Course Overview

Doesn't the Bible say we're all saints? How can the saints possibly hear the prayers of everyone on earth? Isn't praying to dead saints not only idolatrous, but also the unbiblical practice of necromancy? In Defending the Saints, you'll learn solid biblical arguments dispelling these and other myths about our belief and practice regarding the saints.
Course Overview

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Defending the Saints contains 34 short, easy-to-watch videos so you can learn at your own pace.

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Topics in this course

Catholic teaching on the saints is a source of confusion and even hostility for non-Catholic Christians. You'll be able to share in charity on these and many other points:

  • The Nature of Sainthood

  • Arguments in Favor of the Intercession of the Saints

  • Objections to the Intercession of the Saints

  • Objections to Honoring the Saints

  • Our relationship with the Saints

Watch a Free Sample Lesson

In this lesson we learn how to answer the objection that we shouldn’t make our request known to the saints because the Bible never instructs us to do so.


Course curriculum

  • 1
    Introduction
    • Lesson 1: What Is the Church?
    • Study Guide
    • Quiz: What Is the Church?
  • 2
    The Creation of Sainthood
    • Lesson 2: The Different Uses of the Term “Saint”
    • Quiz: The Different Uses of the Term "Saint"
    • Lesson 3: How Someone Becomes a Saint
    • Quiz: How Someone Becomes a Saint
    • Lesson 4: The Permanence of Sainthood
    • Quiz: The Permanence of Sainthood
    • Lesson 5: Are There Non-Catholic Saints?
    • Quiz: Are There Non-Catholic Saints?
  • 3
    Arguments in Favor of the Intercession of the Saints
    • Lesson 6: The Bible’s Instruction for Mutual Intercession Among Christians
    • Quiz: The Bible's Instruction for Mutual Intercession Among Christians
    • Lesson 7: The Saints in Heaven Know Themselves to be Cooperators with God in Salvation
    • Quiz: The Saints in Heaven Know Themselves to be Cooperators with God in Salvation
    • Lesson 8: The Intercession of the Saints Manifests God’s Goodness and Wisdom
    • Quiz: The Intercession of the Saints Manifests God’s Goodness and Wisdom
    • Lesson 9: The Deceased Jeremiah and Onias Intercede for Israel in 2 Maccabees 15:11–16
    • Quiz: The Deceased Jeremiah and Onias Intercede for Israel in 2 Maccabees 15:11–16
    • Lesson 10: The Twenty-Four Elders in Heaven Intercede for Christians on Earth in Revelation 5:8
    • Quiz: The Twenty-Four Elders in Heaven Intercede for Christians on Earth in Revelation 5:8
    • Lesson 11: Early Christian Sources Affirm Belief in the Intercession of the Saints
    • Quiz: Early Christian Sources Affirm Belief in the Intercession of the Saints
    • Lesson 12: A Healing Miracle through St. Pio’s Intercession
    • Quiz: A Healing Miracle through St. Pio’s Intercession
    • Lesson 13: A Healing Miracle through Venerable Fulton Sheen’s Intercession
    • Quiz: A Healing Miracle through Venerable Fulton Sheen’s Intercession
    • Lesson 14: A Healing Miracle through Pope John Paul II’s Intercession
    • Quiz: A Healing Miracle through Pope John Paul II’s Intercession
  • 4
    Objections to the Intercession of the Saints
    • Lesson 15: Doesn’t Praying to the Saints Make Gods out of Them?
    • Quiz: Doesn’t Praying to the Saints Make Gods out of Them?
    • Lesson 16: Asking the Saints to Pray for Us Contradicts 1 Timothy 2:5
    • Quiz: Asking the Saints to Pray for Us Contradicts 1 Timothy 2:5
    • Lesson 17: We Don’t Need the Saints because We Can Go Straight to Jesus
    • Quiz: We Don’t Need the Saints because We Can Go Straight to Jesus
    • Lesson 18: Catholics Violate the Bible’s Prohibition to Communicate with the Dead
    • Quiz: Catholics Violate the Bible’s Prohibition to Communicate with the Dead
    • Lesson 19: The Bible Never Instructs Us to Pray to the Saints
    • Quiz: The Bible Never Instructs Us to Pray to the Saints
    • Lesson 20: The Bible Says that the Saints Aren’t Conscious
    • Quiz: The Bible Says that the Saints Aren’t Conscious
    • Lesson 21: The Bible Says God Alone Knows the Hearts of Men
    • Quiz: The Bible Says God Alone Knows the Hearts of Men
    • Lesson 22: The Saints Must Not Hear Us Because They Don’t Save Us from Harm
    • Quiz: The Saints Must Not Hear Us Because They Don’t Save Us from Harm
    • Lesson 23: The Saints Can’t Know Our Requests; Otherwise, They Would Know Our Sufferings and Be Sad
    • Quiz: The Saints Can’t Know Our Requests; Otherwise, They Would Know Our Sufferings and Be Sad
    • Lesson 24: The Saints Only Will What God Wills
    • Quiz: The Saints Only Will What God Wills
    • Lesson 25: The Saints Can’t Merit Anymore
    • Quiz: The Saints Can’t Merit Anymore
  • 5
    Objections to Honoring the Saints
    • Lesson 26: God Forbids Having Graven Images
    • Quiz: God Forbids Having Graven Images
    • Lesson 27: God Forbids Bowing before Statues
    • Quiz: God Forbids Bowing before Statues
    • Lesson 28: The Catholic Church’s Veneration of Relics is Nothing but Superstition
    • Quiz: The Catholic Church’s Veneration of Relics is Nothing but Superstition
    • Lesson 29: What Is the Biblical Basis for the Distinction between Dulia and Latria?
    • Quiz: What Is the Biblical Basis for the Distinction between Dulia and Latria?
  • 6
    Our Relationship with the Saints
    • Lesson 30: A Catholic’s Response to a Saint’s Writings or Private Revelations
    • Quiz: A Catholic’s Response to a Saint’s Writings or Private Revelations
    • Lesson 31: The Relationship between Being a Good Catholic and Devotion to the Saints
    • Quiz: The Relationship between Being a Good Catholic and Devotion to the Saints
    • Lesson 32: Understanding Patron Saints
    • Quiz: Understanding Patron Saints
    • Lesson 33: The Good of Having a Relationship with a Variety of Saints
    • Quiz: The Good of Having a Relationship with a Variety of Saints
    • Lesson 34: Conclusion
  • 7
    Next Steps

Meet Your Instructor

  • Karlo Broussard

    Instructor

    Karlo Broussard

    Karlo Broussard gave up a promising musical career to devote himself to the work of winning souls for Christ. Karlo is one of the most dynamic and enthusiastic Catholic speakers today, and his talks are able to move listeners from the shaky ground of doubt to the rock-solid foundation of Catholic truth.

Reviews

From others who have completed the course.

  • Outstanding Course

    Elijah Shire

    Very very impressed with the contents and presentation of the course curriculum. As a cradle Catholic - Protestant - Catholic revert, this course was exactly...

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    Very very impressed with the contents and presentation of the course curriculum. As a cradle Catholic - Protestant - Catholic revert, this course was exactly what I wanted and far more; very satisfied. Karlo Broussard killed this course! Catholic Answers team hit the nail on the head with this one.

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