Each of our Systematic Theology courses focus upon some aspect of communion ecclesiology, a created concept to focus out attention. First Way Stations lay a foundation historically, methodologically and liturgically. The second set of Way Stations center upon the nature of the human person, made in the image of God, and the moral and spiritual implications of this being-as-communion. We make our journey within context of an exploration into the nature of Christ and the Trinity. As we pass through the third set of Way Stations we move to a synthesis of the vision in Eucharistic Ecclesiology: Eucharist as it makes the Church. The fourth and final set of Way Stations on our journey to the new Jerusalem we examine most explicitly the pastoral ramifications of our life in communion in light of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5, 1-12) and Paul's descriptive definition of love found in 1 Corinthians 12, 31-13, 8.

• The Philosophical Background to Eucharistic Theology
• Theology and Practice of the Lord's Supper (all)
• The Doctrine of the Eucharist
• Food for Thought: The Bread of Life Discourse (John 6:25-71) in Johnannine Legitimation
• Holy Eucharist
• The Eucharist Gives Us Jesus Christ
• The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist
• Transubstantiation
• The Eucharist is the Whole Christ
• The Eucharist: Only a Symbol?
• Is The Eucharist Really Christ's Body and Blood?
• The Institution of the Eucharist in Scripture
  1. The Eucharist as the Meal of Melchizedek
  2. The Eucharist as The Lamb's Supper
• The Eucharist: Source and Summit of Christian Spirituality
• The Celebration of the Eucharist
• The Eucharist is an Act of Community
• Article 12. The Lord's Supper (Mennonite Confession)
• The Mystery of the Holy Eucharist

1. Describe the conceptualization of the Eucharist.
2. Discuss how the Eucharist Celebration is the Mystery of the Church.
3. Discuss how this mystery became grounded in The Liturgical experience.
4. Given Scripture and Tradition, discuss how the Eucharist is the organizing principle of the Catholic experience, both East and West.
5. Relate your conception of The Eucharist to daily life as a communal experience in the human community and the human condition. What purpose or purposes, if any, does the Eucharist serve within the nitty-gritty, give-and-take, hum-drum of daily life on the freeway, in the work setting, internet, dinner, table, family life? What is Presence and being present to life, to your own life, to the lives of others?
6. Discuss the relevancy of The Eucharist as the foundation of Catholic Theology with The Beatitudes (Matthew 5, 1-12) and 1 Corinthians 12, 31-13, 8.

• Symbols used in Religious Teachings
  1. Burial, Ritual, Religion, and Cannibalism (Neanderthals)
  2. Standard Liturgical Outline (Neo-Pagan; note links)
  3. Spell to Free Oneself From Excessive Computer Enchantment (Wiccan)
  4. The Rituals of Asatru
  5. The History of Welsh Witchcraft (and other links)
  6. Chanoyu: Rituals and Symbolism: Japanese Tea Ceremony
  7. Birds (In Symbolism)
  8. Beetles as Religious Symbols
  9. Symbols in Religious Consciousness (Note links)
  10. Hanukkah
• The Sacraments
• The Sacraments of the Church (The Catechism of St. Thomas Aquinas)
  1. I. The necessity and the nature of the sacramental system
  2. II. The nature of the sacraments of the new law
  3. III. The origin (cause) of the sacraments
  4. IV. The number of the sacraments
  5. V. The effects of the sacraments
  6. VI. The minister of the sacraments
  7. VII. The recipient of the sacraments
• the liturgy as revelation of and participation in the Paschal Mystery
  1. Ritual (Catholic)
  2. Rites
  3. The Eucharist and Liturgy
  4. A Short History of the Roman Mass (Note links)
  5. A Comparison: Tridentine and Novus Ordo Missals
  6. Liturgy of the Mass
  7. Divine Liturgy of St. James
  8. Divine Liturgy of St. Mark
  9. The Liturgy of the Blessed Apostles
  10. Divine Liturgy of St. John Christostomos
  11. The Rite of Constantinople
  12. Ambrosian Liturgy and Rite
  13. The Gallican Rite
  14. Mozarabic Rite
  15. African Liturgy
  16. The Celtic Rite
  17. The Coptic Liturgy (of Saint Basil)
  18. Chaldean, Assyrian, or Persian Rite (East Syrian Rite)

