Financial Planning in a Catholic Way: How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World through Generosity

[photo credit: WalletWin website]

How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World through Generosity: A Catholic Guide to Managing Your Money

by Amanda and Jonathan Teixeira

The authors are the founders of WalletWin, an organization offering courses and support in learning to budget, pay off debt, and grow wealth.

This book was recommended in one of the Facebook discussions of the Mater Amabilis group when someone asked about personal finance. I've assigned You Need a Budget for my homeschool's personal finance study and was satisfied with the book. The recommendation was glowing, though, and since it seemed like it might appeal to other Mater Amabilis families, I decided I'd get a copy to see for myself.

I was pleased to learn the Teixerias actually use the YNAB system, which is my favorite way to budget and plan. They explain enough you don't need any prior knowledge of it to understand their book. 

As I was reading, I found the financial advice solid, but not much different that what I have read in financial columns, from Dave Ramsey, or from You Need a Budget. One benefit of this book over You Need a Budget is the assumption you are planning a financial future with a spouse, rather than a "partner," which most Catholic homeschoolers would probably prefer.

The two chapters of Part V, though, brought to the fore-front what it means to live your Catholic faith as a person whose economic needs (and those of his or her family) are met. 

A good, though fuzzy, rule of thumb is that you should give at a level that's noticeable, even a little uncomfortable. You should feel the difference that giving makes in your budget. (p. 257)

The Teixeiras challenge the reader to carefully and repeatedly consider what it means to give your excess away. They don't just encourage you to pray about your needs or to continuously examine your situation. They present what many would consider a counter-cultural example, even in the Christian world, of how to live generously. 

You could use wealth to smooth out all the problems in your life, but the Teixeiras encourage you to meet your needs, and allow some suffering in order to be more generous.

Avoiding suffering can be another appetite that is never satisfied. There will always be some suffering, however small, to avoid, to stamp out, some annoyance you don't want to deal with, and will try to find a way not to. And this neverending quest for a perfect life here on earth will never end, except in misery and disappointment. (p. 277)

They suggest asking yourself, "Does addressing this suffering allow me to freely focus on God and my vocation/enter more fully into life, or might I be running away from life by trying to escape?" (p. 277)

Your money might be able to make some things happen, but the power is not yours. Even if you worked harder or smarter than others to earn your living--it doesn't mean you are more worthy or have more dignity than anyone else.

Remember, the money isn't even yours. It's God's money, and he's asking you to manage it for him. (p. 279) 

I haven't used WalletWin; I've only read the book. If I heard a parish was considering offering Financial Peace University, though, I'd say, "Call WalletWin instead. Right now." No one asks me for financial advice, nor should they, but I will always recommend WalletWin over You Need a Budget or anything Dave Ramsey from now on.

One quibble, and one I have with essentially every Christian pay-down-your-debt-and-build-wealth book or program, is the idea that investments (e.g. for retirement) should be judged solely based on the rate of return. I would like to see more Christian and Catholic financial organizations address concerns about what companies are included in various mutual funds or investment portfolios and how those companies make their money, treat their employees, and act in the world. If you choose to avoid using products from a company because they allow child labor in their overseas practices, then you probably don't want to own stock in that company, but it's really difficult to find that message or to know what to do about it if you come to that decision on your own. If more companies like WalletWin spoke out about these kinds of issues, it could be the beginning of a movement. 

I have updated our previous lesson plans to use this book instead of You Need a Budget. I am also going to encourage my older daughter, who already finished the old plans, to read the last couple of chapters.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. I purchased the book. Links to Bookshop.org are affiliate links.

Growing Together: A Girl Called Problem

 A Girl Called Problem: A Novel
 by Katie Quirk

I wanted to pre-read this before First Daughter studies Africa in geography next year. It's written by an American who lived in Tanzania for two years, so she's not a native Tanzanian, but has learned much about life there.

In this novel, Shida (whose name means Problem), struggles to support the relationships among her small community when they all move to a larger village. It's mainly a story of personal growth, but is set amidst great upheaval in her village reflecting the changes of the time throughout Tanzania.

There are references to witchcraft. Many of the accusations of witchcraft are presented as scapegoating of the elderly or powerless. While some references seem to indicate witchcraft is not effective, the book really leaves the possibility of it open. I don't think that is inappropriate for the setting or for the sense of respecting another culture, but it may be confusing to a reader inclined to believe in witchcraft.

This book is comparatively easy to read for First Daughter, who will be in ninth grade next year and is an excellent reader. I think some fifth graders could read it (as Mater Amabilis geography for Level 2 Year 2 is that of Africa), though I would be inclined to wait a year or two longer based on the subject matter. I am going to put it on First Daughter's list for additional reading (because the assignments are never enough for her). This would be a good option for high school students studying Africa who need some easier reading options.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Bookshop are affiliate links. I checked this book out from my local library.

Myths Expanded and Reimagined: Circe

Circe: A Novel 
by Madeline Miller

Kansas Dad had talked about reading Circe for a while when I saw it come up in an Audible sale. I can't remember now whether it was one of the daily deals or in an actual sale. However it showed up, I bought it. He listened to it first, then eagerly waited for me to finish so we could talk about it.

First of all, the audiobook is fantastic. The reader did an excellent job portraying all the emotions of Circe, as well as changing her voice enough to identify other speakers. I found myself wanting to return to the audiobook not just to know what would happen next, but to enjoy listening to the voice reading.

In this novel, Ms. Miller imagines a life for Circe beyond what appears in mythology and the Odyssey. A reader familiar with mythology will be rewarded with references and allusions to many famous and infamous figures. We were particularly struck with the portions of the story (as I'm sure many are) that flank and include Odysseus's appearance on Circe's island, seeing him from outside Homer's telling. Much of it is newly imagined, of course, with modern ideas hovering under and behind the events.

Throughout the book, the author explores the meaning of mortality.

The book has many slow periods, but it was worth the time.

I intend to allow my daughter to listen to the audiobook at the end of ninth grade, after she's finished reading The Odyssey. There is one distressing scene of rape and plenty of violence, being based on Greek mythology, but I don't think it will be too graphic or upsetting for a 15 year old. I'll be interested to hear what she thinks of it.

I have received nothing for this post. I purchased the audiobook from Audible. Links to Amazon are affiliate links.

High School Astronomy: The Planets

The Planets

by Dava Sobel

This is such a delightful book through the solar system. There are chapters devoted to each of the planets (and some other astronomical bodies) that cover science along with history, mythology, poetry, and literature. The goal is not to impart all the knowledge possible, but to invite the reader to glory in the wonder and mystery of the universe, and to long to know more in the future.

I read this book a bit ahead of First Son this year as he completed the Astronomy study guide from Sabbath Mood Homeschool. This study is considered required for the Astrophysics one he will be completing in the third term, so I selected it for his Earth Sciences in eleventh grade, even though it's designed for Form 3-4 science. It does include activities and labs, which were relatively easy to implement. Certainly First Son had more success with them than with some of the chemistry and physics experiments we've attempted over the high school years.

I added some work to increase the difficulty level a little.

• I made all the math exercises required. (They are optional in the text.)
• First Son read the skipped chapters of The Planets.
• I also added Brother Guy Consolmagno's Brother Astronomer to his required reading, with narrations.
• I think we'll also have time at the end for him to listen to An Introduction to the Universe.
• I wanted to add some evenings at the local observatory, but between Covid restrictions and our own schedule, we didn't make it there even once. 

