Practices, “Big Picture Beliefs, ” and Faith
Joseph McHale
February 27, 2011
Dr. Mattison
TRS 230
Essay
Practices, “Big Picture Beliefs,” and Faith
a) What is a practice? Give two examples of how dating / sex / romantic love may be “practiced” differently, with different rules. Explain how those rules reflect both the different understandings of the practice, and different big picture beliefs.
Practice is an intentional way to go about an activity and how it reflects their big picture beliefs.
Sex has a point – directed toward loving others.
Two errors: Sharp dichotomy of our everyday activities – all differences boil down to religious differences Clearly religious faith
Faith – seeing accurately to big picture questions
“True precedes the good” Have to have idea of “big picture beliefs”
Know right answers to big picture beliefs
b) What is the “gist” of the Christian story about the way things really are? Refer to both the Irish Bishops and the three movements of salvation history.
Christian story is about LOVE. Love makes us distinct with God * The very origin and substance, source of all self-giving interpersonal Love.
God is love, Persons is sin Irish bishops- sex should always be in the context of a relationship How you date/ sex/ love is shaped by your view of that activity.
Creation Sin Redemption} 3 steps
c) Explain why John Paul II claims that all people ask and answer ultimate (or “big picture”) questions. Explain what an act of belief is, and why is it necessary to believe (rather than know) answers to these questions?
JP2: all people are philosophers ask and have answers to ultimate questions -philosophers because how we react to things in life such as DEATH, Everyone lives out the answers to our big picture ultimate questions.
d) Use the terms fides qua and fides quae to explain in what sense everyone has a faith, and in what senses people’s faith differ. Define the theological virtue of faith, noting what type of
February 27, 2011
Dr. Mattison
TRS 230
Essay
Practices, “Big Picture Beliefs,” and Faith
a) What is a practice? Give two examples of how dating / sex / romantic love may be “practiced” differently, with different rules. Explain how those rules reflect both the different understandings of the practice, and different big picture beliefs.
Practice is an intentional way to go about an activity and how it reflects their big picture beliefs.
Sex has a point – directed toward loving others.
Two errors: Sharp dichotomy of our everyday activities – all differences boil down to religious differences Clearly religious faith
Faith – seeing accurately to big picture questions
“True precedes the good” Have to have idea of “big picture beliefs”
Know right answers to big picture beliefs
b) What is the “gist” of the Christian story about the way things really are? Refer to both the Irish Bishops and the three movements of salvation history.
Christian story is about LOVE. Love makes us distinct with God * The very origin and substance, source of all self-giving interpersonal Love.
God is love, Persons is sin Irish bishops- sex should always be in the context of a relationship How you date/ sex/ love is shaped by your view of that activity.
Creation Sin Redemption} 3 steps
c) Explain why John Paul II claims that all people ask and answer ultimate (or “big picture”) questions. Explain what an act of belief is, and why is it necessary to believe (rather than know) answers to these questions?
JP2: all people are philosophers ask and have answers to ultimate questions -philosophers because how we react to things in life such as DEATH, Everyone lives out the answers to our big picture ultimate questions.
d) Use the terms fides qua and fides quae to explain in what sense everyone has a faith, and in what senses people’s faith differ. Define the theological virtue of faith, noting what type of