People can know what Christ did and taught because he entrusted the Deposit of Faith to the Church he founded. The Holy Spirits presence in the Church has given her life, fruitfulness, and endurance throughout history. This began at Pentecost when the Church was born. The Church is a mystery, a human and divine institution, meant to bring salvation to the world. The Church is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic.
What were the dominant emotions felt by Christs disciples in the days after his Crucifixion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension?
His disciples felt doubt and fear.
What does it mean to say that St. Peter is the Vicar of Christ?
A vicar acts in the place of another. As the rock upon whom Christ promised to build his Church, St. Peter stands in the place of Christ on earth.
Why did Herod want to kill the infant Christ, and how did he attempt to do this?
Herod heard that a kinga potential rival to his thronehad been born in Bethlehem and wanted to kill him at his weakest. Because Herod could not locate Christ, he ordered every male in that city less than two years old to be executed.
What were the major events of Christs life before his Baptism?
They include his Birth, his Presentation in the Temple, the Holy Familys Flight into Egypt, and the Finding in the Temple.
Where is the most succinct and direct collection of Christs teaching found?
It is found in the Sermon on the Mount (cf. Mt 57).
Why might the author of this text have begun the section on the life of Christ with a quote about taking up ones cross (cf. p. 30)?
This is how Christ defines his followers: by accepting the sufferings of life just as he had taken up his literal Cross unto his Death.
Why might the author have only devoted two pages to the life of Christ?
This is a history of the Church, not of Christs actions on earth. Extension: It would have taken many volumes to examine the life of Christ and many more to explore his identity, a study that has been going on for two millennia.
Why were some early writings about Christ rejected by the Church?
The Church rejected apocryphal writings because of their doubtful origins and erroneous content.
Why are the Gospels of Sts. Matthew, Mark, and Luke called the synoptic gospels?
Synoptic comes from the Greek for seeing together. Sts. Mathew, Mark, and Luke present the life of Christ in a very similar fashion.
Why were Jews from all over the world gathered in Jerusalem for Pentecost?
Because of the Jewish Diaspora, there were Jews living throughout the Roman world. Many traveled to the Temple in Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost.
Why were Christs disciples afraid, and were these fears justified?
The disciples were afraid of being persecuted by the Jewish authorities. Their fears were justified since their leader had just been executed.
What were the effects of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost?
The Apostles lost their fear and began to preach the Gospel boldly. People from foreign countries even understood them in their own languages, and about 3000 people were baptized that day.
What are the aims of the teaching authority and the sanctifying power of the Church?
These are intended to bring all people to union with God and each other.
What does it mean to say that the Church is One and Holy?
The Church is One because she professes one Faith in one God and is united in one Baptism, led by the Pope and the bishops in union with him, all over the earth and throughout every age. The Church is Holy because her founder, Jesus Christ, is holy; she is the means to grow in holiness for her members; the Sacraments, which she administers, are holy; finally, all who take advantage of her gifts become holy, whom we call saints.
What does it mean to say that the Church is Catholic and Apostolic?
The Church is Catholic because she is for all people everywhere in the world, in every age, and in every culture. The Church is Apostolic because she is built on the foundation of the Apostles, her faith and governance going back to them in an unbroken line of continuity.
What does apostle mean? What is the difference between a disciple and an Apostle?
Apostle comes from the Greek for to send out; thus, an apostle is one who is sent. Those who followed Christ were his disciples. From these disciples, he chose twelve to be Apostles, whom he sent out as the foundation of his Church.
Why did Christ choose twelve Apostles and not another number?
The number twelve coincides with the Twelve Tribes of Israel.
When the Apostles decided to replace Judas, what qualification did they insist his successor have, and why was this important?
The Apostles decided Judass replacement should have been with them throughout Christs earthly ministry so he was an eyewitness of the Resurrection.
Why did St. Paul travel to Jerusalem to resolve the question of whether Gentile converts had to observe the Mosaic Law?
St. Paul was convinced Gentile converts did not have to follow the Mosaic Law and so traveled to Jerusalem to confer with St. Peter and the other Apostles.
What question arose concerning Gentile converts to the Faith? What position did the Jewish Christians generally take regarding Gentile converts?
There was doubt and debate about if Gentile coverts had to follow the Mosaic Law and Jewish customs, for example, to undergo circumcision and follow dietary laws. Jewish Christians generally thought that Gentile converts needed to follow the Mosaic Law.
What was the fate of all the Apostles except St. John?
They were martyred.
Who was the first Apostle to be martyred, and how was he killed?
St. James the Less (the Just) was beheaded by Herod Agrippa AD 44.
What evidence exists to support the tradition that St. Thomas traveled to India?
The apocryphal Acts of Thomas suggest that he established the Church in India where he was martyred. When Portuguese explorers arrived in India in the fifteenth century, they found a very old Christian community that traced its founding to St. Thomas.
To what does the ancient and holy but often persecuted tradition refer?
This refers to Judaism, the precursor to Christianity.
What radically new vision of human life did early Christians offer the world?
God had come to earth, shown people how to live the New Law of Love, and won victory over death.
What is the difference between St. Johns baptism of repentance and the Sacrament of Baptism?
St. Johns baptism of repentance helped people realize their need to repent and be forgiven for sins. It prepared the way for the Sacrament of Baptism, which forgives
When did Baptism usually occur? Catechumens were baptized at the Easter Vigil, which commemorates the Resurrection of
Christ, or on the Saturday before Pentecost, which recalls the descent of the Holy Spirit.
Why did St. Paul criticize the way the Corinthians celebrated the Agape?
Some people were going hungry and others were getting drunk.
What did the early Christians believe happened during the Eucharist?
All the early documents indicate they believed Christ was truly present in the Eucharist under the appearance of bread and wine.
What does St. Ambrose say to those who argue it is impossible or unreasonable for the bishop or priest to change bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ?
The blessing, or words of consecrationnot the bishop or priestchange the nature of the bread and wine. Since God has the power to create bread and wine from nothing and give them their original natures, he certainly also has the power to change the natures of these things.
Why were private homes and catacombs used for liturgical services?
Christian church buildings were generally not permitted.
Why did the early Christians bury their dead rather than cremate them?
They believed in the resurrection of the body. Extension: The desire to be buried together showed their strong sense of community.
Why did the early Christians baptize and celebrate the Eucharist in the catacombs?
It was a place of refuge during periods of persecution.
Why were Wednesdays and Fridays adopted as days of fasting and penance?
Wednesday may have been adopted because Judas betrayed Christ on a Wednesday. Friday was adopted because Christ gave up his life on the Cross on a Friday.
Why did the chief day of worship for Christians shift from Saturday to Sunday?
The Sabbath was the day of rest; the first Christiansconverts from Judaismcontinued to observe the Sabbath. Soon, however, Sundaythe first day of Creation, the day Christ rose from the dead, and the day of Pentecostbecame the primary day of Christian worship. The first day of the week thus represented not only the first day of Gods Creation but also the eighth day, the beginning of the new creation.
Whom did Christ make the visible head of his Church on earth?
He made the Apostle St. Peter Head of the Church.
What three historical sources in the early Church support the Bishop of Rome as the supreme authority in the Church?
Pope St. Clement I settled a controversy within the Church in Corinth. St. Ignatius of Antioch affirmed deferential obedience to the Bishop of Rome. St. Irenus stressed traditional structures in the Church such as the papacy.
What is apologetics?
This branch of theology defends and explains the Christian religion against objections.
What is a martyr?
Greek for witness, a martyr bears the highest witness to Christ by dying for the Faith.