Theology, Undergraduate
Department Chair: Kari-Shane Davis Zimmerman
Faculty: Nickolas Becker, OSB; Jennifer Beste; Charles Bobertz; Kristin Colberg; Shawn Colberg; Martin Connell; Chris Conway; Benjamin Durheim; Daniel Finn; Juliann Heller; Noreen Herzfeld; Jeffrey Kaster; Christine Luna Munger; Anna Mercedes; John Merkle; Michael Patella, OSB; Michael Rubbelke; Anthony Ruff, OSB; Vincent Smiles; Laura Taylor; Kari-Shane Davis Zimmerman.
Religious faith, expressed in countless ways, has played a major role in the unfolding of human history and civilizations. Therefore, as the study of faith, theology is a vital part of a liberal arts education. Because religion intersects with all aspects of culture (for example, art, music, language, literature, history, philosophy, science), theological study offers a unique opportunity to connect the dots from multiple disciplines into a coherent world view.
Faculty members in our theology department are committed to helping students understand religion as a fundamental part of human experience. Exploring how faith and reason combine to form life-orienting perspectives, our faculty join students in grappling with major questions about God, the world, and human existence. This is done in a variety of ways, especially through the critical examination of the sacred texts and values of the Catholic tradition, other Christian traditions, and other religions.
Assessment
The theology department conducts assessment of student learning in order to determine how well the department and its students are accomplishing specified learning goals and objectives. This assessment activity provides the department with systematic feedback to make curricular and pedagogical improvements. While the department protects confidentiality, students should expect that their coursework may serve as evidence in the assessment process and that they may be asked to provide other data or participate in assessment reviews.
THEO 100 Theological Explorations (4 Credits)
This course welcome participants to an introductory college exploration of Christian theology, providing a group inquiry into faith, belief, and the religious dimensions of human existence, whether one’s own or that of others. The course also offers an introduction to the hallmarks of the Benedictine tradition and their grounding in local Benedictine communities. Participants also examine examples of religious engagements, discussing how religious beliefs and practices inform people’s social actions. They also begin to explore the notion of the “common good,” debating different ideas of what the common good is and contemplating their own roles in communal flourishing. Overall this course hones student skills in theological reasoning and in the analysis of texts, of religious engagement, and of the common good through exploring Benedictine Tradition, central themes in the diverse field of Christian theology, and the practices of deep inquiry and personal reflection.
Prerequisites: None
Equivalent courses: HONR 240A, HONR 240B, THEO 111
Attributes: Theological Exploration (TE)
THEO 210 History of the Development of the Christian Church (4 Credits)
As an introduction to the history of Christianity and the Christian church from the New Testament era to the present, this course traces key Christian figures, events, trends, and projects against the larger socio-cultural backdrop of world history. Intended primarily for majors and minors. Ordinarily offered once a year in spring and taken during the first or second year.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B or THEO 100 or INTG XXXG
Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major, minor, or concentration in Theology.
Equivalent courses: THEO 319C
THEO 220 Philosophy for Theology (4 Credits)
The method, content and status of theological reasoning have always been influenced by the wider intellectual world in which it operates. This course will examine the nature of that influence by surveying major thinkers and developments in the history of Western thought that have played a formative role in Christian theology. Intended primarily for majors and minors. Ordinarily offered once a year in fall and taken during the first or second year.
Prerequisites: None
Equivalent courses: THEO 200
Attributes: Thematic Encounter1/2 - Truth
THEO 221 Thinking Theologically (4 Credits)
Offering an overview of topics within systematic theology, such as God, Trinity, Christ, grace, salvation, the Church, and sacraments, this course fosters skills of theological thinking, speaking, and writing, and provides a foundation for more specialized courses. Ordinarily offered once a year in fall and taken during the sophomore or junior year.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A
Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major, minor, or concentration in Theology.
Equivalent courses: THEO 201
THEO 265 Readings in Theology (1 Credit)
In this course, students and various members of the theology faculty will read and discuss current and classic writings in the discipline. Topics will vary.
Prerequisites: None
THEO 271 Individual Learning Project (1-4 Credits)
Supervised reading or research at the lower-division level. Consult department chair for applicability towards major requirements. Not available to first-year students.
Prerequisites: None
THEO 300 Engaging Scripture (4 Credits)
The goal of the course is to deepen students' familiarity with foundational biblical texts and with different ways these texts have been interpreted through the centuries. Content will ordinarily include at least one major section from the Old Testament (Pentateuch or Prophets) and the New Testament (Gospels or Pauline Letters). Ordinarily offered once a year in fall and taken during the sophomore or junior year.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Theology.
Equivalent courses: THEO 202
THEO 301 Old Testament Theology (4 Credits)
A survey of writings sacred to both Jewish and Christian traditions, this course examines the three parts of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament (Law, Prophets and Writings). The various types of literature found in the Old Testament (narrative, law, prophetic oracle, poetry, etc.) are analyzed according to traditional and contemporary techniques of biblical interpretation. Special attention is paid to theological themes (God, creation, redemption, etc.).
