THE - Theology
This course studies God’s Word as it has been expressed and handed on in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition with a special focus on the central teachings of the Catholic faith (such as creation, fall and redemption, Trinity and Incarnation, the Church and the Holy Spirit). Emphasis is placed on reading primary sources, including principal Biblical texts, writings of Church Doctors and Fathers, major theologians, Magisterial documents and writings from the Franciscan tradition.
Is an introduction to the literature of the Old Testament: the Tetrateuch, the Deuteronomic corpus, the prophetic literature, the priestly writings, the wisdom literature, and the Deuterocanonical books. Students will be directed to read selections from the above categories. The theological-historical meaning of the Old Testament will be stressed.
Is an introduction to the literature of the New Testament: the Synoptic Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, the Johannine literature, the Pauline literature, the Letter to the Hebrews, and the "catholic epistles." The theological-historical meaning of the New Testament will be stressed.
Investigates the person and mission of Jesus Christ as articulated in the New Testament documents, in the early creedal formulae, and in the declarations of the Church Councils of the fourth, fifth and sixth centuries AD. Finally, students will be exposed to positions of great Catholic thinkers and contemporary scholars on various Christological questions.
Examines the nature, history, and problems of the Christian community as understood in the Catholic tradition. Students undertake the task of investigating the biblical foundation of the Church, various branches of the Church, Christian authority, principles underlying church worship practices, church-state relationship, ecumenism, and other ecclesiological topics.
Elucidates the principles of morality that regulate Christian living. These principles are studied as they are found rooted in the New Testament documents and articulated throughout the history of the Christian community's lived existence, with a thorough look at the contemporary understanding of Christian moral theology as it is articulated by the magisterium of the Catholic Church and by theologians in union with the magisterium. Students will examine these principles as they apply to some perennial moral issues.
Presents a general theological consideration of the structure of the sacramental life of the Church and an historic-dogmatic analysis of the major theologies of the individual sacraments. Particular emphasis will be given to baptism and Eucharist. The course will include the Christian response to the sacramental life in filial, salvific social, communal, and ecclesial dimensions.
This course offers a historico-dogmatic analysis of the Church and the seven sacraments, from their biblical foundations to contemporary magisterial teaching. It will consider such topics as authority, liturgy, communion ecclesiology, relations between Church and state, and ecumenism. There will be particular emphasis on Baptism and Eucharist.
This course introduces the student to the graduate study of sacred theology by examining the nature and mission of theology as an ecclesial vocation, in light of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’s 1990 document, “Instruction on the Ecclesial Vocation of the Theologian” (Donum Veritatis). The nature of theology is examined as a “science” in the classical sense, that is, an intellectual habit in which certitude is available through rational reflection, in the light of faith, on divine revelation. The student will be formed in the fundamental dispositions and tools requisite to the responsible and academic pursuit of graduate theological studies.
The proper task of theology "is to understand the meaning of revelation and this, therefore, requires the utilization of philosophical concepts which provide a solid and correct understanding of man, the world, and God" (The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Donum Veritatis). This course will introduce the students to the need of a suitable philosophy for theology by examining the relationship and nature of philosophy and theology as "sciences" in the classical sense. This course examines the teaching of the Church's Magsterium on "perennial philosophy" and investigates a number of the more important fundamental philosophical insights critical for theology. Topics may include: physical motion, matter, form, privation, substance, accident, being, act, potency, the good, natural law, the end of man, natural knowledge of God, among other matters. The goal is for the student to attain a genuine philosophical understanding of these realities so that what God has revealed may be understood theologically and scientifically.
This course examines the doctrines--and their sources in Scripture and Tradition-- of the Triune God, the Incarnate Word, and His saving deeds. It will also examine those Marian doctrines inextricably bound to the Incarnation and Redemption. While the primary focus will be on divine revelation and the teaching of the Church's Magisterium on these sacred mysteries some attention will be devoted to currently unresolved questions in these matters.
This course examines the doctrines--and their sources in Scripture and Tradition--of the Church with Christ as its founder and head, the Holy Spirit as its soul, and the Blessed Virgin Mary as its model, and of the seven Sacraments. While the primary focus will be on divine revelation and teaching of the Church's Magisterium on these sacred mysteries some attention will be devoted to currently unresolved questions in these matters.
