Boston College
School of Theology & Ministry
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMHC7285
"Where Two or Three are Gathered": A History of Religious Life in the West
BTI Category:
Church History/History of Religions
Semester:
SP23
This course will consider broadly and in narrative fashion the existence of religious life and religious communities in the history of the church, primarily in the West. From the early days of the church, intentional communities have existed. Eventually, communities of desert monastics arose and monastic rules developed. Religious life came to be ordered in particular ways, eventually in what we would think of as religious orders with governing structures, but also in the form of confraternities and lay movements. This course will explore instances of religious life—lay, vowed, and clerical—from the deserts to the cities, from patristic times through the medieval, modern, and postmodern periods. The course will consider not only arrangements and institutions, but also the spirituality of various groups and the attempt to follow Christ more closely by Christian women and men throughout time.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Stephen Molvarec, S.J.
M
12:30 – 2:50
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
PREREQ: A previous church history or historical theology course is desirable but not required.
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMHC7027
History of Western Christianity II, 850-1650
BTI Category:
Church History/History of Religions
Semester:
SP23
General survey of Western Christianity, with special emphasis on institutional, theological, pastoral and spiritual issues. Lays the foundation for understanding many features of the Church today. Topics include monasticism, establishment of the modern papacy, lay apostolic movements (e.g. beguines), religious orders (e.g., Franciscans, Jesuits), heresies, crusades, inquisitions, scholasticism, saints (e.g., Hildegard of Bingen, Francis of Assisi, Ignatius of Loyola), popular devotions, women in church, mysticism, Protestant Reformation, church councils (e.g., Trent), overseas evangelization. Lectures, readings in primary sources, focused discussion.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Catherine M. Mooney
T
12:30 - 3:20
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
N
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMHC8130
Pilgrimage: History, Theology, and Actuality
BTI Category:
Church History/History of Religions
Semester:
SP23
Pilgrimage is a phenomenon that has shaped Christianity from its inception to our days. The immense popularity of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, in Spain, has generated numerous reflections in recent decades, as well as a flood of works, both popular and scholarly. Taking a large view, the course will explore the history and theology of the practice of pilgrimage, especially in its Christian dimension, but extend also to its actuality as a spiritual practice at the frontier of the institution (within and without), and linked to the narrative construction of the self. The scope of documents read will include historical documents, spiritual texts, Church documents, contemporary narratives and studies, as well as films.
Professor
Class Day & Time
André Brouillette, S.J.
W
6:30 - 8:50
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
Y
Notes:
PREREQ: one year of theological study
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMHC7179
History of Western Christianity III: Catholicism from the French Revolution to Vatican II
BTI Category:
Church History/History of Religions
Semester:
SP23
What John O’Malley, S.J. calls the Church’s “long nineteenth century,” from the French revolution to the 1950’s, although often considered a period of secularization, was also a great age of renewal for the Roman Catholic Church. It witnessed a tremendous institutional growth of the Church, the assertion of doctrinal and administrative control from Rome known as ultramontanism, the flowering of spirituality and devotional life, and the spread of the faith from Europe throughout the world by means of extensive missionary activity. This course will consider the institutional and intellectual transformation of the Church in the nineteenth century, but will also pay close attention to changes in popular piety and the social role of the Church. Focus will be both topical and regional.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Jeffrey von Arx, S.J.
