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JCE Religious Education study materials
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JCE Religious Education practice questions

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Question 1Religious Education

In Catholic teaching, which sacrament is described as the source and summit of the Christian life?

  1. The Eucharist Correct answer.
  2. Confirmation
  3. Anointing of the sick
  4. Baptism

Explanation

The Second Vatican Council's Constitution on the Church calls the Eucharist the source and summit of the Christian life, because the faithful share in Christ's sacrifice and are united to him. Other sacraments are ordered toward it and draw grace from it, so it holds a unique pre-eminence among the seven sacraments.

Question 2Religious Education

Which book of the Bible contains the account of the Exodus from Egypt and the giving of the Ten Commandments at Sinai?

  1. Deuteronomy
  2. Genesis
  3. Leviticus
  4. Exodus Correct answer.

Explanation

Exodus narrates Israel's liberation from slavery in Egypt, the covenant at Sinai, and the delivery of the Decalogue to Moses. It is the second book of the Pentateuch and establishes the foundational saving event that later biblical writers continually recall.

Question 3Religious Education

The season of Advent in the Western liturgical calendar primarily prepares Christians for which twofold reality?

  1. The Resurrection and Pentecost
  2. Christ's birth and his final coming Correct answer.
  3. Lent and Holy Week
  4. Baptism and Confirmation

Explanation

Advent looks back to the first coming of Christ at Bethlehem and forward to his promised return in glory. This double focus shapes its readings, which move from apocalyptic warnings to the infancy narratives as Christmas approaches.

Question 4Religious Education

What does the term 'magisterium' refer to in Catholic theology?

  1. The council of religious superiors in religious orders
  2. The liturgical commission that prepares rites
  3. The teaching office of bishops in union with the pope Correct answer.
  4. The body of canon law governing church courts

Explanation

Magisterium denotes the teaching authority entrusted to the college of bishops together with the Bishop of Rome. It serves the Word of God by authentically interpreting Scripture and Tradition, and its exercise ranges from ordinary teaching to solemn definitions.

Question 5Religious Education

Which gospel is traditionally represented by the symbol of the winged lion?

  1. John
  2. Mark Correct answer.
  3. Matthew
  4. Luke

Explanation

Christian iconography assigns the winged lion to Mark, drawing on the visionary creatures of Ezekiel and Revelation. Mark's gospel opens in the wilderness with John the Baptist, and the lion's association with the desert has reinforced this pairing.

Question 6Religious Education

In Christian moral teaching, what is a 'virtue'?

  1. A punishment imposed by church authority
  2. A one-time act of generosity performed under pressure
  3. A liturgical gesture used during the Mass
  4. A habitual disposition toward good that perfects a person's powers Correct answer.

Explanation

Virtues are stable habits that dispose a person to act well and to do good with facility and joy. They perfect human powers, and the tradition distinguishes natural or acquired virtues from the infused theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity.

Question 7Religious Education

What is the primary purpose of a homily at Mass?

  1. To replace the profession of faith
  2. To announce the parish's financial accounts
  3. To explain the day's Scripture readings and apply them to Christian life Correct answer.
  4. To recite the prayers of the faithful

Explanation

The homily develops the readings or another text of the liturgy and applies them to the celebration and to daily life. It is reserved to ordained ministers and is meant to illuminate the Word proclaimed and nourish faith.

Question 8Religious Education

Which of the following best states the Golden Rule as taught by Jesus?

  1. Honor your father and mother above all things
  2. Do to others as you would have them do to you Correct answer.
  3. Give to everyone who asks and take nothing in return
  4. Love only those who love you in return

Explanation

The Golden Rule in the Sermon on the Mount commands treating others as one would wish to be treated, summarizing the Law and the Prophets. It is a positive formulation that demands active goodwill rather than mere restraint from harm.

Question 9Religious Education

A teacher wants students to understand that the four gospels are not identical accounts. Which approach best develops this skill?

  1. Ask students to list the seven sacraments in order
  2. Have students recite the Beatitudes from memory
  3. Ask students to memorize the list of the twelve apostles
  4. Have students build a chart comparing parallel passages across the four gospels Correct answer.

