GOOD & EVIL

 The main theme of this topic is that GOD IS LOVE / GOD IS GOODNESS.
 This idea is present in all parts of the topic:
 As you revise this topic, think about how God’s love is relevant in each part of the topic.
 See summary (Page 24).

Key Words:
 Conscience: The inner moral compass of human beings (given by God)
 Evil: The opposite to good / A privation of good
 Free-Will: The God given ability to choose good from evil.
 Goodness: Following God’s will and doing what is right by God.
 Incarnation: Jesus is ‘God in flesh’
 Natural Law: God’s rules for living, observable through nature.
 Privation: An absence of something, e.g. is an absence of good.
 Suffering: Physical or emotional pain / the result of natural or moral evil.

Overview:

Good, evil and Suffering

 Catholic Perspectives on the origin of evil: original sin and evil as a “privation”, with reference to St.
Augustine, the Enchridion (3.11)
 Alternative Christian and non-Christian Views on the origin of evil and the difference between moral
and natural evil.
 Catholic beliefs about the relationship between God’s goodness and the goodness of the created
world
 Philosophical and non-religious challenges posed by belief in God’s goodness, free will and the
existence of evil and suffering
 The meaning of suffering and catholic ambivalence towards it, with reference to the significance of
Christ’s suffering and death in Isaiah 53

Beliefs: Trinity
 The nature of the Trinity as expressed in the Nicene creed – one God in three persons: Father, Son ad
Holy Spirit
 The biblical support for the doctrine and its historical development, with reference to the
metaphorical explanation of the doctrine as a trinity of love, lover and beloved in Augustine De
Trinitate 8:10

Beliefs: Incarnation
 The Meaning and significance of the belief in Jesus as Incarnate Son, divine word, fully God and
fully human; its scriptural origins with reference to John 1:1-18 and the Kenosis hymn (Philippians
2:5-11)
 The importance of the doctrine in framing Catholic responses to the problem of evil with reference to
Pope John Paul II, Salvifici Doloris 13 &23
 Sources: Jesus and Moral Authority
 The example and teaching of Jesus as the authoritative source for moral teaching, with reference to
Jesus as the fulfillment of the law in Matthew 5-7
 The existence of the Natural Law and Conscience as evidence of God’s goodness and the role of
suffering in the development of virtue
 Forms: Sculpture and statuary
 The meaning and significance of sculpture and statues to Catholic tradition and worship

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  The importance of sculpture and statuary as an expression of Catholic beliefs about God’s goodness
and the meaning of human suffering, with reference to Michelangelo’s Pieta
 Practices: Popular devotion as practiced in Catholic communities in Britain and elsewhere
 The meaning and significance of pilgrimage as a response to human suffering, with particular
reference to Lourdes
 Popular piety such as the Rosary as a reflection on the meaning and significance of the Incarnation
with particular reference to the Sorrowful mysteries

Catholic beliefs about the relationship

between God’s goodness and the goodness
of the world:
 For Christians, Goodness is: Following
God’s will and doing what is right by
God.
 Christians, like Jews, are monotheists;
they believe in one God, who is the
source of all goodness and who is interested in the way people behave, particularly in the way that
they treat one another Christians believe that God has given us moral guidelines to follow, which are
recorded in the Bible.
 Perhaps the most famous and most important example is the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-
19). These were given by God to Moses for the people of Israel to follow.
 They were summarised by Jesus as ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul,
with all your mind and with all your strength’ and ‘love your neighbour as yourself’ (Mark 12:28-
31).
 We all have the capability of sharing in God’s goodness although we cannot fully understand God’s
goodness.

Exam Type Question:

(a) What do Catholics mean by ‘Goodness’?

Alternative Christian and non-Christian Views on the origin of evil and the difference between moral
and natural evil:

 Evil can be defined as the opposite to good / a ‘privation’ (absence)

of good.
 Suffering can be defined as physical or emotional pain or trial / the
result of natural or moral evil.
 Augustine believed that all evil was the sin or result of sin.
 Philosophers have often put evil into two categories:
 Moral evil is the suffering caused by human selfishness and the misuse of free will,
 e.g. Hitler murdering millions of Jews, homosexuals and gypsies, murder, rape, terrorist attacks, etc.
 Moral evil involves human beings behaving in a way which goes against God’s love and our created
human nature.

 Natural evil is suffering caused by factors within the natural world,

including natural disasters),
 e.g. Earthquakes, volcanoes, famine.
 Such features are described as ‘evil’ because they lead to suffering.
 St Augustine believed that moral evil was a consequence of original
sin; because of Adam and Eve’s actions, the natural world is
imbalanced.
 Other people argue that earthquakes, volcanoes etc. are a feature of
the natural world rather than a fault in God’s creation.
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Exam Type Question:
(a) What do Catholics mean by ‘evil’? (2)
(a) What do Catholics mean by ‘suffering’? (2)
(b) Describe the difference between natural and moral evil. (5)

The Problem of Evil:

 Christians sometimes refer to the problem of evil. This is often
expressed in the following way: If God is omnipotent (all
powerful) and omni-benevolent (all good and all living), why is
there evil in the world. The existence of evil in the world is seen
as a challenge to God’s power and / or God’s goodness.

 THINK: What questions does the existence of evil in the world raise about God?

 The idea of the inconsistent triad (three objects /

features) is…
 If God is Omnibenevolent (all-good and all-loving / literally
‘wills good’) and God is Omnipotent (all-powerful) then
why does he allow evil to exist?
 Does the existence of evil mean that God is either not all-
good and all-loving or not all powerful, or that there is no
God?

 Non-Religious (Humanist) Views:

 David Hume said that if God were omnibenevolent and omnipotent, then evil would not exist.
 Because evil does exist, God must either not be omnipotent or omnibenevolent.
 Hume has argued that either God is not very good at his job, that he is some kind of apprentice or
that he does not exist.
 The twentieth-century philosopher, J.L. Mackie, rejected Christian responses to the problem of evil:
 Evil is necessary as an opposite good – Mackie argues that the amount of evil in the world cannot
be justified by the presence of good.
 Evil helps us to become better people – Mackie rejects this argument. Why do we need suffering to
make us better? Why cannot God make us perfect to begin with? Why does evil often not lead to a
greater good?
 Evil is a consequence of free will – Augustine, Irenaeus and John Hick all rely on the existence of
free will to explain why God allows evil to exist. Mackie rejects this as a reason and argues that God
should be able to make free human beings who will choose God instead of evil. The obvious
response to this argument is that this would not be free will.
 The modern scientist and atheist Richard Dawkins has argued "the random way in which natural
disasters and diseases affect human beings, is clear proof that there is no such thing as a good God,
looking after his creation"

