Future Courses

Tolkien, Friendship, and the Pursuit of the Good, Part II ~ Dr. Helen Freeh
The second semester on Tolkien's great trilogy, The Lord of the Rings, studies how friendship strengthens the individual as well as the community. Countering modern tendencies either to exalt or to isolate the individual, Tolkien's work demonstrates that the bond of friendship is essential for the common action needed to confront and defeat evil. We will read both The Two Towers and The Return of the King. Students need not have taken the first part of the course in the fall. 

The Quest for Wisdom: An Introduction to Philosophy ~ Dr. David Arias
Beginning in wonder and ending in wisdom, the discipline of philosophy seeks to satisfy our natural human desire to know what things are and why they are the way they are.  In this seminar, we will follow Plato, Aristotle, and St. Thomas Aquinas as our principal guides in sketching answers to questions such as: What are the most fundamental causes of the universe?, Can we prove that God exists?, and, Are there moral absolutes?  

The Integrated Life: The Business & Economics of Higher Purpose ~ Geoffrey Friesen
The focus of this seminar is the study of Catholic Social Teaching and its application to Business. The course begins with an exploration of both the objective and subjective dimensions of human work articulated in a series of encyclicals by John Paul II. The course then moves on to discuss the necessity of Business for the promotion of the common good, human flourishing and Integral Human Development.  An overarching goal is to promote a more complete integration of one's faith and work.

On the Shoulders of Giants: Intorduction to Patristics ~ Dr. Pepino
St. John Newman said of the Church Fathers: “They are witnesses to the fact of these doctrines having been received, not here or there, but everywhere . . . by all the Churches, down to our times, without interruption, ever since the apostles.” What are the teachings of these early Christian writers whom Newman so deeply appreciated? What were their beliefs, hopes, and concerns? Do these mirror our own? In this seminar we shall delve deep into the writings of the first Christian centuries and become acquainted with such figures as Ignatius; Irenaeus; St. Athanasius; St. Augustine; St. Jerome . . . and come to an appreciation of their specific genius and their legacy for our own generation.

“From Shadows to Truth”: An Introduction to St. John Henry Newman ~ Dr. John Freeh
 An overview to Newman's life and thought, this seminar will study a selection of his sermons, prayers, hymns and poetry, along with excerpts from his greatest works, including Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine, Apologia pro Vita Sua, The Idea of a University, and The Dream of Gerontius. It will emphasize Newman's hunger for truth, his capacity for friendship and his willingness to be led by God's "kindly light. 

Keys to the Kingdom: Seven Encylicals for the Modern World ~ Dr. John Freeh
From Leo XIII's Rerum Novarum to Benedict XVI's Spe Salvi, papal encyclicals deal with subjects ranging from capital and labor to faith and reason; from the sexual revolution, so-called, to the culture of relativism; from growing consumerism to the loss of hope in life's meaning and purpose. Over the centuries, popes have embraced their responsibility, in the words of Pope St. Pius X, to "guard with the greatest vigilance the deposit of faith delivered to the saints." This seminar will study seven of the most important encyclicals of recent times.

New Testament Greek: An Inspired Language ~ Dr. John Pepino 
This is a class in which you will learn to read Koine Greek, the language used by the writers of the New Testament. Get behind the translations and read the inspired text, for yourself, as it was written.

Textbook: J. Gresham Machen, New Testament Greek for Beginners (either edition).