Answer to Doctrinal Quiz Show! What did Christ's Sacrifice do?

And we are back!

Here we go with the answer to the Doctrinal Quiz Show question, and fabulous prizes to follow!

The (sort of ineloquent and thrice edited) question was:

What was the effect or result of Jesus' Death and Resurrection? "He died to save us from our sins", but what exactly does that mean? How were things different for humanity after His Sacrifice? After He accomplished our redemption, what specifically changed for mankind?

My simple answer is this:

Jesus' Sacrifice on the Cross reopened the gates of Heaven to mankind, which had been closed since the sin of Adam and Eve. 

So many people, even wonderfully faithful Catholics, do not know this. But it's this simple: Heaven was closed at the Fall of Man, and Christ's Sacrifice on the Cross reopened Heaven for us all -- which is what we mean by "redemption". Whether or not a soul actually makes it to Heaven is another story, but the possibility of getting into Heaven is now available to all.

All right! It's time for what you all really have been waiting for, for years! The coveted Bubble Awards!! This was a very difficult choice for the judges (i.e., me), as there were several correct answers. The judges thus decided to take the easy road and award the BUBBLE GRAND PRIZE to the first commenter with the answer I was seeking, and that was....

THE GILLILAND BUNCH!!!

Congratulations!! What have you won, you ask? Well, this beautiful icon, suitable for framing!

There are only a precious few Bubble Grand Prize winners out there roaming the earth, several of whom still sport this lovely icon on their own blogs (and perhaps on their home mantels, but that is less verifiable).

But that's not all! You have also won a Bishop Barron DVD, namely, Episode 6 of his incredible Catholicism series. Email me at littlecatholicbubble@gmail.com with your mailing address, and I will send it immediately.

And, as always, we have fabulous runner-up awards! Let's get to it!


The Perfect Answer For The Question I Originally Asked [But Then Modified Because I Didn't Write It Clearly Enough] Award goes to... JoAnna Wahlund!! (She always has the right answer, even when I write an unclear question!)


The Way To Work The Eucharist Into The Answer, As Well As The Deeper Mysteries Of Redemption And Our Role In It Award goes to... April Y!!


The Been Chomping At The Bit For Years To Finally Get A Crack At A DQS Award goes to... Margo!! And she got the right answer, to boot!


The Brevity Is The Soul Of Wit Award goest to... Beth B!!


The Best Use Of Primitive Smiley Emoticons To Project Both Sorrow And Joy Award goes to... Michelle M!! (And, she worked in the Eucharist as well! Source and Summit points!)


The Proper Use Of "Abraham's Bosom" Award goes to... Crystal Pinto!!


The Not Only Does She Flesh Out Her Answer, But She Also Closes With Leila's Favorite Quote From Easter Vigil Exultat Award goes to... Marie M!!


The Got The Wording The Way Leila Wanted It ("Open/Reopen The Gates of Heaven") Award goes to... Angel and Chong Cheech!!


But I am so impressed with all of you, even the ones who didn't answer the question (Elizabeth Power, I'm talking to you!), that everyone who commented (in the US, sorry Sebastian! Sob!) is going to get a free gift just like the Grand Prize winner! Commenters, for your Bishop Barron DVD (Episode 6 of his incredible Catholicism series), simply email me at littlecatholicbubble@gmail.com with your address!

Congratulations to all, and a special thanks to Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for re-opening the Gates of Heaven for us with His perfect Sacrifice!! We are eternally grateful!!


Join us next time for another episode of Doctrinal Quiz Show! (Hopefully, it won't be four years before that next episode....)


Applause, applause, applause, and fade....

Doctrinal Quiz Show!! What did Christ's Sacrifice do?

Longtime readers of the Bubble will recognize this feature from waaaaay back! We haven't had a Doctrinal Quiz Show in years, but recent conversations made me want to revive it. So, here we go!

Growing up poorly catechized, I was never taught (or maybe never thought about) exactly what was the effect or result of Jesus' Death and Resurrection? Meaning, I knew that "He died to save us from our sins", but what exactly did that mean? How were things different for humanity after His Sacrifice? After He accomplished our redemption, what specifically changed for mankind?

Give me your best answer in the comments, and please remember the rules: 

NO cheating, googling, researching, looking at other answers before writing yours, etc.

I want to hear it straight from your brain to your keyboard, and don't be embarrassed to be wrong.

Okay... GO!

(And to those new to this, I will give the answer and some "prizes" on the next post!)

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In other news: If you are a high school or college student at a Catholic school (or if you know someone who is) I will be speaking in Reston, Virginia at Young America's Foundation in early April, and I would love to see you there! For more information on this incredible weekend, click here:

Standing Up For Faith and Freedom: A Retreat for Students at Catholic High Schools and Colleges

I spoke in November as well and it's a fantastic program!

Answer to Doctrinal Quiz Show: Evil

Oh, wow! I think this is the most uniform set of answers I have ever received! And most of you got the answer right or almost right.

The question was:

Theologically speaking, what is "evil"?

Let's get to it:

Evil is defined by what it is not.

Evil is not a dual force that wrestles with Good for dominance. Evil is not the "Yin" to Good's "Yang".

Because….

Evil is not substantive. Evil is a privation. It is a lack or absence of Good.

