Theology Major at CSB/SJU

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 at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University 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.

Department Highlights

  • Theology is a vital part of a liberal arts education at CSB/SJU.  Our department's courses foster analytical skills, critical and creative thinking, and the pursuit of wisdom while helping students understand the major role of religious faith in human history and civilizations. 
  • Focusing primarily on Catholic theology, especially as it is rooted in the Benedictine heritage, our department promotes ecumenical and interfaith learning, thereby promoting the cross-cultural understanding that is desperately needed in our pluralistic society and world.
  • Our department offers a wide array of courses on Sacred Scripture and varieties of Christian theology, as well as courses on Judaism, Islam, and other religions.
  • Our courses help students explore questions of ultimate concern and the many responses to these questions found in the Christian tradition and other religious traditions.
  • We give special attention in our courses to the theological dimensions of contemporary questions and issues.
  • Along with the Saint John's School of Theology, resources available to students include Saint Benedict's Monastery, Saint John's Abbey, Benedictine Institute of Saint John's, Collegeville Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research, Jay Phillips Center for Interfaith Learning, Koch Chair in Catholic Thought and Culture, and Youth in Theology and Ministry.