Loyola University Chicago

Instructor: Rev. Bernard O'Connor, SJ

Meeting Day: Wednesday

Meeting Times: 3:40 - 6:10 pm

Purpose:

THEO 179 is intended to offer a broad introduction to Catholic thought.  Course content is set in the framework of Rome as the context of the Church’s central administration.  For example, during the first session (September 10), students will learn how the Holy See is organized.  Course themes subsequently will relate to the theological mission which motivates that organizational structure.

Learning Outcomes:

Students may acquire:

•  a knowledge of specific core concepts of the Catholic system of belief;
•  the ability to understand how to proceed with personal investigation of faith-related issues and subject matter beyond the course parameters;
•  an awareness of how to respond to the prevalence of bias and ‘conditioned ignorance’ prevalent throughout our society (e.g. in the media, statements of politicians, etc.);
•  comprehension of the Church’s universality, and how this differs from non-denominationalism and such other self-generated, localized movements;
•  realization of the defects of a ‘Bible only’ approach;
•  capacity to critique the popular social trend which is incapable to distinguish between legitimate doctrine and the attitude of ‘opinion’ alone and ‘personal satisfaction’ are sufficient to qualify as norms of religion.

Expectations:

•  Attendance and participation in class are required.  The professor may reduce the Grade where even a single unexcused absence occurs.  A seating chart will be prepared following the introductory class session.  The seat you choose on September 10 is yours for the duration of the course!  This also enables the professor to become familiar with your names.
•  Students are expected to arrive promptly (for the beginning of class and also after designated Break periods), and to remain for the entirety of the scheduled class (e.g. no ‘escaping’ after the break period).
•  Students are to prepare the assigned readings for each class.  Where the professor deduces that such is not the case, a system of pop quizzes will be introduced and the grade format adjusted accordingly.
•  Cell phones are to be silenced during class sessions.
•  ‘Special needs’ students (recognized by the Loyola administration) are asked to kindly inform the professor so that appropriate accommodation may be provided.
•  Written assignments are to be submitted on the date designated.
•  Grammar and composition will be assessed.
•  Intellectual dishonesty (e.g. inappropriate incorporation of internet materials) will be reported immediately to the Loyola administration.

Class format:

3:40 – 4:45 – Session A

4:45 – 5:00 – Break

5:00 – 6:00 – Session B

6:00 – 6:10 – Summation/Announcements

Assessment (may be revised at professor’s discretion):

Participation – 10%

Essay 1 – 10%

Essay 2 – 15%

Essay 3 – 20%

Final Exam – 45%

In-class bibliography:

Students are required to prepare readings weekly from the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults (Washington, DC: USCC, 2006) and from C. S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity, (London, England: HarperCollins, 2002).  Any other edition of Lewis is acceptable.

      Further bibliography will be proposed on a regular basis.

      Students should refer to such web sites as (www.zenit.org ).

Essays: 

Three essays are assigned.  Each is to be approximately 5 pages in length (more is permissible, but not necessary).

Essay I (due October 1) pertains to Anne Rice’s, Christ the Lord out of Egypt, (New York, NY: Ballantine Books, 2006).  NOTE: Students are responsible only for the Author’s Notes section, and not for the novel portion which may be read as per your leisure.

       Theme:  What arguments did Anne Rice experience ‘against’ her re-conversion to Catholicism, and how did she resolve them?  Does her spiritual journey offer any value for your own relationship to God and to the Church? Explain.

Essay 2 (due November 7) involves Chapter 2 (ONLY) of When Science and Christianity Meet, ed. David C. Lindberg and Ronald L. Numbers, (Chicago, IL: University Press, 2003).  This is the essay entitled; “Galileo, the Church and the Cosmos.”

       Theme: Lindberg (a Protestant scholar) critiques the common notion that the Catholic Church was so unfairly ‘punitive’ against Galileo as to ‘prove’ that the Church is inherently hostile to science and technology.  How does his demythologizing balance with the mission of the Holy See’s Academy of Sciences (not to be confused with the Academy of Social Sciences)?

Essay 3 (due December 3) offers students a choice.  Select one of the following:

•  Carl E. Olson and Sandra Miesel, The Da Vinci Hoax, (San Francesco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2004);
•  Rabbi David G. Dalin, The Myth of Hitler’s Pope, (Washington, DC: Regenery, 2005);
•  Thomas Crean, A Catholic Replies to Professor Dawkins, (Oxford, England: Family Publications, 2007);
•  Alister Mc Grath and Joanna Collicutt McGrath, The Dawkins Delusion, (London, England: SPCK, 2007)

     Theme: Each of these authors responds to a case made against a belief central to Catholicism.  What does your selected text teach you about an educated Catholic’s responsibility to be an ‘apologist’?

                                         Course Themes/Reading Assignments

Sept 10 – Course introduction (e.g. explanation of Syllabus), The organizational system of the Holy See, basic terminology (e.g. Holy See, Bible, Tradition, ‘it’s a mystery’), Class exercise: objections against belief in God and against the Church.

Sept. 17 – The God question: Lewis Bk. 1, sections 1, 2 and 3; Catechism, Ch. 1, 2 and 5

Sept. 24 – No class due to Papal audience; Note: there will be a question on the Final Exam concerning the content of the Pope’s Message delivered during that audience; Makeup class will be held on October 3.

Oct. 1 – Jesus Who?: Lewis Bk.1, sections 4-5 and Bk. 2, section 1; Catechism, Ch. 7-8

Oct. 3 – Is the Holy Spirit a dove or a ghost?: Lewis Bk. 2, sections 2, 3, 4; Catechism, Ch. 9; Essay 1 due today (submit just after Break)

Oct. 8 – The Church as ‘organized’ religion: Lewis Bk. 2, section 5 and Bk. 3, sections 1, 2; Catechism, Ch. 10-11

Oct. 22 – Mary, the Saints, devotions, and are they meant only for the unenlightened?: Lewis Bk. 3, sections 3, 4, 5; Catechism, Ch. 12 and 22

Oct. 29 – Baptism, Confirmation, mere rituals for children?: Lewis Bk. 3, sections 6, 7 and 8; Catechism, Ch. 15-16

Nov. 5 – the Eucharist/Mass and the favorite retort: “I can worship better sitting under a tree with a Labatts?”: Lewis Bk. 3, sections 9, 10, 11; Catechism, Ch. 17; Essay 2 is due today

Nov. 12 – Sacrament of Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick:  “I can confess directly to God:” Lewis Bk. 3, section 12, Bk. 4, sections 1-2; Catechism, Ch. 18-19

Nov. 19 – Holy Orders and Marriage, Are these a contradiction?: Lewis Bk. 4, sections 3, 4, 5; Catechism, Ch. 20-21

Nov. 26 – Morality:  Is it simply what I presume to be right?: Lewis Bk. 4, sections 6, 7, 8; Catechism, Ch. 23-24

Dec. 3 – Prayer: Just talking to yourself?: Lewis Bk. 4, sections 9, 10, 11; Catechism, Ch. 35-36

A worthy motto:  The words ‘discipline’ and ‘disciple’ share more that an etymology.