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Past Courses
SPRING 2008 OFFERINGSREL 231: Religions of the West
Meets with ENGL 232T
Sandor Goodhart
Div. 1 TTH 3:00-4:15
A comparative study of the origins, institutions, and theologies of the three major Western religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
REL 318: The Bible and Its Early Interpreters
Stuart Robertson
Div. 1 TTH 1:30-2:45
This course will start with observation of the development of early themes in later parts of the Hebrew Bible and proceed to the on-going influence of these themes in Jewish literature outside the Hebrew canon (apocrypha, pseudepigrapha, targums, midrash, Josephus, Philo, and other Hellenistic Jewish authors), as well as in pagan literature of this era and in early Christian literature, particularly the New Testament.
ENGL 264: The Bible as Literature
Dorothy Deering
Div. 1 MWF 11:30-12:20
My section of English 264 will read selected portions of the Hebrew Bible, New Testament, and Apocrypha. The course will entail a close study of a variety of literary forms and techniques: the structure of historical and biographical narratives (the Garden of Eden, the Exodus from Egypt, the Crucifixion/Resurrection), development of plot and character (in the stories of Abraham, David, Elijah, Jesus), and growth of prophetic and poetic styles and traditions (Isaiah, Micah, Job, Psalms), and the distinctive features of wisdom (proverbs, parables) and apocalyptic literature (Daniel, Revelation). Students will write 10-12 one page papers. There will be no tests or final exam. Students will participate weekly in team discussions of the reading.
HIST 318: History of the Christian Church II
Deborah Fleetham
Div. 1 TTH 4:30-5:45
A continuation of History 317, the Reformation, and the major developments in Christianity and the churches in modern world.
HIST 590B: Art of Darkness: The Dead and the Undead in History
Tithi Bhattacharya
Div. 1 TTH 12:00-1:15
History, in a way, is about dead things. A history of ghosts is hence appropriate and necessary. But a history of ghosts is really a history of the living, because a belief in phantoms and monsters has formed an integral part of every society and culture. Ghosts provide us with clues to society's deepest convictions. This course then, is about belief and imagination. It surveys various belief systems about the after-life, both from theological perspectives and the perspective of popular thought. It is also about how societies imagine the monster. Why do some cultures fear certain specific attributes of the dead than others? Are these attributes stable across space and time? Or can they be explained and understood historically? Why would we continue to believe in ghosts in an "age of reason"? The course will be a survey of ghost-lore across the world. It will study ghost-stories and myths, religious documents about the after-life and social practices such as funerals in order to understand the changing relationship between the dead and the living through time.
PHIL 206: Philosophy of Religion
Paul Draper
Div. 1 TTH 11:30-12:20
1 W 8:30-9:20
2 W 9:30-10:20
3 W 10:30-11:20
4 W 11:30-12:20
5 W 12:30-1:20
6 W 1:30-2:20
This course will compare two major worldviews: theism and naturalism. According to theism, the natural world was created by a perfect supernatural person (God). According to naturalism, the natural world is a closed system—in other words, there are no supernatural entities. The primary goal of this course will be to investigate the claims made by each of these two worldviews and to critically examine the evidence and arguments for and against them.
PHIL 206Y: Philosophy of Religion
Martin Beck Matustík
This is a long distance learning course offered by Purdue University, West Lafayette on its open campus on line @ blackboard-vista 4. To register, go to https://www.continuinged.purdue.edu/
While classical philosophical theology explored the existence and nature of God, modern doubts and suspicion about God gave rise to the philosophy of religion. The course will follow this historical development in reverse:
(1) From the 19th-century discourses on religion after “the death of God” to
(2) classical arguments for God’s existence to
(3) the Continental philosophy of religion that shifts emphasis from the “problem of God” to the task of spiritual self-transformation.
Required textbook:
David Stewart, Exploring the Philosophy of Religion, 5th ed. Prentice Hall, 2001. ISBN0-13-019519-7
PHIL 330: Religions of the East
Donald Mitchell
Div. 1 MWF 3:30-4:20
A study of the history, teachings, and present institutions of the religions of India, Southeast Asia, China, and Japan. This will include Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Shintoism, and Zoroastrianism.
PHIL 402: Studies in Medieval Christian Thought
Jeffrey Brower
Div. 1 MWF, 3:30-4:20
A study of some of the main trends and major figures of the Christian Middle Ages. Emphasis will be on the way thinkers from this period make use of philosophy in theology, especially in developing their views about such issues as the nature and existence of God, the nature and use of religious language, and specifically Christian doctrines such as Trinity, Incarnation, and Atonement. Some attention will also be given to the way in which medieval thinkers attempted to build on developments in the early church, especially those of the socalled Patristics. Readings (in English translation) may include Augustine, Boethius, Anselm, Abelard, Aquinas, Scotus, Ockham, and Suarez.
PHIL 430: Modern Religious Thought
Jacqueline Marina
Div. 1 TTH 12:00-1:15
An intensive study of some of the philosophical and theological problems that arose in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and some responses to them. We will be looking at figures such as Descartes, Locke, Hume, Lessing, and Kant.
PHIL 560: Studies in Eastern Philosophy
Donald Mitchell
Div. 1, W, 8:30-11:20
Chinese and Japanese Philosophy This course is for both undergraduate and graduate students, and will focus on readings from the classical to modern Chinese philosophical traditions, and modern Japanese philosophy. We will reach selections from early Chinese philosophers including Confucius, Mencius, Mo Tzu, Lao Tzu, and
Chuang Tzu, as well as later Neo-Taoist, Buddhist and Neo-Confucian philosophers. In terms of Japanese philosophy, we will survey some of the major figures in Japanese Buddhism, and then focus on the Kyoto School of modern Japanese philosophy. This will be a good opportunity to read and discuss the original writings of famous East Asian thinkers who have greatly influenced Chinese and Japanese cultures.
