Università Roma Tre

Introduction

The nature and identity of the Catholic Church Brief historical survey, particularly of the beginnings; a structured community, founded by Christ and entrusted to the Apostles; notion of apostolic succession; doctrinal orthodoxy and important ‘heresies’ that sprout up; Jesus Christ as only saviour; universality of the Church.

Authority within the Catholic Church

The Holy See: the Pope (“Bishop of Rome”) and Bishops in communion with him; importance of Canon Law and the Catechism of the Catholic Church; ongoing development of doctrine; truth, dogma, and “re-formable” doctrines; hierarchical priesthood as a service to the sacraments; clericalism; Pope Francis’ style and priorities.

Ecumenism

The Roman Catholic Church in relation to the Orthodox Churches of the East; her relation to other Christian denominations (Anglicanism, Lutheranism, Presbyterianism); her relation to Judaism and the State of Israel; her relation to Islam and the Muslim world; a word on atheism.

The relationship between Faith and Reason

The difference between ‘knowing’ and ‘believing’; the universality of rational inquiry; contemporary controversies with philosophical schools; notion of ‘truth’; the natural law and general ethics; the Church’s appeal to Divine Revelation.

The Catholic Church and Darwinism

Notion(s) of evolution; common descent; ‘creationism’.

The Catholic Church and Intelligent Design

Contemporary controversy surrounding intelligent design theory.

REQUIRED READINGS:

• Michael Behe, The Edge of Evolution, pp. 1-102.
• What We Cannot Not Know, J. Budziszewski, pp. 3 – 27.
• Rabbi David Dalin, Ph.D., A Righteous Gentile: Pope Pius XII and the Jews.
• Charles Darwin, On the Origins of Species, excerpts.
• Dominus Iesus by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (August 6, 2000).
• Philip Jenkins, The New Anti-Catholicism, pp. 67-91; 93-112.
• Pope John Paul II, Fides et ratio (1998), excerpts.
• Pope Paul VI, Humanae Vitae (1968).
• Charles Rice, Fifty Questions on the Natural Law, pp. 286-294.
• Peter Seewald, Salt of the Earth,pp. 121-213.
• Wesley Smith, Culture of Death, pp. 81-122.
• George Weigel, The Truth of Catholicism, pp. 5-52.