THINK: Summarise the 3 most important non-

Christian views about suffering.
Religious Responses:
 Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274 AD) argued that
God created human beings with the potential
to ‘do good and avoid evil’. All human beings
are capable of doing good. However,
sometimes we seek an ‘apparent’ good (e.g. physical good), rather than the ‘real’
good (e.g. spiritual good). For Aquinas, evil is ‘falling short of the good’ which God created us to
achieve. Evil is failure to achieve our potential as creatures of God.
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  St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) based his theory on readings from the Bible, in particular the
story of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3). Adam and Eve brought sin and evil into the world by freely
disobeying God.
 For Augustine, evil is not a substance (unlike good) – it is a privation (just as blindness is not an
entity, but a privation of sight).
 Evil came about by the misuse of free will. With freedom comes the possibility of evil. Moral evil is
caused because the world has become estranged (distanced) from God, and immorality has been able
to thrive. Natural evil is caused by the imbalance brought about by The Fall. Augustine also believed
that we can be saved through Jesus.
 Irenaeus (130-202 AD) was concerned with development of humanity and argued that the existence
of evil helped humans to develop. Irenaeus said that humans were created in the image and likeness
of God. For Irenaeus, this meant that we have the potential to develop spiritually into the likeness of
God.
 God created evil and created good in the midst of it. Throughout our lives, we change from being
human animals to being children of God. God brings us suffering for the benefit of humanity. From
it, we learn positive values, and about the world around us.

THINK: Summarise the 3 main Christian ideas about suffering and God.

Catholic perspectives on the origin of evil: original sin and evil as a privation, with reference to St
Augustine, The Enchridion (3.11):
 Christians believe that God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1) and that he is almighty.
God’s creation was perfect. Everything that God created was ‘good’.
 Sin entered the world through the actions of humanity, rather than any act of God (Genesis 3).
However, even after human beings started to fail God, God has always stuck by humanity.
 God made a covenant with humanity through Abraham and Moses and gave his people the Ten
Commandments to help us to follow him (Exodus 20). However, the people of Israel continued to
disobey God and so God sent his prophets to remind them of his covenant with them. Finally, God
the Father sent his only Son Jesus to die for our sins and to renew the covenant he made with us.
 The story of the Fall:
 The Bible tells of original sin in the story of Adam and Eve. (Genesis 3).
 The story is symbolic –a parable about human nature and its relationship to God.
 We always want more. Adam and Eve wanted to be more like God.
 Adam and Eve became less like God. Their innocence is lost. They are deprived of good.
 Original sin refers to the first sin (turning away from God) of human beings.
 As a result of original sin, human beings are weak. We have lost ‘the grace of original holiness.’
 St Augustine:

What, after all, is anything we call evil except the privation of good? In animal bodies, for instance, sickness
and wounds are nothing but the privation of health. When a cure is affected, the evils which are present (i.e.
the sickness and the wounds) do not retreat and go elsewhere. Rather, they simply do not exist any more. For
such evil is not a substance; the wound or the disease is a defect
of the bodily substance which, as a substance, is good. Evil, then, is a privation of that good which is called
health (The Enchiridion 3:11)

 Evil is not a substance.

 Evil is a ‘privation of good’.
 Sickness is the privation of health.
 Evil is a defect, like a wound or disease.
 God created a perfect world, a world which did not lack goodness, a world which lacked nothing.
 It is only through original sin, that human nature has been ‘corrupted’.
 Evil God might use evil to bring good out of it, e.g. testing a person through suffering.

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  The suffering of the present will pale (become insignificant / unnoticeable) compared to the joys of
eternal life.
 Everything makes sense because of the resurrection of Christ.

Exam Type Question:

(a) What do Catholics mean by ‘free-will’? (2)
(a) What do Catholics mean by ‘privation’? (2)

THINK: Choose 5 key words to summarise Augustine’s teaching about the origins of evil.

Magisterium:
 The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that original sin is: ‘a deprivation of original holiness
and justice’.
 Pope John Paul II referred to the Gospel of suffering: ‘The redeemer himself wrote this Gospel,
above all by his own suffering accepted in love, so that man “should not perish but have eternal life.”

Philosophical and non-religious challenges posed by belief in God’s goodness, free will and the
existence of evil and suffering:
 Different Christian Teachings:
 Traditional Protestants has tended to build on the Catholic teaching that humanity is at odds with
God, with each other and the earth.
 Martin Luther followed St Paul’s teaching that we have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
 Jean Calvin wrote of the total depravity of humanity’.
 We can only be saved through Jesus.
 Liberal Protestants such as John Hick take a different view.
 Many see evil and suffering as necessary for human nature to mature.
 ‘Original sin’ is also viewed as an example of Adam and Eve’s immaturity ratrher than a fall from
grace.
 The Orthodox Church prefers to speak of ‘ancestral sin’ rather than original sin.
 No one is personally guilty for the sin of Adam.

 Jewish Teachings:
 Although the story of Adam and Eve is in the Old Testament, the idea of original sin is not
developed in Judaism.
 The Rabbis spoke of the Yetzer Ha’ra, the evil impulse or will.
 Humans have a tendency, a weakness to sin.
 Psalm 51:5 says, ‘Remember, I was born guilty, a sinner from the moment of conception’.

Exam Type Question:

(b) Describe Catholic perspectives on the origin of evil, with reference to St Augustine, The Enchridion
(3.11)
(c) Explain from two different religions / religious traditions about the origins of evil.

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The meaning of suffering and catholic ambivalence (different feelings) towards it, with reference to
the significance of Christ’s suffering and death in Isaiah 53:
 For much of the Old Testament there seemed to be a simple equation: ‘You do good, you’ll do well’.
This idea is strongly present in the psalms and in the early ideas of covenant.
 As time went on, however, the book of Job began to explore a second strand of thinking – that bad
things could happen to good people. Still later, the prophet Isaiah took this even further and
described how the true servant of God has to be ready to suffer.
 This idea that weakness is strength and that those closest to God may be called to suffer is clearly at
the heart of the revelation of Jesus.
 His disciples couldn’t understand that the anointed one, the Messiah, would suffer, but Jesus taught
them in word and deed that greater love no man can have than to lay down his life for their friends...

‘See, my servant shall prosper; he shall be exalted and lifted up… he had no form or majesty that we should
look at him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by others; a
man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity…like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that
before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth… Surely he has borne our infirmities and
carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was
wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us
whole, and by his wounds we are healed.’

THINK: Summarise three Christian beliefs about Jesus which may be found in Isaiah 53.