(Just as cold is the absence of heat and darkness is the absence of light.*)

The physical and spiritual world that God created was fully good. However, Original Sin was a willful rejection of that good, and it introduced the world to two kinds of evil.

There is moral evil (sin) and physical evil (illness, defects, death, natural disasters). Both kinds of evil can be lesser or greater in degree. Some evils, like murder or cancer, are greater than other evils, like idle words or a hangnail. (I know it seems weird to call a hangnail or idle words "evil", but remember that we are talking in theological terms, not general American parlance.)

And as many of you noted, moral evil is a turning away from God by an act of the will. Virtue turns us back toward God, putting our wills in right order again. Virtue restores what was lost.

So although evil is not a positive force, it is a damaging and damning reality. Anyone who lives and breathes and thinks on this earth cannot credibly deny that evil is among us.

But on to the fun part of a post about evil…

The Winner is…

Blue Henn!!!!

She fleshed out the idea nicely and thus wins this episode's Grand Prize (including Rediscover Catholicism by Matthew Kelly)!**

Evil is a lack of good, or integrity, of fullness in something that ought to be; but it does not have to be a complete lack, nor is it contained solely in the realm of morals. A blind eye, though it be nicely and seemingly fully formed would be correctly considered "evil", for it is lacking the capacity for sight, and that is what the eye is intended for: vision. Thus an act that is "evil" is one that does not have the fullness of good that it might have, or was intended to have. To give to one in need is a good action, but to perform it out of desire for praise reduces the amount of goodness possible for the act, and thus leaves it "evil". 

The best part is this beautiful, coveted icon, suitable for framing:

And in case Blue Henn is unable to fulfill her duties as Grand Prize Winner, Sarah (longtime lurker, first time commenter) is the First Runner Up, with this gem:

Evil is the lack of a due good. Using an example, blindness is the lack of the due good of sight in the eye, but we wouldn't say that blindness (inability to see) was an evil in, say, a finger or a coffee mug. 

Human will is always directed toward the good, but a particular choice is thought to be evil (or sinful) when the good chosen is a lesser good. So, while pleasure is a good, it is a lesser good than the "due" good of staying faithful to your spouse. In other words choosing adultery lacks the due good of chastity, even though the will is seeking the good of pleasure. The "lack" is what makes the action "evil".

Shades of St. Augustine! Way for two newbies to make a splash in the Bubble!

And because I am lazy and this is already late it's a season of deprivation, I am not handing out any lesser awards this time around, even though the more political responses were tempting to address….(Dagnabit, I gave up political blogging for Lent.)

Thank you all for playing along during this Lenten episode of Doctrinal Quiz Show!!

[applause, applause, fade….]




*Tiddlywinks, I promise I did not cheat off of you; I was always going to use that!


**Blue Henn, email me and I will get the book sent to you!








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Doctrinal Quiz Show: Evil

It's been a long time since our last Doctrinal Quiz Show!

Lent seems like the right season to address the question of evil. And in the spirit of austerity, I will get right to the question:

Theologically speaking, what is "evil"?

I usually throw in some jokes here, but the subject of evil just doesn't lend itself to levity, does it? So we'll just go over the ground rules for the newbies: Cheating is strictly forbidden (and penalized by a Higher Power than the Bubble!), so no peeking at any answers or googling around. The answer needs to come straight from your brain to the keyboard. Okay, let's see what you've got!

Oh, and to sweeten the pot, the lucky Grand Prize Winner will receive a copy of Matthew Kelly's Rediscover Catholicism, courtesy of our own Becky!



*For the answer to this Doctrinal Quiz Show, go here!


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Answer to Doctrinal Quiz Show: Marriage and the Eucharist!

Welcome back to Doctrinal Quiz Show, Marriage and Eucharist edition!

Let's recap the question:

In what ways are the Eucharist and Marriage related?


Okay, the answers you guys gave were incredible!! Very, very difficult to pick a winner from such in-depth, beautiful and creative responses (which is what I'd hoped for!). I truly want to be a liberal for a moment and give everyone a Bubble Award! Well, not Mary or Kaitlin, it's true, ha ha.

There were five or six contestants who were contenders for the big prize, but in the end I had to steel myself and pick only one. I picked the one who a) wrote things the most simply for my little mind, b) numbered them clearly for the sake of good parallels and visuals (remember that for next time, contestants!), and c) included the major points that I was looking for. I will announce her name at the end, but I will now use hers as the official answer (with ever-so-mild editing; so sue me, it's my blog):


The Eucharist and Marriage are related in the following ways:


1) Both are Sacraments

2) Both unite -- Eucharist unites man and God as well as the members of the Body of Christ within itself, and marriage unites man and woman.

3) Both are a "one flesh" union -- In the Eucharist Christ gives us His Flesh to consume (consummation), and in marriage man and woman become "one flesh" through the marital act (consummation).

4) Both involve a wedding of sorts. The Eucharist is the marriage feast as the Bridegroom gives Himself completely to His Bride (the Church) and she receives Him wholly. The same is true within a marriage -- the bridegroom gives himself wholly to his bride who receives him wholly.

5) Both are life-giving. The marital act gives life to the marriage and, God willing, children. The Eucharist gives Life to the Church. Both "impregnate" their bride.

