Full course description
“Come, and You Will See”
Images and Invitations in the Gospel of John
Sunday, March 2, 2025 - Saturday, April 12, 2025
Instructor
Fr. Brian Meldrum
Assistant Professor of Theology, Graduate Pastoral Formation Director, & Director of Liturgy, Sacred Heart Major Seminary
Teaching Assistant
Melissa Pordon
Course Description
Each of the evangelists has a particular purpose for sharing the good news of Jesus with the Church and the world. In the fourth gospel, John tells his audience that his purpose for writing is “that you may [come to] believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). John wants to share with those who read and hear his words what he has come to believe: Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life” (14:6).
But how exactly do John’s words and the images they evoke lead people to believe today? In this course, we will examine John’s use of imagery throughout the Gospel as a way of inviting you to know Jesus better. Come to know Jesus as “Lord and God” (20:28) so that you might also invite others to “come and see” (1:39) all that Jesus wants to reveal.
This course is not intended to be academically strenuous but to provide a shallow-entry point for those who have busy lives and need flexibility. This course is designed for personal enrichment and does not count towards any academic credit at Sacred Heart Major Seminary or for any certification in the Archdiocese of Detroit.
Contact
For questions about course content contact the instructor/teaching assistants using the Inbox on the red menu bar on the left side of your online course page.
For technical support see the Tech Support guide in the Welcome module of the course.
Textbooks
Required Readings:
No required texts for this course
Schedule of Topics:
- Introductory Module: Available beginning January 27, 2025
- Module 1: In the Beginning... (March 2 - March 8)
- Module 2: Signs and Wonders (March 9 - March 15)
- Module 3: Water, Light, and Life (March 16 - March 22)
- Module 4: You Will Realize That I AM (March 23 - March 29)
- Module 5: No One Has Greater Love Than This (March 30 - April 5)
- Module 6: ...That You May Believe (April 6 - April 12)
Weekly Activities:
The following learning activities are available to students each week. There are no specific requirements for participating in the course. However, those who complete all the videos and self-tests will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the course.
- Weekly video lectures
- Weekly recommended readings and links to additional learning resources
- Weekly self-test to see what you’ve learned
- Open online discussion for participants to share with each other what they are learning and encourage each other
The time commitment is flexible for this course. There is one weekly video lecture (~20 min). Participants who are interested in completing all recommended readings and course tasks can expect to spend around 2-3 hours/week on the course. However, levels of participation and engagement are up to the discretion of the individual.
All Equip Courses Include These Features:
- A dedicated online learning support coordinator to offer prompt assistance
- 24/7 access to the digital learning environment
- Engagement as a community of connected learners who share a common faith
- Extended access to course content after the course end date
- Learning environment support provided by Canvas (our learning management platform)
- Technical assistance provided by Sacred Heart’s IT staff
- A Certificate of Completion is awarded to those who complete the course learning activities
Technical Requirements: