Master of Theological Studies

Spring 2010 Course Descriptions and Information

"Class Search" provides a current summary listing of the classes being taught by an academic department each semester.

Fall 2009 Course Descriptions

THEO 67001. MTS Colloquium
W 4:30-6:00pm
Instructor: Gabriel Reynolds
Required for all M.A. and M.T.S. students.

THEO 60003. Elementary Hebrew II
MW 3:00-4:15pm
Instructor: Abraham Winitzer
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.

THEO 60009. Biblical Languages: Coptic
Time TBA
Instructor: Gregory Sterling
This course introduces students to Coptic, the final descendant of ancient Egyptian. Coptic is important for an who are interested in the historical Jesus, Gnosticism, textual criticism of the New Testament, asceticism, or early Christian history. We will work our way through a grammar, and then read a selection of texts including excerpts from the Gospel of Thomas and some fragments only from the Martyrdom of Polycarp. The course is designed to enable students who have no previous training in Coptic to read simple to moderately difficult texts. Its serves to fulfill the third ancient language requirement for Ph.D. students in CJA.

THE0 60018. Intermediate Hebrew
MW 3:00-4:15pm
Instructor: Mark Nussberger
This fourth-semester course in biblical Hebrew will continue and build upon THEO 60006/83001. Our efforts will be focused on the preparation, oral reading, and translation of selected biblical passages—both prose and poetry. But time also will be spent continuing to review basic grammar as well as developing a deeper appreciation of—and greater ability to describe—significant elements of syntax and literary structure (e.g., parallelism). There will be weekly quizzes, a mid-term exam, and final exam. Elementary Hebrew is required.

THEO 60102. New Testament Introduction (BS)
MW 11:45-1:00pm
Instructor: Mary Rose D’Angelo
This course provides an overview and critical study of the New Testament in its historical, literary, and theological context. The focus will be on reading the texts of the New Testament, gaining an informed understanding of scholarly questions about them, and acquiring tools for further work. Special attention will be paid to the christologies of the writings and the role of the spirit in earliest Christianity. Extra-canonical texts (Qumran texts, extra-canonical gospels) will help in locating it in the rich religious and cultural world of the later Hellenistic era and the early Roman empire. Issues of contemporary theology will also be addressed, as will development of the canon. The course is designed to prepare students both for doctoral work in biblical studies and other areas of theological study, and for intelligent use of the Biblical text in pastoral or educational settings.

THEO 60113. Gospel of John (BS)
TR 2:00-3:15pm
Instructor: John Meier
The course will seek to improve exegetical skills, to grasp the structure of the gospel of John, and to explore John's relationship to the letters and its function and history in the community and milieu in which it was written. The course will consider issues of genre, context, and theology, including the wisdom traditions from the gospel's Christology, its understanding of community that affirms the autonomy of the believer, the significance of prophecy in Christology and community life, the ways the women and men participated in the community, the community's combination of resentment toward and relatedness to "the Jews," and their rejection of the Roman imperial order.

THEO 60124. New Testament Theology (BS)
TR 3:30-4:45pm
Instructor: David Aune
This course focuses on the history and problematic of New Testament theology (as a major constituent of Biblical theology, particularly the relationship between the Old Testament and the New Testament). Important issues for discussion and critique include: (1) the task of New Testament theology vs. the task of the history of early Christian religion, (2) the relationship between New Testament theology and systematic theology, (3) the problem of the unity and diversity of the New Testament, (4) the problem of determining the "center" of New Testament thought, (5) the problem of historical criticism its relationship to NT theology and its critique by certain Biblical scholars, (6) the problem of the canon within the canon, and (7) the modernist presuppositions reflected in most New Testament theologies as well as the critique offered by nonmodern and postmodern critics of the enterprise. Three New Testament theologies will be read and critiqued.

