In most schools subjects are taught in compartments. We are used to thinking in these compartments: math, science, history, language arts, etc. History classes are further broken down into classes on Bible History, Ancient History, Medieval History, Renaissance History, Church History, Geo-political History, American History, Art History, History of the Saints, History of Science, Greek History, Roman History, the list goes on and on... Our minds are trained to think in compartments, yet higher learning is said to occur when we make connections between disparate ideas.

Some subjects are more easily combined because their connections are more obvious, for example math and sciences, art and music. Less obvious are the relationships between such subjects as music and mathematics. Religion and history are nearly universally separated, not merely as separate subjects, but even further into separate venues. The Bible is taught in church, “real” history is taught in school. Most people, it seems, fail to connect the fact that the Bible events actually occurred in specific times and locations. Too often "Bible times" are disconnected from the real world and real events. We know that Jesus and the apostles were real people, but all of this is fragmented in our minds. Connecting with History is designed to de-compartmentalizing knowledge, to re-integrate the subjects, particularly the branches of history and religion, in order to increase understanding and facilitate true learning. Historical events do not exist in a vacuum. The church does not exist in its own little universe separate from governments and politics as much as our leaders and educators would like us to believe that it is so. Artists and scientists do not live in their own realm apart from popes and saints. St. Paul visited the same Greece that Aristotle lived in; Moses' Egypt is the same Egypt as King Tut's. Did you know that Alexander the Great is mentioned in the Bible? Most often the most integrated books on history tend to be those written by Catholics because you can't talk about the Church apart from secular events - it's all interconnected. Catholics have the opportunity to see the connections more clearly than most people; we mustn’t squander that gift.

Catholic historian and essayist Hilaire Belloc, in his book, Europe and the Faith, states,

"...the Catholic "conscience of history – I say "conscience" – that

is, an intimate knowledge through identity: the intuition of a thing

which is one with the knower – I do not say "The Catholic Aspect of

History." This talk of "aspects" is modern and therefore part of a

decline: it is false.....I will rather do homage to truth and say

that there is no such thing as a Catholic "aspect" of European

history. There is a Protestant aspect, a Jewish aspect, a

Mohammedan aspect, a Japanese aspect, and so forth. For all of

these look on Europe from without. The Catholic sees Europe from

within."

"The Catholic brings to history (when I say "history" in these pages

I mean the history of Christendom) self-knowledge.....Others, not

Catholic, look upon the story of Europe externally as strangers.

They have to deal with something which presents itself to them

partially and disconnectedly, by its phenomena alone: he sees it all

from its center in its essence, and together." 

"For the Catholic the whole perspective falls into its proper

order. The picture is normal. Nothing is distorted to him. The

procession of our great story is easy, natural, and full. It is

also final." 

The goal of Connecting with History is to share the joy of discovering the richness and depth of true history. It allows us the opportunity to study saints and scientists, popes and poets, martyrs and musicians, the people and the events of history through time as they happened, when the happened, where they happened and why they happened. When we learn history in this integrated fashion it ceases to be just another subject to cover or just a list of dates to memorize, it becomes the story of life – our story, our history, our heritage!

Distinctive Elements of the Connecting with History program:

Chronology

First of all, history is presented chronologically and thematically. Each unit covers a particular set of dates and the events which occurred during that time period. Chronology is a tool to assist you in understanding the causes and effects of events and the interweaving of cultures and personalities. It helps answer not only the "what" of history, but the "why and how." 

Themes

Although the program is chronological, we do include themes for each period of history. The themes in Volume One are focused on the history of the Israelites as the central thread, the story of history. As we follow their history we encounter the various cultures and empires that existed around them and interacted and affected their experiences. The story of the Jews is the story of the beginnings of our Faith as well as the beginning of Western culture. 

Levels of history

History occurs on several levels. What we generally think of as history is the geo-political level: the people, places and events that make up history. But history also occurs on a spiritual level; Divine Providence is active in history, God doesn't just sit back and watch the world revolve, He involves himself in events in both hidden and tangible ways. While wars take place between empires and countries, the battle rages on the spiritual level between the demons and the angels for control or the destiny of the world and of individuals. The spiritual battlefield is in the souls of people, you and I, your spouse, your children, your neighbors, world leaders and ordinary people. Connecting with Histosry includes both levels of history, secular and spiritual. It attempts to connect the student to the events of history on a personal level. 

Personal applications

History isn't just other people, other times, other places. All of us are living right now, right here in a specific time in history. What we think and do in our lifetimes affects the lives of countless others, in ways we may never even suspect. Some people are called to do great things that will go down in the history books of the future, but all of us are called to live heroically in our own sphere of influence; our families, our neighborhoods, our parishes, our workplace, our schools, etc. History becomes personal when it teaches us lessons from others' lives and enables us to apply them to our own. Through the themes, essays and discussion questions Connecting with history attempts to help students reflect on their own choices in life and their God-given purpose, their unique vocation in life. This is another element which makes Connecting with History a distinctively Catholic program. It's not just a matter of adding in saints and popes to a secular or protestant program, it's about developing an authentic worldview and self- understanding that can change our own lives and spread to others’.