Teaching them as Jesus taught

Bishop leads class for young adults on ‘Mystery of Catholicism’

By Bee Goodman

Bishop Mark Beckman is taking the solemn vow he made when ordained to be a “true and authentic teacher of the faith” to heart and soul.

In addition to his daily ministry as the Diocese of Knoxville’s shepherd, the bishop is teaching a 12-week course tailored to young people called “Mystery of Catholicism.”

Starting in September, Bishop Beckman embarked on the journey for knowledge with young adults from around the Diocese of Knoxville.

The lecture series is exploring Catholic origins and discipleship. Leaning into their curiosity, the students in attendance are asking questions and seeking advice from the diocese’s ranking theologian. With its early success, Bishop Beckman hopes to continue the lecture series in 2026.

On Sept. 9, Bishop Beckman began the educational lecture series at the diocese’s Chancery. The series invites those age 18-35 to indeed explore the mystery of Catholicism.

The course had a full audience of about 60 on the first night and is averaging between 50 and 60 students each lecture. With such great interest in the bishop-led course, attendees must RSVP to the class beforehand. However, no one will be turned away if they come in person without the prior registration.

Bishop Beckman has made youth and young-adult outreach an important thrust of his ministry.

“I believe engaging our young adults is so important for the Church, and since I love teaching, I thought this would be an important contribution I could make,” the bishop said following a recent class.

A Catholic look at the cosmos

That first night of class, Bishop Beckman introduced Catholicism with the creation and the Book of Genesis, which was apropos.

He took a moment to ponder God’s creation of everything, and he reviewed that in the beginning, God first created light, and when he was satisfied, he rested. This creation includes each grain of sand, the beat of every heart, and each flux of electricity.

“We believe, and this is a very Catholic way of looking at it, that this entire cosmos, the whole universe, is all part of God’s creation. And God sustained it in being and positively willed it into being. And therefore, everything about the universe as God created it, has a fundamental goodness about it,” the bishop told his students.

The course covers a variety of topics in Catholicism, including the origins of the faith itself, discipleship, and the structure of authority in the Catholic Church. Continuing with the origins of Catholicism, Bishop Beckman began with the root of the word itself: katholikos, Greek for universal or whole, or as the bishop explained, “everyone.”

He continued to share how Catholicism as a whole is only some 2,000 years old, starting officially at the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He explained that though Catholicism is relatively new, its roots go back thousands of years with the Jewish faith.

“We have a very special bond with our Jewish brothers and sisters. They are our ancestors in the faith, and we should never forget that Christ was born in the Jewish faith. The original Apostles were all Jewish. Christianity was born in Judaism.”

Following the origins of the Catholic faith, Bishop Beckman took the class through its second lecture of the series, discussing other Christian denominations and how they’ve changed from their original Catholic roots to what they are today. Going through history, he shared details of the medieval times, Martin Luther, and King Henry VIII’s separation from the Roman Catholic Church to become the Church of England. He also briefly explained the formations of the Methodist, Baptist, and Church of Christ denominations.

There are seven classes in the lecture series, which ends in December. The course has had no issues with attracting students. Some are deferred to a waitlist so that if a seat becomes available for the next class they can attend in person.

Class draws large interest

Because of the large demand for the lecture series, Bishop Beckman collaborates with the diocese’s communications team to share videos of the lessons online where any one can participate or review.

When launching the first lecture, Bishop Beckman remarked how he loved teaching during his time serving at a Catholic school, and he was excited to be back in a classroom, even if it is within the bounds of the Chancery building just down the hall from his office.

He pointed out that he has a particular interest in engaging with young adults “because they are curious and ask a lot of great questions.”

The bishop acknowledged that the young adults are still figuring out life and what they seek in it, and he “wants to offer them advice and guidance in a confusing time.”

A majority of the attendees are in their early 20s and still in college, not married, and childless. And they are figuring out who they want to be.

The in-depth conversations about Catholicism offer the women and men a kind of road map to life, using faith as a compass.