PHIL 580C: Philosophy of Soren Kierkegaard
Martin Matustik
Div. 1 W, 2:30-5:20
This course examines Kierkegaard in his own right and from the vantage-point of recent returns to him. Our focus will be on Kierkegaard’s second ethics, i.e., self-transformation. Required texts: Works we will consider in full are Fear and Trembling; Stages on Life’s Way; and Works of Love. For course excerpts from
Either/Or; Concluding Unscientific Postscript; Sickness unto Death; Practice in Christianity; and The Moment, we will use The Essential Kierkegaard (ed. H. & E. Hong). All primary works required for the course are in the new translations by H. & E. Hong, Princeton UP, volumes of Kierkegaard's Writings. Recommended commentaries: For FT, see Mooney’s works; for CUP, Westphal’s Becoming A Self and Evans’s Kierkegaard’s Fragments and Postscript. On WOL, see Ferreira, Love’s Grateful Striving and Evans’s, Kierkegaard’s Ethics of Love. For recent rereadings of Kierkegaard, see ed. vols. of Perkins’s International Kierkegaard Commentary; Hannay & Marino, The Cambridge Companion to Kierkegaard; Leon & Walsh, eds., Feminist Interpretations
of Søren Kierkegaard; Matuštík & Westphal, eds., Kierkegaard in Post/Modernity; Rée & Chamberlain, Kierkegaard: A Critical Reader; and Jegstrup's The New Kierkegaard. For background historical reading, see Kirmmse’s Kierkegaard in Golden Age Denmark, and Garff’s biography of Kierkegaard.
SOC 367: Religion in America
Dan Olson
Div. 1 MWF 12:30-1:20
Div. 2 TTH 4:30-5:45 Examines the social dimensions of religion in American life; religion in American culture; social profiles of America's religious groups, trends in individual religious commitment; and religion's impact on American life.
The following courses are Notre Dame Theology classes offered at St. Thomas Aquinas Center. Courses may be taken for UND or Purdue credit. Contact Dr. Thomas Ryba @ 743-4652 (or methexis@sttoms-purdue.org for more information or to register.
Theology 173: Introduction to Theology
M 7:15-10:00 (St.
Thomas Aquinas, Room 22)
Among the guiding questions considered in this class will be: How do theologians think? What do theologians argue about? How has theology developed? What are the most important theological ideas? Can we prove the existence of God? Does God have gender? Can God suffer? What is the Trinity? What is the incarnation of God? What are the Christian ideas of salvation? What is the Christian church? How do we know anything about God? Can we say anything meaningful about God? What is grace? Do we have freedom of will? What are sacraments? What is religious experience? Prerequisites: None. Course requirements: Attendance, participation, one book report, one take-home midterm and one take-home final exam. Auditors are welcome.
Theology 497: Directed Readings in Theology
To be arranged by Student & Instructor
This course provides an opportunity for students to explore individually tailored research topics and projects. The emphasis is upon independence, initiative and creativity within limits agreed upon by instructor and student. Students must meet with Dr. Ryba before the end of the second week of class to begin the development of a bibliography and to set regular meeting dates. If two or more students wish to work on joint interests, seminar-style meetings can be arranged. Topics in the past have included: readings in Protestant and Roman Catholic history, business ethics from a Christian perspective, Christianity and non-Christian religions and changing forms of the ministry in the Church. Possible topics for the future are open but subject to approval by the instructor. This is an opportunity for students to design their own courses. Prerequisites: One (or more) philosophy or theology course(s) or professor’s approval. Course Requirements: Bi-weekly meetings, journal, annotated bibliography and major (20+ pp.) paper. Auditors are welcome.
Theology 440/550P: Moral Theology
T 7:15-10:00 (St. Thomas Aquinas, Room 22)
As John Mahoney noted in his The Making of Moral Theology, the term ‘moral theology’ (theologia moralis) referring to a distinctive science systematically separate from all of the other branches of theology is of relatively recent vintage. It has only been in use since the Thomist renaissance at the end of the 16th century, in the wake of the Council of Trent. It is the purpose of this course to investigate the development of Roman Catholic moral theology against its wider historical horizon. This course is an introduction to the study of the basic elements of Christian moral experience and understanding as well as the criteria of Christian moral judgment and action, including the data of moral knowledge, theories of the ultimate end of human nature, ontic and epistemic aspects of sin, moral agency, the conscience, and the theories and methods for moral decision making. This study will be accomplished, historically, through a course of reading of major Christian ethical/moral theological thinkers (and their influences) including: pre-Christian philosophical sources, ancient medieval, modern and contemporary approaches to Christian moral theology/ethics and their philosophical influences. The culmination of this study will be a close reading of The Splendor of Truth, The Gospel of Life, and God is Love, with the previous readings as their backdrop. Prerequisites: Undergraduates: one course in philosophy/theology; Graduates: enrollment in the MA program or equivalent. Course Requirements: Undergraduates: attendance, participation, one book report, one take-home midterm, and one take-home final exam; Graduate students: attendance, participation, annotated bibliography, seminar presentation and one take-home term exam. Auditors are welcome.
FALL 2007 OFFERINGS
PHIL 206: PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
Michael Bergmann
Div. 1 TTH 10:30-11:20
1 W 8:30
2 W 9:30
3 W 10:30
4 W 11:30
5 W 12:30
6 W 1:30
The course will be divided into three parts. The first part of the course will deal with a question that has loomed large in the philosophical history of western monotheism (Judaism, Christianity and Islam): is belief in God rational? The focus here will be on arguments for God’s existence (such as the argument from miracles or the argument from the fact that the universe seems to have been designed), on arguments against God’s existence (e.g., the argument that a loving God wouldn’t permit terrible things to happen) and on whether belief in God can be rational if it isn’t supported by argument. The second part of the course will focus on the fact that there are many different religions in the world, most of which claim to be the only religion that is right about the most important truths. Our question here will be whether, in the face of this plurality of religions, it can be rational to think that one’s own religion is right and that other religions incompatible with it are mistaken. The third part of the course will focus on some questions that loom large in philosophical theology: can we be free if God foreknows what we will do? Does objective morality make sense given a nontheistic view of the world? How can theists make sense of the relation between God and morality given that it seems neither could be authoritative over the other? The course grade will be based on several short quizzes, a midterm exam and a final exam.
