THEO 60222: Christian Doctrine for Catehiara



THEO 60222: Christian Doctrine for CatechistsJohn C. Cavadini, InstructorJune 16 to July 4, 20148:30-11:10God is Love (1 Jn. 4.16)“Love is the light – and in the end, the only light – that can always illuminate a world grown dim” (Benedict XVI, God is Love)This course is intended to serve as a resource for catechists and religious educators, but also for anyone desiring a synthetic overview of Christian doctrine with guided practice on how to communicate it to others. We will cover the material presented in the first two pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, namely, the Creed and the Sacraments. Readings will come mainly from the CCC, with some short readings in primary sources illustrative of the theology that forms its background. NOTE: All the brief, supplementary texts will be handed out in class, and will be presented in class. The main priority for preparation for class is reading the CCC texts. Objectives of this Course:To know what the Church teaches on the major Christian doctrines contained in the first two sections (“pillars”) of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, covering “Creed” and “Sacraments.”To “seek understanding” of these doctrines through theological reflection, with the aid of primary sources from the theological tradition, and through the guided attempt to communicate this doctrine to others.To become familiar with the CCC so that it can serve as a resource in catechetical and ministerial work. To see the relationship between knowing what the Church teaches, and beginning to “understand” what you know.To display what the Church teaches as a “system” of doctrine which hangs together, and in which each individual teaching is connected to all the rest.To assist students in their own seeking for faith, love, meaning and truth.The Instructor may be reached at Cavadini.1@nd.edu or 631-5510 (office, 344 Geddes, Institute for Church Life,) or 291-6404 (home). Required Text: Catechism of the Catholic Church. This text will be supplied free of charge to all students in the class. Teaching Assistants: Schedule of ReadingsMonday, June 16First 50 min: Introduction to the Apologetics of Love CCC ##1-25For further reference: General Directory for Catechesis, pp. 113-32, On the use of the CCC.See also, John C. Cavadini, “The Use of Scripture in the Catechism of the Catholic Church,” in Letter and Spirit 2 (2006), 43-54. Available in pdf at 50 min.: Natural Knowledge of God: CCC## 26-49. Third 40 min.: Natural Knowledge of God continued; Language for God; Brief Text from Stephen Hawking, The Grand DesignTuesday, June 17First 50 min: Revelation: CCC## 50-73; Second 50 min: The Transmission of Revelation: Scripture and Tradition: CCC ##74-141Third 40 min: Brief Text: Thomas Aquinas, Sum. Th. Q.1.1 on the need for “sacra doctrina”Wednesday, June 18First 50 min: Faith: CCC ##142-65;Second 50 min: Brief Text: C.S. Lewis On Miracles, chapter 1. Also: selections from Mother Teresa’s Letters, on darknessThird 40 min.: The Creed: ##166-97Brief Text: Augustine’s Sermon 212, “On the Handing Over of the Creed”Thursday, June 19First 50 min: Scriptural Introduction to God: Exodus 3.1-22; 33.1--34.8.Second 50 min.: Catechetical Introduction to God: CCC##198-231;Third 40 min.:Brief supplementary text: Augustine, Confessions 1.1-5Friday, June 20All Three Hours: The TrinityFirst 50 min: Scriptural Evocation of the Trinity: Gen. 18.1-15; Mark 14.32-42; 15.33-34;Second 50 min: Catechetical Evocation of the Trinity: CCC ## 232-267;Third 40 min: Evocation of the Trinity in Image: Rublev’s Icon of the TrinityCommentary on the Icon by Paul EkdokimovAnd, if we have time, Brief SupplementaryText: Augustine, The Trinity 9.12-14Monday, June 23First 50 min: Creation and Providence; The Problem of EvilCCC ## 268-324Second 50 min: Brief Texts from the Early Fransiscan Literature: St. Francis, “Canticle of Brother Sun” and related textsThird 40 min: Problem of Evil, Continued;Skim: CCC ## 325-354, the Angels; CCC ## 355-384, Human BeingsTuesday, June 24First 50 min: The Fall; Original Sin CCC ## 385-421Second 50 min: Two complementary accounts of the Fall: Brief Texts from Irenaeus (Against All Heresies) and Third 50 min: Augustine (from the City of God)Wednesday, June 25First 50 min: Incarnation: CCC ## 422-486, plus ## 1159-61 on images Second 50 min: Incarnation continued, plus Brief Text: Origen, On First Principles 2.6.1-2Third 40 min: Christ’s Whole Life is Mystery: CCC ## 512-98, esp. 512-21, 535-40Brief Text: selections from JPII, “The Rosary of the Virgin Mary”Recommended on Jews and Christians: John Paul