Some who are attending the class said they had belonged to other Christian faiths growing up and wanted to explore Catholicism. Others expressed the reverse: they are lifelong Catholics who want to understand the differences and similarities with Protestantism.

The curious environment allows questions that Bishop Beckman is pleased to answer and build upon.

It’s a lot to cover in a series of short classes. Each lasts about two hours. But the bishop is able to break down the content into a simpler image while still providing insight that provokes the students’ curiosity.

Many of them take notes and write down questions, and several admit that they later returned to the lesson through the videos provided on YouTube via the diocesan website, dioknox.org.

With the first lecture series wrapping up just before Christmas, attendees will celebrate with a greater understanding of Catholicism and the significance of the birth of Christ. While dates could come later for the sequel series, it may also occur before other major Christian celebrations, including Ash Wednesday, Lent, Holy Week, and Easter.

If participants are to attend both series, it’s likely the holidays will be served with a greater compassion and understanding for the Eucharist.

A parishioner from Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Chattanooga shared how he felt the class offered an understanding of the faith he missed growing up.

“I grew up going to Mass sometimes, only when I visited my grandmother. I knew the basics of being a Catholic, but I don’t have any knowledge of why we believe what we believe. He (Bishop Beckman) has done a good job of offering some of the knowledge I’ve been missing,” he said.

Another attendee said she and her husband rotate who attends the classes each week so they both can benefit from the lectures.

“This was my first class, but I already think it’s beneficial because it’s good to cover this stuff with people my age who think similarly to me,” she said after the bishop’s lecture.

Beyond the origins of Catholicism and its historical references, Bishop Beckman explores other topics like what it means to be human, the mystery of God, an exploration of the Gospels, understanding Scripture, and the mission of the Church.

In addition to the lectures hosted at the Chancery, which is adjacent to the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, one of the classes will include a tour of the seven-year-old cathedral.

An unspoken lesson is also taught to the attendees and online viewers: what it means to be a good Catholic versus being good at being Catholic.

The bishop quizzed his students, asking them, “if a person came to you and asked, ‘You’re a Christian. Why do you follow Jesus?’ What would you say?”

Along with the Bible being a source of Bishop Beckman’s teachings, he often uses other sources that he shares with the classes. In a recent class, he passed around the first volume of John P. Meier’s A Marginal Jew. As they discussed the identity of Jesus, this book challenged the historical view of Jesus and the origins of different ideas.

When the first series of courses ends, the bishop would like those in his classes to be growing deeper in the Catholic faith.

“I hope they are inspired to think more critically about their faith and to deepen their commitment to Christ and His Church,” he said.

And what does leading young people in a course on Catholicism mean to him personally as the bishop of East Tennessee?

“It is a joy for me to teach, especially theology, and to have a regular community of learners that I am getting to know,” Bishop Beckman said.

So, does the bishop have plans to teach additional courses? “That is my hope,” he said.

Other upcoming events for young adults

In addition to the continuing lecture series, other young-adult events from the diocese are on the horizon.

St. John Neumann Parish will be hosting a discussion covering St. John Paul II on Nov. 1 at 5:45 p.m.

The Southeast Regional Encounter & Southeast Catholic Cup-Atlanta 2025 is Nov. 7-9. The diocese’s Pastoral Juvenil Hispana will be attending that event and invites Hispanic young adults to join for a weekend in Lilburn, Ga. The event is a “faith-filled encounter with conferences, eucharistic adoration, and opportunities for spiritual growth.”

Coming Nov. 8 is a gathering with the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma. The Sisters invite women aged 18 to 35 for discussion to learn more about the religious life over tea and cookies. Holy Hour will take place at 5:10 p.m., with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and the rosary, followed by dinner with the Sisters. RSVP by contacting knoxville@almamercy.org.

Anyone interested in attending Bishop Beckman’s classes can register at https://dioknox.org/mystery-of-catholicism-updates.

Videos for Bishop Beckman’s courses can be found in “The Mystery of Catholicism” playlist on YouTube, or by searching https://www.youtube.com/@DioKnoxTV/playlists.