THEO 60154. The Tabernacle/Temple in Ancient Israel (BS)
TR 8:00-9:15am
Instructor: Gary Anderson
This course will begin with a detailed consideration of the literary and theological function of the Tabernacle pericope in the books of Exodus and Leviticus -- the longest extended literary unit in the Pentateuch. From there we will turn to related stories about the building and eventual destruction of the Temple at the hands of the Babylonians. The course will conclude with the visions of a new Temple that take root in the exilic period (Ezekiel and Isaiah among others), the relationship of those visions to the second Temple itself and the importance of all this literature for the way in which the New Testament and early Church understands the identity of Jesus.

THEO60155. Myth and Myth-Making in the Ancient Near East (BS)
MW 11:45-1:00
Instructor: Abraham Winitzer
This course explores the nature and function of myth in the context of the ancient Near East (ca. 3200-332 BC(E)). For this we will focus on selected mythic texts (in translation) from various Near Eastern cultures, Mesopotamian, Hittite, Canaanite, Biblical, and consider them historically as well as in the light of general approaches to myth developed in Western scholarship. Special attention will be given to the issue of myth in the Hebrew Bible, particularly to the relationship between the Biblical and Near Eastern cognate traditions. No knowledge of the ancient languages involved is required.

THEO 60235. Christianity in Africa (HC)
MW 11:45-1:00pm
Instructor: Paul Kollman
Few places on earth exhibit the dynamism of contemporary Christianity like Africa. Such dynamism creates new challenges and opportunities for the Catholic Church and other ecclesial bodies, and also shapes African life more generally. Through novels, historical studies, and present-day reflections from a variety of perspectives, this course will explore Christianity in Africa, beginning with the early Church but with heightened attention to the more recent growth of Christianity on the continent. It will also examine Christianity's interactions with Islam and forms of African ways of being religious that predated Christianity and Islam, many of which have ongoing vitality. Attention will also be paid to African Christian theology, carried out formally and informally, as well as the implications of the growth of African Christianity for world Christianity.

THEO 60264. John Chrysostom and Social Issues in Early Christianity (HC)
TR 9:30-10:45am
Instructor: Blake Leyerle
The early church confronted pressing social issues. Many of these still challenge us today. In this course we will examine some of these concerns as they emerge in the writings of John Chrysostom, priest of Antioch and bishop of Constantinople at the end of the fourth and the beginning of the fifth century. Some of the issues we will consider include: urban poverty, the environment, sickness bereavement, marriage, child-rearing, entertainment, conversion, and competition with other religious groups.

THEO 60265. Religion and Literature: In Light of Job (ST)
T 12:45-3:15pm
Instructor: Vittorio Montemaggi
This course explores the light that the Book of Job can shed on our understanding of the relationship between literary and theological reflection. An initial reading of the Book of Job itself will open up the questions (concerning, for example, human vulnerability and divine unknowability) that will then provide the conceptual focus for the rest of the course; in which we will examine texts by Gregory the Great, Dante, Shakespeare and Primo Levi, shaped in different but richly complementary ways by a profoundly compelling engagement with the questions raised by Job. Through such examination, and in conversation with contemporary literary and theological studies, students will be invited to reflect closely on the distinctive contribution that the coming together of literary and theological reflection can make to our thinking about meaning and truth.

THEO 60269. Three 12th Center Cistercians (HC)
TR 3:30-4:45pm
Instructor: Ann Astell
Contemporaries of one another, Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153), William of St. Thierry (1085-1148), and Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167) each contributed with passion and genius to the great twelfth-century Cistercian reform of Benedictine spirituality. They did so in complementary ways, reflecting their unique temperaments, backgrounds, geographic surroundings, mystical experiences, and missions. In this course we will read the principle writings of each, comparing and contrasting their approaches to the central Cistercian themes of self-knowledge, charity, and reform (personal and communal). Emphasis will be placed on their common engagement with Augustinian theology and their novel insights into its richness as a mystical way.

