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BTI Consortium | Last Updated November 14 - 9:00AM
INTERRELIGIOUS LEADERSHIP
CERTIFICATE (PRE-APPROVED COURSES)
School
Hebrew College
INT533
Calling Out from the Depths: The Book of Psalms in Jewish and Christian Life
BTI Category
Semester
Interreligious Learning
For centuries, Jews and Christians have turned to the Book of Psalms in times of joy and thanksgiving, and in times of sadness and lament. However, there have been far fewer opportunities for members of these two communities and others to explore these ancient poetic texts together as fellow spiritual seekers. What do we share in common? Where do we differ? How might reading these sources with people with different religious or ideological commitments impact our relationship with the text?
Professor
Class Day & Time
Or Rose and Andrew Davis
W
4:30 -6:30 pm
Grading Option
Letter or P/F
Credits
1
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
February 7, 14, 21, 28, March 13 & 20
School
Hartford International
ET-575
Ethical Leadership in an Age of Discord
BTI Category
Semester
Ethics (all traditions)
SP24
This course will provide students with theoretical and practical approaches to the cultivation of ethical leadership, within a spiritual and vocational context, in a time when both churches and local communities are polarized and fractured. The scope of this course covers personal, public, and spiritual dimensions of ethical leadership from the perspectives of a diverse array of leadership theories. This course will additionally address the interrelatedness of personal development for spirituality and vocation, lifelong learning, public engagement, justice as equity, community building, and more.
Course fulfills the following curricular requirements:
MAIRS - Interreligious Studies: Elective
MAIRS - Ministerial Studies: Beliefs and Practices of the Christian Faith
MAIRS - Islamic Studies: Religious Pluralism
MAIRS - Islamic Studies: Elective
MAC - Chaplaincy Elective
MAC - Islamic Chaplaincy Elective
Professor
Class Day & Time
Walter Fluker
M
4-6:50pm
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
Y
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
N
School
Harvard Divinity School
HDS 3063
Spiritual Care from a Muslim Perspective
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
SP24
This course introduces students to practices of spiritual care from a Muslim Perspective. As we will survey spiritual care practices of different Muslim cultures, our focus will be the relevant application of these practices in North America with a special focus on contemporary issues. We will study meditative/ritualistic, medical, philosophical, counseling, and psychological practices that have relevance and meanings in personal journeys of Muslim spiritual experience in different settings such as hospital, prison, university, community, social, and professional settings. Through a combination of readings, class discussions, practical exercises and expert guest lecturers in each class, students will begin to develop their own approaches to spiritual care in different circumstances such as the issues involving spiritual crises, trauma, mental illness, marriage/divorce, refuge related mental and spiritual complications, substance abuse, and others. Different stake holders such as pastoral care/chaplaincy (minister) candidates, students in education, social work, counseling, psychology, and health sciences as well as medical school students will find much value and benefit in this course. Class format will include weekly expert guest speakers including medical doctors, counselors, social workers, psychologists, clergy, and chaplains, from different disciplines who provide service to Muslim clients, patients, students, or inmates followed by a class discussion.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Yunus Kumek
M
12-2PM
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
4
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
N
School
Harvard Divinity School
HDS 3001
Quests for Wisdom: Religious, Moral and Aesthetic Experiences in the Art of Living
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
SP24
This is an experimental course taught from the perspectives of anthropology and religious studies intended to be transformative for students and teachers alike. Our goal is to develop, in collaboration with enrolled students, a pedagogy for fostering students’ personal quests for wisdom, through lectures and readings, through extensive conversation, and also through other experiences inside and outside of class, including dramaturgical experiences with film or theater, caregiving, and meditation.
As teachers we are inspired by William James’s conception of knowledge in the University as intended forstrategies needed to live a life of purpose and significance that also contributes to improving the world. In the words of Albert Camus, "Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present." Together, we will engage with the problems of danger, uncertainty, failure, and suffering that led the founders of the social sciences and humanities to ask fundamental questions about meaning, imagination, aesthetics, social life and subjective experience. These are the same existential questions that bring ordinary people all over the world, and throughout history, to question commonsense reality in the face of catastrophes and the violenceof everyday life. The many answers to these questions – wisdom that is found in religious, ethical and aesthetic quests, expressions and traditions - are intended to furnish individuals’ art of living with strategies to respond to potential and hope, pain and suffering, to promote healing, and to address concerns about salvation, redemption, or other kinds of moral- emotional transformation.