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
Equivalent courses: CORE 301, SSCR 301
THEO 302 New Testament Theology (4 Credits)
This course provides a historical and theological overview of the major New Testament writings. While studying select portions of the Gospels, the Pauline letters, and other writings, this course analyzes various types of literature found in the New Testament (apocalyptic, homiletic, liturgical, etc.).
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
Equivalent courses: CORE 302, SSCR 302
THEO 303 The Beginnings of Israel: Pentateuch (4 Credits)
This course focuses on the Israelites' encounter with God at the time of their liberation from slavery in Egypt, and on their reflection upon God's special relationship with them and their ancestors from the time of creation until their entry into the Promised Land. Emphasis is placed upon Genesis, Exodus and Deuteronomy.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
Equivalent courses: CORE 303, SSCR 310
THEO 304 The Prophets of Israel (4 Credits)
Through a study of select prophetic writings from the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, this courses focuses on the prophets sent by God to challenge the Israelite people to be faithful to the covenant with God and to promote justice in the society of their time.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
Equivalent courses: CORE 304, SSCR 313
THEO 305 Jesus and the Gospels (4 Credits)
This course explores the origins of the Gospels and the meaning of the teachings and deeds of Jesus as presented in the writings of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
Prerequisites: (THEO 111 or THEO 100 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B) or INTG XXXG
Equivalent courses: CORE 305, HONR 340C, SSCR 315
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI)
THEO 306 Paul and His Letters (4 Credits)
This course presents a survey of Paul’s life and thought as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles and other writings, and it pursues a historical and theological study of the genuine letters of Paul as he confronts challenges during the development of early Christian communities.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or THEO 100 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B or INTG XXXG
Equivalent courses: CORE 306, SSCR 314
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI)
THEO 307 Bible, Church and Gender (4 Credits)
Focusing on the importance of Bible and Church for society, ideas about femininity and masculinity, roles of women in the Christian tradition, the use of the Bible as a norm for modern sexual ethics and family values, and views on marriage and sexuality, this course explores the engagement between the Christian biblical tradition and modern perspectives arising from the study of gender.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
Equivalent courses: CORE 307
THEO 308 Theology in the Light of Science (4 Credits)
This course will comprise an investigation of the historical and evolving relationship between theology and the natural sciences. This will involve some study of a) the rise of science in the western world, b) the reception and resistance it has encountered within Christianity, c) recent theologies that have taken account of major scientific advances, and d) some major issues that require and bring together contributions from both theology and the natural sciences.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B or THEO 100 or INTG XXXG
Equivalent courses: CORE 308
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 309B Sexuality & Renunciation in Early Christianity (4 Credits)
This course will investigate the theological and social construction of sexual expression and gender roles among various Christian groups from the first to the fifth century of the Common Era. We will focus on the reading and interpretation of primary texts, biblical and early Christian, with a twofold objective in view. First, to gain a better understanding of how theological and cultural considerations informed the early Christians' understanding of sexuality and gender; second, to explore the implications such understanding has for exploring contemporary attitudes toward sexuality and gender.
Prerequisites: (THEO 111 or HONR 240A) or HONR 240B or THEO 100 or INTG XXXG
Equivalent courses: HONR 340A, HONR 350A
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 309C Reading Biblical Women (4 Credits)
This course offers an exploration of the Bible as sacred text, cultural document and literary masterpiece, with special attention to the women of scripture. In addition to close readings of texts such as Genesis, Exodus, The Song of Songs, the Gospels and Revelation, class members will become acquainted with a range of techniques of biblical and literary analysis, from historical and textual criticism to mysticism and feminist theory. In the final unit of the course, students will explore, as interpreters and creators, artistic responses to scripture (the study or creation of translation, stained-glass, theatre, poetry, mystical writings, prose fiction, etc., based on the biblical text).