 Christians believe that suffering is a mystery and something that only God can understand.
However, God does care about people when they suffer.
 Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God who came into the world and suffered a terrible death
on the cross, to show us that God does not ignore suffering, but suffers with us. Sometimes, when
Christians suffer, they feel closer to God because they recognise their dependence on him.
 During times of trouble, Christians pray to God to ask for God’s help and trust God to answer their
prayers. God answers our prayers in the way he knows best, not just by giving us what we want
(Luke 11:7-11).
 Christians believe that God gave us his only Son Jesus to show us the way and to save us (John
3:16).
 Jesus taught that God loves everyone including sinners and does not give up on his people (Luke
15:11-31).
 God is forgiving and calls us to repent. Sin and evil are the result of rejecting God.
 God sent Jesus into the world to rid us of our sin by giving his life as a ransom.
 The people of God had rejected God and broke the covenant which he had made with them.
 Jesus gave up his own life as a sign of the renewed covenant.
 Jesus is the Lamb of God, taking away the sin of the world.
 Jesus’ death frees us from sin.
 Jesus told his disciples to take u their cross and follow him (Matthew 16:24). This could mean facing
persecution and suffering from others. It can mean living with illness and keeping faith alive.
 Some of the greatest people in the history of Christianity fought against evil. Martin Luther King
spoke out against racial injustice in the USA. Although he was killed, he was not defeated. The good
he achieved outweighed the evil of his death. His message is remembered today.
 Mother Teresa helped sick and dying people in Calcutta. She showed great love and brought great
hope to suffering people. Maximilian Kolbe, in the Auschwitz concentration camp, sacrificed his
own life to save that of another. At times of great suffering, when God’s presence might be
questioned, faith is essential.
 Desmond Tutu told the following story:

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 A Nazi guard was taunting his Jewish prisoner, who had been given the filthiest job, cleaning the toilets.
The guard was standing above him looking down at him and said: “Where is your God now?” The
prisoner replied “right with me in the muck.” And the tremendous thing that has come to me more and
more is the recognition of God as Emmanuel, God with us, who does not give good advice from the
sidelines. The God who is there with us is in the muck. God does not take our suffering away, but he
bears it with us and strengthens us to bear it.

 The message is that people do not suffer alone. God knows of our suffering and, because God loves
us, God helps us to be strong in times of suffering.

THINK: How might Christians respond to the question: Why does God allow suffering? (3 points)

Stephen Fry Richard Dawkins Krish Kandiah Desmond Tutu

Humanist Views: The British Humanist Association

Surely a loving god, if one existed, could have made a world in which natural disasters didn't happen, in
which viruses and cancers didn't exist, and in which human beings had limited free will (just as we have
limited physical and mental capacities)? This "limited free will" would mean that we were incapable of
doing evil. Most people, after all, already have this kind of limited free will and don't find it a problem - they
couldn't deliberately kill one person, let alone commit mass murder. Would the world be a worse place if no
one could?

Two different Views:

Stephen Fry (Humanist) Krish Kandiah (Christian)

The God who created this universe is a maniac,
an utter maniac, utterly selfish.
We have to spend our lives on our knees
thanking him. What kind of God would do that?
Why should I respect a capricious, mean-
minded, stupid God who creates a world that is
full of injustice and pain?"
Yes the world is very splendid but it also has in
it insects whose life cycle is to burrow into the
eyes of children to make them blind. They eat
outwards to make them blind. Why did you do
that to us? You could easily have made a
creation in which that didn't exist. It is simply
not acceptable."
God created a good and perfect world and after
the fall of humanity nothing is fully as it should
be.
To blame God for natural disasters and
childhood cancer is like blaming the landlord
after tenants have trashed their house.
According to the Christian faith, this world is
not as God intends it to be. But rather than
abandoning us when we messed up, God stepped
into our history.
Jesus lived a life of love and grace and died on
the cross to bring forgiveness and reconciliation.
He promises a future where evil is finally
overthrown.
The job of Christians in the meantime in our
broken world is to follow in the footsteps of
Jesus, showing the same love and grace to
everyone.

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 THINK: Design two columns, with the headings Christian and Humanist. Summarise the key views
of each about the meaning and purpose of suffering.

Exam Type Question:

(b) Describe Christian teachings about the meaning and purpose of suffering.
(b) Describe non-Christian ideas about the meaning and purpose of suffering.
- The nature of the Trinity as expressed in the Nicene Creed – One God in three persons: Father,
Son and Holy Spirit
- The Biblical support for the doctrine and its historical development, with reference to the
metaphorical explanation of the doctrine as a trinity of love, lover and beloved in St Augustine
(De Trinitate 8.10)
The ‘Trinity’
Trinity’ means: The ‘Trinity’
Trinity’ is NOT: The Trinity is:
 There is exactly one God  Three individuals who together make one  God outside us: The Father
God
 Thereare three really distinct Persons  God beside us: The Son – Jesus Christ
- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit  Three Gods joined together
 God inside us: The Holy Spirit
 Each of the Persons is God  Three properties of God

 God created the world, sent his Son Jesus to save us and is present in the world today through the
Holy Spirit.
 The Trinity is a mystery in the true sense of the word. We cannot fully explain or understand it but
must use it to guide our lives. It demands faith.

The Bible – Mark 1:9-13: Jesus’ Baptism

 The Father sends the Son / the Father loves the Son and has chosen by the Son.
 The Son is sent by the Father for a special task.
 The Son is given the power of the Holy Spirit.
 Through the Son, we are united with the father.
 The Son is doing the Father’s work on earth and fulfilling the words of the prophets.
 The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are working in unity for the good of mankind.

 In Matthew’s Gospel, the risen Lord told the disciples to ‘Go, therefore, make disciples of all nations
in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
 St Paul ends one of his letters with the words with a prayer: ‘The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the
love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.’
 We are called to share in the Trinity: The Trinity is not information but invitation.

The Nicene Creed:

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  The Nicene Creed is a Christian statement (or summary) of faith. The creed expresses the main
Christian beliefs about God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit
 Christians believe that God has shown himself to us as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
 God the Father: God created everything; He is the Father of all humanity.
 When we speak of God as the Father, we are speaking of God in analogical sense rather than a
biological sense. God is the Father of all humanity, because he is the creator. Also, God possesses all
the qualities of a loving Father: Kind, loving, protective, responsible.
 God the Son: Jesus is God in flesh (incarnate), the saviour of the world. God came to earth to show
us the way. Jesus was born, suffered, died and rose.
 Jesus is true God and true man, not part God and part man.
 God the Holy Spirit: God's presence here on earth - sent at Pentecost to 'inspire' the apostles.

