This is our catalog of courses. We will occasionally adjust the course listing to reflect the addition of new courses and the retirement of others.
What are some of the basic things all educated Catholics should know? Sadly, most Catholics don’t know them! From the point of view of Literature and its impact on culture, these basic “everybody should know this” stuff would include the issues we will examine in each class meeting.
Total classes: 13
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th
Suggested credit: One semester credit of English
Description
What are some of the basic things all educated Catholics should know? Sadly, most Catholics don’t know them! From the point of view of Literature and its impact on culture, these basic “everybody should know this” stuff would include the issues we will examine in each class meeting …
The general scope of the Bible: what sort of books does it include and what’s the overall story it tells? How does the biblical narrative fit into the Great Empires of history?
Who is Job and why do people say, “the patience of Job”?
Who is Bathsheba and what happened to David because of her?
Who is St. Paul and why does he writing fill so much of the New Testament?
What is the Allegory of the Cave?
Who were the Church Fathers and why are they so important?
What were the Great Heresies and why should we care?
What is a Troubadour and what do they have to do with St. Francis?
What was the Reformation?
What happens in Hamlet?
Why do people think Descartes and Kant are so important?
What is the Enlightenment?
Where did capitalism, socialism and communism come from?
Who was Mark Twain and why don’t people read him anymore?
What are these famous quotes from great movies or novels that everybody seems to know?
What was Humanae Vitae and why should Catholics know what it teaches?
Outline
Introduction
Scripture – Genesis
Scripture – Job & David
Scripture – Exodus
Scripture – King David
Scripture – Job and Ecclesiastes
Philosophy – Touching on Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle
The Early Church and the Heresies that All Catholics Should Know
Dante’s Divine Comedy
But…but…but I hate Shakespeare!
The Reformation and the Enlightenment: the Modern World Begins
Modern Church Controversies, including Humanae Vitae and why it is important
Pop Culture and Review
Materials and Homework
Course Materials: PDF handouts from the Instructor
Homework: Quizzes and Final Exam (graded by the instructor). Plan on about 2 to 4 hours of homework per week outside of the classroom.