I intend to assign this study and book to First Daughter next year in ninth grade. I will probably keep the extra assignments the same for her. I expect it to be a good fit for freshman year.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. I purchased the Sabbath Mood Homeschool study guide and will receive nothing if you follow the link. I received my copy of The Planets from a member of PaperBackSwap.com (not an affiliate link). Links to Bookshop are affiliate links.

The Sounds of Enchantment: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight; Pearl; [and] Sir Orfeo

translated by J.R.R. Tolkien

This book was on First Son's optional reading list for ninth grade, but he opted to read something else instead. I never got around to it, either. Somehow, though, I ended up with an audiobook version of it from Audible. (It was probably on sale.) Anticipating First Daughter's ninth grade year (starting in the fall!), I decided I should give it a listen. First Daughter likes to read everything.

The introduction was illuminating; I hadn't understood before the different kinds of English epic forms and why Sir Gawain is not as popular as some others. So don't skip that.

I think I enjoyed this book immensely more by listening to it, rather than reading it. The sounds of the lines are integral to the form of the poems. I could readily hear aspects Tolkien mentioned in his introduction. We have a copy of the book itself (thanks to Kansas Dad's Great Books courses), but I intend to recommend First Daughter listen to the audiobook. She can read along if she likes.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon are affiliate links. Kansas Dad received a copy of the book as the teacher of a course. I guess I bought the audiobook, though I don't remember it!

What We Believe and Why: The Creed in Slow Motion (and exam questions)

The Creed in Slow Motion

by Ronald Knox

During World War II, Ronald Knox was a chaplain for a girls' school. He developed a series of conferences (lectures) on the Creed for their benefit. After the war, he revised them and published them in this book.

Knox simply explains the meaning of the Creed, revealing to young people a depth to their faith but in a conversational manner.

This book appears on the Mater Amabilis™ high school plans as Spiritual Reading for Religious Education in Level 5 Year 1 (ninth grade).  My son read it last year as a ninth grader, but one of the other mothers said she had used it for confirmation preparation. So this year, I've assigned it to my seventh grade daughter as she prepares for Confirmation. One week in, she said she already likes it because "it's like he's talking to me."

To believe a thing, in any sense worth the name, means something much more than merely not denying it. It means focusing your mind on it, letting it haunt your imagination, caring, and caring desperately, whether it is true or not.  

In the course of his lectures, Knox addresses many of the familiar questions raised by middle school and high school students.

When we say that God is Almighty, we mean that he can do anything which is not against reason. God couldn't create two equal-sized things one of which was larger than the other. But that isn't to say that he is being hampered by something outside himself. The laws of reason are part of the truth, and the truth is part of himself, or rather is himself; God is truth.

At the same time, he speaks eloquently of the profound truths of our faith.

No, there is no really satisfactory account of why Creation ever happened. We know that it did, because here we are. But the most the theologians can tell us is that it is the nature of goodness to diffuse itself, so that God uses Creation as a kind of reservoir for the overflow of his inexhaustible love.  

He writes on the working of the Holy Spirit in the writing of Scripture.

The Psalms weren't written to teach us lessons in geography; they were poetry, and the person who wrote that verse was just talking in the ordinary language of his time. So you can't be certain that every word of the Old Testament is literally true. But you can be certain that the theology of the Old Testament, once you have understood it properly and made allowances for the Hebrew way of saying things, must be true; because when it was written the Holy Spirit was at work to see that the thing got done right.

He also provides commonsense advice for young people. When talking about the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he explains that although the Holy Spirit sometimes intervenes miraculously, providing a clear message of a vocation or speaking directly, those experiences are rare. Most of the time, we pray for guidance and then talk with parents, counselors, and teachers, all of whom give us advice. Then we consider the arguments for or against a decision. The Holy Spirit is acting within us the entire time, helping us use wisdom and discretion to make the choice.

Often, he exhorts the young women to strive for holiness in their own lives and their own relationships.

I mean that we should be really generous in our love of God, really honest in our ambition to follow Jesus Christ. What holds up the conversion of  England, I always think, is not so much the wickedness of a few Catholics, as the dreadful ordinariness of most Catholics.

There are Editor's Notes referenced by endnotes in the text that provide definitions for English or out-dated terms as well as historical notes (on "The Crusade of Rescue," for example) and a note on the 2007 Vatican advisory document on unbaptized infants.

Below are the exam questions I used with my ninth grader last year. Right now I anticipate using the same ones with my seventh grader. If she struggles too much, I'll adjust them for my younger children (both of whom will also be confirmed in seventh grade). These would all be answered with a paragraph or a short essay...or, in the case of my oldest, a sentence or two.

Quiz #1 (chapters I – IV)

1. What does Ronald Knox say about the words “I believe” (credo) in the Creed?
2. What does it mean to call God the “First Cause?”
3. Ronald Knox says, “The laws of reason are part of the truth, and the truth is part of himself, or rather is himself; God is truth.” What do you think about that?
4. According to Ronald Knox, why does God, our “Father Almighty,” allow suffering?
5. In the Creed, we say God is the “Maker of Heaven and Earth.” Why do you think he created the universe?
6. Share something you particularly remember from the first four chapters of The Creed in Slow Motion.

Quiz #2 (chapters V-VII)

1. What does Ronald Knox say about the words “Jesus Christ” in the Creed?
2. Ronald Knox writes that “theologians will tell you that the greatness of an offence is measured by the dignity of the person against whom the offence is committed; whereas when it comes to making reparation for an offence the greatness of the reparation is measured by the dignity of the person who is making it.” What does that mean for the atonement of mankind’s sin against God?
3. We say “Our Lord” in the Creed because He is our master and we belong to Him. What do you think that means?

Quiz #3 (chapters VIII-XVI)

1. According to Ronald Knox, what can the Virgin birth tell us about marriage?
2. What does Christ’s sufferings (hunger, exhaustion, pain) tell us about suffering today? What about our own suffering?
3. Why is Pontius Pilate named in the Creed?
4. Why did our Lord want to be buried in the earth?
5. How does the sacrament of baptism remind us of the Resurrection?
6. Ronald Knox tells of a priest whose favorite mystery is that of the Ascension “because it was the only one which made you think how nice it was for our Lord, instead of thinking how nice it was for us.” How are other mysteries nice for us? Why is this one so joyful for our Lord?
7. What happens at the Last Judgment?

Quiz #4 (chapters XVII-XVIII)

1. What do we mean when we say the Bible is “inspired?”
2. What are some of the ways the Holy Spirit was at work before Jesus came?
3. What happened at Pentecost?
4. What is the difference between the extraordinary and the ordinary operations of the Holy Spirit?
5. How can the Holy Spirit guide us when we have a decision to make?

Quiz #5 (chapters XIX-XXII)

1. What does it mean to say the Catholic Church is “holy?”
2. What is the “Church?”
3. How is the Catholic Church “Catholic” (meaning universal)?
4. What does it mean to say that the Catholic Church is “apostolic?”

Quiz #6 (chapters XXIII-XXVII)

1. What is the communion of saints?
2. How is the sacrament of communion a sacrament of union within the Church?
3. How is the forgiveness of sins one of the great mysteries of our faith?
4. What is the resurrection of the body?

I have received nothing in exchange for this post, which contains only my honest opinions. Links to Amazon are affiliate links.