PHIL 330/H: RELIGIONS OF THE EAST
Donald Mitchell
Div. 1 MWF 2:30-3:20
We will study the major religious beliefs, ideals, practices and experiences of the important Eastern traditions. These traditions are: Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and Shinto. In the context of a historical survey, we will focus on their concepts of Ultimate Reality, the human person, the world and the meaning of life. We will enhance this historical study with an original text from India, a novel, and a comparative work.
PHIL 331: RELIGIONS OF THE WEST
Jacqueline Mariña
Div. 1 MWF 12:30-1:20
In this course we will be exploring the three major Western traditions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam from a theological perspective. The belief systems of each of these traditions, their understanding of human transformation, and the forms of life attending them will be analyzed. We will be examining what each of these traditions has to say about 1) The relation of God and world as envisioned in the doctrine of Creation 2) Philosophical Anthropology (doctrine of the person) 3) Revelation 4) The Nature of Human Regeneration and 5) The Nature of God. This examination will be conducted from a comparative perspective. We will proceed by looking at what each tradition has to say about each topic and compare their answers.
PHIL 406: INTERMEDIATE PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
Paul Draper
Div. 1 TTh 10:30-11:45
This course examines the religious philosophies of Rudolf Otto (1869-1937) and John Hick (1922-). Otto was very interested in a particular sort of religious experience that he called "numinous feeling." Students in this course will study Otto’s description of numinous experiences and his views about the conditions that evoke them. Students will also discuss whether these experiences are cross-cultural and perceptual, and, if so, whether it is unreasonable to dismiss them all as delusory. One of Hick’s major concerns is the problem of religious diversity: given the great diversity of religious beliefs, practices, and experiences in the world, should one reject all religions, reject all but one, or search for and accept some kernel of truth shared by them all? This course will compare Otto’s and Hick’s answers to this question in light of their different views about religious experience.
ENGL 264: THE BIBLE AS LITERATURE
Sandor Goodhart
Div. 1 MWF 3:30-4:20
The Bible has been of enormous literary significance, especially in countries within the Near-Eastern or European traditions. The Judeo-Christian scriptures are at once a collection of beautiful literary texts, and a record of various religious and other cultural values. What is more, the Bible has functioned as a literary source from which later generations have drawn themes, images, stylistic devices, and so on.
HIST 302F: Religion in American Society
Franklin Lambert
Div. 1 MWF 9:30-10:20
This course examines the place and role of religion in American society, culture, and politics. It begins with an examination of the place of religion during early English settlement and at the founding of the new republic in 1776. We will explore the meaning of America as a “Christian Nation” and how that term has changed over time. We will look at the interaction between spiritual, secular, and material cultures as a matrix within which moral issues are debated. We will look at the intersection of religion and politics at specific moments, such as the early 19c debate over delivering the mails on Sunday, the split of major Protestant bodies over questions of sectionalism and the expansion of slavery, state laws prohibiting the teaching of evolution in public schools, religious critiques of the “welfare state,” debates over such foreign affairs questions as recognition of Israel, dropping the atomic bomb, and participation in the United Nations, the civil rights movement as a religious movement, the rise of the “Religious Right,” and the reemergence of the “Religious Left.”
HIST 317: A HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH AND THE EXPANSION OF CHRISTIANITY I
Debra Fleetham
Div. 1 TTH 4:30-5:45
The Christian Church shaped the West, and continues to influence it profoundly. Born within the ancient Roman Empire, Christianity survives in diverse forms throughout the world: the Church is arguably the most influential and long-lived institution in world history. Tracing the Church’s evolution from its foundations to the fourteenth century, History 317 will concentrate on five interlocking themes: 1) the Christianization of the Roman Empire and of the Germanic peoples; 2) the hierarchical structure and governance of the Church; 3) the relations between the Church and various monarchies; 4) the rise, triumph, and decline of papal authority; and 5) the principal movements aiming at the reform of the Church. Until about 600 CE, the course concerns the Church throughout the Mediterranean world. Thereafter, it concentrates on the Latin Church in Western Europe, devoting little attention to the Greek, Oriental, or Slavic churches.
IDIS 491S: ANCIENT JUDAISM AND EARLY CHRISTIANITY
Stuart Roberston
Div. 1 TTH 3:00-4:15
This course is a study of the emergence of Judaism and the rise of Christianity out of roots in the history of ancient Israel. This will include noticing the effects of Greek culture, evidence of anti-Semitism and admiration of the Jews, conversion in a setting of religious pluralism, and the development of Jewish and Christian self-definition in this climate.
SOC 367: RELIGION IN AMERICA
Div. 1 MWF 9:30-10:20
Div. 2 TTH
3:00-4:15
Div. 3 TTH 4:30-5:45
Religion has played a prominent role in the
development of the American culture. From the celebrated religions of colonial
times to the evangelical and immigrant faiths that followed, religion has served
to arouse and resist cultural change. Today, the impact of religion remains
strong. With over ninety percent of Americans claiming affiliation with a
religious denomination and over sixty percent holding membership with a local
religious organization, involvement in religion towers over all other voluntary
associations in the United States. Indeed, many of the most hotly contested
social issues, such as abortion, school prayer, and First Amendment rights,
remain closely tied to religion. This course will look at religion in the
context of the American culture. We will look at how religion interacts with
other institutions in America, and how the religious beliefs and involvement of
individuals influence their behavior and attitudes. We will also take a close
look at religious organizations. How are they organized? Why are some growing
as others decline?
SOC 567: RELIGION IN SOCIAL CONTEXT
James
Davidson
Div. 1 TTH 12:00-1:15
Examines the social bases of religion at
the societal, organizational, and individual levels. Topics include the
formation of religious groups and ideas; social dynamics within religious
groups; religion's persistence over time; and the conditions under which
religion tends to change.
The following courses are Notre Dame Theology classes offered at St. Thomas Aquinas Center. Courses may be taken for UND or Purdue credit. Contact Dr. Thomas Ryba @ 743-4652 (or methexis@sttoms-purdue.org for more information or to register
Theology 371: History of Christian Theology (to 1600)
M 7:15-10:00
p.m.
