Select an area:

A few definitions:

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COURSES, MODULES and UNITS

Unit: a single topic of a subject, eg "The Eucharist". Six or seven units make up a module.

Module: a single area of study, a subject, eg "The Sacraments".

Course: the whole of one's study-programme. This may comprise one module or a number of modules, eg a CCRS course.

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This list gives a brief description of the modules so far available. Each of these modules may be taken separately or usually in any combination.

Introductory Module: Who is Jesus ?

Section A: Scripture Study

A1. The Old Testament.

Note. If you are looking for a more in-depth course, take A2 and A3 instead.

A2. Hebrew Scriptures: I.

A3. Hebrew Scriptures: II.

A4. The New Testament: The Earlier Writings.

A5. The New Testament: The Later Writings.

A6. Introduction to New Testament Greek.

Section B: Theology

Note: The introductory module Who is Jesus ? properly belongs here, and should be taken before undertaking B1, B2, B3 or B4.

B1. Roman Catholic Theology Since 1800.

B2. Introduction to Hermeneutics.

B3. The Theology of Religious Life.

B4. The Theology of Marriage

Section C: The Life of the Church

C1. The Church's Liturgy.

C2. The Church.

C3. Christian Morals.

C4. The Sacraments.

Section D: Religious Education

D1. Introduction to Religious Education

D2. Religious Education in the Parish.

D3. Religious Education in the Primary School.

D4. Religious Education in the Irish Primary School

D5. Religious Education in the Secondary School.

Note. Modules D2, D3, D4 and D5 may only be taken in conjunction with D1.

Here are more details about each of these modules:

Introductory Module: Who is Jesus ?

In simple, easy-to-follow stages, you are introduced to recent thinking about the Person of Jesus, the heart of his Gospel, the Holy Spirit and the Trinity.

A1. The Old Testament.

A short and user-friendly guide to understanding and appreciating the more significant books of the Old Testament.

Note. If you are looking for a more in-depth course, take A2 and A3 instead.

A2. Hebrew Scriptures: I.

An introduction to modern Catholic biblical scholarship. We make a Grand Tour, encamping successively at the different wheres and whens of the pre-Exile writings, and trying to discern their original force and significance.

A3. Hebrew Scriptures: II.

The Tour continues, taking in a study of the biblical literature from the Exile to the time of Jesus. There is also a special section on the Psalms.

A4. The New Testament: The Earlier Writings.

A guide to a modern understanding of the background and content of the most ancient Christian biblical texts up to c AD 70, with particular reference to the Letters of St Paul and the Gospel according to Mark.

A5. The New Testament: The Later Writings.

A follow-on module from A4. We take each section of the writings after AD 70 in the probable order of composition and trace the evolution of Christian thinking and believing.

A6. Introduction to New Testament Greek.

If you would like to savour the New Testament in its original language, this module will help you make a start. It has been designed for the non-specialist in languages. A cassette-tape helps with pronunciation.

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B1. Roman Catholic Theology Since 1800.

This is the story of the efforts to make the voice of Christ heard in the modern world by the leading Catholic theologians: from the Tubingen theologians to Liberation theology and present-day trends via Newman, Neo-Scholasticism, Congar, Teilhard de Chardin, Rahner and many others.

B2. Introduction to Hermeneutics.

The theory of interpretation. How may we be certain that our interpretations are authentically Christian? In what way may we see doctrine developing through the centuries? What is the role of the magisterium in that development? And what does infallibility mean? These and other questions are treated in this module.

B3. The Theology of Religious Life.

The new perspectives of theology as applied to the practical realities of Religious Life: authority and obedience, community liturgy, poverty, celibacy, the future prospects, etc.

B4. The Theology of Marriage

The emerging new theology of marriage. Among the topics discussed: marriage in the Hebrew Scriptures; Jesus and the marriage relationship; how marriage came to be seen as a Sacrament; marriage spirituality; recent insights and crises; ethical questions, etc.

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C1. The Church's Liturgy.