Explanation

Comparing parallel passages lets students observe differences in emphasis, order, and wording, which reveals each evangelist's distinctive theology. This analytic task develops understanding of the gospels as genuine literary compositions rather than flat duplicates.

Question 10Religious Education

A student asks why the Church calls the family the 'domestic church.' Which explanation is most accurate?

  1. The family replaces the local parish for all sacramental celebrations
  2. The family is a legal entity recognized only by civil law
  3. The family is a place where only adults may pray together
  4. The family is a community where faith is shared, prayer is practiced, and children are formed in the gospel Correct answer.

Explanation

The phrase domestic church expresses that the home is a primary place where faith is transmitted through prayer, witness, and formation. Parents are described as the first educators of their children in faith, cooperating with the wider church community rather than replacing it.

Question 11Religious Education

Which principle best guides a catechist in adapting lessons for a group of young children?

  1. Present abstract doctrinal definitions in full technical language
  2. Avoid any reference to Scripture until adolescence
  3. Use concrete stories, images, and activities suited to their developmental stage Correct answer.
  4. Rely entirely on memorization of council documents

Explanation

Catechesis follows the principle that formation should be adapted to the age and capacity of learners, using concrete experience and imagery with young children. This respects developmental readiness while remaining faithful to the content of the faith.

Question 12Religious Education

What is the relationship between Scripture and Tradition in Catholic teaching?

  1. They form one sacred deposit flowing from a common source and are interpreted together Correct answer.
  2. Tradition supersedes Scripture whenever the two appear to conflict
  3. They are entirely separate sources with no mutual influence
  4. Scripture alone is authoritative and Tradition is merely customary practice

Explanation

Catholic teaching holds that Scripture and Tradition together constitute one sacred deposit of the Word of God, sharing a common source in Christ and the Spirit. They are not two independent revelations, and the church's teaching office serves their authentic interpretation.

Question 13Religious Education

A parish prepares adults for baptism at the Easter Vigil. Which period of the catechumenate focuses on the final purification and enlightenment before the sacraments?

  1. The period of purification and enlightenment during Lent Correct answer.
  2. The period of inquiry before any commitment
  3. The period of the catechumenate's initial evangelization
  4. The period of postbaptismal mystagogy

Explanation

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults structures formation in stages, and the period of purification and enlightenment corresponds to Lent, culminating at the Easter Vigil. It emphasizes repentance, prayer, and preparation for the sacraments of initiation.

Question 14Religious Education

Which statement correctly distinguishes mortal from venial sin in Catholic moral theology?

  1. Venial sin is always more serious than mortal sin
  2. Mortal sin requires only that the act be objectively wrong
  3. Mortal sin requires grave matter, full knowledge, and deliberate consent Correct answer.
  4. Venial sin always destroys the life of grace in the soul

Explanation

The tradition holds that three conditions must converge for a sin to be mortal: grave matter, full knowledge, and complete consent. When any condition is lacking, the sin is venial, weakening charity without severing the life of grace.

Question 15Religious Education

What does the doctrine of the Incarnation affirm?

  1. The eternal Son of God assumed a complete human nature in one divine person Correct answer.
  2. Christ's humanity was only an appearance without real flesh
  3. The human Jesus was adopted as God's son at his baptism
  4. The Father suffered on the cross in place of the Son

Explanation

The Incarnation teaches that the Son of God became truly human while remaining truly divine, united in one person without confusion or change. The Council of Chalcedon articulated this as one person in two natures, divine and human.

Question 16Religious Education

A catechist explains that grace is not a reward for good behavior. Which statement best captures the Catholic understanding of grace?

  1. Grace is a purely human achievement of moral self-improvement
  2. Grace is a reward granted only to those without sin
  3. Grace is God's free gift that heals and elevates human nature Correct answer.
  4. Grace is earned by accumulating a sufficient number of good works

Explanation

Grace is unmerited favor, God's own life shared with creatures, which both heals wounded nature and elevates it to participation in divine life. Good works flow from grace rather than earning it, and the tradition insists that even the beginning of faith is a gift.

Question 17Religious Education

Which of the following best describes the role of a creed in the life of the church?

  1. It replaces the reading of Scripture in public worship
  2. It records the minutes of ecumenical council meetings
  3. It is a private devotion used only by clergy
  4. It summarizes the core beliefs that the community professes together Correct answer.

