TABLE OF CONTENTS
ix
Abbreviations Used for the Books of the Bible
ix
General Abbreviations
x
Overview
T205
Catholic Prayers and Devotions
1
Chapter 1:
Knowing God Through Natural Revelation, Reason, and Faith
Knowing God Through Natural Revelation, Reason, and Faith
1a
Chapter Planning Guide
1c
Chapter Objectives
1c
Keys to this Chapter
1d
Key Ideas
4
Knowing God Through Reason
5
Sidebar: Wisdom 13: 1–9
6
Knowing God Through Natural Revelation
7
Sidebar: St. Thomas Aquinas and the “Five Ways”
9
Science and Reason
11
Sidebar: Principal Errors Regarding the Existence of God
12
God Makes Himself Known to Man
12
Natural Revelation Alone Is Insufficient to Fully Know God
14
Only Through Faith Can We Understand God’s Revelation
17
Sidebar: The Dialogue Between Faith and Culture
18
The Necessity of Faith in Knowing God
18
Faith and the Divine Plan of Salvation
18
Faith and the Way Leading to Faith
19
Sidebar: Faith: The Center of Divine Revelation
20
Faith Seeking Understanding
20
The Faith Is Understood in Prayer
22
Conclusion
23
Supplementary Reading
28
Study Questions
29
Practical Exercises
30
From the Catechism
31
Chapter 2:
Divine Revelation and Supernatural Faith
Divine Revelation and Supernatural Faith
31a
Chapter Planning Guide
31c
Chapter Objectives
31c
Keys to this Chapter
31d
Key Ideas
33
Truths Revealed by God
34
God Draws His People to Himself
35
How Supernatural Truths Can Be Known
36
The Truthfulness of Divine Revelation
36
Sidebar: Motives of Credibility
37
Miracles
38
Sidebar: Test All Things
43
Prophecies
43
Christ Satisfies the Highest Human Aspirations
44
The Life of the Church
44
The Personal Dispositions Needed to Accept Divine Revelation
45
Divine Revelation Leads to Faith
45
Sidebar: Steps of Divine Revelation
46
The Motive and Object of the Act of Faith
47
Conclusion
48
Supplementary Reading
50
Long‑Term Assignment
52
Study Questions
53
Practical Exercises
54
From the Catechism
55
Chapter 3:
The Church Transmits the Revelation of Jesus Christ Through Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture
The Church Transmits the Revelation of Jesus Christ Through Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture
55a
Chapter Planning Guide
55c
Chapter Objectives
55c
Keys to this Chapter
55d
Key Ideas
58
The Church Transmits the Revelation of Jesus Christ
59
Sidebar: What Is an Ecumenical Council?
61
The Magisterium: The Church Teaches Infallibly
62
Sidebar: Apostolic Succession
63
Sacred Tradition
64
Sacred Tradition and Human Traditions
65
Sources of Sacred Tradition
66
Sidebar: Fathers of the Church
67
Sacred Scripture
67
Inspiration: God Is the Principal Author of Sacred Scripture
68
The Supernatural Content of the Bible
68
The Truth of Sacred Scripture
69
The Sanctity of Sacred Scripture
69
Interpreting Sacred Scripture
70
Literary Forms in Sacred Scripture
72
The Different Senses of the Bible
72
The Literal Sense
72
The Spiritual Sense
74
How to Read the Bible
74
Look to the Church for Guidance
75
What to Read First
75
Sidebar: How to Interpret the Bible
77
Pray
77
Faith
77
Conclusion
79
Supplementary Reading
84
Study Questions
85
Practical Exercises
86
From the Catechism
89
Chapter 4:
Sacred Scripture: The Inspired Word of God
Sacred Scripture: The Inspired Word of God
89a
Chapter Planning Guide
89e
Chapter Objectives
89e
Keys to this Chapter
89f
Key Ideas
92
The Old Law Prepared the Way for the Gospel
93
The Books of the Old Testament
93
The Law
94
Sidebar: J, E, D, and P
96
History
98
Wisdom
98
Sidebar: What Is Wisdom Literature?
99
Prophecy
100
Sidebar: What Is Prophetic Literature?