1. Discuss the nature of a) symbol and b) ritual and relate both to contemporary society, citing examples and the effect these examples might have upon society at large and smaller segments of the population.
2. Discuss the sign/symbol (Word/Sacrament) relationship as contextualized with in the Catholic tradition, perhaps including a sub discussion on such topics as a RAVE Mass and Eastern liturgies compared and contrasted with Western liturgies.
3. Discuss how liturgy in the Catholic tradition is both a revelation and participation in the Pascal Mystery.
4. Discuss how through liturgy in the Catholic tradition the People of God worship the Father through Christ in the Holy Spirit.
5. Relate symbol and ritual to the sacraments in general and the relevancy of both to today's world, both East and West.
6. Synthesize the five previous discussions into a discussion on how the liturgy establishes the Church.
7. Discuss the relevancy of The Liturgy with The Beatitudes (Matthew 5, 1-12) and 1 Corinthians 12, 31-13, 8.

• The Catholics Maintain the Doctrine of Original Sin, and Thus are Far from Being Manicheans
• Augustine Not the Deviser of Original Sin.
• The Pelagians Try to Get Rid of Original Sin by Their Praise of God's Works; Marriage, in Its Nature and by Its Institution, is Not the Cause of Sin.
• The Rise and Origin of Evil: The Exorcism and Exsufflation of Infants, a Primitive Christian Rite
• To Call Those that Teach Original Sin Manicheans is to Accuse Ambrose, Cyprian, and the Whole Church.
• Baptism is Called Salvation, and the Eucharist, Life, by the Christians of Carthage
• Sacraments of Initiation
  1. Baptism
     • I. Authoritative Statement of Doctrine
     • II. Etymology
     • III. Definition
     • IV. Types
     • V. Institution of the Sacrament
     • VI. Matter and Form of the Sacrament
     • VII. Conditional Baptism
     • VIII. Rebaptism
     • IX. Necessity of Baptism
     • X. Substitutes for the Sacrament
     • XI. Unbaptized Infants
     • XII. Effects of Baptism
     • XIII. Minister of the Sacrament
     • XIV. Recipient of Baptism
     • XV. Adjuncts of Baptism
     • XVI. Ceremonies of Baptism
     • XVII. Metaphorical Baptism
  2. Confirmation
     • Confirmation
     • Confirmation-Holy Chrism - Quotations from the Fathers of the Church
     • Confirmation (The Catechism of St. Thomas Aquinas)
     • The Sacrament of Confirmation (CCC)
  3. The Blessed Eucharist as a Sacrament
     • The Sacrament of The Eucharist
     • Eucharist
     • Eucharist as a Blessing
     • Eucharist as Thanksgiving
     • Eucharist as a Sacrifice
     • Eucharist:'Memorial' of God's Mighty Works
     • Berengarius' Difficulty (Note links)
     • The Eucharist and Justice
     • The Eucharist and Ecology
     • The Eucharist and Contemplation

1. Christian Initiation opens the door to salvation. Discuss original sin and salvation. Is there an "original sin" and from what are we saved? Into what specifically is the Chrisitan-to-be initiated?
2. Discuss the myth or story of salvation and the place of baptism within that story. What is the sign/symbol relationship of Baptism to the post-modern world (cf. Original Sin Snowboards, etc.) Discuss the possible purposes the baptism story may serve today?
3. Discuss the relationship of Confirmation to Baptism. Explain the reasoning for the Eastern church to confirm with baptism and for the Western church to confirm after baptism.
4. Is the Eucharist qua Eucharist? Discuss.
5. Relate the Eucharist to contemporary life. Is it a symbol? A sign? Discuss the relevancy of the Eucharist today personally, socially, communally.
6. Compare and contrast the Eucharist and Real Presence as considered in the Western Church and the Eastern Church.
7. If you are baptized and confirmed and nourished by the Eucharist, relate your experience being saved. If not, then speculate on what it would be like to be saved.
8. Discuss the relevancy of The Sacraments of Christian Initiation with the Beatitudes (Matthew 5, 1-12) and 1 Corinthians 12, 31-13, 8.