The aim in this module is to deepen our love, understanding and appreciation of our liturgy. After some reflections upon the theology of the liturgy, we see the importance of the Bible and of symbolism, and examine recent developments in the rites of the Eucharist and each of the Sacraments.

C2. The Church.

In face of the changes that continue to occur in the life of the Church, this module offers not simply comfort but explanation. Among the topics treated: Priest and Parish; the new ministries; the 1983 Code of Canon Law; the new role of the laity; Church and Society, etc.

C3. Christian Morals.

Setting out from Jesus' two Great Commandments, we see how the Christian moral values may be applied to the moral dilemmas of our here-and-now, in the light of an ongoing reading of Creation. Among the topics considered: Christian love; conscience and authority (their rights and duties); natural law; sexual and medical ethics; etc.

C4. The Sacraments.

Appreciation of the Sacraments has undergone deep change over the last half-century. Nowadays we speak of Jesus as "the sacrament of God" and the Church as "the sacrament of Christ" while the sacramental life of the Church is now experienced as Jesus continuing his ministry among us. This module sets out to deepen appreciation of the sacramental dimension of our lives and thereby to enrich very considerably the quality of our Christian experience and to appreciate better the relevance of our faith to our day-to-day lives. 

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 D1. Introduction to Religious Education

An overview of religious education. Designed for the newcomer to RE, this module examines selected topics which relate to the main areas of RE: home, school and parish. Among these topics: the new theology of revelation, shared praxis, stages of faith and recent developments.

D2. Religious Education in the Parish.

The theory and practicalities of engaging in Religious Education in one of the focal points of RE, the parish. This module offers help in organising and/or contributing to programmes of adult religious education in a parish setting. Among the topics treated: how adults learn; assessing needs; designing programmes; sacramental preparation; facilitating group-learning; evaluation, etc.

Note. This module may be taken only in conjunction with D1.

D3. Religious Education in the Primary School.

The aim of this module is to help a trained teacher, or teacher-in-training, to take up a position on the staff of a Catholic primary school, and to make a worthwhile contribution to RE within that school. Having reviewed what is special about a Catholic primary school, it goes on to deal with approaches to RE teaching, themes, prayer, liturgy, the Bible, Church teaching and moral education.

Note. This module may be taken only in conjunction with D1.

D4. Religious Education in the Irish Primary School

The aims of this module are comparable to D3. It provides help and support for one joining the staff of a Catholic Irish Primary school. In particular, it provides an introduction to the Children of God RE Programme Alive O!.

Note. This module may be taken only in conjunction with D1.

D5. Religious Education in the Secondary School.

Designed for trained or trainee teachers, RE in the Secondary School has two aims: (1) to help a teacher find fulfilment in a Catholic secondary school, and (2) to help him/her contribute meaningfully to the RE department, if required to do so. The first half of the module is dedicated to (1); the second half to (2)

Note. This module may only be taken in conjunction with D1.

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Many who enrol for our courses are not primarily interested in Certificates. They are motivated by a desire to grow in their love and knowledge of God and of our Christian Way of life.

 However many others find that they do need certificates. A teacher needs the Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies (CCRS ) to obtain a post in a Catholic school. Parishes rightly expect qualifications in their parish ministers. And some of us need a certificate to spur us on during our course, on those days when our motivation is somewhat low! Here are some of the certificates it is possible to obtain through our courses.

1. Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies (for Teachers)

The Board of Studies of the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales has authorised Life-Light to deliver the course leading to the CCRS and to issue certificates. The two-year course is based upon certain of the above modules, together with attendance at two Study Weekends. Candidates take the Introductory Module Who is Jesus ? followed by modules A1, A4, C2, C3, C4, D1 and either D3, D4 or D5.

 CCRS "Top-up" courses. If a student started a CCRS course in a College or diocesan Centre and has not been able to complete all eight modules, we offer a "top-up" course of study. Just identify the modules needed, and we will draw up a course of study which will enable you to complete your CCRS course.

2. Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies (Parish Ministry)

This two-year course is designed to cater for those preparing to engage in the various forms of Parish Ministry. It comprises the Introductory Module Who is Jesus ? modules A1, A4, C2, C3, C4, D1 and D2 together with two compulsory Study Weekends.

