Join this engaging high school Old Testament course and learn how to interpret and look at Scripture in a way that aligns with the Church Fathers -- and gets you to a deeper understanding that matters in your everyday life!
How to get the most out of "Called to Covenant: How God Reveals Himself to Us" with Mike Creavey, MA:
- Read through all course information below before beginning the first class.
- Always have a notebook ready and available for class notes.
- Be sure to complete all assigned work in a timely manner.
- Once the course is completed, there is a Certificate of Completion at the end to be filled in for your records.
Total class meetings: 8
Duration: 55 minutes per class
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th grade
Suggested credit: ½ semester Theology
Instructor: Mike Creavey, MA
Instructor Email: mcreavey@thsrocks.us
Course description: Welcome to Mr. Creavey’s crash course on how Catholics approach the interpretation of Sacred Scripture! We’ll begin by briefly exploring basic principles of biblical interpretation and the traditional “senses of scripture” as described by the Church Fathers and the Catechism. Then we will put those principles into practice through the remaining sessions as we apply them to some key events in both the Old and New Testaments. Students will thus better understand how the various phases of salvation history build upon what came before while also hinting at their ultimate fulfillment, achieved by Jesus through the ministry of His Church.
Course outline:
Class 1: Intro to Catholic Biblical Interpretation
Class 2: The Senses of Scripture
Class 3: Creation & The Fall
Class 4: The Flood & The New Creation
Class 5: The Family of God
Class 6: Exodus & the Promise Land
Class 7: Kingdom & Catastrophe
Class 8: Awaiting the Messiah
Course materials:
Required:
1. The Holy Bible, preferably the Revised Standard Version 2nd Catholic Edition (RSV-2CE) or the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE). Note that Both translations can be found for free at biblegateway.com in the dropdown translation selection box. The YouVersion Bible app and its corresponding website, bible.com is also useful.
2. Catechism of the Catholic Church: 2nd Edition (ISBN-13: 978-0385508193). The CCC is also free online at http://ccc.usccb.org/flipbooks/catechism/index.html.
Optional -- For Your Consideration (NOT expected, but definitely worth checking out!):
--Bible Basics for Catholics: A New Picture of Salvation History by Dr. John Bergsma, ISBN-13: 978-1594713477 (https://amzn.to/3ptf3CP)
--A Father Who Keeps His Promises: God's Covenant Love in Scripture by Dr. Scott Hahn, ISBN-13: 978-0892838295 (https://amzn.to/2KUkDPA)
--Ascension Press’ “The Great Adventure” Bible and related bible study resources which can be found at ascensionpress.com/pages/the-great-adventure
Homework: Various passage selections from Scripture, as well as relevant sections of Dr. Bergsma’s book (optional list above), will form the basis for most of the lecture material. Due to the abbreviated scope of this overview course, however, only the assigned portions of Scripture and occasional brief PDF articles will be required reading. Assessments are based on class lecture content and will consist of two online quizzes, one covering classes 1-4 and the other covering classes 5-8.
- Teacher: Mike Creavey