CHRISTIANITY- CATHOLICISM

BY: GROUP 1
OVERVIEW
The term "catholic" is derived from a Greek word meaning "universal" or "worldwide," and it
was first applied to the church in the early second century c.e. It originally distinguished the "worldwide"
church from various sectarian or splinter groups. The adjective "Roman" is not part of the name of the
Catholic Church but identifies its distinguishing feature: acceptance of the supreme authority of the
bishop of Rome (the pope). Most Catholics belong to the Latin (or Roman) Rite, but many, especially
in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, belong to Eastern Rites, chiefly the Byzantine, Alexandrian,
Antiochene, Armenian, and Chaldaean Rites. These "Eastern Catholics" do not usually call themselves
Roman Catholics but do accept the authority of the pope.

The Catholic Church does not regard itself as one denomination of Christians among others.
According to the Second Vatican Council (1962–65), the Church, in the sense of the entire community of
those united and saved in Jesus Christ, "subsists in" the Catholic Church, and all baptized Christians not
officially joined to the Catholic Church "have some real, though imperfect, communion with it."
There are somewhat more than one billion Roman Catholics in the world. Of these, around 13
percent are in Africa, 21 percent in North and Central America, 29 percent in South America, 10 percent
in Asia, 26 percent in Europe, and 1 percent in Oceania. The heaviest concentration of Catholics is in
Central and South America, where they form approximately 85 percent of the population.
REFERENCEE:https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/christianity-roman-catholicism

THE RELIGION'S CONCEPT OF GOOD

In Genesis it says that God made the earth ‘and it was good’. God has, however, given people free
will. The story of humanity’s battle with good and evil is told in the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden
of Eden (Genesis 3). Adam and Eve chose to disobey God by eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge.
This is called the Fall, and explains how free will can be used to stray from what is good. God has shown
people how they should live a good life through both rules of behavior found in the Bible, example 10
commandments and through religious teachings.
Jesus’ life and example also show Christians the ways to lead a moral, good and righteous life. It is
up to individuals to decide whether or not to follow God’s instructions. Christianity is a religion which
places ‘good’ qualities at its core – tolerance, compassion and love. Jesus demonstrated all of these
qualities through his life, and it is considered a Christian duty to treat others with kindness, humanity and
genuine acceptance.
Christianity is a religion which places 'good' qualities at its core – tolerance, compassion and love.
Jesus demonstrated all of these qualities through his life, and it is considered a Christian duty to treat
others with kindness, humanity and genuine acceptance.

‘Good’ means a lack of self-centeredness. It means the ability to empathize with other people, feel
compassion for them, and put their needs before your own. It means, if necessary, sacrificing your own
well-being for the sake of others. It means benevolence, altruism and selflessness, and self-sacrifice
towards a greater cause — all qualities which stem from a sense of empathy. It means being able to see
beyond the superficial difference of race, gender, or nationality and relate to a common human essence
beneath them.

Additionally, Christianity is a religion of forgiveness, and does not support the idea of retribution.
Many Christians do believe in justice, therefore forgiveness and punishment should go together. They try
to follow the example of Jesus who forgave those who betrayed him. A lot of Christians support
punishment practices which lead to forgiveness, for example restorative justice programs in prisons.
Similarly, Jesus taught compassion ‘love thy neighbor’ and not revenge and because of this many
Christians have been actively involved in prison reform to ensure that people are treated humanely in
prison. They also believe that it is important to recognize and address the causes of criminal behavior, as
a means of restoring social justice and preventing crime. Most Christians also firmly believe that
punishment should enable a person to reform. Some Christians have become prison chaplains so that they
can help prisoners to reform effectively. However, some Christians might follow the teaching of ‘an eye
for an eye’, meaning that retribution might be okay in extreme cases.

