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BTI Consortium | Last Updated November 14 - 9:00AM
SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY
School
Hartford International
TH-505
Investigating Christian Theology: A Dialogical and Interreligious Approach
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
Whether we think of it as “faith seeking understanding” (Anselm of Canterbury) or “the study of God and God’s ways" (Frederick Buechner) or “the discovery, understanding, and transformation of the convictions of a convictional community, including the discovery and critical revision of their relation to one another and to whatever else there is” (James Wm. McClendon Jr), Christian theology is complex—complicated as it is by the sheer manyness of the forms Christianity now takes. Taught collaboratively by two scholar-practitioners who embrace radically different expressions of this faith, who delight in the resulting complexity, and who have deep experience in multifaith contexts, this course provides an opportunity for dialogical investigation of such core Christian doctrines (revelation, creation, Trinity, Christology, pneumatology, ecclesiology, soteriology, eschatology, and more). It facilitates exploration of multiple perspectives of thinkers and exemplars from the early church to the present—among them, a few non-Christian scholars of Christian scripture, belief, and practice. This course will help students connect “theology” to their own beliefs and practices, ecclesial ministry, service as a chaplain, or social activism—whatever their orientation toward “religion”’ or their prior experience with formal study of Christian doctrines may be.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Mosher, Lucinda/Watts, Benjamin
T
5:00pm-6:50pm
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
Y
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST8126
Synodality and Reforms in the Church Today
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
This Course explores the theological and pastoral roots of Synodality as a consequence of the process of reception and deepening of the Ecclesiology of the People of God in the Second Vatican Council. In this context, Pastoral conversion and Synodal conversion are key to understand today`s ecclesial proposal of an inverted pyramid that overcomes clericalism and leads to a new way of proceeding in the Church that starts from below, from the sensus fidei fidelium, and then upwards. From this perspective, we are entering in a new phase in the reception of the Council and a renewed ecclesiology, an event that involves the reform of structures and processes. This demands a conversion in the ecclesial mentality, a revision of lifestyles, practices of communal discernment, and structural reform. Therefore, the course will present synodality as a constitutive and constituent note of the Church that embraces a major reform.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Rafael Luciani
ASYN
ASYN
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
Y
Prerequisites?
Y
Notes
A course in Church or Ecclesiology
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST8565
Advanced Seminar in Spirituality Studies: Foundations and Methodology
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
Offered every year as a required doctoral level seminar for ThM, STL, STD students with a concentration in Spirituality, and open to PhD and advanced graduate students according to availability.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Andr� Brouillette, S.J.
M
02:00PM-04:20PM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
Y
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
Y
Notes
Department Permission Required; DOCTORAL
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST8115
Latin American Theology of Liberation
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
Latin American liberation theology traces its origins to the grassroots Christian communities that struggled for social justice in the 1960s. This course explores the distinctive way in which Latin American liberation theologians correlate their interpretation of their social context with the Christian tradition and praxis in a mutually-critical manner. We will critically examine their fundamental presuppositions, their contribution to theology, and their efforts to articulate the Christian message as an effective response against oppression and on behalf of a full human liberation. We will also incorporate some of the liberationist voices that emerge from other social and cultural situations.
Professor
Class Day & Time
O. Ernesto Valiente
R
03:30PM-06:20PM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
Y
Notes
A course in theological foundations or fundamental theology
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST7051
The Development of Christological Doctrine
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
Jesus' question to his disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" (Mk 8:29) received a definitive response in Church doctrine only through a long and tumultuous process of development. In seeking to formulate our own responses to this question, we need to appropriate the contents of this process. The project of this course is to integrate contemporary questions with those that generated the development of christological doctrine so that we may delve deeper into the mystery of the human-divine identity of Jesus Christ.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Brian Dunkle, S.J.
MW
08:30AM-09:50AM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST7091
Eucharistic Theology
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
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
08:00AM-09:20AM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST8110
The Mystery of the Trinity
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
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.
