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This course examines the origins, development, beliefs and practices of Christian tradition and initiates students into the methods and discipline of theology. Special attention will be given to the course of salvation history as narrated in the Bible, the content of the Catholic faith as set forth in the creeds, and the Christian way of life. The relevance of Christianity in our contemporary society and the distinctiveness of the Christian vision of the world will also be explored. (C)

This course is an examination of the way that all the principles of the moral life (nature, grace, law, virtue, happiness, etc.) work together to bring humans to their ultimate end. Students are specifically taught how to become virtuous and happy. The second half of the course studies the individual virtues and their corresponding moral norms. (F)

This course introduces students to biblical Hebrew. The student will attain familiarity and competence with the basic structure and syntax of biblical Hebrew, along with a sound working vocabulary. It is a hybrid course that meets three days a week and has a substantial component of self-directed vocabulary review which is logged and tracked online. By the end of the two-semester sequence, the student will be able to read narrative texts from the Hebrew bible. (C)

This course builds off of Biblical Hebrew I and completes the sequence of introductory grammar, while increasing student's grasp of vocabulary and exposure to all of the main verbal forms that appear in the Hebrew Bible. It is a hybrid course that meets three days a week and has a substantial component of self-directed vocabulary review which is logged and tracked online. By the end of the semester, the student will be reading biblical texts from the Hebrew bible. (C)

This course on the first five books of the Bible (or Pentateuch) will provide a solid foundation to biblical theology by beginning with important hermeneutical questions concerning inspiration, inerrancy, and the senses of Scripture. These interpretative principles will then be applied as the themes of creation, covenant, sin, justice, mercy and redemption are probed. This course will be taught from a historical-theological perspective and according to a canonical approach to biblical interpretation. (F, GP)

This course examines the meanings and expressions of Catholic liturgical art and architecture, understanding them as bearers of sacramental realities which participate in the glorification of God and the sanctification of the world. The following are examined and discussed: foundational sacramental theology, sacred scripture, the classical inheritance, sacred images, recent artistic trends and sacramental aesthetics as known in the Christian East and West, particularly through the theology of the icon. Particular attention is given to the tradition of Catholic architecture through the centuries, theological movements, and recent gestures toward a reintegration of tradition in new design. (AE, F, VC)

This course will examine the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. Special attention will be given to the deeds and miracles of Jesus, how Jesus embodies the fulfillment of the Old Testament messianic expectations, Jesus' moral teachings, and the application of the Gospel to our lives today. Attention will also be given to patristic, medieval and contemporary exegesis within the rich Catholic tradition. (F, GP)

This course will investigate selections of the sapiential literature of the Bible, namely, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, the Wisdom of Solomon, and Sirach. The themes of sin, suffering, good and evil, divine providence, justice, love and wisdom will be explored. Special attention will be given to the Book of Job and its relevance for Christian life. (F)

This course will examine the biblical writings of the Major and Minor Prophets of the Old Testament. It will be taught from a historical-theological perspective and according to a canonical approach to biblical interpretation. Special attention will be given to grappling with both the prophetic message in its own historical context, as well as its ultimate fulfillment in the work of Jesus Christ. (F)

This course explores the method and content of God's self-revelation to humanity through material things, particularly the "signs and symbols of heavenly realities" (SC, 123) as perceived in the Church's liturgy as the privileged place of sacramental encounter. Students will study the theological nature of symbol and sacrament; Eastern and Western approaches to beauty; the vocation of the artist; the theology of icons and Eastern approaches to architecture; and liturgical music, and recent theories of the role of beauty in evangelization. (AE)

This course examines the theology of music as part of the sacramental system of Catholic worship, understanding liturgical music as "sung speech" sacramentalizing the voice of the Mystical Body of Christ partaking i n the "love song" of the persons of the Trinity. Course content examines the integral role of music i n the revelation and expression of the mysteries of Catholic worship, understood particularly through the lens of official Church documents of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries which form and explain the teachings of the Second Vatican Council. Pre-req: THEO-1100. (F)

This course is an introduction to the Pauline epistles. Special attention will be given to Paul's life, career and theology, his doctrine of justification by faith, his understanding of the Church as the Body of Christ, and his moral teachings. (F, GP)