MW
8:30 - 9:50
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
PREREQ: Some undergraduate or graduate study of church history, theology, or women’s history relevant to this course; feel free to contact the professor if in doubt
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMHC8067
The Book of Job in the Middle Ages
BTI Category:
Church History/History of Religions
Semester:
SP23
Throughout the Middle Ages the Old Testament Book of Job attracted the attention, scholarly acumen, and artistic insight of a number of Christian clerics, exegetes, theologians, philosophers, historians, poets, and painters. This course surveys some of the most important medieval Christian engagements with and interpretations of Job, both in exegetical and theological works (e.g., the Moralia of Gregory the Great; the commentaries of Thomas Aquinas, Albertus Magnus, and Nicholas of Lyra; and commentaries on the Sentences of Peter Lombard), on the one hand, and in vernacular and popular works (e.g., artistic depictions, Old English literature, the sermons of John Wycliffe and his followers), on the other.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Franklin T. Harkins
W
4:00 - 6:20
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
Y
Notes:
PREREQ: a course in history of Christianity
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMHC7228
Introduction to Thomas Aquinas
BTI Category:
Church History/History of Religions
Semester:
SP23
This course provides an introduction to the theology of Thomas Aquinas (c. 1225-1274) in its historical, intellectual, and institutional contexts, with a focus on reading and understanding the primary texts of Thomas (in English translation). The course considers Thomas’s treatment of central theological topics including the nature and extent of theology, the status and interpretation of Sacred Scripture, the existence and essence of God, divine providence and predestination, God’s triune nature, creation, human nature, evil and sin, grace and its effects, merit, faith and its relationship to reason, the Incarnation, Christ’s passion and death, His resurrection and ascension, and the sacraments. Throughout attention will be given to Thomas’s assumptions and working method as a scholastic master and the uses he makes of various authorities (scriptural, patristic, philosophical, etc.) in the development of his theology.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Franklin T. Harkins
F
9:00 -12:00
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
Y
Notes:
N
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMHC7133
Discernment and Prayer in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius
BTI Category:
Church History/History of Religions
Semester:
SP23
A study of the spiritual doctrine of St. Ignatius Loyola as articulated in the text of the Spiritual Exercises, but with reference to other texts such as Ignatius’ Testament, letters, and the Constitutions of the Society of Jesus. The focus is how Ignatius’ treatment of prayer, discernment of spirits, and discernment of God’s will, work together to form a “contemplative in action.”
Professor
Class Day & Time
Barton Geger, S.J.
ASYN
ASYN
Online?
Y
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
N
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMHC8010
Medieval Liturgy
BTI Category:
Church History/History of Religions
Semester:
SP23
Liturgy in the West from Gregory the Great to the eve of the Reformation. Focus will be on the Eucharist and the Liturgical Year.
Professor
Class Day & Time
John F. Baldovin, S.J.
W
10:00-12:50
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
Y
Notes:
PREREQ: A course in either Liturgy or Sacraments/Eucharistic Theology; Knowledge of Latin is desirable, but not required.
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMHC8031
Seminar: Doctors of the Church: Hildegard, Catherine, Teresa and Therese
BTI Category:
Church History/History of Religions
Semester:
SP23
Just four women have been designated Doctors of the Church. They were, variously, church reformers, subjects of inquisitions, founders of religious movements, counselors to prelates, spiritual directors, theologians, preachers, visionaries, mystics, artists, religious nun or laywoman. We will examine how world events, ecclesiastical politics, and theological currents shaped and were shaped by them. The course will examine their writings; how each women understood herself, the Church, and Christian life in their respective eras; how their contemporaries understood or misunderstood them; and what motivated popes to declare them Doctors of the Church; and what they have to teach us today.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Catherine M. Mooney
R
3:30 - 6:20
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
Y
Notes:
PREREQ: Some undergraduate or graduate study of church history, theology, or women’s history relevant to this course; feel free to contact the professor if in doubt
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMPS8122
Canon Law of the Sacraments
BTI Category:
Church Polity/Canon Law
Semester:
SP23
This course examines Book IV of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, the sanctifying munus of the Church. It presents a canonical study of the Sacraments of the Catholic Church, other Acts of Divine Worship, and Sacred Places and Times. Special emphasis is placed on the Sacrament of Marriage, not only on substantive norms (cann. 1055 – 1165) but also on Book VII as regards the Process for Declaration of Marriage Nullity. A comparison with selected norms of the 1990 Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches will highlight some specificities of Sacramental Law of the Eastern Catholic Churches.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Andrea Ponzone
W
10:00 - 12:30
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
Y
Notes:
PREEQ: One year of graduate level theology.
Reccommended, but not required: TMPS8121 Introduction to Canon Law or its equivalent; Students who have not completed an introductory course in Canon Law are required (prior to the beginning of the course) to submit a preliminary essay to the instructor demonstrating basic knowledge and appropriation of the essential elements of the Code of Canon Law and insights from the work of Martin De Agar, Joseph T., A Handbook on Canon Law (Wilson & Lafleur, 2007).
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMCE7164
Call and Response: an Introduction to the Moral Life
BTI Category:
Ethics (all traditions)
Semester:
SP23
This course introduces the primary sources of the Catholic moral traditions from the Commandments and Beatitudes to the moral and theological virtues as a call and response to Christian discipleship. Attention will be given to the tradition’s warrants aligned with moral thought and the philosophical traditions of the virtues and the natural law. Key subjects considered are freedom, authority, sin, conscience, and virtue as well as discernment of the ways to be in a world paradoxically coherent with and contrary to the invitation God extends to all, development of those skills and practices that contribute to growth as a moral agent, and recourse to the remedies of failures encountered along the pilgrim’s way.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Mary Jo Iozzio
ASYN
ASYN
Online?
