RELG 103 FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
How does Portier define Christology? - Answers -the study of the person and the work
of Jesus
How does Francis identify himself in response to the question "Who is Jorge Mario
Bergoglio?" (NB: Jorge Mario Bergoglio was Pope Francis' given name - he took the
name Francis when he was elected Pope) - Answers -Pope Francis says that he is a
sinner. He also says that he can adapt to different things, and that he is naive. He also
says that he is looked upon by the Lord. The pope also identifies himself with Matthew,
and repeats again that he is a sinner like Matthew and that he trusts in the infinite
patience and mercy of the Lord, and accepts the calling to be pontiff with a spirit of
penance.
Why did Pope Francis become a Jesuit? - Answers -Pope Francis became a Jesuit
because he felt as though he wanted more, but did not know what. The three main
things that pulled him towards being a Jesuit was the missionary spirit, community, and
discipline.
Why does Pope Francis find Fr. Peter Faber so important and inspirational? - Answers
-Pope Francis finds Fr. Peter Faber to be so inspirational and important because he
admires the way he talks to people, even those who are his opponents. Also, was a
man who was capable of great and strong decisions, yet he could still be gentle and
loving.
Name two or three characteristics of the Church that Pope Francis identifies on pages
8-9 - Answers -Pope Francis identifies consultation, sanctity, and patience.
What does Francis mean when he calls the Church a "field hospital"? (p 10) - Answers
-Pope Francis means that the Church today needs the ability to heal wounds and warm
the hearts of the faithful. It is important to heal the wounds and then work from the
ground up. No matter what though, the wounds must be healed first and foremost.
What examples does Francis use for ways the Church can be more than a Church that
just "welcomes and receives by keeping the doors open, and instead step "outside itself
and go to those who do not attend Mass, to those who have quit or are indifferent" (p11)
- Answers -Some examples are to try and understand people's reasons for leaving the
Church or not attending mass, and this might result in their return. We need to have
audacity and courage. Also, we must proclaim the Gospel at any chance we might get.
How do we "seek and find God in all things" (p15), according to Pope Francis? -
Answers -We can "seek and find God in all things" by starting long run historical
processes and initiate these processes instead of occupying spaces. We must open up
our spiritual senses and have a contemplative attitude. We must also have a love of
God and a love of all things in God, profound peace, and spiritual consolation.
, What does Francis mean when he says that Catholicism is not a "lab faith", but a
"journey faith, a historical faith"? (p19) - Answers -Pope Francis means that God
reveals Himself through history, and not through abstract truths. With Catholicism, you
must live on the border and be audacious. Also, you cannot tame the problems that
occur like you do in laboratories. Reflection must stem from experience, not from
laboratory type actions.
What two factors create difficulties for people who take the view that the universe is not
a unified whole, but a sum of independent processes? - Answers -People have a
stubborn intuition that a fair question to ask is where it all comes from. The second
factor is the general trend of scientific research towards the notion of the first event, the
point where the known universe expands.
How do religious philosophers deal with the question "If God made the world, who made
God?" - Answers -That is a worldly question and God and His existence is not a worldly
type of concern. God's existence is not affected by any other thing.
Why does Williams find Paley's watchmaker analogy inadequate as an understanding of
God? - Answers -He finds it inadequate because he believes creation is still going on.
Although there is a beginning point, that does not necessarily imply an end point. In fact,
it is only the beginning of an ongoing relationship of creation.
What is creation, according to Thomas Aquinas? - Answers -According to Thomas
Aquinas, creation is not to be thought of as an event, but instead creation is an action of
God that sets up a relationship between God and what is not God.
How does the reality of a universe that changes relate to the problem of suffering in the
world? - Answers -The reality of a universe that changes relates to the problem of
suffering in the world, because God created the world for different things to occur and
make other things happen. If these initial things didn't occur then the world would just be
a set of self contained phenomena that wouldn't change a lot. For example, people stem
from changes in the universe and we have the ability to choose, to some degree, if we
suffer or not. God should not have to step in and save us from ourselves when we were
gifted the ability to make decisions and have that freedom by God. Also, we would not
know good without also knowing the bad, just as we would not know God if we did not
also know of evil.
How do the concepts of freedom and being made in the "image and likeness" of God
help us understand the problem of evil? - Answers -These concepts help us understand
because God created us to have the freedom to make choices and decisions, and He
does not override the freedom that He gave to us. He could, since He is all powerful, but
He does not. Again, without the bad occurring, we would not know the good.
