Graduate Course
Descriptions – Theology/Fall 2008
THEO
60002 Elementary Hebrew I
Avi
Winitzer
MW 1:30am-2:45pm
Description:
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
3:00pm-4:15pm
Description:
The primary focus of this course is on reading the text of the Hebrew Bible, at
first prose narratives, then poetic sections and consonantal (unpointed) texts.
There will
be a review of the grammar of Biblical Hebrew, as well as development of
vocabulary and skills in using lexicons and concordances of the Hebrew
Bible. There will be quizzes, a
mid-term, and a final exam.
Elementary Hebrew is required.
THEO
60007 Aramaic
Avi
Winitzer
MW
11:00am-12:15
Description: This course provides an overview
and critical study of the Hebrew Bible in its literary, historical, and
theological contexts. The focus will be principally on reading and gaining an
informed understanding of the biblical text, but this will be done against the
background of the history, literature, and religions of the magnificent
civilizations in the ancient Near East. Further aspects include analysis
and use of the tools of historical-critical scholarship; ancient mythology; the
processes by which the Scriptures were composed; Old Testament theology; and
contemporary theological issues. This will be also be an introduction to
Standard Literary Aramaic, using the Aramaic of Targum Onqelos as our dialect
and a teaching grammar of that dialect for our textbook. We will strive to
complete the grammar in the fall semester. The course is designed to prepare students both for doctoral
biblical studies and for intelligent effectiveness in the contemporary church.
THEO
60105 Intro. to Hebrew Bible
Eugene
Ulrich
TH
8:00am-9:15am
Description: This course provides an overview
and critical study of the Hebrew Bible in its literary, historical, and
theological contexts. The focus will be principally on reading and gaining an
informed understanding of the biblical text, but this will be done against the
background of the history, literature, and religions of the magnificent
civilizations in the ancient Near East. Further aspects include analysis
and use of the tools of historical-critical scholarship; ancient mythology; the
processes by which the Scriptures were composed; Old Testament theology; and
contemporary theological issues. The course is designed to prepare
students both for doctoral biblical studies and for intelligent effectiveness
in the contemporary church.
There will be one class presentation, one
exegesis paper, a mid-term, and a final exam.
Readings:
The Catholic Study Bible (NAB).
J. Mays (ed.), HarperCollins Bible Commentary.
D. Harrington, Interpreting the Old Testament.
J. Walsh, The Mighty from Their Thrones.
B. Childs, Introduction to the Old Testament as
Scripture.
THEO 60148 Introduction to Rabbinic Literature
Tzvi Novick
MW 3:00-4:15pm
The
literature of Rabbinic Judaism, which emerged roughly at the same time as
Christianity and developed in dialogue with it, is rich and various. We survey the major works in this
corpus, with particular attention to the following issues: the role of the
Hebrew Bible in rabbinic literature; theologies of rabbinic law; Temple and
Torah as competing conceptual foci; border figures (gentiles, women, apostates,
etc.); and study and worship in the synagogue. The course is open to
undergraduates and M.A. students.
Undergraduate course requirements include a midterm, a final, and a
short paper. No Hebrew or Aramaic
required, but students with facility in these languages will be provided with
source material in the original.
THEO
60121 Intro. To Early Christianity
Robin
Darling Young
MW
8:00-9:15am
Description:
THEO 60146 Gospel of Matthew
John Meier
TR 2:00-3:15pm
Description:
The purpose of this lecture course is to introduce the Master's level student
to historical-critical exegesis of Matthew's Gospel, while at the same time
incorporating insights from more recent methods of criticism (narrative,
reader-response, etc.). After a brief survey of major introductory
questions (sources, time and place of composition, etc.), the major sections of
the Gospel will be exegeted in order. In major pericopes, notice will be
taken of significant differences found in the parallel passages of Mark and/or
Luke. The ultimate goal will be a comprehensive understanding of the
redactional theology of Matthew. A major commentary on Matthew will be
read in tandem with the class lectures.
THEO
60147 Apocalypse of John
David
Aune
MW
11:45-1:00pm
Description: This course will focus on a close reading of the English
translation of the Apocalypse of John (with special arrangements for those who
can read Greek), focusing on such issues as the historical, cultural and
literary background of the book, the problems involved in a arriving at a
satisfactory interpretation of the book, arriving at a theological contribution
of the book, the problem of arriving at a satisfactory analysis of the literary
structure of the book, the subsequent reception of Apocalypse of John in the
Church both East and West as well as the effects of varied interpretations of
the Apocalypse on the Church and society from the patristic period through the
Middle Ages into the modern period including the influence that the Apocalypse
has had on Christian art from the Carolingian period through the modern
period.
