Welcome to Catholics for Israel’s Online Bible Course!
Guarding the deposit of faith is the mission which the Lord entrusted to his Church, and which she fulfills in every age. (Fidei Depositum)
Welcome to Catholics for Israel’s online Bible course—an introduction to God’s plan of salvation, the Catholic faith, and life as God’s children!
Go to: Portal to Lessons | Part I: God’s Story, Our Story | Part II: Living in the Kingdom
The Course
This course offers a comprehensive introduction to the authentic faith and authoritative teachings of the Catholic Church. It covers:
- The story of salvation: How God has revealed himself and acted throughout human history, from creation to our own day;
- What we believe: How a firm grasp of reality is the essential condition for sane and joyful living;
- How we are to live: How living a moral life in accordance with God’s law is the key to freedom and happiness;
- How we worship: How the liturgy and sacraments of the Church empower us to live a holy life;
- How we pray: How prayer helps us grow in a loving relationship with God.
Goal
”God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength. He calls together all men, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church. To accomplish this, when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son as Redeemer and Savior. In his Son and through him, he invites men to become, in the Holy Spirit, his adopted children and thus heirs of his blessed life” (CCC 1).
Accordingly, the aim of this course is “to put people not only in touch but in communion, in intimacy, with Jesus Christ: only he can lead us to the love of the Father in the Spirit and make us share in the life of the Holy Trinity” (CT 5).
Sources
This course teaches the authentic Catholic faith that Jesus entrusted to his apostles and that the Church has faithfully handed down through the centuries. Its teaching is rooted in divine revelation, transmitted through Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. Its two principal reference texts are Sacred Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), which Pope John Paul II called “a sure and authentic reference text for teaching Catholic doctrine” (Fidei Depositum).
These texts are occasionally supplemented by other documents of the Church’s Magisterium and by the writings of theologians and biblical scholars. However, we are mindful that “the task of authentically interpreting the word of God, whether written or handed on, has been entrusted exclusively to the living teaching office of the Church, whose authority is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ. This teaching office is not above the word of God, but serves it, teaching only what has been handed on…” (DV 10).
Target Audience and Method
This course was originally developed as a curriculum for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), serving non-Catholic inquirers interested in learning about Catholicism and possibly entering the Catholic Church. It can also be used in other catechetical settings, including adult faith formation, campus ministry, and youth ministry. Because the course was designed for Jewish inquirers exploring the Christian faith in Israel, it places particular emphasis on the Old Testament and the Jewish roots of Catholic faith, worship, moral life, and prayer.
Content, Organic Unity, Repetition
The Catholic faith forms an organic unity: its teachings are interconnected and illuminate one another. The lessons reflect this unity, and each is best understood in the context of the whole course. To help each lesson stand on its own, some material is reviewed in several lessons. For example, the lessons on personal sin, salvation, and grace (B08, B10, B11) include a brief review of original sin (A09), since understanding original sin is essential to understanding these topics.
Two Parts
The course is divided into two parts:
- Part I: God’s Story, Our Story - Salvation history from creation to the coming of the Messiah, introducing the biblical foundations of the Christian faith (“mere Christianity”).
- Part II: Living in the Kingdom - An introduction to the Catholic Church, her faith, life, and worship.
Format
PowerPoint presentations: The lessons were designed as multimedia presentations, with pictures, graphics, and charts illustrating the truths of the faith. The presentations are available in two formats:
- The presentations can be viewed online free of charge in HTML format for self-study. This format is not editable and requires an internet connection.
- The PowerPoint presentations can be purchased online. These files are fully editable and customizable, and may be used for teaching in a church or classroom setting. The PowerPoint presentations also include additional notes for the teacher.
Videos: All lessons are also available as videos, which you can watch here on our website or directly on Catholics for Israel’s YouTube channel (available in English only).
Handouts: Each lesson includes a summary PDF handout with references to Scripture, the Catechism, and other magisterial documents for further study. These handouts are free to download, save, and print.
Supplementary Readings and Ongoing Study
The PowerPoint presentations and handouts provide introductory outlines. To get the most from each lesson, we strongly recommend reading the relevant Scripture passages and sections of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. For your convenience, all Scripture and Catechism citations in the PowerPoint files are hyperlinked to the full online text, so you can read each passage in context with a single click. Additional readings are occasionally provided at the end of the PowerPoint lessons and handouts.
How Much Does it Cost?
Whether you are exploring Catholicism or are already Catholic and want to understand your faith better, the entire online course is free for self-study. Enjoy it, and may God bless your spiritual journey! If you wish to use the course for teaching in your parish, church, school, or other setting, you can purchase and download the PowerPoint presentations, either individually or in one of our discounted packages. Catholics for Israel is a nonprofit organization, and all proceeds support the maintenance and growth of our apostolate, including the translation of this website into Hebrew and other languages. This course represents several years of work, and your contribution helps keep these resources freely available to those seeking the Kingdom of God. Thank you for supporting our work of evangelization and catechesis in Israel and the nations!