Winds and Weather and a Bit on Sabbath Mood Homeschool: Look at the Sky and Tell the Weather

Look at the Sky and Tell the Weather

by Eric Sloane

This is the textbook for Sabbath Mood Homeschool's Form 3-4 Weather. It is written for grades 7-9 and is scheduled for the third term of ninth grade in the high school integrated science plan. The idea of studying a bit of biology, chemistry, physics, and earth sciences each year appealed to me. I thought it would bring a bit more interest to science as we'd be moving on to another discipline before becoming overwhelmed. I also thought it might be interesting to have more opportunities for noticing the inter-relationships of the different disciplines. The divisions are sometimes arbitrary as there is, of course, much physics in chemistry and much chemistry in biology, and so on.

Sabbath Mood's courses were appealing to me because of the focus on a living book rather than a dry textbook of definitions and practice problems. I thought this kind of approach would be more likely to immerse my son in the kind of study that made biology, chemistry, and physics a part of his daily life rather than an artificial study of "ideal" and therefore illusive environments.

Overall, I think I still like the idea of Sabbath Mood Homeschool and the integrated science. I have not yet decided whether I'm satisfied with the level of First Son's learning and whether that has more to do with his lackadaisical attitude than the coursework. Certainly the lab work for both chemistry and physics was informative and challenging. The mathematical aspects were missing, almost entirely, though I'm not sure how much of a problem that would be for First Son in college. I took every science class my high school offered (three semesters each of biology, chemistry, and physics) and basically felt like I knew exactly nothing once I sat down on the second day of my science courses in college. Yet I still managed to graduate with a degree in biology.

This particular book, Look at the Sky and Tell the Weather, is a delight. The author's voice shines clearly through along with his love of weather. His illustrations are enjoyable and, when appropriate, informative. The "main character" of the book is cP, the air mass that flows from the Canadian Rockies.

In her voyage from Canada, sweeping down through the middle United States, eastward to New England, and finally out over the Atlantic Ocean. As each person breathes her in and exhales her out, she will have become a part of their existence; not just a matter of rain or shine, but a backdrop to their living moments.

While there is a substantial amount of information about weather in the text, it's certainly not a full year's worth of meteorology. Nor is it intended to be; it's one-third of a credit of earth sciences. Even so, I think I'd prefer something a little more substantial and have my eyes on a few options for my younger children. This lovely book will be a supplemental reading book, I think.

There is a description of a young man who parachutes out of a plane and waits too long to open his parachute. It's not graphic, but may be distressing to a young reader.

The activities provided by Sabbath Mood seemed good and thorough enough. Many of them were weather observations made on homemade instruments, which could foster a life-long interest in weather-watching.

I believe that the sky was created for pure beholding; that one of man's greatest joys can be simply looking at the sky.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post which contains only my honest opinions. Links to Sabbath Mood Homeschool are not affiliate links, but links to Amazon are affiliate links.

Charlotte Mason's Geographical Reader for High School Geography: Asia

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve (not Asia, but a steppe)

The Mater Amabilis™beta high school plans, available in the high school Facebook group, suggest a semester's course in Geography, split over the four years of high school, using Charlotte Mason's Geographical Readers for Elementary Schools Book 5.

• Level 5 Year 1 (ninth grade): Asia
• Level 5 Year 2 (tenth grade): Africa
• Level 6 Year 1 (eleventh grade): The Americas
• Level 6 Year 2 (twelfth grade): Australasia

Mason's book is available on Google Books (linked above). I purchased a print on demand copy. (Take care if you try to buy one on Amazon or already printed; some of them say book 5 but are actually other geographical readers by Mason. It can be difficult to tell from the titles and descriptions.) It came well-bound but understandably a bit difficult to read as it's merely an exact copy of the one they scanned. (It's also got a smeared incorrect page in the section on the Americas, though the correct text is available in Google Books.) My son found this text physically difficult to read because of the smudges. He also had trouble making much sense of the maps which have a lot of detail and sometimes archaic names in decorative script.

Mason's book has 26 sections on Asia and we just read one section each week, regardless of length.

Drawing heavily from a study guide started by a moderator in the Mater Amabilis™ high school group, I wrote a study guide (which is shared in the Facebook group) that included map work. He was directed to find places mentioned in the Mason text in our atlas. (We have an older version of National Geographic Concise Atlas of the World, which seems sufficient without being too ponderous or expensive.) I spent a long time online trying to match modern names with those of Mason's time, but I justified it because I think being able to match descriptions to points and areas on a map makes it easier to understand the connections between geographical features in theory and the world we experience on the ground.

Finding things on the map didn't work any better in geography than it did in world history, so next year that's changing to labeling a map before each reading.

Mason's descriptions of the land are wonderful.

To the very edges of the vast central table-lands do the rich rain-winds penetrate; but, alas for the highlands, lofty mountains tower like battlements all round the plateaus; the rain-winds touch their cold, snowy brows, and the moisture in the air condenses, becomes snow or rain, and at last pours in floods down the steep sides of the highlands, and feeds the mighty rivers which rise upon their borders; but all the time, never a rain-cloud climbs the summits of the flanking mountains to fall in delicious drops upon the parched plateaus; and these central highlands of Asia remain rainless regions.

Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, Mason writes as a nineteenth century British imperialist, so her descriptions of people are painful to modern ears. At first, they gave us a place to discuss racism, imperialism, and parochialism. Long before the end of the year, I think we were just tired of wading through the disparaging current of words. For next year, I'm just using excerpts from Mason's text. I don't want to abandon it because some of the writing is marvelous. Plus, I wasn't able to find another text (at least for Asia, as I think ahead to my other students) that covers the whole sweep of the continent.

After reading Mason's chapter, my son would go to the computer where he followed links from a Google document to articles curated by me on areas covered by the Geographical Reader. This was my favorite part of the course.

For these resources, I was looking for:

• archeological and historical references to the accomplishments and value of the cultures (as a contrast to Mason's views and just because it's good in today's world)
• more information on things mentioned (like an article on foot binding in China)
• major current events in the news
• environmental impact or issues in the area
• some basic historical facts to complement or continue what Mason might have mentioned or that are particularly pertinent for an American student

I drew heavily on National Geographic and BBC Travel with some background things from History.com, Biography.com, and the World Heritage List.

I sorted the articles into "required" which he would read and narrate, "recommended," and "optional." As far as I know, he rarely clicked on anything recommended or optional. For tenth grade, I combined those latter two into one section named something like "for more information."

If you're interested, that list of curated articles is shared in the Facebook group. My son has finished Asia, but I'll be adding other articles of interest as I see them for the next seven years, until my youngest completes ninth grade.

In addition, my son read articles selected from two issues of Christian History (a magazine linked from the Mater Amabilis™ plans): Christianity in India and Christianity in Asia. I also asked him to read one other selection during his independent reading during the year from a handful of books set in Asia. He chose Thirty Seconds over Tokyo by Captain Ted Lawson. These were supplemental reading and were not narrated or included in any exams.

I love Geography: I love old maps and new maps and reading about all the places of the world. I loved this course much more than my son did. I think he merely endured it. I had wanted him to become familiar with the map of Asia and I think he did pretty well by the end on the geographical features, but not as well on the modern countries. Changing his map work from finding things in the atlas (which honestly I think he often just skipped) to labelling a map with make a big difference. The curated articles were a great way to introduced more nuanced reflections on Mason's topics and a brief look at events on the continent since the 1880s. Using online sources my son was also able to see lots of pictures and a few videos of the areas. This method is still not as good as visiting a place in person, but we can't all see the entire world in person.