This course examines the doctrines--and their sources in Scripture and Tradition--of the human person, sin and grace, the Four Last Things (death, judgement, heaven, and hell), and the Blessed Virgin Mary. While the primary focus will be on divine revelation and teaching of the Church's Magisterium on these sacred mysteries some attention will be devoted to currently unresolved questions in these matters.
This course introduces the student to the interpretation of Scripture with specific reference to the Old Testament. Magisterial teaching on the interpretation of Scripture will be reviewed, as well as a historical review of the development of biblical hermeneutics, touching on Patristic, Medieval, and modern periods. Particular attention will be paid to the development of the historical-critical method as applied to the Old Testament (for example, the Documentary Hypothesis, etc.), evaluating the challenges and possibilities it poses for incorporation into a hermeneutic of faith. In addition, students will be exposed to the content of revelation in the Old Testament, including an overview of the traditional genre divisions: Pentateuch, Prophets, Psalms/Wisdom, and Historical Books.
This course introduces the student to the interpretation of Scripture with specific reference to the New Testament. Magisterial teaching on the interpretation of Scripture will be reviewed, as well as a historical review of the development of biblical hermeneutics, touching on Patristic, Medieval, and modern periods. Particular attention will be paid to the development of the historical-critical method as applied to the New Testament (for example, various solutions to the Synoptic Problem, etc.), evaluating the challenges and possibilities it poses for incorporation into a hermeneutic of faith. In addition, students will be exposed to the content of revelation in the New Testament, including an overview of the traditional genre divisions: Synoptics and Acts, Pauline Literature, Johannine Literature, and Catholic Epistles.
This course provides a comprehensive overview of the two-millennium history of the Catholic Church. The major figures, spiritual movements, and theologies in the history of Christianity will be studied in this course. It will provide a perspective on the origins of the principal aspects of Christian faith, life, and worship; on the sources of division among Christians; and on other important topics essential to the understanding of Christianity.
The turn of the nineteenth century marked a new stage in the engagement of the Church with the modern world and with modern thought, influenced so profoundly in the West by the ‘Enlightenment.’ This course explores various dimensions of this engagement, especially as articulated in the Papal and Conciliar magisterium. Attention is also given to the emergence of a variety of new Christian movements and spiritualties, and the influence of notable saints of the period, and, where appropriate, to the contributions of some important theologians of the era. The course will seek to follow the engagement as it matures, addressing such topics as developments in economics, science and technology, culture, attitudes to other religions and Christian communities, and changes in the political landscape. Within the overall trajectory of the Church’s dialogue with the modern world, particular attention will be given to the documents of the Second Vatican Council as a high point in this engagement. Vatican II’s implementation and interpretation, in continuity with Catholic tradition, will be examined as an important key to understanding and guiding Catholic life, thought and action at the dawn of the third millennium. The response of the Church to new developments that have emerged since the Council will also be considered.
This course explores the fundamental themes of Catholic moral theology, such as Christian discipleship, the human vocation to beatitude, freedom, law, conscience, virtue, sin, the proper understanding of human acts, and moral absolutes, in order to identify the principles of Catholic morality. The course will focus on the manner in which these principles are rooted in the New Testament teachings on Christian discipleship and are expressed by the magisterium of the Catholic Church and by theologians in union with the magisterium, while also considering current controversies and debates regarding these principles. The course will also examine how the principles of Catholic morality apply to various perennial and contemporary moral issues.
The teachings of the Second Vatican Council constitute the contemporary basis for Roman Catholics' understanding of the Church and its renewal. This course examines the history and importance of ecumenical councils, the historical and theological background of the Second Vatican Council, and, most important, the meaning and application of the council's teachings in the Church today.
This course examines the rational foundations of the Christian faith and the principles for understanding divine revelation and magisterial teaching. As such, this course will treat the distinction and relationship between faith and reason; the notion, possibility, and need for divine revelation; the motives of credibility; and the principles for a proper interpretation of Magisterial teaching (including discussion of the “theological notes” or “qualifications”).
This course will present the basic principles of the interpretation of the Bible within the Catholic tradition. It will evaluate the strengths and difficulties of biblical criticism as it has developed in recent centuries. Alternate approaches, such as that of the early Christian fathers, will be examined. Differences in biblical interpretation among Christian denominations will be discussed. The Bible will be shown as the foundation of Christian prayer, catechetics, and family and community life.
This course will seek a theological understanding of the basic Gospel call to recognition of sin, repentance, and conversion, and pastoral approaches to enabling men and women to respond to that call today. It will explore the relationship of the Church to the world through application of the theology of evangelization presented by Pope Paul VI and the Second Vatican Council.
