Master of Theological Studies

Master's Level Course Descriptions - Spring 2009

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Spring 2009 Course Descriptions

60003/01 Elementary Biblical Hebrew II (Biblical Studies)
Instructor: Abraham Winitzer
MW 3:00-4:15pm
This is the second of a two-semester introductory course in Biblical Hebrew; under normal circumstances, the student must complete the first in order to enroll in the second. In addition to the completion of Lambdin’s elementary grammar, students are introduced to some (modified) Biblical texts.

60102 New Testament Introduction (Biblical Studies)
Instructor: David Aune
TR 12:30-1:45pm
Description not available.

60108 Wisdom Literature/Psalms (Biblical Studies)
Instructor: James VanderKam
TR 3:30-4:45pm
The course offers a survey of the scriptural wisdom books (Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, Sirach, Wisdom) and the Book of Psalms. The wisdom works will be studied in their historical contexts and their central themes will be explored; the major forms of the psalms and their settings will be studied. There will be a midterm and final exam and a paper.

60149 Paul and the Early Christian Mission (Biblical Studies)
Instructor: Mary R. D’Angelo
MW 3:00-4:15pm
This course will look at the form and function of the letters attributed to Paul in the canon as one major medium of the early Christian mission. It will attempt to introduce and/ or develop exegetical (reading) skills, to provide a vision of the early Christian mission and place Paul in its social and political context, and to explore the traditions and theology that emerge in the letters. Special attention will be paid to the relationship of the Pauline letters to the religious literature of other traditions in antiquity. Emphasis will be on the undisputed letters of Paul: 1 Thessalonians, Galatians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Philippians, Philemon and Romans. Galatians, 1 Corinthians and Romans will provide the main focus. About five weeks will be devoted to the major interpreters of Paul in antiquity (Colossians and Ephesians; the Pastorals, Acts and Acts of Paul and Thecla).

There will be one lecture and one exegetical work/ discussion session each week.

Requirements will include class participation and 16- 20 pages of writing, but will differ for MDiv. MTS and MSM students. MTS in Bible students are encouraged to produce a research paper suitable for a writing sample.

60228 Patristic Exegesis/64206 Patristic Exegesis (online course) (History of Christianity)
Instructor: John Cavadini
MW 8:00-9:15am
This course will be an examination of traditions of biblical interpretation in the early Church. Since the greatest proportion of exegetical literature in the early Church was homiletic, this course will also entail an examination of traditions of preaching. We will devote considerable attention to ancient allegorical schools of interpretation (Origen) to reactions against it (“Antiochene” exegesis), and to Western exegetes (Augustine, Gregory the Great). We will also look at the uses of the Bible in ascetical literature (desert Father and Mothers, etc). Requirements will include short papers and a final exam.

60244 Jewish Christian Relations in the High Middle Ages (History of Christianity)

Instructor: Michael Signer
W 9:35am-12:35pm
The encounter between Judaism and Christianity has been grounded in diverging hermeneutical approaches to the Hebrew Scripture or Old Testament. From the New Testament texts onward the Christian tradition has appropriated the Hebrew Bible and incorporated its ideas. In the apostolic and patristic period the introduction of apologetic literature utilized the exegesis of Hebrew Scripture to refute truth claims that rabbinic Jews offered. Rabbinic literature, while not developing a specific genre of apologetics, included refutations of heretical viewpoints. This course begins with a discussion and description of both Jewish and Christian texts in the rabbinic and patristic period. Particular emphasis will be given to the ways Jews and Christians in the medieval world reappropriated the ancient traditions. We shall consider the literary qualities of these texts and their relationship to the social reality of Christians and Jews during the Middle Ages. Students will also acquire bibliographic skills to do advanced work in this field.

Course Requirements
Active participation in classroom discussions, three analytic papers of 7-10 pages, a term paper of 15 pages on a topic to be determined by student and instructor.