I think a family could skip geography or could simply read a few of the suggestions for Asia (or another continent) from the Mater Amabilis™ plans in place of these more formal plans rather than in addition to it. I also think a family could choose to do one or two of the continents in any order. Certainly the Mason book can be read in any order; it is not necessary to read on Asia before reading on Africa.

I wanted to include this formal study because I think a basic knowledge of the world outside American borders is a necessary part of being a citizen of the world today. It allows us to think more broadly about our own issues and connects us to the larger universal church. It also balances our literature and history studies which here on the Range focus almost entirely on Europe and America.

I'm just finishing our tenth grade plans with some alterations to our strategy and will post those soon.

This post is my own opinion. I have received nothing in exchange for writing it. Links to Amazon are affiliate links.

Level 5 European History with Norman Davies

The Mater Amabilis™ beta high school plans (which can be found in the Mater Amabilis™ for High School Facebook group) recommend Europe: A History by Norman Davies for the European History textbook. The book has twelve parts, which divides nicely into three parts each for four years. (Or, for those who want to finish in a shorter time, four parts each for three years.)

This is a dense and meaty text. It begins with a description of Europe's geography and a discussion on how its geographical features lend themselves to the development of a civilization. Part II covers Ancient Greece and Part III is Ancient Rome. These are the three parts we read in ninth grade (Level 5 Year 1).

I have recently prepared a study guide and mapping activities for the second three parts through the Middle Ages and up to 1493 (The Birth of Europe, The Middle Age, and Christendom in Crisis) for Level 5 Year 2.

Sally Thomas, one of the developers of the beta high school plans and a moderator in the Mater Amabilis™ Facebook groups began a study guide to provide definitions and guided questions. I started with her wonderful work and added mapping activities and finished it through Part VI. I will post those in the Facebook group.

The mapping activities ask my student to label a blank map with locations mentioned in the text. Personally I find that kind of preparatory work invaluable as I read a text because I am able to place events within a geographical space. My daughter has been doing these kinds of activities as she reads A Book of Discovery and has mentioned how beneficial she finds them as well.

I originally wrote the ninth grade study guide asking my son only to find the locations in our atlas, but I found throughout the year that he still couldn't remember even the most common locations from the text. So I wrote the tenth grade study guide to be more active as he labels a blank map, using our atlas to guide him. (I also went back and quickly revised the ninth grade one so it's ready for First Daughter.) I'm hopeful this additional engagement will help him form an internal map of Europe he'll be able to use throughout his life.

I have the third edition of the National Geographic Concise Atlas of the World which I have found sufficient though its more manageable size is possible by including fewer features and locations. There were a couple of things I just added myself (Nicaea, Mt. Athos, and Corinth, for example).

There are some maps within the text, but most tables and maps are relegated to the Appendix and most of those present multiple layers of information in a single page. My current high school student is the kind to immediately dismiss any thought of turning to the back of the book for additional information, so if I wanted him to look at something in the Appendix, I specifically required it in the study guide I wrote. I also supplemented the text with just a few maps in the study guide.

Because this text is so very dense, in the first year I often assigned only three or four pages. In the second year, I've increased that to an average of five pages. I think this will be acceptable as even my son agreed Davies was easier to digest after some practice. I also think the first chapter was the most difficult; it was much more abstract than the later ones. Part IV on the Birth of Europe is also more abstract than the following two parts.

While this book is used as a text in some college courses, it is an unusual choice for high school, partly because of its difficulty but also it's not a "textbook." Davies presents his own views alongside what others have said but without always identifying the "right" theory. Because it has only one author, it is easy to begin discussions by asking whether Davies is right: Does he present persuasive arguments? Have you learned something from another course or author that counters what he is saying?

Davies comments on everything. By the end of the book, a student will have encountered innumerable ideas and interrelationships between them. I know some other families in the Facebook group have opted for other history curricula, but I think this is a solid choice and I'm pleased with it.

If you have multiple students who will be using this text, I recommend a hardcover version. It's a large book and I think the hardcover will handle multiple years of use by multiple children better than paperback. It's relatively inexpensive used. (I accidentally ended up with two copies so if you're local and want one, let me know.)

I have receiving nothing in exchange for this post. I purchased this book used (and discovered Kansas Dad had purchased it new decades ago). All opinions are my own. Links above to Amazon are affiliate links.

Chemistry and Politics: Antoine Lavoisier

Antoine Lavoisier: Scientist and Citizen

by Sarah R. Riedman

I posted recently about Stuff Matters, which I was considering for our chemistry supplemental reading in tenth grade. One of the comments suggested a biography of Antoine Lavoisier instead. I searched our library catalog and came up with a few options. This book was the best and an excellent choice.

It's a little easier to read than a high schooler would probably need, but the discussions of the phlogiston theory are sophisticated enough for high school. It includes extensive descriptions of Lavoisier's political and philanthropic work, as well as a detailed chapter on the French Revolution.

First Son will read this book in tenth grade as a supplement to Sabbath Mood Homeschool's Chemistry Part 2. In the future, I think I'll assign this book in ninth grade with part 1 and move Uncle Tungsten to tenth grade. It's a little more mature.

I have received nothing for this post; all opinions are my own. Links to Amazon are affiliate links. I borrowed this book from our library, but purchased a used copy for our use in school next year.

Update on Personal Finance for High School: You Need a Budget

You Need a Budget: The Proven System for Breaking the Paycheck-to-Paycheck Cycle, Getting Out of Debt, and Living the Life You Want

by Jesse Mecham

I wrote a few weeks about about a book I thought First Son might use for Personal Finance (in tenth grade, though I might move it to ninth grade for later students). The more I thought about it, the more I wondered if it was really want I wanted. Frankly I was uncomfortable with aspects of the book that focus on maximizing profit in investing in our current economic system and with its defense of wealth accumulation. There were a few chapters that just seemed unnecessary for a high schooler. (Not unexpected as it wasn't written for high schoolers.) So I was keeping my eyes open for an alternative and found this on the library shelf of new books.

You Need a Budget focuses on how to budget with the money you have for the expenses you know you will have. It's the outgrowth of a budgeting website and app available on a subscription basis, but the book itself is beneficial independent of the service. Though not written for high school students, I think it gives a good idea of how to handle personal finances. First Son already does this sort of thing for his finances now, but this book will push him to think ahead to budgeting when he is responsible for more expenses.

There is a chapter on talking with your "partner" about managing household finances and goals. The information is reasonably good, but as the book is written for the millennial generation, it does not assume marriage (and frankly gives many examples of couples who are not married). I talked to Kansas Dad about it and we decided our high school students could still read the book, but it's good to be aware in case you prefer to choose a different option for your family.

I intend to pair this book with other resources like an article on investing showing how compound interest builds if you begin investing early. Retirement accounts of investments in stocks seem inevitable for at least the near future, so I want him to understand about investing when he's young. I am also, however, planning for him to read a number of essays by Wendell Berry and parts of Small Is Still Beautiful to help him question the status quo and consider what role economics might play in a society that strives to build the Kingdom of God. All of this will be in addition to the economics book he'll use as a text over the next two years but the personal finance part should be fairly easy so I think he won't be overwhelmed.

Following Odysseus: The Odyssey

The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Robert Fitzgerald

As I mentioned in my post on The Iliad, First Son and I read this along with Elizabeth Vandiver's The Odyssey of Homer as part of his honors level ninth grade English course, expanded from the suggested epics in the Mater Amabilis™ beta high school plans available in the Facebook group.

