Germany Jahrgangsstufe 12 Catholic Religious Education
Chapters: 2
1. Human personhood in light of faith
The question: Who am I? · Christian image of the human
- Personal Identity: Who Am I? – Personal identity asks what makes you the person you are, and what keeps you the same person over time. We can see the self in layers: body, social roles, character and values, and the inner "I" that thinks and chooses. The ship of Theseus puzzle shows that things can change part by part, so sameness is not obvious. The body view says you are your living body; the memory or psychological view (Locke) says you are linked to your past by memories and character; religious views speak of a lasting soul (ātman, soul) that gives every human dignity; Hume and Buddhist thought see the self as a changing stream with no fixed core. Self-knowledge ("know thyself") helps us grow, and moral autonomy (Kant) means acting on rules we have reasoned out ourselves rather than on pressure alone. Teenage years are a key time for building identity (Erikson).
2. Human transcendence in light of faith
Humans searching for God · God seeking humans: revelation
- Faith and Reason – People reach the question of God by different paths: wonder at nature, community, prayer, or suffering. Religion is a shared tradition, religiosity is a person's own link to it, and faith is trust. Thinkers disagree whether faith and reason clash or work together. Positivism accepts only statements that experience can check. The classic arguments for and against God each carry weight, but none ends the debate. This lesson explains the views and does not tell you what to believe.