Full course description
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"We need each other to be what we must be, what we are called to be." With these words St. John Paul II offered a wonderful encapsulation of the "relational unity" that, from the perspective of the Catholic Faith, can and should exist between science and religion. And yet most Catholics today, especially young Catholics, assume irreconcilable conflict between the two. Overcoming this misconception requires a background in both history and theology.
In this course, Professor Chris Baglow offers a thorough consideration of the relationship from the theological perspective. Beginning with foundational concepts and the real distinction between scientific and theological ways of knowing the universe, the course treats the historical background to the false "conflict" between science and religion, the relationship between the biblical creation accounts and modern cosmology and between Sacred Tradition/Church history and modern science (including the Galileo Affair), culminating with a closer look at the Catholic doctrine of creation in the light of modern scientific discoveries.
Course Content
Unit 1: Faith and Science: Distinguishing in Order to Unite
Unit 2: Science and the Christian Faith: Understanding and Correcting Models of Conflict
Unit 3: Sacred Scripture and Modern Science: Uniting Perspectives
Unit 4: Patroness or Persecutor? Sacred Tradition and Scientific Discovery
Unit 5: The Doctrine of Creation: A Wisdom Wider than Science
Course Format
- Six weeks in duration; first week for orientation.
- Up to 20 students in each course.
- Video summaries with 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.
Time Expectations
3 to 5 hours per week, depending on your learning style and schedule.
Course Certificate
An electronic certificate of completion awarding 30 contact hours will be available in course when completing all course requirements.