MATSEC SEC Religious Knowledge cheat sheet

The Catholic canon counts 73 books: 46 Old Testament and 27 New Testament; the Protestant canon counts 66, omitting Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, 1 and 2 Maccabees, plus Greek additions to Esther and Daniel.

Old Testament grouping in Catholic Bibles: Pentateuch (5), Historical books (16), Wisdom books (7), Prophetic books (18); the New Testament: Gospels (4), Acts, Pauline letters (14 including Hebrews), Catholic letters (7), Revelation.

Genres to identify: myth-like primeval narrative (Genesis 1-11), legal code (Exodus-Leviticus), historical narrative (Samuel-Kings), prophecy (Isaiah, Amos), wisdom saying (Proverbs), psalm/lament (Psalms), gospel (Mark), letter (Romans), apocalyptic vision (Revelation).

Dei Verbum (Vatican II, 1965) states Scripture must be read in the same Spirit in which it was written, attending to literary forms, the unity of the whole canon, the living Tradition of the Church, and the analogy of faith.

Senses of Scripture: literal sense (meaning conveyed by the words, ascertained by literary and historical study) and spiritual sense, subdivided into allegorical, moral (tropological) and anagogical.

Two-stage revelation: Old Covenant (promise, Law, prophets) and New Covenant in Christ; typology reads Old Testament events (Exodus, Passover lamb, manna) as prefigurations of Christ.

Inspiration and inerrancy: God is the author of Scripture, human authors wrote under inspiration; inerrancy is affirmed for the truth God willed to be communicated for salvation (Dei Verbum 11).

Key translation terms: Septuagint (Greek Old Testament, 3rd-2nd century BC), Vulgate (Jerome's Latin, late 4th century), Masoretic Text (Hebrew, c. 7th-10th century AD); the Dead Sea Scrolls (from 1947) witness earlier Hebrew texts.

Two creation accounts: Genesis 1:1-2:4a (seven-day schema, Elohim, humanity male and female in God's image, dominion) and Genesis 2:4b-25 (Yahwist, dust and breath, Eden, the rib, the serpent, the woman's offspring).

The seven-day schema ends in Sabbath rest (Genesis 2:2-3), grounding the Sabbath command; the order is light, sky, land and plants, lights, sea creatures and birds, land animals and humans, rest.

The Fall (Genesis 3): disobedience, shame, curses on serpent, woman and man, expulsion from Eden; Genesis 3:15 (the 'protoevangelium') is read as the first promise of a redeemer.

Covenant with Noah (Genesis 9): the rainbow as sign, applies to all flesh, with the Noachide commands; covenant is unconditional and universal.

Abraham's call (Genesis 12:1-3): leave land and kindred, promise of a great nation, blessing, and land; Genesis 15 (covenant of pieces) and Genesis 17 (circumcision, name change from Abram to Abraham) formalise it.

Abraham's test (Genesis 22, the Aqedah): the command to sacrifice Isaac, the ram substitute, and the reaffirmation of the promise; a key type of Christ in Christian reading.

Isaac, Jacob and Esau: the birthright and blessing (Genesis 25, 27), Jacob's ladder at Bethel (28), the name change to Israel at Peniel (32); Jacob's twelve sons are the ancestors of the tribes.

Joseph cycle (Genesis 37-50): the coat, sale into Egypt, Potiphar's house, dreams, famine, reconciliation, and Joseph's statement that God turned evil into good (50:20).

Exodus narrative sequence: oppression and infanticide, Moses' call at the burning bush (Exodus 3, divine name YHWH), ten plagues, Passover and the tenth plague, crossing the Sea of Reeds (Exodus 14-15), Sinai, golden calf, renewal.

The Decalogue (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5): first three/four commandments concern God, the rest neighbour; the numbering differs between Catholic/Lutheran and Reformed/Orthodox traditions.

Sinai covenant formula: 'I will be your God, you will be my people' (Exodus 6:7; Leviticus 26:12); the Book of the Covenant (Exodus 20-24) and the Holiness Code (Leviticus 17-26).

Law categories: moral (Decalogue), ceremonial (sacrifice, festivals, purity) and judicial (civil rules); Catholic teaching holds the moral law is permanently valid while ceremonial law is fulfilled in Christ.

Prophetic books: four Major (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel) and twelve Minor (Hosea to Malachi); pre-exilic, exilic and post-exilic settings matter for interpretation.

Prophetic call pattern: call and objection, commissioning, sign, message of judgement and hope; Amos stresses justice ('let justice roll down like waters', 5:24), Hosea covenant fidelity, Isaiah holiness and the remnant.

Messianic oracles: Isaiah 7:14 (Immanuel), 9:6-7, 11:1-2 (shoot of Jesse), 52:13-53:12 (Suffering Servant), Jeremiah 31:31-34 (new covenant written on hearts), Ezekiel 36:26 (new heart, new spirit).