Theology 497: Directed Readings in Theology
To be arranged by student and instructor.
This course provides an opportunity for students to explore individually tailored research topics and projects. The emphasis is upon independence, initiative and creativity within limits agreed upon by instructor and student. Students must meet with Dr. Ryba before the end of the second week of class to begin the development of a bibliography and to set regular meeting dates. If two or more students wish to work on joint interests, seminar-style meetings can be arranged. Topics in the past have included: readings in Protestant and Roman Catholic history, business ethics from a Christian perspective, Christianity and non-Christian religions and changing forms of the ministry in the Church. Possible topics for the future are open but subject to approval by the instructor. This is an opportunity for students to design their own courses. Prerequisites: One (or more) philosophy or theology course(s) or professor’s approval. Course Requirements: Bi-weekly meetings, journal, annotated bibliography and major (20+ pp.) paper.
Theology 421/532P*: Christology
T 7:15-10:00 p.m.
Who was Jesus Christ? What was his mission? What does it mean for Christians to affirm that he was both God and Man? Jesus Christ’s historical and ontological identity is at the basis of any understanding of Christianity or Christian theology. Although the Trinity is rightly termed the central doctrine of the Christian tradition, Christians believe that Jesus Christ, in message and person, was the primary revelation the nature of this tri-personal God. Therefore, according to the order of revelation, Christology precedes Trinitology
In this course, we will examine the historical development of Christology from New Testament times to the late 20th/early 21st century. Particular emphasis will be placed on the New Testament data and on conciliar dogmatic formulations in their historical settings. Issues addressed will include: the nature of the hypostatic union, the hypothetical consciousness of Jesus Christ, the necessity of the Incarnation, the works of Jesus Christ, the suffering of Jesus Christ, the necessity of the atonement, etc. Also examined will be notable contemporary interpretations of Christology such as those of Bultmann, Lonergan, Schillebeeckx, Rahner, Lonergan, Pannenberg, Kasper, et al., especially as these have expanded the understanding of Jesus Christ at the dawn of the 21st century. Prerequisites: Undergraduates: One (or more) Philosophy or Theology course(s) or professor’s approval. Graduate Level: Enrollment in the UND MA theology satellite program or similar class standing at Purdue. Course Requirements: Undergraduates: two seminar papers; MA students: (a) an annotated bibliography, (b) two seminar papers.
SPRING 2007 OFFERINGS
PHIL 206: PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
Michael Bergmann
Div. 1 TTH 8:30-9:20
1 W 8:30
2 W 9:30
3 W 10:30
4 W 11:30
5 W 12:30
6 W 1:30
The course will be divided into three parts. The first part of the course will deal with a question that has dominated the philosophical history of western monotheism (Judaism, Christianity and Islam): is belief in God rational? The focus here will be on arguments for God’s existence (such as the argument from miracles or the argument from the fact that the universe seems to have been designed), on arguments against God’s existence (e.g., the argument that a loving God wouldn’t permit terrible things to happen) and on whether belief in God can be rational if it isn’t supported by argument. The second part of the course will focus on the fact that there are many different religions in the world, most of which claim to be the only religion that is right about the most important truths. Our question here will be whether, in the face of this plurality of religions, it can be rational to think that one’s own religion is right and that other religions incompatible with it are mistaken. The third part of the course will focus on some questions that loom large in philosophical theology: can we be free if God foreknows what we will do? Does objective morality make sense given a non-theistic view of the world? How can theists make sense of the relation between God and morality given that it seems neither is authoritative over the other? The course grade will be based on several short quizzes, a midterm exam and a final exam.
PHIL 330/H: RELIGIONS OF THE EAST
Donald Mitchell
Div. 1 MWF 2:30-3:20
We will study the major religious beliefs, ideals, practices and experiences of the important Eastern traditions. These traditions are: Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and Shinto. In the context of a historical survey, we will focus on their concepts of Ultimate Reality, the human person, the world and the meaning of life. We will enhance this historical study with an original text from India, a novel, and a comparative work.
PHIL 331: RELIGIONS OF THE WEST
G.A. Dunn
Div. 1 MWF 8:30-9:20
In this course we will be exploring the three major Western traditions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam from a theological perspective. The belief systems of each of these traditions, their understanding of human transformation, and the forms of life attending them will be analyzed. We will be examining what each of these traditions has to say about 1) The relation of God and world as envisioned in the doctrine of Creation 2) Philosophical Anthropology (doctrine of the person) 3) Revelation 4) The Nature of Human Regeneration and 5) The Nature of God. This examination will be conducted from a comparative perspective. We will proceed by looking at what each tradition has to say about each topic and compare their answers.
ENGL 462: THE BIBLE AS LITERATURE - OLD TESTAMENT
Sandor Goodhart
Div. 1 MW 3:30-4:45
A study of Hebrew Scripture: the Pentateuch, the books of the Prophets, and the Holy Writings. Our goal will be to read the texts of the Hebrew Bible closely in an effort to understand what a literary interpretation of the Bible would look like and the way in which the Bible has been read from within the Jewish Rabbinic tradition. Our texts will be drawn from Everett Fox's The Five Books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy (The Schocken Bible, V. 1), and the Tanakh: A New Translation of the Holy Scriptures According to the Traditional Hebrew Text (Jewish Publication Society). Prerequisite: English 264 or permission of the instructor.
HIST 318: A HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH AND THE EXPANSION OF CHRISTIANITY II
Debra Fleetham
Div. 1 TTH 4:30-5:45
A continuation of History 317, the Reformation, and the major developments in Christianity and the churches in modern world.