This course will focus upon the principal themes, images, symbols, and theology of the fourth Gospel, with special attention given to the use of the Old Testament within the Gospel. At the discretion of the instructor, the Johannine epistles and/or the Book of Revelation may also be treated. (F)

This course will probe the biblical, historical, and theological foundations for the seven sacraments of the Church and their appropriate liturgical celebration, including brief considerations of Christian anthropology. Topics including the liturgies of the Eastern rites, para-liturgical activities, and the sacramentals may also be discussed. (F)

An exploration of the Catholic tradition on marriage and family as a communion of life and love, the foundations of conjugal morality, the canonical regulation of marriage in the Catholic Church, and the purpose and future of marriage in the Christian vocation and in American society. Practical topics related to preparation for the wedding, married life and parenting are included. (F)

This course will consider the pivotal contribution of Pope St. John Paul II for understanding the universal, primary human calling to loving self-gift. The class will probe the relevance of the personalist tradition and the global context for John Paul II's interest in clarifying the nature and destiny of the human person as a relational being. The content prepares students to live out the Catholic vision for family life and engage broader academic and political discourse regarding sexuality, self-gift, the sacrament of marriage, and responsibilities in all vocations for upholding human dignity. (F)

This course provides a general introduction to Benedictine spirituality. Topics covered include The Rule of St. Benedict (with special emphasis on its application to lay persons in today's world), Benedictine history including its impact on Western civilization, and the history and lifestyles of the local Benedictine communities. (F)

An examination of the topics of world peace, a just world order, an equitable distribution of goods and resources, favorable terms of trade, the widening gap between the wealthy and poor nations and religious freedom in the light of major Catholic documents and papal teaching. Cross-listed as ECON-3260. (F)

This course explores the great works and major themes of spiritual theology that have emerged in the Christian tradition over the past two millennia. From these works, students will acquire and apply the theological principles necessary for pursuing an ever greater commitment to Christian holiness. Prerequisites and/or corequisites: Major or minor in Theology or Evangelization and Catechesis. (F)

An examination of the cultural, theological and philosophical history of the Church from apostolic times up to the Protestant Reformation. Attention will be given to major figures, movements and schools of thought. (F, HI, WP)

An examination of the cultural, theological, and philosophical history of the Church from the Protestant Reformation through today. Attention will be given to major movements and schools of thought that serve as the basis and backdrop of current conditions within the Church. (F, HI)

History of the monastic traditions of the Christian church. It covers the main monastic traditions of both East and West: Egyptian and Syrian monasticism, Benedictinism, the mendicant movements of Sts. Francis and Dominic, the Society of Jesus and more. Students study patristic and medieval monastic writings, Rules and biographies of monastic founders such as Pachomius, Benedict and Francis. The theology and spirituality of monastic life is also considered.

A study of the Church as a sign of God's universal self-giving to humanity. An examination of the Church's self-understanding as it emerges from the scriptural images of the People of God and Body of Christ, as it develops in tradition, and as reflected in various models. It takes up a study of the mission and tasks of the Church, her relationship to the great world religions, to human culture and to the world in which it finds itself. (F)

A survey of the message, dying and rising of Jesus Christ and the sending of the Holy Spirit as presented in the New Testament, and its deepened understanding through writings of classic theologians and the Church Councils. Examination of the Trinitarian faith in God as a communion of love between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit concludes this course. (F, WP)

The Second Vatican Council pointed to Mary, the Mother of God, as an 'eminent and singular' exemplar of what the follower of Jesus Christ is called to be. This course begins with Biblical portrait of the Virgin Mary and traces the growth of Marian doctrine and Marian spirituality from the early Church and Middle Ages to the Reformation and Modern periods. Special attention will be paid to the doctrines of Theotokos, Perpetual Virginity, Immaculate Conception, Bodily Assumption, co-Redemptrix, and co-Mediatrix. The final portion of the course presents an overview of contemporary, systematic reflection on Mary using both magisterial documents and academic writings.