Deuteronomistic reform: the discovery of the book of the Law under Josiah (2 Kings 22-23), centralisation of worship in Jerusalem, and the prophetic critique of empty ritual (Amos 5, Isaiah 1, Micah 6:8).

Infancy narratives only in Matthew (Joseph's dreams, magi, flight to Egypt, massacre of the innocents) and Luke (annunciation, Magnificat, census, shepherds, presentation, boy in the Temple); Mark and John begin with the adult Jesus.

Baptism by John in the Jordan, temptation in the wilderness, call of the disciples, Galilean ministry of healing and exorcism, and the journey to Jerusalem frame the synoptic career.

Kingdom teaching: parables (sower, mustard seed, prodigal son, good Samaritan, talents), Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12) and woes (Luke 6), the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4).

Peter's confession at Caesarea Philippi (Matthew 16:16) is the turning point; it is followed by the first passion prediction and the Transfiguration (Matthew 17; Mark 9; Luke 9).

Passion sequence: entry into Jerusalem, Last Supper with institution of the Eucharist, agony in Gethsemane, arrest, trials before the Sanhedrin and Pilate, crucifixion at Golgotha, burial, empty tomb.

Resurrection appearances: Matthew (women, then the eleven in Galilee), Luke (Emmaus, Jerusalem), John (Mary Magdalene, locked room, Thomas, lakeside breakfast), 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 (the earliest list).

Sayings on discipleship: take up the cross (Mark 8:34), love of enemies (Matthew 5:44), the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37-40), the Last Judgement scene (Matthew 25:31-46).

Titles of Jesus: Christ/Messiah, Son of Man (Daniel 7), Son of God, Lord, Lamb of God, Logos (John 1), High Priest (Hebrews); each carries Old Testament background.

Pentecost (Acts 2): the Spirit descends, Peter preaches, about three thousand are baptised; the Church's four marks (one, holy, catholic, apostolic) are rooted in this mission.

Acts structure: Jerusalem (1-7), Judea and Samaria (8-12), mission to the Gentiles (13-28); key episodes are Stephen's martyrdom, Cornelius' conversion, the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15) and Paul's journeys and Roman imprisonment.

Synoptic problem: Mark is generally held to be the earliest Gospel; Matthew and Luke share material with Mark and with a hypothetical sayings source Q; John is largely independent with a long farewell discourse.

Each Gospel has a distinctive stress: Mark on the suffering Messiah and discipleship, Matthew on fulfilment of Scripture and Church teaching, Luke on the poor, women, prayer and salvation history, John on signs, 'I am' sayings and incarnation.

Pauline letters: Romans (justification by faith), 1-2 Corinthians (community problems, resurrection), Galatians (freedom from the Law), Ephesians and Colossians (cosmic Christ), Philippians (kenosis hymn, 2:5-11), Pastoral letters (1-2 Timothy, Titus).

Catholic or general letters: James (faith and works), 1-2 Peter (suffering, false teaching), 1-3 John (love, truth, antichrist), Jude (contending for the faith); Hebrews presents Christ as eternal high priest.

Revelation: apocalyptic letter to seven churches, symbolic numbers (7, 12, 666), throne vision, Lamb who was slain, plagues, millennium, new Jerusalem; read as encouragement under persecution, not a timetable.

Council of Jerusalem decision (Acts 15): Gentile converts not bound by circumcision, but asked to abstain from idol meat, blood, strangled meat and unchastity; the model for later synodal discernment.

Trinity: one God in three distinct persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, of one substance (homoousios); the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (325/381) and the Athanasian Creed state the doctrine.

Key councils: Nicaea I (325, against Arius, 'consubstantial'), Constantinople I (381, divinity of the Spirit), Ephesus (431, Mary Theotokos), Chalcedon (451, one person, two natures in Christ).

Incarnation: the eternal Son assumed a complete human nature in the womb of Mary; hypostatic union means one divine person subsisting in two natures without confusion, change, division or separation.

Atonement images: ransom (Mark 10:45), sacrifice and expiation (Hebrews, Romans 3:25), victory over sin and death (Christus Victor), satisfaction (Anselm), moral influence (Abelard); Catholic theology holds them complementary.

Grace and justification: grace is a free gift, prevenient and sanctifying; Catholic teaching (Trent, Decree on Justification, 1547) affirms cooperation with grace and renewal, in dialogue with Lutheran and Reformed formulations.

Eschatology: particular judgement, heaven, purgatory (purification for the saved), hell, resurrection of the body, general judgement, new creation; the four last things are death, judgement, heaven and hell.