• Toward a Theological Anthropology
  • The Threefold Nature of Man's Basic Needs
  • Man in Adam and in Christ
• That Christian Identity Thing
  • Kingdom Identity Ministries
  • Christian Identity Crisis
• How Did the Trinity Doctrine Develop?
  • A Closer Look at Matthew 28:19 (Trinity?)
  • The Development of the Doctrine of the Trinity
  • The Trinity (Catholic)
  • The Trinity Admitted to be False
  • Who Invented The Trinity?
  • The Blessed Trinity
  • Augustine: On The Trinity: Chap. 1 Unity and Equality of the Supreme Trinity
  • Augustine: On The Trinity: Chap. 9 The Kind of Trinity that Exists in Man
  • Augustine: On The Trinity: Chap. 14 (summation of first 14 chapters)
• Controversies on Grace
  • Actual Grace
  • Sanctifying Grace
  • Aurelius Augustin on Grace
• The Fall of Man
  • Original Sin
  • Creation and the Fall(Athanasius)
  • On the Fall of Man (Wesley)
  • Of the fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment thereof
  • Man and The Fall
  • Of the Fall of the First Man
• Of the Cause of the Incarnation of Christ
  • The Incarnation
  • The Divine Dilemma and its Solution in the Incarnation (Athanasius)
  • The Divine Dilemma and its Solution in the Incarnation (con't)
  • The Incarnation Fulfills All Its Types and Promises
  • The Incarnation Was the Only Effective Remedy to the Fall
  • Some Thoughts on the Proofs of the Alleged Divinity of Jesus
  • The Virgin Birth and the Incarnation
  • Refutation of the Gentiles (Incarnation)
  • Faustus objects to the incarnation of God
• Eschatology
  • An Eschatology of Victory
  • Physical Resurrection of the Flesh
  • Death, Resurrection and No reincarnation
  • God has Pledged that We Will Rise
  • The Second Coming of the Lord and the Last Judgment
  • The Last Judgment and Millennium in Revelation 19 and 20
  • Apocalypse Now! The Realized Eschatology of the Christian Identity Movement

1. Discuss how creation in a) the image of a Triune God, b) the Fall, c) the Incarnation, d) our restoration and divinization in Christ e) the nature of grace and virtue, f) as well as the Eschaton shape a Christian's identity matrix.
2. Trace the Christian in the time of the historical Christ through the early church, middle ages, Renaissance, to the contemporary reality. Compare and contrast your conception of the Christian in the time of the historical Jesus to the Christian today.
3. Discuss the relevancy of Christianity in today's world given the activities of Christians in the world.
4. Discuss your answer to the question: Was Christ Christian or Jewish?
5. Discuss the myth and the reality of the Trinity, the Incarnation from an anthropological viewpoint and relate your discussion to our contemporary post modern, technological and information age.
6. Discuss the relevancy of Theological Anthropology with the Beatitudes (Matthew 5, 1-12) and 1 Corinthians 12, 31-13, 8.

• Moral Theology
  • Medieval Theories of Practical Reason
    • The Thomistic Doctrine of Practical Reason
    • The Franciscan Critique
  • Utilitarianism
  • Antinomianism
  • Probabilism
• FREEDOM
  • Pacem et Terris
  • The Nature of Freedom (The Unabomber's Manifesto)
  • Truth and Freedom (Ratzinger)
  • Conscience
  • 8 Levels of Human Conscience
  • Why human rights are wrong
• Freedom and Law
  • Morality and Freedom: Into to Kant's Moral Theory
  • Law
  • Natural Law
  • Moral Aspect of Divine Law
  • Justice
  • Rights, Choices and Reproductive Technology
• FREE WILL
  • Human Acts
  • Whether there is anything voluntary in human acts?
  • Freedom to Choose and Shape our own Destiny
  • Free Will (ALL LINKS)
  • Evil
  • Calvinism
  • Justification
• Varia
  • Teaching the Virtues
  • Moral Aspect of Bankruptcy
  • (Moral Aspects) Of Labor Unions
  • Moral Aspects of Monopoly
  • Fear from a Moral Standpoint

