The invisible world
Christian faith is grounded in the reality of a world that transcends what we see with our senses. In this course, we will explore what Newman called "the sacramental principle," whereby visible realities speak to us and refer us to deeper and more real but invisible realities. We will delve into the link between the visible world and the invisible world, what importance this principle has within Christianity, and what practical consequences or applications we can draw from this.
- Topics
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The Two Worlds (introduction to the Sacramental Principle).
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Implications of the Principle: What difference does it make?
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Applications of the Principle: What is it good for?
- Your instructor
Fr. John Poodts
priest
Father John Poodts is a priest of the Saint John Society.
He attended high school at Colegio San Juan el Precursor in San Isidro, Buenos Aires.
He is a professor and holds degrees in Philosophy from the Universidad del Norte Santo Tomas de Aquino (Buenos Aires), and a Masters and an Ecclesiastical Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of Studies (Washington DC).
After a period working as a missionary in Washington DC, he was ordained deacon there in May 2021. He was later ordained a priest in December of that same year, in Argentina. He then spent a few years working with highschoolers and college students in Pilar, Argentina, and in Montevideo, Uruguay.
Since January 2024, he has been residing in Corvallis, Oregon, where he works as the Director of the Newman Center at Oregon State University.
The Truth has been accepted in the world not because of its character as a system, nor because of books, nor because of argumentation, nor because of the temporal power that supported it, but because of the personal influence of those who testified, being at the same time teachers and models.
John Henry Newman
Oxford University Sermons, V
Watch the Full Course on YouTube
The invisible world
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How does it work?
1. Decide on how to use the course
You can take the course individually or as group as part of small faith sharing group.
Having a group of friends is not mandatory, but it is much more enriching. If possible, we recommend you consider finding two or three friends who will accompany you on this adventure to grow together in their faith.
2. Choose a course by clicking the icons below
After selecting a course by clicking the icons below, you will be taken to the YouTube channel where video and text references are provided.
3. Taking the courses
Each course will have an introduction and either three or four parts that include a video, reference text, and questions to ponder.
4. Course closure
At the end of the course, participants are welcome to provide comments and questions in the YouTube channel.
For those who have taken the course as group, we offer a final one-on-one meeting with the fellow to clarify any questions, explore topics in more depth, and build a personal connection with the other Newman Academy participants.