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
Equivalent courses: HONR 340H, HONR 350L, HUMN 300A, MCLT 365
THEO 310 Forms of Christian Community (4 Credits)
This course provides an overview of Church history with a special emphasis on Christian communities from the earliest monastic communities and parishes to contemporary Catholic Worker houses.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
THEO 311 Christian Lives: Biography and Autobiography in the History of Christianity (4 Credits)
This course provides an overview of Church history with special emphasis on the shape of individual lives from the early martyrs and monks to twentieth-century leaders.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
THEO 312 Christianity in Relation to Judaism (4 Credits)
This course explores the emergence of Christianity within and from Judaism, traditional anti-Jewish formulations of Christian faith, contemporary Christian affirmations of Judaism's validity, and the implications of these new affirmations for Christian self-understanding and for Christian-Jewish relations.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
THEO 314 Global Christianity (4 Credits)
This course examines the development of Christianity in specific contexts around the globe. Special emphasis is given to Africa, Asia, and Latin America, continents that are now home to more than half of the world’s Christians.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
THEO 319A American Catholic History & Thought (4 Credits)
This course is a historical-theological survey of American Catholicism from pre-colonial times to the present, with attention to the origins, personalities, struggles, and possibilities of the American Catholic Experience. The analytical thrust of the course focuses on the Catholic community’s ability to engage the great religious/theological questions of the last three centuries, as well as its potential to address the critical issues of a new century and a new millennium.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or THEO 100 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B or INTG XXXG
THEO 319F God, Human Beings and Salvation (4 Credits)
At the heart of Christian faith lies the conviction that sinful human beings are redeemed and saved through Jesus Christ who introduces them into a new and grace-filled relationship with God. While such a belief is universal to all Christians, the specific way in which redemption and salvation is understood has assumed varied expressions throughout the history of Christian thought. This course will explore Christian attempts to understand human salvation with particular focus on the notion of “justification” – the movement of a person from a state of sin into a state of grace. Central to this exploration will be the study of how God and human beings both play meaningful roles in the process of justification and the movement toward eternal life. As they relate to this central theme, the course will also explore topics including Christ’s role as savior, faith, grace, merit, sin, free will, and predestination. Surveying justification from a historical perspective, the course will offer students the opportunity to compare and evaluate diverse viewpoints using skills and vocabulary acquired during the semester.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or THEO 100 or INTG GGGX or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 320 Fairness and Faith: What is Justice? (4 Credits)
People today disagree about “What’s fair?” – both personally and in the life of nations. From the Scriptures to the 21st century, Christians have struggled to answer the underlying question, “What is justice and what does justice require?” The development of doctrine in the Christian tradition means that we today have lots to learn from the tradition but also that we have to apply traditional insights to new settings where the concrete implications of those insights are often different today from those in the past. Is there too much economic inequality today? Is US capitalism just? Is liberation theology or libertarianism a better answer? Students will analyze a variety of theological and philosophical texts to under how Christians have engaged issues of justice, both historically and in contemporary debates from left to right on the political spectrum.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or THEO 100 or INTG XXXG
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 321 A Mysterious, Terrible Beauty: Catholic Theology in Fiction (4 Credits)
The claim has often been made that good literature trains us to see reality more truthfully. That claim may be no more compelling than in the realm of theology, where basic themes (creation, sin, redemption, evil, grace) are often illustrated in fiction more clearly than they can be defined in systematic theology. This course will provide an encounter with a fascinating collection of modern literature – primarily but not exclusively authors identified as Catholic – and a series of wicked questions: Is there “Catholic” fiction? If so, what makes a work of literature “Catholic”? How does a “Catholic imagination” shape the way authors struggle with questions of meaning, purpose, and suffering? Does the “Catholic imagination” tell us anything about the good life? Does this literature have anything to say to a post-Christian culture?
Prerequisites: THEO 100 or THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B or INTG XXXG
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 322 Christian Social Ethics (4 Credits)
This course examines the implications of Christian theology for the ethical life of contemporary society. Drawing from the social dimensions of biblical ethics, Catholic Social Teaching, and diverse theological approaches to communal and civic life, students will both explore what it means to discern and craft a “social ethic,” and will apply those ethics to particular contemporary social issues. Topics will include the social and civic implications of the sanctity of human life, subsidiarity and solidarity, the dignity of work, and the connections between Christian sacramental life and social ethics. As they relate to these topics, particular focus will be given to issues of race, labor rights/practices, LGBTQ+ issues, and issues associated with the use of coercive force/violence.
Prerequisites: THEO 100 or THEO 111 or INTG XXXG
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 323 Diverse Approaches to God (4 Credits)
This course explores perspectives on the meaning of the existence, nature, attributes, revelation, and presence of God. Emphasis is on Christian and Jewish theological perspectives, but views about God found in other religious traditions — especially Islam and Hinduism — are also examined. Special attention is given to what it means to have faith in God, the sources of and challenges to such faith, the variety of views about God, theological approaches to religious diversity, the relationship between morality and faith in God, the effects of scientific knowledge on beliefs about God, feminist critiques of and alternatives to traditional patriarchal perspectives on God, and the relationship between views about God and approaches to ecological issues.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
THEO 324 Engaging Doubt and Belief (4 Credits)
This course examines theological approaches to doubt and problems of theistic belief. Drawing from theological and philosophical sources, the course focuses on challenges to theistic belief deriving especially from the problem of evil and suffering(e.g. how can a loving God allow so much misery in the world), questions of the reasonableness and relevance of theism, and the sometimes tense relationship between doubt, belief, and organized religion. The course engages diverse approaches to atheism, agnosticism, and theism, ultimately aimed at helping students to craft their own intellectually integrated approach to questions of belief and doubt.