Creedal marks of the Church: one, holy, catholic and apostolic (Nicene Creed); the Church is sacrament of salvation and the Mystical Body of Christ (Mystici Corporis; Lumen Gentium).

Marian dogmas: Theotokos (431), perpetual virginity, Immaculate Conception (defined 1854, Pius IX), Assumption (defined 1950, Pius XII); Mary is Mother of the Church and model of faith.

Three sources of the moral act: object, intention and circumstances; an intrinsically evil act (for example direct killing of the innocent) cannot be justified by intention (Veritatis Splendor, 1993).

Natural law: moral norms knowable by reason apart from revelation; conscience must be formed and followed, but is not infallible (Gaudium et Spes 16; Veritatis Splendor 54-64).

Four cardinal virtues (prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance) and three theological virtues (faith, hope, charity); the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit accompany them.

Rerum Novarum (Leo XIII, 1891) begins modern Catholic social teaching: private property with a social mortgage, just wage, workers' rights and associations.

Key social encyclicals: Quadragesimo Anno (1931, subsidiarity), Mater et Magistra (1961), Pacem in Terris (1963, human rights), Populorum Progressio (1967, development), Laborem Exercens (1981, labour), Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (1987), Centesimus Annus (1991), Laudato Si' (2015, care for creation).

Catholic social principles: human dignity, common good, solidarity, subsidiarity, option for the poor, universal destination of goods, participation, care for creation.

Sermon on the Mount ethics: Beatitudes as the charter of Christian life, love of enemies, non-violence, almsgiving, prayer and fasting in secret (Matthew 5-7).

Life issues and the Fifth Commandment: direct abortion, euthanasia and direct killing of the innocent are excluded; legitimate self-defence and capital punishment are treated with the modern emphasis on dignity and rehabilitation (Catechism 2263-2267).

Seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, Matrimony; the first three are sacraments of initiation, the last two of service, Penance and Anointing of healing.

Sacramental formula and matter: Baptism (water, 'I baptise you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit'), Eucharist (bread and wine, words of institution), Confirmation (chrism, 'Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit').

Eucharist: real, substantial presence of Christ under the appearances of bread and wine (transubstantiation, Council of Trent, Session 13, 1551); the Mass is both sacrifice and banquet, with the Liturgy of the Word and Liturgy of the Eucharist.

Liturgical year: Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time, Lent, Easter Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil), Easter season, Ordinary Time, with solemnities, feasts, memorials and optional memorials.

Liturgy of the Hours: the Church's public prayer of the whole people of God, with the Office of Readings, Morning Prayer, Daytime Prayer, Evening Prayer and Night Prayer; psalms form its core.

Prayer forms: vocal, meditative and contemplative; the Our Father is the model prayer; lectio divina follows reading, meditation, prayer and contemplation.

Sacramentals (holy water, blessings, rosary, medals) differ from sacraments: they are instituted by the Church and dispose the faithful to receive grace.

Liturgical norms: the liturgical books (Roman Missal, Lectionary, Ritual) govern celebration; the homily is reserved to a bishop, priest or deacon, and the liturgical assembly participates actively (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 1963).

Apostolic and patristic era: persecution under Nero (64) and Diocletian (303), the Edict of Milan (313, toleration), Constantine's patronage, and the councils of Nicaea (325) and Chalcedon (451).

Monasticism and the medieval Church: Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-547), the Rule; the East-West schism of 1054; the Gregorian reform; the mendicant orders (Franciscans, Dominicans) in the 13th century.

Reformation and Catholic reform: Luther's 95 Theses (1517), Council of Trent (1545-1563) defining doctrine and reforming clergy and seminaries, the Society of Jesus (1540) and the Roman Inquisition.

Modern era: Vatican I (1869-1870, papal primacy and infallibility), Vatican II (1962-1965, four constitutions: Sacrosanctum Concilium, Lumen Gentium, Dei Verbum, Gaudium et Spes), the 1983 Code of Canon Law.

Malta's Christian origins: Acts 27-28 records Paul's shipwreck on Malta and three months' stay; tradition holds he founded the community, and the grotto at Rabat is associated with him.

Maltese Church history: the See of Malta with the Mdina cathedral; the Knights of St John (1530-1798) built Valletta and its churches; Grand Master La Valette and the Great Siege of 1565; the Inquisition palace in Vittoriosa.

Maltese saints and figures: St Publius (traditional first bishop of Malta, martyred under Hadrian), St George Preca (canonised 2007, founder of the Society of Christian Doctrine/MUSEUM), St Ignatius of Loyola's brief stay, and Blessed Nazju Falzon.

Modern Maltese Church: establishment of the diocese's institutions, the Maltese Episcopal Conference, the 1990 papal visit by John Paul II and 2010 visit by Benedict XVI, and the translation of the liturgy into Maltese after Vatican II.