THEO 60270. American Evangelical History (HC)
M 3:30-4:45
Instructor: Mark Noll
Tentative Schedule for a seminar on American Evangelical History (with an emphasis on theology) [thirteen weeks}1) W. R. Ward, Early Evangelicalism: A Global Intellectual History, 1670-1789 (Cambridge, 2006); Thomas Kidd, The Great Awakening: The Rise of Evangelical Christianity in Colonial America (Yale, 2003); or Mark A. Noll, The Rise of Evangelicalism: The Age of Edwards, Whitefield, and the Wesleys (InterVarsity, 2003).2) Jonathan Edwards¿2 paperback vols. with sermons and general works from Yale (and for reference, George Marsden, Jonathan Edwards: A Life [Yale, 2003]).3) Nathan O. Hatch, The Democratization of American Christianity (Yale, 1989).4) Mark A. Noll, America¿s God: From Jonathan Edwards to Abraham Lincoln (Oxford, 2002).5) Readings in 19th-century theologians, including Charles Finney, N. W. Taylor, Charles Hodge, J. W. Nevin.6) Timothy L. Smith, Revivalism and Social Reform in Mid-Nineteenth-Century America (Abingdon, 1957), several later eds.7) Douglas Frank, Less Than Conquerors: How Evangelicals Entered the Twentieth Century (Eerdmans, 1986).8) George Marsden, Fundamentalism and American Culture, 2nd ed. (Oxford, 2006).9) Grant Wacker, Heaven Below: Early Pentecostals and American Culture (Harvard, 2001).10) Joel Carpenter, Revive Us Again: The Reawakening of American Fundamentalism (Oxford, 1997).11) Margaret Bendroth, Fundamentalism and Gender, 1875 to the Present (Yale, 1986); and Mark Husbands and Timothy Larsen, eds., Women, Ministry, and the Gospel: Exploring New Paradigms (InterVarsity, 2007).12) Carl Henry, Confessions of a Theologian: An Autobiography (Word, 1986); and George Marsden, Reforming Fundamentalism: Fuller Seminary and the New Evangelicalism (Eerdmans, 1987).13) Timothy Larsen and Daniel J. Treier, The Cambridge Companion to Evangelical Theology (Cambridge, 2007).Extensive supplementary bibliography.

THEO 60401. Sacramental Theology (LS)
TR 3:30-4:45pm
Instructor: Nathan Mitchell
This course presents an integrated overall view of the history, theology and pastoral praxis of sacrament in a modern, multicultural world. In Addition to readings, one paper will be required

THEO 60403. Christian Initiation (LS)
MW 3:00-4:15pm
Instructor: Max Johnson
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.

THEO 60425. Mary Saints in Liturgy, Doc. Life (LS)
MW 11:45-1:00pm
Instructor: Max Johnson
This course explores the evolution and theology of Mary and the saints in their liturgical and doctrinal expressions in an attempt to discern, evaluate, and articulate their proper place within Christian liturgy, doctrine, and life today in relationship to the central mediatorial role of Christ. Issues of popular piety, "models of holiness," and ecumenical division, dialogue, convergence, the feminist critique, and liturgical renewal will also be examined.

THEO 60431. Psalmody (LS)
TR 3:30-4:45pm
Instructor: TBA
This hands-on course will cover all the ways that the psalms have been sung in Jewish and Christian worship, from ancient times to the present. All the major styles and practices of monophonic and polyphonic singing, as well as keyboard accompaniment, will be included. We will also trace how the various ways of interpreting the psalm texts throughout history have shaped liturgical practices, prayer and spirituality, and the creation of hymnody.

THEO 60601. Foundations of Moral Theology (MT)
TR 11:00-12:15pm
Instructor: Paulinus Odozor
This course is intended to provide a theoretical and practical introduction to the theory of morality, with a special emphasis on Catholic moral theology. Topics to be studied include the foundations of morality; the conditions of voluntariness; and moral norms and possible exceptions to them. Course requirements will include a midterm and a final examination.

THEO 60614. Catholic Social Teaching (MT)
MW 1:30-2:45pm
Instructor: Margie Pfeil
The purpose of this course is to familiarize students with the tradition of Catholic social teaching with a view to 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.