102
The New Testament
102
Sidebar: Finding the Date
104
The Gospels
105
The Gospel of St. Matthew
106
The Gospel of St. Mark
106
The Gospel of St. Luke
107
The Gospel of St. John
108
The Acts of the Apostles
108
The Epistles
109
Sidebar: The Names to Designate Sacred Scripture
111
The Book of Revelation
111
The Canon of Sacred Scripture
112
Canon of the Old Testament
112
Sidebar: Deuterocanonical Books of the Old Testament
113
Canon of the New Testament
114
The Original Texts and Languages of the Bible
115
Translations of the Bible
115
The Septuagint
115
The Hexapla
115
The Vulgate
115
The New Vulgate
116
Sidebar: St. Jerome
117
Printed Editions
117
Protestant Versions of the Bible in English
117
Catholic Versions of the Bible in English
118
Conclusion
119
Supplementary Reading
122
Long‑Term Assignment
124
Study Questions
125
Practical Exercises
126
From the Catechism
127
Chapter 5:
The Old Testament: God Reveals Himself to His People
The Old Testament: God Reveals Himself to His People
127a
Chapter Planning Guide
127e
Chapter Objectives
127e
Keys to this Chapter
127f
Key Ideas
129
Part I: The Promises to Adam
129
Creation Is Good
130
In the Image of God
131
Discovering the Fatherhood of God
132
The Covenant in Salvation History
132
The Fall
133
The First Gospel
133
The Curse
134
Evil
135
Part II: The Promises to Noah
135
A New Beginning
136
The Tower of Babel
137
Part III: The Promises to Abram
137
God Reveals Himself to Abraham
141
The Twelve Tribes of Israel
142
Part IV: The Covenant Through Moses
142
The Birth and Rescue of Moses
142
God Reveals His Name to Moses
143
The Passover
144
Escape from Egypt
145
God Reveals His Law
146
Sidebar: The Ten Commandments
147
Divine Worship Revealed
148
After the Fall
149
In the Wilderness
149
The Tabernacle: Heaven on Earth
150
The Nation of Israel
150
The Conquest of Canaan
151
Part V: The Promises to David
151
Samuel the King‑Maker
152
David: A Man After God’s Own Heart
153
Bringing the Ark to Jerusalem
154
The Promises to David
155
Imperial Israel
155
The Wisdom of Solomon
156
Wisdom Literature
156
Solomon Builds the Temple
157
King Solomon’s Pride and Apostasy
158
Prophets
158
The Assyrian Threat and the End of Israel
159
God’s Word Rediscovered
160
Revelation of Suffering and Hope: The Promise of a New Covenant
161
Sidebar: Isaiah’s Prophecy of the Messiah
162
Persian Rule
163
Beginning the New Jerusalem
163
Ezra Edits the Scriptures
164
The Promise Unfulfilled
164
Conclusion: God Prepares Israel for the Fullness of Revelation
165
Supplementary Reading
175
Study Questions
176
Practical Exercises
177
From the Catechism
179
Chapter 6:
Jesus Christ: The Fullness of Divine Revelation
Jesus Christ: The Fullness of Divine Revelation
179a
Chapter Planning Guide
179e
Chapter Objectives
179e
Keys to this Chapter
179f
Key Ideas
182
The Pharisees
183
The Sadducees
183
The Essenes
184
Herod the Great
184
Judea and Galilee
185
The Samaritans
185
Setting the Stage for Christ
186
The Spread of the Jewish Religion
187
Mary, the Mother of God
188
Sidebar: Titles of Mary
189
Sidebar: Mary as the Ark of the New Covenant
189
The Birth of Jesus
190
The Epiphany
191
Sidebar: The Magi
191
Jesus in the Temple
192
St. John the Baptist Makes Straight the Way
193
The Baptism of Christ
194
Miracles
195
Sidebar: Miracles of Christ
197
Sidebar: The Beatitudes
198
Eating With Sinners
198
The Twelve
198
Sidebar: The Twelve Apostles
199
Sidebar: The Our Father
199
The Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ
200
The Last Supper
202
The Cup of Consummation
204
“I AM”
205
Pilate Examines Jesus
206
Condemned to Death
207
St. Peter and Judas
208
Jesus Crucified
209
Sidebar: Capital Punishment, Roman Style
211
It Is Finished
212
The Burial of Christ
213
The Women Who Met the Risen Lord
214
Fulfilling the Law and the Prophets
214
1. Comparison with Adam
215
2. Comparison with Noah
215
3. Jesus Fulfills the Promise to Abraham
215
4. Jesus Fulfills the Covenant Through Moses
217
5. Jesus Fulfills the Promises to David
218
Sidebar: The Four Marks of the Church
218
The New Kingdom
219
The Davidic Promises: Primary Features
219
The Davidic Promises: Secondary Features
220
Conclusion
221
Supplementary Reading
226
Long‑Term Assignment
229
Study Questions
230
Practical Exercises
230
From the Catechism
233
Chapter 7:
The Church Transmits God’s Revelation
The Church Transmits God’s Revelation
233a
Chapter Planning Guide
233e
Chapter Objectives
233e
Keys to this Chapter
233f
Key Ideas
235
Jesus Bestows His Authority on the Apostles
236
Doubting Thomas
236
The Road to Emmaus: Jesus Revealed in the Eucharist
237
St. Peter’s Redemption in Galilee
239
Restoring the Kingdom
240
The Election of St. Matthias
240
Pentecost
242
The Riddle: How Can David’s Son Be David’s Lord?
244
St. Peter’s Authority
245
The Martyrdom of St. Stephen
246
Early Christian Worship
247
Sidebar: The Precepts of the Church
247
St. Philip Baptizes the Ethiopian
248
Saul the Persecutor
249
Saul’s Encounter with Jesus
250
Are Christians Bound by the Mosaic Law?
250
The Council of Jerusalem
251
What Jesus Taught About the End of History
252
The End of the Old Covenant
253
Sidebar: Particular Judgment
254
The Vision of the Heavenly Liturgy
254
The Liturgy of the Word
255
Sidebar: The Liturgy of the Word
255
Sidebar: The Liturgy of the Hours
259
The Heavenly Eucharist
260
The Beasts
262
Lectio Divina
264
The New Jerusalem
264
Conclusion: The End of the Story
266
Supplementary Reading
271
Study Questions
272
Practical Exercises
273
From the Catechism
T1
Chapter One
T9
Chapter Two
T17
Chapter Three
T27
Chapter Four
T37
Chapter Five
T59
Chapter Six
T75
Chapter Seven
RESOURCE MATERIALS
T90
Chapter One
T96
Chapter Two
T102
Chapter Three
T108
Chapter Four
T114
Chapter Five
T120
Chapter Six
T126
Chapter Seven
T134
Chapter One
T139
Chapter Two
T143
Chapter Three
T149
Chapter Four
T155
Chapter Five
T162
Chapter Six
T168
Chapter Seven
T176
Chapter One
T179
Chapter Two
T182
Chapter Three
T185
Chapter Four
T188
Chapter Five
T191
Chapter Six
T194
Chapter Seven