II, Spiritual PilgrimageThursday, June 26First 50 min: The Atonement: CCC ## 599-623; Second 50 min: Brief Text: Augustine, The Trinity 13.4.13-18;Third 40 min: Burial, Descent into Hell, and Resurrection of the Lord: CCC ## 624-58Friday, June 27First 50 min: Resurrection (cont’d) and Ascension of the Lord: CCC ## 659-67, plus brief text by Josef Ratzinger/Benedict XVI, “Epilogue” from Jesus of Nazareth IIandIcon of the Women with Spices; and of the AnastasisWith explanations by EkdokimovSecond 50 min: Resurrection of the Body, Judgment, Heaven, Hell and Purgatory, Life Everlasting, Amen!CCC ## 976-1075 (NB: this is out of sequence from the last reading); Third 40 min: Brief Text selection from C.S. Lewis, The Great DivorceMonday, June 30First 40 min: the Holy SpiritSkim:CCC ## 683-747Second 50 min: The Mystery of the ChurchJohn 19.31-37; CCC ## 748-810Brief text from Augustine, Expositions of the Psalms, on the unity of Head and Body as the one ChristThird 50 min: The Marks of the ChurchCCC## 811-70(due to considerations of time, we can’t cover the rest of the article on the Church, ##871-945, on the offices and charisms in the Church, but it is fairly straightforward, to be used as a reference.Tuesday, July 1MaryFirst 50 min: John 2.1-11; 19.23-30 (re-read verses 31-37). CCC ## 487-511; 963-975; re-read ## 466; 721-26. Recommended Texts (not covered in class): Karl Rahner, Mary, Mother of the Lord;Hugo Rahner, Our Lady and the Church;Recommended Texts (not covered, but handed out, in class): J. Pelikan, brief selection from Mary through the Centuries on the Immaculate Conception plus a brief article by Ed Oakes on the same topic, offered for ecumenical appreciationSecond 50 min: The Icon of Our Lady of VladimirThe Communion of Saints CCC##946-62Third 40 min: Efficacious Signs: Brief Intro to the SacramentsCCC ## 1066-68, 1076, 1085, 1113, 1210-11 (NB, out of order), 1127-28, 1131Wednesday, July 2First 50 min: CCC ## 1210-1284, Initiation: BaptismRecommended book: Jean Daniélou, The Bible and the Liturgy, esp. c.1, on BaptismSecond 50 min: Initiation: Eucharist CCC ## 1322-37; 1362-81; 1396-97; 1405; skim the rest of the article on the Eucharist; Third 40 min.: Eucharist, cont’d. Brief Text from Benedict XVI, Sacramentum CaritatisThursday, July 3First 40 min: The Sacraments of Healing: Penance and Anointing of the Sick CCC ## 1420-1532Second 50 min: CCC ## 1533-1600, Service: Holy OrdersBrief Text from Sara Butler on the Church’s position on who can be ordainedSecond Hour: CCC ## 1601-1666, MatrimonyBrief Texts, published and unpublished, from John C. Cavadini on controversial issues associated with marriage.Friday, July 4No Class. Final Exam due by 5:00 pm.Course RequirementsPreparation of Assigned Readings and Attendance at all ClassesBrief Written Assignments, due most class days (80%); see explanation belowFinal Exam (20%). This is an open-book take-home final, due 5:00 pm on Fri., July 4.Class Participation will be used to adjust grades upward where applicable.“Brief Written Assignment” ExplanationThe CCC is punctuated at certain places by sections called “In Brief.” These sections are summary sections, attempting to encapsulate the doctrine in a brief way, perhaps suitable even for memorization. Our brief written assignments in this class take their cue from these sections. For any given segment of text we study from the CCC, the assignment is to write your own “In Brief” summary. When I say “any given segment,” I am thinking of the segments assigned for any given hour of the class in the list of readings above. Sometimes, for a very long segment, a part of the assigned segment is acceptable. Your “In Brief” summary should:Provide “access” to the essential teachingfor a particular audience which you will specify each time (for example: RCIA class at a suburban parish; business associates; college students sitting around talking about faith matters; Confirmation class in a predominantly Hispanic parish; eleventh graders in a rich suburban high school who could care less about religion; suburban parish women’s or men’s bible reading group for young adults; etc.). NOTE: audiences NOT ALLOWED: any audience in age or ability below high school students. The primary emphasis in this class is on learning and understanding the doctrine of the Church and the first requirement of the “In Brief” is that it demonstrates a clear and precise understanding of the doctrine. It is difficult to determine how precise an understanding of the doctrine one has if it is simplified to an elementary level.The idea is to communicate the essentials of the doctrine you are summarizing, in