THEO 60621. Compar. Religious Ethics, Buddhism/Christianity (MT)
MW 3:00-4:15pm
Instructor: David Clairmont
Is religion necessary to live a moral life?  If so, are all religions basically the same when it comes to the moral norms contained in them?  If not, how do we account for the differences among religious values, norms and principles?  How do religions justify their distinctive moral claims in the face of alternative proposals?  Can we study the ethical thought of a religious tradition that is different from our own in a responsible manner and, if so, how should we proceed?  This course will take up these and other related questions through an examination of classic and contemporary Christian and Buddhist texts in dialogue with recent theoretical options for the comparative study of religious ethics.  We will begin with an assessment of the importance and distinctive quality of religious voices in moral debate and then look at some of the ways that contemporary scholars have approached the investigation and assessment of similarities and differences in moral world views.  The middle portion of the course will focus on a careful reading of selected Christian and Buddhist texts that offer visions of the moral life.  The course will conclude with a comparative consideration of Buddhist and Christian positions on the moral issue of abortion and the relationship of human beings to the natural world.  Course requirements include two short critical response papers and a longer final paper.

THEO 60806. Ecclesiology (ST)
TR 9:30-10:45am
Instructor: Richard McBrien
An examination of the nature and mission of the church, with special emphasis on the Second Vatican Council, its theological and doctrinal antecedents, and postconciliar developments.

THEO 60808. Mystery of God (ST)
TR 12:30-1:45pm
Instructor: Cyril O’Regan
The general aim of the course is to introduce the student to the Catholic tradition of reflection on the triune God who always remains mysterious even in, or precisely in, his revelation in history and in our lives. The pedagogic aim is familiarity with the tradition that is the church's common possession.

THEO 60817. Myth and Story (ST)
MW 11:45-1:00pm
Instructor: John Dunne
An interpretation of myth starting from the question "What kind of story are we in?" and "What kind of story am I in?" and dealing with (a) the life story, (b) the spiritual adventure, and (c) the journey with God in time.

THEO 60838. Orders and Ministry (ST)
TR 11:00-12:15pm
Instructor: David Fagerberg
This course looks at a theology of Christian ministry, both ordained and lay. The relevant official documents will be read, as well as secondary sources that articulate the sacrament of ordination, hierarchy, the lay apostolate and baptismal priesthood of all Christians, and current definitions of Lay Ecclesial Ministry. Both seminarians and lay divinity students should develop the concepts necessary to understand their particular ministry in the light of Church teaching and as a service to the people of God.

THEO 60854. Modern Study of Religions (ST)
TR 12:30-1:45pm
Instructor: Larry Sullivan
This course will review approaches taken to the study of religion over the past 150 years, from Max Mueller, through Levi-Strauss, to post-modern and contemporary criticism.

THEO 60947. Liturgical Celebrations II
W 9:00-11:30am
Instructor: Tom Jones
A study of the structure of the Eucharistic Rite and the Liturgy of the Hours with emphasis on ministerial roles.

THEO 60950. Preaching III
F 9:00-11:30am
Instructor: Craig Satterlee
A continuation of Preaching II, with emphasis on the theological 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.

THEO 60951. Reconciliation Ministry
T 11:00-12:15am
Instructor: Peter Jarret
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.

THEO 63001. Synthesis Seminar
M 9:30-11:30am
Instructor: Michael Connors
Note: Third-year M.Div. students only. The Synthesis Seminar is both a point of arrival and a point of departure-arrival, in that it seeks to ingrate 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 participant chooses a topic that will serve as a focus for synthesis. Synthesis is the operative word; this is not research on an entirely new topic. Synthesis should illustrate both theological and ministerial preparedness. In developing the topic, attention is to be paid to at least three theological areas (Scripture, ecclesiology, patristics, ethics, and practical theology). Class notes, papers, and examinations may provide a basis for research.

THEO 65932. Images and Models of Ministry II
W 10:00-11:30am
Instructor: Michael Connors
Through supervision and seminars, the tools of field education will be developed. Focus will be on diagnosing skills, clarifying goals, concretizing objectives, identifying methods of learning, and understanding the theology implied therein. Students are required to keep a ministry journal; write a contract, a critical incident, and a two-page reflection paper on readings; and the end-of-the-semester evaluation of field placement.

