How will we face the end? On whom does our hope finally depend? In short, what are the last things ever to be remembered? These are the questions examined in this course, whose lectures abound with insight and imagery drawn from the rich patrimony of the Church's wisdom and experience.

The Four Last Things (Audio CD): Reflections on Death, Judgment, Heaven & Hell

Religion & Spirituality

Martin S.T.D., Regis

Christian Books & Bibles

Catholic Courses

Dante's Divine Comedy can rightly be called the greatest poem ever written, praised through the ages by a pantheon of writers and scholars. Romantic poet William Wordsworth (1770-1850) referred to Dante's crowned "visionary brow." Irish novelist James Joyce (1882-1941) said "Dante is my spiritual food!" Pope Benedict XV (1854-1922) called Dante "the most eloquent singer of the Christian idea." Even the 20th century literary critic T.S. Eliot (1888-1965) famously wrote that "Shakespeare and Dante divide the world between them, there is no third." Yet today this great poem is often dismissed by modern scholars for its unabashed Catholic theology and deep spiritual vision. Shrug off these skeptical scholars disdain and discover for yourself the true grandeur, Christian nature, and sheer artistry of Dante's Divine Comedy. Just as Dante needed Virgil to lead him through the bowels of Hell, you also need a true and trustworthy guide. Dr. Anthony Esolen serves as your Virgil in this course on the Inferno, the first canticle of the Divine Comedy. An expert who has taught Dante to college students for more than twenty years, Professor Esolen is also the preeminent modern translator of the entire Divine Comedy from the original Italian. With Professor Esolen you will enter the terrible gates of Hell and progress level by infernal level to its diabolical depths. Professor Esolen places a special emphasis on the drama of the poem, leading you through each canto in succession. Along the way, he will highlight Dante's astonishing human and theological insights and discuss the destiny of man, how to find our way out of the wilderness of sin, the relationship between love and knowledge, and the integral unity between body and soul. Professor Esolen will more than satisfy your curiosity about Hell and the fate of the damned. He will reveal in all its starkness the horror of sin, and awaken in your heart a longing for divine love.

Dante's Inferno (Audio CD): A Study on Part I of The Divine Comedy

Literature & Fiction

Esolen Ph.D., Anthony

History & Criticism

We Know What Happens in Hell...But What about Purgatory? Dante's Inferno revealed some titillating details about the punishments inflicted on sinners - but in a way, we already knew what happens to people in Hell. What we don't know is what happens to people who end up in Purgatory. In this second part of The Divine Comedy, Dante probes the mysteries of that strange and often misunderstood place between earth and Heaven.Climb the Mount Purgatory is a place to work through - no one gets stuck there forever. The souls in Dante's Purgatory must climb up seven terraces on Mount Purgatory before they can reach Heaven. On these terraces, Dante and Virgil find:The prideful who are forced into humility by heavy loads of stones on their backsThe envious whose eyes are sewn shut to prevent them from seeing the goods of othersThe wrathful climb through choking smoke which represents the blinding nature of angerThe slothful engage in ceaseless activity to overcome their former lazinessThe covetous who must lie face down on the ground for their attachment to earthly goodsThe gluttonous must starve in sight of unreachable fruit hanging from trees above themThe lustful are purified by running through a wall of flame which represents God\'s pure love Along the way, they are cleansed from the stains of sin by punishments which are like, and very unlike, those suffered by the sinners in Hell. Here, the suffering souls glorify God and rejoice in their suffering because they know it prepares them for the eternal bliss of Heaven. A Real Place Virgil and Dante discover the astonishing spiritual reality of Purgatory as they climb through the terraces on Mount Purgatory. Dante created a poetic vision which might be the best imaginative representation of Purgatory ever written. While his poem might not reflect the actual nature of Purgatory, his insights can help us understand it better. Your Expert Guide A celebrated translator and teacher of Dante, Professor Esolen interprets and describes the rich theological insights discovered by Dante on his journey up the mountain. Join Dante, Virgil, and Professor Esolen to continue the journey begun in the Inferno which will culminate in the ineffable beauty of Paradise.