I purchased this course during a sale last summer. I also managed to find an audiobook of the same translation as First Son's. I had considered letting First Son listen to it, but he seemed to be doing fine with just the book. Instead, I listened to it. The narrator read slowly, but it was a great way for me to keep up with the reading while folding laundry and washing dishes. One disadvantage of the audiobook is that I don't have any selections to copy into my commonplace book. You can tag places with the audiobook, but I'm usually not where I can tap the screen at the right time so I don't usually bother.

As with The Iliad, Vandiver's course provides a wealth of background and cultural context in addition to a richness in discussions of translations and themes. There are definitely mature themes in The Odyssey which are sometimes made more explicit in the lectures. As First Son is in high school, I didn't find it inappropriate, but I would not have listened to the lectures with our younger children.

The Schedule

Week 1
1 - Book 1
2 - Great Courses: The Odyssey of Homer Lecture 1
3 - Book 2

Week 2
1 - Book 3
2 - Book 4
3 - Great Courses: The Odyssey of Homer Lecture 2

Week 3
1 - Book 5
2 - Book 6
3 - Great Courses: The Odyssey of Homer Lecture 3

Week 4
1 - Book 7
2 - Book 8
3 - Book 9

Week 5
1 - Great Courses: The Odyssey of Homer Lecture 4
2 - Book 10
3 - Book 11 lines 1-375 (stop on p 187 after "there I also a time for sleep.")

Week 6
1 - Great Courses: The Odyssey of Homer Lecture 5
2 - Book 11 lines 375-end
3 - Book 12

Week 7
1 - Great Courses: The Odyssey of Homer Lecture 6
2 - Quiz on first 12 books and 6 lectures
3 - Book 13

Week 8
1 - Book 14
2 - Book 15
3 - Great Courses: The Odyssey of Homer Lecture 7

Week 9
1 - Book 16
2 - Book 17
3 - Great Courses: The Odyssey of Homer Lecture 8

Week 10
1 - Book 18
2 - Book 19
3 - Great Courses: The Odyssey of Homer Lecture 9

Week 11
1 - Book 20
2 - Book 21
3 - Book 22

Week 12
1 - Great Courses: The Odyssey of Homer Lecture 10
2 - Book 23
3 - Book 24

Week 13
1 - Great Courses: The Odyssey of Homer Lecture 11
2 - Great Courses: The Odyssey of Homer Lecture 12

3 - Quiz on the second half of the Odyssey

The Quizzes

Quiz 1

10 points each

1. What is xenia?
2. Where have you seen xenia practiced well in The Odyssey so far? How so?
3. Where have you seen xenia practiced poorly in The Odyssey so far? How so?
4. Describe what is happening on Ithaca as The Odyssey begins. Give three examples of ways the kingdom is suffering because of his absence.
5. Consider the implications of Odysseus’s refusal to accept Kalypso’s offer of immortality. What does this refusal imply about Odysseus’s view of what it means to be human, as compared to Achilles in The Illiad?
6. How do the songs of the bard of the Phaiakians, Demodokos, affect Odysseus?
7. Do you think Odyssus’s telling Polyphemos his name is an instance of reckless pride, or is he justified in doing so? Why so?
8. Compare and contrast Kalypso and Circe and the relationship between each of them and Odysseus.
9. What happens to all of Odysseus’s companions? Do you think Odysseus is responsible for their fates?
10. Give one example of Odysseus’s skill in rhetoric, in choosing his words and story to his audience.

Quiz 2

10 points each

1. How does Odysseus arrive back on Ithaka?
2. What disguise does Odysseus use on Ithaka? Describe how this disguise is perfect for his needs.
3. Who is Eumaios? How does he show Odysseus xenia?
4. Odysseus lies about who he is to Athena, and again to Eumaios. What do you make of his willingness to resort to lies as soon as he is back on Ithaka? Does it have any significance for our understanding of Odyssesus’s character in the first half of the Odyssey?
5. Describe the first meeting of Telemakhos and Odysseus in the swineherd’s hut. What happens after Eumaios leaves?
6. Describe the first meeting of Penelope and Odysseus.
7. Do you think Penelope knows this beggar is Odysseus? Use what you know of the text to defend your position.
8. How does Odysseus reveal himself to the suitors? What does he do to resolve the situation?
9. Describe the meeting between Penelope and Odysseus after the palace has been cleansed.
10. Did the Trojan War actually happen? Do you think it matters for our appreciation of The Iliad and The Odyssey? Defend your position. 

I received nothing for this post and all opinions are my own. Links to Amazon are affiliate links. I purchased the Audible course and the audiobook, but The Odyssey was already on our bookshelf.

An Economics Book Worth the Struggle: Economics: The User's Guide

Economics: The User's Guide

by Ha-Joon Chang

After hours spent searching our library, browsing online, and skimming economics books, I have found our high school economics text.

The User's Guide presents multiple schools of economic thought: Classical, Neoclassical, Marxist, Developmentalist, Austrian, Schumpeterian, Keynesian, Institutionalist, and Behaviouralist. Unlike every other book I found, Chang's descriptions include both advantages and disadvantages for each school. He advocates throughout the book for the use of multiple schools, arguing that each restricts the solutions to any economic problems by the questions they pose and that a combination of perspectives will provide the most robust policies.

In the very beginning, Chang addresses the all-important question: "Why do you need to learn economics?"

There are many different types of economic theory, each emphasizing different aspects of complex reality, making different moral and political value judgements and drawing different conclusions. Moreover, economic theories constantly fail to predict real-world developments even in ares on which they focus, not least because human beings have their own free will, unlike chemical molecules or physical objects.

We should all learn the basics of economics, therefore, so we can properly assess economic plans and theories proposed in government and by politicians. They are making assumptions we may refute both about the economic situation and about our goals as individuals and as a society.

The fact is, we all need to know something about diverse approaches to economics if we are not to become passive victims or someone else's decision. Behind every economic policy and corporate action that affects our lives -- minimum wage, outsourcing, social security, food safety, pensions and what not -- lies some economic theory that either has inspired those actions or, more frequently, is providing justification of what those in power want to do anyway. 

The book is divided into two main parts. In the first half, "Getting Used to It," he presents the general terms and concepts of modern economics: what it is, a history of capitalism, schools of economic thought, and economic actors (individuals, corporations, organizations, governments).

In the second part, he explores socioeconomic problems and considers each in light of different economic theories, questioning the assumptions made by some current economic policies and encouraging the reader to also consider non-economic aspects of problems like the value of work beyond a salary. This part includes chapters on topics like production, modern financial products, poverty, unemployment, the role of the state, and international economics.

While Chang is not a man of faith, his treatment of issues like poverty and meaningful work presents a picture of the world that allows discussions of our responsibilities as individuals and communities to care for those who are suffering and to provide an economic environment in which all can flourish.

The author does not hide his own opinions. For example, he argues for a greater emphasis in the economic considerations for production (the manufacturing of actual goods) and for greater regulation of the financial services industry. His biases are clearly indicated within the text, however. He uses the pronoun "I" and says what he thinks without presenting it as if there were no other side to the debate or as if it were a consensus argument of all modern economists.

Acknowledging the difficulties involved in changing the economic status quo should not cause us to give up the fight to create an economy that is more dynamic, more stable, more equitable and more environmentally sustainable than what we have had for the last three decades.

With a few exceptions, I agree with his recommendations and overall assessments of our current economic situation (national and international). Not everyone is as radical and anti-establishment as I am, though. If you are unsure, I recommend (at least) reading his concluding remarks for each chapter before assigning this book to your student. (There are also a few instances of crude language.)

