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.
A lot of the parables that Jesus tells seem pretty straightforward, while others are somewhat mystifying (like that dishonest judge). The truth is, they all have much deeper meanings than a cursory reading can give to us. Register for this course to join us as we journey back to the first century, get a feel for the culture Jesus lived in, and solve the puzzle of the parables!
Total classes: 8
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th grade. Advanced 8th-grade students are welcome.
Suggested credit: ½ semester Theology or New Testament Scripture.
Description
This course will dive deep into the parables of Jesus, to situate and interpret them in their first-century context. We will look at how Jesus uses the parables to teach, rebuke, and prophesy. There are many aspects of our Catholic faith embedded into the parables that we miss when we read them at a surface level. So we will, with Jesus as our guide, lift the veil that often shrouds these stories and get to the root of what Jesus is telling us.
Special notes: Includes a writing component.
Outline
Week 1: What is a Parable? What is Jesus Trying to Tell Us by Using Them?
Week 2: Kingdom Parables
Week 3: Parable of the Sower; The Sermon on the Mount Connection; The Pharisee and the Tax Collector
Week 4: The Good Samaritan and the Unmerciful Servant
Week 5: The Dishonest Steward and the Unrighteous Judge
Week 6: The Two Sons and the Ten Talents
Week 7: The Parable of the Faithful Servant
Week 8: Review
Materials and Homework
Course materials: Catholic Bible, a notebook, colored pencils & a ballpoint pen (for Bible marking, if desired). All reading materials will be provided free by the instructor.
Homework:
Weekly Reading and Lectio Divina Passages
Short weekly quizzes to check comprehension of main ideas
Final exam over main points of the class
Short Paper Project. This will be a 2-page paper on a parable of the student’s choosing. Due at the end of the course.
Estimated time on homework per week outside of the classroom will be about 30 minutes, not including the Paper Project