Together - through discussions, lectures, films, museum visits, readings, and action - we will explore different paths to wisdom, including (1) the youthful quest for truth, beauty and goodness; (2) the affirmation of caregiving for others as the means of applying wisdom to repair and improve the world; 3)suffering and the ordeal of journeying through labyrinths and tests of courage; (4) the discovery of wisdom in teachers and mentors near and far; (5) the process of creative mourning for past losses and shaping new beginnings.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Davíd L. Carrasco, Arthur Kleinman, Stephanie Paulsell
W
3-5:45PM
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
4
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
N
School
Harvard Divinity School
HDS 2069
Mysticism and Madness in the Early Modern World
BTI Category
Semester
Church History/History of Religions
SP24
There was no period more significant to the development of Catholicism than early modernity. Faced both with the competing truth claims of the Protestant Reformation and encounter with new and unknown cultures, the Catholic Church reaffirmed or redefined itself and many of its major tenets. Three of the most significant and interrelated of these concepts that required review were sanctity, martyrdom, and mysticism. They were central to early modern Catholic theology and devotion, and yet saints, martyrs, and mystics were liminal figures. They were caught between orthodoxy and heterodoxy, cultural heroes, and counter cultural. This seminar explores these tensions as they manifested themselves in the early modern world, with special attention to analysis of primary source texts. Topics examined include mission history, gender, and history of the body.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Thomas Santa Maria
R
12-2PM
Grading Option
Letter, P/F
Credits
4
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
N
School
Harvard Divinity School
HDS 3182
Mind, Spirituality, and Mental Health in Hinduism
BTI Category
Semester
Hinduism Studies
SP24
This course will interrogate the various ways in which discussions on Hinduism have been included or have illuminated issues in the contemporary psychological sciences. We will read how different intellectual approaches ranging from psychoanalysis, folk psychology, cognitive anthropology, global mental health, and psychedelic sciences engage the archives of Hinduism as well as how ideas and practices from Hinduism are employed to provide an alternative to the therapeutic and treatment registers found in these approaches. Jointly offered in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences as Religion 1606.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Swayam Bagaria
T
12-2PM
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
4
Professor Approval Req'd?
Y
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
Permission to enroll in the course will be granted as petitions are received.
School
Harvard Divinity School
HDS 3547
The Buddhist Body, Its Materiality, and Its Moral Cultivation
BTI Category
Semester
Buddhist Studies
SP24
This is a seminar for exploring Buddhist understandings of the human body, including such topics as the nature of its materiality, sensitivity and gender; specialized practices for the body's moral cultivation using imagination, ritual, and yoga; and types of embodied knowledge. Most readings will be primary sources in English translation, including Abhidharma materials, sutra and tantra passages, medical treatises, and descriptions of bodily performance in both ritual and artistic spheres. Students will write one midterm paper with critical reflection on course readings, and one final paper creatively engaging one or more primary Buddhist source, which may include a course reading.Background in the study of Buddhism preferred.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Janet Gyatso
W
3-5PM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
4
Professor Approval Req'd?
Y
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
Enrollment limited to 16; students wishing to take the course should write a one page summary of their academic background and why they want to take the course. They will be notified of their admission before the pre-registration period ends.