Prerequisites: THEO 100 or THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 325 The Meaning of Christ (4 Credits)
This course examines understandings of the person and work of Jesus Christ as expressed by biblical writers, church councils and creeds, and writers throughout Christian history. The course may also consider expressions of Christ in liturgical prayers, hymnody, and art. Attention will be given to diverse understandings of Christ in contemporary contexts.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
THEO 326 The Catholic Church Today (4 Credits)
Focusing on Vatican Council II as a pivotal event in the Roman Catholic Church, this course examines models for understanding the Church today, its leadership structures, its tasks in society, and its ecumenical and inter-faith endeavors. Each semester, special attention is paid to current issues facing the Church.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B or THEO 100 or INTG XXXG
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 327 Christian Approaches to Other Religions (4 Credits)
This course examines a variety of Christian theological positions on other religions. Perspectives from the Bible, Church councils, doctrinal statements, and works of theologians are studied. Concurrently, attention is given to other religions and their relationships to Christianity.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
THEO 328 U.S. Latino/a Theologies (4 Credits)
This course in “U.S. Latino/a Theologies” aims to introduce students to the analytic and constructive practice of “theological discourse” as distinctively enriched by U.S. Latin American perspectives. Like all theological endeavors, U.S. Latino/a theological perspectives seek to express the reality of God’s revelation to humankind and God’s on-going presence among human beings in ways that add understanding and wisdom to people’s experience of God, one another, and the world around them. While much of the Christian tradition is continuous and shared among diverse peoples, this course will enable students to explore how U.S. Latino/a experiences (e.g. religious, social, cultural, gender, racial, economic, political, etc) provide vital theological insight and approaches to work of Christian theology and practice. To that end, the course will look at the development of U.S. Latino/a Theology (1) in connection with the Latin American traditions of liberation theology, (2) in its distinctive methodological perspectives, (3) in its constructive treatment of God, human beings, and salvation, (4) as a source for Christian Spirituality, and (5) for the way in which it is giving shape to the U.S. church in general and the Roman Catholic Church in particular. As the course proceeds, it seeks to build an increasingly rich and multifaceted sense of what it means to engage or practice U.S. Latino/a theologies. To that end, the course cultivates comprehension of the central ideas shaping U.S. Latino/a theologies and the skills to engage, analyze, and asses the theological content and merit of various positions and perspectives, thereby affording students the opportunity to practice theological discourse in their own right.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or THEO 100 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B or INTG XXXG
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 329A Feminist Theology (4 Credits)
This course analyzes feminist biblical interpretation, feminist readings of Christian history, and the work of feminist and womanist scholars in systematic theology and theological ethics. Attention is given throughout to the ways in which embodiment and social location, especially in terms of race, class, sexuality, and ethnicity, shape theological work.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or THEO 100 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B or INTG XXXG
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 329B Medieval Philosophy (4 Credits)
Philosophy in the West did not take a long nap after the ancient era. This course in medieval philosophy will investigate the period which began with Augustine and reached its culmination in 13th- and 14th-century Scholasticism, especially with Thomas Aquinas. It will investigate at least three major philosophers or schools of philosophy of that era.
Prerequisites: (THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B)
THEO 329C Aquinas, Salvation, and Sacraments (4 Credits)
This course will focus on God's plan of salvation as expressed in Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae. Students will read and analyze texts from Part I and III and discuss Thomas' pedagogy, theological method, definitions, and arguments. Participants will consider the historical and cultural context of these texts and discuss their ongoing impact.
Prerequisites: (THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B)
THEO 329D Theologies of Liberation (4 Credits)
Liberation theology is the name for a well-known and, to some, notorious form of religious action and reflection that emerged in Latin American some forty years ago. Today, it has now grown into a family of related though different theologies, which have similar methods, and which all start for the experience of oppression. Although Latin American theology of liberation is perhaps the most influential expression of this relation in the twentieth century, other forms of religious reflection owe a debt to liberation theology, even as they add to the profundity of its insights. This course will begin with Latin American liberation theology and then turn to the work of black, feminist, womanist, U.S. Latino/a, gay/lesbian and ecological theologies to broaden our understanding of the relationship between the Gospels and the imperative to structural change in our society.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B or THEO 100 or INTG XXXG
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 329E Queer Theology (4 Credits)
This course considers how Christian theologies-biblical, ancient, and modern - have contributed to the cultural construction of gender. Conversely, the course studies the ways in which cultural ideas of gender, and gendered ideas about sexuality, have shaped understandings of God, Christ, church, and theological anthropology. In analyzing scriptural, historical, and contemporary sources, including ecclesial documents, the course draws upon scholarship at the intersections of Christian theology and feminist theory, masculinity studies, queer theory, and sexuality studies.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B or THEO 100 or INTG XXXG
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 329G Big Questions of Christian Theology (4 Credits)
This course is designed to help students explore the categories and content of the Christian theological tradition through a close examination of historical and contemporary theological writings. It does this by looking at the significant issues and debates that have shaped and continue to shape Christian beliefs and communities. More than a theological survey, this course looks at the “big questions” in Christian theology about the divine, human existence, and the natural world, as well as the ways in which contemporary theologians have sought to rearticulate these questions for our increasingly global and diverse world using the categories of race, gender, class, and so on. Topics covered in this course include: the existence of God, God and poverty, the humanity and divinity of Jesus, Christ and the world religions, the problem of evil and suffering, and Christian hope in the “last things.”
