Christ My Future - Curriculum
Friendship,
Charity, and Christian Culture—A Beautiful
Future
Friendship,
which Aristotle holds as necessary for the happy life, is
the flower of society—laws
and justice are aimed at providing the conditions for friendship
to blossom. The purpose of this seminar is to investigate
the combination of classical philosophy on friendship (Plato,
Aristotle, Cicero) and Christian caritas (Gospel
of St. John, St. Augustine). The first section of the Holy
Father’s encyclical, Deus
Caritas Est, is a source of inspiration for this theme.
Based upon the thought of these great masters, we hope to deepen
our understanding of the nature of friendship and friendly
relations from the perspective of philosophy and literature,
and to rediscover the role of Christian self-confidence (humility
in the true sense) in order to encounter others in a fair and
rich way. This applies to many levels of human interaction,
from close friendships to establishing friendly relationships
with other cultures and religions.
Justice and
Its Limits—A
Future Beyond Justice
In the history of thought, much time and many texts are devoted
to the theme of justice. Indeed, in a world battling injustice
on so many fronts, the necessity of justice appears ever more
urgent. But if justice alone were to reign, what sort of a
world would that be? Would it be enough? Would man flourish
and thrive, or would he be crushed under the weight of justice?
Taking as our guide classical texts on justice from Plato and
Aristotle, to Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, we will
explore justice, its role in society, its limits, and what
is necessary beyond justice for a fully human life and a fully
human future.
The Message
of Divine Mercy—The
Past Century and the Future
John Paul II wrote in Dives in Misericordia that “mercy
becomes an indispensable element for shaping mutual relationships
between people in a spirit of deepest respect for what is human
and in a spirit of brotherhood.” A unique perspective
on the truth of mercy can be gained from St. Faustina’s
message of Divine Mercy, a message only fully understood within
the biblical conception of divine mercy as well as the historical
context of the disasters of the twentieth century. A careful
consideration of the biblical background will provide an opportunity
to grasp some basic concepts of biblical Hebrew and Greek,
while the historical inquiry will prepare us to see more clearly
the way into a future rooted in divine mercy.
The Gift of
the Catechism—Securing
our Future
Before ascending to the throne of Peter, Cardinal Ratzinger
made the comment that the Catechism was one of the
best fruits of the Second Vatican Council. With depth and insight,
this rich, multi-layered document presents the Catholic faith
in all of its splendor and power. In this seminar, we will
take a tour of those texts pertinent to justice, mercy, and
charity, a tour led by one who helped in the writing and preparation
of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for publication.
Bringing the profundity of this great text to bear on the themes
that will arise in the course of our other seminars, we will
deepen our understanding and secure our future in Christ.
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