The Catholic Story: An Introduction to Catholicism
Instructor: Dr. Dan Toma, Associate Professor of Biology, Minnesota State University Mankato, Associate Fellow for the Natural Sciences in the School of Catholic Thought, John Paul II Newman Center, University of Illinois, Chicago.
Wednesdays: 6:30-8:20 pm. Fall Semester. Spring Semester.
Want to deepen your knowledge of the Faith? Do you have questions concerning the big picture of things from the Catholic perspective? Who/What exactly is God and what can we know of Him. What is our story of the creation and the universe? How is the universe structured according to Catholicism? Who/what are angels, Adam/Eve, Eden. How do I pray and what is the spiritual life? What is the Catholic Church itself and its sacraments, particularly the Eucharist? What is and how does the Mass fit in? How about morality and where/why does it fit into all this? What is the end of man and the purpose of things?
Catholics have a story, the true story of everything and how it all fits together. This course will cover the basics of the Catholic Faith under the framework of this story: the Catholic idea of creation and its purpose as synthesized by St. Dionysius the Areopagite and perfected by St. Thomas Aquinas. It will begin with God and who He is, the how/why of his creation and his creatures (angels, men, animals, plants) based on who God is, the nature of Jesus, the Church and the sacraments, how do we return to Him and enter into union with Him (the spiritual life), and our end in heaven. The course will consist of readings from the catechism, and selections from the Church Fathers from New Advent online. The format will be lectures and class discussion of the readings. This is a basic course; you don’t need a background for it, just a will to learn, study, and participate in discussions about the Catholic Faith.
Texts:
Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Way of the Pilgrim and the Pilgrim Continues His Way
Selected readings from the Church Fathers and Doctors on various websites.
Format: The course will consist of introductions by the professor, discussions about the readings, and conclusions by the professor.
Registration: Contact Gayle at [email protected]
Further information: Contact Dr. Toma at [email protected]