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
THEO 330 Christian Spirituality (4 Credits)
This course provides a study of the Christian tradition of spirituality as reflected by some classic and contemporary Christian writers, with particular focus on the influence of beliefs (about Trinity, Christ, grace, etc.) and elements of spiritual formation (such as prayer, reading, solitude, and social responsibility) on Christian living today.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
THEO 331 Benedictine Spirituality (4 Credits)
This course explores the origins and essentials of Benedictine spirituality, giving special attention to how this spirituality is expressed in the lives of the monastics at Saint Benedict's Monastery and Saint John’s Abbey. It encourages students to envision for themselves and others how the lessons of Benedictine spirituality can influence their lives whatever their vocation might be.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or THEO 100 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B or INTG XXXG
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 333 Suffering and Christian Healing (4 Credits)
This course considers human suffering and the Christian ministry of healing from historical, literary, psychological, scientific, and theological perspectives.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
THEO 334 Spirituality of the College Male: Male Spirituality and Sexuality (4 Credits)
This course will use the experience of the college male as the point of departure for a consideration of the interplay between male sexuality, masculine identity and spirituality, and the ways in which these might be better integrated. This course will examine concepts found in long-established and contemporary studies of spirituality, male sexuality, and masculinity. Of special interest will be the ways in which male sexuality, masculine identity and spirituality affect men's relationships with God, self and the other. Underlying this course is the assumption that the development of a personal spirituality will help one to be more attentive to the voice of God, more aware of one's own existence, and better able to form communities founded on respect for individual persons.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
THEO 339A Discernment & Christian Decision Making (4 Credits)
This course introduces participants to the teachings on discernment found within the Christian tradition. The topic of discernment will be considered both as a way of life and as a specific process for vocational decision-making. Participants will apply discernment principles in differing contexts through course assignments and class activities such as discussion of case studies and reflection on personal experiences.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A
THEO 339B Spiritual Companioning (4 Credits)
This course will introduce participants to the ministry of spiritual companionship. They will explore the growing need for "soul friends" in contemporary life and consider the various contexts for cultivating spiritual community: one-to-one, small groups, marriage, family life, place of worship, and the workplace. Participants will apply companioning skills to their own lives through course assignments and class activities such as role-plays, discussion of case studies, and reflection on personal experiences.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
THEO 339D Theology, Spirituality, and the Arts (4 Credits)
This course introduces students to the relationships between theology, spirituality, and the arts, with a primary focus on the visual arts. The course will explore how the making of art and experiencing art can inform both theology and spirituality. We will look at what is central in a theological reflection on the arts beginning with the contributions of theologians who have reflected on art, beauty, and aesthetics. We will also examine the significance of artistic style in the presentation of religious subject matter and meaning, and the importance of formal analysis of a work of art in the process of theological interpretation.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
THEO 339E Art and Religion in Spain and the Americas (4 Credits)
This course explores the transmigration of Christian art and iconography from Spain, including its Jewish and Muslim influences and its convergence with indigenous cultures and African expressions in the Americas. The course will consider the ways religious art and iconography reflects, transmits, changes and maintains theological, socio-political, cultural, and aesthetic meanings over space and time. Designed with an art historical focus with attention to theological issues, interdisciplinary methods will be used to assess religious imagery, devotional objects, and sacred spaces that continue to hold significance for Latin American and Latino/a populations today.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
Equivalent courses: ART 309A
THEO 339F Songs of Love and Freedom (4 Credits)
Songs of Love and Freedom will survey the spiritual practices and devotional traditions of Christianity and Hinduism as well as their transformative impact upon individuals and communities. Practices like yoga, meditation, lectio divina, and the Spiritual Exercises will be examined in both practice and theory. Devotional traditions embodied in the poems and songs of these traditions' mystics will be explored to see how experiences beyond words are nevertheless communicated. Finally, the class will highlight the transformative impact of these spiritual and devotional traditions as they are made manifest in the lives and communities of modern figures who strove and strive to live lives of love and freedom.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B or THEO 100 or INTG XXXG
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 340 God and the Moral Life (4 Credits)
This course explores how God, our image of God, and our speech about God makes a difference in the way Christians live. It develops views of the moral life within a Christian theological vision of goodness, sin, redemption, vocation, and human community. Within this vision, various ethical issues will be examined with the aim of living into right relationships.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or THEO 100 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B or INTG XXXG
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 342 Christian Sexual Ethics (4 Credits)
Given the inescapable complexities surrounding human sexuality, gender, and embodiment, how might we live and relate to one another in ways that are increasingly fulfilling, and in ways that deepen our relationships with ourselves, others, and God? This course will introduce students to the methodology of Christian ethics, i.e., the process of drawing upon sources of knowledge (scripture, tradition, reason, and contemporary experience) to formulate responses to contemporary issues regarding sexuality and relationships. Specifically, we will be exploring the concept of justice as it relates to sex, contemporary hookup culture, love, and relationships. In the end, students will be equipped to construct and articulate a compelling theological sexual ethic for college students.
Prerequisites: (THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B) or THEO 100 or INTG XXXG
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 343 Theology and the Environment (4 Credits)
This course explores what major religious traditions about humanity’s relationship to the rest of creation. Among the religious traditions surveyed in this course are Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. Certain aspects of Native American spirituality are also considered. Particular attention is given to different Christian perspectives on the human relationship to creation.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or THEO 100 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B or INTG XXXG
THEO 344 Religious Perspectives on Economic Life (4 Credits)
Moral theology asks what religious faith means for living a good life—for each person and for society as a whole. This course examines various visions of economic life held by religious people in the West, focusing on the Christian understanding of economic life.
Prerequisites: THEO 100 or THEO 111 or INTG XXXG
THEO 345 Theologies of Violence and Nonviolence (4 Credits)
This course examines theological perspectives on violence and nonviolence ranging from absolute pacifism to just war theory to the celebration of “redemptive violence.”