R
09:30AM-11:30AM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
Y
Notes
One course in Christology prereq
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST8555
Latin West and Greek East: From Nicaea to the Fall of Constantinople
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
The course is based upon reading and informed discussion of source texts referring to the main events and topics in theological relations between Latins and Greeks from the fourth to the fifteen century: from the �golden� conciliar age to early debates/schisms, especially on the filioque and azymes; iconoclasm; the so-called �Schism of 1054�; the Gregorian reforms; early scholastic theologians and their attitudes towards Greeks; Pope Innocent III and the establishment of the Latin Empire in Constantinople (1204); scholastic theologians of the �classical era� and their attitudes towards Byzantine theology and culture; Byzantine humanists and latinophrones of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries and their appeal for Christian unity; the Council of Florence (1439), its achievements and failures. The course will focus on ecclesial self-understanding of the emerging Churches, and their respective perception of a theological and cultural �other.� Special emphasis will be placed upon the developments in attitudes to sacraments, doctrine, and authority. The course will conclude with reflection on the implications for ecumenical dialogue and current ecclesiology.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Brian Dunkle, S.J.
T
12:30PM-03:20PM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
Y
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
Y
Notes
One graduate course in historical theology; DEPT PERMISSION REQ
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST8562
The Theology of Johann Baptist Metz
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
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
R
06:30PM-09:00PM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
Y
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
Y
Notes
a course in theological foundations or fundamental theology; DEPT PERMSISSION REQ
School
Boston College Department of Theology
THEO5599-01
A Theology of Food: Eating, Drinking and the Eucharist
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
Eating and drinking are primordial human experiences that nourish individuals, sustain communities and are at the heart of rituals in many religions. In the Judeo-Christian tradition meals play an important part in the unfolding dialog between God and humanity. Christians believe in a privileged encounter with the Lord Jesus in the Eucharistic meal of bread and wine. Eternal life is portrayed as a great banquet in God's presence. This course articulates a theology of the Eucharist that takes meal as its point of departure. It examines how this central Christian action both shapes the divine-human relationship and informs our response to contemporary issues such as creation and ecology, hunger and suffering, solidarity and exclusion, hope and eternity.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Bergin, William N
T
3:00 PM - 5:25 PM
Grading Option
Letter/PF/Aud
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
GRAD/UGRAD SPLIT
School
Boston College Department of Theology
THEO7054-01
Science-Engaged Theology: Gender, Sin, Beauty
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
In 2018, Science-Engaged Theology (SET) emerged as a new model for doing work at the intersection of theology and the sciences. In this course, we will examine earlier models of interdisciplinary engagement that SET critiques and seeks to revise, the conditions under which SET arose, and the reception of SET since 2018. In addition to developing an understanding of the significance of SET as a new mindset for theologians, the course will also discuss recent examples of science-engaged theology, focusing in particular on theologies of gender, sin, and aesthetics that are in conversation with the sciences.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Ulishney, Megan Carol
R
10:00 AM - 12:25 PM
Grading Option
Letter/PF/Aud
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N
School
Boston University School of Theology
STHTS 835
What's in a Text? (new course)
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
A detailed examination of one formative text in Black religious thought to explore a thinker�s ideas and how he or she states a theme, develops an argument, and is able to argue his or her case in a persuasive manner.� Attention to consistency, reasoning, style, and rhetoric are also a part of the course.� Finally, we consider the book in relation to the renewal of the church, its implication for ministry, and its place in enriching scholarly debate and thought.� Students may repeat the course as different texts are studied.� The text we consider this time is by historian of religion Charles H. Long,�Significations: Signs, Symbols, and Images in the Interpretation of Religion.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Townes, Emilie
M
2:30PM-5:15PM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N
School
Boston University School of Theology
STHTT 810
Christian Theology
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
TBD
Professor
Class Day & Time
Copeland, Becky
M
2:30PM-5:15PM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N
School
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary-Hamilton
TH502
Theology Survey II
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
A study of the person and work of Christ, predestination, conversion,�justification, sanctification, and the work of the Holy Spirit; perseverance; the nature and mission of the�church; sacraments; eschatology. �
Professor
Class Day & Time
Butner, Glenn
F
9am-12pm
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