THEO 65934. Articulating Faith II
W 10:00-11:30am
Instructor: Jan Poorman
Note: Second-year M.Div. students only. 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

 

Fall 2009 Course Descriptions

THEO 67001 MTS Colloquium
Gabriel Reynolds
W 4:30-5:30P
Required for all M.T.S. students. (Every semester)

THEO60001-Section01:Intro to Christian Latin
W. Martin Bloomer
T R - 3:30P - 4:45P
This intensive course considers two of the three aspects of of the complex and controversial relationship between the New Testament and theology, namely the theology within the New Testament, and the use of the New Testament in theology. The third aspect is the classical academic discipline called "New Testament Theology," but since it has not yielded much in its long history that is useful to the church or the life of faith, we leave it aside after a few remarks and turn our attention to more hopeful areas. In the first week, we take up the question of theological voice of various New Testament compositions, asking how they are theological and how we can get at their repective theologies. Then we turn our attention to the question of getting from the text to life: how should the New Testament be used in the life of the church? We spend a full week on Richard Hays' important book The Moral Vision of the New Testament, and another on Luke Johnson's Scripture and Discernment.

THEO 60002 Elementary Hebrew I
Avi Winitzer
MW 3:00pm-4:15pm
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
Eugene Ulrich
MW 3:00-4:15pm
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. The course should speed your reading of Hebrew and help prepare you to teach an Elementary Hebrew course. There will be quizzes, a mid-term, and a final exam. Elementary Hebrew is required.
Readings:
Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia.
C. L. Seow, A Grammar for Biblical Hebrew (1st or 2nd ed.).
F. Brown, S. Driver, and C. Briggs, Hebrew and English Lexicon.
L. Koehler and W. Baumgartner, Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament.
Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia
A Grammar for Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew and English Lexicon Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament)

THEO 60007 Aramaic
Abraham Winitzer
TBA
An introduction to the grammar of one dialect of Standard Literary Aramaic, viz., that represented in the Targum of Onqelos. Toward this goal we will work through the (yet unpublished) grammar by T. Lambdin and J. Huehnergard An Introduction to the Aramaic of Targum Onqelos (Cambridge, MA 2002). In addition, attention will be paid to the place of Aramaic within theSemitic-language family, especially by way of a(n inductively based) comparison of the Aramaic material with that found other Semitic languages, especially Hebrew.

THEO 60103 Introduction to Judaism (BS)
Tsvi Novick
TR 3:30-4:45pm
Religious practice helps us order and orient ourselves within the world and community. This course examines the various cycles of Jewish practice, including rites of passage, daily, weekly and yearly observances. Within the structure provided by personal ritual and holiday celebration, we find the essential theology of Judaism: a life built around the study and practice of Torah.

THEO 60105 Intro. to Old Testament (BS)
Gary Anderson
TR 8:00am-9:15am 
This course provides an overview and critical study of the Hebrew Scriptures in their 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 graduate biblical studies and for intelligent effectiveness in the contemporary church.

THEO 60111 Synoptic Gospels: Mark (BS)
Mary Rose D’Angelo
MW 1:30pm-2:45pm
This course will explore the Synoptic Gospels in the larger context of gospel literature. Intensive work on the gospel of Mark and issues of method and context will lead to briefer treatment of Q Matthew and Luke. Special attention will be given to the image of Jesus that each gospel seeks to convey (christology), and to method.  In addition to questions of genre, source, form and redaction, narrative techniques, sociological analysis, description of the communities for which the gospels were written, the function of prophecy in the formation of the tradition, and questions of gender and class will all be addressed.

Goals:
1. To learn exegetical techniques for the gospel materials, especially the use of the synopsis and formal descriptions.
2.  To become alert to the image of Jesus, the interpretive issues and the theological concerns that characterize each of the synoptic gospels.
3. To get a picture of the growth of the gospel traditions and the way the three synoptic gospels are related to each other and to other  literature from their context.
4. To be able to use what you learn from this class as a basis for further work in Bible, other theological work and/ or ministerial work

THEO 60121 Early Christianity (HC)
Brian Daley
MW 11:45am-1:00pm
This course provides an introduction to the history and thought of the first 500 years of the Christian church. General topics to be studied include: Christ of Semitic Christianity, Christ as the World's True Wisdom, Christ in Controversy, Christ and Human Transformation, Christ as One Person, Christ as Humble Mediator, and the Nature Balance of Christ's Person. Texts for purchase will include: R.A. Norris, The Christological Controversy, E.R. Hardy (ed.), The Christology of the Later Fathers, Cyril of Alexandria, On the Unity of Christ (tr. John A. McGuckin), and A. Louth, Maximus the Confessor.

