2024-2025 Adult Courses

Defending Your Faith in a Culture of Unbelief

Instructor: Greg Smith, Director of LANE

St. Peter, the first pope, was tasked with handing on the faith in a world that didn't want to receive it. In 1 Peter 3:15-16, he wrote, “Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you;  yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame.”

Today, we have inherited the task of preaching and defending the hope we have in Jesus Christ. Like St. Peter, we are surrounded by nonbelievers and a culture that attacks and grinds down those who believe in Christ. Our faith is constantly challenged by family members, neighbors, coworkers, the media, and the government. Most of us haven’t been trained to reply or explain what we believe and why. We're unprepared to persuade others to consider Christian teachings. But fear not: LANE is here to help you hand on and defend your faith in a culture of unbelief.

This series of courses will allow students to help pick the topics by submitting questions or objections to the faith that they would like help answering. Each term and class session will have a theme, but Greg will tailor the lectures and discussions based on student submissions and take questions to equip participants for practical apologetics and evangelization with their neighbors, friends, and families.
Grant, O Lord, that we may begin with holy fasting this campaign of Christian service, so that, as we take up battle against spiritual evils, we may be armed with weapons of self-restraint.

This collect prayer begins the Mass for Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Jesus is calling us to "take up battle against spiritual evils." We'll explore fasting itself in a few weeks; during the week of Ash Wednesday, we're going to dig into an important set of weapons the Lord gives us to fight evil: sacramentals.

What's a sacramental? Well, if you attend Mass on Ash Wednesday, you're probably going to receive one on your forehead.

Defending Religion

September 16 – October 7, 2024
Today, we face a post-religious world. How can we defend our faith when the very idea of faith has been abandoned?

Defending Christianity

November 11 – December 2, 2024
Today, many are led astray by myths old and new. How can we defend Christian truths within a culture of “liquid modernity?”

Defending Catholicism

February 17 – March 10, 2025
Today, Protestants misunderstand and malign Catholicism. How can we defend the historic Catholic faith against Protestant attacks?