Week 18: Homework

Reading Assignment:
Read Chapter 20 of Theology and Sanity, “The Kingdom”—pp. 279-89.

Questions:

1. What are the two elements of God’s plan for mankind that emerge from Jesus’ teachings? (p.280)
2. What kind of kingdom was Jesus founding? (p.281)
3. What is the significance of Jesus’ words at the Last Supper, “I dispose to you, as My Father has disposed to Me, a kingdom?” (p. 281)
4. How did Jesus prepare his Apostles to understand God’s kingdom and teach the Truth? (p.282)
5. How did Jesus prepare the Apostles to be dispensers of Life? (p. 282)
6. On page, 282 Sheed seems to suggest that the Apostles were over-prepared for their jobs. What was Jesus doing when he prepared them so thoroughly? (p. 282-3).
7. What does the word “Catholic” mean? What does the word “universal” mean?(p.284)
8. Why did the Apostles need the Holy Spirit? (p.285)
9. What is the function of Peter? In what ways is this Christ-like? (p.286-9)

Reflection Questions:

1. At the bottom of page 281, Sheed states that the Apostles and their successors are to dispense the gifts of Truth and Life, but that these gifts cannot be given once for all. He says that each new generation and each person must receive them. Is there is any tension between dispensing the gifts faithfully and giving the gifts to new generations? Are there some who sacrifice the integrity of the gifts to accommodate a new audience? Are there some who alienate new audiences in order to transmit the gifts as they were received?
2. Jesus promises his Apostles that He will be with them “all days, even to the consummation of the world.” Sheed remarks that this continuous presence of Christ with His Apostles gives a double guarantee: first that gifts we receive from the Apostles and their successors are His gifts to us and, second, that when we are in contact with these men we are in contact with Christ. How does this knowledge affect your understanding of what the church can/can’t do with respect to some hot-button issuses like women priests or the prohibition on artificial contraception?