HIST 492B: THE ART OF DARKNESS: THE DEAD AND THE UNDEAD IN HISTORY
Tithi Bhattacharya
Div. 1 TTH 10:30-11:45
IDIS 330/H, ENGL 396A, HIST 302D, & POL 493A: INTRODUCTION TO JEWISH STUDIES Daniel Frank
Div. 1 TTH 12:00-1:15
SOC 367: RELIGION IN AMERICA
James Davidson
Div. 1 MWF
11:30-12:20
Div. 2 TTH 4:30-5:45
Div. 3 TTH 10:30-11:45
Religion has
played a prominent role in the development of the American culture. From the
celebrated religions of colonial times to the evangelical and immigrant faiths
that followed, religion has served to arouse and resist cultural change. Today,
the impact of religion remains strong. With over ninety percent of Americans
claiming affiliation with a religious denomination and over sixty percent
holding membership with a local religious organization, involvement in religion
towers over all other voluntary associations in the United States. Indeed, many
of the most hotly contested social issues, such as abortion, school prayer, and
First Amendment rights, remain closely tied to religion. This course will look
at religion in the context of the American culture. We will look at how
religion interacts with other institutions in America, and how the religious
beliefs and involvement of individuals influence their behavior and attitudes.
We will also take a close look at religious organizations. How are they
organized? Why are some growing as others decline?
The following courses are Notre Dame Theology classes offered at St. Thomas Aquinas Center. Courses may be taken for UND or Purdue credit. Contact Dr. Thomas Ryba @ 743-4652 (or methexis@sttoms-purdue.org for more information or to register
THEOLOGY 373: THE WESTERN CHRISTIAN MYSTICAL PATH
M 7:15-10:00
p.m.
THEOLOGY 497: DIRECTED READINGS IN THEOLOGY To be arranged by student and instructor
This course provides an opportunity for students to explore individually tailored research topics and projects. The emphasis is upon independence, initiative and creativity within limits agreed upon by instructor and student. Students must meet with Dr. Ryba before the end of the second week of class to begin the development of a bibliography and to set regular meeting dates. If two or more students wish to work on joint interests, seminar-style meetings can be arranged. Topics in the past have included: readings in Protestant and Roman Catholic history, business ethics from a Christian perspective, Christianity and non-Christian religions and changing forms of the ministry in the Church. Possible topics for the future are open but subject to approval by the instructor. This is an opportunity for students to design their own courses. Prerequisites: One (or more) philosophy or theology course(s) or professor’s approval.
Course Requirements: Bi-weekly meetings, journal, annotated bibliography and major (20+ pp.) paper. Auditors are welcome.
THEOLOGY 450/550P: FUNDAMENTAL THEOLOGY (APOLOGETICS)
T 7:15-10:00 P.M. Fundamental theology is of recent vintage, but has a pedigre that connects it to an older division of theology known as "Apologetics." In light of contemporary understandings of human conviction and knowledge, this dual-level (undergraduate and graduate) seminar-style class will focus on one of the foundations of Christian theology: the strength of the Christian revelation claim. Among the possible topics addressed will be the following: reason and personal authority as grounds of human certitude, the assent of faith vs. rational knowledge, religious doubt vs. agnosticism, and atheism, the fundamental human situation in the horizon of being, revelation as a trans-rational disclosure of God, the credibility of the miraculous, the incarnation as the revelation of God in time, significance of the historicity of the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ to the religious claims of Christianity, the problem of competing truth claims from other religious traditions, possible argument forms for the existence of God and the meaning and plausibility of the doctrines of infallibility and inerrancy as they apply to scripture and personal authority. These topics will be explored through readings in 20th and 21st century sources. Prerequisites: Undergraduates: one course in philosophy/theology; Graduates: enrollment in the MA program or equivalent. Course Requirements: Undergraduates: Attendance, participation and two seminar papers. MA students: an annotated bibliography, and two seminar papers.
FALL 2006 OFFERINGS
PHIL 206: PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
Michael Bergmann
Div. 1 TTH 10:30-11:20
1 W 8:30
2 W 9:30
3 W 10:30
4 W 11:30
5 W 12:30
6 W 1:30
The course will be divided into three parts. The first part of the course will deal with a question that has dominated the philosophical history of western monotheism (Judaism, Christianity and Islam): is belief in God rational? The focus here will be on arguments for God’s existence (such as the argument from miracles or the argument from the fact that the universe seems to have been designed), on arguments against God’s existence (e.g., the argument that a loving God wouldn’t permit terrible things to happen) and on whether belief in God can be rational if it isn’t supported by argument. The second part of the course will focus on the fact that there are many different religions in the world, most of which claim to be the only religion that is right about the most important truths. Our question here will be whether, in the face of this plurality of religions, it can be rational to think that one’s own religion is right and that other religions incompatible with it are mistaken. The third part of the course will focus on some questions that loom large in philosophical theology: can we be free if God foreknows what we will do? Does objective morality make sense given a non-theistic view of the world? How can theists make sense of the relation between God and morality given that it seems neither is authoritative over the other? The course grade will be based on several short quizzes, a midterm exam and a final exam.
PHIL 302: HISTORY OF MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY
Daniel Frank
Div. 1 TTH 10:30-11:45
The medieval period is characaterized as a religious age and a distinctive feature of medieval philosophy is the place that it reserves for revealed religion. In this course we shall have a look at the medieval period in philosophy (circa 400-1400) and see how philosophers, lovers of truth and wisdom, made room for revelation. We will see how genuine philosophical inquiry into the nature of reality and the foundations of knowledge is transformed in light of a revealed truth, a truth undiscoverable by reason unaided. Of special significance for us in this course will be to determine the limits of human reason in understanding the nature of reality. To what extent can humankind comprehend truth, and at what point is skepticism mandated, and faith required? We shall read widely in the field, commencing with some necessary background in ancient philosophy and in the early Christian (Patristic) period. Our main focus will be on the early and high middle ages, and philosophers to be read and discussed include Augustine, Boethius, Anselm, Saadia, Maimonides, Aquinas, Bonaventure, Duns Scotus, and Ockham. If time permits, we may read some 'reactions' to the medieval philosophical project by such Renaissance and Reformation thinkers as Erasmus, Luther, and Calvin, concluding perhaps with a look at the Galileo controversy and the first great conflict between religion and science in the early seventeenth century.
