe cannot be divorced from respect for moral imperatives is core to the ethical teaching of environmental ethics, paraphrased from the teachings on the seventh commandment of the Catholic Catechism. Moreover, in 2003 the NCCA released a brochure titled: Changing Climate, Changing Creation which encourages all Christian parishes and individuals to pressure government bodies to reduce the effect of global warming by injecting funds into public transport and alternative energy sources. The NCCA believes that a better... understanding of the Earth, which recognises that human beings are part of the created order will make a major contribution to the transforming change of the Planet... and is embodied by the central beliefs of those member churches including 'The Salvation Army', 'The Uniting Church in Australia' and 'The Anglican Church of Australia'. From the aforementioned discussion the sources and reasons for Christian ethical teachings on environmental ethics can be identified. Intrinsically the Christendom takes action to minimised the damage caused to the environment by all humanity in order to act morally. To act by the Christian 'Golden Rule' and to treat your neighbour as you wish to be treated entails to treat the Earth and environment with the same respect. Christian ethical teachings on environmental ethics are essential for a sustainable environment according to God's outline and compliance with the Scriptures. 4. describe ONE significant practice in Christianity drawn from: Saturday/Sunday worship 6. analyse the significance of this practice for both the individual and the Christian community A large number of Christian denominations reserve the Saturday and Sunday, similar to the Jewish Sabbath. The term Sunday literally derives from the Latin equivalent of the day of the sun and is worshipped due to Christian historical reference to Jesus as the sol verus (true sun). The Saturday and Sunday is currently accepted by many Christians as the day reserved for worship, reverence and respect for God, which is significant of a Christian's devotion and participation to serve God. The Saturday/Sunday worship takes on numerous forms, possessing many multi-faceted features that permeate Christian life

and worship. The roots of a Christian Saturday/Sunday worship can be observed in extremely early Christian communities that chose the Sunday as the most appropriate day for worship of the Lord and breaking of the bread [Acts]. Links and comparisons can be drawn between the Christian Saturday/Sunday worship and the Jewish Sabbath where no physical work is done in accordance with the early biblical laws from Exodus and Deuteronomy. Despite some obvious similarities between the Jewish day of rest and Christian reverence on the Saturday and Sunday, there are no direct links between the practices. The significance and formalisation of Christian Sunday worship is attributed to and developed by early Christian reformists including Luther and Zwingli. For majority of Christians, Saturday and Sunday worship plays an integral part of dedication and faith that impels a cathartic rejuvenation that renews Christian devotion and creates new spirituality upon those foundational beliefs of early Christian societies. The Saturday/Sunday worship extending from the practices of early Christian communities permeates into modern religious practice, loosely known as a 'Mass'. Depending on one's Christian denomination a mass, Lord's supper or holy communion will consist of a gathering of all those from the one faith to celebrate in Christ's love, generating a communal effort of prayer which takes a formal fashion. This key features of a mass are: Welcoming/Introductory Rite a welcome to all to the church which establishes the 'sacred space' which the mass is to take place where all prayers and rituals are performed. Penitential Rite Liturgy of the Word Gospel/Scripture readings reading and meditation upon God's Word. Psalms a reading from the Old Testament which proclaims a value and focus of the mass. Homily The priest will generally give a speech pertaining to a valuable lesson which can be applied in the lives of many; promoting a stronger and healthier faith. Creed a statement of Christian beliefs. Offertory/Eucharist The offertory precession brings forth the written bible, incense while the priest will often prepare the Eucharist and bless the bread and wine. The ringing of the bells symbolise the consecration of the transubstantiated host. Concluding Rites take the shape of a number of activities including a number of prayers such as 'Our Father' or a proclamation of faith by the mass congregation. Go in peace The structure of all masses performed throughout the Christian churches of the world will vary depending on the celebrant, time of year and denomination and incorporate different prayers and readings which celebrate a different focus. Additionally, the traditional Saturday/Sunday worship performed in a Christian mass involves a number of actions and gestures where the congregation may stand, make the sign of the cross or sing which embody symbols of peace, love and devotion which a devout Christian would express in order to live a faithful life. More specifically and, arguably, the most significant part of a traditional Saturday/Sunday worship gathering is the consumption of the host and drinking of the wine (which may be substituted for other drinks in the varying denominations). Because the Eucharistic celebration is an adapted ritualistic reenactment of the Last Supper, a Christian's soul is said to be nurtured and given physical nurturing by the act of eating and drinking the host. The Eucharist is the climax of most masses in which Christian followers become one with Jesus and recite a personal prayer which becomes blessed by the consumption of the Eucharistic bread. Each particular section of the mass has significance for each member of the congregation by strengthening an understanding of the Christian faith and acts in accordance with God's Word. For instance, the worship of the one and only Christian God in a distinct manner is evidenced by the first commandment: I am the Lord your God, and I shall not have false Gods before me. This can be successively linked with the second commandment to Keep holy the Sabbath which expresses God's desire for worship and praise across the Jewish Sabbath times. These have been modernly adapted in Christian denominations to be the Saturday and Sunday times of worship. Additionally to the grounding beliefs and practices found in early Christian communities there are also reasons and compelling evidence for Saturday/Sunday worship found in Christian theology that affirms the practice. The compelling Christian theology that an obvious appreciation and love must be shown to the lord at all times can be derived from the works of both Luther and Blessed Pope John Paul XXIII. Such

an obvious appreciation and love for one's God is evidently shown by devoted followers by participating the various Saturday and Sunday worship forms. Not only does this weekend worship entail a formalised 'mass' but permeates all Christian life and activities; engaging in personal and communal prayer, one's soul is rejuvenated and the soul's thirst quenched, particularly outside the formal gathering this applies to many Christians who may voluntarily lend their services to aiding others such as the St Vincent de Paul Society. Despite not a direct worship of God or the Holy Trinity in the assistance of others, Christian's are warmed by the gratitude and knowledge that they are doing God's will to serve others and thus acknowledging God's omnibenevolence and presence. The Christian practice of Saturday and Sunday worship embodies both formal and relaxed formats which involve both communal and personal reflection. Formal communal gatherings such as masses are the most common practice amongst Christian denominations, led by a Priest, as numerous prayers and readings are recited as a means of communicating intentions to God. Personal prayer and devotion of self is equally important in Saturday/Sunday worship and recognises the goodness and care of God for all made in the image of God. 5. demonstrate how the chosen practice expresses the beliefs of Christianity The Saturday/Sunday worship embodies a number of the Ten Commandments and encourages for individuals and communities to live by and be nurtured by the Gospel. Weekend worship further expresses the Word of God as paved out by other derivative biblical texts, including the modernised values and ethics in the Pope's encyclicals.

First three commandments Papal Encyclical Pacem in Terris The Gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke & John - Find Quotes To spread the Word of the Lord embodied in communal gatherings such as Churches or Mass Explicitly expresses gratitude and servitude to God Impel a cathartic rejuvenation of the individual's sole and a elevated connection with God