Readings [selected]
David Berger, The Jewish-Christian Debate in the High Middle Ages
 Jeremy Cohen, Living Letters of the Law 
Gilbert Dahan, The Christian Polemic Against Jews in the High Middle Ages
 Amos Funkenstein, Perceptions of Jewish History
 Jacob Katz, Exclusiveness and Tolerance
 Michael A. Signer and John H. Van Engen [eds], Jews and Christians in 12th Century Europe 
Israel J. Yuval, Two Nations are in your Womb

60246 U.S. Latino Catholicsim (History of Christianity)
Instructor: Timothy Matovina and Virgilio Elizondo
TR 12:30-1:45pm
Latina and Latino Catholics have lived their faith in what is now the continental United States for almost twice as long as the nation has existed. This course explores the origins and development of Latino Catholicism in the United States, particularly the theological contributions of contemporary Latinas and Latinos.

60252 Theology after Darwin (Systematic Theology)
Instructor: J. Matthew Ashley
MW 3:00-4:15pm
This course is a survey of some influential attempts by Christian theologians (both Protestant and Catholic) to come to grips with the challenges raised by the Darwinian revolution. Initially the challenge of Darwinism was felt primarily in “natural theology,” thus we begin there, with a brief consideration of the role of the so-called argument from design in nineteenth century Christian theology. Then we take up some paradigmatic late nineteenth-century reactions to Darwin: Charles Hodge, B.B. Warfield, and John Zahm. From there we will study the largely negative mood of the early twentieth century in the United States (with the exception of the “liberal theology” of Shailer Matthews and other members of the University of Chicago Divinity School), with particular attention to the rise of creationism. The second part of the course will be taken up with contemporary attempts to defend theism, broadly construed, from atheist critics such as Richard Dawkins, who attack theism on the grounds of its incommensurability with evolution (Langdon Gilkey). Finally, we will consider those theologians who seek to reconfigure specific doctrinal claims made in trinitarian theology, theological anthropology, soteriology and eschatology (Pierre Teilhard de Chardin , Karl Rahner, John Haught, Elizabeth Johnson, and Denis Edwards).

60261 Caritas and Karuna: A comparison of Christian Love and Buddhist Compassion (History of Christianity)
Instructor: Robert Gimello
T 5:00-7:30pm
Drawing on canonical tests from both the Christian and the Buddhist tradition, and on modern theological and “buddhalogical” scholarship, this course will assess both the similarities and the differences between these two cardinal values while also considering ways in which they might beneficently influence each other.

60403 Rites of Christian Initiation (Liturgical Studies)
Instructor: Max Johnson
TR 2:00-3:15pm
This course will trace the historical development of the liturgies and theological interpretations of Christian Initiation in East and West from the New Testament period to the modern period of ecumenical convergence. In light of this historical investigation some modern forms of these rites (e.g., RCIA, LBW, BCP, etc.) will be considered theologically and ecumenically with an eye toward pastoral appropriations and implications.

60408 Ritual Studies (Liturgical Studies)
Instructor: Nathan Mitchell
MW 1:30-2:45pm
An introduction to the methods, themes, and scope of Ritual Studies. The course will be organized around the thought of cultural anthropologists who have studied ritual phenomena in both tradition and (post) modern cultures (e.g. Victor Turner, Mary Douglas, Clifford Geertz). Also to be studied are the contributions of Ronald L. Grimes and the late Catherine Bell. Texts for the course will include Bell’s Ritual: Perspectives and Dimensions (New York: Oxford University Press, 1997) and Nathan Mitchell, Liturgy and the Human Sciences (American Essays in Liturgy Series; Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1999).

60612 Human Rights and Chrisitan Ethics (Moral Theology)
Instructor: Jean Porter
TR 11:00-12:15pm
Alasdair MacIntyre once famously remarked that universal human rights have the same status as witches, the point being that neither one exists. Until recently, most moral philosophers and many Christian ethicists would have agreed with him. However, the pressures of an increasingly interconnected global society have generated new interest in developing a doctrine of universal human rights. Christian ethicists and theologians have been at the forefront of these efforts, and at the same time, they have also been among the most stringent critics of rights oriented approaches to our common life. In this course we will examine the doctrine of universal human rights from a variety of perspectives, with a particular focus on recent theological defenses or criticism of this doctrine. Particular attention will be given to debates over human rights in the content of feminism, economic justice, and international relations.

60614 Catholic Social Teaching (Moral Theology)
Instructor: Margie Pfeil
MW 3:00-4:15pm
The primary goal of this course is to familiarize students with the tradition of Catholic social teaching with a view toward developing skills for critical reading and appropriation of these documents. We will examine papal, conciliar, and episcopal texts from Rerum novarum (1891) up to the present time, identifying operative principles, tracing central theological, ethical, and ecclesial concerns, and locating each document in its proper historical context. We will also hold recurring themes in conversation with the broader theoretical framework of Catholic social thought and relevant secondary literature.