St Augustine

There are three things in love, as it were a trace of the Trinity…Love is someone that loves, and with
love something is loved. Behold, then, there are three things: he that loves, and that which is loved, and
love. (St Augustine, De Trinitate)

 Like many Christian thinkers, St Augustine was fascinated by the mystery of the Trinity and used the
idea of the lover, the beloved and the love that was shared between them as an illustration of the
Trinity in his De Trinitate.
 Again, he suggested the human mind as an analogy, with the mind, knowledge and the will all being
part of a whole but each one distinct.
 St Augustine felt that these human analogies were valid because human beings are made in the image
of God (imago Dei) and thus we can reflect something of God’s nature.
 The story of the young boy: One day, whilst contemplating (thinking about) God’s greatness,
Augustine met a young boy. The boy was using a shell to take water from the sea and he explained to
Augustine that he was going to pour all the water from the sea into a hole. Augustine told that boy
that this was impossible. The boy told Augustine that it is also impossible to try to comprehend
(understand) the great mystery of the Trinity.
 The Trinity is about relating to God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit which is how God related to us,
rather than trying to understand God.

THINK:
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  How does the first picture show Augustine’s idea of the Trinity?
 How does the second picture sum up Catholic beliefs about the Trinity?

 Jewish Views:
 Jews may think that Jesus existed as a historical person but they do not attach any significance to his
life and death.
 Jews do not believe that Jesus was God.
 Also, Jews do not believe in the Trinity.
 They would see belief in Jesus as God and belief in the Trinity as a challenge to the belief that God is
one.
 Jews believe that God is judge and merciful as characteristics of the one God.

THINK: What is the Trinity? Summarise Christian views under the following headings:
- Bible; Nicene Creed; Augustine.

 Exam Type Questions:

(b) Describe Catholic teachings about the Trinity, with reference to the Nicene Creed.
(b) Describe Catholic teachings about the Trinity, with reference to the Augustine.
(c) Explain from two different religions / religious traditions, beliefs about the Trinity.
(d) ‘The Trinity is a good way for Christians to think about God’. Discuss.

EVALUATION: The Trinity is a good way for Christians to think about God’. Discuss.

Some people might agree because… Others might disagree because…

 The Trinity helps us to have faith that
God is present with us as Father, Son and Holy
Spirit. God is not just an idea or someone who
exists but God is present in our lives.
 The Trinity is not just a teaching about
who God is but about what God does. God
reveals himself to us as Father, Son and Holy
Spirit
 It is difficult to see God as Father, Son
and Holy Spirit. For many people, God is not
present in these ways. Many people do not
experience a relationship with God.
 Many people find it difficult to think of
God as Father because this is a male
representation of God.

Beliefs: Incarnation

- The Meaning and significance of the belief in Jesus as Incarnate Son, divine word, fully God
and fully human; its scriptural origins with reference to John 1:1-18 and the Kenosis hymn
(Philippians 2:5-11)
- The importance of the doctrine in framing Catholic responses to the problem of evil with
reference to Pope John Paul II, Salvifici Doloris 13 &23

The Incarnation
 Christians believe…
 Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God – he is God incarnate / ‘Word made flesh’
 In taking on human nature, Jesus takes on suffering.
 Jesus breaks down the barriers between God and human beings.
 Jesus has suffered for us as sign of God’s love.
 Our suffering can only make through Jesus’ suffering.
 Although we cannot understand why we should suffer, Jesus as showed us how to suffer.
 John 1:1-18
 ‘In the beginning was the Word’
 The word is God / Jesus is the Word / Jesus was with God in the beginning.
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  ‘The Word became flesh and lived among us…’
 Jesus is God incarnate: the word made flesh / God lives (dwells) amongst us through Jesus.
 It is the only Son who close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.’
 Jesus shows us the way to God the Father and how to live the Father and with the Father.
 Jesus reveals God to humanity
 ‘Grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ…’
 Jesus brings God’s grace (power and love).
 Jesus brings us the truth in showing us what God is like.

The Kenosis Hymn: Philippians 2:5-11

 Jesus is ‘in the form of God’ and ‘equal to God’.
 The word ‘kenosis’ means emptying.
 Jesus has emptied himself of his power to save himself in order to save humanity.
 He did not cling on to his power for his own sake.
 Jesus has served humanity through his humility.
 Jesus took on the suffering and trials of humanity and suffered and died for humanity.
 Jesus has humbled (lowered) himself in order to raise up humanity.
 Jesus is worthy of our praise because he has shown God to us and he has saved us.

What has Jesus’ suffering done for humanity?

 Christians believe that Jesus is ‘God in flesh’.
 In coming into the world as a human being, Jesus has taken on our human nature and also our sins
and suffering.
 Jesus has reconciled humanity and the whole of creation with God.
 Jesus has given himself lovingly for the sake of humanity.
 Jesus’ suffering and death transforms human suffering.

Is this a convincing argument? Why?

 Humanists might argue that suffering has no purpose – a loving God would not let his people suffer.

The Cross
 Jesus’ death on the cross is the ultimate act of self-giving.
 By his death, Jesus atoned for our sins. He puts us at one again with God.
 Through Jesus, God is with us on the cross
 For Jews, the cross is a curse.
 For Romans, the cross was a sign of weakness and defeat.
 For Christians, the cross is a sign of humility, but humility which Jesus took on himself.
 The cross is a sign of victory.

Salvifici Doloris (‘The saving power of Jesus’ Suffering’)

 Salvifici Doloris is a letter written by Pope John Paul II
 The theme of the letter ‘The saving power of Jesus’ Suffering’

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  In order to perceive the true answer to the ‘why’ of suffering, we must look at the revelation of
divine love, the ultimate source of the meaning of everything that exists…We are conscious of
the insufficiency and inadequacy of our explanations.
 We can only see the meaning of suffering in God’s love.
 We cannot fully comprehend
 Christ causes us to enter into the mystery and discover the ‘why’ of suffering…Love is: also
the fullest source of the question of the meaning of suffering. This answer has been given to
man in the Cross of Jesus Christ.
 We can only make sense of suffering through Jesus’ suffering on the cross.
 Those who share in Christ’s suffering have before their eyes the mystery of the Cross AND
Resurrection, in which Christ takes on human weakness…
 Those who suffer share in Christ’s suffering.
 On the cross, Jesus took on our human weakness.
 But if in this weakness there is accomplished his lifting up, then the weakness of human
suffering can be filled with the same power of God made visible in Christ’s Cross.
 Jesus has lifted us up.
 Jesus transforms our weakness into power.
 If we offer up our own suffering in prayer for others, we can share in Jesus’ suffering.
 Suffering is an act of love.

THINK: What is the Incarnation? Summarise Christian views under the following headings:
- Word made flesh; Kenosis; Salvifici Doloris

Exam Type Questions:

(a) What do Catholics mean by the ‘incarnation’?
(b) Describe Catholic teachings about the incarnation, with reference to John 1:1-18
(Word made flesh).
(b) Describe Catholic teachings about the incarnation, with reference to the Kenosis
hymn (Philippians 2).
(b) Describe Catholic teachings about the incarnation, with reference to Doloris Salvifici. (d)‘Jesus was
just an ordinary human being.’ Discuss.