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B or THEO 100 or INTG XXXG
Equivalent courses: PCST 333
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 346 Christianity and Justice (4 Credits)
This course explores diversity as a dynamic component of Christian communities and studies the contextual nature of Christian theology. The course also analyzes the ways in which racism and classism are experienced, perpetuated, and sometimes dismantled in Christian communities. In addition to theological texts, including those based on scripture and contemporary Catholic social teaching, the course relies upon service-learning in local organizations.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or THEO 100 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B or INTG XXXG
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 348 Religion, Society and Politics (4 Credits)
Recent developments in the United States and other parts of the world have led observers to look closely at religious groups, beliefs and activities concerning the state, society and sociopolitical issues like cultural diversity and war and peace. In this course we will examine the Judeo-Christian tradition and address such questions as: What is the relationship between religion and ethnicity and religion and nationalism? What is religious fundamentalism? How do various groups view their relationship with the state and the broader society? What kinds of social and political goals do religious groups have and how do they try and achieve them? We will try to answer these and other questions through the study of historical and sociological case studies and selected religious texts reflecting the range of belief and practice in the Judeo-Christian tradition.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B or THEO 100 or INTG XXXG
Equivalent courses: PCST 368G
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 349A Family, Church, and Society (4 Credits)
Drawing on historical, sociological, and religious sources, this course introduces students to a range of perspectives concerning the intersection of family, church and society, focusing on issues such as cohabitation, marriage, divorce, homosexuality, and gender roles.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or THEO 100 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B or INTG XXXG
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 349C Biomedical Ethics: Theology, Biomedical & Health Care (4 Credits)
This course will examine the role of faith in addressing a variety of moral issues raised by the advancement of medical science and technology and by ongoing research to cure diseases. The course will survey issues such as stem cell research, reproductive technologies, health care reform, the patient-physician relationship, euthanasia, beginning and end of life questions and HIV/AIDS. Each issue will be explored from the perspectives of theology, medicine, and other pertinent disciplines, such as psychology. Theological themes will be looked at to see what theology and faith offer in addressing the variety of moral issues. These themes include theological anthropology (how we understand the human person), views on God, sin, grace, the communal nature of morality, the Resurrection (as a framework to discuss what it means to die a good death), as well as Catholic social teaching and the Christian obligation to care for the poor and vulnerable.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
THEO 349D Justice, Peace & Reconciliation (4 Credits)
From the Book of Exodus to the Hebrew prophets and the New Testament, one finds the utopian vision of a just, peaceful and reconciled world, summarized in the biblical term “shalom.” Through the study of biblical texts and contemporary writings, we will explore the Judeo-Christian tradition’s vision of justice, peace and reconciliation. Through the analysis of case studies we will explore how individuals, organizations and communities in the tradition are working to bring about shalom in various parts of the world through such means as nonviolent action, the defense of human rights, methods to conflict resolution and transformation, and efforts for peacebuilding and reconciliation.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B or THEO 100 or INTG XXXG
Equivalent courses: PCST 368E
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 349E Economic Thought & Religious Values (4 Credits)
An examination of how economic life has been viewed from the perspective of religion, particularly Western Christianity: from roots in the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, through the early church, middle ages and the Protestant Reformation, up to contemporary debates about free markets, Marxism, feminism and the social teaching of the Roman Catholic Church today.
Prerequisites: (ECON 111 or ECON 111Z or ECON 111A or HONR 220A) and (THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B) or THEO 100 or INTG XXXG
Equivalent courses: ECON 327
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 349F Liberation Ethics Abroad (4 Credits)
An exploration of the ethical and moral perspectives developed by theologies and philosophies of liberation, with a focus on Latin American liberation thought and its influence on contemporary Catholic Social Teaching and faith. The themes of liberation and the preferential option for the poor that are central to liberation theology and its mainstream developments will be compared to traditional moral theology and traditional philosophical approaches to ethics, as well as to traditional conceptions of Christian faith. Emphasis will be given to practical applications for understanding contemporary issues of faith, ethics and justice.
Prerequisites: (THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B)
THEO 349G Moral Vision of John Paul II (4 Credits)
This course introduces students to the moral vision of Pope John Paul II (1920-2004), with a particular focus on the distinctions and connections between the human person (anthropology), the human family (sexuality), and human creativity (work). From his early years as a boy in small-town Poland to his ascent through the church hierarchy, the course begins with a brief historical overview of the man many have referred to as the “man of the century.” Students then will have the opportunity to critically and charitably engage all or parts of the following primary source documents: Redemptor Hominis, Famil-iaris Consortio, Laborem Exercens, and Centesimus Annus. Secondary source material will be drawn from contemporary Catholic and Protestant theologians both commenting on and engaging specific themes/issues regarding the human person, family, sexuality, and work.