THEO
60204/Introduction to Medieval Theology
Joseph
Wawrykow
TR
12:30-1:45pm
Description:
The high middle ages witnessed tremendous creativity in theology, and the
writings of theologians as diverse as Anselm, Bernard of Clairvaux, Peter
Abelard, Thomas Aquinas, and Mechthild of Magdeburg have proven to be of
enduring significance. This course examines the high medieval achievement in
theology, both scholastic and spiritual, through close study of selections from
many of the most important theologians from the 12th through the early 14th
centuries. While considerable attention will be given to doctrinal development
and intellectual disagreement, cultural as well as literary questions will also
receive their due—to what extent did institutional and educational
changes stimulate theological progress? Why did theologians employ such a broad
range of genres, and are different genres better suited to certain theological
tasks? How do earlier writings, both Christian (scriptural, patristic, and
early medieval), and, non-Christian (especially, but not exclusively,
Aristotelian), figure in the high medieval theological enterprise?
There
will be a judicious mixture of lecturing and class discussion. Heavy emphasis
will be placed on the analysis, both oral and written, of primary texts. To
provide thematic continuity, in Fall 2008 the readings will deal with medieval
discussions of 'theology' as science and as wisdom; the understanding of Scripture;
providence and predestination; and, Christology. To facilitate future research,
students will also be introduced to the principal scholarly resources for the
study of medieval theological history.
THEO
60402 Liturgical History
Max
Johnson
TR
11:00-12:15pm
THEO
60404 Eucharist
Michael
Driscoll
MW
11:45-1:00pm
THEO 60407 Liturgical
Theology
David Fagerberg
TR 3:30-4:45pm
Description: Liturgy
is not a branch of esthetics, it is the root of theology. We will
explore the proposition that lex
orandi establishes lex credendi in three ways. First, we will examine the
purpose and method of liturgical theology as expressed by various authors, but
especially Schmemann, Kavanagh, and Taft. Second, we will examine the
difference this approach makes when treating traditional theological subjects
(e.g. worship, ecclesiology, eschatology, sacrifice, the relationship between
church and world, etc.). Third, we will especially consider how liturgical
theology bears on sacramentology. This course will thus be useful to M.A. and
M.T.S. students as an introduction to the discipline, and to M.Div. students
for a coherent understanding of sacraments expressing the life of the Church.
THEO 60426 Priesthood
Michael Heintz
MW 3:00-4:15pm
Description: An examination of the historical,
theological, and pastoral
dimensions of priesthood
in the Catholic tradition. Emphasis will be placed on
a close reading and
discussion of theological, conciliar, and liturgical texts
which shed light on the
priesthood as understood and lived in the Catholic
tradition.
THEO 60601
Foundations of Moral Theology
Paulinus Odozor
TR 3:30-4:45pm
The aim of this course
is to introduce the student to the study of the basic elements of Christian
moral experience and understanding as well as to the criteria of Christian
moral judgment and action. The texts, which have been chosen for this course,
cover areas related to nature and history of moral theology, the sources of
Christian moral knowledge, moral agency, and the resources and methods for
moral decision-making. The course concludes with a study of the moral teaching
of Pope John Paul II in Veritatis Splendor.
THEO
60622 Christian Political Theology and Ethics
Gerald
McKenny
MW
1:30-2:45pm
Description: Christians of all types are
currently locked in intense debates over the extent to which moral convictions
held by Christians may or must be enforced by political authority and over the
question of whether contemporary liberal democracies are consonant with what
Christian faith requires of the political order. This course examines the
fundamental question behind these questions, namely, what are the theological
and ethical criteria for a morally legitimate social and political order? For
over a century Christian thinkers have attempted to derive those criteria from
natural law, the teachings of Jesus, and the lordship of Christ. We will
examine these efforts in writings by Catholic thinkers including Pope Leo XIII,
Jacques Maritain, John Courtney Murray, Gustavo Gutierrez, David Hollenbach,
and John Paul II; Protestant writers including Karl Barth, Reinhold Niebuhr,
Martin Luther King, Jr., Stanley Hauerwas, John Howard Yoder, Oliver O'Donovan,
and John Milbank; and secular writers such as Max Weber, Carl Schmitt, Hannah
Arendt, and John Rawls.
THEO
60801 Fundamentals of Systematic Theology
Catherine
Hilkert
MW
1:30-2:45pm
Description: This course is a graduate level introduction to the
nature, tasks, and methods of systematic theology. The primary focus of the
course will be an analysis of the contributions of diverse 20th and 21st
century theologians and theological movements to an understanding of the
theological enterprise. Among the fundamental issues to be considered in the
first half of the course are the following: the possibility and form of
revelation; an understanding of faith and the relationship between faith and
reason; the sources of theology and the interrelationship of scripture,
tradition and experience/praxis; the development and interpretation of
doctrine; and the roles of the hierarchical magisterium, theologians, and the
community of the baptized in preserving and handing on the authentic Christian
tradition. The second half of the
course explores a broad survey of contemporary methods of doing systematic
theology.
