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.
Register for this course today and explore the teachings, practices, and history of the world religions in light of the teachings and practices of the Catholic Church.
Total classes: 12
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 10th to 12th grade
Suggested credit: 1-semester Theology
Description
Many of the inhabitants of the world are not Christian. In this course we will explore the teachings, practices, and history of the world religions in light of the teachings and practices of the Catholic Church.
Outline
Class 1: Introduction and What is religion?
Class 2: Types of Religion
Class 3: The Church’s teachings on other religions
Class 4: Judaism (Our elder brothers in faith)
Class 5: Islam
Class 6: Hinduism
Class 7: Buddhism
Class 8: Confucianism and Taoism
Class 9: Jainism, Sikhism, Baha’i
Class 10: Mormonism
Class 11: New Age
Class 12: Summary and Final Exam Prep
Materials and Homework
Materials:
Breuilly, Elizabeth, Joanne O’Brien, Martin Palmer. Religions of the World: The Illustrated Guide to Origins, Beliefs, Traditions & Festivals. ISBN-13: 978-0816062584 We suggest buying a used copy. (bookfinder.com)
Vatican II. Dogmatic Constitution on the Church: Lumen gentium (1964)
Vatican II. Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions, Nostra Aetate (1965)
Pontifical Council for Culture and Pontifical Council for Interfaith Dialogue. Jesus Christ, the Bearer of the Water of Life.
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Declaration on the Unicity and Salvific Universality of Jesus Christ and the Church. Dominus Jesus (2000)
Optional:
The BBC web page has a page dedicated to each of many major religions, including the ones we are studying in this course. The perspective is not Catholic. The pages have lots of good information, but also some slanted material. Please consult your parents before exploring these pages.
Supplementary reading may also be suggested to students.
Homework
Each week students will participate in discussion questions and/or quizzes. They will be required to write one 3-to-5-page essay from a list of approved topics and complete a final exam. Students should expect to spend 1 to 3 hours a week on homework.
Important Dates
Class dates: Wednesdays, September 4 to December 4, 2024. (No class Oct. 16 & Nov. 27).
Starting time: 4:00 PM Eastern (3:00 PM Central; 2:00 PM Mountain; 1:00 PM Pacific)
Duration: 55 minutes