6) Both are a renewal of commitment. The Eucharist obeys the command to "do this in remembrance of me" and renews the new and everlasting Covenant. The marriage act renews the wedding covenant.

7) Both involve a FREE, TOTAL, FAITHFUL, FRUITFUL LOVE. They hold nothing back. They give and receive completely.

8) Both nourish and sustain us!


Isn't that stunning? I absolutely love the marital imagery of Christ the Bridegroom and His Bride the Church (us) coming together in a communion uniting hearts and souls and flesh, just as in Holy Marriage. In fact, the entirety of salvation history is a story of God wanting to "marry" us. We will achieve total union with Him at the consummation of the world, as we in our wedding garments take our places at the Wedding Feast of the Lamb Who is our eternal Bridegroom, Jesus Christ.

It is no coincidence that our children's First Holy Communion clothing resembles wedding attire:

Markow Kent Photography

Okay now that you've soaked in all that Catholic beauty, let's move along to the always thrilling, usually (but not always intentionally) unfair BUBBLE AWARDS!!!


The Of Course You Can Answer and You Can Award Yourself As Many Rosaries as You Can Make Yourself Award goes to… Becky!

The Your Answer Was Great But You Won't Even Know If You Win or Lose Because I Think You Just Had a Baby Award goes to… Bethany!  

The Honesty in Cheating/Beauty of Redemption Award goes to… Manda! (That's the kind of moral turnaround we like to see around here.)

The Profiles in Courage and Making a Lot of Catholic Blog Ladies Happy Award goes to... Miss Gwen, for attending daily Mass as an atheist and finding it a pleasant experience! (And hey, the Eucharist was there, so there is a connection to this post!) 

The Sew You Don't Get Any Awards Anymore Because You Never Even Make a Token Appearance Award goes to… Sew!

And in keeping with the theme of the DQS, the Always the Bridesmaids Never the Brides Runner-Up Awards go to… all those of you who gave an amazing, meaty answer that might well have won the Grand Prize but didn't. Y'all know who you are. You guys are awesome and your answers were fantastic.


But of course, that leaves us with the Bubble Grand Prize Winner whom everyone already knows since you've all read the answers. And, no, Carter Douglas Lowman did not influence my decision, but great minds think alike as the winner is….

LAUREN from Magnify the Lord With Me!!!

Oh, the sheer joy and bragging rights of it! Enjoy this gorgeous icon (suitable for framing) and please email me to learn more about how to choose and claim your lovely Grand Prize rosary, handmade for you by Becky!

See you all next time when we come together again to play….

Doctrinal Quiz Show!!!

[clap, clap, clap and fade….]

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Doctrinal Quiz Show! Marriage and the Eucharist!

Can you believe it?? It's time, finally, for another:

And with all the blechy, icky yuckiness that has gone on in the past couple of days in our neck o' the blogosphere, I think it's time for a little palate cleanser. And there is nothing that cleanses the palate of the heart, mind, soul and body than the Holy Eucharist.

And to make it a little more complicated than a catechism Q&A, I am going to throw in the topic which is causing such a ruckus in these morally troubled times: Marriage. Everyone wants it but no one can define it. And although no one can define it, everyone wants to redefine it. Weird.

In the meantime, Holy Marriage and the Holy Eucharist remain ever the same. Including, interestingly, their theological connectedness. And so here comes the question, which begs for beautiful and creative answers:

In what ways are the Eucharist and Marriage related?

The beauty of this DQS is that the best answer will be presented as the official answer… meaning I won't have to do a lick of research, ha ha! (Well, I do have the most difficult part of all, which is the crafting and presenting of the world's least most coveted bloggy awards: The Bubble Awards!)

And for the Grand Prize Winner (who will have won fairly and squarely, without cheating, googling or cutting and pasting from somewhere else), you will receive your choice of a stunning rosary or chaplet from our very own Becky! Check out some of your choices:

(Note the unborn child beads in this pro-life rosary)

To see the full selection of her gorgeous offerings, go here.


Okay, let's hear some amazing comparisons, connections and similarities between the incredible, grace-filled, life-altering sacraments of the Eucharist and Marriage!

GO!!!

Answer to Doctrinal Quiz Show: Communion of Saints. Plus, Bubble Awards!

Once again, you guys amaze me with your knowledge of the Faith! I knew none of this stuff until well into adulthood, so you all give me hope!


All right, let's revisit the Quiz challenge:

Define and describe the "Communion of Saints"; if possible, use some traditional terms and designations in your answer.


My answer:

The Communion of Saints is the spiritual union of all Christians, on earth, in Purgatory and in Heaven. This Communion is also known as the Body of Christ, which St. Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 12:12-26.


The traditional designations are these:



The Church Militant

These are the Christians (us!) still on earth, fighting the good fight against the devil and our own sin. We are "soldiers for Christ", fighting for all things True, Good and Beautiful. We rely on other members of the Body for encouragement and prayers.

The Church Suffering

These are the souls who have left this earth and are undergoing their final purgation (Purgatory). They are assured of Heaven, but need to be cleansed of any last vestige of self-love and imperfection before they can stand in God's presence. The prayers of the Church Militant for the Church Suffering are powerful and efficacious. We must never forget those brothers and sisters who have gone before us.