Y
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
N
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMCE8082
Social Sin, Responsibility, and Justice
BTI Category:
Ethics (all traditions)
Semester:
SP23
This course builds on Catholic social teaching found in the magisterial documentary history and brings the insights on social sin to bear on responsibility, accountability, and justice. Attention will be given to primary sources in light of the contemporary critique of abusive/sinful practices among persons with institutionalized power and authority exposed in anti-racist, post-colonial, and liberation thought. The course a) presents the common good as justice developed in these traditions, b) explores responsibility for the social, economic, educational, health, legal, and political status of vulnerable persons, and c) considers accountability by realizing the preferential option for the poor.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Mary Jo Iozzio
T
9:30 - 12:20
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
Y
Notes:
PREREQ: Two moral/ethics (two graduate or one graduate & one advanced undergrad)
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMTM2003
New Testament Greek II
BTI Category:
Languages
Semester:
SP23
The main objective of the course is to be able to read the New Testament in the original. This is the second part of the two semester course where we will finish all Croy’s lessons, provided that a good understanding and working knowledge of the material has been attained. We will cover a chapter every two class meetings and the third meeting we will have a review, a quiz and may introduce a new chapter depending on the progress. The students will be expected to master the basic grammar and most common vocabulary of the New Testament Greek, complete all assignments on time and participate actively in class.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Maria Kakavas
MW
Mon 3:30 - 4:45
Wed 4:00 - 5:15
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
Y
Notes:
PREREQ: TMNT2002 New Testament Greek I (or its equivalent); With permission of instructor, course can be taken for a letter grade.
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMTM2004
Intermediate Greek II
BTI Category:
Languages
Semester:
SP23
The purpose of the course is to teach fluent reading while reviewing grammar, syntax and vocabulary as needed. It presupposes that the student has taken one full-year course of Greek and that the student has a working knowledge of the elements of Greek morphology and syntax. In accomplishing the course's purpose, the student is introduced to a variety of NT and LXX texts as well as other texts by Greek authors.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Maria Kakavas
MW
1:00 - 2:30
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
Y
Notes:
PREREQ: TMNT2001 (Intermediate Greek I) or its equivalent; With permission of instructor, course can be taken for a letter grade.
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMPS7283
Disability, Theology, and Ministry
BTI Category:
Leadership Formation & Ministry Skills
Semester:
SP23
Disability visibility has increased concern in ecclesial, academic, and social milieu for understanding how the Church (and the churches) respond and work to be inclusive with and for persons with disability (PWD). This module will explore the moral imperatives of inclusion, the diversity of disability in the human community, and the development of ministerial practices directed to participation. Specific attention will be given to 1) consciousness-raising on the generally discriminatory experience historically and today of PWD, 2) understanding disability using the social model developed by PWD, 3) reviewing some of the literature developed by scholars with disability and their collaborators, 4) building relationships between PWD and the non-disabled, and 5) studying the Church's documents in reference to PWD.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Mary Jo Iozzio
F
1:30 - 4:00
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
1
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
In 2023 Spring, this module will meet on the following dates: Jan 27, Feb 10, 24, March 17, 24, 31
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMPS7281
Post-Pandemic Wisdom and Practices in Ministry
BTI Category:
Leadership Formation & Ministry Skills
Semester:
SP23
This module explores the consequences and lessons of COVID-19 that are still unfolding among us. Operating primarily from the perspectives of pastoral care and organization health, the class will look at some of the ways in which the pandemic -- and pandemic response -- has highlighted structural social inequality and the importance of community in responding to crises. Attention will be given to innovations and challenges related to the faithful use of technology, new ways of building community, and how to discuss social issues related to health and science informed by care for the common good.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Callid Keefe-Perry
R
6:30 - 9:00
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
1
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
In Spring 2023, this course will meet on the following dates: Jan 19, Feb 2,16, Mar 23, Apr 13
AND ONE TBD DATE
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMPS7278
Socio-Spiritual Care
BTI Category:
Practical/Pastoral Theology
Semester:
SP23
The dynamics of human living, including experiences of God, are multidimensional: intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, structural, cultural, and global. Given these interrelated interior and exterior dynamics, what are the sources, mediums, aims, and risks of care? This course responds to this question using the literatures of spirituality studies, peace studies, practical theology, and pastoral care.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Heather M. DuBois
M
3:00 - 4:50
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
N
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMPT8132
Theology, Race, and Critical Race Theory
BTI Category:
Practical/Pastoral Theology
Semester:
SP23
A social construction at its core, the modern idea of race has been given power through the years. Accruing strength and mostly negative use over time it has cut across the private sphere and become a portentous social idea in the form of systemic racism, institutionalized within government, laws, medical science, religion, culture, and society. This course explores the historical foundations of race and racism, and ranges over different manifestations of institutional racism in the spheres of criminal justice, employment, housing, health care, political power, education, and religious and congregational life. It also looks into recent movements for racial justice in thought and practice, and considers ways in which theological ideas and church practices can be refocused to contribute to racial justice within the academy, ecclesial communities, and the larger landscape of society.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Benjamin Valentin
T
3:30 - 6:20
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
Y
Notes:
PREREQ: Fundamental Theology, Theological Foundations in Practical Perspective, or equivalent.