THEO
60820/40824 Hinduism and Hindu-Christian Interaction
Brad
Malkovsky
MW
1:30-2:45pm
Description:
This
course provides an introduction to various facets of Hindu theology, praxis,
and spirituality and examines them in light of Christian faith and theology.
Through the comparison we hope to understand and appreciate Hindu thought
and praxis while at the same time come to a deeper understanding of what is
particular to Christianity. This course will emphasize classical Hindu
themes such as personal and impersonal understandings of the ultimate reality,
the role of grace, the place of incarnation, worship before images, the
practice of yoga and meditation, but we will also examine some modern Indian
liberation movements dealing with caste and women.
THEO
60835 Canon Law
Gary
Chamberland
TR
2:00-3:15pm
Description:
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
60846 Christology
Robert
Krieg
MW
3:00-4:15pm
Description:
This course undertakes a critical reflection on the confession that Jesus is
the Christ (Mk 8:29; Acts 2:36-38; John 20:31). It consists of four units: biblical and historical origins
of belief in Jesus Christ, the Church's doctrine concerning the
"person" of Jesus Christ, the Church's views on the "work"
of Jesus Christ, and current issues in Christology. The course has three specific goals: [1] knowledge of the
sources, history, issues, and methods of contemporary Catholic Christology, [2]
mental versatility to reflect on Jesus Christ by means of diverse images,
models and methods, and [3] balanced judgment concerning the merits and limits
of various views of Jesus Christ.
The required readings for Theo 60846 are selected texts from the Bible,
Christology (1995) by Gerald O'Collins, and texts on electronic reserve in the
Hesburgh Library. The final grade for Theo 60846 is based on three essays (3 x
20%), a final reflection paper and oral examination (20%), and class
participation (20%).
THEO 60859/GSC 63500-01 Thinking about Gender/Gendered Thinking
Cristina L.H. Traina
M 3:00p-5:30p
Description: This course explores the intersection between
theology and anthropology in three stages. In the first, we will read pivotal
earlier theoretical work on gender and theory in anthropology, and then
contemporary ethnographic work that problematizes sex and gender and
illustrates contemporary methodological approaches. In the second, we'll
explore similar questions in western feminist theology, beginning with
important early work and moving to recent work in theological ethics. In the
third segment of the course, we'll put the two disciplines together, reading
works that creatively combine ethnographic research with theological
reflection. Assignments will include seminar discussion papers and a final
project/paper.
THEO
60945 Pastoral Administration
Peter
Jarret
TBA
Description:
A basic introduction to the administrative dimensions of pastoral ministry,
including staff development, planning, programming, and finances. This is a
required skills course for second-year M.Div. students
THEO
60946 Liturgical Celebration/Ministry I
Michael
Driscoll
MW
9-11:30
Description: This laboratory course aims at the following goals:
An understanding of the
Roman Eucharistic rite, non-Eucharistic Sunday worship, and daily
prayer
through a careful reading of pertinent documents. An understanding
of
principles for liturgical celebration through an analysis of the
structures of
the Eucharistic Rite, the Sunday communion rite, and the communal
hours of
morning and evening prayer. Pastoral and theological understanding
of the
rites, through an examination of various ministerial roles in the
act of
worship, especially that of the leader of corporate prayer. Study
and practice
skills for specific ministries in corporate prayer. (These skills
will be
developed and practiced in the weekly ÒlabÓ sessions. Students will
be guided
through the Sacramentary, Sunday communion rite and daily prayer.)
THEO
60948 Preaching I
Craig
Saterlee
F
8:00am-12:00p
Description:
This course is an introduction to homiletics.
THEO
60949 Preaching II
Craig
Saterlee
F
1:00-3:30pm
Description:
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
Description:
Self-assessment of skills for ministry.
THEO
60994 Leadership and Authority
Jan
Poorman
R
10:00am -11:30am
Description:
During their third year of field education, Master of Divinity students explore
issues of leadership, power, and authority in the role of the public minister.
The
goal is to complement the growth in pastoral skills already attained in the
first two years with the acquisition of proficiency in skills for collaborative
leadership in the contemporary Church. The goal is approached through a
threefold constellation of learning contexts: field work, supervision, and the
field education seminar. The primary learning dynamic for the seminar is
dialogical and includes conversation about assigned texts, shared reflection on
field experiences, and faith-sharing.
THEO
65931 Images & Models of Ministry I
Michael
Connors
W
1:55pm-3:50pm
Description:
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
Description:
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
TBA
Description:
Required for non-degree seeking seminarians only.