Theology Uncorked: laid-back faith talk for parents

“Science takes things apart to see how they work; the Bible brings things together to see what they mean,” said Chris Baglow, Ph.D., Notre Dame Seminary, during his talk, “Faith and Reason,” at “Theology Uncorked – Wine, Cheese Theology,”

 the last of yearlong faith talks open to parents of Catholic high school students in St. Tammany. It’s sponsored by St. Scholastica Academy (SSA).
 

Baglow explained the relationship between faith and reason, stating the Bible is not like other human writings. It was meant to state the correct relationship of man with God and the universe.
 
“The Catholic Church teaches that the Bible firmly, faithfully and without error teaches the truth which God – for the sake of our salvation – wished to see confided to it. The Bible contains no error from the perspective of truth necessary for salvation.
 
“The Bible itself speaks to us of free origin of the universe and its makeup, not in order to provide us with a scientific treatise but to state the correct relationships of man with God and the universe,” Baglow said, quoting St. John Paul II. “Any other teaching about the origin and make-up of the universe is alien to the intentions of the Bible.”

Reaching parents
The evening theology lesson is offered in a relaxed atmosphere with wine and snacks, perfect for busy parents desiring to enhance their Catholic faith and start dialogues with their teens.

It is the brainchild of St. Scholastica Academy’s Rafael Flores, a fifth-year personal and social morality teacher working on his master’s degree in pastoral leadership from Notre Dame Seminary.
Flores said the idea came from a practicum requirement that he think about a ministerial need and do something about it. Flores immediately recalled parents mentioning to him they wished they were better educated in the faith.

“One consistent thing I got from parents: ‘I wish I could take this class and wish I had learned this in high school,’” he said. “I think, in a real way, students are surpassing their parents’ comprehension in theology. There’s a ‘catechetical gap’ between the different generations.”

Flores hopes this course can bridge that gap.

“The whole thing we’ve been trying to do is give parents and grandparents a broad taste of the church’s theology, always giving them resources so they can go home and educate themselves,” he said, “so they have this common language (with their daughter) they didn’t have before.”

“I saw young people wanting to be disciples, and it inspired me to want to learn more and be like Christ,” said Mary Ellen Jordan, mother of 2016 graduate Genna.

“Mr. Flores inspired my daughter so much that she wanted me to come.”

Myriad of subjects
Topics covered this year have been “Theology of the Body” with religion teacher Colin MacIver; “The Call to Sainthood”; “Prayer in the Home”; “Communion, Not Consumption”; and “Ignatian Discernment” by Stephanie Clouatre Davis.

The impact of the talks has been promising.

“The parents that regularly come, their capacity to engage their children in theology dialogue has definitely increased. They have a common language now” and are sharing spiritual growth with their daughters.

“I thought it was a good idea,” said David Schexnaydre, parent of junior twin girls. “You have ‘Painting with a Twist’ and all this other stuff, and you can have theology, wine and cheese.”

Baglow asked if science and religion had to be at odds. How should Catholics approach the relationship between the Bible and science?

“The Catholic Church offers us a different and better way to approach the difference between the relationship of the Bible and science. … The Bible, from the perspective of the saving truth, never misleads us.” From the Bible, we learn faith teachings and how to live a life pleasing to God.” The Bible doesn’t give us a science lesson or a history documentary.

“God created the universe with perfect reason and with divine freedom, so God is a rational and free God who gives human beings oversight of the world,” Baglow said. “Adam is the first scientist; the first to investigate the world … Science is an important way we share God’s will.”

Baglow said an openness to faith and reason will help young people keep their faith.

“You reach teenagers today by recognizing the beauty of scientific discovery and seeing it as a fertile ground for faith.”

No matter what the topic, Flores opens the floor for parent discussion at the end of every 30- to 45-minute lecture.

After Baglow’s talk, parents shared their stories of talking about faith with their teens. They thought it was OK to admit they don’t know all the answers but will try to find them and to live by example. They learned that everything exists because God loves us.

Flores stressed the importance for parents to cultivate a freedom of expression in their children about faith like his parents did, even when his own faith faltered. Parents hoped they could steer these faith conversations back to God.

Flores said St. Scholastica will resume the program in the fall.

“We’re trying to work on cohesive themes, a progression of religious themes,” he said.

For details on start-up dates in the fall, email rflores@ssacad.org.