This course consists of a study of central issues related to the renewal of the Church and Christian life today. Both the spiritual and institutional dimensions of Church renewal will be discussed. Lessons drawn from the history of renewal and reform in the Church will be applied to present movements, such as Cursillo and charismatic renewal.
This course will discuss how the Christian people are formed by the Word of God as presented in Scripture and Church Teaching. This information is the result of a sound theological understanding of the Word and its effective proclamation through preaching, teaching, prophecy, and catechesis based on the Word of God.
This course examines Jesus as the essential content of all catechetical endeavors. It identifies the four pillars of the Deposit of Faith-creed, liturgy and sacraments, Christian moral living, and prayer-as the basis for the Christian life. It discusses the implications of the kerygma on catechesis, i.e., emphasis on insertion into the mystery of Christ. This course considers necessary elements of any catechetical work as explicated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and includes practice in the development of curricula for specific catechetical needs.
Offering direction for living the Christian life has been part of the Church's heritage from the beginning. This course will study some of the many approaches to pastoral and spiritual direction in the Church's history, from the time of the early fathers of the Church up to present-day approaches including Catholic covenant communities and third order groups. Both classical and current theological and spiritual literature will be considered, with practical pastoral applications discussed.
This is an advanced, graduate-level course examining the theological foundations of Christian liturgy, as well as pastoral approaches to planning and fostering good liturgical celebration. The course will explore the nature of worship, Jewish liturgical tradition and its influence on Christian worship, an historical understanding of Christian liturgy, and the planning of liturgical celebration.
The course will consist of a theological investigation of the doctrines and magisterial teachings concerning the singular role of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the providential plan of salvation. This will be followed by examining the relationship between Mary and the Holy Spirit as contained in the writings of the Franciscan martyr St. Maximilian Kolbe. Lastly, there will be a theological and pastoral analysis of the Marian messages from the principal apparitions of Mary in the modern world, with special emphasis on the messages of Lourdes, Fatima, and the present reported apparitions from Medjugorje.
This course will focus on a particular topic or area of importance in pastoral theology, or practical pastoral work. Examples of possible topics are: Youth Ministry, Parish Pastoral Ministry, Pastoral Structures (Church Government), and Pastoral Guidance (Spiritual Direction), Church Law and Discipleship.
Notes
This course may be taken more than once on different topics.
This course will examine the nature, history, and function of Latin Church law. The course will survey select canons of the 1983 Code of Canon Law in light of the documents of the Second Vatican Council and post-conciliar documents. The topics to be considered will include: general norms; the People of God, including the rights and obligations of the Christian faithful, Church structures, and institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life; the teaching office of the Church; the temporal goods of the Church; and, sanctions in the Church. N.B.: Due to limitations of time, this course will not address the canonical aspects of the Church's sanctifying office or the applicable procedures for trials.
The course will seek out and discuss pastoral wisdom for marriage and family life from the Catholic tradition and other Christian sources. This would include the teachings on marriage and family from the great teachers of the Catholic tradition, such as St. Augustine and St. John Chrysostom. It will also include contemporary Christian wisdom related to the special situation of Christian families and married couples in the modern world, as well as consideration of the contributions of the social sciences and of modern theology to the development of a sound Christian pastoral approach to marriage and family life today.
This course explores the sacramental life of the Church from the perspective that the hallmark of the adult Catholic life must be liturgical. We will discuss preparation for Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Matrimony and Anointing of the Sick in regard to their Rites, Canon Law, pastoral practice, and the truths they express. The primary objective is to understand how to prepare people to be fully conscious of what is happening in the sacraments, actively engaged in the rites, and enriched by them.
Providing a broad overview of ministry positions within the Church, students are taught spirituality skills and methods for ministry using the content of their theology courses. Observations and field experiences as well as peer and practice teaching are included. Preparation and projects are focused on actual placement. This is a suggested course for those not pursuing the Graduate Specialization in Catechetics. This class is not an elective for those pursuing the Graduate Specialization in Catechetics.
It can be taken along with THE 780 and THE 641
Opportunities to participate in supervised catechetical ministries such as the RCIA, parish adult programs, Catholic schools, or parish religious education are available for students to obtain teaching experience. This may be elected twice for different ministries.
