Society & Culture
The subject of the course is Catholic apologetics in the generation of millennials. Studies show that teens and young adults are leaving the Church in large numbers and that the ones who stay do not subscribe to Church teachings. Seeking to “meet them where they are,” the course begins with an examination of contemporary trends in the religious lives of millennials, with a particular focus on Catholics. It proceeds to examine the major reasons why millennials are leaving the Catholic Church and to engage students in arguments for and against the Church’s positions on: the rationality of God, science, sex and marriage, the Church’s role in historical injustices, and politics. In the final portion of the course, the syllabus pivots to a “positive apologetics” look at the case for the Church through beauty and the witness of the saints, modes of engagement that are said to appeal to the millennial generation. The course concludes with the case for the resurrection of Jesus. Special Guests: Daniel Philpott and Jessica Keating.