School
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary-Hamilton
CL/WM615
Cross-Cultural Leadership
BTI Category
Semester
Leadership Formation & Ministry Skills
SP24
Different leaders have different skill sets and competencies. This individual-level variance is coupled with external factors: cultural & social environments present different demands, limits, rights, and processes. Though all leaders have unique gifts, they must be able to work within the boundaries of such variants. The focus of this course is the study of leadership, specifically learning how to lead in cross cultural contexts. The course is designed to help students reflect deeply on their cultural values, evaluate one's leadership focus, and analyze (with peers) their own leadership failures.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Cho, Eun Ah
Module 1: Feb. 2-3; Mar. 1-2; Apr. 5-6
Fri 6:30-9:30pm; Sat 8:30am-4:30pm
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
SYNCHRNOUS
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
N
School
Boston University School of Theology
STH TC837
Vocation, Work, and Faith
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
SP24
Who am I called to become? What am I called to do? What are my gifts and where will they be recognized and of service? These kinds of vocational questions are fundamental to our lives. The course seeks to open up reflection, study, and dialogue about vocation, work, and spirituality in religious traditions and in our own life experience. Work and vocation are often connected. Work too is a crucial religious question in contemporary society. Work exerts a powerful--and often unrecognized--influence on human beings. It can support life, develop talents, elicit creativity, and enable people to contribute to the common good. Work also can demean human beings, undermining their dignity, perpetuating unjust structures, overpowering values, and crowding out other important spheres of life. Labor issues are important concerns for faith communities and faith-based community organizations. This course explores vocation and work as theological/spiritual issues, including implications for ministry. We will explore themes such as: work as spiritual practice or challenge; labor and justice issues; discerning vocation; creativity; Sabbath; "time poverty"; and work-life balance. The course involves site visits, vocational mentoring, seminar presentations, and individual research/ministry projects.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Wolfteich
J TERM
9:00am-4:00pm
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
Jan 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, and 17, 9 AM-4 PM // Currently full, taking waitlist
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMTM7175
The Church and Interreligious Dialogue
BTI Category
Semester
Interreligious Learning
SP24
Dialogue between religions has become one of the urgent yet intractable challenges of our time. In this course, we will focus on the engagement of the Catholic Church and Catholic theologians in interreligious dialogue. The first part of the course will deal with topical issues, such as the history of, and the theological foundations for dialogue, intermonastic dialogue, scriptural reasoning, etc. The second part will focus on the particular dialogues between Christianity and Islam, Christianity and Judaism, Christianity and Hinduism, and Christianity and Buddhism.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Catherine Cornille
M
3:00-4:50 PM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
N
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMPS8046
Identity: From Discovery to Integration
BTI Category
Semester
Religious Education and Youth Ministry
SP24
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
T
9:30 AM-12:20 PM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
Y
Notes
TMPS7041 or coursework in adolescent development
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMPS7278
Socio-Spiritual Care
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
SP24
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
1:00-3:00 PM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
N
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMCE7034
Critical Ethical Issues
BTI Category
Semester
Ethics (all traditions)
SP24
This course considers critical contemporary issues from Catholic, interdenominational, interfaith, international, and cross-cultural perspectives. Attention will be given to the Wesleyan Quadrilateral (scripture, tradition, reason, and experience) and casuistry to ground a common approach in the examination and interrogation of the issues to be addressed. The principal ethical issues to be studied include: economic justice (access to health and human services), sexual ethics (just love, sexual identity, misogyny, pedophilia, and reproduction), respect life (abortion, euthanasia, hyper-incarceration and capital punishment), fanaticism and religious fundamentalism, environmental degradation and human ecology (natural disasters), and the toll of a perpetual state of war.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Mary Jo Iozzio
T
12:30-3:20 PM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
N
School
Boston College Department of Theology
THEO5574-01
Ethics, Religion, and International Politics
BTI Category
Semester
Ethics (all traditions)
SP24
An examination of the role of religion in international politics and of ethical approaches to international affairs. Special emphasis will be given to religion as a source of conflict, religious communities as transnational agents for justice, protection of human rights, and peace; the historical development and contemporary formulations of ethical norms for the use of force; and ethical and religious contributions to reconciliation and solidarity.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Wambui
TR
1:30-2:45p
Grading Option
L/PF/A
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
Grad/Undergrad split
School
Boston College Department of Theology
THEO5574-03