1. Discuss your appreciation of the statement: freedom under law is liberty. In what ways are you free and in what ways are you not free?
2. Discuss whether or not morality actually exists or is a created fantasy of a set of proscribed behaviors. Conclude with a definition of morality.
3. Discuss the morality of God in terms of the pain and suffering of the human family.
4. Discuss the morality of Christ in knowingly setting himself for death and how this act could not be considered an act of suicide.
5. Discuss the morality of an institution settings norms of conduct and then terming such norms as moral conduct.
6. Relate principles of Christian morality to Christians forcing others to be Christian and making those individuals (somehow) wrong for not agreeing with the Christian or his/he principles of moral conduct.
7. Discuss the relevancy of Moral Theology with the Beatitudes (Matthew 5, 1-12) and 1 Corinthians 12, 31-13, 8.

• Christology
• Early Historical Documents on Jesus Christ
• Origin of the Name Jesus Christ
• The Nature of Jesus Christ
  • The Nature of Jesus Christ 1: Was Jesus true God and true Man?
  • The Nature of Jesus Christ 2: Philippians 2:6-11 — The Incarnation
  • The Nature of Jesus Christ 3: Who is the Son of Man?
  • The Origins of Jesus Christ
• Christology
• Monotheism, Worship and Christological Development in the Pauline Churches
• Temple Traditions and Valentinian Worship:
• Identification with the Savior in Coptic Texts from Nag Hammadi
• Melchizedek and Jesus
• Christology
• The Grammar of Exorcism in the Ancient Mediterranean World: Some Cosmological, Semantin, and Pragmatic Reflections on How Exorcistic Prowess Contributed to the Worship
• Singing Hymns to Christ as to a God (cafe. Plainly Ep.X, 96)
• Christology
• Hypostatic Union
• Monopolies and Monotheists
• Is the Theology of the Church of the East Nestorian?

1. Discuss the person and mission of Jesus Christ from a Chronological standpoint.
2. Discuss the eclipse of the Trinitarian doctrine and its 20th century reformulation.
3. Compare and contrast the Hindu Trimurge and the Christian Trinity, emphasizing Khrishna and Christ.
4. Discuss the myth and the legend of the historical Jesus.
5. Create a story for an 8 year old (gender, your choice) who asks the question: Who is the dude Jesus anyway?
6. What is the relevancy, if any, of Jesus (myth and legend) to today's world.
7. Discuss the relevancy of Christ as Christ and the Trinity with The Beatitudes (Matthew 5, 1-12) and 1 Corinthians 12, 31-13, 8.

• Creed
  • Creeds and Confessions
  • Nature of Belief Systems (Kallisto Effect)
  • A State of Belief is a State of Being
  • Belief States and Narrow Content
  • The Content and Epistemology of Phenomenal Belief
• Important Creeds from Christendom
  • Bible Creeds
  • Apostles' Creed
    • The Apostles' Creed versus Gnosticism
    • Apostles' Creed (Note Links)
    • Apostles' Creed-Advanced Information
    • Apostles' Creed (varia)
  • Nicene Creed
    • Nicene Creed
    • Nicene Creed (325 AD)
    • Nicene Creed (381AD)
    • Notes on the Nicene Creed
    • Filioque
    • Notes on the Filioque Clause Controversy
    • The Church in the Nicene Creed
    • Spurgeon on The Nicene Creed
  • The Definition of Chalcedon (451 AD)
  • The Athanasian Creed
    • Notes on The Athanasian Creed
  • Cannons of Council of Orange (529AD)
  • Anathemas of the 2nd Council of Constantinople (533 AD)
  • Creeds and Statements from the period after 600 AD
    • Statement from the 3rd Council of Constantinople (681 AD)
    • Statement from the Synod of Constantinople (753 AD)
    • Confession from the Council of Nice (787 AD)
• What is The Orthodox Faith?
• Bernard Gui: Inquisitorial Technique (c.1307-1323)