The Church Triumphant

These are all the saints in Heaven, both canonized and unknown. These souls enjoy the beatific vision, and they are constantly interceding on our behalf, waiting for the day when we and the Church Suffering can join them at the Wedding Feast of the Lamb, united in perfection, living eternally in the Heart of the Holy Trinity.


The "Communion of Saints" is referenced in the Apostles' Creed of antiquity. The Resurrection of Christ has taught us that death does not separate Christians. We are all one Body in Christ, and each part of the Body loves and needs and cares for the others. Any artificial separation of "living" and "dead" Christians, and any implication that an impenetrable wall has gone up between those of us on earth and those who have gone before, is not a Christian understanding of the subject.

We are One Body, of which Jesus Christ is the Head. We are mystically bound through God's grace and love. If one member of the Body suffers, we all suffer. If one member is honored, we all rejoice.


The Communion of Saints is a comfort and gift to us all. We are a family.

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Now, on to the most coveted of all awards... The Bubble Awards!


The Oh!! Lost By a Hair! Award goes to K, who not only got the right answer, but did it as quickly (and succinctly) as I've ever seen, which also earns her the Quick Draw McGraw Award and the Brevity is the Soul of Wit Award. She was only one phrase away from winning her 2nd Grand Prize.


The I'm Lovin' the Link! Award goes to Brent Stubbs, who not only had a great answer chock full of Scripture (which I would expect from a former Protestant preacher!) and references to the Holy Eucharist, but who also linked to a fabulous post on the subject! I must say that the photo of Heaven as "big happy hugfest" made me laugh and cringe at the same time: Brent, did you get that image out of one of my CCD books from the 1970s?!


The "Lazy Answerer" Redeems Herself By Diligence Award goes to Nubby, for her excellent response to an anonymous commenter who challenged the Church's terminology. Nubby's always up for a good dialogue, and ready to give a reason for the hope that is within her! My kinda gal.


The Lazy Host of DQS Award goes to ME! For cutting the awards short due to my daughter needing the computer so that she can make a resume, and the pressure is on me right NOW, so I have to hurry. (Hey, that's my first Bubble Award! I am so honored!)


And the Grand Prize Bubble Award, here in all its glory...

…goes to JOY BEYOND THE CROSS!!

Yes, our own saint-loving JBTC has won not only for her incredible knowledge and enthusiasm, but because she mentioned all four of my predetermined "terms and designations": Church Militant, Church Suffering, Church Triumphant and Body of Christ! For this (sort of arbitrary, yet accurate) criteria for winning, JBTC will receive a most excellent prize, donated from our generous blogger friend, Stacy, over at Accepting Abundance:

Scott Hahn's CD set on Mark's Gospel!!!

Okay, that sounds amazing, and I am envious!! You are one lucky member of the Church Militant, JBTC! Enjoy your prize, and thank you, Stacy!

And before I run off, if any of you are new to the blog and would like to catch up on back episodes of Doctrinal Quiz Show (they are riveting!), just click on the label "Doctrinal Quiz Show" below this post, and you will be transported to all of them. 

See you all next time, and thanks for playing Doctrinal Quiz Show!!

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Doctrinal Quiz Show: The Communion of Saints!

After months of longing and anticipation (by one reader -- thanks, Lauren!), the drought is over! Doctrinal Quiz Show is back with a vengeance!

Now it's time to reach into the recesses of your catechetical lobe, and get ready to play!


Today's challenge:


Define and describe the "Communion of Saints"; if possible, use some traditional terms and designations in your answer.


If you dare to cheat, go straight to confession, do not pass GO and do not collect a Bubble Award.


*Relevant teaching opportunity: Remember, it is a Christian moral principle that the ends do not justify the means. We are never permitted to do evil so that good will result. So, even if you want a Bubble Award more than anything else in the universe, you are not allowed to cheat to get it!


Okay, now. As to the Grand Prize...hmmmm...lemme see.... Well, either someone can e-mail me with an offer of a super-cool Grand Prize to award, or I will come up with something that will be awesomely edifying or edifyingly awesome (depending on my mood), and it will come from my own stash of goodies. 


I can only imagine the kind of excitement that must rouse in you, dear readers. When I get back to my regular internet access in a few days, a winner will be crowned.


Okay contestants.... GO!!

Answers to Doctrinal Quiz Show: Amazing Grace! Plus, Bubble Awards!

*This just in: Hannah Rose was born this morning to Kaitlin at More Like Mary, More Like Me! Praise God and congratulations!!




Welcome back, Bubble contestants! You've all been waiting patiently, probably sitting by the computer all weekend, so let's get to our answers.


The question was:


Name and describe the different types of grace.


And the answer....


The two kinds of grace are sanctifying grace and actual grace.


Sanctifying grace is the very life of God (let that sink in!). It is interior grace, which dwells in the soul and transforms it, making it holy. The ordinary way we receive sanctifying grace is through the sacraments.


Actual grace is supernatural help from God (like nudges). It is external grace, working on us from the outside only; it does nothing to change the state of our soul. Everyone receives actual grace, and it comes to us when we need it. We have the free will to cooperate with it or ignore it.