3. The Life-Light Certificate in Adult R.E.

This Certificate is awarded to those who take any six modules, including Who is Jesus ? and who attain a reasonable overall standard in their written work. You can take more than six modules, in which case mention is made upon your Certificate of your achievements in any such additional modules.

There are five main features:

 1. The Work-Unit.

You will receive at regular intervals, in accordance with your personal study-programme, the units of the various subjects, or "modules" (as they are called) which you have selected. Each unit helps you get to grips with one topic, or one aspect of a topic, and so make it easier for you to approach the following unit.

How long does it take to work through a unit? It varies considerably from person to person. However, we aim to occupy the average person for 3 - 4 hours of uninterrupted study. Most receive one unit per week, with a week off between individual subjects.

2. Guided Reading.

Each unit consists of notes which are used in conjunction with a carefully-selected amount of reading from books and recommended sources.

3. Written Work.

Each unit concludes with a number of Think-points. These have been framed in such a way as to stimulate a short essay on some or other aspect of the material just studied. During any one module, you are invited to select any three from among all the thirty-odd Think-points proposed. You then compose a short piece of writing about each one of your three selected Think-points and send them to a postal tutor.

4. The Postal Tutor.

Upon enrolment you will be introduced to one or more postal tutors. Your tutor will evaluate your written work, make useful comments and return your work directly to you.

5. The Question Sheet.

 We make every effort in drawing up our courses to present the material clearly and helpfully. However, people vary considerably in the amount of support and guidance they need. The Question Sheet goes a long way towards overcoming this problem.

When a question comes to your mind, you will be able to formulate it on a special Question Sheet. You will very often find that by formulating your question clearly and precisely on paper your difficulty vanishes at that point! If it does not, then you send it to your tutor who will be happy to help.

 Question Sheets help you - and they also help us. They indicate precisely which points are causing difficulty, and this enables us to make improvements in the presentation of our material.

These take the form of Study-Weekends and Study-days. Our main Study-Weekend is held over the first weekend after Easter at St Mary's University College, Strawberry Hill, Twickenham.. In very pleasant and historic surroundings you have opportunities for attending study-sessions on topics connected with your Life-Light course, for making friends with fellow-participants and taking part in meaningful liturgy. You can talk over issues arising from your course, browse in the College library, take a guided tour through the historic Walpole House, relax in the College bar... Accommodation is provided in comfortable single rooms.

Study Weekends are held also in two other Centres:

The RE Centre in Derry provides a good setting. Two Study-days are held here each year: over the first weekend after Easter (for participants who have completed their course; and during the second half of June (for other participants).

The Loreto Centre in Llandudno nestles under the Great Orme, has inspiring views towards the Welsh Hills and is only a few hundred yards from the West Beach. Study Weekends are held here during the second weekend of July.

We have been holding residential sessions each year since 1978. They have always been happy and spiritually uplifting occasions. All Life-Light course-participants are warmly invited to join us.

May I study without a tutor?

Yes (unless you are aiming for the Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies). Independent-study courses suit the needs of those who simply require a refresher course, or who have previously done a fair amount of study. Half-fees are charged for these courses.

As with ordinary courses, units arrive regularly in accordance with your Arrangement of Course, but thereafter you are left to your own devices. 

 1. The Life-Light System is convenient.

If you enrol for a Life-Light course you will be able to follow a course of study in recent theology at your own pace and under the personal guidance of a qualified tutor. You will not have to leave your duties for long periods, nor face the heavy expense of frequent journeys to and from sessions. We shall arrange your course around your leisure periods.

 2. The Life-Light System is thorough.

If you use it properly, distance-learning enables you to study an area more thoroughly than is often the case with conventional courses. Authorities agree that unless one gets down to some serious private reflection, the long-term profit of a course is minimal. The Life-Light method enables you to reach this stage quickly and economically. And, of course, it is easy to go back to a point you may have missed!