60806/01 Ecclesiology (Systematic Theology)
Instructor: Richard McBrien
TR 9:30-10:45am
An examination of the nature and mission of the Church, with special emphasis on the Second Vatican Council – its theological and doctrinal antecedents and post-conciliar developments.

60817 Myth and Story (Systematic Theology)
Instructor: John Dunne
MW 11:45-1:00pm
“I wonder what sort of tale we’ve fallen into?...Don’t the great tales never end?” (J.R.R. Tolkien). Our course will be about myth and story with a view to this question, “What kind of story are we in?” and the more personal question each of us can ask, “What kind of story am I in?”

(A) the Life Story
Reading: Dunne, Time and Myth
 Levi-Strauss, Myth and Meaning
 Tolkien, The Tolkien Reader (essay on fairy tales) Handout: Helen Luke’s Essay on Choices in Tolkien, and essays on storytelling by Auden, Benjamin,and Colum.

Writing: an essay on “What kind of story are we in?”

(B) the Spiritual Adventure
Reading: Dunne, The Mystic Road of Love 
MacDonald, The Golden Key
, The Green Child

Writing: an essay on “What kind of story am I?”
(C) the Journey with God in Time,

Reading: Dunne, The Road of the Heat’s Desire
 Jung, Answer to Job,
 Rilke, Stories of God
Writing: a final take-home on all three parts of the course

60818 Selective Themes in Comparative Theology (Systematic Theology)
Instructor: Bradley Malkovsky
MW 1:30-2:45pm
This course provides a survey of some important recent literature bearing on the doctrinal and spiritual relations between Christianity and other religions, in particular Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam. We will examine various Christian theologies of religions, acquaint ourselves with the new method of “comparative theology,” and read various perspectives on interreligious dialogue. In addition, we will evaluate the possible significance of some theological ideas and religious experiences from Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam for Christian thinking on God, Christology, self, grace, and eschatology.

60823/40810 Feminist and Multicultural Theologies (Systematic Theology)
Instructor: Cathering Hilkert, O.P.
TR 3:30-4:45pm
An exploration of how the voices of women have helped to reshape theological discourse and to bring to light new dimensions of the living Christian tradition. Like other forms of liberation theology, feminist theologies take the experience of suffering and missing voices in the tradition as the starting points for theological reflection on the mystery of God and all of reality in relation to God. Using writings of feminist, womanist, Latina, mujerista, Asian, and Third World theologians, the course will focus on the significance of gender and social location in understanding the nature and sources of theology, theological anthropology, Christology/soteriology, the mystery of God, and women's spirituality in our day. Students with appropriate background will have the opportunity to join an optional reading group that will focus on key texts in the development of feminist theologies.

60824/40822 Educating in Faith: Catechesis in Catholic Schools (Systematic Theology)

Instructor: Jan Poorman
TR 12:30-1:25pm
This course is designed to assist current or prospective teachers of religion/theology at the junior-high and high school levels in the catechesis of adolescents in Catholic schools. The course is also helpful for those anticipating a career in pastoral, and most especially catechetical, ministry with adolescents and young adults. The course is open to Theology students at the undergraduate and graduate levels and to Notre Dame undergraduates with minors in Education, Schooling, and Society. Within class sessions designed to be highly dialogical, interactive, and prayerful, participants explore both theological and practical/pedagogical dimensions of the process of catechesis. Required readings are drawn from the National Directory for Catechesis, the General Directory for Catechesis, and The Catechism of the Catholic Church, as well as from the works of theologians and educational theorists who have contributed significant responses to the two central questions addressed in this course: "What is Catechesis?" and "How Do We Engage in Catechesis in the Context of Catholic Schools?" During this course, participants explore all of the central tasks that constitute the holistic process of catechesis as delineated in the general and national Catholic catechetical directories and other catechetical documents and as adapted for use in Catholic schools: communicating knowledge of the mystery of God's self-revelation; fostering maturity of faith and moral development; sharing and celebrating faith by forming Christian communities of prayerful people; promoting Christian service and social justice; and witnessing to faith through pedagogy and by the example of authentic spiritual lives.

