Introduction to Catholic Theology

By: Kevin F. Burke

Narrated by: Kevin F. Burke

Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

This is the theology course you wish you had taken in college or graduate school. This special series surveys the rich landscape of Catholic theology and presents it clearly and passionately. Begin by following your presenter, Rev. Kevin Burke, SJ, dean of the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, through the ancient origins and modern developments of our rich Catholic tradition. Each lecture builds on the next so that you will gain a keen sense for the synthesis of theological thought.

Journey through 2,000 years of prayerful and intelligent reflection and explore what that reflection has revealed about God, human life, the Catholic Church, and Catholic beliefs. This course will challenge and engage you while exploring the major theological questions that have gripped our minds and hearts. You'll discover that your questions about God, Scripture, right living, evil, and love connect you with a rich legacy.

Encounter the great theological ideas with which thoughtful Christians have grappled for centuries, and meet the great theologians who have bequeathed us such a powerful legacy. You will come out of this series with a far deeper and more meaningful understanding of what it means to be Catholic.

©2009 Now You Know Media Inc. (P)2009 Now You Know Media Inc.

Title should be introduction to liberation theology

I listened to most of this series a couple of years ago. I finally grew tired of the liberation approach, so I stopped. However, I am researching Catholic Theology and want to compare this to a more traditional approach. I agree with another listener that this series is concerned with the "world," but would disagree that it's not about theology. The lecturer would have you think that most Catholics have scrapped tradition in order to make "theology" more meaningful in this "post-modern world." Liberation theology is a carry-over from the social gospel. It is more interested in saving/helping others in this present world than saving souls. Regardless of which tradition you come from salvation through Jesus Christ toward eternal life has always been the goal of Christianity until the last 100 plus years. This theologian sculpts, rather awkwardly at times, traditional Catholic theology to fit this liberation goal. Early on he makes it clear that tradition isn't that important, but in practice he reinterprets this tradition to fit his liberation agenda. In Catholic theology two major aspects of tradition is the Bible and church history. However, with liberation theology that tradition doesn't determine theology and practice of Catholicisim, but rather the adherents of Catholicism when there is a socio-cultural need. Thus, the Church is more interested in the social than the spiritual when it should be because of the spiritual the Church is concerned with the social. When you redefine tradition to fit a social agenda you no longer have Catholicism or even Christianity, but liberation philosophy with a social justice agenda. Traditional Catholicism preserves the real definition of tradition and from that point helps the poor and needy as evidence of that eternal salvation.

Excellent course. Fr Burke is passionate Prof.

All listeners will find this valuable. With plenty of references to contemporary Latin American theologians

a lecture not convincingly read to the listener.

Well researched and cognitively, grammatically constructed. Performance a dry attempt at passion. I imagine a well educated theologian not willing to strip himself of his professional stature.

Eye-opening course

This is a great primer for Catholics, or for anyone who is seeking a deeper understanding of God, faith, grace or life in general. Fr. Burke made me look at things from a totally different perspective, and he explains complex topics in plain English. It’s obvious that he is very passionate about the topic, and also a prayerful person who lives his faith. I will listen to this course again because there’s so much information to take in. Like a great movie, you always pick up on nuances the second or third time through.

Boring

Mundane and not inspirational. Sure Fr. Burke is brilliant. It just made me feel as though I was in a class of which I could fall asleep.

Just abysmal

This is the worst audio book I have ever listened to. If you are a devout Catholic do not waste your time or money on this. It teaches nothing about true Catholic morality or theology. It’s more like relativism and Saul Alinsky tactics. It’s awful.

His "theology" is about the world not God

The reader/instructor is clear in his speech and easy to understand. His message is also easy to understand because he repeats the same question and answer over and over.

Chapter 1: what is theology? Most of the chapter just reiterates the question. The answer? Theology is action toward the poor, recognizing that ancient tradition is not relevant, and letting go of certainty in our beliefs.

Chapter 2: what is theology? Theology/truth is undefinable. The word comes from Greek words. The poor.

Chapter 3: what is theology? Definition - "Faith seeking understanding." Bad theology kills and cramps the human spirit. Good theology (liberation theology) is about history and action, not concepts and the hereafter.

God is occasionally mentioned, but more as a worldview and never as a loving being or creator, so far. At this point I quit. He says theology is linked to faith, but faith in what?