1. The verb to believe has two connotations: 1) to give cognitive assent and b) to give one's trust to. Discuss how someone comes to believe anything: that the earth is flat or somewhat round, that volcanoes are temper tantrums of angry gods or even Mother Nature or just natural acts, that one is who one thinks one is or who just one is. Discuss how one might believeor not believe in the Christian creed(s) and yet be Christian.
2. Discuss the morality for encouraging or forcing another to believe as one does? Include the origination of fear, guilt, shame, and blame as part of the belief conditioning process.
3. Given bivalent logic (either true or false) and modal logic (possible to be, possible not to be, impossible to be, impossible not to be), discuss from both perspectives Christian belief system(s) as found in the various creeds of the Christian tradition.
4. Given the historical Christ and your appreciation there of, discuss how Christ Himself would have responded to the Nicene Creed. Discuss whether or not he would have recognized its cosmology and Christology, and Theology. Discuss his affirmation or rejection (or on a continuum between the two extremes) of the creed. Finally, discuss how Christ would have borne Himself before Bernard Gui.
5. Discuss the relevancy of belief and The Creed with The Beatitudes (Matthew 5, 1-12) and 1 Corinthians 12, 31-13, 8.

• Religion and Spirituality: Unity in Difference
• Asceticism
• On Prayer (Tertullian)
• The Pearl (Ephraim of Syria)
• Rule of St. Augustine (400 AD)
• Rule of St. Benedict (500AD)
• Adornment of Spiritual Marriage (John of Ruysbroeck )
• A Little Book of Eternal Wisdom (Henry Suo)
• Revelations of Divine Love (Julian of Norwich)
• Imitation of Christ (Thomas à Kempis)
• Interior Castle (St. Teresa of Avila)
• Spiritual Exercises (St. Ignatius of Loyola)
• Dark Night of the Soul (St. John of the Cross)
• A Spiritual Canticle of the Soul and the Bridegroom (St. John of the Cross)
• Cloud of Unknowing (Anonymous)
• Shalom Place Spirituality Resources
  • Basics of Spirituality. Philip St. Romain
  • God, Self and Ego: An Exercise in Discernment. Philip St. Romain
  • On Christian Enlightenment. Philip St. Romain
  • Spiritual Transformation. Philip St. Romain
  • In the Midst of Winter. Louise Hageman, O.P.
• Christian Mysticism lessons ,How to see, hear and feel the Holy Spirit
• Practicum (Choose a practice below with which you are comfortable. Once decided, stay with that practice no matter what for at least a 6 month daily 20 to 40 minute practice, Journal keeping recording brief reflections)
  • The World Community for Christian Meditation
  • Christian Contemplative Tradition
    • Contemplation — A Treatise on Mysticism
    • Learn to Meditate like Jesus
  • What is Contemplative Prayer
    • Contemplative Prayer Lessons
  • Centering Prayer

1. Compare and contrast religion and spirituality within the context of the contemporary world. (The writer might bring into the discussion, for example, an Afghanistan that some have described is medieval.)
2. Compare and contrast the behaviors of a religious person and a spiritual person.
3. Compare and contrast belief in God and the experience of God.
4. Relate your experience with Christian spirituality to the specific community within which you reside. Describe conflict within the community stemming from religious attitudes as differentiated from spiritual attitudes.
5. Discuss how religion might be preferable to spirituality or spirituality to religion.
6. Complete practicum Journal as noted above.
7. Conclude your journal with a discussion on the relevancy of Christian Spirituality with The Beatitudes (Matthew 5, 1-12) and 1 Corinthians 12, 31-13, 8.

• The Real Presence of Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist (Apostolic Church)
• The Real Presence (Early Church)
• Quotations on the Holy Eucharist (Church Fathers)
• Real Presence
• Feast of Corpus Christi
• Behold the Lamb of God
• Eucharist
• The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist
• The Holy Eucharist is the Whole Christ
• The Eucharist and Its Effects
• The Real Presence and Sanctity
• Holy Mass-Holy Mass-Holy Innocents: Holy Sacrifice Versus Human Sacrifice
• The Paschal Mystery
• The Priesthood And The Eucharist
• Eucharistic Ecology and Ecological Spirituality
• Theology and Practice of The Lord's Supper (Lutheran)

Eucharistic Prayer

• Lift Up Your Hearts: The Eucharistic Prayer
• Canon of the Mass
• The Canon or the Eucharistic Prayer
• The Eucharistic Prayer
• Is the Mass a Sacrifice?
• The Mass of the Western Rites (All)
• The Mystery of the Swiss Eucharistic Prayer
• From One Eucharistic Prayer to Many
• Eucharistic Prayer II: its problems and background
• Eucharistic Prayer II and the Canon of Hippolytus
• Eucharistic Prayer III

• What is the Church?