There were also a concepts of good Christians such that;

 Good Christians have a sufficient amount of conviction about who God is, what God has done, and
what God wants from his people.
 Good Christians are kind and decent people. Also, compassionate, generous, and resourceful.
 Good Christians are relentless advocates for those who find themselves on the wrong end of the score
and diligently work to address injustice.
 Good Christians are pretty much settled in their opinions and have thoughtful and well-informed
views about important issues.
 Good Christians are studious and curious.
 Good Christians love and defend the church.
 Good Christians are mostly optimistic and positive people. Good Christians are not afraid and seek
daily to live as Jesus taught and modeled during his time on earth.
 Good Christians, in sum, believe and love and hope rightly and truly.
REFERENCE:https://www.edgbarrowschool.co.uk/assets/Uploads/About-Us/Departments/Religious-Education/Files/Topic-reivsion-notes-Good-and-Evil.pdf

https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/out-the-darkness/201308/the-real-meaning-good-and-evil#:~:text=The%20Meaning%20of%20Good%20and
%20Evil&text='Good'%20means%20a%20lack%20of,for%20the%20sake%20of%20others

https://www.christianweek.org/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-good-christian/

THE RELIGION'S CONCEPT OF EVIL

 ORIGIN OF EVIL
Christians may believe many different things about the power of good and the power of evil. The
Roman Catholic Church teaches that God is all good and perfect. They teach that God perfectly loves; they
also teach that God has the power to do anything (omnipotence).
"If there is truly a good God, then why is there evil in the world?"
 Since our world is full of evil and a good, all-powerful God would never allow for evil, God
therefore cannot exist. Evil is not something, but a lack of something that should be present. God does not
create evil since it is not a thing to be created. Evil is an imperfection, lack or void in God's creation.

"If there is a good God, then why did He create morally evil people?"

In considering this question, we must realize that God does not create evil people (Gen. 1:26-31).
Being all-knowing, God does knowingly create people who will be sinners, but knowledge and control
are different. God created us with the gift of free will - the ability to willfully choose Him or reject Him.
We choose to sin - to reject God - through willful disobedience. This rejection is a void in God's plan for
us. God wants us to love Him, but without free will, we could not sincerely love Him. We cannot be
forced to love someone. If God created us without free will, we would be living machines and not made
in His image and likeness. God permits moral evil to the extent that He gives us free will. Thanks to us,
the moral evil in the world is the result of our choice.

 Evil is then a “privation of perfect goodness”. Evil is only found in creatures as a departure from
God’s good purpose and rejection of His Will, existing as a result of corruption of free will, not
sourced from God nor an alternative demi-god, nor does it have any substance itself. Much like
darkness is a lack of light, evil is a lack of goodness.
 Many Catholics believe that evil is the result of Adam and Eve's disobedience to God. In the Garden
of Eden, Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. God punished Adam and Eve for their actions, and the
punishment was to endure suffering in life. This is known as 'the fall'.
 Some Catholics believe that all people inherited the tendency to sin from Adam and Eve. This belief
is called original sin. According to this belief, all humans are born with a tendency towards evil and
the ability to cause suffering. In Genesis it states: The intent of man's heart is evil from his youth.
(Genesis 8: 21)