Explanation

Creeds are concise summaries of the faith that arose from baptismal profession and conciliar clarification. Professing them together expresses and strengthens the unity of the community in a shared faith.

Question 18Religious Education

In the parable of the Good Samaritan, what does Jesus identify as the decisive response to the wounded man?

  1. Ritual purity maintained by avoiding contact
  2. Compassionate action that crosses social and religious boundaries Correct answer.
  3. A promise to pray for the man from a distance
  4. A legal ruling from the religious authorities

Explanation

The parable contrasts a priest and a Levite who pass by with a Samaritan who tends the wounded man at personal cost. Jesus then tells the questioner to go and do likewise, defining neighbor-love as concrete mercy rather than status or ritual correctness.

Question 19Religious Education

Which practice best reflects the principle of inculturation in catechesis?

  1. Adapting expressions of faith to local language and culture while preserving the deposit of faith Correct answer.
  2. Replacing core doctrines with local customs
  3. Teaching exclusively in a single global language
  4. Avoiding all cultural expression in worship

Explanation

Inculturation means the gospel takes root in a culture, so catechesis uses local language, symbols, and customs to express the one faith. It requires fidelity to the deposit of faith while allowing legitimate diversity in its expression.

Question 20Religious Education

A student argues that because God is merciful, repentance is unnecessary. Which response best reflects Catholic teaching?

  1. Mercy means that moral choices have no consequences
  2. God's justice and mercy are contradictory attributes
  3. Repentance is a human work that earns forgiveness
  4. God's mercy calls for conversion, and repentance is the human response to that gift Correct answer.

Explanation

Catholic teaching presents mercy as inviting conversion rather than excusing it, and repentance names the turning of heart and life toward God. The sacrament of reconciliation embodies this response, joining God's initiative with human cooperation.

Question 21Religious Education

Which statement best explains why the Church celebrates Sunday as the Lord's Day?

  1. It commemorates the creation of the world alone
  2. It was chosen because it was the only day available to early Christians
  3. It marks the anniversary of the Council of Nicaea
  4. It commemorates the Resurrection and replaces the Sabbath as the day of assembly Correct answer.

Explanation

Sunday is the first day of the week, on which the Resurrection occurred, and early Christians gathered then to break bread. It is celebrated as the weekly Easter, fulfilling the Sabbath's rest while commemorating the new creation in Christ.

Question 22Religious Education

In the Synoptic Gospels, which event marks the turning point where Jesus begins to predict his passion and journey toward Jerusalem?

  1. The raising of Lazarus
  2. Peter's confession at Caesarea Philippi Correct answer.
  3. The baptism in the Jordan
  4. The wedding at Cana

Explanation

At Caesarea Philippi, Peter confesses Jesus as the Messiah, and immediately afterward Jesus begins to teach openly about his coming suffering, death, and resurrection. This confession serves as the hinge between the Galilean ministry and the journey to Jerusalem.

Question 23Religious Education

Which formulation from the Council of Chalcedon most precisely expresses Christological orthodoxy?

  1. One person in two natures, without confusion, change, division, or separation Correct answer.
  2. A human person indwelt by God in a moral union
  3. One nature only, the divine nature having absorbed the human
  4. Two persons united in one nature

Explanation

Chalcedon defined Christ as one person in two natures, divine and human, each complete and unimpaired, united without confusion or separation. The four adverbs guard against both the merging of natures and the splitting of the person.

Question 24Religious Education

A catechist must explain how the sensus fidei functions in the Church. Which account is most accurate?

  1. It means that individual believers may define new doctrines privately
  2. It describes the pope's personal opinions on disputed theological questions
  3. The faithful, by the anointing of the Spirit, possess a supernatural discernment of the faith that cannot err in believing Correct answer.
  4. It refers to the majority vote of bishops at a council

Explanation

The sensus fidei is a supernatural appreciation of the faith given to the whole people of God, who cannot err in belief when they consent unanimously in matters of faith and morals. It operates under the guidance of the teaching office and is not a private or democratic authority.

Question 25Religious Education

Which distinction correctly describes the relationship between the theological virtues and the cardinal virtues?

