The Theology of Beauty and the Sacred Liturgy

  Enroll in Course

Every sacrament of the Church involves encounter with the things of heaven, bringing aesthetic knowledge of things outside of the natural realm through earthly matter, leading to the concept of “sacramental aesthetics.” This course investigates the theological concept of Beauty in the classical realist tradition, defining beauty as the revelation of the nature of things as understood in the mind of God, which in turn leads to investigation of the Truth of things. Dr. McNamara will explain beauty as it is understood in the West, influenced by Thomas Aquinas, and as in the East in the tradition of iconography. Then all will be tied together in understanding the nature of the Sacred Liturgy as a beautiful revelation of God’s own self to His creatures.


Your Instructor


School of Parish Leadership and Evangelization
School of Parish Leadership and Evangelization

The Master of Arts in Liturgical Studies and the Master of Arts in Liturgy programs at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake, prepares its students in a context of prayer and scholarship with the Church’s future priests, deacons, pastors and ministers to bring solid theological knowledge, critical reasoning and practical skills to bear on the challenges opened by the exciting phase of liturgical renewal emerging in recent years.


Course Curriculum


  The Theology of Beauty and the Sacred Liturgy
Available in days
days after you enroll

Watch the first five minutes

Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.
How long do I have access to the course?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
How do I receive a certificate of completion for this course?
If you are interested in obtaining a certificate of completion for this course, you must pass this quiz. A passing grade is 14 correct answers or higher. Once you have passed this quiz, you will receive your certificate via e-mail.
Do you offer bulk discounts if I have a large group of people that want to take the class?
Yes, we do have bulk discounts available. Please give us a call to inquire: 847-837-4542
How long is this course?
This course is comprised of 5 one-hour classes. You can pause it at any time and resume where you left off.
What if I am unhappy with the course?
We would never want you to be unhappy! If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, contact us in the first 30 days and we will give you a full refund.
Teachable Troubleshooting
If you are experiencing technical issues, please try these steps: 1) Click "Complete and continue" at the top of the lecture in order to move forward. If “Click and Complete” is not available: a) Confirm that you have watched at least 90% of the video without skipping any sections; b) Check to see if there is a browser error by opening a private browsing or Incognito window, logging into the course, and pressing play on the video again. You should see the "Complete and continue" button go live, allowing you to move to the next lecture. 2) The phone app is currently not compatible with the Course Compliance and the lectures. 3) For any other issues, please check out the Knowledge Base article that has some more tips: https://support.teachable.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000115971-Common-Technical-Issues-Troubleshooting?source=search
Viewing Completed Quizzes
Quiz questions and answers are unable to be viewed after completing the course quiz. Once you have passed the quiz, you will receive your certificate of completion via e-mail.
Do these courses count as credits towards a degree?
These courses are stand-alone resources and will not count as credit towards a degree. However, you can use these courses for Continuing Education Units. Each course will count as .5 CEUs.

Get started now!