Course Requirement: Participants are required to read all assigned selections from the course packet, as well as from the National Directory for Catechesis. Participants also actively contribute to class sessions (Presence in class is mandatory; one excused absence is allowed for illness; participation is factored into the final grade.) Participants also synthesize within the following assignments what they have learned from both readings and class sessions:

1.) in-class group work on pedagogical strategies;
2.) short written assignments and oral reports;
3.) a mid-term examination;
4.) a personal mission statement for the student as catechist (2-3 pages);
5.) an integrative essay (10-12 pages) answering the question, "What does it mean to educate in faith?".

60838/01 Orders and Ministry
Instructor: David Fagerberg
TR 11:00-12:15pm
This course begins by putting ministry in an ecclesiological context leading to Lumen Gentium. It then examines the forms of that ministry in the Church: ordained priesthood, the lay apostolate, and lay ecclesial ministry. A theology of ordained and baptized priesthood is considered first, the apostolate of the baptized priesthood is treated second, and recent developments in the United States concerning lay ecclesial ministers is studied third. Students will read the relevant official documents coming out of Vatican II. By a format of seminar discussion, they should gain a vocabulary and principles for articulating their own ministerial identity.

60947/01 Liturgical Celebration/Ministry II
Instructor: Fr. Tom Jones, CSC
W 9:00-11:30am
This course will examine the Catholic Rites of Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and Funerals. It will focus on the introduction to the rites, the structure of the rites, the influence architecture and the Church Year have on the celebration of the rites, as well as the pastoral issues that arise in varying contexts with peoples of varying backgrounds and faith experiences.

Course Objectives:
Students will possess a solid familiarity with the rites' structures, required and optional parts, and by way of practical experience how the rites are prepared and unfold from written text to celebrated form.

Required Course Books:

The Rites of the Catholic Church, Vol 1, 3rd Edition, The Liturgical Press, 1992.
Champlin, Joseph. Through Death to Life. Ave Maria Press, 2005
Together For Life, Ave Maria Press, 2002
Together For Life: Special Edition For Marriage Outside Mass. Ave Maria Press, 2002

60950/01 Preaching III
Instructor: Craig Satterlee
F: 9:30-11:30am
A continuation of Preaching II, with emphasis on the theological and social dimensions of preaching. The main work of the course will be preparation, delivery and review of homilies. Assigned readings to be discussed in class. In addition to preaching and reading assignments, each student will prepare a short paper on a theology of preaching.

60951/01 Reconciliation Ministry
Instructor: Peter Jarret
W 10:00-11:30am
Reconciliation Ministry is designed to: (1) introduce ministry students to the history and theology of the sacrament of reconciliation; (2) provide an initial "confessional experience" (practicum) from which students can benefit from guidance, supervision, and constructive criticism; (3) assist students in understanding the importance of penance/reconciliation in the life and ministry of the Church.

63001/01 Synthesis Seminar
Instructor: Michael Connors
M: 9:30-11:30am
The Synthesis Seminar is both a point of arrival and a point of departure -- arrival, in that it seeks to integrate the course of formal studies with one's theology of ministry, and departure in that it is provisional, leaving one with questions for the journey. Each student chooses a topic that will serve as a focus for synthesis. Synthesis should illustrate both theological and ministerial preparedness. In developing the topic, attention is to be paid to at least three theological areas (Scripture, systematics, history, ethics, liturgy and practical theology...). Oral presentation and major paper.

65932/01 Images & Models of Ministry II
Instructor: Michael Connors
W: 10:00-11:30am
Through supervision and seminars, students continue to form their identities as ministers, sharpen skills for theological reflection upon pastoral praxis, and deepen theological understanding of ministry. The case study method is introduced, and each student prepares one case study. The semester ends with evaluations by both students and supervisors.

65934/01 Articulating Faith II
Instructor: Jan Poorman
W 10:00-11:30am
Field Education is an integral component of education for ecclesial ministry. Through field education, students pursue the integration of theological competence with pastoral skill in a developing identity as a public minister. The goal of the second year of field education is facility in articulating the Christian faith, particularly as understood in Roman Catholic tradition, and in fostering the development of faith with others.

