Schedule for Temporary Formation
Year III: Christology

Links to download the Christology Schedule and Study Materials.

September – Meeting 1

Objectives

To introduce the mystery of Jesus Christ, the living Word of God, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. In this study, the laity will understand that Jesus Christ is the ultimate Revelation to us from God.

Specific Goals

Define Revelation, Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, Deposit of the Faith, Inerrancy of Scripture (CCC 32-38, 46-67, 70-114)

Readings/Sources

Read Dei Verbum

Read Fulton Sheen’s “The Pre-Announced One” https://www.thecatholicthing.org/2015/12/25/person-ever-pre-announced/

October – Meeting 2

Objectives

Become more familiar with the Scriptures that give us access to the Word of God

Specific Goals

Define the senses of Scripture (literal, allegorical, moral, and anagogical)—(CCC 115-119)

Identify the genres of books in the New Testament (CCC 120-140)

Readings/Sources

Matt. 16; Luke 1 & 2; John 1; Isaiah 53; Acts 8: 26-40

Listen to Bishop Barron’s “Who is Jesus?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y4xacvLUXo

God Sent His Son by Christoph Cardinal Schonborn, Ignatius Press, 2010, ISBN 978-1586174101 (~$25) (pp. 29-61)

November – Meeting 3

Objectives

Identify early Church Fathers’ contribution to Christology

Specific Goals

Read a primary text from the Christological controversies of the early Church Councils.

Identify contributions of early Church Councils to Christology.

Readings/Sources

Athanasius, “On the Incarnation,” Ch. 7 https://www.ccel.org/ccel/athanasius/incarnation.viii.html

God Sent His Son (p. 65-109)

December – Meeting 4

Objectives

Identify early Church Fathers’ contribution to Christology

Specific Goals

Jesus is Son of God from all eternity and Son of Mary from the moment of the Incarnation (CCC 484, 721-730).

Jesus Christ is the Logos, the Word of God, the fulfillment of God’s promise to Adam and Eve and to the people of ancient Israel

Readings/Sources

God Sent His Son (pp. 110-163); 2 Sam. 7; Hosea 11; Micah 5; Matt. 1 & 2

January – Meeting 5

Objectives

Identify early Church Fathers’ contribution to Christology

Specific Goals

Explain why the Church teaches that :

1. Jesus Christ, a Divine Person, is truly the Son of God, who, without ceasing to be God and Lord, became man and our brother (CCC 469).

2. Jesus Christ took on a human nature. The eternal Son of God incarnate worked with human hands; he thought with a human mind. He acted with a human will, and with a human heart he loved. He was like us in all things except sin (CCC 470). Man’s creator has become man (CCC 526).

3. Jesus showed his humanity in every event of his human life (CCC 512-534):

Readings/Sources

Optional—very complex: God Sent His Son (pp. 166-192);

Required: Romans 1-5 ; CCC 469-511

February

Day of Recollection

March – Meeting 6

Objectives

All events of Christ’s life are worthy of reflection and imitation.

Specific Goals

Christ’s whole life was a mystery of redemption (CCC 535-618).

Readings/Sources

God Sent His Son (pp. 193-254); Matthew 4; John 11

April – Meeting 7

Objectives

Explain that God has planned for us to share eternal happiness with him, which is accomplished through the redemption Christ won for us and that we share in this redemption only in and through Jesus Christ.

Specific Goals

Compare and contrast different approaches to Christology by Anselm, Luther, and Aquinas.

Readings/Sources

God Sent His Son (pp. 257-308); John 17-19; Phil. 2

May – Meeting 8

Objectives

Identify the consequences of the Resurrection event.

Specific Goals

The Resurrection of Jesus: redemption accomplished and the promise fulfilled (CCC 631-658).

1. A historical event involving Christ’s physical body.

2. A transcendent event in which Jesus is no longer bound by space and time.

3. Confirmation of Jesus’ divinity and of his words and teachings (CCC 651-653) and Old Testament prophecies.

4. A promise of our own resurrection (1 Cor 15) which we participate in through the sacramental life of the Church, especially the Holy Eucharist.

Readings/Sources

God Sent His Son (pp. 312-370); John 20 & 21
St. Dominic raises the nephew of the cardinal from the dead
https://www.dominicanajournal.org/st-dominic-and-the-ascension/

June – Meeting 9

Objectives

Describe what it means to be a disciple of Christ and what life as a disciple entails.

Specific Goals

We grow in holiness of life in and through the Church living as a disciple of Jesus.

Readings/Sources

God Sent His Son (pp. 372-383), Acts 9 & 14; Hebrews 9 -11

July – Meeting 10

Objectives

Describe what it means to be a disciple of Christ and what life as a disciple entails.

Specific Goals

We grow in holiness of life in and through the Church living as a disciple of Jesus.

1. Adherence to Jesus and acceptance of his teaching (CCC 520, 618, 767, 1693).

2. Conversion of heart and life, and the formation of conscience (CCC 1248).

3. Worshiping and loving God as Jesus taught (CCC 618, 767).

4. Living a sacramental life and a life of prayer (CCC 562, 915, 1816, 1823, 1986, 2262, 2347, 2427, 2466, 2612).

5. Putting Jesus’ moral and spiritual teaching into practice.

Readings/Sources

CCC 1700-1742
St. Louis Bertrand https://dominicanfriars.org/st-louis-bertrand/
Irish Dominican Martyrs: https://opeast.org/2012/10/dominican-saints-101-bl-terence-obrien-and-bl-peter-ohiggins/