a way that does not “water down,” but grants access, to the teaching. Creativity encouraged. The best “In Brief’s” will Key the exposition of doctrine to the relevant sections of the CCC as you go along. This can be done in parentheses in your text.Preserve the language of the CCC where the language carries precision of expression that cannot be altered without erasing the precision. For example the word “person” in the doctrine of the Trinity cannot be replaced by “part” or “aspect.” To do so would be to change the doctrine itself. The point is to help the reader understand what “person” means in the context of Trinitarian teaching, not to replace the word.So: Use the language of the CCC in a way that preserves its precision but engenders understanding. For example, suppose you chose a Q and A format for an “In Brief”: Q. What is faith? A.“Faith is the “adequate response” to revelation (CCC #142).Q. What makes it “adequate”A. It is “adequate” because it is more than simply believing that what is revealed is true. It means believing it is true and accepting it as God’s invitation to be received as friends into His own company (CCC #142)Q. How is this done? A. By entrusting oneself to God wholly, in a way that would not be appropriate for any human being (CCC #150).Q. What does this mean?A. It means that, following the example of Abraham (CCC #146), and, even more, of the Blessed Virgin Mary (CCC ## 148-49), one “submits one’s intellect and will to God” (CCC #143), freely assenting to the whole truth that God has revealed, and embracing the trusting “obedience” to which faith invites us.In some way, connect the doctrine to the experience of the person or group you have chosen to address:In this case, perhaps the idea of “trust” provides opportunity for an analogy which both has points of comparison (for example, we submit ourselves or follow someone we “believe in”)As well as points of contrast (we never believe in any human being as fully as we “believe in” God, which is why we can say that faith is “certain” (CCC #157) while still remaining “faith.”The Scriptural examples of Abraham and Mary can be used to connect to our own experience, but from a Scriptural perspective. Use Scripture as encouraged by the CCC to fill out a catechesis that is full of image, person, story that connects to our experience without being reduced to our experience.In general, accept the invitation of the CCC to provide a Scripturally infused catechesis which is nevertheless doctrinally shaped. Learn the doctrine yourself by attempting to communicate it to someone else.“In Brief” means BRIEF. What is/are the one, two or three most important points? The ones that are essential, and that should be memorized, if anything were going to be memorized? And then what are subsidiary points, that aid in understanding? What would you say in a brief conversation with someone who wanted to know what you believed about X, Y or Z? Then, if you had more time, what else would you add?Whether or not you receive the full 80% of credit for this course requirement depends in part on how many of these assignments you turn in, and in part on their quality. In terms of quantity:11 assignments turned in = A for this course requirement (see below, however)*10 = A- (see below, however)*9 = B+8 = B7 = C+6 = C<6 = various levels of F, with 6 points of the overall 80 points credit for each assignment turned in. In terms of quality: The assignments will be graded √, √+, √-. For the first three assignments graded √+, and then for the next two, you get credit for one additional assignment (meaning that for the first 3 √+’s, you have to complete only 10 total for an “A,” and for the next two, only 9 total for an “A.” An assignment graded √- does not count towards the total; but if revised and turned in can be counted if the revision is graded higher. Only two such revisions will be accepted.Note that no “A-” grade will be assigned unless at least one of the assignments turned in is graded √+, and no “A” grade unless at least two of the assignments are graded check plus. If 11 assignments are turned in, but fewer than 2 √+ have been assigned, the grade will be A-. If 10 assignments are turned in and no check plus is assigned, the grade will be B+. Assignments will be returned to students the next day, with suggestions for improvement.Attendance Policy:Attendance is Required. Unexcused absences will lower the grade by one half-grade assigned for the number of assignments turned in (11 = A-; 10 = B+; etc.). These cannot be made up by accumulated check plusses. ................
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