“Most Christians also believe that as well as a power for good (God) there is also a power for
evil. Christians refer to the power for evil as Satan or the Devil. Satan is traditionally thought to
have been an archangel who disobeyed God and so was thrown out of heaven.
The principle of evil in Christian theology is derived from the Old and New Testaments. The
Christian Bible has "the dominant influence in the Western world on concepts about God and evil." In
the Old Testament, evil is recognized to be an opposition to God as well as something inappropriate
or inferior, such as Satan, the leader of the fallen angels. The Greek word poneros refers to
unsuitability in the New Testament, whereas kakos refers to opposition to God in the human realm.
Officially, the Catholic Church originates its understanding of evil from canonical antiquity and
the Dominican theologian, Thomas Aquinas, who defines evil as the lack or deprivation of good in
his Summa Theologica. When interpreted as a theological concept, French-American theologian
Henri Blocher identifies evil as an "unjustifiable reality; in common parlance, evil is ‘something' that
happens in the experience that ought not to be."
Regarding the nature of evil, it should be observed that evil is of three kinds — physical, moral,
and metaphysical. Physical evil includes all that causes harm to man, whether by bodily injury, by
thwarting his natural desires, or by preventing the full development of his powers, either in the order
of nature directly, or through the various social conditions under which mankind naturally exists.
Physical evils directly due to nature are sickness, accident, death, etc. Poverty, oppression, and some
forms of disease are instances of evil arising from imperfect social organization. Mental suffering,
such as anxiety, disappointment, and remorse, and the limitation of intelligence which prevents
 human beings from attaining to the full comprehension of their environment, are congenital forms of
evil; each vary in character and degree according to natural disposition and social circumstances.
 By moral evil are understood the deviation of human volition from the prescriptions of the moral
order and the action which results from that deviation. Such action, when it proceeds solely
from ignorance, is not to be classed as moral evil, which is properly restricted to the motions of will
towards ends of which the conscience disapproves. The extent of moral evil is not limited to the
circumstances of life in the natural order, but includes also the sphere of religion, by which man's
welfare is affected in the supernatural order, and the precepts of which, as depending ultimately upon
the will of God, are of the strictest possible obligation (see SIN). The obligation to moral action in the
natural order is, moreover, generally believed to depend on the motives supplied by religion; and it is
at least doubtful whether it is possible for moral obligation to exist at all apart from
a supernatural sanction.
 Metaphysical evil is the limitation by one another of various component parts of the natural world.
Through this mutual limitation natural objects are for the most part prevented from attaining to their
full or ideal perfection, whether by the constant pressure of physical condition, or by sudden
catastrophes. Thus, animal and vegetable organisms are variously influenced by climate and other
natural causes; predatory animals depend for their existence on the destruction of life; nature is
subject to storms and convulsions, and its order depends on a system of perpetual decay and renewal
due to the interaction of its constituent parts. If animals suffering is excluded, no pain of any kind is
caused by the inevitable limitations of nature; and they can only be called evil by analogy, and in a
sense quite different from that in which the term is applied to human experience. Clarke, moreover,
has aptly remarked (Correspondence with Leibniz, letter ii) that the apparent disorder of nature is
really no disorder, since it is part of a definite scheme, and precisely fulfills the intention of the
Creator; it may therefore be counted as a relative perfection rather than an imperfection. It is, in fact,
only by a transference to irrational objects of the subjective ideals and aspirations of human
intelligence, that the "evil of nature" can be called evil in any sense but a merely analogous one. The
nature and degree of pain in lower animals is very obscure, and in the necessary absence of data it is
difficult to say whether it should rightly be classed with the merely formal evil which belongs to
inanimate objects, or with the suffering of human beings. The latter view was generally held in
ancient times, and may perhaps be referred to the anthropomorphic tendency of primitive minds
which appears in the doctrine of metempsychosis. Thus, it has often been supposed that animal
suffering, together with many of the imperfections of inanimate nature, was due to the fall of man,
with whose welfare, as the chief part of creation, were bound up the fortunes of the rest (see Theoph.
Antioch., Ad Autolyc., II; cf. Genesis 3 and 1 Corinthians 9). The opposite view is taken by St.
Thomas (I, Q. xcvi, a. 1,2). Descartes supposed that animals were merely machines, without sensation
or consciousness; he was closely followed by Malebranche and Cartesians generally. Leibniz grants
sensation to animals, but considers that mere sense-perception, unaccompanied by reflexion, cannot
cause either pain or pleasure; in any case he holds the pain and pleasure of animals to be parable in
degree to those resulting from reflex action in man 
As sin came into the world through one man (Adam) and death through sin, and so death spread
to all men because all men sinned. (Rom 5:12; RSV). Through Adam's sin, we all sin and suffer death;
however, God is merciful.