This is a meaty text. The author claims it is written for anyone with a secondary education. It is bursting with footnotes, endnotes, real-life examples (and the numbers to support them), and recommended additional reading for each chapter. Many of the chapters include minutiae of details that will not need to be remembered exactly for the main point to be understood but which could easily overwhelm a student. The first part is especially dense because it focuses intently on the economic schools of thought and a large number of economic ideas that a high school student may be encountering for the first time.

A high school student with a history of reading and narrating substantial books will be able to handle this text, if it is read slowly. It is certainly one worth the time and effort. I intend to assign this book over two years, probably twice a week, to limit the length of the readings and prevent overload from the data.

Understanding Achilles: The Iliad

The Iliad translated by Robert Fagles

The Mater Amabilis™ high school plans (currently available in beta version in the high school facebook group) proposes an ambitious series for Level 5 Year 1 (ninth grade) epics: The Iliad, The Odyssey, and The Aeneid. To prepare myself to "teach" them, I ordered a few Great Courses by Elizabeth Vandiver from Audible including The Iliad of Homer. After listening to the first few lectures, I rearranged our schedule so First Son could listen to them as well.

The lectures provide background material and context for the book. A few at the beginning of the course covered general background material including the all-important Why should we continue to read and study the Greek classics?. In The Iliad of Homer, she explains and elaborates on the concepts of time (honor) and kleos (fame or glory). While I had never read The Iliad in its entirety, I was familiar with the story. Listening to the lectures gave me an understanding of Achilles and his actions that reframed the entire epic for me. (That's the lecture that convinced me First Son needed to listen as well.)

Dr. Vandiver also provides translation commentary that brings out the poetic allusions to the text that are missed when only reading it in translation. I appreciated how often she reiterated how much more there is to learn about the epics.

First Son loved listening to the lectures. While part of that love was because he was able to build with LEGOs while listening, he also found them fascinating in their own right and a relaxing break from the reading itself. I asked him to read or listen and narrate each lesson. He did a marvelous job narrating the lectures.

The supplemental materials (available as a PDF if you purchase the course from Audible) include an outline of each lecture, suggestions for further reading, and questions to consider. The outline and suggested questions were invaluable as I wrote quizzes for each epic, though many would not be appropriate if your student didn't also listen to the lectures.

First Son does not have access to my Audible account on his Kindle. I didn't want him wandering around with my smartphone which has access to the internet. We have a filter and I don't have any games on the phone, so mostly I was afraid it would be distracting. I use bluetooth earbuds when I'm listening to audiobooks but I didn't want to share them so we purchased these iJoy headphones for First Son and he leaves the phone on the counter. These are actually much nicer than mine and automatically connect to the phone. I had thought any of the kids could use them, but First Daughter (age 12) tells me they are a little uncomfortable for her because even at their smallest setting they are too big. First Son, being 15 and over six feet tall, doesn't have that problem.

I would assign First Son the books to read in The Iliad, then have him listen to the corresponding lecture. In order to make each lesson manageable, I scheduled Epics three times a week and assigned only one book or one lecture each lesson.

When combined with our study of one Shakespeare play each term, the course load for English earned an Honors designation. I think another option would be to read The Iliad and The Aeneid without the lectures, but include them for The Odyssey. Though the first two lecture series on The Iliad and The Odyssey are designed to go together, you would still get a lot of background material and richness from what I think is the most important book of the three.

A note on the translation for The Iliad: First Son and I read the Robert Fagles translation shown above because that is the one Kansas Dad had purchased for a college course. I can't remember which one Dr. Vandiver quotes from within the lectures, but it's not necessary to chose the same one.

The Schedule

Week 1
1 - Great Courses: The Iliad of Homer Lecture 1
2 - Great Courses: The Iliad of Homer Lecture 2
3 - Book 1

Week 2
1 - Book 2
2 - Great Courses: The Iliad of Homer Lecture 3
3 - Book 3

Week 3
1 - Book 4
2 - Book 5
3 - Book 6

Week 4
1 - Great Courses: The Iliad of Homer Lecture 4
2 - Book 7
3 - Book 8

Week 5
1 - Book 9
2 - Great Courses: The Iliad of Homer Lecture 5
3 - Book 10

Week 6
1 - Book 11
2 - Book 12

3 - Great Courses: The Iliad of Homer Lecture 6 (quiz next week)

Week 7

1 - quiz on first 12 books and 6 lectures

2 - Book 13

3 - Book 14

Week 8

1 - Book 15

2 - Great Courses: The Iliad of Homer Lecture 7

3 - Great Courses: The Iliad of Homer Lecture 8

Week 9

1 - Book 16

2 - Book 17

3 - Great Courses: The Iliad of Homer Lecture 9

Week 10

1 - Book 18

2 - Book 19

3 - Book 20

Week 11

1 - Book 21

2 - Great Courses: The Iliad of Homer Lecture 10

3 - Book 22

Week 12

1 - Great Courses: The Iliad of Homer Lecture 11

2 - Book 23

3 - Book 24

Week 13

1 - Great Courses: The Iliad of Homer Lecture 12

2 - quiz on the second half of The Iliad and last six lectures

It takes a bit more than a term each to get through The Iliad and The Odyssey when incorporating the lectures, but The Aeneid is shorter so does not need an entire term.

The Quizzes

Quiz 1

10 points each

1. What do you know about Homer?
2. Define kleos (fame/glory) and timê (honor) as they were for the ancient Greeks.
3. Why are the Greeks besieging Troy?
4. Who is Agamemnon? Tell everything you know about him.
5. Why does Achilles initially recuse himself from battle?
6. Tell about the embassy to Achilles (who they are, what they say, how Achilles responds).
7. Who is Hector? Tell everything you know about him.

Quiz 2

1. How are the Homeric gods different from the modern Christian understanding of God? (12 points)
2. Describe how Patroclus convinces Achilles to let him rejoin the battle. What arguments does he make? (8 points)
3. Patroclus kills Sarpedon, the son of Zeus. How does what happens to his body prefigure the deaths of Patroclus and Hector? (What is the same about them?) (12 points)
4. What happens to Achilles when he learns of Patroclus’s death? (8 points)
5. Describe the new armor of Achilles. (8 points)
6. Contrast Achilles and Hector, describing at least two ways they are different from each other. (12 points)
7. Tell about the conference between Priam and Achilles. How does it come about? How do they behave and speak to each other? (8 points)
8. Pretend you are talking to a friend and want to convince him or her to read the Iliad. What would you say? Mention specific ideas or events from the poem. (12 points)

I received nothing for this post and all opinions are my own. Links to Amazon are affiliate links. I purchased the Audible course and the headphones, but The Iliad was already on our bookshelf.

Ninth Grade Scripture Commentary: A Schedule and Suggested Essays

A few days ago, I posted on A Path through Genesis which First Son read as commentary along with his Scripture reading for ninth grade. For those who might be interested in something similar, I wanted to share a schedule and some essay questions.

First Son read Scripture once a week: Genesis, Exodus, and Numbers. At another time during the week he would read Commentary, a selection from A Path through Genesis. Consequently, he read Genesis twice - once in Scripture and once embedded in the Commentary. The next time we come around to ninth grade, I'm going to assign Scripture twice a week and substitute A Path through Genesis for Genesis. When the book is over, the student will use a personal Bible to read Exodus and Numbers.

