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Whether you seek a deeper personal understanding or wish to be able to better answer questions posed by family, friends, or parishioners, this program is essential. Your professor and guide, Fr. Bill Byron, is past president of three Catholic universities, including the Catholic University of America, and has ministered to thousands of Catholics over nearly six decades.

What are the apocryphal gospels? Purporting to fill in the missing pieces of Jesus' life story, these books are often the subject of popular discussion and heated debates. Few, however, truly understand their context and meaning. In The Apocryphal Gospels: Exploring the Lost Books of the Bible, you have the opportunity to explore these gripping texts with one of Catholicism's great scholars.

Explore some of the most powerful theological ideas, economic tensions, and political struggles that shaped Western civilization. This series traces western European civilization - with detours to the East - from the transformation of the Roman Empire to a thousand-year medieval period that started slowly before 1000, flowered for 300 years, and then declined sharply with the Black Death and social revolts until Constantinople fell in 1453 and Columbus sailed in 1492.

As Christians, we profess to believe in the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come, but what exactly does this mean? In this fundamental course, you will explore the origin, context, and meanings of the Christian beliefs about the afterlife.

Take solace in the Franciscans’ powerful faith with one of the world’s leading experts on St. Francis of Assisi. Throughout seven engaging lectures originally produced for Franciscan ministries, you’ll learn what defines the Franciscan view: a focus on the individual, a championing of interdependence, and a dedication to living with open hands.

In Understanding Your Brain and Mind, you’ll hear from more than 40 leading scientists with special insight into the title question. Among many others, you’ll meet luminaries such as Christof Koch, president and chief scientific officer of the Allen Institute of Brain Science in Seattle; Baroness Susan Greenfield, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease researcher and member of the House of Lords; Robert Stickgold, director of the Center of Sleep and Cognition at Harvard; and renowned scientist Jared Diamond, the author of best-selling books.

Our world teems with the unexpected: marsupial wolves, carnivorous plants, flocks of starlings, and many more surprising phenomena. In this audio course, you’ll explore the most fascinating of these natural wonders: consciousness. Have you ever watched a fiery sunset or heard a Mozart concerto? Human beings could soak up such sights and sounds in the same predictable ways computers or car engines do.

In the medieval period, how did religious women and men put into words their intense - and intensely personal - devotional practices, visions, and experiences? And how did those efforts to articulate mystical experiences comport with church doctrine? You’ll rejoice in this fresh approach to the mystical tradition, grounded in history and letters but elevated by the mystery of the soul. A natural and energetic speaker, Prof. Fee sets every aspect of his subject ablaze. You’ll find his enthusiasm infectious.

Three men laid the groundwork for Christianity’s philosophy, theology, and learning. Seventeen centuries later, Thomas Merton, a spiritual visionary, taught gripping classes on these Church Fathers.

What can Galileo's extraordinary life and profound legacy teach us today? Galileo's story is a touchstone in debates about science and religion, but our preconceptions inevitably color the way we see the issues. To understand who Galileo was, what he accomplished, and what you can learn from his triumphs and failures, you need a great teacher to place him in context by exploring the cosmologies, political and religious and historical events, and famous people of his generation.

In the near future, developments in bio-enhancement technologies will not only alter how we make a living, communicate, and interact with each other, but will offer direct and precise control over our own physical and mental states. People will be able to sculpt their own selfhood over time, reshaping their bodies, augmenting their cognition, micromanaging their emotions and moods, and reconfiguring their character and personality. In this captivating audio series from Michael Bess, you’ll explore the promise and peril of tinkering with human bodies and identities.

You rely on your memory in virtually every aspect of your life. In this engrossing audio series, cognitive psychology professor Daniel Reisberg shares modern scientific research on the function and failures of memory. You’ll cover theoretical points, delving into the biology of memory and memory disorders, as well as gain practical information that can help you improve your memory.

This unforgettable course by modern spiritual master Fr. Howard Gray will change the way you see the Bible. For as long as humans have been around, we have found comfort in stories. In Great Biblical Stories: A Narrative Journey with Howard Gray, you will discover newfound theological and spiritual meaning in the Bible's great stories. By looking at the stories God uses in the Bible and developing an informed approach to the literature of faith, you will come to know him more personally.

In An Introduction to Hebrew Poetry, you will spend time examining the many literary types and collections found in the Psalter, such as the hymns of the Psalms. The hymns give a beautiful and informative glimpse of the view of God in Hebrew poetry. Additionally, the personal laments of the Psalms will help us explore the role of the individual and the nature of the worshipping community of the Psalms. We will also explore the pilgrim psalms, the songs of Zion, and the hallelujah psalms.

With about 1.7 billion members and growing, Islam is the second largest religion in the world. The relationship between Muslim and Christian theology is complex and often misunderstood. In this illuminating audio series, you will examine the ways Islam addresses Christian teaching and come to a fuller understanding of Islam in its own right.

If you or someone you love is facing death, this deeply compassionate series offers hope and comfort. While conversations about dying and death have become more popular in recent years, a decidedly Catholic perspective is often missing. Now, this course offers a unique approach to these conversations grounded in the Franciscan tradition. Combining historical analysis and meditations for reflection, these lectures provide you with new insights into the spiritual dimensions of dying and death.

An institution that has existed longer than any extant government on earth, the Catholic Church continues to touch the hearts and minds of billions. The fact that Catholics in Creed recite the words "I believe in one holy, Catholic, and apostolic church" means that there is more to the church than meets the eye. Now you can encounter the enduring power of the theology of the church through this 18-lecture audio course.

Follow the contemplative path with Thomas Merton as your guide. In 1942, Thomas Merton relinquished a promising academic career to join the Abbey of Gethsemani. Instead of running away from the world, however, he actually developed his most profound wisdom about it.

Beginning with the seemingly simple question "what is human?" Fr. FitzGerald investigates the implications of modern science. Several lectures are devoted to stem cells. What are they, where do they come from, and how are they used? Does it matter if a stem cell comes from an embryo versus bone marrow, the placenta, or skin? Examine the promise and dangers of stem cell research. The world marveled at Dolly, the first cloned sheep, and now cloning is widespread. What is cloning, how is it done, and are humans being cloned now?

An apostle, preacher, bishop, and martyr, Peter is one of the most important figures in early Christianity. Indeed, Catholics believe that the pope is the successor to St. Peter. Now, in this fascinating course, you will explore the powerful portraits of Peter found in the New Testament.