NCEA - Catholic Distance Learning Network

Vocation and Priesthood in Scripture
Rev. Thomas J. Lane, Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, Emmitsburg, MD.

(2 semester credits)

This course will commence online August 25th, 2010 and last nine weeks.

The first half of the course will examine the vocations of various Old Testament and New Testament characters which would be of interest to seminarians discerning vocation.  The biblical characters examined include Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Samuel, David, Elijah, Amos, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Zechariah, Mary, Elizabeth, and the apostles. Reading for this segment of the course will include the professor’s notes posted online or excerpts of books online.

The second half of the course will cover priesthood in the Scriptures, briefly looking at the Jewish Old Testament priesthood and then concentrating on the priesthood of Christ (Letter to the Hebrews) and concluding by treating the priesthood of the apostles (Ordination during the Last Supper in John) and priestly language elsewhere in the New Testament. The reading for this segment of the course will be principally Old Testament Priests and the New Priest according to the New Testament by Cardinal Albert Vanhoye. Although out of print, Mount St. Mary’s bookstore arranges custom reprints by Wipf & Stock.

The nine week course contains one module for each week.  Typically each module commences with a short video presentation by the professor posted online.  This is followed by the student completing the required reading.  Then the student makes one or more required submissions online which test the student’s comprehension of or reflection on the reading.  There is a forum to ask questions online and communicate with other classmates.  Everything submitted online is seen by all the classmates.

Once the syllabus is completed it will be posted online.  However, in the meantime, to get an idea of how the course will operate, the syllabus for a previous online course may be viewed here and examples of that course’s videos may be seen here and here.  Typically the course is taught through Blackboard.

In the meantime if you have any questions please contact Fr. Lane info2009@frtommylane.com

Fr. Tommy Lane


Last Updated March 1, 2010.  © Catholic Distance Learning Network.