  1. Both sets are acquired by repeated human effort alone
  2. Theological virtues have God as their object and are infused, while cardinal virtues perfect human conduct and can be acquired Correct answer.
  3. Cardinal virtues are infused only, while theological virtues are acquired by habit
  4. Theological virtues are natural and the cardinal virtues are supernatural

Explanation

Faith, hope, and charity are infused theological virtues whose object is God and which order us directly toward him. Prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance are cardinal virtues that perfect practical reason and conduct, and they can be acquired though also elevated by grace.

Question 26Religious Education

Which sacrament does the Catholic Church identify as the ordinary means by which a person is reborn in Christ and incorporated into the Church?

  1. Confirmation
  2. Anointing of the Sick
  3. Holy Orders
  4. Baptism Correct answer.

Explanation

Baptism is the sacrament of new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, and it is understood as the gateway to the other sacraments because it incorporates the recipient into Christ and the Church. The other sacraments listed presuppose or build upon that incorporation rather than replacing it.

Question 27Religious Education

In Catholic teaching, what is the essential effect of the Eucharist on the person who receives it worthily?

  1. It replaces the sacrament of Reconciliation permanently
  2. It unites the communicant with Christ and nourishes divine life in the soul Correct answer.
  3. It guarantees immediate entry into heaven without purification
  4. It erases the need for any further moral effort

Explanation

The Eucharist is described as the source and summit of the Christian life because it truly contains Christ and deepens the communicant's union with him, strengthening charity and the life of grace. It presupposes and perfects the other sacraments rather than cancelling them.

Question 28Religious Education

A catechist wants to explain why the Church calls the Eucharist 'the source and summit' of Christian life. Which statement best captures the reason?

  1. It is the sacrament most often recorded in the Acts of the Apostles
  2. It is the longest and most solemn of the Church's liturgical celebrations
  3. It is the only sacrament that may be celebrated on Sundays
  4. The whole life of the Church is gathered into it and flows from it Correct answer.

Explanation

The phrase from the Second Vatican Council means that every other sacrament, ministry and work of the Church is ordered toward the Eucharist and draws its strength from it. The point is the ordering of the whole Christian life, not length, frequency or biblical statistics.

Question 29Religious Education

Which of the following is the matter used in the sacrament of Baptism?

  1. Laying on of hands
  2. Bread and wine
  3. Natural water Correct answer.
  4. Oil of chrism alone

Explanation

Baptism uses natural water together with the Trinitarian formula, since water signifies both cleansing and the new birth into Christ. The other materials belong to different sacraments.

Question 30Religious Education

Which of the following correctly identifies the two parts of the Mass?

  1. The penitential rite and the final blessing
  2. The Liturgy of the Hours and the Liturgy of the Word
  3. The Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist Correct answer.
  4. The entrance procession and the communion rite

Explanation

The Mass has two principal parts, the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist, which are so closely joined that they form one act of worship. The other options name rites or elements within those parts.

Question 31Religious Education

In the liturgical year, which season prepares the faithful for the celebration of Christ's birth?

  1. Advent Correct answer.
  2. Lent
  3. Easter Time
  4. Ordinary Time

Explanation

Advent is the season of preparation for Christmas and also directs hope toward the final coming of Christ. Lent prepares for Easter, while Ordinary Time and Easter Time have different foci.

Question 32Religious Education

A teacher wants to show how the liturgical year forms Christian identity. Which example best illustrates this?

  1. Students list the names of the current bishops
  2. Students compare the lengths of the four gospels
  3. Students memorize the dates of all the Church's councils
  4. Students trace how Advent, Lent and Easter shape the community's prayer, fasting and celebration across the year Correct answer.

Explanation

The liturgical year forms identity by letting the mysteries of Christ shape the community's worship, penance and feasting in a recurring cycle. Tracing that shaping shows how time itself becomes catechetical, unlike memorizing unrelated facts.

Question 33Religious Education

Which statement best expresses the Catholic understanding of the Church as 'one, holy, catholic and apostolic'?

  1. These are four optional titles used only in formal documents
  2. These are four marks that describe essential qualities of the Church Correct answer.
  3. These are four councils that defined the Church's structure
  4. These are four stages the Church passes through in history

Explanation

The four marks name essential qualities of the one Church founded by Christ: unity, holiness, universality and continuity with the apostles. They are professed in the creed as characteristics of the Church, not as stages or optional titles.