THEO 60153 Intro to Midrash – Jewish Holidays (BS)
Tsvi Novak
TR: 2:00pm-3:15pm
This course introduces students to the techniques, assumptions, and theory of rabbinic midrash (scriptural exegesis). The course is structured around the scriptural holidays: the Sabbath, Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles, the New Year, the Day of Atonement, and Purim. For each holiday, we examine both legal exegesis and arrative/homiletical exegesis. All texts will be provided in translation.

THEO 60213 Eucharist in the Middle Ages (HC/LS)
Joseph Wawrykow
MW 3:00pm-4:15pm
The Eucharist stands at the heart of western European Christianity in the high Middle Ages. The insistence of church officials on regular reception of the Eucharist; the numerous scholastic treatments of the theoretical issues associated with the Eucharist; the recourse by spiritual authors, especially women, to the Eucharist to express their most profound religious and devotional insights; the pointed reference to the Christ Eucharistically-present to establish Christian identity and to distinguish the members of Christ from others, both within and outside of western Europe; the development of new rituals focused on aspects of the Eucharist; the burgeoning of artistic representations of Eucharistic themes-all testify to the centrality of the Eucharist in medieval theological and religious consciousness. Through the close reading of representative texts by a wide variety of 13th-century authors, and, the study of the different kinds of 'Eucharistic' art, this course examines the uses made of the Eucharist by a broad spectrum of high medieval Christians. A special concern of the course is the relation between Eucharistic doctrine and religious practice-to what extent have teachings about transubstantiation and real presence shaped religious expression? How has religious experience itself occasioned the refinement of these doctrines?

THEO 60220 Missionary Encounters (HC)
Paul Kollman
TR 3:30pm-4:45pm
This course will study the missionary activity of the church. After a brief look at mission and evangelization in the New Testament and the early church, we will then explore several important moments of missionary contact in the Americas, Africa, and Asia in the modern (post-Columbian) period. The course will conclude with a look at contemporary missionary practice and theory.

THEO60263 Medieval Negative Theology (HC)
Stephen Gersh
T R - 12:30P-1:45P
The course will begin by examining the historical background in ancient and later ancient philosophy (Plato, the Neopythagoreans, the Neoplatonists) of the theological and philosophical method which later became known as "negative theology." Having extracted a kind of definition from the historical survey, we will look at four major figures of the early Christian and medieval periods in greater detail, reading selected works or parts of works in English translation but also paying attention to the original Latin (or Greek). The authors and works will be: 1. Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite (On Divine Names, On Mystical Theology, On the Celestial Hierarchy), 2. Iohannes Scottus Eriugena (Periphyseon, books I-III), 3. Meister Eckhart (Parisian Questions, selections from biblical commentaries, selected German and Latin sermons), 4. Nicholas of Cusa (On Learned Ignorance, books I-II, On the Vision of God). The last part of the course will consist of a brief survey of the many other medieval writers who used the negative method, and also some notes on its influence in the Renaissance and later times. Knowledge of Latin will be useful but not necessary for the course. Written requirement: one final paper of ca. 20 pp.

THEO 60402 Liturgical History (LS)
Maxwell 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 11:45am-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 60426 Priesthood
Michael Heintz
MW 8:00am-9:15am
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 60617 Love and Sex in the Christian Tradition (MT)
Jean Porter
TR 2:00pm-3:15pm
Christian reflections on sexuality comprise one of the richest, yet most controversial aspects of the Christian moral tradition. In this course, we will examine Christian sexual ethics from a variety of perspectives through a study of historical and contemporary writings. Topics to be considered include Christian perspectives on marriage and family, the ethics of sex within and outside of marriage, contraception, divorce and remarriage, and homosexuality. We will be especially concerned with recent debates on these topics within the Catholic community, but we will also be considering voices from Protestant and other traditions. We will give special attention to the practical implications of Christian sexual ethics in pastoral and educational contexts. Course requirements will include regular participation in class discussions and three short papers.