PHIL 330: RELIGIONS OF THE EAST
Donald Mitchell
Div. 1 MWF 2:30-3:20
We will study the major religious beliefs, ideals, practices and experiences of the important Eastern traditions. These traditions are: Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and Shinto. In the context of a historical survey, we will focus on their concepts of Ultimate Reality, the human person, the world and the meaning of life. We will enhance this historical study with an original text from India, a novel, and a comparative work.
PHIL 331: RELIGIONS OF THE WEST
Jacqueline Marina
Div. 1 MWF 11:30-12:20
In this course we will be exploring the three major Western traditions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam from a theological perspective. The belief systems of each of these traditions, their understanding of human transformation, and the forms of life attending them will be analyzed. We will be examining what each of these traditions has to say about 1) The relation of God and world as envisioned in the doctrine of Creation 2) Philosophical Anthropology (doctrine of the person) 3) Revelation 4) The Nature of Human Regeneration and 5) The Nature of God. This examination will be conducted from a comparative perspective. We will proceed by looking at what each tradition has to say about each topic and compare their answers.
PHIL 431: CONTEMPORARY RELIGIOUS THOUGHT
Jacqueline Marina
Div. 1 MWF 1:30-2:20
In this course we will examine the crisis of meaning faced by Christianity and other faiths in the modern “post-Christian” secular world, particularly as this crisis has been shaped by the Enlightenment demystification of religion and the “disenchantment” of the world. We will first examine some foundational texts of the Enlightenment reflecting this process of the demystification of religion. We will then be looking at several different attempts to construct a “mediating” theology, that is, a theology that strives to meet the demands of a critical and autonomous reason as well as those of faith. Contemporary attempts to come to grips with the problem of rendering Christianity a “live” option in an increasingly secular world also have had to deal with the present crisis of traditional modernity in the contemporary “post-modern” world. Consequently, in this course we will not only attempt to come to grips with the problem of the meaning of Christianity given the Enlightenment critique of religion, but we will also struggle with the challenges to religion posed by post-modernism.
PHIL 506: ADVANCED PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
Staff
Div. 1 W 8:30-11:20
A detailed critical investigation of some central problems in a philosophical approach to religion. Readings will be selected from leading representatives of traditional theism and various contemporary schools. The thought of the representative thinkers will be analyzed, discussed, and critically evaluated. The problems discussed will be selected from the existence of God, the problem of evil, freedom and determinism, the problem of immortality, and the nature of religious language.
ENGL 264: THE BIBLE AS LITERATURE
Dorothy Deering
Div. 1 MWF 9:30-10:20
My section of English 264 will read selected portions of the Hebrew Bible, New Testament, and Apocrypha. The course will entail a close study of a variety of literary forms and techniques: the structure of historical and biographical narratives (the Garden of Eden, the Exodus from Egypt, the Crucifixion/Resurrection), development of plot and character (in the stories of Abraham, David, Elijah, Jesus), and growth of prophetic and poetic styles and traditions (Isaiah, Micah, Job, Psalms), and the distinctive features of wisdom (proverbs, parables) and apocalyptic literature (Daniel, Revelation). Students will write two brief papers, a mid-term and a final exam. Students will participate in team discussions.
HIST 317: A HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH AND THE EXPANSION OF CHRISTIANITY I
Debra Fleetham
Div. 1 TTH 4:30-5:45
The Christian Church shaped the West, and continues to influence it profoundly. Born within the ancient Roman Empire, Christianity survives in diverse forms throughout the world: the Church is arguably the most influential and long-lived institution in world history. Tracing the Church’s evolution from its foundations to the fourteenth century, History 317 will concentrate on five interlocking themes: 1) the Christianization of the Roman Empire and of the Germanic peoples; 2) the hierarchical structure and governance of the Church; 3) the relations between the Church and various monarchies; 4) the rise, triumph, and decline of papal authority; and 5) the principal movements aiming at the reform of the Church. Until about 600 CE, the course concerns the Church throughout the Mediterranean world. Thereafter, it concentrates on the Latin Church in Western Europe, devoting little attention to the Greek, Oriental, or Slavic churches.
HIST 492B: FAITH AND SUPERSTITION
Tithi Bhattacharya
Div. 1 TTH
3:00-4:15
SOC 367: RELIGION IN AMERICA
James Davidson
Div. 1 TTH
12:00-1:15
Div. 2 MWF 2:30-3:20
Div. 3 MWF 3:30-4:20
SOC 367X TH
6:00-8:50 PM
Religion has played a prominent role in the development of the
American culture. From the celebrated religions of colonial times to the
evangelical and immigrant faiths that followed, religion has served to arouse
and resist cultural change. Today, the impact of religion remains strong. With
over ninety percent of Americans claiming affiliation with a religious
denomination and over sixty percent holding membership with a local religious
organization, involvement in religion towers over all other voluntary
associations in the United States. Indeed, many of the most hotly contested
social issues, such as abortion, school prayer, and First Amendment rights,
remain closely tied to religion. This course will look at religion in the
context of the American culture. We will look at how religion interacts with
other institutions in America, and how the religious beliefs and involvement of
individuals influence their behavior and attitudes. We will also take a close
look at religious organizations. How are they organized? Why are some growing
as others decline?
SOC 567: RELIGION IN SOCIAL CONTEXT
James Davidson
Div. 1 TTH
3:00-4:15
Examines the social bases of religion at the societal,
organizational, and individual levels. Topics include the formation of religious
groups and ideas; social dynamics within religious groups; religion's
persistence over time; and the conditions under which religion tends to change.
The following courses are Notre Dame Theology classes offered at St. Thomas Aquinas Center. Courses may be taken for UND or Purdue credit. Contact Dr. Thomas Ryba @ 743-4652 (or methexis@sttoms-purdue.org for more information or to register
THEOLOGY 271: HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN AFTERLIFE
M 7:15-10:00 p.m.