Sources: Jesus and Moral Authority

- The example and teaching of Jesus as the authoritative source for moral teaching, with
reference to Jesus as the fulfillment of the law in Matthew 5-7
- The existence of the Natural Law and Conscience as evidence of God’s goodness and the role of
suffering in the development of virtue

Moral Teaching
 Natural Law:
 Much of Catholic moral teaching (about good and bad) is based on Natural Law.
 Natural law is the belief that there are universal laws of nature.
 Within the world, we can see God’s laws revealed to us through ‘reason’.
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  ‘All activity of reason and will springs from us as being what we are by nature. All reasoning draws
on sources we recognise naturally…hence the original guide for our activity should be through
natural law.’ (Aquinas)
 For Aquinas, when we use our ‘reason’, we are following our conscience.
 Aquinas believed that human beings naturally seek ‘to do good and avoid evil’.
 By doing evil, we are going against our God given human nature.

Aquinas identified primary precepts / basic desires which are part of human life:
1. Preservation of life
2. Reproduction
3. Education
4. Living in society
5. Knowledge of God

Aquinas believed that from these precepts, we could discover secondary precepts; these are more
specific laws (not simply rules but guides for living).
1. Preservation of life
 No murder / Self defence to save others / Against euthanasia and abortion
2. Reproduction
 Children within marriage / No contraception
3. Education
 Teaching children right from wrong / Discovering truths
4. Living in society
 Working for peace / no war / no stealing
5. Knowledge of God
 To pray and worship / to search for God in our lives
 The teaching of the Catholic Church on abortion, euthanasia, war and stealing follows Natural Law.
 Aquinas believed that it was not wrong to do something which went against ‘reason’, therefore
taking a loaf of bread to help one’s family was not stealing as it would be irrational to deprive
someone of this.
 Aquinas believed that, for an action to be good, the act itself must be good and so must the intention.
For example, going to war against an evil dictator for selfish gain, would not in itself be good
because the intention is not good.
 Aquinas also taught that we could not go against Natural Law to do another good, e.g. Abortion to
save another’s life would still be wrong. A bad action cannot be good because there is a good
intention.

THINK: What is the Natural Law? Summarise in 5 sentences.

Conscience
 Christians believe that conscience is a power (perhaps intuition or reason) given to us by God to
teach us the difference between right and wrong. Conscience is ‘the voice of God.’
 Blessed John Henry Newman said that conscience was ‘a messenger from him (God)’.
 The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that ‘man has in his heart a law written by God’
(conscience) and says that we must always follow our conscience.
 Thomas Aquinas wrote that ‘He who acts against his conscience sins.’
 By using our conscience we can discover how we should act in certain situations. We should follow
our conscience in order to ‘do good and avoid evil.’ Christians believe that it is the duty of the
individual to inform our conscience – to ensure that it is accurate – through prayer, scripture and the
Church.
 Many non-Christians believe that conscience is a result of our upbringing and that it reflects the
teachings of our parents or society.

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 THINK: What is the Conscience? Summarise in 5 sentences.

 The example and teaching of Jesus as the authoritative source for moral teaching, with
reference to Jesus as the fulfilment of the law in Matthew 5-7
 Christians believe that Jesus taught with authority from God. When Jesus spoke, God speaks.
 Catholics believe that Jesus speaks through the Church today.
 Christians believe that Jesus is the son of God, and that his words and actions show us the way to
God. Therefore, in order to follow God we must put into practice Jesus’ teachings as well as follow
Jesus’ example of showing love and forgiveness and making sacrifices for others (the ultimate
sacrifice being his death on the cross).
 Christians believe that Jesus died so that we might have ‘eternal life’.
 In the Mass, Christians remember the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross and Catholics believe
that he is really present in body and blood at Holy Communion.
 Many of Jesus’ teachings were about morality, how we should behave towards others. For example,
in the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus taught that we should love each other and treat each
other as neighbours, even those from a different race. Goodness should extend to everyone (Luke
10:25-37).
 Many of Jesus’ moral teachings can be found in a passage called the Sermon on the Mount
(Matthew 5-7). In this collection of sayings, Jesus gives moral advice on a number of issues, such as
anger, adultery, divorce and love of enemies.
 Jesus challenged the way that people thought and taught a high standard of morality.
 He taught his disciples to love everyone, to ‘turn the other cheek’, to forgive. He taught that, contrary
to popular opinion, all these things were possible. Jesus taught humility and discouraged showing off
our good deeds (Matthew 6).
 The Beatitudes:
 The Sermon on the Mount starts with the Beatitudes (Blessed / happy sayings).
 These are the Blessed sayings of Jesus which tell us how to be close to God.
 It the merciful, the humble, the poor in spirit, the peacemakers and those who are persecuted who are
close to God.
 These are the values of the Kingdom of God.
 Such heavenly behaviour will be rewarded as they will be called sons of God, we will inherit God’s
God kingdom and they will see God.
 God requires values not earthly values

Summary of Jesus’ Other Teachings in The Sermon on the Mount:

 Do not get angry
 Be pure in heart
 Don’t take revenge / Love your enemies
 Be humble and don’t boast about good deeds
 Don’t store up riches
 Be faithful in marriage
 Build your life on solid foundations
 Do not judge
 “So always treat others as you would like them to treat you. That is the law and the prophets.”
 “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect”.
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  Put God at the centre of your life.

Christians believe that the Sermon on the Mount is relevant today because:
 Jesus taught with God-given authority. Therefore, his teachings are relevant for everyone at all times.
 The Sermon on the Mount is the basis for a good life and also for our relationship with God and one
another.
 The Sermon provides ideals which are difficult to follow but which involve trying to live up to the
standards which Jesus has set for us.
 Christians are not concerned merely with this life but hope to have eternal life with God.

Others, including Humanists might believe that:

 Moral authority does not come from God.
 Jesus taught as a human being. His teachings were based on the teachings of Judaism and were based
on ideals that may have been held at the time but not anymore.
 Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount are too strict and cannot be followed today, e.g. ‘Do not
even look lustfully at another.’
 Jesus’ teachings are based on the hope of eternal life. Without such a hope, they are irrelevant.

THINK: What are the Beatitudes? Give 3 examples.

 Give an example of Jesus’ teaching from the Sermon on the Mount which might be relevant today.
Explain why it is relevant.
 Give an example of Jesus’ teaching from the Sermon on the Mount which NOT might be relevant
today. Explain why it is relevant.

Suffering and the Virtues:

 ‘Virtue’ comes from the Latin word meaning ‘strength’ or ‘power’.
 St Paul speak of the theological virtues of faith, hope and love (charity)
 The four cardinal virtues were originally put forward by Aristotle. They are prudence, justice,
fortitude and Temperance.