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMPS7018
Death and Dying
BTI Category:
Practical/Pastoral Theology
Semester:
SP23
The study of death and dying is a complex, multidimensional, and evolving field. This course draws on contemporary theory and research to explore death and dying from multiple perspectives, including religious, theological, pastoral, and psychological. Topics include societal attitudes toward death; facing one's own death; cultural features of death and dying; end-of-life issues; children and death; funerals and the use of ritual in ministry to the dying; pastoral sensitivities and skills for ministering to the dying; and pressing contemporary concerns, such as death in the workplace, institutional death, violent death, and death in global perspective.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Melissa Kelley
R
9:30 - 11:50
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
N
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMPS7269
Healing Ministries
BTI Category:
Practical/Pastoral Theology
Semester:
SP23
Over the course of our lives, many people suffer from serious acute or chronic illnesses, traumas, and disabilities. We all mourn the losses of loved ones. We all, at some point, confront dying, death and grief. Despite their certainty, many approach these life events with anxiety, fear, and avoidance. This course will address human sickness, trauma, disability, and the processes of dying and grieving from psychosocial, theological, clinical-pastoral, liturgical, and experiential perspectives. Building on current studies, research, and dynamics related to the care of persons who are sick, disabled, traumatized, and dying, this course will enhance the knowledge and skills needed to intervene and respond effectively to the spiritual and emotional needs of people who may look to a compassionate caregiver for guidance, comfort, and healing in times of crisis and loss. This course is intended for a diverse group of caregivers—pastoral counselors, healthcare, prison, and school chaplains, lay and ordained ministers, and other health care professionals—who provide assistance and care both in institutional settings and within families and communities.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Walter Smith, S.J.
M
12:30 - 2:50
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
N
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMPT7263
Theopoetics and Theologies of Imagination
BTI Category:
Practical/Pastoral Theology
Semester:
SP23
This course explores how aesthetics and imagination shape expectations and hopes we have for our communities. The class begins with an exploration of “theopoetics,” which affirms that how we express experiences of the divine shapes what we think the divine is. Content builds from there to the role of imagination in religious reflection more broadly. Readings are profoundly interdisciplinary, with scholarship from philosophical and sociological treatments of imagination, psychology, theology, and literary criticism. Some customization of work is possible and students will be able to deepen their focus in directions of their choosing by selecting texts that speak to them.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Callid Keefe-Perry
T
12:30 - 3:20
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
N
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMPS7093
Introduction to Pastoral Care and Counseling
BTI Category:
Practical/Pastoral Theology
Semester:
SP23
In this foundational course, we develop an understanding of critical dimensions of competent and compassionate pastoral care and counseling today. This course has four primary foci. First, we consider theoretical perspectives that may ground this large ministerial field. Second, we study concrete methods and skills for effective pastoral care. Third, we examine some challenging realities to which all pastoral caregivers must respond at some point, including domestic violence, grief and loss, and suicide. Finally, we consider the person of the pastoral caregiver, including the necessity of resilience in ministry and next steps in developing as a pastoral caregiver. Throughout the course, we explore pastoral care/counseling from contemporary theological, psychological, and cultural perspectives. We also consider the specific roles and possible strategies of the pastoral caregiver and the faith community in supporting individuals and communities as they harness strengths and resources to negotiate challenges and create or maintain stability and well-being. This course includes lecture, readings, discussion, and exercises.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Melissa Kelley
F
9:00 - 12:00
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
N
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMPT7279
Conflict Resolution and Transformation
BTI Category:
Practical/Pastoral Theology
Semester:
SP23
The dynamics of human living, including experiences of God, are multidimensional: intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, structural, cultural, and global. Given these interrelated interior and exterior dynamics, what are the sources, mediums, aims, and risks of care? This course responds to this question using the literatures of spirituality studies, peace studies, practical theology, and pastoral care.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Heather M. DuBois
W
4:00 - 6:20
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
N
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMPS8008
Liturgical Presiding for Ordained Ministry
BTI Category:
Preaching, Liturgy, & Ritual
Semester:
SP23
A practicum designed to prepare ordination candidates in the Roman Catholic Church for the ministry of liturgical presidency. Students will meet twice a week (once for theory and once for practice) as well as in small groups and for videotaping.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Joseph Weiss, S.J.
