Christian Reconciliation

an opportunity for people to say sorry to God and receive absolution for their sins
1. it offers people a chance to start again on the pathway to God
Sin and Forgiveness
1. a sin is a deliberate choice of action that goes against what God wants for us. A thought or action which is wrong, we know is wrong and we freely choose
  1. can cause guilt and sorrow
  2. it is a barrier preventing people from being close to God
  3. it is turning away from the ways of Jesus
  4. not living by God's laws
2. mortal sins
  1. can endanger our relationship with God, someone would be in serious need of forgiveness and salvation. Committed deliberately with full knowledge
3. Venial
  1. not grave, not committed with full knowledge and not entirely deliberate. A mistake
4. Jesus forgave and told stories about forgiveness
  1. the healing of a paralysed man 'my son, your sins are forgiven' (forgives his sin before the physical cure)
  2. the women caught in adultery
  3. Jesus' crucifixion 'forgive them father, they don't know what they're doing'
  4. Jesus forgave those who persecuted him and Christians must try to be forgiving like him
5. The Unmerciful Servant
  1. the servant owes a huge debt to the king, but is led off. He immediately demands an insignificant sun from a fellow servant, but does not relent when this servant cannot pay. The king hears about this and puts the first servant in jail to be punished
  2. God's divine mercy and forgiveness should not be abused by failing to show mercy and forgiveness to others
  3. to be able to receive forgiveness one must have a heart that forgives others
  4. christians must try to be Godlike in their forgiveness of others
6. The forgiving father
  1. the father in the story represents God; he will forgive us when we turn to him
  2. not only does God forgive us, but like the father with his son, he forgives unconditionally and enthusiastically
    1. the father gets up, runs out to greet his son and want to have a party to celebrate his return
  3. the story is an important reflection on the process of reconciliation, reflected too in the sacrament of reconciliation
Crime and punishment
1. Crime is not obeying the law established by government
2. Cause of crime
  1. poverty
  2. drug addiction
  3. emotional state - e.g lack pf control, peer pressure, boredom and protest
3. types of punishment
  1. imprisonment
  2. community service
  3. fines (a deterrent)
  4. electronic tagging
4. What is the catholic teaching
  1. live a life based on love of neighbour and love of God, not pursuing one's own selfish interests
  2. not take or covet what is not yours 'do not stea'
  3. 'do not bear false witness' (be honest in your dealings - do not lie)
5. When might christians challenge the law?
  1. Jesus turning over the moneychangers' tables at the temple inspires christians to take things in their own hands
  2. St Thoms Aquinas thought that a law that encouraged immoral activity should not be followed
    1. A christians' duty to bring about a just world means they have to act against injustice
      1. might feel a moral dilemma e.g is it justified ton steal food if you're starving
Prejudice and Discrimination
1. reflects inequality: not seeing a person as equal to you
2. fear: for being nervous or uncomfortable with difference
3. ignorance: a lack of knowledge and understanding about those who are different
4. Christians believe it is morally wrong because
  1. we are all God's children and therefore each person should be treated with respect
  2. prejudice and discrimination takes away the common humanity that connects us all; it allows terrible abuse of people to occur
  3. Jesus said the 'Golden Rule' in Matthew 7:12 - 'treat others as you wish to be treated' and 'love your neighbour'
  4. all human beings are created in God’s image
  5. Jesus treated all people equally and fairly, irrespective of who they were
  6. everyone is special to God
5. Parable of the Good Samaritan
  1. loving God and loving neighbour is at the centre of what it means to be a Christian and inherit eternal life. Thoughtlessly through ritual laws is not enough
  2. being Christians demands actions not just belief
  3. Christians have a duty to offer help to the disadvantaged - those who are rejected and ignored in society
  4. after reading this a Christian may become more involved in organisations dedicated to supporting members of society who are disadvantaged or discriminated against
  5. this parable teaches that help should be given to all people in need and one should not discriminate in terms of the help that they give on the grounds of colour, race, class, religion, gender, physical or mental disabilities
  6. he showed how it is possible to love one’s enemies
  7. the Samaritan in helping the injured Jew shows people an example of love in action and this is how Jesus wants people to behave
6. Christian responses to racism
  1. RC church reached that is it evil and destructive
  2. it contradicts the teaching of love of neighbour
  3. it denies the belief that all humans reflect the image of God and have dignity
  4. contradicts the belief that all are one in Christ
  5. catholic association for racial justice

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Christian Reconciliation

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	Created by Niamh Quinn over 8 years ago