STH TS805

Spirit & Art of Conflict Transformation

Ethics (all traditions)

This course is a response to the experience of destructive conflict in the church and in the world, as well as the experience of religion as a source of conflict. More importantly, it is a response to the call to every Christian to be ministers of reconciliation and peacebuilders. The course will introduce students to the theology, theory and practice of faith-based conflict transformation, preparing students to become religious leaders equipped with fundamental tools and skills for engaging conflict and transforming conflict in a way that advances God's goal of shalom, a culture of justpeace.

GRS RN766

Religion and the Problem of Tolerance

Ethics (all traditions)

Explores the religious roots of tolerance as an alternative to secular, more liberal foundations for
pluralism. Grapples with the challenge of tolerance to the revealed religions and the ways different societies have met or failed to meet this challenge.

HDS 3086

Religion and the Governance of Global Issues

Ethics (all traditions)

COVID19 has painfully highlighted the failure of international organizations to provide a coherent and efficient response the pandemic, raising the issue of global governance to greater prominence than at any time since World War II and the formation of the United Nations. This situation has opened new venues and opportunities for religious groups to posit themselves as credible international collaborators in addressing issues that cut across national boundaries, including global health, the environment, and migration. This course offers an analysis of this new trend. It will assess critically the studies on the role of religion in conflict and peace building which has been the entry point on religion and global governance. It will then address the role of religious institutions on the humanitarian crisis of refugees, limitations of nuclear weapons, climate changes, pandemics, and market economy. It will examine across religious traditions the theological reflection on moral responsibility and community and the ongoing tensions between universalist claims and more reactionary stands. It will also study modes of action  and evaluate the international influence of this particular message in different arenas and international political organizations: Public health, Racial and Religious discrimination, Mass destruction, Social inequalities, to explore the following questions: In which domain is the global moral message of religion more influential? How? Where and why does it create tensions. The approach will combine religious studies, theology and social sciences.

HDS 2299

Racial Liberalism and the Ethics of Law and Justice

Ethics (all traditions)

The course will examine the relationship between race and liberalism in the formation of the U.S. legal system, focusing in particular on the use of moral (and religious) doctrines both to reinforce and repudiate legal codes and institutional practices designed to subjugate African Americans and dispossessed groups in the U.S. Framed by Charles Mills’ category of “racial liberalism” -- the racialization of personhood, rights and public duties -- the course will explore through court cases, trial transcripts, first-person narratives, and political philosophy how efforts to promote a color-blind society often undermine liberal theories of justice and equality and lead to the deepening of racial and economic inequality.

HDS 3334

Religion, Conflict, and Peace in Israel/Palestine

Interreligious Learning

In this course, we will explore the Israeli/Palestinian conflict with a special focus on identifying and analyzing the diverse and complex roles that religions play in promoting both violence and peace. Students will learn a method for recognizing and analyzing how religious ideologies are embedded in all arenas of human agency and not isolated from political, economic, and cultural life as is often assumed. In addition to examining the historical roots of the conflict, we will also explore the religious dimensions of the impacts those conflicts have on civic life in areas such as public health, education, and commerce. What roles do religions play in fostering violence and what roles do they play in promoting peace? How do religious institutions and ideologies function to support and/or thwart public health initiatives? What are the ideological justifications for functional economic policies and how do they reflect and/or challenge diverse religious values? What roles do religions play in advancing or suppressing educational opportunities and for whom? Are media representations of the religious dimensions of conflict accurate? 

HI-619

Muslim-Christian Conflict or Cooperation: The Politics of Interpreting Our Shared Past

Interreligious Learning

The interpretation of Islam and Christian-Muslim encounters has become highly politicized, ideological, and controversial. Islam and Christianity have been described as either sibling children of Abraham sharing much in common or part of a monolithic clash of incompatible civilizations. This course will survey the history of Christian-Muslim relations, giving attention to how contemporary events shape our memories of past events and identities. Students will examine the origins of the encounter, the diversity of historical contexts, and interpretive frameworks to provide tools to develop their own critical perspectives on Christian-Muslim relations for contemporary public engagement.