W
1:00 - 3:50
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
Y
Notes:
PREREQ: Intro to Liturgy; Sacraments; Eucharistic Theology
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMPS8006
Confessional Ministry
BTI Category:
Preaching, Liturgy, & Ritual
Semester:
SP23
A practicum designed to prepare ordination candidates in the Roman Catholic Church for the liturgical ministry of confessor in the celebration of the Rite of Penance.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Joseph Weiss, S.J.
T
9:30 - 12:20
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
Y
Notes:
PREREQ: Fund. Moral AND Canon Law of Marriage & Sacraments
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMPS8046
Identity: From Discovery to Integration
BTI Category:
Religious Education and Youth Ministry
Semester:
SP23
This course considers the process of identity formation, which comes to the fore in adolescence and is refined and integrated throughout adulthood. This course examines the questions and concerns that surround that discovery and integration process, particularly attending to how identity is problematized within postmodern contexts. Participants in this course pursue the question: how might we attend ministerially to young people growing through this process? Conducted in seminar format, participants are responsible for conducting topic discussions for the class. Prior coursework in youth and young adult ministry and/or developmental theory is required for registration. Permission required.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Theresa A. O'Keefe
F
9:00 - 12:00
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
Y
Notes:
PREREQ: TMPS7041 or coursework in adolescent development
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMRE7053
Spiritual Sources of Catholic Education
BTI Category:
Religious Education and Youth Ministry
Semester:
SP23
Catholic education and catechesis are rooted in particular appropriations of the Christian faith articulated as schools of spirituality. From these appropriations emerge commitments to specific charisms and pedagogical practices. It is imperative that Catholic educational efforts continue to affirm the spiritual legacies that have sustained schools, missions, and parochial programs throughout history. In this course we read some foundational texts of major schools of spirituality and explore how they have inspired life-giving philosophies of Catholic education. The guiding principle throughout the course is that a good philosophy of Catholic education and catechesis is always sustained by a deep spirituality.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Hosffman Ospino
W
1:00 - 3:50
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
N
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMRE7161
Mission, Curriculum, and Pedagogy: Teaching High School Religion
BTI Category:
Religious Education and Youth Ministry
Semester:
SP23
This course is designed to assist students in developing religion curriculum for adolescents, particularly within the setting of Catholic secondary schools. It considers the place of religious instruction within the larger ambit of the Catholic school’s mission, including interaction with campus ministry and service learning. It attends to frameworks of faith development within adolescence. It includes the development of learning outcomes and assessment tools; pedagogy; curricular maps; units and lesson plans. Finally, it calls participants to be self-aware of the teacher’s role through the development of a pedagogic creed.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Theresa A. O'Keefe
W
4:00 - 6:20
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
N
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMRE7252
What Makes Education Catholic?
BTI Category:
Religious Education and Youth Ministry
Semester:
SP23
When a school presents itself to the world as offering Catholic education, it signals, at a minimum, that it is committed to educating from and for faith. It is to educate from deep spiritual convictions that are core to Catholicism and for a Transcendent as well as an immanent perspective on life, preparing students to live well into an Ultimate Horizon – God as revealed in Jesus Christ. What does this ask of the curriculum of a Catholic school, of its faculty and administrators? We once took for granted our response to such questions, for example when 95% of faculty and staff were vowed religious and all students were decidedly Catholic. That era has passed, bringing new challenges and opportunities. Note, for example, the growing number of students from other or no faith tradition attending, likewise an often diverse faculty and staff, and many Catholic students who are more cultural than affiliated in their faith. This changed reality, coupled with the secular and postmodern culture of our time, offers new opportunity for a fresh address of what makes education Catholic.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Thomas H. Groome
T
6:30 - 9:00
Online?
