One of the key aspects of living a moral life in Christ is understanding the importance and power of the gift of human freedom.

If we stop and think about it, it’s fairly obvious that we often undervalue the gift of freedom or take it for granted to some extent. The Catechism reminds us that “God created man as a rational being, conferring on him the dignity of a person who can initiate and control his own actions” (CCC 1730).

It’s common today to find people who misunderstand the meaning of human freedom on several levels. 

Objective: This course will teach you all about what it means to have Human Freedom and the power to choose. Students will learn how outside temptations and influences can play a role in our choices and exactly why God granted us this gift of freedom. 

The choices we make of a moral nature affect ourselves and others. They can play out in thousands of people’s lives in vast, unpredictable ways. And they play out in eternity because we can choose good or we can choose evil.

You’re joining our global classroom. Thousands of students from all over the world, each with their own unique story, learn at their own pace on Catholic Online School every single day.

Free Resources and tools for students, parents, and teachers. We’re working hard to ensure that Catholic Online School empowers teachers of all kinds to better understand what their children or students are up to and how best to help them. 

For free. For everyone. Forever.

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Course curriculum

  • 01

    Human Freedom - Lesson 1 - Freedom and The Power to Choose

    • Human Freedom - Lesson 1 - Introduction

    • Live Lesson Opening Prayer

    • Resources for Students, Parents, and Teachers

    • Lesson 1 - Freedom and The Power to Choose - LESSON PLAN / STUDY GUIDE

    • Lesson 1 - Freedom and The Power to Choose - VIDEO

    • Human Freedom - Lesson 1 - Freedom and The Power to Choose - Live Lesson Recording with Deacon Frederick Bartels (10/29/20)

    • Lesson 1 - Freedom and The Power to Choose - QUIZ
  • 02

    Human Freedom - Lesson 2 - Understanding Reason and The Intellect

    • Human Freedom - Lesson 2 - Introduction

    • Live Lesson Opening Prayer

    • Resources for Students, Parents, and Teachers

    • Lesson 2 - Understanding Reason and The Intellect - LESSON PLAN / STUDY GUIDE

    • Lesson 2 - Understanding Reason and The Intellect - VIDEO

    • Human Freedom - Lesson 2 - Understanding Reason and The Intellect - Live Lesson Recording with Deacon Frederick Bartels (10/30/20)

    • Lesson 2 - Understanding Reason and The Intellect - QUIZ
  • 03

    Human Freedom - Lesson 3 - Understanding the Human Will

    • Human Freedom - Lesson 3 - Introduction

    • Live Lesson Opening Prayer

    • Resources for Students, Parents, and Teachers

    • Lesson 3 - Understanding the Human Will - LESSON PLAN / STUDY GUIDE

    • Lesson 3 - Understanding the Human Will - VIDEO

    • Human Freedom - Lesson 3 - Understanding the Human Will - Live Lesson Recording with Deacon Frederick Bartels (11/03/20)

    • Lesson 3 - Understanding the Human Will - QUIZ

    • Live Lesson Opening Prayer
  • 04

    Human Freedom - Lesson 4 - Fully Human Free Choices

    • Human Freedom - Lesson 4 - Introduction

    • Live Lesson Opening Prayer

    • Resources for Students, Parents, and Teachers

    • Lesson 4 - Fully Human Free Choices - LESSON PLAN / STUDY GUIDE

    • Lesson 4 - Fully Human Free Choices - VIDEO

    • Human Freedom - Lesson 4 - Fully Human Free Choices - Live Lesson Recording with Deacon Frederick Bartels (11/04/20)

    • Lesson 4 - Fully Human Free Choices - QUIZ
  • 05

    Human Freedom - Lesson 5 - Intentions, Influences and Temptations

    • Human Freedom - Lesson 5 - Introduction

    • Live Lesson Opening Prayer

    • Resources for Students, Parents, and Teachers

    • Lesson 5 - Intentions, Influences and Temptations - LESSON PLAN / STUDY GUIDE

    • Lesson 5 - Intentions, Influences and Temptations - VIDEO

    • Questions for Reflection and Discussion

    • Human Freedom - Lesson 5 - Intentions, Influences and Temptations - Live Lesson Recording with Deacon Frederick Bartels (11/05/20)

    • Lesson 5 - Intentions, Influences and Temptations - QUIZ
  • 06

    Human Freedom - Lesson 6 - Wrong Understandings of Human Freedom and Its Limits

    • Human Freedom - Lesson 6 - Introduction

    • Live Lesson Opening Prayer

    • Resources for Students, Parents, and Teachers

    • Lesson 6 - Wrong Understandings of Human Freedom and Its Limits - LESSON PLAN / STUDY GUIDE

