The Life, Sample Chapter 1 Student's Book. (PDF) - Teachers ...

The
Life
Student’s Book 9
New
Edition
The Way, the Truth & the Life series
By Sr. Marcellina Cooney CP
Editorial Team
Angela Edwards, Martin Campion, Adam Hall, Stephen Horsman,
Ben McArdle, Rachel Smith, Mary White, Maggie Wright, Sarah Yeboah
Teachers’ Enterprise in Religious Education Co. Ltd
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Introduction
Welcome to this edition of ‘The Life’ which complements
‘The Way’ and ‘The Truth’. It is a programme of study
which invites you to think deeply about what you believe,
why you believe it and how it is going to help you in your
journey through life. It is thought-provoking, challenging
and very rewarding.
It starts with the spiritual quest, the search for God and
explores not only the problem of suffering, but death,
judgement, purgatory, heaven and hell. This leads on to a
study of the Gospels: the life and teaching of Jesus as
portrayed by each of the Evangelists with activities which
relate to real-life issues.
When Jesus ascended to his Father, he gave us his Spirit.
You have the opportunity to engage in an in-depth study
of the gifts of the Spirit and the Sacrament of Confirmation
which enables us to receive these gifts in their fullness.
This leads on to the module on ‘God’s Call’ which provides an opportunity to reflect on a
variety of vocations and ways of life. Teaching about how we are to live each day is given
in the module of ‘Morality and Conscience’; it enables us to reflect on our actions and to
come to sound decisions.
The final module ‘Dialogue with Other Faiths’ is important because it is only when we
have a good understanding of our own faith, that we can, with confidence, share with
others.
Throughout this programme, both in the Student’s and Teacher’s Books and on the DVD
ROM, there are examples of very courageous people, who have come, frequently through
great suffering, to handing over their lives to God and with His help transforming the
lives of others.
My wish is that your studies this year will help you to grow closer to Jesus in faith, hope
and love and that you will discover the promise his call holds for you.
✙ Vincent Nichols
Archbishop of Westminster
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Contents
Introduction
1. Spiritual Quest
Search for Meaning...........................................4
Searching for God..............................................7
Knowing God....................................................8
God comes to meet
us.......................................11
The Mystery of the Trinity.............................13
The Problem of Suffering................................16
Death, Judgement, Hell, Heaven...................20
Delinquent beatified.......................................25
Rebel becomes inspirational Catholic...............27
2. The Gospels
Formation of the Gospels................................30
The Gospels inspired by God..........................32
St. Matthew’s Gospel.......................................33
St. Mark’s Gospel.............................................36
St. Luke’s Gospel.............................................41
St. John’s Gospel..............................................47
The Kingdom of God........................................49
3. Life in the Spirit
The Transforming Spirit.................................52
Gifts of the Spirit.............................................54
Sacrament of Confirmation.............................58
Seeds bearing fruit!........................................60
Rite of the Sacrament of Confirmation..........63
Discernment.....................................................65
Pope Benedict XVI speaks to young people.......67
Transformed by the Spirit...............................68
Missionary in a wheelchair............................71
4. God’s Call
God calls each person.......................................74
God’s call to a specific mission........................76
What is a Vocation.........................................79
Marriage...........................................................80
Sacrament of Marriage....................................82
Priesthood........................................................86
Sacrament of Holy Orders..............................88
Vocation to Religious Life...............................91
Apostolic and Monastic Religious Life............92
5. Morality & Conscience
Morality............................................................96
Christian Morality............................................98
Current Moral Issues....................................102
Conscience......................................................106
Archbishop Romero........................................110
Irena Sendler...................................................111
Sister Helen Prejean.......................................113
Pope Benedict XVI – ‘Be Saints not Celebrities’..115
6. Dialogue with Other Faiths
The Catholic Church and Other Faiths.........118
Why study Other Faiths...............................121
Types of Dialogue...........................................122
Understanding Judaism................................125
Where Jews and Christians differ................128
Understanding Islam.....................................130
Core Muslim beliefs.......................................131
Christianity and Islam: important differences...136
Collaboration of Faith Communities.............137
Glossary....................................................142
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