Tag: truth

Faith Reflection: Conscience

Saint Paul wrote that the difference between what we will know in heaven is as great as the difference between what we know now and what we knew when we were children:

When I was a child, my speech, feelings, and thinking were all those of a child; now that I am a man, I have no more use for childish ways. What we see now is like a dim image in a mirror; then we shall see face-to-face. What I know now is only partial; then it will be complete – as complete as God’s knowledge of me.

Meanwhile these three remain: faith hope, and love; and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:11-13

As a child gradually emerges into adulthood during the period of adolescence, more and more opportunities arise to form – and test – a personally validated self. Deep within our human consciousness, God has implanted a hunger for the truth, for goodness, for love – all of which are at holy war with the unevolved beast in us, the Id. Human dignity lies in conquering that beast and discovering God’s law, written right into the way God made things and people.

All creatures deserve proper treatment simply because of the way our Creator made them. According to Vatican Council II:

By conscience, in a wonderful way, the law is made known which is fulfilled in the love of God and one’s neighbour. Through loyalty to conscience, Christians are joined to other [persons] in the search for truth and for the right solution to so many moral problems which arise both in the life of individuals and from social relationships. Hence the more a correct conscience prevails, the more do persons and groups turn aside from blind choice and try to be guided by the objective standards or moral conduct. The Church in the Modern World, 16.

What guides you in making important choices, such as the way you deal with your family, friends, and strangers? With animals, food, the environment? Do you treat each consistently or haphazardly: as the mood strikes you or by what you can gain or lose? Are you, honestly, more of an altruist or a utilitarian?

Be Alive

Theme 1: How do I look?

Outcomes
Students will

  • value the sacredness of the human body, regardless of appearance
  • identify ways that we can co-operate with God in car- ing for our bodies
  • express ways in which the Incarnation shows the sacredness of the human body
  • respect physical change as integral to God’s creation of us
  • understand the ways we use our bodies in prayer

Key Concepts

  • The Incarnation shows us the sacredness of the human body.
  • Jesus affirms the dignity of every person.
  • We are made in the image and likeness of God.
  • The fifth commandment underlines the sacredness of human life.
  • We are called to co-operate with God in the care of our bodies.
  • God’s creation of us does not end: we constantly change physically; we are called to respect that change in ourselves and others.

Theme 2: How do I know what I know?

Outcomes
Students will

  • identify their own preferred ways of learning
  • name a variety of ways of learning and of growing intellectually
  • respect the unique intellect of each person
  • consider how intellect shapes faith
  • realize God’s desire to be known through Jesus Christ

Key Concepts

  • Each person has a unique way of learning.
  • The fifth commandment underlines the value of all people, regardless of their abilities.
  • God desires all to come to know the truth – especially religious truth, which enables us to know and love God.
  • Searching, questioning and doubt may be avenues to intellectual growth.
  • We change intellectually throughout life; this is part of God’s plan.

Theme 3: Is it okay to feel this way?

Outcomes
Students will

  • identify emotions and their functions in their lives
  • demonstratehowfaith guides how we act in response to our emotions
  • respect the right of all people to experience their own feelings
  • understand that there are morally acceptable and morally unacceptable ways to express any emotion

Key Concepts

  • “Blessedarethosewho mourn, for they will be com- forted” (Matthew 5.4).
  • God created us to experience a wide range of emotions.
  • Everyhumanlife,fromthe moment of conception until death, is sacred because the human person has been willed for its own sake in the image and likeness of the living and holy God (CCC #2319). The way we express our emotions must respect the sacredness of all human life.
  • ThroughouremotionsGod calls us to decision and action.
  • Ouremotionsareagiftthat helps us to relate to others and to God.
  • Emotions are not “good” or “bad” in themselves. “Passions are morally good when they contribute to a good action, evil in the opposite case…. Emotions and feelings can be taken up into the virtues or perverted by the vices.” (CCC #1768)
  • Our faith guides our expression of emotions so that we, and those with whom we relate, become more loving.

Theme 4: How do I get along with others?

