Living Theology Course 2020
The three courses below were given on Zoom in June 2020 during 'Lockdown.'
We are delighted to make them available to you now for further study. Please note each course needs to be taken in order.
The courses are freely available, though if you find them helpful, then a donation towards our costs would be greatly appreciated - click here if you would like to donate.
The Last Supper Today
Fr. Michael Smith SJ
This course will explore what we can learn about the Eucharist as it is today from the writings in the Old and New Testaments. When we take part in the Eucharist we are taking part in a tradition that stretches back thousands of years. The course includes an examination of the Old Testament understanding of sacrifice, the New Testament writing about the Passover, and references to the way Eucharist was understood and celebrated in the very early church.
YouTube Videos
- Last Supper - Part 1
- Last Supper - Part 2
- Last Supper - Part 3
- Last Supper - Part 4
- Last Supper - Part 5
- Last Supper - Part 6
Study Notes:
"Excellent... This course was concise and traced really well the origins of the Eucharist. Particularly interesting was highlighting the gospel of John"
"Very clearly delivered with a sequential approach that was easy to follow - thank you!"
"Informative, measured and interesting. Plenty of food for thought and ongoing discernment. As a Catholic convert so much of this biblical/historical detail was never explained to me earlier in my Faith journey."
2020 Online Participants
A Synodal Church?
Dr Anne Faulkner
A Synodal Church Pope Francis said. “The journey of synodality is the journey that God wants from his church in the third millennium” He explained that the word ‘Synod’ means “walking together – laity, pastors, the Bishop of Rome
It is an easy concept to express in words, but is not so easy to put into practice.”
Synodality has its roots in the New Testament and we shall look at synodality and decision-making in the early church, particularly as described in Acts of the Apostles, and ask how or if, the process can operate in the very different church of the 21st century.
YouTube Videos
- Introduction - The Synod of Jerusalem
- Unity in Diversity in the Church
- Synodality in the Local Church
Study Notes
"Dr Anne is wonderfully easy to listen too. I learned a lot about the early church and loved the references to Pope Francis. Excellent."
"I found Anne’s sessions incredibly engaging and affirming. Her presentations where very clear and flowed really well."
"The chat with her was very helpful and teased out some interesting areas in an open and honest way."
2020 Online Participants
Feeling our Way to God
Fr. Eric Studt SJ
“Is Fear a Religious Virtue?” “Can Love Be Commanded?” "Have 'Shame and contrition' changed their meanings?"
Fr Eric will lead us in a fun and approachable way of bringing the philosophy of emotions into conversation with theologies of fear, love and shame.
Our understanding of feelings such as 'fear, shame and love' has changed dramatically since these concepts were first introduced into the Christian tradition. This course will help us understand some central concepts of faith and allow us to explain them better to our 21st Century world.
- Introduction
- Introducing Emotions
- Fear as a response to Danger
- Fear of God
Study Notes for first four Videos - Thoughts and Emotions
- Shame
- Contrition
Study Notes for the 5th -7th Videos - Can Love be Commanded?
- Love as a Virtue
- Prayerfully Exercising Love
Study Notes for the last three Videos
"These were my favourites"
"I loved Fr Eric's synthesis of philosophy of the emotions and virtue ethics, plus spiritual practices, to help deepen our prayer life and our capacity to live out the gospel in our relationships with others."
2020 Online Participants
