THEO 211L: The Creed (Intro to Roman Catholicism)

by Father Thomas Dowd

Course outline

This course outline is also available for download as a PDF document.

Lectures: Wednesday, 6:00 pm to 8:15 pm, Campus Port-de-mer (Longueuil)

Instructor: Fr. Thomas Dowd, (514) 925-4300 x260, dowd@hotmail.com

Office hours: By appointment only.

Department: Theological Studies, SGW campus, D-annex, (514) 848-2424 ext. 2475

Final exam date, time and location: April 16, 2008, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., room H-603-1 — STUFF TO KNOW FOR THE FINAL (partial set)

Course description

Throughout their history Christians have used creeds to provide a succinct summary and exposition of their doctrine. This course provides an overview of the content of the Apostle’s Creed as understood by the Roman Catholic Church, using the Catechism of the Catholic Church as the main source text.

This course also attempts to show how these various “pieces of the puzzle” fit together to form a consistent whole. Students can expect to not only deepen their knowledge of Christian doctrine, but also see what patterns of life logically flow from that doctrine.

Texts:

Please bring a Bible with you to class (both Old and New Testaments, preferably with Apocrypha).

Workload and assessment

Each student is expected to attend the lectures and is responsible for the material taught during those lectures. Students are highly encouraged to form study groups to be able to complete each others’ lecture notes. The final grade will be determined by two exams, a mid-term and a final (each worth 50%).

The conversion table for converting number grades to letter grades is as follows:


A+ 95-100 B+ 80-84.5 C+ 67-69.5 D+ 57-59.5
A 90-94.5 B 75-79.5 C 63-66.5 D 53-56.5
A- 85-89.5 B- 70-74.5 C- 60-62.5 D- 50-52.5

The failing grades are as follows:

FNS: this is your grade if your total is below 50%; the “NS” refers to the fact that there is no supplemental exam

FNS-DNW: this is your grade if your grade is below 50% and you did not write the final exam (this is the meaning of the DNW)

NR this is your grade if you wrote neither the mid-term nor the final; your grade is therefore zero

Students with disabilities are expected to apply to the Office for Disabled Students should they require special consideration for the course. Students unable to meet the evaluation requirements due to illness or other personal causes should speak with the professor to see if alternate arrangements can be made.

Schedule of topics and exams

Note: the order of these topics may be rearranged by the teacher should this prove necessary. As well, the teacher reserves the right to introduce substitute topics.

January 9 — The possibility of knowing God

  • Types of revelation: general and special
  • The response to revelation: faith
  • Transmission of faith: scripture and tradition
  • Creeds: part of the tradition

January 16 — God

  • God as ultimate being
  • The living God
  • God as Love
  • The Triune God

January 23 — Creation

  • Why did God create the universe?
  • How did God create the universe?
  • Matter, angels, and human beings
  • Theology of the body
  • Divine providence and secondary causes

January 30 — Evil and salvation

  • The problem of evil
  • Salvation history

February 6 — Jesus, Son of God and Son of Mary

  • The titles of Jesus
  • The Word made Flesh
  • Mary, the new Ark of the Covenant

February 13 — The earthly life and ministry of Jesus

  • The mysteries of Jesus’ hidden life
  • Jesus and Israel
  • Jesus’ public life and ministry

February 20 — SPRING BREAK

February 27 — Mid-term exam (50%)

March 5 — The sacrifice of Christ

  • The sacrificial structure of human culture
  • Why did Christ have to die?
  • The Eucharistic sacrifice

March 12 — The restoration of creation

  • The Resurrection
  • The Ascension
  • The Parousia (second coming)
  • The sending of the Holy Spirit

March 19 — HOLY WEEK STUDY DAY

March 26 — The Church (I)

  • The Church in God’s plan
  • One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic
  • Bride and Bridegroom
  • The Communion of Saints

April 2 — The Church (II)

  • Continuation of previous week
  • Course evaluation

April 9 — Human destiny

  • Joining the restored humanity
  • What happens when we die
  • Eternal life