Chapter 3 Study Questions and Answers

23. Who is the fundamental norm of morality? What does this mean?

23. Jesus is the fundamental norm of morality. This means that Jesus is the standard or model on whom we should pattern our lives.

24. What sources are used by the Magisterium in developing guidelines to help Christians to live as Christ lived?

24. The sources include the Scriptures, Tradition, the history and teaching of the Christian community guided by the Holy Spirit.

25. What is the four-step process of formulating norms of morality?

25. First, the Christian community states in its creed and doctrines certain beliefs or expressions of our faith in Jesus. Beliefs lead to values. We articulate our values in principles. Finally, principles are formulated more concretely into norms.

5. True or False? Determinism teaches that humans do not have the power to choose and that every event, action, and decision is dependent on the human will.

5. True. Determinism teaches that humans do not have the power to choose and that every event, action, and decision is independent of the human will.

1. What other two realities go hand-in-hand with freedom in the moral life?

1. Responsibility and law

10. Explain the difference between freedom from and freedom for.

10. Freedom from refers to the external or internal forces that limit choice. Freedom for is freedom's real purpose. It is true freedom that liberates us to develop our God-given talents in a responsible way so we can live our lives for others and for our loving God.

11. True or False? Grasping after material things that we think will make us happy often has the reverse effect of enslaving us.

11. True

12. Human freedom is not ________________, but is limited. It is not __________________ --- the unbridled, excessive, undisciplined freedom that abuses true ___________________. The result of people doing whatever they want is _______________.

12. absolute; license; liberty; evil

13. Abuse of freedom results in ___________ which is related to the _________________ Sin of Adam and Eve which spawned other sin and leads humans to wretchedness and ___________________.

13. sin; Original; oppression

14. What redeemed humans from the enslavement of sin?

14. The cross of Jesus Christ

15. What types of things can limit human freedom?

15. Things that can limit human freedom include physical limitations, intellectual limitations, emotional limitations, and your family, school, friends, and bad memories.

16. What does the chapter identify as major impediments to the exercise of true freedom? Briefly explain each.

16. Major impediments include ignorance (not knowing what we should do or not do); inadvertence (not paying attention or being distracted while we are acting); duress (when someone else tries to force us to do something); inordinate attachments (when possessions enslave us); fear (panic); habit (repeated behavior)

17. True or False? The major impediments to freedom are so powerful we cannot change our actions.

17. False. The major impediments to freedom do not have to enslave us. We are free to change.

18. What is the meaning of the word imputable?

18. Imputable refers to actions that can be ascribed, attributed, or definitively linked to a specific person or entity. If a deed is imputable, someone can clearly be held "accountable" for it.

19. When we do something well we want to take ___________________ for our deeds. We are also responsible for our __________________. Mature and _________________ people will own up to these actions and accept full responsibility for their ________________________.

19. credit; mistakes; honest; consequences

6. What are some proofs against determinism?

6. Examples include: You do not have to read this book; your pride or embarrassment or guilt after certain actions

7. What does it mean to say that humans are self-determining?

7. To call humans self-determining means we can select our goals and then perform acts to accomplish them.

8. External freedom refers to freedom from factors __________________ ourselves that threaten or ______________ our power to exercise __________________, such as the freedom from _________________ and tyranny.

8. outside; destroy; choice; poverty

2. Humans have the powers of ________________ and ____________________ which enable us to search for _____________. Because we are free we are the masters of our own ___________________.

2. reason; free will; truth; actions

20. What does Jesus tell his followers in John 14:6 and 8:31-32?

20. Jesus says, "I am the way and the truth and the life." "If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

21. True or False? Passions are the movements of our senses that predispose us to act or not act in relation to something we feel or imagine to be good or evil.

21. True.

22. True or False? Emotions are morally evil.

22. False. Emotions are morally neutral.

26. Moral __________ are short statements that tell us what to do or what not to do. They convey the moral ______________ and the experience of the ____________ community and are directed to both _________________ and societies.