Here's the anticipated schedule (narrations daily):

Week 1
1. A Path through Genesis - first half of the Introduction
2. A Path through Genesis - second half of the Introduction

Week 2
1. Part One: The Meeting of God and Man (just this part, stop before Chapter I)
2. Chapter I: Creation

Week 3
1. Chapter II: The Creature Man
2. Chapter III: The Fall

Week 4
1. Chapter IV: Before the Flood
2. Chapter V: The Flood

Week 5
1. Chapter VI: Before Abraham Was (prepare for exam)
2. Essay exam on Part One, first half

Week 6
1. Essay exam on Part One, second half
2. Part Two: Hebrew Beginnings AND Chapter VII: Abraham the Patriarch

Week 7
1. Chapter VIII: Abraham the Friend of God
2. Chapter IX: The Man of Faith

Week 8
1. Chapter X: Jacob the Supplanter
2. Chapter XI: Rachel the Beloved

Week 9
1. Chapter XII: Jacob Becomes Israel (prepare for exam)
2. Exam on Part Two

Week 10
1. Part Three: Israelite Beginnings AND Chapter XIII: Joseph in Egypt
2. Chapter XIV: The Stuff of Dreams

Week 11
1. Chapter XV: The Sowing of a People
2. Epilogue (prepare for exam)

Week 12
1. Exam on Part Three

Starting in the second term, the readings would decrease to just once a week.

Exodus 1-4
Exodus 5-8
Exodus 9-12
Exodus 13-16
Exodus 17-20
Exodus 21-24
Exodus 25-28
Exodus 29-32
Exodus 33-36
Exodus 37-40

Numbers 1-4
Numbers 5-8
Numbers 9-12
Numbers 13-16
Numbers 17-20
Numbers 21-24
Numbers 25-28
Numbers 29-32


Exams

I didn't give any exams in Scripture based on the readings from Exodus and Numbers. All exams on A Path through Genesis were open book.

This is an open-book test. You may refer to the text to answer the questions, but you must write the answers in your own words. If you need to quote the author, be sure to use quotation marks and reference the page number.

For each essay, I asked First Son to write 2-3 paragraphs on another sheet of paper. Each question was worth ten points. Depending on the exam, he chose one question for each chapter or one question for a pair of chapters. The first exam was spread over two days as Part One in the book covered a lot of thought-provoking material.

Exam #1, Part 1

Chapter I: Creation (choose one)

1. Describe the difference between the God of the first chapter of Genesis and the first gods in the creation myths of Egypt and Babylon.
2. Explain what the author (Bruce Vawter) thinks is meant by “image and likeness” of God.
3. Explain what the author (Bruce Vawter) means on page 49 when he says, “The creation story of Genesis neither affirms nor denies our scientific knowledge of the universe; it disregards it.”

Chapter II: The Creature Man (choose one)

1. What does Genesis tell us about the garden of Eden?
2. What does Genesis tell us about man’s relationship with God before the Fall?
3. Describe what Genesis tells us about women through the Creation story.

Chapter III: The Fall (choose one)

1. What does the author of Genesis tell us about temptation?
2. What are the effects of the Fall?

Exam #1, Part 2

Chapter IV: Before the Flood (choose one)

1. What does the story of Cain and Abel tell us about the sinfulness of men?
2. What do you think is the meaning of the genealogies of the people before the Flood?

Chapter V: The Flood (choose one)

1. Compare the record of the Flood in Scripture with the myths of great floods in other cultures.
2. What does Noah’s experiences in the Flood tell us about how God interacts with mankind?
3. What evidence does the author (Bruce Vawter) provide for his assertion that the story of the Flood is a combination from multiple sources?

Chapter VI: Before Abraham Was (choose one)

1. How does the genealogy after Noah describe the relation of the nations of the world according to the mentality of the Old Testament Jew?
2. Describe what the book says about the story of the tower of Babel.

Exam #2

Chapters VII and VIII: Abraham the Patriarch and Abraham the Friend of God (choose one)

1. How is Abraham a “Patriarch?” (chapter VII)
2. Describe one way or one instance that shows God’s protection of Abraham in his wanderings? (chapter VII)
3. How is Melchisedec a “type” of Christ? What does this mean? (chapter VII)
4. Explain what a covenant was in the time of Abraham and describe the covenant between Abraham and God. (chapter VIII)
5. Describe one of the following encounters between Abraham and God and how it might inform your own faith: (chapter VIII)
1. Abraham’s laughter (Genesis 17:15-27)
2. Abraham the generous host (Genesis 18:1-15)
3. Abraham the bargainer (Genesis 18:23-33)

Chapters IX and X: The Man of Faith and Jacob the Supplanter (choose one)

1. What does the author (Bruce Vawter) say about the ages attributed to Abraham and his descendants? (chapter IX)
2. What was Abraham’s most heroic example of faith? Why is this story in our sacred Scriptures? What do we learn from it? (chapter IX)
3. How does Jacob supplant Esau? What does the author (Bruce Vawter) say about the events? (chapter X)
4. How and why is Genesis “preoccupied with the identification of various sacred places in Palestine with one or another of the patriarchs?” (according to Bruce Vawter, chapter X)

Chapters XI and XII: Rachel the Beloved and Jacob Becomes Israel (choose one)

1. Compare and contrast Lia and Rachel in both their marriages to Jacob and their children with him. (chapter XI)
2. Describe the relationship between Laban and Jacob and how it changed over time. (chapter XI)
3. Describe Jacob’s interactions with Esau when he returns home. (chapter XI)
4. What happens with Jacob wrestles with God in Genesis 32? How is Jacob changed? (chapter XI)

Exam #3

This exam covered only three chapters and was overall more familiar to us. I asked him to choose two of the following questions.

1. What was the Hebrew understanding of Sheol? (Chapter XIII)
2. Why was Joseph’s refusal to sin because it was against God while he was in Egypt a unique argument? (Chapter XIII)
3. Why do you think there is no record of Joseph in Egypt despite his high position? Use information you’ve learned in the book to give support for your belief. (Chapter XIV)
4. What was “the blessings of Jacob” and what does it mean for the Israelites? (Chapter XV)

Commentary on Creation, the Fall, Abraham, and Joseph: A Path through Genesis

A Path through Genesis

by Bruce Vawter, C.M.

published by Sheed and Ward in 1956 with an imprimatur

In the Mater Amabilis™ high school beta plans (available in the facebook group), ninth graders read Genesis, Exodus, and Numbers. I wanted a commentary to read alongside. My first thought was to use the Catholic Scripture series (we own the volume on John), but they haven't published any Old Testament commentaries. Kansas Dad, of course, is a theology professor, but his area of expertise is early Church history and ethics, not Old Testament, so I asked one of his fellow professors for a recommendation. He's a Hebrew scholar who earned his PhD in Israel. He gave me a couple of books to skim from his personal library and I decided to buy a copy of A Path through Genesis. It's out of print, but readily available. When I was searching for it, I found a review by Flannery O'Connor in her book, The Presence of Grace and Other Book Reviews (Google books).

Vawter's commentary includes the entire text of Genesis (from The Holy Bible, translated from the original languages...by members of the Catholic Biblical Association of America, St. Anthony Guild Press, 1952). Some of the names were spelled a bit differently than in the NAB First Son received from our parish, but he was able to follow along without difficulty.

A Path through Genesis provides cultural and historical context for Genesis, grounded in solid theology, from a Catholic theologian interested in walking laypeople through the text. Throughout the book, Vawter guides the reader in understanding the meaning of the author of Genesis and therefore discerning the essential truths of the events and stories inspired by God.

