Exodus

• The book of exodus has three parts: the call, the covenant, and the test
• The call: The call was when God called Moses to keep the covenant of Abraham. God appeared to Moses in the form of a burning bush. Moses felt unworthy so God gave him powers.
• The Israelites were known as the "chosen people" because they had a special responsibility to fulfill God's law.
• why were the Israelites chosen?

  they had a special responsibility to fulfill God's law.
• The covenant: God wanted us to treat one another well so he created the 10 commandments to keep their side of the covenant;
• The commandments contain rules that unite us with God and each other. The commandments are not to restrict our freedom but to provide freedom and peace within our community.
• The commandments have three purposes: to protect us, unite us, and guide us.
• God's law free us from slavery and sin
• Vocation: a call from God
• Oppression: Stripping away someone's freedom by excessive use of authority. Has lack of personal ownership
• freedom: our culture places a great emphasis on personal freedom which is often equated with unrestricted choice.
• Freedom in Judeo-Christian Tradition: true freedom is responsible to, and respectful of, the freedom and anatomy of others. It is a gift- the purpose of which is that we may seek God and respond to God's invitation to love.
• two types of freedom: Internal and external
• Internal freedom: freedom to make your own decisions
• threats to internal freedom: ignorance, short term pleasure, self-deception, vices, addictions, low self-esteem
• external freedom: freedom from outside control
• threats to external freedom: oppression from others, injustice, prejudice
• atone: make amends
• 3 categories of sin: Mortal sin, venial sin, and Social sin
• Mortal Sin: A conscious decision to turn away from God's love. This breaks our relationship with God
• Venial Sin: A sin that does not completely separate us from God such as lying
• Social Sin: A sin that offends human dignity such as racism
• 3 conditions of sin: knowledge, consent, serious matter
• Knowledge: sufficient knowledge or reflection
• Consent: full consent or free will
• Serious matter: causes real evil to oneself or another person
• What sin did the Israelites commit?

  The Israelites broke the number one commandment by praising the golden calf.
• What were the consequences of the Israelites' sins?

  The Israelites were forced to wander through the desert for 40 years until all the adults died except Joshua
• How were the Israelites like children?

  The Israelites were like children because they were asked to follow rules made by their guardian to protect them
• Conscious: to act with knowledge. A reasoned judgement, where a person recognizes the moral quality of something she is about to do
• Sin limits our freedom because it is the refusal to do God's will
• ten plagues: Nile turns to blood, frogs, gnats, flies, animals start to die, boils, hails, locusts, darkness, and death of the firstborn
• ritual: a series of actions performed and words spoken in prescribed order
• liberation: the Israelites were liberated from slavery in Egypt on the first Passover
• Seder meal: religious service where participants eat, pray, drink wine, sing, dance, and tell the story of the exodusis prescribed by central book called the Haggadah
• what is the importance of the Sinai covenant to the Israelites?

  The Israelites would become a holy nation if they followed the covenant
• What is the relationship between God and Humanity

  God of Moses values human life, self control and justice