1. What is sanctifying (or habitual) grace according to St. Thomas Aquinas?
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A benevolent feeling God has towards humanity.
A transient divine help for a specific action.
A real, created quality that inheres in the essence of the soul, making it pleasing to God and a participant in the divine nature.
The good works that a person performs to earn salvation.
2. Why is grace necessary for human beings, according to the chapter?
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To heal the wounds of sin and to elevate human nature to attain its supernatural end of eternal beatitude.
To make life easier and more pleasant.
Because human nature is totally corrupt and cannot do any good at all.
It is not necessary, as law alone is sufficient to guide us.
3. What is the difference between operative grace and cooperative grace?
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Operative grace comes from the Old Testament, cooperative grace from the New.
Operative grace is for priests, cooperative grace is for the laity.
In operative grace God is the sole mover, while in cooperative grace God assists the will that is already in motion.
Operative grace is effective, while cooperative grace is not.
4. How does the chapter describe the modern "counterfeit of grace"?
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A spiritual movement that overemphasizes emotional experience.
A technological salvation that promises to "heal" finitude and "assist" us with algorithmic nudges toward worldly ends.
A political ideology that promises a perfect society through government action alone.
The belief that one can be saved through the study of philosophy.
5. According to Aquinas, can a person merit eternal life through their own natural actions without grace?
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Yes, if their actions are good enough.
Yes, but only for philosophers who understand the good.
No, because merit does not exist in Catholic theology.
No, because all merit for supernatural rewards is ultimately a gift of God, crowning works that His grace has enabled.