Outcomes
Students will

  • explain how they are social beings responsible for the care of one another in accordance with God’s plan
  • summarize stories where Jesus models how to live in and challenge society
  • interpret the model of table fellowship, as used by Jesus Christ, for their own lives
  • explain how the Christian concept of society is inclusive

Key Concepts

  • “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5.9).
  • God created us as social beings, called to love and serve one another.
  • Jesusmodelshowtolivein and challenge society.
  • The Christian concept of society is inclusive.
  • Faith shapes our criteria for healthy relationships.
  • Through table fellowship, Jesus changed the stan- dard for how people relate socially.

Whose Truth?

Survey:

[polldaddy type=”iframe” survey=”6D15FDCCC3F1EF7C” height=”auto” domain=”dsader” id=”whose-truth”]

Bible Readings:

Skim these Scripture passages. Pick one that appeals to you and

  1. summarize its main point,
  2. tell how it relates to the theme “Understanding Epistemology”,
  3. list one or two thoughts that entered your mind when you read it.

The Wealth of Wisdom Proverbs 8:1-10

Nature and Gods Will Job 38:1-7

Solomon 1 Kings 3:6-14

Balaam Numbers 22:22-35

God’s Will Everywhere Acts 17:22-28

Reflect:

Most likely you’ve been in an argument with your parents – or with somebody – when suddenly it all became clear: They’re right.

But you keep arguing. When that happens, you’re not honestly looking for the truth. What are you looking for? Why?

Quotable Quotes:

“Truth is to be sought in a manner proper to the dignity of the human person and our social nature. The inquiry is to be free, carried on with the aid of teaching … and a dialogue. In the course of these, we explain to one another the truth we have discovered, or think we have discovered, in order thus to assist one another in the quest for truth.” Vatican Council II, Declaration on Religious Freedom, 3

Activity:

Bring to class some object whose purpose you are betting no one else in the class can guess. Whoever in the class stumps everybody else, including the teacher, wins a prize.

The “Doctrine of Discovery” and Terra Nullius: A Catholic Response

Source: http://www.cccb.ca/site/eng/media-room/statements-a-letters/4446-catholic-responses-to-truth-and-reconciliation-commission-call-to-action-48-and-questions-regarding-the-doctrine-of-discovery

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops regarding the Catholic responds to the Doctrine of Discovery.

The text considers and repudiates illegitimate concepts and principles used by Europeans to justify the seizure of land previously held by Indigenous Peoples and often identified by the terms Doctrine of Discovery and terra nullius.

Both documents appeal to all Catholics — laity, members of institutes of consecrated life and of societies of apostolic life, deacons, priests, and Bishops — to make seven commitments in order to “continue to walk together with Indigenous Peoples in building a more just society where their gifts and those of all people are nurtured and honoured.” These commitments include:

  • Working with Catholic educational institutions and formation programs in telling the history and experience of Indigenous Peoples
  • Working with seminaries and other formation centres to promote a “culture of encounter” by including the history of the Indian Residential Schools and of Canadian missionary work with its “weaknesses and strengths”
  • Encouraging partnerships between Indigenous groups and health care facilities
  • Encouraging a restorative justice model within the criminal justice system
  • Supporting the national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women
  • Deepening relationships, dialogue and collaboration with Indigenous People
  • Inviting Catholic parishes and institutions to become better acquainted with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

March 31, 2016

Rationality

The real subjects in Catholic education are the learners in the sense that wisdom requires that the learners be the primary agents of their own learning. Learners are invited to see for themselves: to be active agents of their learning rather than passive recipients of knowledge.

Learners are encouraged to use their whole minds in the pursuit of learning – their reason, memory, and imagination. And because learning proceeds from what is known to the unknown, learner’s own lefe experiences become the building blocks to new learning. An attitude of openess to the truth requires that practices of exclusion – such as racism and sexism – be absent from the learning environment. Wisdom is the antithesis of injustice. Such openness also welcomes everyone into the learning process. Everyone’s voice can be heard in the learning environment just as everyone has the opportunity to learn.

