St. Peter calls us to "Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence" (1 Peter 3:15, RSV-CE). This fall, I will be offering a course aimed at preparing our youth to do just that. In this first semester course, we will cover natural apologetics which lays the groundwork with such topics as belief in God, objective morality, and the authenticity of Scripture and the Resurrection, and good ways to respond to objections. In the second semester course, we build on this foundation to cover specifically Catholic apologetics.
Based on a variety of Catholic apologetical materials, especially from Catholic Answers, this fall's course will meet twice a week for an hour. High-school students are invited to join the class and learn how to respond to atheists, relativists, and others who question their beliefs, and present the Catholic perspective on major issues based primarily on reason and history. We will also practice answering typical objections and learn about resources to find answers. It is our hope that this course will both enrich students' understanding of their faith and enable them to defend it ably and charitably. My main ambition is to ensure that pupils leave serenely confident that there is a convincing reply to the strongest criticisms that can be brought against Catholicism.
Currently, there is only one section being offered, Mondays and Thursdays at 11:00am-12pm Central time, beginning September 5. If you are interested in an after-school time, please go back to the About Us page and fill out the form to request a new section.