This course introduces organic teaching methods that integrate the academic grasp of Christianity and Christian critical thinking with Christian witness, continuing conversion to Christ, and a call to action in the Church. Practical applications of the principles of evangelization and catechesis are practiced with continuing conversion as the goal. Stages of faith and moral development are studied to facilitate teaching the faith at all levels. Learning styles and models are examined to make them applicable to teaching the faith. Basic communication skills as they apply to the catechetical situation are used.
This course continues the organic teaching method described above and includes the uses of liturgy, prayer, music, and Catholic literature and art in the catechetical endeavor. Examination of the culture to be evangelized and catechized is included. A major 50-minute catechetical presentation is required.
This course studies the development of the Christian initiation process by the Fathers of the Church, highlighting their methods and the content of their catechesis. The revised Rite of Christian Initiation is studied closely, highlighting its catechetical, liturgical, and pastoral components and the initiation into the Church of adults and children.
Notes
This course may be taken more than once on different topics.
This course studies the needs of the Church in the United States regarding current catechetical practice. Specifically, it covers family-based catechesis, Catholic schools, religious education, PSR, adult catechesis, catechesis for conversion, catechesis and culture, and alternative structures for catechesis. The theory and elements of each type of program are examined, and practice in the development of new programs for specific needs will be provided.
Students must have completed all other catechetics courses; may be concurrent with
THE 692.
These courses take a Catholic approach to contemporary moral issues from a theological and pastoral perspective. Issues in one or more of the following areas will be treated: social, medical, sexual, marital, and business morality.
Notes
This course may be taken more than once on different topics.
An in-depth study of a particular area, book, or theme of Old Testament literature. Examples of possible course topics include: The Pentateuch, the prophetic literature, the Psalms, covenant theology.
Notes
This course may be taken more than once on different topics.
An in-depth study of a particular area, book, or theme of New Testament literature. Possible course topics include: Pauline writings, the Gospel of John, the Church in the New Testament, theology of the Holy Spirit.
Notes
This course may be taken more than once on different topics.
This course, which presupposes undergraduate background in moral theology, is an exploration of some foundational issues in moral theology. One topic treated is the distinctively Christian contribution to our understanding of morality. In addition, one or more of the following are covered: the structure of the human/moral act, the meaning of natural moral law, the meaning of virtue, the meaning of conscience, the meaning and possibility of sin. One text used is Veritatis Splendor. In addition, other texts that serve as important background or context for Veritatis Splendor, and/or that contribute to subsequent theological discussion about the topics treated, are also used.
Christian Spirituality is the study of the nature and means of Christian holiness. This course will consider various dimensions of Christian holiness, including prayer and worship, the cross and the ascetical life, repentance, the activity of the Holy Spirit, the role of the sacraments, and the love of God in Jesus Christ, which is the center of all Christian spirituality. This course will approach these topics through the study of major spiritual writers and saints of the past and of more recent times.
This course pursues an in-depth study of an important topic or author from either the patristic period (the era of the Fathers of the Church) or from the great Doctors of the Church, such as St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Bonaventure, St. Catherine of Siena, or St. Theresa of Avila.
Notes
This course may be taken more than once on different topics.
Through a careful study of the “Theology of the Body” developed by Pope St. John Paul II in Man and Woman He Created Them, this course exams the deep connections between Christian anthropology, sexual ethics, and sacramental spirituality and the significance of embodiment within the Catholic tradition. While addressing specific questions regarding sexuality, love, and marriage and continence for the Kingdom, this course also provides an understanding of how the theology of the body presents a vision the dignity and vocation of the human personal through the lens of salvation history and its culmination in the mystery of redemption in Jesus Christ.
This course takes as a foundation the vision of the dignity and vocation of the human person presented by Pope St. John Paul II in Man and Woman He Created Them, the Theology of the Body, and applies it to contemporary moral issues in the field of sexual morality (such as responsible parenthood, pornography, modesty, marital fidelity, divorce, etc.) and the field of medical morality (such as abortion, reproductive technologies, euthanasia, organ transplants, etc.). Additionally, this course exams how the Theology of Body can serve in a more general way to foster a culture of life and advance the work of the new evangelization.
This course focuses on the Theology of the Body explicit or implicit in selected passages of Scripture. Some texts throw light directly on Gods plan for love between man and woman (e.g., marriage laws in the Pentateuch and their re-interpretation by Jesus and Paul); others speak about marriage as a sign and symbol for God’s relation to his. Particular attention is paid to the vision of the human person expressed in these texts and to its theological roots in the Trinity and the mission of Jesus. The Theology of the Body serves as a point of departure and guides the reading of texts not taken up by John Paul II himself.