TMPS7006

Grief & Loss

Practical/Pastoral Theology

Grief may be understood as the response to a significant loss. We will explore pastoral, theological, religious, and secular perspectives on grief and loss and seek to integrate these perspectives where appropriate. We'll consider important new research in thanatology and review traditional psychological theories of grief in light of contemporary critiques. We will explore the experience of grief in light of context and culture and consider which features may be universal. We will attend to often unrecognized dimensions of grief—disenfranchised grief and the grief born of injustice. We'll focus on how to respond pastorally to grieving individuals and communities.

TMPS7078

Pastoral Care of the Family

Practical/Pastoral Theology

This course presents specific topics that are important for effective and compassionate pastoral care of families today. We will examine challenging realities that may shape and/or disturb families and lead members to seek pastoral care, such as domestic violence, substance abuse, imprisonment of a family member, grief and loss, and family caregiver stress. We will consider the specific needs of families affected by injustices and harsh difficulties such as poverty and immigrant/refugee status. We will consider the specific roles and strategies of the pastoral caregiver and the faith community in helping families to negotiate challenges and create stability and well-being.

TMPS7277

Trauma Healing and Prevention

Practical/Pastoral Theology

Traumatization occurs at the interrelated social, psychic, and physiological boundaries of life and death. This course offers an introduction to trauma healing and prevention for contexts of pastoral and spiritual care. It surveys approaches to trauma developed in peacebuilding, public health, and psychology, as well as the emerging subfield of trauma theology. The final research paper is a vocational case study.

TMPT8138

Impasse and Spiritual Transformation

Practical/Pastoral Theology

This course gathers multi-disciplinary resources for spiritual responses to intractable conflicts. It develops a working social theory definition of identity and traces dynamics of transformation in The Dark Night by John of the Cross. Next, it examines Constance Fitzgerald’s concept of impasse and its implications for socio-political life. Finally, it reflects on wisdom, hope, and imagination in light of the foregoing challenges.

MC634

Managing Conflict in Life and the Church

Practical/Pastoral Theology

This course focuses on the dynamics of interpersonal conflict management, with principles broadened to the larger context of the church. Reflection on a biblical survey of conflict scenarios will be provided as well as discussion of a variety of effective (biblical) and ineffective (unbiblical) conflict styles. An interdisciplinary approach will include an introduction to systems theory, identifying various patterns of relating and formulating strategies for conflict management and/or resolution. Students will craft their own strategies for creating a culture of peace in their contexts, acquiring skills in conflict prevention and management, with the goal of interpersonal and group reconciliation.

MC/PC608

Pastoral Care in the Urban Church

Practical/Pastoral Theology

This seminar will seek to help the urban pastor to discern some of the chronic problems and conflicts confronted by youth, adults, and senior citizens as they struggle for survival amid tension, frustration, and change in the daily, inner-city experience of living and how to deal creatively and constructively with such problems.

TMRE7083

Educating for Justice & Peace

Religious Education, Ministry Skills, & Leadership

In this course, students study and practice initiatives that work for understanding, justice, and peace. Recognizing that much injustice happens across some divide, the course begins with an investigation of our experiences of otherness and connection. We consider how cultural narratives undergird our sence of identity and purpose, and investigate them theologically. We look to educational theorists from the early 20th century to the present, who reflect that education itself is a work of justice. The course culminated with group projects that give students an oppurtunity for spreakking and listening across divides for the sake of understanding and justice.

TMST8564

Reconciliation in a World of Conflict

Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)

The twentieth century's legacy is marked by social conflict and war: more than 200 million people killed because of political repression, ethnic or religious wars. Enlisting a theological lens, this seminar examines the Christian resources and contribution to the problem of reconciliation. After examining the most important secular approaches to the problem of personal and social conflict, we will focus on the main Christian theologies of reconciliation, including the works of Robert Schreiter, Miroslav Volf, John de Gruchy, and Jon Sobrino. Their theologies will be examined through individual case studies of the Balkan region, South Africa, and El Salvador.