FALL SEMESTER 2010
1st Quarter: Sept. 13 - Oct. 21
Theology for Beginners
MONDAY EVENINGS 6:30PM-8:30PM
9/13 – 10/18
Professor : Rob Drapeau, MA.Ed.
This course is designed to provide those who have had no formal theological studies an introduction to theological principals and a deeper understanding of the major doctrines of the Church. Topics include: the Trinity, the nature of Man, Original Sin, Redemption, the Church, Mary, the Sacraments, and the Last Things. This class is an excellent way for recent converts, cradle Catholics, or people returning to the Faith after an absence to learn more about the Church and her teachings while deepening one's knowledge and love of God. It is also a good starting point for anyone who may be interested in further theological studies.
The Theology of Pope Benedict XVI
TUESDAY EVENINGS 6:30PM-8:30PM
9/14 – 10/19
Professor : Michael J. Lueken, MA, PhD Candidate
Not all popes are theologians. Benedict is not only a theologian, but has long been regarded as one of the greatest of all time. This course will explore some of the fundamental concepts of his thought concerning the meaning of the Christian life, relying on both his papal writings and his earlier writings. We will look at themes such as person, relation, truth, reason and faith, and the liturgy.
Learning Latin through the Rosary
WEDNESDAY EVENINGS 6:30PM-8:30PM
9/15 – 10/20
Professor: James Hanson, BA, JD Candidate
In this class, students will encounter the fundamentals of Latin by using the language to pray the Rosary. This centuries-old devotional prayer will be the school in which students learn the beauties of the Roman Catholic Church's "lingua propria." There's something for everyone. If you know nothing about Latin grammar, you'll leave the class with a firm grasp of the basics. If you've studied Latin before, you'll have the chance to incorporate the Latin "Rosarium" into your spiritual life. Enter into the joys of an ancient language that's still quite alive!
An Introduction to Natural Law
THURSDAY EVENINGS 6:30PM-8:30PM
9/16 – 10/21
Professor: Tom Lordan, MA, JD
In Western history and literature, there are examples of positive laws which persons somehow know it would be wrong to obey. So the question arises: Is there a "higher law"? If there is, how do we know what it is? How is such a law promulgated? Who promulgates it? Whom does it bind? When are we obligated to obey it? If we call the "higher law" "natural law," in what sense is "natural," and in what sense is it "law"? Is the "natural law" only a teaching of the Catholic Church? This course will consider the concept of "natural law." We will first consider a "common sense" approach to the subject through C.S. Lewis's The Abolition of Man. The principal part of the course will then consider "natural law," in the context of the subject of law more generally, as set forth in that part of Thomas Aquinas's Summa Theologica known as the "Treatise on Law." We will finish up with a consideration of some of the issues presented as dramatized in Robert Bolt's play about St. Thomas More, A Man for All Seasons.
2nd Quarter: Nov. 4 – Dec. 16
The Fourfold Gospel
MONDAY EVENINGS 6:30PM-8:30PM
11/8 – 12/13
Professor: Deacon Oliver Vietor, M.Div.
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John give us a picture of our Lord, and yet they each present Jesus from a different perspective. For example, at Jesus' baptism, who saw and heard what and when? The answer depends on which Gospel we are reading. This class will look at the development of each Gospel and at the particular characteristics of each, and then it will explore how they all work together as a whole. The primary text will be the Gospels themselves in the Revised Standard Version. This class is intended for anyone who wants to come closer to Jesus himself as he is revealed in scripture.
The Theology of Death
TUESDAY EVENINGS 6:30PM-8:30PM
11/9 – 12/14
Professor: Eric Twist, M.Div.
Beyond the physical definition, what exactly is death? Is there more to it than a simple passing from one state to another? Was there death before Adam and Eve sinned? How should death affect they way we live? These and many other questions will be explored.
The Great Heresies
THURSDAY EVENINGS 6:30PM-8:30PM
11/4 – 12/16
Professor: Rob Drapeau, MA.Ed.
Is your neighbor a heretic? Are you? How do you know? Heresy is a word that makes many people uncomfortable. Why? What exactly is a heresy and what makes one so dangerous? In this class we will examine the five major heresies that have threatened the Church throughout history and look at the effects they had--and continue to have--on the Church in the modern world. Starting with Arianism, we will move chronologically through history looking at Islam, Albigensianism, Protestantism, and Modernism. We will also discuss the best approaches for dealing with these heresies (or their modern equivalents) and learn important, practical principles for defending our faith charitably.