Ethics, Religion, and International Politics
BTI Category
Semester
Ethics (all traditions)
SP24
An examination of the role of religion in international politics and of ethical approaches to international affairs. Special emphasis will be given to religion as a source of conflict, religious communities as transnational agents for justice, protection of human rights, and peace; the historical development and contemporary formulations of ethical norms for the use of force; and ethical and religious contributions to reconciliation and solidarity.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Wambui
R
4-4:50p
Grading Option
L/PF/A
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
Grad/Undergrad split - ADDITIONAL SECTION, Check with BC Registrar
School
Boston College Department of Theology
THEO5574-05
Ethics, Religion, and International Politics
BTI Category
Semester
Ethics (all traditions)
SP24
An examination of the role of religion in international politics and of ethical approaches to international affairs. Special emphasis will be given to religion as a source of conflict, religious communities as transnational agents for justice, protection of human rights, and peace; the historical development and contemporary formulations of ethical norms for the use of force; and ethical and religious contributions to reconciliation and solidarity.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Wambui
R
5-5:50p
Grading Option
L/PF/A
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
Grad/Undergrad split - ADDITIONAL SECTION, Check with BC Registrar
School
Boston College Department of Theology
THEO5434-01
Comparative Mysticism
BTI Category
Semester
Interreligious Learning
SP24
The area of mysticism or spirituality has been the focus of a heated debate among those who argue for the universality and the particularity of mystical experiences. In this course, we shall engage in this discussion by studying the writings of important mystics from various religious traditions.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Cornille
W
12-2:25p
Grading Option
L/PF/A
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
Grad/Undergrad split
School
Hebrew College
INT510
From Diversity to Pluralism
BTI Category
Semester
Interreligious Learning
SP24
We live in one of the most religiously diverse societies in the history of humankind. How can we cultivate an ethos of dignified engagement both within our communities of practice and across religious traditions? What are the ethical underpinnings "values and dispositions" that support such an effort? What theological resources might we draw on for this sacred work? What are some historical and contemporary models of individual and communal engagement that we can learn from as we develop our intra/interreligious leadership capacities?
Professor
Class Day & Time
Or Rose
J TERM
See notes
Grading Option
P/F or audit
Credits
2
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
Events & classes during January 17-January 20 week w/academic reuirements due by end of May; MLK Day or weekend attend one of the interreligious events described below: Tuesday, January 16, through Thursday, January 18, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 17, Miller Center Interreligious learning event - Torah & Dharma: Buddhism and Judaism 7:30-9:00 p.m. Friday, January 19, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
School
Hebrew College
INT600
Introduction to Islam for Jewish Leaders
BTI Category
Semester
Interreligious Learning
SP24
In this intensive course students will explore key concepts, practices, and historical events from the Islamic tradition. Special attention will be given to the interaction of Jews and Muslims, past and present. We will also explore specific challenges and opportunities facing contemporary Muslims in the United States. The course will be taught by Imam Taymullah Abdur Rahman, author of 44 Ways to Manhood, and former imam for Harvard University, the Massachusetts Department of Correction, and Northeastern University. The course will include presentations by religious and cultural figures and a Friday Jumuah service.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Taymullah Abdur-Rahman
J TERM
See notes
Grading Option
Audit
Credits
0
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
While the course is primarily designed to orient emerging Jewish religious leaders to the traditions of Islam, non-Jewish students are welcome to enroll. January 16 - January 19, 2024; Tuesday-Thursday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm and Friday 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
School
Boston University Graduate Program in Religion
GRS RN 675
Culture, Society, and Religion in South Asia
BTI Category
Semester
Sociology/Ethnography/Research Methods
SP24
Ethnographic and historical introduction to the Indian subcontinent with a focus on the impact of religion on cultural practices and social institutions. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Aesthetic Exploration.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Frank Korom
TR
2:00-3:15pm
Grading Option
Letter/PF/Audit
Credits
4
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
N
School
Hartford International
IP-613 (Non-MAP)
Identity and Otherness in Religious Communities
BTI Category
Semester
Interreligious Learning
SP24
There is a tendency within individuals and societies to organize and collectively define themselves along dimensions of difference and sameness. This course uses the framework of "otherness" and "belonging" to explore how othering becomes structured and embedded within religious communities. In other words, what are the dynamics, processes, and structures that engender marginality and persistent inequality within our own religious communities? We will use an intersectional, interdisciplinary, and dialogical approach to examine essential concepts such as individual and group identity formation, expression, and boundaries; the dual sides of social cohesion and internal conflict; prejudice and power within religious communities; dealing with the emotional and social costs of leading justice-oriented change; and how identity, power, and privilege varies across contexts. In addition to investigating these forces that contribute to othering, we will also identify the interventions that may mitigate some of these forces, turning toward sustainable solutions that address othering through experiential learning such as site visits and MAP project-related ethnographic study.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Allison Norton