    • Lesson 6 - Wrong Understandings of Human Freedom and Its Limits - VIDEO

    • Human Freedom - Lesson 6 - Wrong Understandings of Human Freedom and Its Limits - Live Lesson Recording with Deacon Frederick Bartels (11/06/20)

    • Lesson 6 - Wrong Understandings of Human Freedom and Its Limits - QUIZ
  • 07

    Human Freedom - Lesson 7 - Wrong Understandings of Human Freedom: Thinking The Power to Choose Defines the Person

    • Human Freedom - Lesson 7 - Introduction

    • Live Lesson Opening Prayer

    • Resources for Students, Parents, and Teachers

    • Lesson 7 - Wrong Understandings of Human Freedom: Thinking The Power to Choose Defines the Person - LESSON PLAN / STUDY GUIDE

    • Lesson 7 - Wrong Understandings of Human Freedom: Thinking The Power to Choose Defines the Person - VIDEO

    • Human Freedom - Lesson 7 - Wrong Understandings of Human Freedom: Thinking The Power to Choose Defines the Person - Live Lesson Recording with deacon Frederick Bartels (11/10/20)

    • Lesson 7 - Wrong Understandings of Human Freedom: Thinking The Power to Choose Defines the Person - QUIZ
  • 08

    Human Freedom - Lesson 8 - Why the Gift of Freedom?

    • Human Freedom - Lesson 8 - Introduction

    • Live Lesson Opening Prayer

    • Resources for Students, Parents, and Teachers

    • Lesson 8 - Why the Gift of Freedom? - LESSON PLAN / STUDY GUIDE

    • Lesson 8 - Why the Gift of Freedom? - VIDEO

    • Human Freedom - Lesson 8 - Why the Gift of Freedom? - Live Lesson Recording with Deacon Frederick Bartels (11/11/20)

    • Lesson 8 - Why the Gift of Freedom? - QUIZ
  • 09

    Human Freedom - Lesson 9 - The Fall of Humankind

    • Human Freedom - Lesson 9 - Introduction

    • Live Lesson Opening Prayer

    • Resources for Students, Parents, and Teachers

    • Lesson 9 - The Fall of Humankind - LESSON PLAN / STUDY GUIDE

    • Lesson 9 - The Fall of Humankind - VIDEO

    • Human Freedom - Lesson 9 - The Fall of Humankind - Live Lesson Recording with Deacon Frederick Bartels (11/12/20)

    • Lesson 9 - The Fall of Humankind - QUIZ
  • 10

    Human Freedom - Lesson 10 - The Effects of Original Sin

    • Human Freedom - Lesson 10 - Introduction

    • Live Lesson Opening Prayer

    • Resources for Students, Parents, and Teachers

    • Lesson 10 - The Effects of Original Sin - LESSON PLAN / STUDY GUIDE

    • Lesson 10 - The Effects of Original Sin - VIDEO

    • Human Freedom - Lesson 10 - The Effects of Original Sin - Live Lesson Recording with Deacon Frederick Bartels (11/13/20)

    • Lesson 10 - The Effects of Original Sin - QUIZ

What others are saying about this course:

ANDREW THAI

5 star rating

“Thank you for the great course.”

“Thank you for the great course.”

→Read Less

Eunice Ndabih

5 star rating

“Excellent course.”

“Excellent course.”

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Merry Seymour

5 star rating

“One of the best explanations/series about living a moral life according to God's law I've ever seen. Short, concise, and yet ridiculously detailed. Excellent Series, Hope Deacon Bartels Does More”

“One of the best explanations/series about living a moral life according to God's law I've ever seen. Short, concise, and yet ridiculously detailed. Excellent Series, Hope Deacon Bartels Does More”

→Read Less

Instructor(s)

Instructor Bio:

Deacon Frederick Bartels is a member of the Catholic clergy who serves the Church in the diocese of Pueblo, CO. He received an MA in Theology and Educational Ministry from Catholic Distance University, where he is currently employed as an adjunct professor of theology. He is founder and editor of Joy In Truth (joyintruth.com), an online magazine dedicated to the New Evangelization. As a Catholic educator, public speaker and evangelist, Deacon Bartels strives to infuse culture with the saving principles of the gospel. He lives in Colorado with his wife, Shelly, and the youngest two of their six children. Professor Bartels is Chairman of the Theology Department.

Deacon Frederick Bartels

Professor of Theology, Department Chair