Spring quarter 2011-2012

Hello again,

I realized that since I have been posting on my wonderful experience with Catholic Relief Services I have not posted my customary post about what classes I will be taking this quarter.  I think that since the quarter is more than halfway over I should do that.  I will get back to posting about the trip in my next post.

The spring quarter of second year pre-theology is a very heavy course load.  We joke that it is designed to weed guys out before they start theology, but I think that it just falls that way in the natural progression of classes.  I have six classes while still keeping up with all the other stuff around here, such as prayer time, Mass, formation sessions, formation advising meetings, spiritual direction meetings, field education, and whatever else comes up.  I am continuing to work at the library as well.  I am writing this without my schedule handy, so I may get a title wrong, but it will be close.

My first class is the “Study of Church and Religion.”  In this class we are going slowly through a theological book that talks about the development of understanding on the topic of “Is there Salvation outside the Church.”  This is really teaching us to look at the ways that doctrines have been developed as we go into our theological studies next year.  It is an interesting class to see how there has been advances in a doctrine and setbacks.  The question of the book is interesting as well, but you can ask me about that another time if you’d like.

My second class is Epistemology.  Epistemology is the branch of philosophy the tries to understand learning.  We are reading mostly modern and contemporary philosophers on the subject, since it hasn’t been addressed in a long time.  We did look briefly at ancient philosophers to see what they thought.  The topic doesn’t interest me a whole lot, but I really like the professor, who I’ve had before, and it is kind of fun debating some of the philosophers that we read, some of their ideas seem to be way out there on the logic spectrum.

The third class that I have is contemporary philosophy.  This could also be called “post-modern” in philosophical talk.  This is the era that we live in, and we are looking at the way that people are thinking now.  It is pretty fun to see how the lines that these thinkers expand on play out in every day thought.  Much of this is answering the questions that were raised during modern philosophy, so it gives us great insight into those around us.

Class number four is Introduction to the Devout Life.  The course is titled based on the book of the same title from St. Francis de Sales.  This course seems to be a way of helping us to learn how to better participate in spiritual reading.  How to take a work and see how it can guide our faith.  The first book we read was C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters.  This work, written from the perspective of a lead tempter for the Devil gives great insight into the ways that all people, us included, slip in doing what is write.  We are now into the title book and going through that slowly to glean the wisdom of St. Francis de Sales in spiritual growth.

My fifth class is Introduction to Mariology.  This is obviously a beginner’s course on the study of Mary.  Mariology is an important part of the Catholic tradition, not for itself, but in how it links to Christology and Ecclesiology (study of the Church).  Mariology helps with understanding and guiding us towards her Son.

The last class that I have this quarter is Philosophy Seminary II.  This is kind of a capstone class for the two years of pre-theology.  We spend the first couple of weeks looking at philosophical topics that hadn’t fit into any of our other classes.  Now we are each doing a 40 minute presentation on a topic of our choice that we wish to expand on from the past two years.  It is a lot of fun seeing the different topics that guys have chosen to present on.

So, that is what I’ve been doing for classes.  It is enjoyable, but as always very busy. 

I have been asked by a few people if I have heard anything on the potential transfer to St. Paul Seminary.  I have not.  They told me that they don’t start interviews until May, so I’m not surprised by that.  I am operating under the assumption that I will be transferring.

Peace,

Adam