W
9am-5pm
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
N
School
Harvard Divinity School
HDS 2936
Clinical Chaplaincy: Interfaith Caregiving Skills and Practice
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
SP24
Healthcare chaplaincy is a specialized, unique field of ministry continuing to increase in demand in clinical settings like hospitals and hospice centers. This introductory course will explore the theory and practice of clinical chaplaincy in hospitals and focus on developing the foundation and skills necessary for providing effective interfaith care and spiritual counseling interventions in the medical setting. Course content will include readings, group discussions, and counseling practice, and will emphasize six main areas of clinical chaplaincy: 1) basic counseling intervention skills, 2) interfaith spiritual care, 3) ethics in the medical context, 4) end-of-life support, 5) clinical standards and due diligence in the institution, and 6) self care.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Chris Berlin
W
3-6PM
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
4
Professor Approval Req'd?
Y
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
Y
Notes
A prior course in introduction to pastoral counseling or the equivalent is a prerequisite. Instructor permission required.
School
Harvard Divinity School
HDS 2293
The Holocaust and the Churches, 1933-45
BTI Category
Semester
Interreligious Learning
SP24
This seminar will approach the Nazi persecution of European Jewry from several disciplinary perspectives. Initially the seminar will explore the topic historically. In these weeks, the seminar will use a variety of historical materials dealing with the history of European anti-semitism, German history from Bismarck to the accession of Hitler, the evolution of anti-Jewish persecution in the Third Reich, and the history of the Holocaust itself. Sources to be used will include primary sources produced by the German government 1933-1945, by Jewish victims-to-be or survivors, documentary and feature films, and secondary interpretations. The aims of this part of the seminar will be to understand the basic background to and narrative of the Holocaust, to introduce students to the critical use of primary historical sources, and to familiarize them with some of the major historiographical debates. Then the members of the seminar will ponder religious and theological reactions to the Holocaust. The seminar will also consider the historical question of the role played by the Protestant and Catholic churches and theologies in the Holocaust. The seminar will conclude with an assessment of the role played by the Holocaust in today's world, specifically in the United States. Throughout the seminar, participants will use various literary and cinematographic sources and test their limits in helping to understand and to represent the Holocaust. Prerequesite: Some familiarity with the general shape of modern European history is desirable but not required. Jointly offered in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences as Religion 1529.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Kevin Madigan
M
3-5PM
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
4
Professor Approval Req'd?
Y
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
Enrollment limited to 15 with the permission of the instructor, by application at the first course meeting.
School
Harvard Divinity School
HDS 3138
Gender, Possession, and the Islamic Sciences of Healing
BTI Category
Semester
Islamic Studies
SP24
The seminar explores the relationship between health, 'faith healing,' and gender across Muslim societies. While the readings may give greater weight to work on Morocco, they will draw on a rich literature specifically on spirit and jinn possession in several African countries, the Middle East, South Asia, and increasingly Europe.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Zehra Parvez
T
6-8PM
Grading Option
Letter, P/F
Credits
4
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
N
School
Harvard Divinity School
HDS 2031
Introduction to Chaplaincy in Higher Education
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
SP24
This course engages the theory and practice of chaplaincy in settings of higher education in the United States. Drawing on the rich history of multireligious ministries in higher education and the range of expressions chaplaincy assumes, the course will provide an overview of the strategies, practices, contextual analysis, and narratives of practitioners in the field. Through a series of lectures, open discussions, site visits, chaplaincy narratives and personal reflection, the class will provide students with encounters with the vocation of chaplaincy in its multifaith, pluralistic expression in the 21st century academy.- Course Objectives: Provide an introductory overview of the history of chaplaincy on college and university campuses in the United States
- Interrogate the variety of purposes and missions that inform chaplaincies in various settings of higher education
- Explore the range of structures and practices chaplaincy assumes in its diverse contexts
- Interrogate approaches to the dismantling of white supremacy in higher education chaplaincy settings
- Investigate and highlight best practices in chaplaincy
- Explore the qualifications and opportunities for professional employment in higher education chaplaincies
Professor
Class Day & Time
Kerry Maloney
TBA
TBA
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
4
Professor Approval Req'd?