Dante's Purgatory (Audio CD): A Study on Part II of The Divine Comedy

You\'ve followed Dante through the dread gates of Hell, to the arduous slopes of Mount Purgatory, and now, finally, to the transcendence of the Heavenly Court. With Dr. Anthony Esolen, you've travelled into the depths of the Inferno. You've witnessed the terrible hopelessness of Hell and the bitter punishments for sinners there. You\'ve accompanied Dante and Virgil through the mysteries of Mount Purgatory where sinners are purged of all attachment to sin. Finally, together with blessed Beatrice, enter into the indescribable glory of Heaven.The Beatific Vision Dante imagines that Paradise consists of nine celestial spheres which surround the very Throne of God at the center. It is like a blossoming rose, each petal reveals further splendor and glory the nearer we come to the center. Yet, in a way, Dante's journey to God read something like science fiction - after all, he and Beatrice travel through:The Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, and SaturnThe "Fixed Stars" - a region medievals imagined to contain all stars except the SunAnd finally, through the "Primum Mobile" - the sphere which causes the motion of all other spheres within it because it is moved directly by God In each astral location, Dante and Beatrice meet the blessed souls who enjoy the bliss of Heaven. Unlike Purgatory and the Inferno which are arranged by different types of sin, Paradise is structured according to virtue. Each sphere is associated with one of the cardinal virtues - prudence, fortitude, justice, temperance - or one of the theological virtues - faith, hope, charity. Poetry of the Highest Order Professor Esolen who has served as your guide through both the Inferno and Purgatory will guide you through the profound and elevated poetry of Paradise. An expert who has taught Dante to college students for more than twenty years, Professor Esolen is also the preeminent modern translator of the entire Divine Comedy from the original Italian. Dante can rightly be called the greatest poet who ever lived because he chose for the subject of his epic poem the greatest subject ever conceived - namely the whole purpose and end of man. Dante\'s imaginative genius gave us both astonishing human and theological insights and perhaps the most beautiful verse describing Heaven ever written. Discover the ineffable majesty of Paradise with Professor Esolen and complete the journey of all men who have conquered self through the sufferings in Purgatory.

Dante's Paradise (Audio CD): A Study on Part III of The Divine Comedy

How can Jesus be both God and man? Who exactly is the Holy Spirit? Is Mary really the Mother of God? You asked Catholic Courses for apologetics - but we want to give you more than a few simple explanations or brief answers to frequently asked questions. We've therefore developed a course that goes deep into Church history and doctrine - you'll get more than just apologetics. Study The First 500 Years for real theological substance and perspective. It Takes Time Based on the writings of the Church Fathers, Father David Meconi, S.J. discusses the development of doctrines in the Early Church. Did you know it took years - even centuries - to finalize many crucial Catholic beliefs? Through a series of councils, the Church defined and declared doctrines on: <ul>
<li>The hypostatic union between Christ\'s divine and human natures</li>
<li>Mary as the "Theotokos" - the "God-Bearer"</li>
<li>The primacy of the pope</li>
<li>The action and person of the Holy Spirit</li>
 The Fathers of the Church not only helped write the words to define what Catholics have believed for millennia, they debated about these doctrines to clarify them under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Why Study the Church Fathers? How can they help you answer challenges against the Faith? The Fathers were there from the very beginning of the Church. Their writings and thoughts on doctrine helped shape theology as it developed over the first few centuries of the Church. If you want to know why we believe what we believe, start with the Church Fathers - and that\'s exactly what Father Meconi does in this course. More, and Better, than Apologetics This course is more than apologetics - it is a comprehensive look at the formative years of the Catholic Church. Discover where our doctrines about Mary, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit came from. Understand the influence of the great saints Cyril, Pope Leo, and Augustine. Embrace the rich heritage of our religion. Join Father Meconi for this fascinating look at the early days of the Catholic Church.</ul>

The First 500 Years (Audio CD): The Fathers, Councils, and Doctrines of the Early Church

Meconi S.J., David

End-times hysteria peaked during the late 1990s as the millennium drew near. It has resurfaced in more recent years because of evangelical prophecies and an end-times fever which will only increase as we draw nearer to the end of 2012. Does the Book of Revelation disclose the date of the end of the world? When will the seven years of tribulation happen? Are we actually living in the end times? The Book of Revelation is probably the most frightening and most perplexing book of the New Testament. Full of signs and symbols, predictions and warnings, it speaks of extraordinary times marked by falling stars, a bloodcovered moon, the collapse of empires, and widespread havoc. Such hyper-dramatic language characterizes all apocalyptic literature. Fr. Alfred McBride, O. Praem. sets the record straight with an authentic Catholic interpretation of the Book of Revelation. He gives you three keys to understanding the Book of Revelation and offers sustaining hope for Christians who have or who will experience the trials and persecutions that have always accompanied members of the Church. In addition to discussing the end of the world, Fr. McBride presents authentic Catholic teaching on topics including the Rapture, the "mark of the beast," the Antichrist, the thousand years of peace and more in this course, Unveiling the Apocalypse.