Y
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
N
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMOT8098
Prophets
BTI Category:
Scripture & Biblical Studies
Semester:
SP23
This course provides a historical, literary and theological overview of the prophets and the prophetic books in the Hebrew Bible. Although we will look at the Former Prophets, most of the class will focus on the Latter (Writing) Prophets. When possible, we will read prophetic books in their entirety, but for longer books we will read selected texts. By the end of this course I hope that you will better appreciate the rich diversity of form, style and theology we find in the prophetic books.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Andrew R. Davis
MW
10:00 - 11:30
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
Y
Notes:
PREREQ: Graduate-level introductory OT course.
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMNT7023
Introduction to New Testament
BTI Category:
Scripture & Biblical Studies
Semester:
SP23
The New Testament is a collection of diverse writings that are central to Christian faith and life. This course will introduce students to the literary characteristics, historical context, and theological content of these writings and to the methods and approaches associated with the modern discipline of biblical studies.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Matthew Monnig, S.J.
TR
8:00 - 9:20
Online?
Y
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
N
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMNT7092
Gospel of Matthew
BTI Category:
Scripture & Biblical Studies
Semester:
SP23
Our study of Matthew's Gospel will attend to its literary features, social context, and theological content. In addition to helping us understand how the Matthean author used various sources to write his distinct narrative of Jesus' ministry, Passion and Resurrection, historical-criticism will assist in contextualizing both author and community within a late first-century multi-cultural context. As the most commented upon Gospel in the early Church, we will also consider how Matthew's emphasis on the OT and understanding of Jesus were received by early Christians who sought to articulate Christianity in light of the controversies at that time (e.g., Marcionism).
Professor
Class Day & Time
Larry Wills
T
12:30 - 3:20
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
N
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMNT8140
Seminar in Current Biblical Scholarship
BTI Category:
Scripture & Biblical Studies
Semester:
SP23
This seminar will engage in sustained critical examination of recent scholarly work that represents, or has the potential to become, groundbreaking for the discipline of biblical studies. At the end of this course, students should be able to comprehend and critically engage scholarly work of the highest quality in the disciplinary field.
Professor
Class Day & Time
David Jorgensen
Richard Clifford
T
4:00 - 6:20
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
Y
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
N
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMOT8100
Women in Scripture
BTI Category:
Scripture & Biblical Studies
Semester:
SP23
This course will begin with an overview of feminist biblical hermeneutics – its history and variety – and then we will examine depictions of women throughout the Christian Bible. Part of this analysis will consist of looking at these depictions from different feminist perspectives. Another part of our analysis will be a consideration of the stories’ social and cultural contexts, especially what archaeology can tell us about women’s lives in antiquity.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Jaime L. Waters
T
12:30 - 3:20
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
Y
Notes:
PREREQ: Graduate-level introductory course OT or NT
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMOT8101
Job and Suffering
BTI Category:
Scripture & Biblical Studies
Semester:
SP23
This course examines how the Hebrew Bible addresses questions around human suffering. After surveying different biblical perspectives, we will immerse ourselves in the Book of Job, in which Job and his friends (and, ultimately, YHWH) consider the meaning of Job’s suffering. While this course is primarily interested in the theologies of the Book of Job, we will also take into account the book’s literary artistry, redaction history and historical context. By the end of this course I hope you will have a better understanding of this important book, which is as timeless, complex, and inexhaustible as the mystery it contemplates.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Andrew R. Davis
R
9:30 - 11:50
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
Y
Notes:
PREREQ: Graduate-level introductory course in OT
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMOT7067
Introduction to Old Testament
BTI Category:
Scripture & Biblical Studies
Semester:
SP23
A literary, historical, and theological introduction to the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible)—the Pentateuch, Historical Books, Wisdom Literature and Psalms, and Prophets.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Jaime L. Waters
MW
1:00-2:30
Online?
Y
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
N
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMNT7210
New Testament Gospels
BTI Category:
Scripture & Biblical Studies
Semester:
SP23
This is an introductory core course on the four New Testament Gospels. Among the primary aims of this course is to provide an overview of the structure and content of each of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) and an analysis of various scholarly methods for interpreting them. This course will review what scholars call the Synoptic Problem, an investigation into the relationship of the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) to one another, and discuss the arguments for and against the hypothetical source known as Quelle. This course will also discuss the relationship between the Gospel of John to the Synoptic Gospels, and the relationship between the Gospels and other relevant texts like the Gospel of Thomas. This study of the Gospels will be situated in an ecclesial framework that includes a theological perspective.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Matthew Monnig, S.J.