Let's go into a little detail about each.*

Sanctifying Grace

I'll start with an analogy that was very helpful to me: We all know that our human nature is not equipped to live in the ocean. We will die there unless we have something outside of (or above) our nature to sustain us. Scuba gear is the apparatus that allows us to transcend our human nature and live underwater. Similarly, our human nature is not equipped to live in Heaven. Sanctifying grace is the "apparatus" that allows us to transcend our human nature and live in Heaven. We need sanctifying grace, for in our merely human state, we are simply not equipped to live in the presence of God.


When God created our first parents, Adam and Eve, He immediately infused them with the extraordinary gift of sanctifying grace (i.e., a sharing of His divine life). This undeserved gift elevated them above their own human nature and allowed them to live in the direct presence of God. Unfortunately, Adam and Eve threw away this supernatural gift when they "fell from [sanctifying] grace" by choosing to sin. Without sanctifying grace, they were now separated from God, and Heaven was closed to them.


Since the Fall, humans are no longer given the gift of sanctifying grace at their creation. However, thanks to Jesus Christ and His atoning death, we are able to receive the gift of sanctifying grace through the sacraments of His Church. At our baptism, our souls are infused with sanctifying grace (God's very life!), and we become fit for Heaven. Assuming we continue to live in God's friendship and not commit mortal sin, this grace can continue to grow in our souls throughout our lives (through our prayers, acts of mercy and love, penance, etc.), making us increasingly holy. We hope to die in a state of grace.

Actual Grace

Actual grace is like little nudges from God. These nudges can take many different forms and come to us from many different places (and people). Actual grace could come in the form of your mother reminding you not to miss Mass on Sunday, or a friend telling you that you should get to confession. It could be a catastrophic event which leaves you on your knees before God, when before you wouldn't have gone near Him. It could be the promptings of your own conscience when confronted with your sins. It might be a class you took or a book you read which compelled you in the direction of justice or righteousness or humility. It could be the unexpected presence of a holy person or the feeling of awe you get when you look at a coastal sunset. It could be just about anything which moves you closer to the Lord.


Actual grace can be acted on or it can be ignored; but just like a train, there will always be another "nudge" coming around soon. God never abandons anyone, and every human being on the planet receives as much actual grace as is necessary to prompt one to seek out salvation. Unlike sanctifying grace, actual grace does not touch the interior of a person, but only works from the outside. Actual grace does not change the state of a person's soul, but is merely the agent that pushes a soul to seek out and receive sanctifying grace.


Now to the bonus question:

What is "the source and summit" of the Christian Faith?


I was thrilled that so many of you knew the answer! The Eucharist is "the source and summit" of the Christian Faith, because the Eucharist is truly Jesus Christ -- Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. He is the source and summit of everything, and we have Him with us! We are truly blessed!


Now let's seamlessly transition into the presentation of the Bubble Awards!!

The Just Because I Feel Sorry For Her Award goes to... Mary! Her multiple comments, heartfelt pleas, brutal honesty, clever wit ("the little girl I used to babysit"), liberal use of smiley faces, and general DQS enthusiasm struck a soft spot in my heart.

The Oh No, Wait a Second, Do They Know More Than I Do About This? Award goes to... Stacy Trasancos and her husband for throwing out big themes of grace that left me thinking I needed to do more research because they sounded really theological and scholarly, while I was going off something I read from a little tract. (Wait, I see now that you commented a second time, taking yourself out of the competition. I hereby revoke this award. Maybe I'll give it to Calah and the Ogre instead.)

The "Are You Proud of Yourselves?" Romper Room Award for Juvenile Behavior on a Doctrinal Quiz Show goes to... Beth and Cathy! For reasons which are well known to them. (That last line is from the book Mommie Dearest. Can anyone tell me, without cheating, the context of that line?)

The Making Excuses, aka Quit Yer Whining, Award goes to... JoAnna and Brenda! (And remember, blame-shifting is not a Christian virtue.)

The Just in the Nick of Time Award goes to... Sew! Because I always promised to give her an award anytime she participated. See, Sew, I am a woman of my word!

And, the GRAND PRIZE BUBBLE AWARD for getting the correct answer goes to:

NUBBY!!!!

My dear Nubby, you are not only the winner of the incredible DVD documentary, Watch With Me, but you also get to put the coveted Bubble Award Icon on your mantle at home (or start a blog and put it there)! Hooray!!!

Please send your mailing address to littlecatholicbubble@gmail.com, and I will get your DVD sent out to you right away!

(Anyone wanting to purchase a copy can go to this link. Thank you, All You Who Hope!)

Now, if for any reason Nubby is unable to fulfill her duties as the Bubble Award Grand Prize Winner, the First Runner Up will assume her title, prizes, and glory. The First Runner Up is...

GOD ALONE SUFFICES!!!!!

(Dear GAS, this is the first time I've decided to designate a runner-up! Congratulations! You got the right answer, but Nubby beat you by about 20 hours.)

Okay, folks, that's all for this episode of Doctrinal Quiz Show!! Tune in next time when I ask you to list all 265 popes by memory! Start studying, y'all!