Prerequisites: (THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B)
THEO 349H Christianity and Colonialism in Ireland (4 Credits)
This course in Christianity and Colonialism in Ireland offers an exploration of Christian theology in the context of Irish history and contemporary culture. The broad topic of Christianity and Colonialism allows us to analyze ancient and contemporary sites through the lenses of both Christian theology and postcolonial theory. As we encounter the legacies of Celtic spirituality, Roman Catholicism, and the Anglican Church, alongside various other forms of contemporary Irish religiosity both beyond and within Christianity, students encounter evidence that culture is never monolithic and that social power structures impact the formation of cultural diversities. Theological texts studied in the course help students analyze ways in which Christianity has functioned in Ireland both as a colonizing force and as a source of anti-colonial resistance.
Prerequisites: THEO 100 or THEO 111 or INTG XXXG
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI)
THEO 349K Womanist and Feminist Theological Ethics (4 Credits)
This class introduces students to womanist and feminist theological diverse perspectives on identity, embodiment, sexuality, reproductive health, and justice. Students will examine womanist and feminist insights into the nature of God, theological anthropology, sin, Christ, human freedom, grace, and discipleship. They will gain an understanding of the interconnections between neoliberalism, racism, sexism, and heterosexism on these theological ethical issues. Students will develop their own theological and ethical perspectives on these issues in dialogue with these resources.
Prerequisites: THEO 100 or THEO 111
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI)
THEO 350 Christian Worship (4 Credits)
This course offers an overview of the origin, development, and cultural aspects of Christian worship, giving special attention to the Church's celebration of the mystery of Christ in word and sacrament, and to the meaning and rhythm of Sundays, feasts and seasons.
Prerequisites: (THEO 111 or THEO 100 or HONR 240A) or HONR 240B
Equivalent courses: CORE 350
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI)
THEO 351 Initiation and Eucharist (4 Credits)
This course focuses on the Christian rites of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion) and the Eucharist as primary sacraments in the Church, exploring their Christological and anthropological foundations, historical evolution, contemporary forms, and pastoral effectiveness.
Prerequisites: (THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B)
Equivalent courses: CORE 351
THEO 359 Topics in Liturgical Studies (4 Credits)
Course title(s) and description(s) appear in the official class schedule published each semester.
Prerequisites: None
THEO 360 History of Judaism (4 Credits)
This course presents a survey of the history of the Jewish people and an analysis of the development of Judaism from biblical to modern times.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
THEO 361 Studies in Jewish Thought (4 Credits)
This course explores Jewish thought from biblical times to the present, unified around three principal themes: God, Torah, and the people Israel. Prerequisite THEO 111 or HONR 240A
Prerequisites: (THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B)
THEO 362 Contemporary Jewish Theology (4 Credits)
This course explores the theological perspectives of leading contemporary Jewish thinkers, particularly on topics central to traditional Judaism and it compares those views with classical Jewish teachings. Prerequisite THEO 111 or HONR 240A
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
THEO 363 Religions of the World (4 Credits)
This course focuses on major religions of the world cross-culturally in terms of categories such as sacred text, sacred time, sacred space, myth, ritual, symbol, ethics, and politics. The relationships among the religions and topics pertaining to inter-religious dialogue are examined. Prerequisite THEO 111 or HONR 240A
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or THEO 100 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B or INTG XXXG
THEO 364 Ethics & World Religions (4 Credits)
Analysis of the changing cultural meaning and experience of religion in America. Considers why American religious experience has been so diverse, how religiosity has shaped our society, and how in turn society's values and structure have shaped religion. Primary focus on the 19th and 20th centuries. Yearly.
Prerequisites: (THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B)
THEO 365 Islam (4 Credits)
This course explores the history of Islam and its interpretations, as well as doctrines and practices among Muslims in various parts of the world. It examines the Quran and Hadith, and topics related to women and gender, Islamic law, and Islam and politics, and it examines the relationship between Islam and the Judeo-Christian tradition.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B or THEO 100 or INTG XXXG
Equivalent courses: PCST 368R
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 369A Jewish Encounters with Jesus and Christianity (4 Credits)
An exploration of the theological and historical encounters between Judaism and Christianity, from the emergence of both Christianity and Judaism out of biblical religion, the disagreements and distancing of one faith from the other over the centuries, but culminating, in the late 20th century, in efforts at rapprochement and mutual acceptance.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
THEO 369B Modern Islam Political Movement (4 Credits)
After providing an introduction to the beliefs, practices, and history of Islam, this course will analyze some of the relationships between Islam and politics in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries among Islamist (or “fundamentalist Islamic groups”) in the Middle East, South Asia, and other parts of the world. Specifically, the course will examine the histories, ideologies, and structures of groups. This course will examine the religious, theological, and political, foundations of these groups while analyzing their work in education, literacy, social service to people in many sectors of societies (including the underprivileged), religious and political instruction, and community-building. The course will also explore the various perspectives of members of these groups and movements toward peace and violence as well as their religiously- and politically-based reasons for attacking various targets. Finally, the course will compare and contrast those Islamist trends with those represented by some liberal Muslims.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or THEO 100 or INTG XXXG
Equivalent courses: PCST 368Q
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 369C Islam and Gender (4 Credits)
