Catholic Thinkers

Religious Liberty in the United States by William Bentley Ball: 1. Background on Religious Liberty

Recorded in 1997.  In Religious Liberty in the United States, Mr. Ball walks the student through the evolving relationship between church and state in the U.S.  The Founders clearly envisioned a role for the Christian religion in the founding of the country: to provide the moral code to which all Americans would be expected to adhere.  However, with concern that the assumption of Christianity by government institutions was a violation of the First Amendment ("Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion…"), courts began to rule that there could be no traces of religion in government institutions, especially public schools.  

Though recorded before the current political debates, Religious Liberty in the United States provides a solid foundation in the history and issues that have formed today's crisis.  He predicts religious persecution, and urges a return to the correct understanding of the role of religion in society. The extreme decisions that have purged public life of religion have trespassed upon the religious liberty of all. If no one is allowed to express his religious views for fear of causing offense, secularism has become the enforced national religion.  Cleansing the state of religious principles has effectively erased its moral code -- any moral principles that do remain in the state are subjective, and severely threatened.  Utility is now the measuring stick by which actions are judged, and our basic rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness will always be arbitrary unless their source, the Creator, can once again be acknowledged by government.

Basics of Catholicism: The Documents of Vatican II by Kenneth D. Whitehead

In The Documents of Vatican II, Mr. Whitehead gives a thorough introduction to that ecumenical council. He mentions each article in order, and highlights important theological and historical points, addressing common questions and criticisms of the council as he goes. His emphasis on the continuing relevance of Vatican II encourages a more wide-spread study of its rich documents.

catholicthinkers.org/basics-documents-of-vatican-ii

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ1FiPu7OeY

 

Basics of Catholicism: Christian and Moral Action by Fr. Kevin Flannery

How can we judge if an action is "good"?  In Christian and Moral Action, Fr. Flannery teaches us the principles by which we judge an act. He explains that the morality of an action lies in its intelligibility and rationality–whether it is ordered to a good end.  We are given the tools to determine whether any action is intelligible and rational by learning to consider its intention, circumstances, and object. Recorded in 2007.

Basics: Catholic Social Doctrine

In this short course Dr. Hittinger examines the underlying nature and purpose of just societies. He sets out the three main societies of marriage, polity, and church to explain that through their unity of order humans can become truly good. Recorded in 2007.

Basics: Introduction to Sacred Liturgy by Fr. Neil Roy

In Introduction to Sacred Liturgy, Fr. Roy acquaints the student with the public and official prayer of the Church in all its forms: the Eucharist, the Sacraments, and the Liturgy of the Hours. He leads us to a better understanding of the liturgy as the re-living of the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ. Recorded in 2007.

The Logic of Religion by Jude Dougherty: 8. Edith Stein

Edith Stein: The Convert in Search of Illumination Assessing the Value of Religion

What is religion? How have views of religion changed over the centuries? How can we understand religion in the modern, secular, oftentimes anti-Catholic world? These are some of the fundamental questions we will be considering in this course. Recorded in 1995.

The Logic of Religion by Jude Dougherty: 7. Immanual Kant: His Philosophy of Religion

What is religion? How have views of religion changed over the centuries? How can we understand religion in the modern, secular, oftentimes anti-Catholic world? These are some of the fundamental questions we will be considering in this course. Recorded in 1995.

The Logic of Religion by Jude Dougherty: 6. Modern Interpretations of Religion

What is religion? How have views of religion changed over the centuries? How can we understand religion in the modern, secular, oftentimes anti-Catholic world? These are some of the fundamental questions we will be considering in this course. Recorded in 1995.

The Logic of Religion by Jude Dougherty: 5. Christian Conceptions of Belief

What is religion? How have views of religion changed over the centuries? How can we understand religion in the modern, secular, oftentimes anti-Catholic world? These are some of the fundamental questions we will be considering in this course. Filmed in 1995.

The Logic of Religion by Jude Dougherty: 4. Early Christian Speculations

What is religion? How have views of religion changed over the centuries? How can we understand religion in the modern, secular, oftentimes anti-Catholic world? These are some of the fundamental questions we will be considering in this course. Filmed in 1995.