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Basic Certificate in Apologetics

Given our increasingly secular society and the atheistic worldview often promoted by the mainstream media and academic/scientific establishment, the need to strengthen the faith of Catholics and equip the faithful to better explain and share the Faith has never been greater. This need is especially evident in the large number of young people who are leaving the Catholic Faith, especially during and after college.

By participating in the seminars for this certificate program, you can strengthen your faith and equip yourself to better explain and share with family and friends why Catholics believe what we do about God, Jesus, Salvation, Church, Suffering and Evil.

Certificate Outcomes:
These six seminars rationally explore “big questions” about God, Jesus, salvation, the Catholic Church, and suffering, as well as vital apologetics skills. Students who complete all six seminars for the Certificate in Apologetics should be able to:

  • Credibly, convincingly, and compellingly explain and share why Catholics believe what we do about God, Jesus, salvation, the Church, and suffering.
  • Explain scientific and human evidence of God's existence.
  • Elucidate Catholic teaching on the creation vs. evolution debate, including how to properly interpret the Genesis creation stories.
  • Describe how to know that Jesus was a real historical person, who is truly God, and who really rose from the dead.
  • Explain how scientific studies of near-death experiences confirm the reality of heaven and an afterlife.
  • Share reasons why Christ's passion and death were necessary for our salvation and how we can accept God's gracious gift of salvation.
  • Describe why being “spiritual” is not enough and why the Church, including the sacraments, are important and necessary in our lives.
  • Share the “top ten” reasons to regularly attend Mass.
  • Explain reasons why God may allow moral evil (evil human behavior) and natural evil (earthquakes, disease, etc.).
  • Describe some beneficial purposes of suffering.

Certificate Requirements:
Completion of the following six apologetics seminars (CDU has previously offered  these seminars and students who have successfully completed previous seminars also meet certificate requirements.  Scheduled and anticipated offerings are listed below):
  • Proclaiming the Reality of God: Compelling Evidence of God’s Existence (January 15-February 5, 2024)
  • Making the Case for Christ (April 15–May 6, 2024)
  • Why Would a Loving God Allow Evil, Pain, and Suffering? (June 17-July 8, 2024)
  • How Are We Saved? The Catholic View of Salvation (Winter 2025)
  • Why Do We Need the Church? (Spring 2025)
  • The Art of Evangelization through Apologetics (Fall 2025)