Strategies to engage Reason and Rationality in Catholic Schools:

  • Encourage social analysis: the context of learnings gives meaning to the content; cultural contexts and worldviews are open to question; other perspectives can be viewed
  • Promote responsibility and commitment: take learners beyond their own knowledge; discover how knowledge can be life-giving
  • Sensitize learning: investigate whose interests are served by what we learn; relate learning to the Reign of God
  • Encourage relational learning: allow for different styles of learning; collaborative; cooperative learning
  • Foster the professional development of teachers in the study of theology and religious education
  • Assess student learning in the religious dimension based on the cognitive understanding of faith integration into all subject areas
  • Celebrate academic achievement

How can Catholic educators educate for wisdom?

RS 25/35: Remember the Titans Assignment

Introduction:

Read  Unequal Access: Canadian Race Relations

Canadians tend to think that racism is more prevalent in the United States, but not so much in Canada.  The above report seems to say otherwise.

Questions:  (answer three of the following)

  1. What is your reaction to the above information?  Did anything surprise you?  If so, what?  If not, why not?  Do you agree with the information presented in the report?  Take a position on the report (believability, reliability, etc) and provide support for your position from your experiences or research.  If you do not deem these statistics convincing and valid, then what other explanation is there besides racism that might explain the information provided in the report?
  2. Read Galatians 3:26 – 28 and Matthew 20:1-16. You can use oremus Bible Browser to help you.   Explain what implications these texts have regarding racism.  Explain how the statistics reported in the above article Canadian Race Relations might change if these scripture texts were taken seriously.
  3. What can the story of the 1971 Titans teach us about our world today, especially in relation to race relations in the wake of 9/11 or even more recently the ISIS (ISIL) threat?  Since the events of 2001, does our country treat Muslims according to Christians values?  Read the article CBC Discrimination poll to find out how Muslims are treated in Canada.
  4. Gerry Bertier tells Julius in the hospital after being in a car accident, “I was afraid of you, Julius. I don’t understand what I was afraid of. Now I only know I was only hating my brother.“ Does prejudice stem from fear? Explain your response providing evidence.  Is racism and/or  prejudice and/or bigotry a learned behavior?  Explain your response providing evidence from personal experience or from research.  Here is an interesting article (Children learn attitudes about race at home) about racism as a learned behaviour.
  5. At the beginning of the film, before training camp, we hear the line; “He’s just another blessed child in God’s loving family.” At the end of the film, we are told to “Trust the soul of a man, not his look.” Both of these are good sentiments, if they are spoken with sincerity. However, in the film, the first is spoken sarcastically.   Even though it is spoken using sarcasm, is this a truth according to Galatians 3:26 – 28 and Romans 8:14? You can use oremus Bible Browser to help you find out. What exactly does, “Trust the soul of a man, not his look”, mean?  Explain.

The rubric titled Movie Study Assignment Rubric located on the pages at the left will be used to grade this assignment.

 

RS 25: Tuck Everlasting Assignment

  1. Explain how this movie (story) is a parable.  What specific characteristics does this story have that meet the criteria of a parable? Be as specific as possible and discuss all the characteristics of a parable.
  2. What is the surprise that caught your attention in this parable movie?  In other words, what is the “twist”?
  3. What is the “truth” being taught by this parable story?  Could the main teaching of this parable movie be, “Don’t be afraid of death, be afraid of the unlived life. ” What does Angus Tuck means by an “unlived life”.  Explain. Reading the poem, An Unlived life might be helpful.  ”John 10:10 say about the purpose of life?  (Use Oremus Bible Browser)  What does Colossians 3:1-17 say about how to live life this way?

The rubric used to grade this assignment can be found at the pages on the right.  The rubric page is titled, Video Study Assignment Rubric

Right Association

The Buddha stressed the importance of right association. He said that people cannot find the truth unless the people they spend time with also seek the truth.

Think of a situation where a person’s decisions are affected by the people around them. Describe a real or made up situation.

Hindu Gods

Hinduism has many gods. Three of them are Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu. Brahma is known as the Creator. The universe and all creatures in it came from him. Vishnu is known as the Preserver. Associated with truth and righteousness, he maintains order. Shiva is the Destroyer. Shiva’s destruction leads to good, as he removes impurity.

Although these three gods are sometimes called the Hindu Trinity, they are not of equal importance. Brahma’s job – creation – is finished. The jobs of the other two gods remain.

Write about this view of the world in which the principles of creation, preservation, and destruction are connected. Which principle do you think is the most important one?