Students will learn practical apologetics to equip them for explaining and defending Catholic beliefs, as well as bring them to a better understanding of their Catholic faith. Multiple apologetics arguments will be explored to deal with specific Protestant objections. Students will also learn arguments for the existence of God. All of this will be taught alongside general strategies and tactics for dealing with any apologetics situation.
Students will learn practical apologetics to equip them for explaining and defending Catholic beliefs, as well as bring them to a better understanding of their Catholic faith. Multiple apologetics arguments will be explored to deal with specific Protestant objections. Students will also learn arguments for the existence of God. All of this will be taught alongside general strategies and tactics for dealing with any apologetics situation.
Class 1 – Introduction to Apologetics: Rules of Engagement; 4 Apologetics Strategies
Class 2 – What is truth? Is there such a thing as truth? Moral Relativism
Class 3 – The Case for God – Creation/The Universe; The Problem of Evil; The Moral Dilemma; Rights and the Declaration; Leprechauns/Unicorns; A Walk Through the Woods
Class 4 – Faith vs. Science? Genesis and Evolution; The Faith of Atheists
Class 5 – The Case for Jesus: Historical Sources — Christian/Non-Christian; The Bible
Class 6 – The Case for the Catholic Church — Historical Sources; The Papacy; Miracles; Protestants
Class 7 – The Pillars of Protestantism — Sola Scriptura
Class 8 – The Pillars of Protestantism — Sola Scriptura/Sola Fide
Class 9 – Sola Fide (conclusion)
Class 10 – The Sacraments and the Bible — Baptism/Confession/Eucharist
Class 11 – Mary/Purgatory
Class 12 – The Pope
Class 13 (Bonus) – Once Saved, Always Saved?
Course Materials: Catholic Bible; Catechism of the Catholic Church; Written and audio materials free from www.biblechristiansociety.com
Homework: Expect to spend two to three hours per week reading selections from Bible Christian Society “Apologetics for the Masses” newsletter; as well as passages from the Bible and selected paragraphs of the Catechism; plus listening to audio from www.biblechristiansociety.com. There will be regular computer-graded quizzes plus a midterm and final exam (short essays).