This course will be a systematic exploration of the theology of grace. We will examine the various meanings and key issues involved in understanding grace as presented in Scripture, tradition, and contemporary sources. The development of an integrated theology of grace will lead to and ground a reflection on fundamental aspects of our relationship with God and our living out of the Christian life.
A systematic study of the person and work of Jesus Christ will be conducted in this course. Beginning with a consideration of method, we will develop a contemporary, integrative approach to Christology, drawing on the riches of the biblical, traditional, and contemporary testimony.
A consideration of the signs of salvation flowing from the sacrament, Christ, and his Church will be the goal of this course. The anthropological bases of these signs will be examined and utilized in the seven sacraments that will be covered in-depth.
This course will explore the meaning of Tradition and its relation to Sacred Scripture, touching upon such issues as the material sufficiency of sacred Scripture and its relation to the Reformation doctrine sola scriptura. The monuments of Tradition are studied with a view to recognizing the complementarity between Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. The study of Tradition readily leads to an exposition of the development of doctrine within the Catholic Church. The course investigates such development beginning with Cardinal John Newman's text, An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine, wherein the development of doctrine answers the questions of how the Catholic Church's teaching extended into every generation after the close of the Apostolic Age. The study of the development of doctrine follows various authors from Newman to the present day.
This course will select a topic of theological interest for careful study. Possible topics include: recent papal teachings, ecumenism, Catholic apologetics, theology of renewal, the Church and the Holy Spirit, etc.
Notes
This course may be taken more than once on different topics.
Mariology II, grounded upon the historical, dogmatic, doctrinal, and devotional content presented in Mariology I, expands the theological exploration of Marian truth and love in the life of the Church, with particular emphases in the following areas: I. The Mariology of the Second Vatican Council: Developments and Controversies; II. Biblical Mariology: Extended commentaries on Principal Marian Passages; III. Great Figures in Patristic Mariology; IV. Great Figures in Medieval Mariology; V. Great Figures in Modern/Contemporary Mariology; VI. Contemporary Marian Apparitions: Ecclesial Norms of Evaluation and Updates from the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith and local diocesan authorities, e.g., Fatima, Medjugorje, Our Lady of America, etc.
This course will explore the rich theological and historical tradition of Marian Spirituality and Mysticism. Principal contributions of Church fathers, doctors, popes, saints, and mystics will be read and discussed, with particular emphasis on the role of the Mother of Jesus in the Christian life and pursuit of Christian holiness, as well as an examination of life of Our Lady as presented in the Church's mystical tradition.
This course introduces revelation as the teaching technique of God the Father and examines the content and method of Jesus' teaching. The apostles' teaching styles, the content of their catechesis, and their use of Scripture are covered as well. The scriptural basis of the catechesis of the Fathers of the Church is included. The course also explores implementation of Bible studies and liturgies of the Word for evangelical and catechetical purposes and provides practice in biblical narrative and teaching from Scripture.
This course explores the sound philosophical presuppositions and reasoning of Christian teaching. Catechesis is a cogent presentation of the truth, which finds its fullest expression in God's revelation in Jesus Christ. However, a philosophical discussion and analysis of truth helps lead thinking people today to consider the sense and veracity of the message of Christ and his Church.
The Master's Thesis is an approximately 50-75 page research paper that makes an original contribution to scholarship in Scripture or in historical, systematic, moral or pastoral theology. In this course, the student will work with a thesis director to develop a particular question, research the state of that question, and develop a formal thesis proposal. This course is pass/fail; the student passes the course only if the student's thesis committee approves the proposal. This course is to be taken during the student's penultimate semester.
The student must have completed successfully 24 credit hours of graduate coursework in the MTS program.
The Master's Thesis is an approximately 50-75-page research paper that makes an original contribution to scholarship in Scripture or in historical systematic, moral, or pastoral theology. In this course, the student will complete a thesis under the direction of a faculty advisor and formally defend it before the advisor and two faculty readers.
Notes
Registration for this optional non-credited course indicates that the student is involved in studies necessary for the completion of the thesis. At the end of each extension period the student must demonstrate progress toward the completion of the thesis. Master's students are allowed to register for THE 999 no more than two (2) times. A matriculation fee is required. This fee entitles the student to the use of the library and other basic services.