Tentative Syllabus for

Marquette Summer Institute In Christian Doctrine

Instructor: Patrick Carey

Office: Coughlin Hall 110

Hours: T,W,Th, 8:30 a.m.-12:00

or by appointment

ROOM: Cudahy Math, 143

REQUIRED TEXTS:

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)

P. Carey, The Roman Catholics in America (RCA)

Archbishop Rembert G. Weakland, O.S.B., "Catholic Identity: Claiming the Tradition in Our Day," (1992)

A Bible (Bring your own Bible: suggest The Catholic Study Bible, New American Bible if you have it)

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

The course is intended to provide elementary school teachers the opportunity to investigate and understand for themselves the basic doctrines of the Catholic Church. The course also intends to discuss how those basic doctrines and the religious practices that flow from them are related to contemporary American culture and to the religious circumstances that most teachers face in their own classrooms.

The course will begin with a sociological and cultural analysis of religion and religious practices in the United States today. It will proceed to an investigation of the struggle of the religious traditions to survive and to be meaningful in the context of the modern heritage of the Enlightenment and secularism. The general pattern of religious life specifically in the Catholic Church since the Second Vatican Council (1962 to 1965) will also be examined.

The class will be conducted by brief lectures and classroom discussions of the readings and the lectures. Part of each class, moreover, will be devoted to a specific discussion of how one can teach children the basic Christian doctrines and an investigation of the multiple means for education within the Catholic tradition but outside the classroom. The course will meet twice each day (8:30 a.m.--10:00 a.m.; 10:30 a.m. --12:00 p.m.) for three days during two weeks in June.

COURSE OUTLINE AND READINGS: (CCC refers to paragraph numbers, not page numbers)

I. American Cultural Background for Religion and Religious Practice

6.13 - 8:30 Introduction; read CCC, "Apostolic Constitution," and "Prologue"; and Weakland's "Catholic Identity"

6.14 - 8:30 American Catholicism since 1965; read Carey, 115-45.

10:30 Human Capacity for God, Revelation; read CCC, par. 26-184

6.15 - 8:30 God as Father, Trinity, Almighty, Creator; read CCC, par. 185-384

10:30 The Fall, Original Sin; read CCC, par. 385-421

6.20 - 8:30 Christ and Salvation; read CCC, par. 422-682

10:30 The Holy Spirit; read CCC, par. 683-747

6.21 - 8:30 The Church; read CCC, par. 748-975

10:30 The Sacraments; read CCC, par. 976-987; 1066-1134

6.22 - 8:30 Resurrection of the Body, Life Everlasting; read CCC, par. 988-1065

10:30 Conclusions

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. A reading of all assigned texts, attendance at and participation in class discussions.

2. Bringing bibliographies and other course materials back to your own schools so that the materials can be shared with teachers in your school after the Institute is concluded.

3. Identifying three or four insights gained from the Institute and presenting these insights or reflections to the teachers in your respective schools.

4. Providing concrete suggestions for the improvement of the Institute during and at the conclusion of this first summer session. Suggesting topics to be covered in subsequent summer institutes.