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"Preach the Gospel to every creature" - (Mark 16:15)
"Every speech is left incomplete" - (Qo 1:8)
This basic course is the first step to the comprehension of Christian message, and paves the way, with a rigorous approach, to future deepening of the study.
The course is updated to the last edition (may 2002), personally authored and edited by Rev. Piero Ottaviano. Below you can find the Italian pdf version, in format A5 (standard) or A4 (booklet).
Chapter I - The Foundations of Christianity [A5 standard] [A4 booklet]
Chapter II - Reactions to the announcement of the Resurrection [A5 standard] [A4 booklet]
Chapter III - Christian writings [A5 standard] [A4 booklet]
Chapter IV - Historicity of the Resurrection and documents [A5 standard] [A4 booklet]
The issue
The method of work
Purpose of the analysis
The documents concerning the Burial and the Resurrection
Gospel of Mark
Gospel of Luke
Gospel of Matthew
Gospel of John
Memories of Nicodem
Letter of the Apostles
Gospel of Peter
Dialog with Triphon of Justin
Chapter V - Critical analysis of some documents [A5 standard] [A4 booklet]
John 20:1-10: the Shroud
Preliminary informations concerning the 4th Gospel
Text analysis
A consideration
Chapter VI - Critical analysis of some documents [A5 standard] [A4 booklet]
Matt. 27:28: the guard at the Sepulchre
Informations over the Gospel of Matthew
Text analysis
Considerations
An indisputable fact: the empty sepulchre.
Differences among canonical texts
Gospel of Peter (apocryphal)
Discovery of the manuscript
Datation
Place of origin
Connections with the Gospels
Commented text
Conclusions
Chapter VII - Conclusions concerning the historicity of Resurrection [A5 standard] [A4 booklet]
The issue: historicity of what has been written down
Interpretations against historicity:
hypothesis of bad faith of the first Christians
hypothesis of good faith of the first Christians
Critical or Rationalist School
Mythical School
Interpretations favorable to historicity
Chapter VIII - The Act of Faith [A5 standard] [A4 booklet]
Introduction
Faith for the Apostles' disciples
Faith for today's Christians
Act of Faith in the Church
Favorable arguments
Reply to the Critical School
Reply to the Mythical School
Arguments supporting historicity
The Act of Faith of the Apostles
Structure of the Act of Faith today
Reactions of the listener
Faith as a gift of God
Heresy
Appendix: informations over the Apostles
Chapter IX - The Christian, disciple of Christ [A5 standard] [A4 booklet]
Who's the Christian (adult)
Acts of the Apostles 2:36-42
Colossians 2:6 - 3:11
Ephesians 5:1-21
Romans, Chap. 14
Christian Life and external laws
The "law" of Jesus: love
Sin
Appendix: human life in the light of the Resurrection
The meaning of life: reason's answer
Christian answer: imitation of Jesus
Human morality and Christian morality (revealed)
Epistle to Diognetus, Chap. 5
Chapter X - Christian Vocations [A5 standard] [A4 booklet]
Premise
Religious Consecrated life
What does it mean
Historical forms of religious life
Secular Life
What does it mean
Seculars' functions
Relations between religious and secular life
Chapter XI - The Church: community of Christians [A5 standard] [A4 booklet]
The nature of the Church
God's calling
Positive answer of the man / woman
Church organization
The origins (I Century)
Between 2nd and 5th centuries
Today
Laity in the Church
Who is a lay person?
Functions of a secular lay
Appendix: Bishop's election in the western churches
Chapter XII - The interpretation of the Gospel and the infallibility [A5 standard] [A4 booklet]
The problems
The answer
The testimony of the first Christians
The testimony of the Apostles concerning Jesus
The answers of the New Testament
The Church is infallible
Infallibility of the Church
Infallibility of the Council and of the Pope
Limits of Infallibility
Precisations
The Christian and infallibility
The dogmas and the ecclesiastical magistry
Chapter XIII - The Bible, Word of God [A5 standard] [A4 booklet]
The Canon of official Christian Books
The text's transmission
The Bible, Word of God (inspiration)
The interpretation of the Bible
Synthesis
Appendix: method for Bible's reading
Chapter XIV - Evangelization and Sacraments [A5 standard] [A4 booklet]
Evangelization
Reception of Evangelization
Sacraments
The various Sacraments:
The Sacrament of Christian Initiation
The Sacrament of Christian Confirmation
The Sacrament of Eucharist The Mass
The Sacrament of Penance
The Sacrament of Extreme Unction
The Sacrament of Ordination
The Sacrament of Marriage
Conclusions
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