The Bible was not written in a vacuum, but by men of highly individualized personalities whose powers of mind and spirit were separate creations of God. Inspiration did not change, it accepted these men. Their writings bear the impress of themselves, of their times, of their capabilities and limitations. If we would know the meaning of the Bible, then, we must take it for what it is, the noblest work of human endeavor.

Throughout the book, Vawter emphasizes when appropriate the relationship between our faith and modern scientific thought. Written in the 1950s, it addresses evolution and creation, repeating the teachings of the popes and the councils that dispel the myths of conflict between faith and reason.

We must today interpret the Bible in the light of knowledge that was denied our ancestors. Any interpretation of Scripture that contradicts a known fact of science we may be very sure is no true interpretation. This principle was established fifteen hundred years ago by St. Augustine, who in his De Genesi ad litteram attacked the problems of Genesis in the light of the knowledge of his age. We can do no better than imitate his spirit.

A Path through Genesis emphatically rejects a literal reading of Genesis.

"Fundamentalism" or "literalism" has never had a home in the Catholic Church. It is regrettable, however, that some Catholics have felt that the fundamentalists are "on our side" in their reverence for the letter of God's word amid a world that has so largely gone over to unbelief. Fundamentalism is not born of respect for the Bible. It is born of contempt for man's God-given intellect. It has failed the most elementary task of religion, which is the rational service of God. 

I read this book alongside First Son. Not only is it clear in its explanations of ancient and Biblical history, but it is often eloquent in its delight of Scripture and in bringing Genesis directly to the present.

To be like God: there is the root of sin. To acknowledge no dependence, to be a law to oneself, this is the vulgar idea of being like God. Man was made in God's image, intended to be like God, but in God's way and with God's means. Satan counted on enticing man to adopt his own means, and he won.

What precisely was the sin that Adam and Eve committed, we shall probably never know. In all likelihood the author of Genesis was quite as ignorant of it as we. 

Vawter connects the foibles, mistakes, and misunderstandings of the men and women of Genesis with our own today. Abraham laughed when God said he'd have a son.

There is the temptation that has plagued men of faith throughout the centuries. Faith generally meets its test in small things rather than great. The man who can cheerfully face death in the arena where the issues are clear and drawn may thread his way only with difficulty through a world which is not black and white but considerably grey.

It is deceptively easy to think we would have been holier than the patriarchs, that we would not have doubted. Vawter, though, places them within their own times, revealing their limitations and therefore the greater leaps they made to a faith that is already prepared for us.

Abraham lived without the Church, without the sacraments, without the consolation of the fulfillment of prophecy, all of which we have. H had to walk virtually alone, gropingly, with only his strong faith in a future he was not to see in this life. We must candidly confess, if we had lived in the time of our father Abraham, we would only with God's help have done as he, and we would have one it far less well.

I asked First Son whether he thought A Path through Genesis was a good addition to his studies this year. He whole-heartedly approved. He found it helpful in his understanding of the text and enjoyable to read.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post and all opinions are my own. I purchased a used copy of this book. The link above is an affiliate link on Amazon, but the book can be found at all the usual used book websites.

Hurricane without Warning: Isaac's Storm

Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History

by Erik Larson

As I mentioned in a previous post, this year, for First Son's ninth grade science, I decided to use Sabbath Mood Homeschool's study guides. First Son is spending one term studying Chemistry, one term studying Physics, one term studying Weather, and a whole year studying Biology (but only the equivalent of a term as it's only once a week). The study guide for weather, like the others, contains a list of suggestions for independent reading during the term related to the science. Isaac's Storm was the book I selected for our term on Weather. I was able to request a copy from another member at PaperBackSwap.com.

(Side note: I seriously considered having First Son read Warnings, which I read many years ago, or another book on tornadoes, which would be appropriate for Kansas. Another good Kansas option might be The Worst Hard Time, which is a fantastic book, but I couldn't remember how much actual "weather" is described in it. In the end, I picked Isaac's Storm, partly because the reviews looked good enough that I wanted to read it and partly because I prefer to own our assigned books and this was the easiest one to get in hard copy. For First Daughter in a few years, I'll probably put them all on a list and let her choose one...and she'll probably read all of them.)

This book describes the hurricane that devastated Galveston, TX, in 1900. Told from the viewpoint, mostly, of Isaac Cline, the resident meteorologist, it also includes descriptions of the storm as it moves through space, escalating in strength. In 1900, there were no satellites to track hurricanes from space so the author relied on ships' logs and current knowledge of hurricanes. Moving over the open sea, it was completely hidden from everyone on shore until it struck with unprecedented force.

The author visited Galveston and spent hours poring over surviving photographs, augmenting the story with vivid descriptions of the bustling city before the storm. Besides Cline's experiences, interviews and written memoirs of a few others weave through the book, providing eyewitness accounts of the storm from different vantage points.

The Galveston hurricane was horrifyingly deadly. There are no pictures in the book (though some exist) but the descriptions of the death and destruction will be difficult for sensitive readers.

It's a masterful account and a compelling complement to our Weather study.

I received nothing in exchange for this post. This review contains my own opinions. Links above to Amazon and PaperBackSwap are affiliate links.

For Love of a Prince: Katherine

Katherine

by Anya Seton

I found this book on my shelves while trying to thin by collection. (I have to make room for three more years of school!) I don't know if it was my grandmother's, or if my mom picked it up somewhere; I certainly don't remember buying it myself. After a quick glance at the summary and reviews online, I decided to read it. Coincidentally, it matched perfectly with my ninth grader's readings in British history and his third term introduction to The Canterbury Tales.

Katherine, the heroine of the novel, was a minor noble during the time of King Edward III. His third son, John of Gaunt, employed Geoffrey Chaucer. Katherine's sister married Chaucer. She herself was John's mistress, the mother of four of his children, and eventually his third wife. John of Gaunt was never king, but his son (from a previous wife) became Henry IV of the House of Lancaster.

The novel is one of adultery, healing, and redemption. Katherine lives many years as John's mistress, quite in the open and with the inevitable knowledge of his lawful wife. Their actions fulfill their own desires, but cause sorrow and heartache for many. Katherine suffers a great shock and loss. She is contemplating the end of her life when a strange priest draws her away from a cliff. He introduces her to Julian the Anchoress who shows her the great love and forgiveness of the Lord. With their assistance, she renounces her sinful ways and rebuilds a life of honor and dedication to her home and children.

What a weary time it took to learn how homely and direct the answer was, that it needed no thunderbolts and flaming wonders for Him to fulfill His promise, I will keep thee full securely. That He had as many ways of loving as there were droplets in the ocean, the ocean that was yet all one sea.

It's a magnificent depiction of life of the times of Geoffrey Chaucer and the English monarchy. It covers the Peasants' Revolt and much royal intrigue. Reading it alongside our Churchill helped me immensely in keeping the royal family members straight and in imagining what life was like during that time.

At first, I considered adding this book to our list of potential historical fiction for ninth grade. I think if one of my children (in ninth grade or high school) asked about reading this book, I would allow it. It's certainly one that reveals the insidiousness of sin and points toward confession and redemption, but it is a book in which the acts of adultery are a key point of the plot. Some of acts of infidelity are described a little more explicitly than I might wish for my fifteen year olds. So I would allow it, but I don't think I'm going to add it to our independent reading list for ninth grade. I do, however, recommend it to any homeschooling mom who is looking for historical fiction of this time period.

I have received nothing for this post which contains only my honest opinions. The link to Amazon above is an affiliate link.