Unveiling the Apocalypse (Audio CD): The End Times According to the Bible

Mcbride O.Praem, Alfred

Asking the "Big Questions" From the beginning of time, people have wondered about the meaning of human life. Who are we? Why are we here? What is the point of it all? These questions have eternal significance, and just asking them tends to change the way people live their lives. But there are even more fundamental questions than these, questions that ask not only about our being, but about being itself. What does it mean for anything to exist? What makes a being a being? How does being differ from nonbeing? And the ultimate question: Why is there something rather than nothing?Philosophy and the Science of Being Philosophy, in its traditional form as the love of wisdom and pursuit of truth, strives to answer these ultimate questions. And the branch of philosophy that seeks to do so is metaphysics. Aristotle called it the "science of being" because it is concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of existence itself. Catholics might ask, why study metaphysics or philosophy? Don't we have the answers to those questions in theology? But as St. Thomas Aquinas shows, revealed theology is the study of God as he is in himself. What Aquinas calls "philosophical theology" or metaphysics, studies God as the cause of being. Metaphysics proves through logical deduction that the existence of the universe requires a First Cause, a Creator, to account for why there is anything at all.Metaphysics in the Catholic Tradition Dr. Gregory T. Doolan offers a survey of metaphysics in the Catholic tradition. He discusses these topics and more: • The distinction between philosophy and theology • The nature, principles, and causes of being • The existence of God as the first cause of all being Professor Doolan begins with the roots of metaphysics in pre-Christian Greek philosophy from the great minds of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. The course highlights the crowning philosophical achievements of St. Thomas Aquinas during the 13th century. Finally, Professor Doolan references the modern philosophical decline that followed St. Thomas Aquinas. If you're ready to explore the deepest realities of existence, join Professor Gregory T. Doolan for this philosophical survey of metaphysics.

Ultimate Questions, Ultimate Answers (Audio CD): Metaphysics from the Pre-Socratics to Aquinas

Politics & Social Sciences

Doolan Ph.D., Gregory T.

Philosophy

Symbols of Divine Providence The Book of Daniel, on the surface, tells a powerful story of God’s faithfulness and constancy, even in the midst of great trial. Understanding the book’s symbolic language and images, however, requires some outside research. Join Paul Niskanen, Ph.D., as he analyzes and explains Daniel’s content and symbolism, revealing the book’s rich significance to the New Testament and to modern Christians.Echoes of Revelation Daniel is considered a work of apocalyptic literature, meaning that its contents are primarily symbolic. The book does, however, contain real historical figures, and takes place during real historical events. Over eight lectures, Dr. Niskanen explains the relationship between history and symbolism in Daniel, making sense of key figures and themes: • The close relationship between religion and politics in ancient Israel • The meaning and significance of Daniel’s dream visions • God’s hand and the role of free will in human history • Daniel as a bridge to the New Testament Far from being an isolated work of spiritual wisdom, Daniel reverberates throughout the New Testament. By illuminating the symbolism and connecting the dots between Daniel and Jesus Christ, Dr. Niskanen’s course shows the breadth and profundity of Daniel’s significance.Why study Daniel? The Book of Daniel invites the reader to explore a unique chapter in salvation history. Today’s Christians can feel intimidated by society’s increasing disdain for religion, something which Daniel understood all too well. God’s faithfulness to Daniel during his persecutions and sufferings is the same faithfulness he offers us today. Daniel is thus a very timely book for today’s Christians, reminding us of the unchanging nature of God’s love and fidelity, even in the midst of darkness. Our History Daniel demonstrates how God unfolds his plan of salvation through human history. This is a history in which we as Christians participate. Studying Daniel helps us to better understand our place in that history, and it gives us an enhanced perspective on God’s role in that history. In these eight lectures, Dr. Niskanen shows how we can find ourselves in this book, and how it is no less relevant today than in centuries past.

Daniel (DVD): Apocalypse of the Old Testament (DVD)

Niskanen Ph.D., Paul V.

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