Humanist Views
But humanists believe that that moral values are not dependent on religion and that it is untrue, unfair to
non-religious people, and a damaging idea in an increasingly secular society, to assert otherwise. Humanists
believe that moral values evolved, and continue to evolve, along with human nature and society, and are
indeed based on human nature, experience and society. If human civilisation were to develop all over again,
it is highly unlikely that exactly the same religions would develop. But it is very likely that our basic moral
principles would be the same, because human beings, who have evolved to live in groups, need the kinds of
rule which enable us to live together co-operatively and harmoniously. (British Humanist Society)

Jewish Views:
 Jews do not view Jesus as a source of moral authority.
 They do not see Jesus as the Messiah or as a prophet.
 In Jewish thinking, the only source of moral authority would God and God’s teaching is revealed in
the Torah, The Talmud and also through conscience.
 Jews would agree with many of the examples and teachings of Jesus about forgiveness and doing
things for the right reason but they would believe it is in their own scriptures not because Jesus is
doing or saying it.
Exam Type Questions:
(c) What do Catholics mean by the ‘conscience’?
(a) What do Catholics mean by the ‘natural law’?
(b) Describe Catholic teachings about conscience.
(b) Describe Catholic teachings about natural law.
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 (c) Explain from two different religions / religious traditions whether or not Jesus may be
considered the source for moral authority.
(d) “The only authority we should follow is our own conscience.” Discuss.

Forms: Sculpture and statuary

- The meaning and significance of sculpture and statues to Catholic tradition and worship
- The importance of sculpture and statuary as an expression of Catholic beliefs about God’s
goodness and the meaning of human suffering, with reference to Michelangelo’s Pieta

Sculpture and Statues:

 Statue: a three dimensional depiction of Jesus, Mary or the Saints
 Sculpture: an object or a model, often carved or chiselled
 Icon: A holy image painted on stone, cloth or wood.

Statues are important because…

 They remind us that Jesus is our saviour and that Mary, Jesus’ mother, has a special role in God’s
plan of salvation.
 We can focus on Jesus and Mary when we pray.
 The saints are role models and we can ask the saints, in our prayers, to help us to live more holy lives
 Christians do not worship statues

Some people believe that we should not have many statues in a church because:
 The first commandment tells us not to make false images of God.
 Statues can be a distraction and can stop people from focusing on God
 They are examples of superstition (beliefs without evidence)

The Pieta
 Where is it found? St Peter’s Church, Rome
 Who is the sculptor? Michelangelo
 Sculpted from? Marble
 Who is depicted? Mary the Mother of Jesus and Jesus
 What does ‘Pieta’ mean? Holy / Piety (respect)

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  The Pieta shows Jesus’ placed in Mary’s arms after he was taken down from the cross.
 Mary mourns Jesus’ death in silence.
 Mary is depicted as a young woman, possibly to emphasise her purity and innocence.
 Some people believe that this shows that Mary is a daughter of Jesus, spiritually, dependant on him
for salvation.
 The face of Christ shows no marks of suffering. He is calm and abandoned.
 Jesus’ death will be defeated by his resurrection.
 Jesus is held by his mother Mary.
 Mary must exert herself to hold Jesus’ body.
 Contradiction in Mary’s beauty and her strength.
 Mary is looking down at Jesus.
 Mary is trying to comprehend Jesus’ death
 This is the path to salvation.
 The pain and suffering of Jesus is to be comprehended
 The shadow next to Jesus may be a symbol of an open womb, reminding us that Mary also carried
Jesus in her womb.
 Mary’s palm is open – she is a witness to the resurrection.
 Mary seems to be bigger in size than Jesus. This represents Mary’s motherly love and reminds us of
Jesus’ suffering and humanity.
 Mary is resigned and accepting of God’s will (as she was when she gave birth to Jesus).
 Jesus’ suffering was real but he suffered as a result of God’s love.

THINK: Look at the picture of the Pieta (P.20). Write down 5 ideas which this shows about Jesus.

Exam Type Questions:

(b) Describe how Michelangelo’s Pieta reflects Catholic teachings about suffering.

Practices:
Popular devotion as practiced in Catholic communities in Britain and elsewhere
- The meaning and significance of pilgrimage as a response to human suffering, with particular
reference to Lourdes:
 A pilgrimage is a spiritual journey, usually to place of special religious significance, e.g. Jerusalem,
Lourdes or Rome for Christians
 Today, Christians go on pilgrimage to places such as Lourdes, Rome and Jerusalem as well as Knock
(Ireland) and Fatima (Portugal) and
 Pilgrimage is important for Catholics and other Christians because…it is provides the opportunity to
reflect and pray and to become closer to God as well as leaving everyday cares and worries behind.
 Also, pilgrimage can bring healing from God, both physically and spiritually.
 Lourdes is a small town in the South of France. 5 Million people from all over the world visit
Lourdes each year.
 On 17 January 1844, Bernadette was born, the first child of Francois and Louise Soubirous.
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  As a young girl, Bernadette lived with her foster mother in Bartres.
 In 1854, the Soubirous family had to move out of the mill where Bernadette’s father worked as they
could not afford the rent.
 The family moved into a house with one small room, which had been part of a prison, called the
Cachot. Bernadette returned to Bartres where she looked after the sheep.
 On 11 February in 1858, Bernadette, aged 14, was collecting firewood by a stream near a cave. This
was the first time that Our Lady appeared to Bernadette.
 On the 16th occasion, when Bernadette asked her name, Mary replied: ‘I am the Immaculate
Conception.’
 Bernadette was instructed to pass on the message which was for people to visit Lourdes to: Process;
Do penance; Bathe in the waters of the spring.
 Today, Lourdes is associated with its healing powers which spread far beyond the 76 miracles
recognised by the Catholic Church and other miracles which have been claimed.
 The experience of Lourdes is powerful, spiritual and personal as well as extremely humbling.
 The last case to be declared a miracle in Lourdes was the cure of Daniella Castelli, which was
declared a miracle in 2011.
 Daniella had suffered from a number of tumours and problems with blood pressure that surgery and
medication could not resolve.

 She went into the waters of Lourdes in 1989 and experienced a strong feeling of well-being.
 The Medical Bureau declared her cured and that this ‘remains unexplained according to current
medical knowledge.’
 Others find great encouragement and peace of mind.
 Many people who go to Lourdes feel close to God and find that their faith in God is strengthened.
 For those who go to Lourdes to help find that they themselves are helped in some way by those that
they help.