The goal is approached through a threefold constellation of learning contexts: field work in a ministry placement, supervision of that work, and a field education seminar. The primary learning dynamic for the seminar is dialogical and includes conversation about assigned texts and critical incidents as reported by participants using the prescribed case study method for this course.

67009/01 MSM Colloquium
Instructor: Michael Driscoll
TBA

67010/01 Practicum
Instructor: Michael Driscoll
TBA

Master's Level Course Descriptions - Fall 2008

Please review “Class Search” by using "insideND" for current
information for all classes.

THEO 60002 Elementary Hebrew I (BS)
Avi Winitzer
MW 1:30am-2:45pm
This is a two-semester introductory course in biblical Hebrew; under normal circumstances, the student must complete the first in order to enroll in the second. The fall semester will be devoted to learning the grammar of biblical Hebrew. The spring semester will include a completion of and review of the grammar. Also, the spring semester will see the introduction of some modified Biblical texts. The course will focus on developing reading and comprehension skills in biblical Hebrew through the study of biblical texts. It is exclusively a year to learn the grammer of Biblical Hebrew. In addition, students will learn how to use reference grammars, concordances, and apparatus to the Biblica Hebraica. The course encourages students to think about the grammatical forms and their implications for biblical interpretation.

THEO 60006/83001 Intermediate Hebrew (BS)
Eugene Ulrich
MW 3:00pm-4:15pm
The primary focus of this course is on reading the text of the Hebrew Bible, at first prose narratives, then poetic sections and consonantal (unpointed) texts.

There will be a review of the grammar of Biblical Hebrew, as well as development of vocabulary and skills in using lexicons and concordances of the Hebrew Bible. There will be quizzes, a mid-term, and a final exam. Elementary Hebrew is required.

THEO 60007 Aramaic (BS)
Avi Winitzer
MW 11:00am-12:15
This course provides an overview and critical study of the Hebrew Bible in its literary, historical, and theological contexts. The focus will be principally on reading and gaining an informed understanding of the biblical text, but this will be done against the background of the history, literature, and religions of the magnificent civilizations in the ancient Near East. Further aspects include analysis and use of the tools of historical-critical scholarship; ancient mythology; the processes by which the Scriptures were composed; Old Testament theology; and contemporary theological issues. This will be also be an introduction to Standard Literary Aramaic, using the Aramaic of Targum Onqelos as our dialect and a teaching grammar of that dialect for our textbook. We will strive to complete the grammar in the fall semester. The course is designed to prepare students both for doctoral biblical studies and for intelligent effectiveness in the contemporary church.

THEO 60105 Intro. to Hebrew Bible(BS)
Eugene Ulrich
TH 8:00am-9:15am
This course provides an overview and critical study of the Hebrew Bible in its literary, historical, and theological contexts. The focus will be principally on reading and gaining an informed understanding of the biblical text, but this will be done against the background of the history, literature, and religions of the magnificent civilizations in the ancient Near East. Further aspects include analysis and use of the tools of historical-critical scholarship; ancient mythology; the processes by which the Scriptures were composed; Old Testament theology; and contemporary theological issues. The course is designed to prepare students both for doctoral biblical studies and for intelligent effectiveness in the contemporary church.

There will be one class presentation, one exegesis paper, a mid-term, and a final exam.

Readings:

1. The Catholic Study Bible (NAB).
2. J. Mays (ed.), HarperCollins Bible Commentary.
3. D. Harrington, Interpreting the Old Testament.
4. J. Walsh, The Mighty from Their Thrones.
5. B. Childs, Introduction to the Old Testament as Scripture.

THEO 60121 Intro. To Early Christianity (HC)
Robin Darling Young
MW 8:00-9:15am
Description: None available at this time.

THEO 60146 Gospel of Matthew (BS)
John Meier
TR 2:00-3:15pm
The purpose of this lecture course is to introduce the Master's level student to historical-critical exegesis of Matthew's Gospel, while at the same time incorporating insights from more recent methods of criticism (narrative, reader-response, etc.). After a brief survey of major introductory questions (sources, time and place of composition, etc.), the major sections of the Gospel will be exegeted in order. In major pericopes, notice will be taken of significant differences found in the parallel passages of Mark and/or Luke. The ultimate goal will be a comprehensive understanding of the redactional theology of Matthew. A major commentary on Matthew will be read in tandem with the class lectures.