THEO 60620 Ethics, Law & Intl Conflict (MT)
Gerard Powers
TR 2:00-3:15pm
The terrorist attacks of 9/11 and the war in Iraq have contributed to a dramatic reexamination of moral and legal norms governing the role of military force in international affairs. This course provides an introduction to legal and moral perspectives on issues of war and peace, with special attention to Catholic social teaching. Topics include the UN framework for collective security, collective enforcement, and peacekeeping; terrorism, aggression and self-defense; intervention on behalf of self-determination and human rights; norms governing the conduct of war; accountability for war crimes; and approaches to arms control and disarmament. These topics are discussed with special attention to their application in combating global terrorism, the interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan, the wars in the Balkans, and other recent conflicts.

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 60835 Canon Law (ST)
Gary Chamberland
TR 2:00-3:15pm
Intended for students preparing for ministry, the course provides an 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 the 1983 Code of Canon Law, although other parts of the Church's law (i.e., liturgical law and the Code 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 addresses selected 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 60845 Comparative Spirituality (ST)
Brad Malkovsky
MW 1:30pm-2:45pm
This course provides a first introduction to some of the more influential spiritualities practiced by Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and Eastern Orthodox Christians down through the ages and seeks to determine their significance for contemporary Roman Catholic spiritual praxis and theology. In order to properly understand the practices of Hindu yoga and bhakti, of Buddhist vipassana and Zen, of Muslim salat/namaz and Sufism, of the Eastern Orthodox Jesus Prayer/Hesychasm and the accompanying place of human effort in asceticism and morality, it will be necessary to examine underlying convictions about the nature of the human person and the supreme Reality, of Divine presence and grace, as well as the declared ultimate goal of spiritual endeavor, whether it be expressed more in terms of a communion of love or of enlightened higher consciousness.  During the semester we will not only study important spiritual texts of other religions, but we will also practice meditation, visit a local mosque for Friday prayers and sermon, and be instructed by expert guest speakers who represent religious traditions other than our own.  Students will be required to give at least one presentation on a class reading and write two five-page reflection papers and one ten to twelve-page research paper.

THEO 60846 Christology (ST)
Robert Krieg
TR 3:30pm-4:45pm
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 60862 The Holy Land (HC)
Gabriel Reynolds
MW 3:00pm-4:15pm
In our course “The Holy Land” we will investigate the manner in which Christians and Muslims through the centuries have understood the religious dimension of Palestine, and of Jerusalem in particular. In the first section of the course we will analyze classical religious texts, including: the New Testament prophecies of Jerusalem’s destruction; the narratives surrounding Saint Helen’s recovery of the true Cross and sacred relics; the traditions of Muhammad’s night journey to Jerusalem, and Muslim narratives on the conquest of Palestine and the construction of the Dome of the Rock. In the second section of the course we will turn to the memories and visions of individual believers, such as the descriptions of medieval Muslim geographers, the travelogues of European Christian pilgrims, the writings of Eastern Orthodox monks of the Palestinian desert, and the popular religious pamphlets and websites of the Muslim and Christian faithful today.