MW
8:30 - 9:50
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
N
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST7091
Eucharistic Theology
BTI Category:
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester:
SP23
This course will reflect on the theology of the Eucharist as it has developed throughout the history of the Church, and will seek a contemporary understanding of traditional doctrines in light of Vatican II and the reformed ritual for the Eucharistic liturgy.
Professor
Class Day & Time
John F. Baldovin, S.J.
TR
8:00 - 9:20
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
N
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST8563
Seminar: Theology, Education and Liberation
BTI Category:
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester:
SP23
What does it mean to “teach as Jesus taught,” especially in situations where human dignity is threatened and compromised by vulnerability, catastrophe, terror, uncertainty, and misery? Using the writings of Brazilian theorist Paulo Freire as a point of reference for theological inquiry and critical reflection, this course sets Freire’s insights in conversation with those of contemporary biblical scholars, theologians, educators and philosophers who believe “another world is possible.” The course examines the interconnectedness of love, hope, faith, freedom, wonder, dialogue and moral agency in promoting the Gospel of life and the culture of death.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Margaret Eletta Guider, O.S.F.
W
10:00 - 12:50
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
Y
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
Y
Notes:
Doctoral Seminar. PREREQ: Social Ethics, Liberation theology, Education theory/Human development; Advanced Master's Degree student's may be admitted with the permission of the instructor.
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST7151
Introduction to Patristic Theology
BTI Category:
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester:
SP23
This course presents the methods and insights of patristic treatments on the topics of theology through a study of major figures and texts. After an overview of the culture and context of the early church, we will treat patristic reflection on: Scripture, faith and reason, Christ, Trinity, the church, liturgy, ethics, and prayer. Authors and literature include, but are not limited to: Ignatius of Antioch, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicity, Origen, Tertullian, Athanasius, Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nazianzus, Gregory of Nyssa, Hilary of Poitiers, Ambrose, Augustine, and John Chrysostom.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Brian Dunkle, S.J.
TR
10:00 - 11:30
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
N
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST8087
Eschatology and Kingdom of God
BTI Category:
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester:
SP23
This course examines the relationship between history and eschatology through the lens of the "Kingdom of God" that is central to Jesus' preaching. It proposes a hermeneutic that will take as point of departure the church´s eschatological statements. We will examine these statements within the framework of the human historical process and the pilgrimage of God's People towards the reign of God.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Felix Palazzi
R
6:30 - 9:00
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
Y
Notes:
PREREQ: Christology; Creation and Eschatology
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST8571
Theological Aesthetics
BTI Category:
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester:
SP23
This course is a study of the mystery of God from the perspective of aesthetics and art. In other words, we will try to understand God’s saving presence and action in our lives, in the world, and in history, based on the transcendental and liberating experience of art, and we will try to speak about God – who has revealed God’s self in Christ – using aesthetic categories. We will also explore different ways to establish a conversational relationship between theology and the arts.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Vicente Chong, S.J.
R
9:30 - 11:50
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
Y
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
Y
Notes:
Doctoral Seminar; PREREQ: At least two courses in Systematic Theology. Advanced Master's Degree student's may be admitted with the permission of the instructor.
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST8562
The Theology of Johann Baptist Metz
BTI Category:
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester:
SP23
This seminar will unfold by first examining Johann Metz's early relationship and subsequent break with the theology of Karl Rahner. Next we will explore Metz's critical dialogue with the thinkers of the Frankfurt school and the manner in which this encounter led to the formulation of Metz's early political theology. We will then turn to Metz's mature political theology as a "theology after Auschwitz." Some of the themes to be considered include Metz's assertion of the need for "anamnestic rationality," his focus on "the theodicy question," his apocalyptic eschatology, and his articulation of a mystical-political spirituality.
Professor
Class Day & Time
O. Ernesto Valiente
T
6:30 - 9:00
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
Y
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
Y
Notes:
Doctoral Seminar. PREREQ: a course in theological foundations or fundamental theology; Advanced Master's Degree student's may be admitted with the permission of the instructor.