Question 34Religious Education

A student asks why Catholics call the Church 'apostolic.' Which explanation is most accurate?

  1. Because the apostles wrote the whole Bible
  2. Because the Church is built on the apostles and continues their mission and teaching Correct answer.
  3. Because every bishop is personally chosen by the pope
  4. Because only clergy can belong to the Church

Explanation

The mark 'apostolic' means the Church remains founded on the apostles, handing on their teaching and mission through the succession of bishops. It concerns continuity in faith and mission, not personal appointment or authorship.

Question 35Religious Education

What does the term 'Magisterium' refer to in Catholic teaching?

  1. The teaching authority of the bishops in communion with the pope Correct answer.
  2. The group of theologians who advise universities
  3. The body of canon lawyers who draft Church law
  4. The committee that selects liturgical readings

Explanation

The Magisterium is the teaching office of the Church exercised by the pope and the bishops in communion with him. It is entrusted with guarding and interpreting the deposit of faith, not with drafting law or choosing readings.

Question 36Religious Education

Which statement correctly describes the Catholic understanding of the Bible's inspiration?

  1. The biblical authors wrote as mere secretaries taking dictation
  2. God is the author of Scripture, working through human authors who wrote in their own styles Correct answer.
  3. Only the New Testament is inspired
  4. The Church wrote the Bible to replace oral tradition

Explanation

Catholic teaching holds that God is the author of Scripture and acted through genuinely human authors, so that the books are both fully divine and fully human in origin. This rules out both dictation and purely human authorship.

Question 37Religious Education

A catechist is helping students interpret a difficult biblical passage. Which principle is most consistent with Catholic teaching?

  1. Any private interpretation is equally reliable
  2. Attention must be given to the literary forms, the unity of Scripture and the Church's living tradition Correct answer.
  3. Only the literal surface meaning of each word matters
  4. The passage should be ignored if it seems difficult

Explanation

Catholic interpretation attends to the human author's intention, literary genres, the coherence of the whole canon and the Church's tradition and teaching. This guards against both private arbitrariness and flat literalism.

Question 38Religious Education

Which book of the Bible is a collection of hymns and prayers traditionally associated with King David?

  1. Isaiah
  2. Genesis
  3. Psalms Correct answer.
  4. Proverbs

Explanation

The Psalms are the Bible's great collection of hymns, laments and prayers, traditionally linked to David and used constantly in the Church's liturgy. The other books belong to different genres.

Question 39Religious Education

Which of the following best describes the purpose of a parable in Jesus' teaching?

  1. To record the exact wording of synagogue prayers
  2. To invite listeners to reflect and to confront them with a choice about the kingdom Correct answer.
  3. To replace the Law with a new legal code
  4. To supply historical details about Roman administration

Explanation

Parables use familiar images to provoke reflection and to challenge hearers to respond to the reign of God. They are not administrative records, legal codes or prayer texts.

Question 40Religious Education

What does the Church's teaching on the communion of saints affirm?

  1. That only canonized saints can pray for others
  2. That all Christians are united in Christ with the saints in heaven and the souls being purified Correct answer.
  3. That the saints replace the need for personal prayer
  4. That the saints are venerated with the same worship given to God

Explanation

The communion of saints is the shared life of grace uniting the pilgrim Church, the saints in glory and those being purified, so that prayer and mutual help flow among them. It does not abolish personal prayer or confuse veneration with worship.

Question 41Religious Education

Why does the Catholic tradition venerate Mary under the title 'Theotokos'?

  1. Because she replaced the apostles as head of the Church
  2. Because she was the first disciple to be martyred
  3. Because she wrote one of the four gospels
  4. Because she is acknowledged as the Mother of God, since the one she bore is truly God Correct answer.

Explanation

The title Theotokos, affirmed at the Council of Ephesus, safeguards the truth that the child born of Mary is one divine person, so she can rightly be called the Mother of God. The title concerns Christology, not martyrdom or governance.

Question 42Religious Education

A catechist explains the doctrine of original sin. Which statement best captures the Catholic understanding?