Y
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
Special Schedule Notation: This spring term course is offered intensively in January during semester recess, for one week, Monday-Friday 10:00-AM-3:30 PM. The course also includes four mandatory morning seminars (7:00-9:00 AM) , once in the fall term in November and three times in the spring term (February, March, and April). Registrants must contact the instructor beginning September 1 in the years offered to pre-register. First-come, first-served. Requirements for the course include a book report, a daily journal, a group research project, two seminar presentations, and a final research project or paper.
School
Harvard Divinity School
HDS 1642
Exile, Diaspora, and Trauma in the Jewish Imagination
BTI Category
Semester
Judaic Studies
SP24
In this course we will examine the various iterations and motifs of exile, Diaspora, and trauma in the Jewish tradition from the Hebrew Bible and its reception to the advent of Zionism. The concept of exile (galut) is not only a description of the Jewish "state-of-being" but may be the very cornerstone upon which Judaism as we know is founded and continues to exist. While exile stands at the center of Jewish self-fashioning and ritual as a theological category, Diaspora (golah) is a more value-free historical term describing the dispersion of the Jews throughout the world. Tension between exile and Diaspora emerged with the advent of Zionism when questions of messianism problematized the concept of exile as an operational category. In addition, trauma filters through the entirety of the Jewish theological and historical experience as both a real and imagined category of identity and posture toward the world. All readings will be in translation.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Shaul Magid
M
12-2PM
Grading Option
Letter, P/F
Credits
4
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
N
School
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary-Hamilton
IS/WM520
Understanding Culture
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
SP24
In a globalized world, profound opportunities for cultural interaction and exchange exist. Anthropology offers critical resources for understanding cultures, both our own and those of peoples worldwide. This course focuses on application of anthropological and sociological insights for engagement and witness in diverse cultural settings. Christianity must be translated into each culture where it abides as Christ rectifies what is broken and reinforces the sacred. Christ followers grow in our cultural awareness as we aim to develop cross-cultural competence, respect, and care for others.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Cho, Eun Ah
M
1:30-4:30pm
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
N
School
Boston University School of Theology
STH TC880
Claim Your Superpower for Ministry
BTI Category
Semester
Leadership Formation & Ministry Skills
SP24
In this leadership development workshop, students engage in discerning and more fully owning their "superpower" for ministry--an extraordinary ability at the heart of one's vocation to perceive, analyze, and respond to harm that others ignore. Drawing on feminist epistemology and practical theology, the workshop provides tools and case studies in Christian ministry. We explore the complex and sometimes hidden origin of one's superpower, the challenges of drawing on it as a leader, the importance of learning from others, and the wisdom of helping others discern and more fully own their superpower. Notice the word their in the last line is italicized for emphasis.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Goto
Arranged
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
1-credit workshop, TBD, 8-5:30, and TBD, 8-12:30
School
Boston University School of Theology
STH TC822
Organizing for Justice and Peace
BTI Category
Semester
Leadership Formation & Ministry Skills
SP24
Not currently available
Professor
Class Day & Time
McCarty
R
3:30pm-6:15pm
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
N
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMPT8137
Public Theology, Politics, and Faith in the United States
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
SP24
This class is an introduction to the history of the academic field and practice of public theology as it emerged at the intersections of liberation and political theology with Christian social ethics, especially in the context of the United States. In our time together we will consider several models and definitions of public theology, reflect on ways to engage faith in public, and examine the role and responsibility of faith leaders and scholars to communicate with a public beyond a congregation. The course will explore some basic legal and political concepts to frame the semester, however it will primarily be focused on theological and philosophical themes. We will explore the United States as a religiously and culturally pluralistic context, considering the challenges and opportunities that emerge as a result of this. Particular attention will be given to engagement with the concept of Christian Nationalism and the ways in which Christianity has sometimes been used as a frame in an attempt to legitimate violence or oppression.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Callid Keefe-Perry
F
1:00-4:00 PM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
Y
Notes
Fundamental Theology, Theological Foundations in Practical Perspective, or equivalent.