THINK: Pilgrimage is important to Christians because:

- Refer to Journey, holy, faith, God, spiritual, healing, Jesus, Mary

Exam Type Question:

(c) Explain, with reference to Lourdes, why pilgrimage is important to Christians.
- Popular piety such as the Rosary as a reflection on the meaning and significance of the
Incarnation with particular reference to the Sorrowful mysteries:

The Rosary
 Popular Piety (holiness) is a term used for praying and devotion which are not part of the formal rites
of the Catholic Church.
 One form of popular piety is the Rosary.
 The Rosary is a very old of way of praying. In the company of Mary, we spend time on the life,
death and resurrection of Jesus.
 The Rosary is divided into Twenty ‘mysteries’, each consisting of Ten Hail Marys beginning with
the Lord’s Prayer and ending with a Glory Be.
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  We can use Rosary beads to help us pray.
 Each sequence of Ten Hail Marys is known as a ‘decade’ and a rosary usually consists of five groups
of ten beads to count the Hail Marys, separated by a larger bead to mark the Lord’s Prayer and Glory
Be.
1. Make the Sign of the Cross and say the “Apostles’ Creed.”
2. Say the “Our Father”.
3. Say three “Hail Marys.”
4. Say the “Glory be to the Father”.
5. Announce the First Mystery; then say the “Our Father”.
6. Say ten “Hail Marys,” while meditating on the Mystery.
7. Say the “Glory be to the Father.”
8. Announce the Second Mystery; then say the “Our Father.” Repeat 6 and 7 and continue with Third,
Fourth and Fifth Mysteries.

The Sorrowful Mysteries:

 Jesus, the Son of God and ‘God in flesh’, was sent by God the Father to free humanity from the debt
of our sins. For the sake of our sins, Jesus suffered:
 He agonised in the garden of Gethsemane
 He was scourged (shipped) and beaten
 He was crowned with thorns
 He was crucified and died
 He carried the cross.
 Suffering is not a result of God’s lack of love – God is present through our suffering.

The Rosary is important for Catholics today because…

 Through the Rosary Catholics ask Mary, mother of Jesus, to take our prayers to God.
 The Rosary is a way of praying to God and reflecting on the important events in Jesus’ life.
 Through the mysteries of the Rosary we reflect on how Jesus, through his life, has united us with
God.
 In particular, we reflect on Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection by which we are saved.

THINK: The Rosary is important to Catholics because:

- Refer to God, Jesus, Mary, Prayer, Devotion, Sorrowful mysteries, Suffering

Exam Type Question:

(c) Explain, with reference to Jesus’ suffering, why the Rosary is important to Christians.

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 SUMMARY:
 The main theme of this topic is that GOD IS LOVE / GOD IS GOODNESS.
 This idea is present in all parts of the topic:
 Good, evil and Suffering
 God created a perfect world, reflecting God’s perfection.
 ‘Evil’ is not part of God’s creation.
 Because God loves us, he has made us ‘free’. We can choose to do good or not.
 Suffering is not a sign of God’s absence in the world but a sign of God’s love.
 Out of love, God sent his Son Jesus into the world, to save us.
 Beliefs: Trinity
 God’s love is present through the Trinity. God shows himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
 The Trinity is a sign of God’s love: Lover (Father), Beloved (Son), Love (Holy Spirit)
 Beliefs: Incarnation
 Because God love us, he came into the world in ‘flesh’, through the Son, Jesus Christ.
 Jesus’ death on the cross reflects God’s love and although that God is present through suffering
 Sources: Jesus and Moral Authority
 God loves us and God wants us to love.
 God has shown us how to love through:
 The example and teaching of Jesus, Natural Law, Conscience and virtue.
 Forms: Sculpture and statuary
 God’s love is shown through statues and sculptures.
 The Pieta reminds us of God’s love, shown through the Son, Jesus Christ and also Jesus’ mother,
Mary.
 Practices: Popular devotion as practiced in Catholic communities in Britain and elsewhere
 Pilgrimage is a response to God’s love – pilgrimage is a journey towards God and on that journey,
we are carried by God’s love.
 Through the Rosary, we are telling God that we know he loves us and that we love him.
 We remember, especially, in the sorrowful mysteries that God has saved us through love.
 Popular piety such as the Rosary as a reflection on the meaning and significance of the Incarnation
with particular reference to the Sorrowful mysteries

EXAM QUESTIONS –TYPES OF QUESTIONS

(a) What do Catholics mean by:

- Conscience, Evil, Free-Will, Goodness, Incarnation, Natural Law, Privation, Suffering

(b)Describe the difference between natural and moral evil.

Describe Catholic perspectives on the origin of evil, with reference to St Augustine, The Enchridion (3.11)
Describe Christian ideas about the meaning and purpose of suffering.
Describe non-Christian ideas about the meaning and purpose of suffering.
Describe Catholic teachings about the Trinity, with reference to the Nicene Creed.
Describe Catholic teachings about the Trinity, with reference to the Augustine.
Describe Catholic teachings about the incarnation, with reference to John 1:1-18
Describe Catholic teachings about the incarnation, with reference to the Kenosis hymn (Philippians 2).
Describe Catholic teachings about the incarnation, with reference to Doloris Salvifici.
Describe Christian teachings about the meaning and purpose of suffering.
Describe Catholic teachings about the conscience.

(c) Explain from two different religions / religious traditions whether or not Jesus may be considered the
source for moral authority.
Explain from two different religions / religious traditions about the origins of evil.
Explain from two different religions / religious traditions, beliefs about the Trinity.
Explain, with reference to Lourdes, why pilgrimage is important to Christians.
20
(d)The Trinity is a good way for Christians to think about God’. Discuss.
“The existence of suffering proves there is no God.” Discuss.
“The only authority that we should follow is our own conscience.” Discuss.
‘Jesus was just an ordinary human being.’ Discuss.

EXAM QUESTIONS – GUIDANCE

(a) What do Catholics mean by:

- Conscience, Evil, Free-Will, Goodness, Incarnation, Natural Law, Privation, Suffering

(b) Describe the difference between natural and moral evil.