  1. It applies only to those who commit serious sins in adulthood
  2. It describes a wound to human nature, inherited as a lack of grace, whose effects all people experience Correct answer.
  3. It means every person is personally guilty of Adam's act
  4. It teaches that human nature is entirely evil

Explanation

Catholic teaching describes original sin as a privation of original holiness and a wound to human nature that affects all people, not as personal guilt for Adam's deed. Human nature remains good even though wounded.

Question 43Religious Education

Which of the following is one of the four traditional cardinal virtues?

  1. Prudence Correct answer.
  2. Hope
  3. Faith
  4. Charity

Explanation

The cardinal virtues are prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance, acquired by human effort and perfected by grace. Faith, hope and charity are the theological virtues, infused by God.

Question 44Religious Education

A student claims that conscience is simply a private feeling about right and wrong. Which response best reflects Catholic moral teaching?

  1. Conscience is a feeling that cannot be mistaken
  2. Conscience is the same as public opinion
  3. Conscience is a judgment of reason that must be formed by truth and the Church's teaching Correct answer.
  4. Conscience may be safely ignored when it is inconvenient

Explanation

Catholic teaching describes conscience as a judgment of practical reason by which a person recognizes the moral quality of an act and is called to form it carefully in truth. It is more than emotion and must be educated rather than ignored.

Question 45Religious Education

What does the Church mean by 'social sin'?

  1. The accumulation of personal sins that create structures or situations contrary to God's law Correct answer.
  2. A sin committed only during public worship
  3. A sin that is automatically forgiven by society
  4. A crime prosecuted only by civil courts

Explanation

Social sin refers to situations and structures of injustice that result from personal sins and in turn make sinful choices easier for others. It does not remove personal responsibility but shows how sin spreads through communities.

Question 46Religious Education

Which principle of Catholic social teaching holds that the goods of creation are destined for the whole human race?

  1. The universal destination of goods Correct answer.
  2. The preferential option for the wealthy
  3. The principle of subsidiarity
  4. The principle of solidarity

Explanation

The universal destination of goods teaches that creation is intended for the benefit of all people, which grounds the duty of charity and the right use of property. Subsidiarity and solidarity concern the ordering of society and mutual responsibility.

Question 47Religious Education

A parish is deciding how to respond to families in need. Which action best embodies the principle of solidarity?

  1. Sharing resources and committing to walk with those families over time Correct answer.
  2. Providing occasional advice without any relationship
  3. Sending an anonymous donation and avoiding contact
  4. Urging the families to solve the problem entirely alone

Explanation

Solidarity is a firm and persevering commitment to the common good, expressed in concrete sharing and sustained relationship rather than distance. It goes beyond advice or anonymous giving to genuine accompaniment.

Question 48Religious Education

Which statement best explains the relationship between freedom and moral responsibility in Catholic teaching?

  1. Freedom and responsibility are unrelated
  2. Freedom means doing whatever one wishes without limits
  3. Freedom is the capacity to choose the good, and it grows as one is freed from sin Correct answer.
  4. Only those without any constraints are morally responsible

Explanation

Catholic teaching understands freedom as the power to act deliberately and to choose the good, a freedom that is wounded by sin and healed by grace. Responsibility grows with freedom, so the two are closely linked rather than opposed.

Question 49Religious Education

A catechist is asked how the Church's moral teaching relates to the dignity of the human person. Which answer is most accurate?

  1. Moral norms apply only to the clergy
  2. Moral norms protect human dignity because they concern the true good of persons made in God's image Correct answer.
  3. Moral norms are independent of any understanding of the human person
  4. Moral norms are conventions that may be revised to suit culture

Explanation

Catholic morality is grounded in the dignity of the person created in God's image and called to beatitude, so its norms serve genuine human flourishing. The norms are not mere conventions, clergy-only rules or detached from anthropology.

Question 50Religious Education

Which of the following best describes the role of prayer in the life of a Christian according to Catholic teaching?

  1. An obligation limited to the ordained
  2. A substitute for moral effort
  3. A purely private activity with no communal dimension
  4. A living relationship with God expressed in many forms, including personal and liturgical prayer Correct answer.

Explanation

Prayer is understood as a living relationship with God that takes many forms, from silent personal prayer to the public liturgy, and it accompanies and sustains moral life. It is not a replacement for effort or reserved to the clergy.