{applause, applause, applause, and fade....}


*When I taught myself the Catholic Faith in the mid-90s (before I had internet), I bought this great set of little tracts from Catholic Answers. They were chock-full of practical, easy-to-understand information, and much of what you are reading here is from those tracts. You can find all of that today on their website.

Doctrinal Quiz Show: Amazing Grace!

Welcome, contestants, to the very first Doctrinal Quiz Show of 2011! It's been waaaay too long! 

And, I've been waaaay too lazy: DQS requires two posts, lots of wit (often in short supply here), complete accuracy, and careful, heart-wrenching award decisions (I know that many of you are left devastated -- but that's the nature of the game show).

Let's go our surprisingly short DQS question:

Name and describe the different types of grace.

And just for fun, I am going to throw in a bonus question:

What is "the source and summit" of the Christian Faith?

Remember: No cheating, googling, reading others' answers, rule-breaking, lying, deceitfulness, fighting, detraction, calumny, slander, or apostasy allowed! Remember, this Bubble is now blessed, so this is sacred space, people! Respect it!

Now, I realize that no prize can equal the holey soap award of old, but I am very excited about our Grand Prize this time around!

Our very own All You Who Hope is a documentary film maker in her spare time (in other words, she's not making any films at the moment), and she is donating a copy of her incredible documentary on Eucharistic Adoration, Watch With Me.

Here's the trailer:

With that incentive, I know you are all chomping at the bit to win this thing, so... GO!

Answer to DQS and Grand Prize Winner!!

I'm back with the answer to the Doctrinal Quiz Show, Church History Edition! Once again, I am quite impressed with the answers!

Here was the question I posed:

Over the past 2,000+ years, the Church has held many councils (i.e., gatherings of the world's bishops, often called "ecumenical councils"). These councils have been convened to combat heresy and define doctrine, among other things. Can you name the first two Church councils and the last two Church councils? For an extra edge toward the Grand Prize, please state the approximate date of each council and one major issue that was on the table.

And, here's how I would have answered it (keeping in mind that answers could vary and still get points):

The first Church council (some of you smarty-pants noticed that I gave a little leeway... not all were "ecumenical" councils) was the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15). It occurred in the First Century (probably around the year 50 A.D.) The major issue was whether much of the Mosaic Law (such as circumcision) would be required of Gentile converts. In other words, would Gentile converts to Christianity have to become Jewish first? Peter and the other bishops, guided by the Holy Spirit, declared that the answer was no.

The second Church council (and the first "ecumenical" council) was the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. The Church was combating the Arian heresy and needed to make very clear the nature of Christ's divinity and His relationship to the Father. From this council we received the Nicene Creed, which is still recited every Sunday at Mass after the homily.

The second most recent ecumenical council was the First Vatican Council ("Vatican I"), in 1869-1870. One major issue was the definition of Papal Infallibility.

The most recent ecumenical council was the Second Vatican Council ("Vatican II"), from 1962-1965. One major issue addressed was the liturgy. Another was the Church's relationship to the modern world.

Now, as for the scoring.... There was a maximum possible score of 12 points (three points for each council: one for naming the council, one for giving the approximate date, one for naming a major issue). Mrs. Blondies, Lisa Graas, JoAnna, R.J. Grigaitis, A Martha Trying to Be Mary, and Ruby -- you all did a great job and were in the running! But someone smoked you all, and we'll get to that in a minute.

In the meantime, here are the rest of the Bubble Awards!

The Not Only Were You in the Running, But You Might Have Won If You Weren't Such a Bundle of Nerves, Because I *Think* Your Date for Nicea Was a Typo Award goes to.... Ruby!!

The Expressed Incredulity With a Tinge of Smart-Mouth But it Totally Cracked Me Up Because I Know You Meant it in Love Award goes to.... Sew!! (Sew, just because you are you, you must have about ten Bubble Awards by now. I hope you have a big shelf for them all!)

The I Am Shocked But Consoled That an RCIA Class Actually Taught Such Things Award goes to.... Allie!!

The Okay, Fine, I Will Give You an Award For Answering First Award goes to.... Mary!!

(For those of you who are recent additions to the Bubble and haven't heard my awards disclaimer: I would love to continue handing out awards to everyone, but we do not use the liberal model here, and so not everyone will get an award, even if you are a good person and had a clever answer. Not getting an award will not harm you permanently, and it will help build your character.)

Now, finally, the GRAND PRIZE WINNER and winner of Jay Groft's newly released, beautiful Christmas CD goes to....

K!!!!

Not only does K win the CD (email me and I'll have it sent out to you!), but also the coveted Bubble Award Icon which can be used to win friends and influence people: 

Great, great job, K!!!!!

Good-night everyone, and be sure to join us next time for.... DOCTRINAL QUIZ SHOW!!!!

Doctrinal Quiz Show! (Well, more like Church History Quiz!) And, another fabulous Grand Prize!

Welcome back to Doctrinal Quiz Show!  I thought I would make this question a little bit broader than the others, giving people a chance to offer a wide range of answers. I want to see how well you know your Church history, while touching on doctrinal issues as well. 

Think carefully:

Over the past 2,000+ years, the Church has held many councils (i.e., gatherings of the world's bishops, often called "ecumenical councils"). These councils have been convened to combat heresy and define doctrine, among other things. Can you name the first two Church councils and the last two Church councils? For an extra edge toward the Grand Prize, please state the approximate date of each council and one major issue that was on the table.