THEO 60147 Apocalypse of John (BS)
David Aune
MW 11:45-1:00pm
This course will focus on a close reading of the English translation of the Apocalypse of John (with special arrangements for those who can read Greek), focusing on such issues as the historical, cultural and literary background of the book, the problems involved in a arriving at a satisfactory interpretation of the book, arriving at a theological contribution of the book, the problem of arriving at a satisfactory analysis of the literary structure of the book, the subsequent reception of Apocalypse of John in the Church both East and West as well as the effects of varied interpretations of the Apocalypse on the Church and society from the patristic period through the Middle Ages into the modern period including the influence that the Apocalypse has had on Christian art from the Carolingian period through the modern period.

THEO 60148 Introduction to Rabbinic Literature (BS/HC)
Instructor: Tzvi Novick
MW 3:00-4:15
The literature of Rabbinic Judaism, which emerged roughly at the same time as
Christianity and developed in dialogue with it, is rich and various. We survey the major works in this corpus, with particular attention to the following issues: the role of the Hebrew Bible in rabbinic literature; theologies of rabbinic law; Temple and Torah as competing conceptual foci; border figures (gentiles, women, apostates, etc.); and study and worship in the synagogue. The course is open to undergraduates and M.A. students. Undergraduate course requirements include a midterm, a final, and a short paper. No Hebrew or Aramaic required, but students with facility in these languages will be provided with source material in the original.

THEO 60204/Introduction to Medieval Theology (HC)
Joseph Wawrykow
TR 12:30-1:45pm
The high middle ages witnessed tremendous creativity in theology, and the writings of theologians as diverse as Anselm, Bernard of Clairvaux, Peter Abelard, Thomas Aquinas, and Mechthild of Magdeburg have proven to be of enduring significance. This course examines the high medieval achievement in theology, both scholastic and spiritual, through close study of selections from many of the most important theologians from the 12th through the early 14th centuries. While considerable attention will be given to doctrinal development and intellectual disagreement, cultural as well as literary questions will also receive their due—to what extent did institutional and educational changes stimulate theological progress? Why did theologians employ such a broad range of genres, and are different genres better suited to certain theological tasks? How do earlier writings, both Christian (scriptural, patristic, and early medieval), and, non-Christian (especially, but not exclusively, Aristotelian), figure in the high medieval theological enterprise?

There will be a judicious mixture of lecturing and class discussion. Heavy emphasis will be placed on the analysis, both oral and written, of primary texts. To provide thematic continuity, in Fall 2008 the readings will deal with medieval discussions of 'theology' as science and as wisdom; the understanding of Scripture; providence and predestination; and, Christology. To facilitate future research, students will also be introduced to the principal scholarly resources for the study of medieval theological history.

THEO 60402 Liturgical History (LS/HC)
Max Johnson
TR 11:00-12:15pm
Survey of liturgical history and sources with regard to both Eastern and Western rites. Fundamental liturgical sources including basic homiletic and catechetical documents of the patristic period. Basic introduction to the methodology of liturgical study.

THEO 60404 Eucharist (LS)
Michael Driscoll
MW 11:45-1:00pm
The Church makes the Eucharist and the Eucharist makes the Church. A biblical, historical, systematic and liturgical treatment of the Eucharistic liturgy with a special emphasis on pastoral considerations.

THEO 60407 Liturgical Theology (LS)
David Fagerberg
TR 3:30-4:45pm
Liturgy is not a branch of esthetics, it is the root of theology. We will explore the proposition that lex orandi establishes lex credendi in three ways. First, we will examine the purpose and method of liturgical theology as expressed by various authors, but especially Schmemann, Kavanagh, and Taft. Second, we will examine the difference this approach makes when treating traditional theological subjects (e.g. worship, ecclesiology, eschatology, sacrifice, the relationship between church and world, etc.). Third, we will especially consider how liturgical theology bears on sacramentology. This course will thus be useful to M.A. and M.T.S. students as an introduction to the discipline, and to M.Div. students for a coherent understanding of sacraments expressing the life of the Church.