Our sinful world is the unfortunate result of human choice; not even Satan can force us to sin.
Pain, suffering and death are integral parts of the material world due to Adam's sin, but Christianity offers
hope through the suffering of Jesus Christ. Evil in this world is not a disproof of God, but a constant
reminder of our need for the perfect God of the Bible (2 Cor 1:8-9).
REFERENCES: https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/culture/catholic-contributions/the-problem-of-evil.html

https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781978703247/The-Concept-of-Intrinsic-Evil-and-Catholic-Theological-Ethics

https://spiritualdirection.com/2014/02/20/what-is-evi

Christian-Catholicism avoids evil when they reject those things that are always incompatible with
love of God and neighbor, called intrinsic evils. Intrinsic evils include abortion, euthanasia, cloning,
embryo-destroying research, same-sex “marriage”, genocide, torture, racism, and the targeting of
noncombatants in acts of terror or war. doing no harm,” avoiding evil is where we must start in making
practical judgments Instinctive evil also emphasizes that “must always be rejected and opposed and must
never be supported or condoned.”

As Blessed Pope John Paul II explained, “Above all, the common outcry, which is justly made on
behalf of human rights for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture is false and
illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition for all other personal
rights, is not defended with maximum determination.”

As Christians, we have an equally important “positive duty” to do good to promote the common
good of all in society. As the Bishops remind us, this responsibility includes the “moral imperative to
respond to the needs of our neighbors. Basic needs such as food, shelter, health care, education and
meaningful work".

THE STEPS NEEDED BY A PERSON TO BECOME GOOD AND

PREVENT HIMSELF/HERSELF FROM BECOMING EVIL:
1. GO TO CONFESSION ONCE A MONTH.
If you want your faith to grow, you need to confess your sins regularly. This great act of humility can
push the limits of our power, but this is exactly where the Lord desires to do his greatest work, as He
always chips aways that are not necessary.

Every saint in the life of the Church returned often to this sacrament of mercy. For it reminds us that
despite our broken and sinful condition, we are utterly and unconditionally loved. The darkness of sin
is dispelled and our relationship to God restored.
2. GO TO MASS EVERY SUNDAY.
At the center of Christian worship is the call to follow with obedience the words of Jesus Christ: "Do
this in memory of me." And every time the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is offered once more, as we
encounter the same sacrifice He offered 2,000 years ago, our hearts are directed back to the source of
life itself.

As we go about our week we find ourselves worshiping idols, creations that we worship instead of the
Creator, like power, money, success, popularity, or pleasure. Mass directs our hearts back to God and
sanctifies us through the reception of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.
3. PRAY 5 MINUTES DAILY.
Our Lord Jesus Christ was manifested in the flesh to draw us back into a relationship with God the
Father. Relationships involve spending time with the other.
 Prayer is the way to spend time with the Lord so as to fall in love with He who has made us and to be
loved by the one who always has loved us. As we spend at least 5 minutes in prayer each day, we will
constantly hunger for more. Just start and see what happens.

4. READ A GOOD BOOK.

We need to fill our minds with the goodness of God and the witness of the saints. Reading for just 10
minutes a day can do wonders.

5. READ THE DAILY MASS READINGS EACH DAY.

The only way to know God's way is to place ourselves in the world of the Scripture and most
especially, to walk with Christ, so as to see as He sees. The Scriptures in a unique way transform our
capacity to see God and to know how to follow and love Him.

6. DO ONE ACT OF MERCY EACH DAY.

The Church has given us the spiritual and corporal works of mercy so as to give life to the word of
the Gospel so that all might know of God's love and mercy. As we do the works of mercy, it is the
Lord who works His mercy upon us as well and makes us into the image of His Son Jesus.
CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY
● To feed the hungry;
● To give drink to the thirsty;
● To clothe the naked;
● To harbor the harbourless;
● To visit the sick;
● To ransom the captive;
● To bury the dead.

SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY

● To instruct the ignorant;
● To counsel the doubtful;
● To admonish sinners;
● To bear wrongs patiently;
● To forgive offenses willingly;
● To comfort the afflicted;
● To pray for the living and the dead.