If you cheat, you die. Can I be any more clear than that? Whoops, sorry. That's not very Christian of me. But let's just say that I have ways to detect whether or not you are cheating.... Uh-huh. It's true. I have a sixth sense. 

Now, the GRAND PRIZE is very special to me. Jay Groft is a Catholic singer here in Phoenix, and he and his wife Jenni (Catholic blogger!) are family friends of ours. Tomorrow is the release of his brand new Christmas CD, with a release concert at our diocesan cathedral! I am so pleased to offer his brand new Christmas CD as the Grand Prize!! To hear a sample of Jay's prayerful songs, click here, here or here. 

To order this wonderful CD, click the image.

Speaking of Grand Prizes, it just gives me chills to tell you this story. The last quiz show (Bible in the Bubble) featured a rosary giveaway from Melanie at Trendy Traditions. Melanie recently lost her fifth child, Jude, due to his premature birth. I was stunned to find out yesterday that the verse which I chose for the quiz had special meaning to Melanie: It was the same verse that she and her husband had chosen for Jude's funeral cards! Praise God for His gentle consolations.  

Okay, now.... on your mark, get set, GO!!!!

Answer to Doctrinal Quiz Show, and Bubble Awards (with special new bonus)!

Would you all be offended if I said that I was greatly amused at the answers?? Not because they were way off-base (they weren't!!), but because we are such girls! (Well, all except Paul, and I'll get to him later!) I intended this to be merely a technical scenario, and not one in which we would wonder how we would actually "feel" (although I did use the word "horrified" to indicate that you did not intend to harm her), or what our instincts would be ("I swerve even for squirrels, gophers and cats!"), or what other little details we would add (air bags, a billion kids in the back, auto-eject seats). But I really love that most of you "went there" and made it very personal! And fun! You guys rock, and I would drive on a steep mountain road with you anytime! (Well, maybe not....)


Okay, here is the question again:

You are driving up a narrow two-lane road which winds steeply around a tall mountain. There are no other cars on the road, and you are going the speed limit on a clear day. As you come around yet another tight bend, you notice a young woman standing in the middle of the road. You are horrified! You cannot brake quickly enough to avoid hitting her, but you do have time to make a decision. You can choose to swerve to your right and face severe injury or death as you fly off the cliff; you can choose to swerve to the left and face severe injury or death by slamming into the side of the mountain; or, you can choose to go forward, which will mean certain death for the innocent young woman.

Morally, what option(s) may you choose, and why?

Here is the answer:

Morally, you may choose any of the three options. I purposely made swerving to the left or to the right equally dangerous (serious injury or death either way) so that you wouldn't be confused. But clearly, for most of you, slamming into a mountain of rock is the better way to go than flying off a cliff like Thelma and Louise. Those options are morally okay because you may legitimately choose to sacrifice your own life for the life of another.

However, the third option is open to you as well. Hitting the young woman would be a moral choice in this scenario under the principle of double effect.

Here's why: The action you would be performing (i.e., continuing to drive legally on a mountain road) is moral (unlike shooting someone in the head, as in our previous scenario). You foresee the death of the woman if you keep driving, but you do not will her death; you don't want to hit her or harm her in any way. The woman's death is foreseen but unintended. And, the effects of your act are proportionate: The good effect of staying on the road is that you stay alive; the bad effect is that the woman does not stay alive. The effects are equivalent or nearly equivalent.

I gotta tell ya, if it's me on that mountain road, that woman is toast. What is she doing standing in the middle of the road anyway??? Sheesh.

Okay, it's time for the most coveted, most anticipated BUBBLE AWARDS!!!

You know you've been practicing your acceptance speech for months now, and it might be your lucky day....

The Saint and Sinner Award goes to.... Sew!! For selflessly plowing into the side of a mountain to save an innocent woman's life, then vowing to hunt down and beat the woman if she's still alive to do it.

The Good Citizen Award goes to.... Chewspam!! For rear-ending a vehicle with an Obama sticker on the trunk! (I'm sorry... I couldn't help it.)

The Shamelessly Trying to Win A Bubble Award By Using Mountaintop Yoga Humor Award goes to... Lisa!! What, do you think I'm that easily manipulated?

The Wouldn't Throwing the Car Into Neutral Just Make You Roll Off the Mountain Backwards? Award goes to... Liesl!! Who had a unique but implausible idea, much like Marcy and Walter (who somehow believe they can speed dial 911 faster than they can apply the brakes)!

Now, MANY of you got the right answer, but only ONE of you came up with the magical words: "principle of double effect"! I could not be more impressed with the smartest ex-Catholic I have ever known. That's right... Paul Rimmer, by brilliantly explaining the principle that you explicitly reject, you have won the...

GRAND PRIZE BUBBLE AWARD!!!

Which now comes with a lovely, custom-made Bubble Award icon suitable for framing (makes a nice mantlepiece), or for use on your own blog if you are not afraid of being mocked and shunned! 

(Mrs. Blondies, I know you were dying for one of these icons, so you can feel free to claim it now, as can any other past Grand Prize Bubble Award winners!! Of course, I will understand if any or all of you choose to forgo this part of the honor. It is optional, if you read the fine print.)