1. After careful and considered reflection and contemplation, discuss in detail and depth how the Mystery of the Trinity, revealed and historically realized in the Mystery of Christ, is rendered present in the eucharistic experience of being as communion, the Church of God.
2. Discuss your understanding of the institution of the Eucharist and its nature as the memorial of the Covenant, realizing the promises of the Covenant.
3. Discuss how the Eucharist Prayer realizes a) the memorial, b) thanking-and-praising sacrifice, c) real presence and d) ecclesial communion in Christ-and-the-Trinity.
4. Discuss your insight, given your contemplation to date, into the the into the nature of the Church, at once local and universal, embodying the Word, proclaimed and incarnate, discerning truth-in-unity, rooting the prophetic, priestly and governing authority of the episcopate in general and jurisdicational bishops specifically.
5. Discuss how participation in the Eucharistic Assembly/Communion which the Church, being the primary instance of the knowledge of God, is both the root and culmination of all theology.
6. Discuss how the Eucharist, as it makes the Church, and the Church, as it celebrates the Eucharist, integrates the major themes of all theology.
7. Discuss the relevancy of an Eucharistic Ecclesiology with The Beatitudes (Matthew 5, 1-12) and 1 Corinthians 12, 31-13, 8.

1. General: Catholic Social Teaching (CST)
   • Crucified between Two Thieves: CST vs Right and Left
   • 7 Major Themes in Catholic Social Teaching
   • 7 Core Values of Catholic Social Teaching
   • Catholic social teaching is the church's best-kept secret
   • CST: As I Have Lived, Loathed, and Loved It
2. Specific Roman Catholic Statements on CTS
   • On the Reconstruction of the Social Order (PXI 1931)
     • CST: Guide to a More Just World by Gerald Darring
   • on PXII's CST
   • Pacem et Terris
     • CST on Peace
     • Mater et Magister
   • Gaudium et Spes (VatII)
   • Pope Paul VI (1963-1978)
     • On the Development
     • A Call to Action (1971
     • Justice in the World (1971)
   • Pope John Paul II (1978-)
     • On Human Work (1981)
     • On Social Concern
     • On the 100th Year
     • Papal and Episcopal Documents relating to Catholic Social Justice Teaching (Overall)
   • Pro Choice/Pro Life
     • Declaration on Procured Abortion (Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith)
     • Issues in Care for the Beginning of Life (US NCCB)
     • Transmission of Life (PVI)
     • The Beginning of A Human Life
     • Fetal Development
     • Stages of Development: From Ovum and Sperm to a newborn Baby
     • To Choose or Not to Choose: a Politics of Choice
     • Beyond Pro-Life and Pro-Choice
   • Providing Care and Comfort at the End of Life
     • Declaration on Euthanasia (Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith)
     • On the Value and Inviolability of Human Life (JPII)
   • Genetic Testing Opens Brave New World (article no longer available)
     • Dangers of Genetic Manipulation (JPII)
     • Biotech and genetics adrift in sea of ethics
     • Create Your own genetically healthy child on line
     • Redesigning the World: Ethical Questions about Genetic Engineering
     • Genetic Engineering: A Buddhist Assessment
     • Ethical Dangers of Genetic Engineering
     • Ethical and Spiritual Issues in Genetic Engineering
     • Bioethics: A Third World Issue
   • Cloning Human Beings
     • Should Human Cloning Be Banned?
     • Human Clonning: A Braver New Mikstake
     • Ethics of Clonning
     • Human Cloning Isn't as Scary as It Sounds
     • The Key: When Life Begins
   1. In light of the Beatitudes, discuss the recent history of Catholic Social Justice and Health Care Issues. Include in your discussion a working definition of justice and social justice from a humane context and contrast this context with that of a Christian context.
   2. Reflecting on Catholic documents on social justice, elicit some relevant basic moral principles and then relate them to the give-and-take of contemporary society in a technological, post information and post modern, age.
   3. Give your reasoned opinion as to when human life begins noting in your discussion various historical and cultural considerations as to when human life, actually and in fact, begins.
   4. Discuss the Spirit of the Beatitudes in terms of cloning issues and the human gnome project and what the future holds for the Human Community. Is justice possible? Is social justice possible? in the brave New World and the New World Order.
   5. QED: Warehousing of the elderly is socially just. Discuss pro/con aspects with clarity and precision of thought/feeling.
   6. QED: Euthanasia upon one's own choice is similar to the customs of indigenous elderly one morning simply just not appearing at the breakfast gathering, having, for example, taken to an ice flow. Discuss pro/con aspects with clarity and precision of thought/feeling.
   7. What are your own personal issues, if any, and involvement, if any, with Social Justice concerns? Given human nature in this post modern era and throughout time, does it really matter? What is tolerance and what place does tolerance have in the social justice arena? Discuss.
   8. Discuss the relevancy of Catholic Social Teaching with The Beatitudes (Matthew 5, 1-12) and 1 Corinthians 12, 31-13, 8.