THEO 60426 Priesthood (LS)
Michael Heintz
MW 3:00-4:15pm
An examination of the historical, theological, and pastoral dimensions of priesthood in the Catholic tradition. Emphasis will be placed on a close reading and discussion of theological, conciliar, and liturgical texts which shed light on the priesthood as understood and lived in the Catholic tradition.

THEO 60601 Foundations of Moral Theology (MT)
Paulinus Odozor
TR 3:30-4:45pm
The aim of this course is to introduce the student to the study of the basic elements of Christian moral experience and understanding as well as to the criteria of Christian moral judgment and action. The texts, which have been chosen for this course, cover areas related to nature and history of moral theology, the sources of Christian moral knowledge, moral agency, and the resources and methods for moral decision-making. The course concludes with a study of the moral teaching of Pope John Paul II in Veritatis Splendor.

THEO 60622 Christian Political Theology and Ethics (MT)
Gerald McKenny
MW 1:30-2:45pm
Christians of all types are currently locked in intense debates over the extent to which moral convictions held by Christians may or must be enforced by political authority and over the question of whether contemporary liberal democracies are consonant with what Christian faith requires of the political order. This course examines the fundamental question behind these questions, namely, what are the theological and ethical criteria for a morally legitimate social and political order? For over a century Christian thinkers have attempted to derive those criteria from natural law, the teachings of Jesus, and the lordship of Christ. We will examine these efforts in writings by Catholic thinkers including Pope Leo XIII, Jacques Maritain, John Courtney Murray, Gustavo Gutierrez, David Hollenbach, and John Paul II; Protestant writers including Karl Barth, Reinhold Niebuhr, Martin Luther King, Jr., Stanley Hauerwas, John Howard Yoder, Oliver O'Donovan, and John Milbank; and secular writers such as Max Weber, Carl Schmitt, Hannah Arendt, and John Rawls.

THEO 60801 Fundamentals of Systematic Theology (ST)
Catherine Hilkert
MW 1:30-2:45pm
This course is a graduate level introduction to the nature, tasks, and methods of systematic theology. The primary focus of the course will be an analysis of the contributions of diverse 20th and 21st century theologians and theological movements to an understanding of the theological enterprise. Among the fundamental issues to be considered in the first half of the course are the following: the possibility and form of revelation; an understanding of faith and the relationship between faith and reason; the sources of theology and the interrelationship of scripture, tradition and experience/praxis; the development and interpretation of doctrine; and the roles of the hierarchical magisterium, theologians, and the community of the baptized in preserving and handing on the authentic Christian tradition. The second half of the course explores a broad survey of contemporary methods of doing systematic theology.

THEO 60820 Hindu and Christian Interaction (ST)
Brad Malkovsky
MW 1:30-2:45pm
Description: Not available at this time.

THEO 60835 Canon Law (MT)
Gary Chamberland
TR 2:00-3:15pm
Intended for students preparing for ministry, the course providesan introduction to law and its place in the Church.General principles for the interpretation of canon law as well as its history, and its relationship to theology and pastoral praxis are discussed.The course is principally concerned with the1983 Code of Canon Law, although other parts of the Church's law (i.e., liturgical law and theCode of Canons of the Eastern Churches)are explained and referenced. By a comprehensive overview of the seven books of Code together with a more focused discussion of specific canons, the class addressesselected canonical topics of value to those in ministry.The laws and canonical jurisprudence concerning marriage are addressed briefly as is appropriate for a general introduction.
- M.Div students only

THEO 60846 Christology (ST)
Robert Krieg
MW 3:00-4:15pm
This course undertakes a critical reflection on the confession that Jesus is the Christ (Mk 8:29; Acts 2:36-38; John 20:31). It consists of four units: biblical and historical origins of belief in Jesus Christ, the Church's doctrine concerning the "person" of Jesus Christ, the Church's views on the "work" of Jesus Christ, and current issues in Christology. The course has three specific goals: [1] knowledge of the sources, history, issues, and methods of contemporary Catholic Christology, [2] mental versatility to reflect on Jesus Christ by means of diverse images, models and methods, and [3] balanced judgment concerning the merits and limits of various views of Jesus Christ. The required readings for Theo 60846 are selected texts from the Bible, Christology (1995) by Gerald O'Collins, and texts on electronic reserve in the Hesburgh Library. The final grade for Theo 60846 is based on three essays (3 x 20%), a final reflection paper and oral examination (20%), and class participation (20%).

