Magis Parish Edition - Participant Guide Sample

PARISH EDITION
The
Catholic Faith
AND Science
-------------------------------------- PARTICIPANT GUIDE -------------------------------------
ROBERT SPITZER S.J., PH.D.

EPISODE 1
Medical
Evidence of Our
Transphysical
Soul
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Episode 1 Overview
Scan to Watch
the Episode
Near-death experiences are episodes where people undergo clinical death and
then return to physical life, some reporting afterwards that they maintained
consciousness. The very topic of near-death experiences (NDEs) must be approached
with caution. There is a lot of unscientific writing about near-death experiences,
often based on nothing but anecdotes, which is sometimes focused on
the writers’ own agendas rather than evidence.
However, there is also a growing body of legitimate research — actual medical
studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals — on the subject of NDEs.
Before we look at some of these studies, we must consider what is meant by
“near-death experiences.”
In this Episode you will learn that …
■ We can learn about our eternal destiny from revelation as well as natural science.
■ Our consciousness cannot be reduced to the brain, and has a transphysical component.
■ Scientific studies on near-death experiences (NDEs) and terminal lucidity provide evidence of survival of
human consciousness after clinical death.
■ Scientific studies complement Church teaching when it comes to understanding life after death.
Connections to the Catechism
■ CCC 1016-1017
■ CCC 1052
© Sophia Institute for Teachers
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Episode 1 Notes
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4 Apologetics I: The Catholic Faith and Science
© Magis Center

Discussion and Reflection Questions
1 Had you heard of near-death experiences before watching this Episode? If so, how did the Episode
add to your understanding of them?
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2 What did you find most interesting in this Episode? Thinking of the young people in your life what do
you think they would find most interesting?
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3 Fr. Spitzer mentioned that some hydrocephalus patients exhibit “genius level IQ” despite the fact
that their brains have sustained major damage. What does this suggest about the relationship
between consciousness and the body?
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4 If you were talking to a young person in your life and they had heard of near-death experiences, but
thought they were simply imagined by patients, how could you respond?
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5 In terms of apologetics [the defense of the Catholic faith], what is the significance of the types of
sources reporting on near-death experiences? How can you use what you learned in this episode
with the young people in your life?
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© Sophia Institute for Teachers
Episode 1: Medical Evidence of Our Transphysical Soul
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EPISODE 9
Science and the
Shroud of Turin
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Episode 9 Overview
Scan to Watch
the Episode
The Shroud of Turin is a burial cloth that bears the image of a crucified man. This
image matches perfectly the description of the wounds Christ suffered during
His Crucifixion. Modern science has shown the image to be anatomically accurate
and that it could not have been produced by any kind of paint, dye, chemical,
vapor, or scorching. Recent tests have dated the shroud to the time of Christ and
have placed its origin near the Sea of Galilee. All the evidence suggest that the
Shroud of Turin is the burial cloth of Christ mentioned in the Gospels and that it
bears a miraculous image of the moment of Jesus’ Resurrection. This precious
relic is powerful testimony to our faith in Christ, the historicity of His Resurrection,
and His claims to be divine.
In this Episode you will learn that …
■ We can learn about our eternal destiny from revelation as well as natural science.
■ Our consciousness cannot be reduced to the brain, and has a transphysical component.
■ Scientific studies on near-death experiences (NDEs) and terminal lucidity provide evidence of survival of
human consciousness after clinical death.
■ Scientific studies complement Church teaching when it comes to understanding life after death.
Connections to the Catechism
■ CCC 606–630
■ CCC 638–640
■ CCC 651–655
© Sophia Institute for Teachers
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Episode 9 Notes
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36 Apologetics I: The Catholic Faith and Science
© Magis Center

Discussion and Reflection Questions
1 What, if anything, had you known about the Shroud before watching this Episode?
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2 What point(s) about the Shroud of Turin stuck with you the most?
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3 How do we know the stains on the Shroud are blood, and furthermore human blood?
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4 Think of how you could share what you’ve learned about the Shroud with young people in your life.
How would you explain the particle radiation hypothesis concerning the image on the Shroud, and/
or any other part of the Episode you found compelling?
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5 Why do you think God gave us relics such as the Shroud which provide evidence of supernatural
occurrences?
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© Sophia Institute for Teachers
Episode 9: Science and the Shroud of Turin
37

EPISODE 19
Why Would an
All-Loving God
Allow Suffering?
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Episode 19 Overview
Scan to Watch
the Episode
Imagine a world in which being selfish, arrogant, or hurtful towards others was not
a possibility. Everyone was forced to be perfectly loving all the time. It might seem
like this situation would be great, but would it, really? If someone is not free to
make any other choice, have they really chosen love? For love to really be love, it
must be freely chosen. A person who can love must therefore be free to choose
against it. Those choices inevitably result in suffering. Thankfully, we know as
Christians that God has an infinite ability to transform bad into good. We can know
that He provides us many paths to transform the suffering we experience into
even greater joys, if we trust in Him and allow Him to guide us. We will explore what
that means in this chapter.
In this Episode you will learn that …
■ The Resurrection of Jesus and the suffering He endured for our sake perfectly reveals God’s
unconditional love for us.
■ Jesus Christ has changed the meaning of suffering – we now have the ability to offer up our own
suffering for the good of others.
■ There will be no suffering in our own resurrection.
■ Suffering is not only experienced by the unjust and it is not solely the result of Original Sin.
Connections to the Catechism
■ CCC 301
■ CCC 601
■ CCC 1804
■ CCC 2015
© Sophia Institute for Teachers
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Episode 19 Notes
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76 Apologetics I: The Catholic Faith and Science
© Magis Center

Discussion and Reflection Questions
1 Fr. Spitzer described the chain of reasoning that leads some to conclude that suffering disproves
the existence of an all-powerful and all-loving God. How you would put that reasoning into your own
words?
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2 Father Spitzer called something about this chain of reasoning “dead wrong” – what is the error, and
why is the correct understanding of suffering important for helping others overcome doubt about
God’s existence?
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3 What is the connection between suffering and freedom?
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4 Have there been times in your life when difficult circumstances brought out strength and virtue you
did not know you had? How so?
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5 Fr. Spitzer shared some of the good things that can come from suffering (especially suffering from
self-destructive paths). Thinking back on your own life, are there any parts of your story you can use
to share God’s love with others?
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© Sophia Institute for Teachers
Episode 19: Why Would an All-Loving God Allow Suffering?
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