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VOLUME 2: LIVING A CHRISTIAN LIFE

The User's Guide and Preface includes a key to the references within the text and in the footnotes along with other information likely to be helpful to serious readers.

Clicking on any chapter will open a summary of it. The responses to questions are longer than those in volume one. However, readers who wish to understand any part of the response to a question will do well to consider the question as a whole.

Preface and User’s Guide

Chapter 1: Faith, Religious Assent, and Reverence for God

Prologue to the chapter
A:  What theological view of faith does this chapter presuppose?
B:  Why reflect on the responsibility to keep one’s faith?
C:  What reasons point to the credibility of catholic faith?
D:  What about the “logical” case against faith?
E:  What about the practical challenges to faith?
F:  What is the only unanswerable reason for unbelief?
G:  Why is it good to be a catholic Christian?
H:  Which truths should one accept with Catholic faith?
I:  Should one assent to teachings which are not of faith?
J:  How should one cultivate and perfect one’s faith?
K:  How can one properly honor God and show reverence?

Chapter 2: Hope, Apostolate, and Personal Vocation

A:  What are the essential characteristics of Christian hope in God?
B:  How should one fulfill one’s responsibility to hope?
C:  What is the mission of the Church?
D:  How are Catholics’ apostolic responsibilities the same and diverse?
E:  What are one’s responsibilities in regard to personal vocation?

Chapter 3: Charity, the Eucharist, and Church Membership

A:  How can one fulfill one’s responsibility to love God?
B:  What is one’s chief responsibility in regard to worship?
C:  What other forms of worship are appropriate for Catholics?
D:  How should one foster the Church’s unity, peace, and vitality?

Chapter 4: Repentance, the Sacrament of Penance, and the Struggle against Sin

Prologue to the chapter
A:  How do responsibilities in this sphere fit into Christian life?
B:  What are one’s responsibilities to do penitential works?
C:  How should one use the sacrament of penance?
D:  What other means are to be used to overcome sin and its effects?
E:  What are one’s responsibilities for others’ moral welfare?
F:  What should Christians do to prepare for death?

Chapter 5: Seeking Moral Truth: Moral Judgment and Problem Solving

A:  Why consider responsibilities with respect to moral truth?
B:  What are the general norms for seeking moral truth?
C:  How can the moral norms needed for a Christian life be acquired?
D:  How can problems about norms and their application be solved?
E:  How can doubts about facts be resolved?
F:  When and how should better options be sought?
G:  When and how should emotions that bear on choices be criticized?
H:  How can partiality be recognized?
I:  How should residual doubt and moral perplexity be dealt with?
J:  How should one discern between or among good options?
K:  How should one resolve conflicts of duties?
L:  What are one’s responsibilities when deliberating with others?
M:  What are the responsibilities of moral advisers?
N:  Does this chapter provide support for proportionalism?

Chapter 6: Love, Justice, Mercy, and Social Responsibility

A:  What is the primary Christian responsibility toward others?
B:  What is justice?
C:  How does community generate responsibilities toward others?
D:  Does the common good take precedence over the good of each person?
E:  How does the social situation shape one’s responsibilities?
F:  How are justice and mercy related in practice?
G:  How does Christian love shape social responsibility?

Chapter 7: Equal Dignity, Communication, Interpersonal Relationships, and Restitution

A:  How is equal dignity consistent with diversity in social status?
B:  What are one’s responsibilities in communicating?
C:  What are one’s responsibilities with respect to promises and secrets?
D:  What are one’s responsibilities in voluntary associations and friendships?
E:  How should one exercise authority and practice obedience?
F:  When should one cooperate with those who are doing wrong?
G:  What are people’s responsibilities with regard to restitution?

Chapter 8: Life, Health, and Bodily Inviolability

A:  Why should human life always be treated with reverence?
B:  Is it always gravely wrong to intend to kill the innocent?
C:  When is it wrong to accept or risk death as a side effect?
D:  Is abortion always the wrongful killing of a person?
E:  Why is contraception always wrong?
F:  What are one’s responsibilities with respect to health?
G:  What other responsibilities are there toward persons as bodily?

Chapter 9: Marriage, Sexual Acts, and Family Life

A:  Why is every marriage a permanent and exclusive union?
B:  Is this theology of marriage consistent with the Church’s practice?
C:  What difference does the sacrament make to marriage?
D:  What are the responsibilities of spouses toward each other?
E:  What sexual acts are appropriate for Christians?
F:  What are the responsibilities of spouses in regard to children?
G:  What are the other responsibilities of family life?
H:  What should spouses do if their marriage is troubled?
I:  What are the responsibilities of those preparing for marriage?

Chapter 10: Work, Subhuman Realities, and Property

Prologue to the chapter
A:  What are one’s responsibilities with respect to work?
B:  How should people relate to subpersonal creation?
C:  How should people treat nonrational animals?
D:  What are the foundations of moral norms about property?
E:  What are people’s responsibilities with respect to their own property?
F:  What are one’s responsibilities as to others’ property?
G:  What are one’s responsibilities in transactions?

Chapter 11: Patriotism, Politics, and Citizenship

A:  What are one’s responsibilities with respect to patriotism?
B:  Why should one be a dutiful and law-abiding citizen?
C:  What are one’s responsibilities with regard to political activity?
D:  What are one’s responsibilities with respect to laws?
E:  How should citizens meet certain difficult civic responsibilities?