Don't be envious, everyone else! There is always the next Doctrinal Quiz Show! Stay tuned!!

Doctrinal Quiz Show! Moral Reasoning 101: A Crazy New Scenario!

Remember the first Moral Reasoning 101 Quiz Show? You all did a great job! I would trust you with a room full of hostages any day.

Well, now it's time to challenge you with yet another extreme scenario which would never actually happen in real life, but which will serve to illustrate a point.

Okay, here ya go:

You are driving up a narrow two-lane road which winds steeply around a tall mountain. There are no other cars on the road, and you are going the speed limit on a clear day. As you come around yet another tight bend, you notice a young woman standing in the middle of the road. You are horrified! You cannot brake quickly enough to avoid hitting her, but you do have time to make a decision. You can choose to swerve to your right and face severe injury or death as you fly off the cliff; you can choose to swerve to the left and face severe injury or death by slamming into the side of the mountain; or, you can choose to go forward, which will mean certain death for the innocent young woman. 

Morally, what option(s) may you choose, and why?

Remember, Bubble Awards are at stake here, people, so think carefully!

And, no cheating!! Try not to look at others' answers before you write your own. Yes, I know it's tempting. But we Christians must fight temptation!

Go!

Answer to DQS, Moral Reasoning 101! The ends don't justify the means.

Wow! This may be the first Doctrinal Quiz Show where everyone got more or less the right answer! 

The dilemma was this:

Terrorists are holding you and hundreds of other innocent people hostage. You are told that if you press a button that will kill just one of the innocent hostages, you and all the others will be released unharmed. If you don't press the button, the terrorists will kill you and all of the hostages. Morally speaking, may you press the button? Why or why not?

I don't know if I can say it better than all of you did, so I am just going to pick out one of the answers and repost it. How 'bout... Sarah's:

Can't push the button. Human life is sacred. Every single life is as sacred and valuable as the next. You cannot make decisions on stats and numbers. It is utilitarian to do what would be best for "most people" if it means the destruction of even one. Now, it would be different if one person volunteered to die in place of the others. That is a heroic sacrifice. But the minute I push that button is the minute I kill a human being, I take their inherently valuable life, a life that was not mine to take. 

Some may say my refusal to push the button "killed" 100 people. No, if the terrorists go through with their threat, they are the killers.

Exactly! The end (saving lives) doesn't justify the means (murder of an innocent). 

In other words, we can never do an evil in order to bring about a good. 

We are to serve the good, not effect the good.

Remember, outcome is not our concern. God will take care of that, in His way. We simply do the will of the Lord in all things, and we leave the outcome and the judgement to Him. If a mass murder happens, the terrorists are culpable for that horrible crime. As Wheelbarrow Rider said, there are worse things than death.... And as Lowly beautifully quoted from Aristotle: It is better to have injustice done upon you, than to do an act of injustice upon another!

(The question of "double effect" is for another post, another day, but thank you to Lowly again for rightly pointing out that Megan's example was an example of double effect and did not apply to this case. Double effect would also apply in the case of an ectopic pregnancy. Also, this is not a case of self-defense, as the person to be killed is not the aggressor.)

As Sarah mentioned, a person could volunteer to sacrifice his own life for another (or others). This is what Christ did for us on the Cross, and we know from Scripture that "greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Such an act is not suicide but heroic virtue, and thanks to Ann for pointing out that St. Maximilian Kolbe did that very thing for a fellow prisoner at Auschwitz. 

Your answers are a great consolation to me, as almost everyone in my daughter's class answered the question the other way. 

In fact, one Christian mom (a good woman) told her daughter later that it would be immoral not to push the button! I wanted to give her another scenario to see if she still felt the same way: What if the terrorists told all the men to torture and rape the women, and they would all get to live? Would it be moral for the men to do so? What if the terrorists told you to kill all the small children and the rest of the group would be set free? Would that be a moral act? Or any other nightmare scenario you can dream up. Hopefully you see that we are not permitted to do evil, monstrous things even to bring about a great good.

Okay, enough of killing, rape and torture! On to Bubble Awards!!!

I can't award a Grand Prize because it was a huge tie!

So, some lesser awards, but still worth a place on your mantle:

The How'd She Do That?! Award goes to Lowly, for pulling a perfectly relevant Aristotle quote out of her head, clarifying a double effect scenario for another contestant, and profoundly declaring that "utilitarianism is yucky" all while working with a broken right shift button!

On the other hand, Lowly also gets the Laziness Is No Excuse For Bad Grammar Award! Congratulations, Lowly, I believe yours is the first "Double Bubble"!

The I Thought It Was M*A*S*H And Not Ann Frank....Could Someone Clarify That? Award goes to Beth and Brenda! (Actually, that is not really an award as much as it is a question from me. Anyone know for sure?)

The Ex-Patriot In The Swiss Timezone Early Advantage Award goes to Monica! With extra points for going from deist to Catholic catechumen in 0 - 60 days! 

And, finally, the You People Are Really Stupid Award goes to Jenny, for reminding us all that there is more than one way out of a terrorist hostage situation anyway!

Thanks for playing along, and I'll see you all for the next installment of Doctrinal Quiz Show!