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST7251
U.S. Latinx Theologies
BTI Category:
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester:
SP23
In the United States, feminist and African-American/Black theologies have received much deserved recognition for their original contributions to the task of theological construction. However, it should be noted that right alongside these liberation and justice oriented theologies, even if with less publicity until recently, Latino and Latina theologians have been developing their own distinctive form of contextual and liberation theology written from the perspective of their lives in the United States. This course examines their theological expression, offering an overview of the historical development, main academic theologians, core themes and methods, and the promise and challenge of U.S. Latino(a) theology in the process. Besides offering students a solid introduction to U.S. Latinx theology, the course grants an opportunity to enhance one's cultural competence; to learn about the characteristics of the largest ethnic minority group in the United States (i.e. Latinos and Latinas); and to become more familiar with U.S. social history, the legacy of colonialism, and contemporary decolonial thinking.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Benjamin Valentin
R
3:30 - 6:20
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
N
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST7024
Christology
BTI Category:
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester:
SP23
This course seeks to clarify what it means to confess that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, and why this is a significant claim. The course examines the New Testament, the early councils of the Church, the writings of early and medieval Christian theologians, the dogmatic teachings of the Church and the contributions of contemporary theologians. Two main questions will be addressed: Who is Jesus? How does Jesus save us?
Professor
Class Day & Time
O. Ernesto Valiente
W
4:00 - 6:20
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
Fundamental Theology reccomended
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST7020
The Church
BTI Category:
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester:
SP23
The ecclesial dimension of Christian faith is the focal point of this course. The course will locate the church within both a Trinitarian theology and a theological anthropology. Specific topics for exploration include the place of the church in the Creed, the sacramentality of the church, a theology of mission, and of structure and authority. The course will also explore current issues shaping the church's life and its place in the wider culture.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Margaret Eletta Guider, O.S.F.
R
3:30 - 6:20
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
N
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST8110
The Mystery of the Trinity
BTI Category:
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester:
SP23
The course will offer the Scriptural sources, the dogmatic development and the works of contemporary theologians that have contributed to the Church?s reflection on God, One and Triune, as revealed through the life and praxis of Jesus of Nazareth. This fundamental path will permit us to offer a systematic Trinitarian theology of God as Mystery of salvation and liberation of all.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Vicente Chong, S.J.
T
9:30 - 11:50
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
Y
Notes:
PREREQ:One course in Christology
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST8041
Theological Anthropology & the Body
BTI Category:
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester:
SP23
Issues of embodiment relating to theology, spirituality, and ministry form the substance of this course. We will probe understandings of the body found in the historical Christian tradition and draw insights regarding human bodiliness from contemporary theology, philosophy, psychology, and social theory. Finally, we will examine the role of the body in lived Christian faith with a particular emphasis on spirituality, education, and pastoral care.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Colleen M. Griffith
R
9:30 - 11:50
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
Y
Notes:
PREREQ: Foundations or Fundamental
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST8559
Seminar: The Theology of Elizabeth Johnson
BTI Category:
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester:
SP23
An introduction to the theological corpus of Elizabeth Johnson, one of the foremost women's voices in theology today. The course will examine Johnson's writings, turning a keen eye turned toward the methodologies, source materials, and commitments apparent in her work. It will explore Johnson's expansive reading of the Christian tradition, as evident in her presentation of God, Christ, the human, and the world.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Colleen M. Griffith
T
9:30 - 12:20
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
Y
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
Y
Notes:
Doctoral Seminar. PREREQ: Foundations or Fundamental; Advanced Master's Degree student's may be admitted with the permission of the instructor.
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST7153
Theology and Literature
BTI Category:
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester:
SP23
A study of major works of Christian literature as sources for theology. We study hymns and verse from the early church, including the Odes of Solomon, the works of Ephrem, and the hymns of Ambrose, before examining the literature of the Middle Ages, including selections from Dante's Inferno, and the poets and playwrights of the Renaissance. We conclude with major Christian novelists of recent decades, including Flannery O'Connor and Marilynne Robinson. There will be discussion on issues of form and content in theology as well as special attention to literary approaches to Christian doctrine and mystery.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Brian Dunkle, S.J.
W
1:00 - 3:50
Online?
N
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
N
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST7056
Theological Anthropology
BTI Category:
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester:
SP23
What is the Christian vision of humanity? This course examines key aspects of human life in the light of Christian revelation including: the human person as created in the image of God; finitude, suffering, and sin; forgiveness and sanctification; grace and nature; gender and sexuality; community; and Ignatian spirituality.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Dominic F. Doyle
ASYN
ASYN
Online?
Y
Professor Approval Required?
N
3
Credits:
Prerequisites:
N
Notes:
N
School:
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry