Selected topics to enrich the understanding of a variety of theological themes.

This course will examine foundational spiritual practices as well as significant spiritual movements in Christian history.  Students will examine classic Christian spiritual thought and practice in response to contemporary questions and concerns.

This course illuminates the Biblical understanding of the reality of sin as broken/breaking relationship with God, self, others and creation. It explores the pivotal Christian claim that this human reality has been transformed in a definitive way by the life, death and resurrection of the Savior, Jesus Christ.

This course surveys New Testament literature, highlighting the unique theological perspectives and emphases of each author and the historical circumstances of each text. The course enables students to analyze and interpret texts individually and to recognize their place within a canon of Scripture read by the Church.

Examination of the person and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth and explores the theological significance of the mystery of Jesus Christ for our world today. It poses the question which Jesus himself posed to his disciples: “But who do you say that I am?” (Mk. 8:29) and examines various responses to this question throughout the Christian tradition. It also offers a historical overview of various waves of renewal in Christology and highlights some contemporary emphases in the study of Christology.

This course delves into the Gospel portrait of Mary, the development of Marian doctrine, and forms of authentic Marian devotion. By examining the life and influence of the “first disciple,” the course seeks to illumine how persons may respond to God’s revelation today.

This course explores how the scientific quest for knowledge of the universe relates to belief about Creation. It considers the contributions of scientists and theologians who value the complementarity between the disciplines.(Prerequisites: THE 109 or THE 110)

This course explores the ethics of marital and familial relationships in light of Scripture, Christian theology, the social sciences, and contemporary human experience. Key themes include the relation between sexual intimacy and human flourishing, divine love and human love, civil marriage and religious marriage, and the family and society. Attentive to wisdom of the past, the course takes up new questions, including “hookup culture,” sex and social media, same-sex relations/marriage, singleness as a vocation, work-family tensions, and the family’s mission in society.

What constitutes a good human life? This course pursues this question in dialog with the moral wisdom of the Christian tradition. Primary focus is given to the themes of happiness, virtue, and love, which are examined in light of traditional and contemporary sources and in conversation with student experience. The course also explores moral decision-making and responsibility in relation to the pursuit of both the personal and common good. Attention is given to the unique insights Christian ethics brings to bear on issues that impact realization of the good life in our context today.

This course examines essential elements of a Christian understanding of the human person before God. It helps students explore life’s “big questions”: where do we come from; is there a purpose to our existence; what are we to make of so much evil and suffering; where is God to be found; and for what may we hope? Students will be introduced to key biblical, historical, and contemporary sources that have shaped Christian thinking about human existence.