Angels

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Demons



Liturgy

GOOD ANGELS, BAD ANGELS - Course Home & Syllabus

Angels have become a popular topic in the media. But do you know what the Church really teaches about angels? In "Good Angels, Bad Angels" (ST 114), students will study the following topics: (1) the role of angels in salvation history especially in the Bible; (2) the nature of angels; (3) devotions to angels; (4) Satan and the fallen angels; (5) the truth about exorcism and possession.

 

Required Texts

  1. Kreeft, Peter. Angels (and Demons): What Do We Really Know about Them? San Francisco: Ignatius, 1995.
     

  2. Parente, Pascal. The Angels: The Catholic Teaching on the Angels. Rockford IL: TAN, 1973.
     

  3. All other required readings are posted on the Blackboard site and/or linked on the course calendar below.

 

COURSE CALENDAR*

  

Week

Due Date

Topic

Readings
0 9/21

Orientation

1.       Course Syllabus

1

9/28

Introduction

1.       Kreeft, Angels (and Demons), pp. 17-43, qq. 1-17

2.       Fulton J. Sheen, Angels, from Life is Worth Living, on YouTube: Part I, Part II, and Part III

2

10/5

Angelic Nature

(what angels are)

1.       Kreeft, Angels (and Demons), pp. 47-72, qq. 18-42

2.       Parente, The Angels, pp. 18-27

3

10/12

Angelic Operation

(what angels do)

1.       Kreeft, Angels (and Demons), pp. 88-102, qq. 56-75

2.       Parente, The Angels, pp. 28-42

4

10/19

Creation and Order

1.       Parente, The Angels, pp. 43-62

2.     Kreeft, Angels (and Demons), pp. 74-75, q. 45

3.       Pope Saint Gregory the Great, Homily 34, pp. 285-294, on Blackboard only

4.     Images page on professor's web site

5

10/26

Angels in Salvation History

1.       Pope John Paul II, Angels Participate in History of Salvation, General Audience (6 August 1986)

2.       Parente, The Angels, pp. 83-102

3.       Kreeft, Appendix D, pp. 149-153; choose and read at least five biblical passages that mention angels

6

11/2

Fallen Angels or Demons

1.       Pope John Paul II, The Fall of the Rebellious Angels, General Audience (13 August 1986)

2.       Kreeft, Angels (and Demons), pp. 111-114, 116-120, qq. 84-86, 89-91

3.       Parente, The Angels, pp. 55-62

4.       Van Slyke, Demonology, on Blackboard only

5.     Demons and the Devil page on professor's web site

7

11/9

Diabolic Activity

1.       Pope Paul VI, Confronting the Devil's Power, General Audience (15 November 1972)

2.       Kreeft, Angels (and Demons), pp. 114-116, 120-122, qq. 87-88, 92-93

3.       Kreeft, Appendix D, pp. 151-154; choose and read at least five biblical passages that mention demons, evil spirits, the devil, Satan, or Beelzebub

8

11/16

Possession and Exorcism

1.       Van Slyke, "Diabolical Possession," on Blackboard only

2.       Van Slyke, "Exorcism," on Blackboard only

3.       Kreeft, Angels (and Demons), pp. 122-123, qq. 94-95

4.       Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen:  The Devil (Part 1); The Devil (Part 2); The Devil (Part 3) ; The Devil (Part 4)
9 11/23

Angels in Life and Liturgy

 1.       Liturgy page on professor's web site
2.     Selections from liturgical books, on Blackboard only

3.       Parente, The Angels, pp. 105-117, 123-130
10 11/30 Devotions to Angels

1.       Devotions page on professor's web site

2.       Parente, The Angels, pp. 147-155

3.       Kreeft, Angels (and Demons), pp. 125-127, qq. 98-100

 

  

 

* The Professor reserves the right to make substitutions, deletions, or additions to the schedule of readings.