What does Williams mean when he says that "miracles aren't magic"? - Answers -
Miracles aren't magic because people are cured through having trust in God, not by
How does Portier define Christology? - Answers -the study of the person and the work
of Jesus
How does Francis identify himself in response to the question "Who is Jorge Mario
Bergoglio?" (NB: Jorge Mario Bergoglio was Pope Francis' given name - he took the
name Francis when he was elected Pope) - Answers -Pope Francis says that he is a
sinner. He also says that he can adapt to different things, and that he is naive. He also
says that he is looked upon by the Lord. The pope also identifies himself with Matthew,
and repeats again that he is a sinner like Matthew and that he trusts in the infinite
patience and mercy of the Lord, and accepts the calling to be pontiff with a spirit of
penance.
Why did Pope Francis become a Jesuit? - Answers -Pope Francis became a Jesuit
because he felt as though he wanted more, but did not know what. The three main
things that pulled him towards being a Jesuit was the missionary spirit, community, and
discipline.
Why does Pope Francis find Fr. Peter Faber so important and inspirational? - Answers
-Pope Francis finds Fr. Peter Faber to be so inspirational and important because he
admires the way he talks to people, even those who are his opponents. Also, was a
man who was capable of great and strong decisions, yet he could still be gentle and
loving.
Name two or three characteristics of the Church that Pope Francis identifies on pages
8-9 - Answers -Pope Francis identifies consultation, sanctity, and patience.
What does Francis mean when he calls the Church a "field hospital"? (p 10) - Answers
-Pope Francis means that the Church today needs the ability to heal wounds and warm
the hearts of the faithful. It is important to heal the wounds and then work from the
ground up. No matter what though, the wounds must be healed first and foremost.
What examples does Francis use for ways the Church can be more than a Church that
just "welcomes and receives by keeping the doors open, and instead step "outside itself
and go to those who do not attend Mass, to those who have quit or are indifferent" (p11)
- Answers -Some examples are to try and understand people's reasons for leaving the
Church or not attending mass, and this might result in their return. We need to have
audacity and courage. Also, we must proclaim the Gospel at any chance we might get.
How do we "seek and find God in all things" (p15), according to Pope Francis? -
Answers -We can "seek and find God in all things" by starting long run historical
processes and initiate these processes instead of occupying spaces. We must open up
our spiritual senses and have a contemplative attitude. We must also have a love of
God and a love of all things in God, profound peace, and spiritual consolation.
, What does Francis mean when he says that Catholicism is not a "lab faith", but a
"journey faith, a historical faith"? (p19) - Answers -Pope Francis means that God
reveals Himself through history, and not through abstract truths. With Catholicism, you
must live on the border and be audacious. Also, you cannot tame the problems that
occur like you do in laboratories. Reflection must stem from experience, not from
laboratory type actions.
What two factors create difficulties for people who take the view that the universe is not
a unified whole, but a sum of independent processes? - Answers -People have a
stubborn intuition that a fair question to ask is where it all comes from. The second
factor is the general trend of scientific research towards the notion of the first event, the
point where the known universe expands.
How do religious philosophers deal with the question "If God made the world, who made
God?" - Answers -That is a worldly question and God and His existence is not a worldly
type of concern. God's existence is not affected by any other thing.
Why does Williams find Paley's watchmaker analogy inadequate as an understanding of
God? - Answers -He finds it inadequate because he believes creation is still going on.
Although there is a beginning point, that does not necessarily imply an end point. In fact,
it is only the beginning of an ongoing relationship of creation.
What is creation, according to Thomas Aquinas? - Answers -According to Thomas
Aquinas, creation is not to be thought of as an event, but instead creation is an action of
God that sets up a relationship between God and what is not God.
How does the reality of a universe that changes relate to the problem of suffering in the
world? - Answers -The reality of a universe that changes relates to the problem of
suffering in the world, because God created the world for different things to occur and
make other things happen. If these initial things didn't occur then the world would just be
a set of self contained phenomena that wouldn't change a lot. For example, people stem
from changes in the universe and we have the ability to choose, to some degree, if we
suffer or not. God should not have to step in and save us from ourselves when we were
gifted the ability to make decisions and have that freedom by God. Also, we would not
know good without also knowing the bad, just as we would not know God if we did not
also know of evil.
How do the concepts of freedom and being made in the "image and likeness" of God
help us understand the problem of evil? - Answers -These concepts help us understand
because God created us to have the freedom to make choices and decisions, and He
does not override the freedom that He gave to us. He could, since He is all powerful, but
He does not. Again, without the bad occurring, we would not know the good.
What does Williams mean when he says that "miracles aren't magic"? - Answers -
Miracles aren't magic because people are cured through having trust in God, not by