7. PRAY THE ROSARY.

 Mary is our Mother and as we go through the joys and struggles of life, she walks with us. She is the
perfect disciple. She has been down our path and remained faithful. She has also walked with Christ
throughout her life. If there is anyone who can help us to know her Son it is her.
The Rosary gives us an interior look at the life of Christ through Mary and as we ask her intercession,
her Son gives to us the grace we need to follow Him faithfully as His disciples.
8. FIND A GOOD CATHOLIC COMMUNITY TO JOIN OR AT LEAST A FEW GOOD
CATHOLIC FRIENDS TO ENCOURAGE YOU ON. We need community. It is the reason Jesus
gathered His 12 Apostles together and when He sent them out, He sent them in pairs. It is not good
for us to be alone and even more so as we strive to be disciples in a modern world that lives so
contrary to the Gospel.
9. Find a way to volunteer in the Parish. There are so many opportunities to serve in the Parish.

10. Cultivate thankfulness. Thank the Lord for three things each day. A spirit of thankfulness kills a
bitter heart and helps us to see that truly everything is a gift from the Lord. Whether the Lord gives or
the Lord takes away we must bless His name. It also gives us the vision to see what God desires for
us.

REFERENCE: https://www.amadorcatholic.com/10-ways-to-grow-your-faith

RELIGION'S RELATIONSHIP WITH

POLITICS
Catholics are instructed to participate in the political process, be informed voters, and to
encourage elected officials to act on behalf of the common good. There are, however, limits to official
Church political activity. The Church engages in issue-related activity, but avoids partisan political
candidate activities. This restriction does not apply to individuals or group provided they do not represent
themselves as acting in an official Church capacity.

“Religious groups frequently make strong declarations regarding members' allegiance, and
global religions do this with regard to everyone rather than simply a specific group.”

For instance, followers of Iglesia Ni Cristo hold fast to unity or one choice. As a result, it is undoubtedly
unavoidable that at times, political objectives may conflict with religious commitments. They utilize
religious perceptions in people in order to get their support to capture power. Meanwhile, politics tries to
acquire the public's support by democratic means, if the system permits it, or by usurping power with the
aid of an armed force.

Some religious leaders decided to be involved in politics because some of their belief have been
violated. For example, catholic leaders were once the news content went they decided to speak up against
the “War on Drugs during former President Duterte’s leadership. The increased death of citizens urged
them to start a rally in order to be heard and call out politicians who tolerate the killings. As a result,
eligion is criticized anytime it tries to meddle in politics or the economy and falls behind the times. While
history demonstrates that anytime politics is asked to assist religion, it utilizes it for its own purposes and
attempts to subordinate it, weakening religion and its beliefs in the process.
 To be clear, it has always been the position of the Catholic Church that the political community
and the Church are mutually independent and self-governing. And just as the political community should
guarantee the Church, and other religions, the space needed to carry out their respective mission, the
Church also respects the legitimate autonomy of the democratic order.

However, this separation does not mean that all cooperation should be excluded. The Church and
the state both put themselves at the service of humanity and this common purpose will mean that the state
and the Church may on occasion share common ground in their pursuit of a more just society.

Conversely, the Church and the state may sometimes be at odds on specific issues. The Church
has the right and duty to provide a moral judgement on temporal matters when this is required by faith or
the moral law. One example would be the state supported killing of innocent unborn human beings in the
womb. The Church would be failing in her duty to serve humanity by ignoring the plight of innocent and
defenceless children.

The separation of Church and state does not mean that people of faith should disconnect from
public action. Some people argue that religion should be confined to the private sphere. This is not helpful
for society. The fundamental right to religious freedom should be maintained and provide protection for
religious groups to practice their faith and act on their values in public life. This is a basic human right.
The Church does not seek to exercise political power or eliminate the freedom of opinion of Catholics
regarding political questions. Instead it seeks to instruct and illuminate the consciences of the faithful,
particularly those involved in political life, so that their actions may serve the promotion of the human
person and the common good.

On behalf of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland the Catholic Parliamentary Office seeks,
among other things, to promote the dignity of the human person and the common good. Furthermore, we
encourage lay Catholics to active participation in the democratic order.
SOURCES:https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/faithful-citizenship/church-teaching/catholics-in-political-life

https://rcpolitics.org/about/2930-2/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church_and_politics#:~:text=Catholics%20are%20instructed%20to%20participate,to%20official%20Church%20political
%20activity.