Full course description
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Sacraments are important to every dimension of pastoral life in the Church. But, what is a sacrament? And why do Catholics care so much about them? In Introduction to Sacramental Theology, developed by Dr. Timothy P. O'Malley, the student will discover the basics of sacramental theology in six units. Students in this course will need to purchase Invitation and Encounter: Evangelizing through the Sacraments . In unit 1, students will be introduced to the definition of a sacrament drawn from The Catechism of the Catholic Church. Units 2 through 5 will examine each of the 7 sacraments, attentive to the various ways that they conform to the overarching definition from unit 1. In unit 6, students will consider implications of the sacraments for the Christian’s spiritual life. At the end of this course, students will better understand how to form Catholics for the sacramental life throughout the lifecycle.
Course Content
Unit 1: Introduction to the definition of sacrament from The Catechism of the Catholic Church
Unit 2: Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders
Unit 3: Sacrament of Eucharist
Unit 4: Sacrament of Marriage
Unit 5: Sacraments of Penance and Anointing of the Sick
Unit 6: Implications of the sacraments for the Christian’s spiritual life
Course Format
- Seven weeks in duration; first week for orientation.
- Up to 20 students in each course.
- Text based lectures.
- Supplemental readings are provided to encourage further exploration, internet links provided for all readings.
- Written assignments (200-250) required.
- Facilitator-moderated weekly Zoom sessions with participants.
Participation Requirements
- Read the lecture for each unit.
- Read assigned texts; keep notes, questions, and comments for class discussions.
- Answer weekly discussion question.
- Respond to weekly unit assignment.
- Attend weekly Zoom for each unit. If you cannot attend, you can still meet the participation requirements.
- Complete the course evaluation.
Required Texts
Participants in the course must have their own copy of Timothy O'Malley's Invitation and Encounter: Evangelizing Through the Sacraments (Our Sunday Visitor, 2022).
Time Expectations
3 to 5 hours per week, depending on your learning style and schedule.
Course Certificate
An electronic certificate of completion awarding 35 contact hours will be available in course when completing all course requirements.