26. norms; wisdom; human; individuals

27. Good law guides human ____________________, protects us from ___________________, serves as an objective ___________________, and warns us of pitfalls and harmful, _________________________ actions.

27. freedom; license; standard; dehumanizing

28. What is the source of the moral law?

28. The Blessed Trinity is the source of the moral law.

29. What is a biblical view of moral law?

29. The biblical view of the moral law is God's fatherly instruction for us, prescribing the rules of conduct that lead to eternal happiness and banning evil that leads us away from God and his love.

44. According to the CCC, what are the six precepts of the Church?

44. The six precepts of the Church are: (1) You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation; (2) You shall confess your sins at least once a year; (3) You shall humbly receive your Creator in Holy Communion at least during the Easter season; (4) You shall keep holy the holy days of obligation; (5) You shall observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence; (6) The faithful also have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his abilities.

3. What is the greatest power that humans possess? How does this ability relate to God?

3. The greatest of all power is the ability to love. This freedom to love ultimately enables us to seek the Triune God of love and unite with him for eternal happiness.

30. What are the four elements of St. Thomas Aquinas' definition of law?

30. The four elements are: reasonable, for the common good, from competent authority, law must be promulgated.

31. What are the four interrelated expressions of the moral law?

31. The four interrelated expressions of moral law are: eternal law (from God), natural law (the light of understanding God has placed in us), revealed law (made up of the old Law and the Law of the Gospel), and civil law and Church law.

32. Natural law is our participation in the _________________ law, the light of __________________ that God places in us and what human _________________ can discover about human nature independent of God's gift of _____________________.

32. divine; understanding; reason; revelation

33. What are the three basic human drives and needs that natural law corresponds with?

33. The three basic human drives and needs are: (1) preserving life; (2) developing as individuals and communities; and (3) sharing life with others

34. True or False? Natural law is personal, permanent, and unchanging throughout history.

34. False. Natural law is universal, permanent, and unchanging throughout history.

35. True or False? Natural law applies to most people, in most places, for most of the time.

35. False. Natural law applies to all people, in all places, for all time.

36. True or False? Because of sin and weakened intellects, we cannot always correctly discern the natural law, therefore God provides what humans lack.

36. True.

37. True or False? Societies apply the natural law the same, no matter the custom or circumstances.

37. False. Societies apply the natural law differently according to the custom or circumstances.

38. The old Law, also known as the _______________________, is the first stage of revealed law. But Christians believe that, though it is holy and good, it is _________________. The old Law does not give us the grace and strength of the ______________________. It is a preparation for the New _________________ in Jesus Christ.

38. Law of Moses; imperfect; Holy Spirit; Covenant

39. What are the four purposes of divine law?

39. The four purposes of divine law are: (1) It helps us stay on the right path on our journey to God; (2) It helps us discern what is right when there are conflicting ideas of right and wrong; (3) It speaks to our motivation; (4) It indicates what is sinful, that is, those actions and attitudes that kill or stifle our relationships with God and others.

4. What is the definition of freedom according to the CCC?

4. The CCC defines freedom as the power, rooted in reason and will, to act or not act, to do this or that, and so to perform deliberate actions on one's own responsibility.

40. The _______________ of Jesus Christ is the new Law, a law of ____________. He perfects divine law and reveals it most perfectly in the _________________________________. The new Law helps us understand the core _________________ that precede our actions.

40. Gospel; love; Sermon on the Mount; attitudes

41. What two Gospel teachings summarize the new Law?

41. "Do to others whatever you would have them do to you." (Mt 7:12) and "Love one another as I love you." (Jn 15:12)

42. True or False? The evangelical counsels are poverty, chastity, and charity.

42. False. The evangelical counsels are poverty, chastity, and obedience.

43. Church law is to _____________ law, what civil law is to _______________ law. The ________________ of the Church are _________________ obligations for Catholics to observe while ___________________ law is the full body of officially established rules governing the Catholic Church.

43. divine; natural; precepts; minimal; canon

9. Internal freedom refers to freedom from _______________ factors such as freedom from ______________ and freedom from addiction.

9. interior; fear