 3. The Life-Light System is flexible.

As we said earlier, all sorts of people take Life-Light courses. To satisfy this broad spread of demand, we have developed over the years a successful system of distance-learning tuition that has flexibility as one of its most attractive features:

Flexibility: any time. Suppose that here and now you want to deepen your awareness of the New Testament or the liturgy. Where will you find a convenient course? It may be that there is one starting next week in your area. It is more likely that there isn't! However if you Email or write to us, you can be working away within a few days! A course can be arranged to start at any point in the year. No need to tap your fingers until October - by which time your enthusiasm may have waned.

Flexibility: any pace. You may select one module or a number of modules, which will be arranged for you into a meaningful and helpful study-programme. You can work through one module at a time, or several simultaneously. You can receive work-units weekly, fortnightly or at longer intervals. If you wish, vacation periods can be inserted at any point in your course. Our re-arrangement service allows you to speed up, slow down or have a break at any time.

Flexibility: any place. Will you have more than one address during the period of your studies? No problem! You can study from any address. (This is particularly useful for students at college or university.) Do you live overseas? Our Air-Mail tuition service enables tuition to be given (for a small extra charge) in any part of the world.

4. The Life-Light material is useful for small groups.

Our material has been found useful in the organisation of local discussion groups. A group-leader receives all necessary materials in bulk. The units are then distributed to the group-members according to the group's own timetable. Each unit is studied privately during the intervals between meetings. At the meetings themselves, the emphasis is upon discussion and sharing of the insights gained during the private study of each participant. Problems are dealt with on a self-help basis, but where this fails we offer a support service. There are generous fee-reductions for group-study.

5. Life-Light helps larger Church groups.

Over the years Life-Light has demonstrated the effectiveness of the "Home-study + brief get-together" formula for larger groups. A number of people study our material privately over an agreed period of time and then come together to a diocesan or national Centre for sharing and/or deepening. This simple formula has enabled a number of religious institutes and (to date) four dioceses to provide courses of study and training for lay ministry that otherwise could well have been impossible.

6. The Life-Light System is inexpensive.

Clearly, when you enrol for a Life-Light course you become eligible to receive a wide range of services. Yet our tuition fee-schedule will immediately show you that no great financial outlay is involved. It is a very real advantage that distance-learning costs much less than conventional learning-systems. Moreover despite high and ever-increasing costs of paper, basic materials, labour and postage, we have been successful in keeping fees as low as possible.

It is not necessary to pay fees in full at the start of your course. A small fund has been set up to enable students who need to do so to pay their fees in monthly instalments. A deposit of £20 is payable at enrolment. The balance is then made up from the fund, which is thereafter reimbursed month by month.

The first step is to Email us at lifelight@btinternet.com

Or call us on (+44) 01993 830093.

Or write to: Chris Harris, Life-Light Home Study Courses, 12 Brookfield Close, Milton-under-Wychwood, Oxford OX7 6JQ, UK.

We shall then immediately send you a package of information, together with all you need to get going.

"The way the material was presented and the way my tutors commented on my work made me appreciate more and more that what I have been offered is faith for living." Sr P D (Kent)

"This course has been sane, intelligible and very rewarding." Fr A P (N Ireland).

"You will be pleased to hear that through your courses I have been accepted for a seminary course this September." Mr D S (Kent)

"A real help for the discovery of the Bible." Mr A S (Luton)

"The work I have done with you has helped a great deal in my teaching. I have been appointed Head of Religious Studies. I don't think I would have accepted this appointment if it had not been for the courses I had done with Life-Light." Bro L (Suffolk)

"Theology is often taught in a scientific way, leaving the student ice-cold. In respect of the Life-Light courses this was not the case. The sincerity of the tutors and the feeling that one was being directed by real, live, Christian human beings came across very strongly." Miss L S (London)

"Excellent value for money." Major C F (B F P O)

"I have enjoyed the course enormously and it is hard to remember my initial hesitation." Mrs A.B. (Devon)

"Thank you for my Teachers' Certificate course. Without it, I would not have got my new teaching post in a Catholic school." Mr L.S. (and hundreds more).

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