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMPS8088
Calling out from the Depths: Jewish and Christian Interpretations of the Psalms
BTI Category
Semester
Scripture & Biblical Studies
SP24
For centuries, Jews and Christians have turned to the Book of Psalms in times of joy and thanksgiving, and in times of sadness and lament. However, there have been far fewer opportunities for members of these two communities and others to explore these ancient poetic texts together as fellow spiritual seekers. What do we share in common? Where do we differ? How might reading these sources with people with different religious or ideological commitments impact our relationship with the text?
Professor
Class Day & Time
Andrew R. Davis and Or Rose (Hebrew College)
W
(Feb 7, 14, 21, 28, March 13, 20)
4:30-6:30 PM
Grading Option
P/F
Credits
1
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
Y
Notes
At least one course in Biblical Studies and one course in Theology; can be at graduate or undergraduate level.
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMPS7093
Introduction to Pastoral Care and Counseling
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
SP24
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
TBD
T
9:30 AM-12:20 PM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
N
School
Boston College Department of Theology
THEO7008-01
Early Christianity in its Jewish Context
BTI Category
Semester
Church History/History of Religions
SP24
The course surveys the Jewish context of early Christian literature and history through close analysis of primary texts. We begin with the origins of Jewish sectarianism in the second century BCE and study the development of various Jewish and Christian sects, concluding with Jewish and Christian groups in the second century CE. We will explore how closely related, and in many cases inseparable, Christian and Jewish identity were well into the second century CE.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Gillihan
F
1-3:20p
Grading Option
L/PF/A
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
DOCTORAL
School
Boston College Department of Theology
THEO5574-02
Ethics, Religion, and International Politics
BTI Category
Semester
Ethics (all traditions)
SP24
An examination of the role of religion in international politics and of ethical approaches to international affairs. Special emphasis will be given to religion as a source of conflict, religious communities as transnational agents for justice, protection of human rights, and peace; the historical development and contemporary formulations of ethical norms for the use of force; and ethical and religious contributions to reconciliation and solidarity.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Wambui
R
3-3:50
Grading Option
L/PF/A
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
Grad/Undergrad split - ADDITIONAL SECTION, Check with BC Registrar
School
Boston College Department of Theology
THEO5574-04
Ethics, Religion, and International Politics
BTI Category
Semester
Ethics (all traditions)
SP24
An examination of the role of religion in international politics and of ethical approaches to international affairs. Special emphasis will be given to religion as a source of conflict, religious communities as transnational agents for justice, protection of human rights, and peace; the historical development and contemporary formulations of ethical norms for the use of force; and ethical and religious contributions to reconciliation and solidarity.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Wambui
TR
10:30-11:45AM
Grading Option
L/PF/A
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
Grad/Undergrad split - ADDITIONAL SECTION, Check with BC Registrar
School
Boston College Department of Theology
THEO5574-06
Ethics, Religion, and International Politics
BTI Category
Semester
Ethics (all traditions)
SP24
An examination of the role of religion in international politics and of ethical approaches to international affairs. Special emphasis will be given to religion as a source of conflict, religious communities as transnational agents for justice, protection of human rights, and peace; the historical development and contemporary formulations of ethical norms for the use of force; and ethical and religious contributions to reconciliation and solidarity.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Wambui
R
6-6:50p
Grading Option
L/PF/A
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
Grad/Undergrad split - ADDITIONAL SECTION, Check with BC Registrar
School
Boston College Department of Theology
THEO5357-01
Debating Religion: Muslims, Christians, and Jews in Dialogue and Dispute
BTI Category
Semester
Interreligious Learning
SP24