THEO 60863 Hermeneutics Deconstruc Mdvl Tht (HC)
Stephen Gersh
TR 11:00A-12:15P
The aims of this course are both methodological and historical. The methodological part will consist of an introduction to hermeneutics (in a broad sense) as theorized and/or practiced in certain areas of modern continental philosophy. After a brief look at the crucial innovations of Husserl, we shall study carefully chosen extracts (in English translation) of Heidegger: Being and Time and What is Called Thinking, Gadamer: Truth and Method, and Derrida: Of Grammatology, Writing and Difference, Dissemination in order to illuminate the different (even opposing) ways in which the idea of "hermeneutics" can develop. This general discussion will be combined with specific consideration of the themes of allegory and negativity. The historical part of the course will concentrate on late ancient, patristic, and early medieval readings (Origen: On First Principles, Augustine: On Christian Teaching, Literal Interpretation of Genesis, Proclus: Commentary on Plato's Timaeus). Here, we shall attempt to advance our comprehension of ancient literature by 1. looking for parallels with modern hermeneutic techniques, 2. applying the modern techniques in test cases. The course is intended to be relatively open-ended, i.e., students will be expected to think about the way in which these discussions are internally coherent and also relate to their own areas of interest (which may be elsewhere in philosophy, theology, or literature (Latin or vernacular)). Requirement: one final essay of ca. 20 pp.

THEO 60945 Pastoral Administration
Peter Jarret
T 9:30am-10:45am
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
W 9:00am-11:30am
A study of the structure of the Eucharistic Rite and the Liturgy of the Hours with emphasis on ministerial roles.

THEO 60948 Preaching I
Craig Saterlee
F 8:30am-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 60962 Pastoral Leadership Practicum-3 Credits
Jan Poorman
Wed/Th  6:30pm-9:00pm
The Christian Gospel message and Catholic Social Tradition have from their inception defended the life and dignity of the human person, promoted the divine call to participation in family and community, fostered the dignity of work and the rights of workers, and called for solidarity with the poor and marginalized of society and stewardship of creation. Consequently, the Church’s mission, as an extension of the Gospel imperative to work for justice, is rooted in Christ-centered love that expresses itself in compassionate care for the poor and vulnerable, as well as in sustained efforts to transform violent, oppressive, and unjust systems so often aligned with the causes of poverty and human suffering. Students preparing for ecclesial ministry are thus called to incorporate the teachings and practices of charity and justice ever more fully into their pastoral leadership development.
The Pastoral Leadership Practicum is designed to assist students in their integration of theological study and pastoral praxis by means of community-based learning through a summer internship (8 weeks) located in regional, national, and international sites. Prior to, during, and after their on-site learning, students engage in theological reflection and social analysis so as to further develop those pastoral leadership skills necessary for every area of ministry within Roman Catholic ecclesial life, most especially within social justice ministry. In addition to their community-based work, students will explore the theological foundations of social justice ministry from five theologically and methodologically distinct areas of scholarship. Students will also examine the cultural context of poverty and systemic oppression and will integrate their experiences through facilitated dialogical sessions, a follow-up retreat, a directed study requiring the equivalent of an 18-20 page research paper.

THEO 60963 Pastoral Leadership Practicum- 2 Credits
Jan Poorman
Wed/Th  6:30pm-9:00pm
The Christian Gospel message and Catholic Social Tradition have from their inception defended the life and dignity of the human person, promoted the divine call to participation in family and community, fostered the dignity of work and the rights of workers, and called for solidarity with the poor and marginalized of society and stewardship of creation. Consequently, the Church’s mission, as an extension of the Gospel imperative to work for justice, is rooted in Christ-centered love that expresses itself in compassionate care for the poor and vulnerable, as well as in sustained efforts to transform violent, oppressive, and unjust systems so often aligned with the causes of poverty and human suffering. Students preparing for ecclesial ministry are thus called to incorporate the teachings and practices of charity and justice ever more fully into their pastoral leadership development.
The Pastoral Leadership Practicum is designed to assist students in their integration of theological study and pastoral praxis by means of community-based learning through immersion trips (1-2 weeks) located in regional, national, and international sites. Prior to, during, and after their on-site learning, students engage in theological reflection and social analysis so as to further develop those pastoral leadership skills necessary for every area of ministry within Roman Catholic ecclesial life, most especially within social justice ministry. In addition to their community-based work, students will explore the theological foundations of social justice ministry from five theologically and methodologically distinct areas of scholarship. Students will also examine the cultural context of poverty and systemic oppression and will integrate their experiences through facilitated dialogical sessions, a follow-up retreat, and 5 page integrative paper..

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 10:00-11:30am
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.

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

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