This course will focus on the various ways in which relations between Muslim women and men have been appropriated, interpreted, and concretized in a variety of real-life situations throughout the early, medieval, and modern periods in Islam with a regional focus on Islam and gender in the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, Europe, and/or North America. This course will use gender as a primary lens of analysis for examining course content by examining the, at times static and at other times dynamic, roles of women and men in societies where Muslims are in the majority and others where they are the minority in order to gain an understanding of the relationship between appropriations of gender with respect to Islam and its corresponding cultural contexts.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B or THEO 100 or INTG XXXG
Equivalent courses: PCST 368C
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 369D SPIRITUAL/POLITIC ISLAM(TU,TI) (4 Credits)
Islam shapes much of our current political and social context: 9/11, the Arab spring, ISIS, the war in Syria, our complex relationship with Iran, all have a major impact on the world we live in. Islam is also the fastest growing faith, both globally and here in America. This course will focus on how Muslims have encountered God, how this encounter informs their daily lives, and how the traditions of Islam are influencing and informing (or not) current political and cultural events around the globe. Studying another faith tradition also provides a lens through which to examine one’s own faith and society, and an appreciation for the commonality of the human condition. Our study of Islam while looking at the particulars of that faith, will also raise a variety of broad questions, including the conflict of faith versus reason, the role and position of women, the rights of religious and cultural minorities, freedom of speech vs. religious respect, and multiculturalism vs. assimilation.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or THEO 100 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B or INTG XXXG
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 370R THEOLOGY IN CORK (3-6 Credits)
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: XXXX 63
THEO 371 Individual Learning Project (1-4 Credits)
Supervised reading or research at the upper-division level. Permission of department chair and completion and/or concurrent registration of 12 credits within the department required. Consult department chair for applicability towards major requirements. Not available to first-year students.
Prerequisites: None
THEO 380 Discipleship and Ministry (4 Credits)
This course is an introduction to the theology and spirituality of pastoral ministry, which explores pastoral leadership and the structural components of parish life and ministry.
Prerequisites: (THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B) or THEO 100 or INTG XXXG
Attributes: Theological Integration (TI), Writing Requirement (WR)
THEO 381 Youth Ministry (4 Credits)
This course focuses on the theology and practice of parish youth ministry with special emphasis on specific methodologies for youth ministry.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
THEO 382 Family Ministry (1 Credit)
This one credit course explores the theology of Christian marriage and family life, focusing on pastoral approaches to marriage preparation and to families.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
THEO 383 Retreat Work (1 Credit)
This one credit course focuses on the theology and practice of retreat ministry, in which students design a retreat.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
THEO 384 Social Concerns (1 Credit)
This one credit course focuses on Catholic social teaching and its implications for pastoral ministry.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
THEO 385 Ministry to the Sick and Dying (1 Credit)
This one credit course examines pastoral ministry to the sick and dying, with a special emphasis on the grieving process.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B
THEO 389A Ministry in a Technological World (4 Credits)
Prerequisites: None
Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Theology.
THEO 390 Moral Theology (4 Credits)
This course introduces students to basic ethical concepts (such as human action, human agency, natural law, freedom, conscience, and the Christian moral life) and to the application of Christian moral reasoning to contemporary ethical issues. It offers theology majors a common grounding in Catholic moral theology. Ordinarily offered once a year in fall and taken in senior year after the completion of most requirements for the major.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or THEO 100 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B or INTG XXXG
Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major, minor, or concentration in Theology.
THEO 394 Graduate Courses: School of Theology and Seminary (4 Credits)
For School of Theology courses taken at the undergraduate level.
Students must petition into courses - https://www.csbsju.edu/registrar/petition-sot
Prerequisites: None
Equivalent courses: DOCT 426
THEO 394A SOT Graduate Course: Documents of Vatican II (4 Credits)
For School of Theology courses taken at the undergraduate level.
Students must petition into courses - https://www.csbsju.edu/registrar/petition-sot
Prerequisites: None
THEO 394B SOT Graduate Course Topics: Virtue Ethics (4 Credits)
For School of Theology courses taken at the undergraduate level.
Students must petition into courses - https://www.csbsju.edu/registrar/petition-sot
Prerequisites: None
Equivalent courses: MORL 428
THEO 394C SOT Graduate Course: Liturgical Song (4 Credits)
For School of Theology courses taken at the undergraduate level.
Students must petition into courses - https://www.csbsju.edu/registrar/petition-sot
Prerequisites: None
Equivalent courses: LTGY 428
THEO 394D SOT Graduate Course: Theology and Social Justice (4 Credits)
For School of Theology courses taken at the undergraduate level.
Students must petition into courses - https://www.csbsju.edu/registrar/petition-sot
Prerequisites: None
THEO 396 Theological Conversation (4 Credits)
This course provides an integrative exercise in theological thought based on a conversation between two theological sub disciplines (e.g. scriptures and ethics) guiding the development of a capstone research paper.
Prerequisites: THEO 111 or THEO 100 or HONR 240A or HONR 240B or INTG XXXG
Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Theology.
THEO 397 Internship (1-16 Credits)
This is a supervised practicum for students majoring in theology, serving as a capstone experience for those specializing in education or in pastoral ministry.
Prerequisites: None
Equivalent courses: THEO 397A, THEO 399
Attributes: Experiential Engagement (EX)