Since its earliest formulation, the Christian idea of the afterlife has
been in a process of continuous theological development. This development has
depended on how Christians have interpreted scripture and on the diverse
metaphors they have selected to convey enjoyment of God's presence and
separation from it. In addition, many of the differences between emergent
formulations were rooted in the way Christians understood religious achievement,
that is, whether they thought the afterlife had degrees (or "planes")
corresponding to states of holiness and reprobation or whether they thought it
had a flattened topography appropriate to a single fate. In this course, we
will explore the ways Christians have envisioned the afterlife, a course of
exploration which will include: the New Testament descriptions of heaven as a
banquet and hell as Gehenna, the Apocryphal notions of celestial and
infernal voyages, the Patristic and Medieval four-part formulations (of heaven,
purgatory limbo and hell), mystical and 19th century descriptions of heaven as
sexual union and hell as separation from the beloved, and the 20th century idea
that perpetual punishment be abandoned in favor of the afterlife as a "process
of education."
Auditors are welcome!
THEOLOGY 497: DIRECTED READINGS IN THEOLOGY To be arranged by student and instructor
This course provides an opportunity for students to explore individually tailored research topics and projects. The emphasis is upon independence, initiative and creativity within limits agreed upon by instructor and student. Students must meet with Dr. Ryba before the end of the second week of class to begin the development of a bibliography and to set regular meeting dates. If two or more students wish to work on joint interests, seminar-style meetings can be arranged. Topics in the past have included: readings in Protestant and Roman Catholic history, business ethics from a Christian perspective, Christianity and non-Christian religions and changing forms of the ministry in the Church. Possible topics for the future are open but subject to approval by the instructor. This is an opportunity for students to design their own courses. Prerequisites: One (or more) philosophy or theology course(s) or professor’s approval.
Course Requirements: Bi-weekly meetings, journal, annotated bibliography and major (20+ pp.) paper. Auditors are welcome.
THEOLOGY 430/530P: SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY
T 7:15-10:00 P.M. This dual-level (undergraduate and graduate) introduction to the nature, tasks and methods of Systematic Theology is designed to focus on some of its exemplary architects. Selections from the writings of Origen of Alexadria, St. Augustine of Hippo, St. Thomas Aquinas, John Calvin, Francis Turretin, Karl Barth, Paul Tillich, Karl Rahner, Hans Urs Von Balthasar, et al., will be read as examples for the conduct of systematic theological inquiry. Among the issues addressed will be: what a theological system (or the systematic conduct of theological inquiry) is, the relation between faith and reason, the role of experience as a theological datum, rhetoric and logic in theological argumentation, hermeneutical issues in the use of scriptural sources, and the idea of completeness in the relationship between the various theological sub-programs (doctrine of God, soteriology, ecclesiology, etc.). Prerequisites: Undergraduates: one course in philosophy/theology; Graduates: enrollment in the MA program or equivalent. Course Requirements:
Undergraduates: Attendance, participation and two seminar presentations.
Graduate students: Attendance, participation, annotated bibliography, and two seminar presentations. Auditors are welcome.
SPRING 2006 OFFERINGS
PHIL 206: PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
Michael Bergmann
Div. 1 TTH 9:30-10:20
1 W 8:30
2 W 9:30
3 W 10:30
4 W 11:30
5 W 12:30
6 W 1:30
The course will be divided into three parts. The first part of the course will deal with a question that has dominated the philosophical history of western monotheism (Judaism, Christianity and Islam): is belief in God rational? The focus here will be on arguments for God’s existence (such as the argument from miracles or the argument from the fact that the universe seems to have been designed), on arguments against God’s existence (e.g., the argument that a loving God wouldn’t permit terrible things to happen) and on whether belief in God can be rational if it isn’t supported by argument. The second part of the course will focus on the fact that there are many different religions in the world, most of which claim to be the only religion that is right about the most important truths. Our question here will be whether, in the face of this plurality of religions, it can be rational to think that one’s own religion is right and that other religions incompatible with it are mistaken. The third part of the course will focus on some questions that loom large in philosophical theology: can we be free if God foreknows what we will do? Does objective morality make sense given a non-theistic view of the world? How can theists make sense of the relation between God and morality given that it seems neither is authoritative over the other? The course grade will be based on several short quizzes, a midterm exam and a final exam.
PHIL 330: RELIGIONS OF THE EAST
Donald Mitchell
Div. 1 MWF
2:30-3:20
We will study the major religious beliefs, ideals, practices and
experiences of the important Eastern traditions. These traditions are: Hinduism,
Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and Shinto. In the context of a
historical survey, we will focus on their concepts of Ultimate Reality, the
human person, the world and the meaning of life. We will enhance this historical
study with an original text from India, a novel, and a comparative work.
PHIL 331: RELIGIONS OF THE WEST
George Dunn
Div. 1 MWF
1:30-2:20
This course is an introduction to the study of the major religious
traditions of the Western world - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Since it is
a survey, it will unavoidably be incomplete, covering the religions studied in
outline rather than in depth. Readings for the class will come from a textbook
that offers a brief scholarly account of each religion and from an assortment of
texts that speak from within these traditions. We seek a blend of scholarly
clarity and empathetic understanding of these traditions. This course is not
intended to indoctrinate you into any religious perspective. It is designed
instead to introduce you to the academic study of a set of religious traditions
that have had an unparalleled impact on the shape of Western thought and
culture.
PHIL 402: STUDIES IN MEDIEVAL CHRISTIAN THOUGHT
Jeffrey
Brower
Div. 1 TTH 10:30-11:45
A study of some of the main trends and major
figures of the Christian Middle Ages (roughly 400-1400 A.D.). Emphasis will be
on the way thinkers from this period make use of philosophy in theology,
especially in developing their views about such issues as the nature and
existence of God, the nature and use of religious language, and specifically
Christian doctrines such as Trinity, Incarnation, and Atonement. Some attention
will also be given to the way in which medieval thinkers attempted to build on
developments in the early church, especially those of the so-called Patristics.
Readings (in English translation) may include Augustine, Boethius, Anselm,
Abelard, Aquinas, Scotus, and Ockham.
ENGL 264: THE BIBLE AS LITERATURE
Sandor Goodhart
Div. 1 TTH
3:00-4:15
A study of selections from the Old and New Testaments as examples
of Hebrew and early Christian literature.