This course is a history of interreligious polemic, disputation, and dialogue among Jews, Christians, and Muslims from antiquity to modernity. The course not only highlights points of difference among the traditionsfrom abstruse theological doctrines, to competing interpretations of scriptural passages, to ad hominem attacks on religious founding figuresbut also the ways in which the practice of disputation played a formative role in the development of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The course focuses specifically on interreligious debates and dialogues, both real and fictional, although we also consider broader polemical themes as expressed in treatises. Finally, the course considers epistemic shifts that allowed for the transition from interreligious disputation to interfaith dialogue in recent decades even as it highlights the lines of continuity between the two.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Decter
R
3-5:25p
Grading Option
L/PF/A
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
Grad/Undergrad split
School
Hebrew College
INT519
Introduction to Christianity
BTI Category
Semester
Interreligious Learning
SP24
Introduction to Christianity will focus on the histories, beliefs, and practices of contemporary Christian communities. The intensive course will be conducted on-site at churches and Christian organizations in greater Boston, providing students with the opportunity to network with other important actors in the religious landscape and exposure to the various expressions of Christianity in Boston. The course will be facilitated by Rev. Dr. Soren Hessler, former Associate Director of the Miller Center for Interreligious Learning & Leadership, and will include guest lectures and workshops led by area clergy and religious professionals. While the course is primarily designed to orient emerging Jewish religious leaders to the traditions of Christianity, non-Jewish students are welcome to enroll.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Soren Michael Hessler
J TERM
See notes
Grading Option
P/F or audit
Credits
1
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
Classes during January 17-January 20 week w/academic requirements due by end of May; January 16 - January 19, 2024; Tuesday-Thursday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm and Friday 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
School
Hebrew College
PHI147
Introduction to Buddhism for Jewish Leaders
BTI Category
Semester
Interreligious Learning
SP24
This course introduces the foundations of Buddhism in India, integrating doctrinal and meditative traditions while tracing their development through the three vehicles (yanas) throughout Asia. Topics include ethics and wisdom, emptiness and compassion, and the inherent wakefulness of all beings. Special attention will be given to Tibetan Buddhism, which has resonated with Judaism on such a fundamental level, including an introduction to the deity traditions of Tibet. The course will include a map of American Buddhist communities and a discussion of Jewish-Buddhist dialogue, double-belonging, and secular mindfulness. The week will close with a visit to a Boston Buddhist meditation center.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Amelia Hall & Judith Simmer-Brown
J TERM
See notes
Grading Option
Audit
Credits
0
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
January 16 - January 19, 2024; Tuesday-Thursday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm and Friday 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
School
Boston University Graduate Program in Religion
GRS RN 753
Topics in Religion and Sexuality - Muslim Movements in the US
BTI Category
Semester
Islamic Studies
SP24
Exploration of key topics and themes in the study of religion and sexuality, especially as they intersect with gender, race, and politics. Historical periods and religious contexts will vary according to instructor. Topic for Spring 2024: "Muslim Movements in the US: Race, Gender, and American Islam." In this seminar, we analyze race, gender, and sexuality as instrumental sites of religious politics, focusing on Muslim historical experiences and social movements in the United States. We take a two-part approach to "Muslim movements:" First, we historicize the migratory movements of Muslims and Islam in the Americas - from enslaved Black Muslims to multiracial Muslim immigrants and refugees as well as anti-Muslim exclusions - placing migration scholarship on lived Islam, race, gender, and sexuality in conversation. Topics include slavery, labor, empire, displacement, policing, law, and family. Second, we take intersectional and transnational approaches to Muslim American social and cultural movements. We explore how Muslims and Islamic ethics have influenced US-based anticolonial, Civil Rights, Afro-Asian, antiwar, feminist, queer, and prison/police abolition movements. This interdisciplinary course bridges scholarship on Muslims from Islamic Studies, Ethnic Studies, Gender and Sexuality Studies, and Anthropology alongside the work of Muslim activists, cultural producers, and artists. Hub Units: Historical Consciousness, Ethical Reasoning, Creativity/Innovation.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Najwa Meyer
W
2:30-5:15pm
Grading Option
Letter/PF/Audit
Credits
4
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisite?
N
Notes
N
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