• Hierarchy of the Early Church
  • Bishop
  • Priesthood
  • Deaconesses
• The High Priest (Jewish)
  • The Mediator: Christ in the Old Testament
  • Christ's Qualifications As High Priest
  • Christ: The High Priest
  • Christ Our Great High Priest (Luther)
• Broad Overview
  • The Synod of Antioch in Encæniis (A.D. 341)
  • Encyclical on the Catholic Priesthood (PXI 1935)
  • Encyclical on St. John Vianney (JXXIII 1959)
  • On the Mystery and Worship of the Eucharist (JPII 1980)
• What does it mean to be a priest?
  • Duties of the Clergy (Ambrose Book I)
  • Duties of the Clergy (Ambrose Book II)
  • Duties of the Clergy (Ambrose Book III)
  • Treatise on the Priesthood (John Chrysostom)
  • On The Orthodox Priesthood
  • Holy Orders
    • Sacrifice
    • Sacrifice of the Mass
• Declaration on the Question of Admission of Women to the Ministerial Priesthood (1976)
  • Women and the priesthood in the Catholic Church (JPII 1994)
  • The Roman Catholic Church and the ordination of women (Note Links)

1. A priest is a Mediator, Steward, and a Priest. Discuss in detail each function in terms of the Beatitudes.
2. Relate the priestly function as Mediator, Steward, and Priest to how you specifically envision your ministry, the ministry of Christ.
3. You are at a social gathering. There are four people: yourself, another who favors women priests, and another to wants only male priests, and a third who has no preference. The three people look to you, Priest, for a definitive answer. Discuss in detail your response.
4. Discuss in great detail, if not point by point, and with great care the relevancy of the Ministry of Orders with The Beatitudes (Matthew 5, 1-12) and 1 Corinthians 12, 31-13, 8.

• The Meaning of Sex
  • The History and Future of Sex
  • The Language of Sex Positivity
  • Safer Sex
  • Neoantra
  • A Sex-Positive Primer
  • Mandatory Celibacy And Sexual Ethics In The Latin Rite Of The Roman Catholic Church
• A History of Sexual Ethics in the Western Tradition
  • The Sexual Male, Problems And Solutions
  • Erectile Dysfunction. Integrating Couple Therapy, Sex Therapy, and Medical Treatment
  • The Technology of Orgasm: "Hysteria," the Vibrator, and Women's Sexual Satisfaction
  • Sexuality, Society, and Feminism
  • A New View of Women's Sexual Problems
  • The Penguin Atlas Of Human Sexual Behavior Sexuality And Sexual Practices Around The World
• Sacrament of Marriage
  • Lesson 31: The Sacrament of Matrimony (Traditional)
  • Today's Alternative Marriage Styles: The Case of Swingers
  • Human Sexuality
  • Love, Sex and Marriage
  • Lesson 29: The Nature of Marriage (Traditional)
  • Advice to Parents (Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
  • When A Marriage is in Trouble
  • Remarriage in the Church: Pastoral Solutions