Define both moral evil and natural, including an example. Be specific.
Describe Catholic perspectives on the origin of evil, with reference to St Augustine, The
Enchridion (3.11)
Summarise Augustine’s teaching on the origins of evil. Refer to God’s good creation, free-will,
original sin, from harmony to disharmony, privation.
Describe CHRISTIAN ideas about the meaning and purpose of suffering.
Refer to faith in Jesus and Jesus’ suffering. Refer to the importance of faith and how suffering might
bring us closer to God. Refer to Isaiah 53 (suffering servant).
Describe NON-CHRISTIAN (HUMANIST) ideas about the meaning and purpose of suffering.
Note that humanists will, on the whole, not accept, Christian beliefs about the meaning of suffering.
Humanists may accept that sometimes suffering can lead to a greater good, but on the whole believe
that suffering does not have a purpose as such. Humanists will also ask why does God not stop
suffering?
Describe Catholic teachings about the Trinity, with reference to the Nicene Creed.
Describe Christian belief in the Trinity as one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Note that the Nicene
Creed summarised Christian faith in this way and refer briefly to what Christians believe, from the
creed, about each person of the Trinity.
Describe Catholic teachings about the Trinity, with reference to the Augustine.
Describe Christian belief in the Trinity as one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Refer to
Augustine’s idea of love and briefly summarise each part.
Describe Catholic teachings about the incarnation, with reference to John 1:1-18
What is the incarnation? Refer to Jesus. What do Catholics believe? Refer specifically to John 1:1-
18: ‘the Word was made flesh.’
Describe Catholic teachings about the incarnation, with reference to the Kenosis hymn
(Philippians 2).
Refer to Jesus. What do Catholics believe? Refer specifically to Phillipians and how Jesus’
incarnation lifts up humanity as he humbled himself.
Describe Catholic teachings about the incarnation, with reference to Doloris Salvifici.
Refer to Jesus. What do Catholics believe? Refer specifically to Doloris Salvifici and how Catholics
believe that Jesus’ suffering is an example and also helps those who are suffering.
Describe Catholic teachings about the conscience.
What is conscience for Catholics? How does conscience help us? Refer to CCC, Augustine, Aquinas.
Describe Catholic teachings about natural law.
What is natural for Catholics? Refer to God. How does natural law help us to make moral decisions?

(c) Explain from two different religions / religious traditions whether or not Jesus may be
considered the source for moral authority.
Note that Christians believe that Jesus’ authority comes from God and give examples of Jesus’
teaching.
Refer to Jewish teachings (see notes)
Explain from two different religions / religious traditions about the origins of evil.

21
 Choose two traditions from Catholic, other Christian and Jewish. Explain what each tradition
believes about the ‘origin’ of evil (where it comes from).
Explain from two different religions / religious traditions, beliefs about the Trinity.
Explain, briefly, Christian teachings on the Trinity. You might refer to the Bible, Nicene Creed,
Augustine.
Mention Jewish views (Jews do not believe in the Trinity / Refer to oneness of God).
Explain, with reference to Lourdes, why pilgrimage is important to Christians.
Explain the importance of pilgrimage. How does pilgrimage bring Christians closer to God? Refer to
Lourdes. Mention Mary, Bernadette and how Christians might be affected by this.

(d) The Trinity is a good way for Christians to think about God’. Discuss.
Some people might agree because… Others might disagree because…
The Trinity helps us to have faith that God is It is difficult to see God as Father, Son and Holy
present with us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Spirit. For many people, God is not present in
God is not just an idea or someone who exists these ways. Many people do not experience a
but God is present in our lives. relationship with God.
The Trinity is not just a teaching about who God Many people find it difficult to think of God as
is but about what God does. God reveals himself Father because this is a male representation of
to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God.
Discuss different views and say what you think having considered the different views.

“The existence of suffering proves there is no God.” Discuss.

Some people might agree because… Others might disagree because…
If God is all loving and all-powerful, surely God created the world and everything was good.
there would be no evil. Explain this and refer to Evil came about as a result of the misuse of free
Hume, Dawkins. will. Refer top Augustine.
The extent of evil in the world does not fit in We see God’s existence in the face of evil. Refer
with a belief in God. In fact, any God who to Jesus’ suffering.
allows evil does not deserve to be worshipped, The existence of evil does not prove that there is
e.g. Stephen Fry. no God but does raise many questions.
Discuss different views and say what you think having considered the different views.

“The only authority that we should follow is our own conscience.” Discuss.
Some people might agree because… Others might disagree because…
Conscience has been given to us from God and Sometimes our conscience might lead us to bad
if we fail to listen to our conscience we are not decisions, so it is also important to consider
listening to God. other factors such as the consequences of our
Conscience does not come from God, but from actions.
society, experience and parents. It is important Christians might argue that we should also refer
that we take our moral decisions carefully. to the Bible and Jesus’ teaching and that
Christians might also argue that we should conscience is not just my own opinion about
follow our conscience but it is also our duty to right and wrong but it allows us to follow God.
inform our conscience, e.g. through prayer,
reading the scriptures etc.
Discuss different views and say what you think having considered the different views.

‘Jesus was just an ordinary human being.’ Discuss.

Some people might agree because… Others might disagree because…
There is no proof that Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus is the Son of God – God incarnate. God
If Jesus dies for our sins, why do people sin came into the world as human being through
today and if Jesus performed miracles, why are Jesus.
there no miracles today? Refer to the Creed: Born of the Virgin Mary;
Jews might agree with this as they believe that suffered; rose and died.
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there is only one God and that God does not If Jesus were just an ordinary human being, then
have a son. what would be the point of his suffering?
Discuss different views and say what you think having considered the different views.

‘Statues are not important for Christians.’ Discuss.

Some people might agree because…
Statues are simply images which are based on
superstition (pointless beliefs) and which have
no real value. They do not help in our
relationship with God.
Christians should focus on God instead of
statues. Statues can cause distraction and stop
someone from praying properly to God and
Jesus taught us to do.
The Ten Commandments teach that we should
not worship false gods. Using statues breaks the
Ten Commandments.
Discuss different views and say what you think having considered the different views.
Others might disagree because…
Statues are important for Christians because they
represent our faith in Jesus, Mary and the Saints.
Through focusing on the statues, we can focus
on God and deepening our relationship.
It is God that we worship and not statues. The
use of statues is a reminder of the important
people who help bring us closer to God

MARK SCHEME

A01 (a)
2 marks – 2 valid points

AO1 Part (b)

Band Band Descriptor
3  An excellent, coherent (clear) answer showing knowledge and understanding of the
4-5 religious idea, belief, practice, teaching or concept.
 An excellent understanding of how beliefs influence individuals, communities
and societies.
 Uses a range of religious / specialist language, terms and sources of wisdom
(teaching) and authority extensively, accurately and appropriately.

AO1 Part (c)

Band Band Descriptor
4  An excellent, highly detailed explanation showing knowledge and understanding
7-8 of the religious idea, belief, practice, teaching or concept.
 An excellent understanding of how belief influences individuals, communities and
societies.
 Uses a range of religious / specialist language, terms and sources of wisdom and
authority extensively, accurately and appropriately.

AO1 Part (d)

Band Band Descriptor
5  An excellent, highly detailed analysis and evaluation of the issue based on
13-15 detailed knowledge of religion, religious teaching and moral reasoning to
formulate judgements and present alternative or different viewpoints.
 An excellent understanding of how belief influences individuals, communities and
societies.
 Uses and interprets religious / specialist language, terms and sources of wisdom
and authority extensively, accurately and appropriately.

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