4/12 class notes

Today we talked about church history and the splits within the church

1.  Documentary: 

• 3 major groups(Catholic, orthodox, protestant)
• God encourages unity between these groups
• theological differences
• Same major principles 
• Differences in clergy
• Blessed mother= big part of catholicism, big debate about this
• 1054= East, West Schism, this was proceeded by lots of tensions
• Many different forms of protestantism
• Catholic and orthodox believe in transubstantiation 
• Protestants believe in consubstantiation
• Protestants have married clergy
• Sola Scriptura- differences in scripture
• Rivalry between different denominations 
• Catholics believe in the tradition of the pope

2. Video on Eastern orthodox patriarch (equivalent of pope)

4/8/11 NOTES

After prayer we discussed Thomas Aquinas' 5 Points ascertaining the existence of God. He confirms that God must be real because of 5 different points:

1. First Mover: everything must start somewhere & from something
2. First Cause: there has to be a reason that things start and something must cause them to happen, they don't "just happen".
3. Necessary Being: things start at a beginning point
4. Intelligent Design: the world has a purpose & everything works according to some type of order
5. Greatest Being: there has to be a higher being because good/great beings must come from something greater.

After we read an excerpt from The Shack, which is a book about the evolution of a relationship between a man and God after the death of his daughter. In it, God is portrayed in a form that makes it easier for the man to relate to and it attempts to depict the true nature of God and the fact that it is impossible for us as humans to truly comprehend him.

Then we went to Stations of the Cross in the chapel.

4/6/11 NOTES

Today, we started the Christianity unit.  We first read Pascal's Wager and he compared believing in God to gambling, because there is no real downside to believing in God, so why shouldn't a person try to believe in Him as when death comes if He is real then one will go to Heaven and if not then the person lost nothing in believing.

Each group then took one of the essential questions about a religion and answered them. The main points were:

Nature of God: all-knowing, Trinity, Jesus, merciful, loving, peace
Nature of Humans: Adam and Eve, original sin, made in the image and likeness of God, & free will, & the 2 theories regarding human's sin
How Do People Live Their Lives: Beatitudes & Sacraments, by the 10 Commandments, & Golden Rule
What Do We Have To Hope For: Salvation, Heaven vs. Hell, eternal life with God, Jesus' saving grace

4/4 Classnotes

1. Prayer
2. IA Work
3. Talk to HL students about IA
4. Food Drive Donations?

HW: any extra food donations due next class

upcoming:
4/6 - Chapter 9
4/12 - IA due