THEO 60859/GSC 63500-01 Thinking about Gender/Gendered Thinking (ST)
Cristina L.H. Traina
M 3:00p-5:30p
This course explores the intersection between theology and anthropology in three stages. In the first, we will read pivotal earlier theoretical work on gender and theory in anthropology, and then contemporary ethnographic work that problematizes sex and gender and illustrates contemporary methodological approaches. In the second, we'll explore similar questions in western feminist theology, beginning with important early work and moving to recent work in theological ethics. In the third segment of the course, we'll put the two disciplines together, reading works that creatively combine ethnographic research with theological reflection. Assignments will include seminar discussion papers and a final project/paper.

THEO 60945 Pastoral Administration
Peter Jarret
TBA
A basic introduction to the administrative dimensions of pastoral ministry, including staff development, planning, programming, and finances. This is a required skills course for second-year M.Div. students

THEO 60946 Liturgical Celebration/Ministry I
Michael Driscoll
MW 9-11:30
This laboratory course aims at the following goals: An understanding of the Roman Eucharistic rite, non-Eucharistic Sunday worship, and daily prayer through a careful reading of pertinent documents. An understanding of principles for liturgical celebration through an analysis of the structures of the Eucharistic Rite, the Sunday communion rite, and the communal hours of morning and evening prayer. Pastoral and theological understanding of the rites, through an examination of various ministerial roles in the act of worship, especially that of the leader of corporate prayer. Study and practice skills for specific ministries in corporate prayer. (These skills will be developed and practiced in the weekly “lab” sessions. Students will be guided through the Sacramentary, Sunday communion rite and daily prayer.)

THEO 60948 Preaching I
Craig Saterlee
F 8:00am-12:00p
This course is an introduction to homiletics.

THEO 60949 Preaching II
Craig Saterlee
F 1:00-3:30pm
A continuation of Preaching I, this course treats exegesis for preaching, methods of homily preparation and delivery.

THEO 60952 Fundamentals of Pastoral Care
Dominic Vachon
M 3:00pm-4:15pm
Self-assessment of skills for ministry.

THEO 60994 Leadership and Authority
Jan Poorman
R 10:00am -11:30am
During their third year of field education, Master of Divinity students explore issues of leadership, power, and authority in the role of the public minister.

The goal is to complement the growth in pastoral skills already attained in the first two years with the acquisition of proficiency in skills for collaborative leadership in the contemporary Church. The goal is approached through a threefold constellation of learning contexts: field work, supervision, and the field education seminar. The primary learning dynamic for the seminar is dialogical and includes conversation about assigned texts, shared reflection on field experiences, and faith-sharing.

THEO 65931 Images & Models of Ministry I
Michael Connors
W 1:55pm-3:50pm
Field Education is an integral component of education for pastoral ministry. Through field education, students pursue the integration of theological competence with pastoral skill in a developing identity as a public minister. For first year students, the specific goals are to provide initial approaches, of both theoretical and practical kinds, to two sets of foundational questions:

What is theological reflection? How is it done? What are some resources upon which to draw for theological reflection in ministry?

What does it mean to be a minister? How does one go about constructing one's self-understanding as a lay or ordained minister today in the Catholic Church? Where is one's place within the larger mission of the Church? What resources might inform, shape, and sustain one's identity in ministry?

The goal is approached through a threefold constellation of learning contexts: field work in a ministry placement, supervision of that work, and the field education seminar. The primary learning dynamic for the seminar is dialogical and includes conversation about assigned texts, as well as shared reflection on field experiences.

65933 Articulating Faith I
Jan Poorman
W 10:00am-11:30am

The goal of the second year of field education is facility in articulating the Christian faith, particularly as understood in Roman Catholic tradition, and in fostering the development of faith with others. In the Field Education seminars, students explore the role of catechesis in ministry and continue to integrate theory and praxis toward collaborative ministry and community building in fostering the reign of God. The goal is approached through a threefold constellation of learning contexts: field work in a ministry placement, supervision of that work, and the field education seminar. The primary learning dynamic for the seminar is dialogical and includes conversation about assigned texts, shared reflection on field experiences, and faith-sharing.

THEO 67801 Faith and Traditions
TBA
Required for non-degree seeking seminarians only.

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