The Online Book Club: "Laudato Si'", by Pope Francis

Fee:  $30
Four Weeks

About the Book
(required text for this course; see download/print option below)

Pope Francis's encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si', was launched amid much public interest and plenty of commentary by various pundits.  Take this opportunity to read the letter subtitled 'On Care for Our Common Home' and discuss its wide-ranging implications.  Decide for yourself the impact it may have on the way you and your local community address the needs of this planet and the care of our natural resources. 

Check the course schedule for future offerings of this course.

Topics

Getting Started Week: Introduction to the Encyclical

Week 1: A Theology of Creation to Address What Is Happening to Our Common Home (chapters 1 and 2)

Week 2:  An Integral Ecology to Address the Human Roots of the Crisis (chapters 3 and 4)

Week 3:  A Call to Dialogue, Education, and Ecological Conversion (chapters 5 and 6)

About the Online Book Club

• Are you a person who regularly reads books and articles on spirituality and theology?
• Is the religion and spirituality section of your bookstore a favorite place?
• Do you often wish there was a way that you could share your insights about an author and hear what others think?

If you have answered yes to any of these questions, whether you are reading for professional development, a committed spiritual practice, or an ongoing hunger to know more about the spiritual life, the Online Book Club is for you!

The Online Book Club offers a setting to encounter an author's ideas and participate in conversation with others about a selected text.  In addition to providing an experienced facilitator to guide the conversation, we get you started by offering some direction to engage the author and the text.  Then the conversation unfolds in light of the interests of those in the conversation circle. 

Click here for other Online Book Club courses

Special Features

This course includes:

• Initial comments to introduce the book;
• Weekly questions to begin the discussion; and
• A regularly updated Resources page for further study on the topics discussed in this course.

All Crossroads courses include these features:

• Participants have access 24 hours/7 days a week to a password protected web site.
• Each participant belongs to a small Community for Conversation and faith sharing guided by a facilitator.
• The course site is generally open to participants for six months after the course is complete.
• Technical assistance is easy to contact and prompt in returning a message.
• A Certificate of Active Participation is awarded to those who post at least three messages of substance for each week of content.

Additional Materials:

Any copy of the encyclical Laudato Si' (the Vatican's online format prints approximately 75 pages)  

Time Commitment

A participant can expect to spend approximately 4 hours each week.  This commitment includes both preparation and interaction online.

Content Scholar:  Pope Francis