Baptism &
Confirmation


 

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Baptism and Confirmation: Course Home & Syllabus

 

Topic I: Introduction  

 

Recommended Readings:

1.       Edward N. Peters, “Liturgical Law: The Last Labyrinth

Class 1, Tuesday 12 January

 

Professor’s Study Notes

1.       Course Syllabus

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Topic II: Doctrine and Theology of Baptism  

 

Required Readings:

1.       Council of Trent, Session 5: Decree Concerning Original Sin

2.       Council of Trent, Session 7: Canons on Baptism

3.       Catechism of the Catholic Church §§1210-1284

Class 2:  Friday 15 January

Class 3:  Tuesday 19 January

Pro-Life March: No class on 22 January

 

Professor’s Study  Notes

1.       Basic Doctrine on Baptism

 

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Topic III: Theology and Celebration of Infant Baptism

 

Required Readings:

1.       Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Instruction on Infant Baptism Pastoralis actio (20 Oct 1980)

2.       Rite of Baptism for Children, in Rites, pp. 361-407

3.       Code of Canon Law canons 204, 241, 530, 842, 849-878, 1050

4.       Archdiocese of St Louis, Order for the Naming and Commendation of an Infant Who Died before Birth [on Blackboard]

Class 4:  Tuesday 26 January

Class 5:  Friday 5 February

SCL Conference: No class on 29 January

Workshop: No class on 2 February

 

Professor’s Study Notes

1.       Infant Baptism

2.       Rite of Baptism of an Infant [PowerPoint]

 

 

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Topic IV: Doctrine and Theology of Confirmation

 

Required Readings:

1.       Council of Trent, Session 7: Canons on Confirmation

2.       Paul VI, Apostolic Constitution on the Sacrament of Confirmation Divinae consortium naturae (5 August 1971), in Rites, pp. 472-78

3.       Catechism of the Catholic Church §§ 1285-1321

4.       Pope Leo XIII, Letter on the Effects of the Sacrament of Confirmation Abrogata (22 June 1897) [on Blackboard]

Class 6:  Tuesday 9 February

Class 7:  Friday 12 February

 

Professor’s Study Notes

1.       Basic Doctrine on Confirmation

 


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Topic V: Celebration of Confirmation

 

Required Readings:

1.       Rite of Confirmation, in Rites, pp. 469-515

2.       Code of Canon Law canons 777, 866, 879-896, 1033, 1065

3.       Archdiocese of St Louis, Pastoral Guidelines for Celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation (1998) [on Blackboard]

Class 8:  Tuesday 16 February

Class 9:  Friday 19 February

 

Professor’s Study Notes

1.       The Rite of Confirmation

 

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Topic VI: Extraordinary Rites of Initiation

 

Required Readings:

1.       Ancient Roman Rites [on Blackboard]

2.       Baptism of Infants, Baptism of Adults, and Confirmation rites from the Rituale Romanum of 1953 [on Blackboard]

3.       Pope Benedict XVI, Apostolic Letter Motu proprio on the Use of the Roman Liturgy Prior to the Reform of 1970 Summorum Pontificum (July 7, 2007)

Class 10:  Tuesday 23 February

Class 11:  Friday 26 February

 

Professor’s Study Notes

1.       Baptism and Confirmation in the Extraordinary Use

2.       Rite for the Baptism of Infants, extraordinary form [PowerPoint]

 

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Topic VII: Eastern Rites of Initiation

 

Required Readings:

1.       The Ancient Byzantine Rite [on Blackboard]

2.       The Service of Holy Baptism - Euchologion

Class 12:  Tuesday 2 March

Class 13:  Friday 5 March

 

Professor’s Study Notes

1.       Eastern Rites of Initiation

 

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Topic VIII: Protestant Initiation Belief and Practice

 

Required Readings:

1.       Luther’s First and Second Taufbüchlein [on Blackboard]

2.       Calvin’s Form of Prayers [on Blackboard]

Class 14:  Tuesday 9 March

 

Professor’s Study Notes

1.       Initiation among Protestants

 

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Topic IX: Ancient Catechumenate

 

Required Readings:

1.       Yarnold, pp. 1-40, 55-59

Class 15:  Friday 12 March

Class 16:  Tuesday 16 March

 

Professor’s Study Notes

1.       The Ancient Catechumenate

2.       Ancient Baptisteries and Baptismal Fonts [PowerPoint]

 

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Topic X: Ancient Mystagogy

 

 

March 26 – April 2

MAJOR HEBDOMADA, no class

Class 17:  Friday 19 March

Class 18:  Tuesday 23 March

Class 19:  Tuesday 6 April

Class 20:  Friday 9 April

 

READINGS:

1.      Ambrose of Milan, Sermons 1-2, in Yarnold, pp. 100-119, presented by ______________

2.      Ambrose of Milan, Sermons 3-4, in Yarnold, pp. 120-139, presented by ______________

3.      Ambrose of Milan, Sermons 5-6, in Yarnold, pp. 140-149, presented by ______________

4.      Cyril of Jerusalem , Sermons 1-4, in Yarnold, pp. 67-89, presented by ______________

5.      John Chrysostom, Homily 2, in Yarnold, pp. 150-164, presented by ______________

6.      Theodore of Mopsuestia, Homily 2, in Yarnold, pp. 168-179, presented by ______________

7.      Theodore of Mopsuestia, Homily 3, in Yarnold, pp. 180-200, presented by ______________

8.      Theodore of Mopsuestia, Homily 4, in Yarnold, pp. 201-225, presented by ______________

 

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Topic XI: RCIA

 

Required Readings:

1.       RCIA, in Rites, pp. 35-107, §§ 1-137

2.       Guidelines for the Implementation of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults: Archdiocese of St Louis (28 February 1993) [on Blackboard] 

3.       RCIA, in Rites, pp. 108-169, §§ 138-251

4.       RCIA, in Rites, pp. 170-286, §§ 252-504

Class 21:  Tuesday 13 April

Class 22:  Friday 16 April

Class 23:  Tuesday 20 April

Class 24:  Friday 23 April

 

Professor’s Study Notes

1.       Christian Initiation of Adults, parts I and II

2.       The RCIA: Introduction [PowerPoint]

 

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Topic XII: Lingering Pastoral Questions

 

Required Readings:

1.       Alvaro Corrada, Bishop of Tyler, TX, Pastoral Reflection on the Sacrament of Confirmation (7 October 2005)

2.       Samuel J. Aquila, Bishop of Fargo, ND, Pastoral Letter to the People of God of Fargo, North Dakota, on the Sacrament of Confirmation “Send Forth Your Spirit” (15 August 2002)

3.       Daniel G. Van Slyke, “Confirmation: A Sacrament in Search of a Theology?”

Class 25:  Tuesday 27 April

Class 26:  Friday 30 April

 

 

Professor’s Study Notes

1.       Order of the Sacraments of Initiation

 

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Topic XIII: Review

 

Required Readings:

1.       Review Sheet for Final Examination

Class 27:  Tuesday 4 May

 

FINAL EXAM: to be held on the last day of class, Friday 7 May

 

 

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