Christian Doctrine: Some basics POWERPOINT 1A

1. Christian Doctrine: Some basicsPOWERPOINT 1A Christian Doctrine 1 / Dr. Billings

2. Red Letter Points – PPT 1A • Patron Saint of Week: Who is Mary? (discuss some key points) • Explain this passage (from the Council of Trent) on the most basic goal of Christian Doctrine. • Why do some Christians hold up “John 3:16” signs at sporting events? • What is the “double commandment”? • Howdoes the course view the Bible? • Terms to know: • Revelation; Inspiration; Magisterium; Apostolic; Immaculate Conception; Theotokos • BIBLE: Mt 22:35-40; Lk 1:26-38; Mt 6:9-15 Christian Doctrine 1 / Dr. Billings

3. Prayer of the WeekThe Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Christian Doctrine 1 / Dr. Billings

4. Who is Mary? (list some key points) • The mother of Jesus, became pregnant as an unwed teenage girl; became principle of all saints – why: follows God’s will • Accomplishments – just one: mother: effect of truly doing God’s will (holiness) • called Immaculate Conception: Mary’s own conception (in her mother’s womb): by grace, free of sin • called “Theotokos” (Controversial title means “God-bearer” is lofty, some thought deified her (not so)) • important not only to Catholics: Orthodox, other Christians, even to Muslims; • QUOTATION: • “He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.” (Luke 1:49) (deference to God) Patron Saint of the Week: Mary, the mother of Jesus Christian Doctrine 1 / Dr. Billings

5. Explain the passage from the Council of Trent, on the most basic goal of Christian Doctrine. “The whole concern of doctrine and its teaching must be directed to the love that never ends. Whether something is proposed for belief, for hope or for action, the love of our Lord must always be made accessible, so that anyone can see that all the works of perfect Christian virtue spring from love and have no other objective than to arrive at love.” Roman Catechism – Trent; quoted by John Paul II at the end of the Prologue of Catechism • According to Council of Trent (!), “doctrine” is to teach the love of Christ : love of God, and love of neighbor as self • “Doctrine” is not just ideas but is an effort of the mind directed to the heart • If doctrine is not leading to love, it has missed its mark. • “Doctrine” is not just “info” about God, but should lead to the love of God and inspire with the love of God Christian Doctrine 1 / Dr. Billings

6. Why do some Christians hold up “John 3:16” signs at sporting events? • Because this verse from John’s gospel contains the core of the Christian faith: “God so loved the world He sent His only Son…”: (John 3:16) • This is a stunning teaching about what God, the Creator, is like and expresses who Christ is for Christians • “Christian Doctrine” is the attempt to express and articulate that faith. Christian Doctrine 1 / Dr. Billings

7. What is the “double commandment”? • “… a lawyer, asked him a question, to test him. ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?’ And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.’” (Matthew 22:35-40) • This repeated central teaching of Christ is called “the double commandment” (love God, love neighbor) • As the most basic teaching of Christ, it is the core of the Christian faith and “Christian Doctrine.” • All “Christian Doctrine” must center on the source, meaning, and significance of the double commandment. Christian Doctrine 1 / Dr. Billings

8. Howdoes the Catholic church view the Bible? • “revelation”: • specially revealed by God for us; revelation is a unique type of knowing – from God Himself; • “inspired”: • produced from the working of God’s Spirit within the writer; • “apostolic”: • handed down to us by those who sustained the faith, through the first apostles of Christ; • “magisterial”: • is a source of teaching, part of “magisterium”: an authoritative document to be “obeyed”; • Christ-centered: • the goal of Scripture is not to learn Scripture, but to draw closer to Christ Christian Doctrine 1 / Dr. Billings

9. Correcting some common misconceptions about the Catholic teaching on the Bible • All Catholic faith and practiced are rooted in the Bible. • Catholics may accept the theory of evolution is not in conflict with the Bible. • Catholics should read the Bible regularly as part of their religious life. • Catholics have the same Bible as other Christians, thought they still include some books that some Protestants decided to exclude. • To accept the Bible as “true” does not mean to only read it literally. Christian Doctrine 1 / Dr. Billings

10. Carravagio(image) Inspirationof Matthew Christian Doctrine 1 / Dr. Billings

11. Terms to know • Revelation: • The truth revealed by God; given by God directly to us • Inspiration: • The spirit of God is at work in it and through it • Magisterium: • The teaching authority of Church (centered in Rome for Catholics) • Apostolic: • Something that is passed on from, linked directly to the apostles of Christ; Catholics believe this of genuine Christian teaching • Immaculate Conception: • The teaching that Mary was conceived with unique grace in her mother’s womb: free of sin at her conception • Theotokos: • The “bearer of God”: a controversial title given to Mary from ancient times. Christian Doctrine 1 / Dr. Billings

12. (end of powerpoint1A) Christian Doctrine: Some basics Christian Doctrine 1 / Dr. Billings