This is the second course in a three-semester sequence meeting the general education requirements in the Faith and Philosophical Inquiry Foundation areas. The classes are taught using the Great Books approach. Great texts in philosophy and theology will be read, analyzed, and discussed, with a special emphasis upon the relationship between the two disciplines: the harmony of faith and reason. This second course addresses works written from the year 1000 through about 1700. (F)

This is one-half of the third course in a three-semester sequence meeting the general education requirements in the Faith and Philosophical Inquiry Foundation areas. The classes are taught using the Great Books approach. Great texts in philosophy and theology will be read, analyzed, and discussed, with a special emphasis upon the relationship between the two disciplines: the harmony of faith and reason. This course addresses works written from about 1700 to the present. (F)

This course introduces students to the worldview and religious experience found in primal religions, in the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and in the major spiritual traditions of India and Asia. While understanding these religions on their own terms, the course also attends to how they converge and differ from Christianity and to the challenge and enrichment they present to Christians. The course familiarizes students with the Church's traditional and magisterial approaches to the truth claims of other religions and with the theory and practice of interreligious dialogue. (F, GP, WP)

This class will explore some of the major thought, figures and traditions of Protestantism. Special attention will be given to the theological thought of key Protestant reformers (including Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli) and to major events and ideas associated with Anabaptism and the English Reformation. Major causes of the Protestant Reformation, including the Roman Catholic Church's situation at the time, will also be explored. Important developments in the thought and history of Protestantism in the United States will also be considered, focusing especially on Protestant Evangelicalism. Attention will be given to influential figures, denominations, and movements. (F)

This course entails a study of the Gospels in the context of a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Places visited mark the traditional sites of key events in the life of Christ (e.g., His birth, death, resurrection, ascension), as well as places of significance for His earthly ministry (e.g., Nazareth, Cana, and Capernaum). This course will also allow the student to witness firsthand the state of current relations in the Holy Land among Christians, Jews, and Muslims.

The theology of the Second Vatican Council serves as the primary source for modern Catholic understanding of the Church and its renewal. This course considers the importance of ecumenical Councils, the historical and theological background of Vatican II, and the meaning and application of the Council's teachings in the Church today. The documents of Vatican II, as well as their implementation in subsequent magisterial teachings, will be examined. (F)

This course is designed to teach students how to make ethical decisions by examining moral methodology within the realm of Bioethics. The first half of the course is a study of moral principles with a special emphasis on current Church teaching and the Catholic tradition. The second half of the course is an application of these principles to bioethical issues. (F)

Grounded in the Catholic theology of creation, this course immerses students in the Church's vision of an "integral ecology." Through an interdisciplinary dialogue of faith and science, it explores how God providentially governs the universe and how creation reflects the divine glory. Particular emphasis is placed on the vocation of human beings to participate in the divine life by tilling and keeping the earth (environmental ecology), as well as Catholic social teaching on the unique dignity of the human person and the responsibility that flows from it (human ecology). Engaging current scientific research, students will learn the challenges facing humanity and our environment and discover concrete ways to cultivate the virtues necessary for proper care of creation, including the most vulnerable humans in it.

This course identifies different models of public Catholicism through the history of the Catholic Church in North America, from Spanish and French colonialism through the founding and growth of the United States to the present day. While attending closely to key historical figures and events of each period, students will study the primary political, ecclesial, and evangelical task which animated each model. This study is intended to prompt reflection on the relationship between the Catholic faith and American politics and culture, and to foster discussion about communicating that faith in the American context. (F, HI)

This course is a presentation of the physiological, theological, and practical foundations of Natural Family Planning; a widely-recognized and Church-supported method of determining periods of fertility for the purposes of family planning.

This course will focus on the theological contribution of a particular individual or group within the Catholic tradition. Since the topic of the course will regularly change, it may be taken more than once. (F)

This advanced course in methods of teaching theology prepares students with specific knowledge of the principles and processes involved in planning for secondary theology instruction and evaluation in Catholic high schools. Students will explore and use a variety of methods and media to teach religion lessons.

Subject matter of the Seminar varies. The purpose of the course is to give an in-depth presentation of theological questions and/or theological methods through reading and discussion, research and papers. Course can be taken more than once. Required for all majors; open to others with approval of instructor.

These are topics not included in the regular catalogue. They may be taken more than once if the subject matter varies sufficiently.