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.
“Are you saved?” If you have not yet been asked this question by a Protestant friend, you will be in the future. How should Catholics respond? What exactly is the difference between what Catholics and Protestants believe about salvation? Do works matter? What does it mean to be justified? How am I supposed to understand all the technical details of salvation and why do I need to anyway?! If any of these questions have ever crossed your mind, if you have ever struggled to explain what you believe about salvation, or if you have no idea why all of this matters, this is the course for you! Our eternal life is staked on the Catholic view of salvation, so we will dive in and make it accessible to learn, and to teach others.
Total classes: 14
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 9th – 12th grade
Suggested credit: One (or 1.5) Semester of Theology
Special notes: Honors option is available on request. This course begins before Labor Day.
Description
This course aims to make the Catholic view of salvation accessible to students so that they can not only understand it well, but also be able to use their knowledge to defend their faith as well as evangelize. We will begin by looking at the circumstances surrounding Martin Luther’s break with the Catholic Church, and the Church’s response. From there we will break down the Catholic view of what it means to be saved, using Saint Paul as one of our main sources. We will look especially at terms that many of us use, but maybe cannot explain well, such as: justification, righteousness, and sin. We will then look at how God views sin, what Baptism actually does, and what it means to “participate in Christ.” The goal of this class is to remove our blinders, and fully understand the how and why of eternal life.
Outline
Class 1: The Split – Martin Luther and the Protestant Revolt
Class 2: What Does Paul Actually Say?
Class 3: Divine Contention
Class 4: The Contention Against Sin
Class 5: The Righteousness of God
Class 6: Faith and Righteousness
Class 7: Baptism and Participation in Christ
Class 8: Baptism and Justification
Class 9: The Law and the Works of the Law
Class 10: The Law, Sin, and Christ
Class 11: Life in Christ – Justification and Endurance
Class 12: Grace and Works
Class 13: The Council of Trent
Class 14: Recap and Application
Materials and Homework
Materials: All materials will be provided by the instructor
Homework: Homework for this class will be 30 minutes to an hour per week. It will consist of various smaller writing assignments, a few quizzes, and a final paper.
Important Dates
Class dates: Thursdays, August 29 to December 12, 2024. (No class Oct. 17 & Nov. 28)
Starting time: 4:00 PM Eastern (3:00 PM Central; 2:00 PM Mountain; 1:00 PM Pacific)
Duration: 55 minutes