1. Discuss the theology and sacramentality of sexuality and marriage and relate same to this post modern age of technological advancement and information.
2. Discuss the historical underpinnings of the Christian understanding of sexuality and marriage from the Bible and relate same to the living, breathing human beings today in first world and fourth world countries. Compare and contrast. Generate a synthesis.
3. Describe, then discuss the development of Christian doctrine regarding sex, sexuality, and marriage to more recent developments and the giveness that 50% of marriages end in divorce within 3 to 5 years.
4. Describe then discuss the morality of sexuality and marriage. Relate the morality of sexuality and marriage to minority populations, indigenous populations, "upper" and "lower" class populations, and teenage and single populations.
5. Discuss the relevancy of Sexuality and Marriage with The Beatitudes (Matthew 5, 1-12) and 1 Corinthians 12, 31-13, 8.

• Sin
• Original Sin
• The Sacrament of Penance
• The Sacrament of Reconciliation (Coptic)
• Reconciliation, Propitiation, and The Barrier
• The Law of the Seal of Confession
• Absolution
• Auricular Confession - False Doctrine
• Attrition
• Contrition
• Doctrine of Atonement
• Confiteor
• The Power of Healing in the Sacrament of Reconciliation
• On Sacrament of Reconciliation (JPII)

1. Discuss in depth the theology of sin and forgiveness and apply both to our post modern culture. Include in your discussion whether sin actually exists in the universe as such or is created so by and in the human mind. Likewise, discuss whether forgiveness actually exists in the universe as such or is created so by and in the human mind.
2. Given the trend in this post modern culture to not admit personal responsibility for personal actions performed, discuss the nature of reconciliation and contrition and how each applies to today's world.
3. In giving a penance, discuss the pros/cons of works of mercy over a series of prayers.
4. Discuss the nature of judgement and the Scriptural admonition of Judge not, lest you be judged from the view point of the confessor.
5. Discuss to whom and for what purpose, specifically, a penitent actually, in fact, atones
6. Discuss the relevancy of a Theology of Reconciliation with The Beatitudes (Matthew 5, 1-12) and 1 Corinthians 12, 31-13, 8.

• Jewish Calendar
• Christian Calendar
• Breviary
• The Church Year (All links.)

1. Discuss Christian time and history as they are celebrated in the Church year.
2. Discuss how the celebration of the Liturgical Year makes present the saving Mystery of Christ in worship and envelopes the worshipers in that saving Mystery.
3. Discuss the development of Sunday and the other days of the week, together with the seasons of the Christian year and their expression.
4. Discuss the relevancy of The Liturgical Year with The Beatitudes (Matthew 5, 1-12) and 1 Corinthians 12, 31-13, 8.

• The Sacrament of Extreme Unction or Anointing of the Sick
• Apostolic Constitution on the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick (PVI)
• Preparation for Death
• Preparation for Death /The Shortness of Life (Liguori)
• Death Preparation & Grieving Internet Resources (Note links.)
• Extreme Unction
• The Natural Death Handbook (ALL)

1. Discuss the role of ministry in the context of a) acute, b) chronic, and c) terminal illness in terms of a) the individual human being and b) that human being's immediate family and extended family and friends.
2. Discuss the theological and practical considerations of the ministry to the sick and dying especially in terms of our pluralistic society and differing cultural norms and expections regarding the sick and the dying.
3. Discuss the proposition: We are born to die and in death we find life. Compare and contrast the Western mind set (life/death) and the Eastern mind set (birth/death) from the context of Christianity being originally an Eastern religion with Western overtones. Relate these two mind sets to minstering to the sick and dying and their families, friends, and enemies.
4. Discuss the relevancy of ministering to the Sick and Dying with The Beatitudes (Matthew 5, 1-12) and 1 Corinthians 12, 31-13, 8.