ENGL 413C: JOAN OF ARC LITERARY HISTORY
Ann Astell
Div. 1
TTH 3:00-4:15
A study of literature or film produced during a particular
well-defined historical period from the point of view of its social, political,
religious, and economic contexts. May be repeated for credit only with a
different topic.
HIST 318: A HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH AND THE EXPANSION OF
CHRISTIANITY II
Debra Fleetham
Div. 1 TTH 4:30-5:45
This course is a survey of the history of Western Christianity
from the Reformation to the present in the context of wider political and social
developments. The course focuses on three broad themes. First, it examines
Christian reform movements including the Protestant and Catholic reformations,
pietism, evangelicalism, social justice, the Second Vatican Council, and
ecumenism as well as the institutional responses to them. Second, it considers
the changing role of Christianity in modern society, in particular the dynamic
of secularization. Third, it traces the spread of Western Christianity beyond
Europe and the increasing influence of churches in the developing world within
the Church.
HIST 492B: THE ART OF DARKNESS: THE DEAD AND UNDEAD IN HISTORY
Tithi Bhattacharya
Div. 1 TTH 10:30-11:45
This course will be a survey of ghost-lore across the world. It will examine various belief-systems about the after-life, both from theological perspectives and the perspective of popular thought. The course is also about how societies imagine the monster. Why do some cultures fear certain specific attributes of the dead than others? Are these attributes stable across space and time? Or can they be explained and understood historically? Why do we continue to believe in ghosts in an "age of reason"?
SOC 367: RELIGION IN AMERICA
Div. 1 TTH 12:00-1:15 Yang
Div. 2 MWF 9:30-10:20 K. Morgan
Div. 3 MWF 12:30-1:20 S. Fournier
SOC 367X M 6:00-8:50 K. Morgan
Religion has played a prominent role in the development of the American culture. From the celebrated religions of colonial times to the evangelical and immigrant faiths that followed, religion has served to arouse and resist cultural change. Today, the impact of religion remains strong. With over ninety percent of Americans claiming affiliation with a religious denomination and over sixty percent holding membership with a local religious organization, involvement in religion towers over all other voluntary associations in the United States. Indeed, many of the most hotly contested social issues, such as abortion, school prayer, and First Amendment rights, remain closely tied to religion. This course will look at religion in the context of the American culture. We will look at how religion interacts with other institutions in America, and how the religious beliefs and involvement of individuals influence their behavior and attitudes. We will also take a close look at religious organizations. How are they organized? Why are some growing as others decline?
SOC 568: RELIGION AND SOCIETY
James Davidson
Div. 1 TTH 3:00-4:15
The following courses are Notre Dame Theology classes offered at St. Thomas Aquinas Center. Courses may be taken for UND or Purdue credit. Contact Dr. Thomas Ryba @ 743-4652 (or methexis@sttoms-purdue.org for more information or to register
Theology 173: Introduction to Theology
M 7:15-10:00
Among the guiding questions considered in this class will be: How do theologians think? What do theologians argue about? How has theology developed? What are the most important theological ideas? Can we prove the existence of God? Does God have gender? Can God suffer? What is the Trinity? What is the incarnation of God? What are the Christian ideas of salvation? What is the Christian church? How do we know anything about God? Can we say anything meaningful about God? What is grace? Do we have freedom of will? What are sacraments? What is religious experience?
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Prerequisites: None. Auditors welcome.
Course requirements: Attendance, participation, one book report, one take-home midterm and one take-home final exam.
Theology 475: Four Who Shaped Contemporary Catholic Theology, Delubac, Congar, Rahner and Von Balthasar
W, 7:15-10:00
Henry De Lubac (1896-1991), Karl Rahner (1904-1984), Yves Congar (1904-1995) and Hans Urs Von Balthasar (1905-1988), all born at the beginning of the twentieth century, grew to intellectual maturity at precisely the opportune moment to shape the content of Vatican II as well as to influence all subsequent Roman Catholic theology. This course is an exploration of two key works (of each author) leading to an appreciation of each theologian’s unique thematic contributions to Roman Catholic theology and to Christian theology in general. Among the theological themes explored will be: the unity of nature and grace, the meaning of revelation, the role of the laity in the Church, the universality of salvation, the nature and meaning of life after death, among other topics. The impact of these themes on Vatican II and post-Vatican II theology will also be studied.
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Prerequisites: A previous course in philosophy or theology or the permission of Dr. Ryba
Course Requirements: Course requirements: Attendance, participation, and the oral presentation of two papers (10-15 pp.) on the significance of two different theologians.
Theology 440/550: Foundations of Moral Theology
T, 7:15-10:00
As John Mahoney noted in his The Making of Moral Theology, the term ‘moral theology’ (theologia moralis) referring to a distinctive science systematically separate from all of the other branches of theology is of relatively recent vintage. It has only been in use since the Thomist renaissance at the end of the 16th century, in the wake of the Council of Trent. Even so, the systematic consideration of Christian morality or ethics is both much older than this and has a wider scope than the Roman Catholic inflection. It is the purpose of this course to investigate the development of Roman Catholic moral theology against its wider historical horizon. This course is an introduction to the study of the basic elements of Christian moral experience and understanding as well as the criteria of Christian moral judgment and action, including the data of moral knowledge, theories of the ultimate end of human nature, ontic and epistemic aspects of sin, moral agency, the conscience, and the theories and methods for moral decision making. This study will be accomplished, historically, through a course of reading of major Christian ethical/moral theological thinkers (and their influences) including: pre-Christian philosophical sources, ancient medieval, modern and contemporary approaches to Christian moral theology/ethics and their philosophical influences. The culmination of this study will be a close reading of John Paul II’s Veritatis Splendor with the previous readings as its backdrop.
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Prerequisites: Undergraduates: one course in philosophy/theology; Graduates: enrollment in the MA program or equivalent.
Course Requirements: Undergraduates: attendance, participation, one book report, one in-class presentation and one term-paper; Graduate students: attendance, participation, annotated bibliography, seminar presentation and term paper.