Y
Notes
Prerequisite: TH501
School
Harvard Divinity School
HDS 2173
The Sacramental Imagination
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
Taking the Christian theology and ministry of the sacraments as our central case, this course will explore several central issues through a variety of resources: literary fiction, poetry, film, philosophy, theology, and liturgy. With a special eye towards the Christian ritual meal of Holy Eucharist or communion, we will explore the following issues, among others: the sacred and the mundane, presence and absence, materiality and embodiment, desire and consumption, feast and sacrifice, and the Christian roots of modern fascism. Jointly offered in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences as Religion 1499.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Matthew Potts
T
12:00pm - 2:45pm
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
4
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N
School
Harvard Divinity School
HDS 3195
Womanist Theology
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
In 1979 Alice Walker coined the term �womanist�in her short story �Coming Apart.� In 1981, Walker re-introduced the term with a four-part definition in her anthology, �In Search of Our Mother�s Garden: A Womanist Prose.� It was then that Black women religious scholars adopted the term womanist to identify theological and ethical frameworks that emerged from Black women�s experience. This course will explore the roots, the development, sources and major themes of womanist theological and ethical discourse as it emerged in the United States in the 20th century. It will highlight the dialogues between womanist religious scholars. This course will examine the works of pioneering womanist thinkers as well as that of emerging womanist scholars.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Kelly Brown Douglas
R
12:00pm - 1:59pm
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
4
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N
School
Saint John's Seminary
TH516
Trinity/Christology
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
This course will lead students to a deeper understanding of the mystery of the Triune God and of Jesus Christ, through a reflection upon Scripture, Tradition, and the contributions of key theologians. Additional topics in soteriology will be explored. Theologians covered will include St. Anselm, St. Thomas Aquinas, Luther, and Pope St. John Paul II. Using the theo-drama of Hans Urs von Balthasar, students will learn to enunciate the relation of mission and evangelization to Christology. This course is a hybrid course of alternating in-person classes at Our Lady Help of Christians Parish Center in Newton and online meetings using the Canvas learning platform.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Dr. Franks
R
5:00-7:00 PM
Grading Option
Letter/PF/Aud
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMHC8144
The Spiritual Theology of Ignatius of Loyola
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
Ignatius of Loyola (1491�1556), primary founder of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), produced the largest collection of writings of any sixteenth-century figure, excepting only Philip Melanchton (1497�1560). In this seminar course, students will examine the entire Ignatius corpus with regard to salient themes to assess their development over the course of Ignatius� life and how they should be reinterpreted (or not) for twenty-first century Christians. This course is recommended for those intending advanced studies in Jesuit history and spirituality.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Barton Geger, S.J.
W
10:00AM-10:50AM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
Y
Notes
At least one year of graduate theology OR a previous class on Ignatian spirituality/Jesuit history.
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST8141
Theology of Mission
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
This seminar surveys diverse theologies of mission and examines how these theologies have informed and transformed the Church�s understanding of mission and missionary activity in the 20th and 21st centuries. Attentive to the contributions of selected biblical scholars, theologians, church historians and social scientists as well as the corpus of Roman Catholic documents on mission, along with documents of the World Council of Churches and the Lausanne Movement, the seminar traces the evolution of critical theological thinking on mission and assesses the ecclesiological relevance of theologies of mission in a religiously pluralistic world.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Margaret Eletta Guider, O.S.F.
R
03:30PM-06:20PM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST8041
Theological Anthropology & the Body
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
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
09:30AM-11:50AM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
Y
Notes
Foundations or Fundamental
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST7024
Christology
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
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
Benjamin Valentin
W
04:00PM-06:20PM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
Y
Notes
Fundamental Theology reccomended
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST7088
Theology of Culture
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
This course explores the relationship between theology and culture through the following questions: How do particular cultures shape Christian faith? How has the Church, for better or worse, changed (or failed to change) the various cultures into which it has been received? How are rapid advances in technology shaping culture and how should the Church respond? How do theologians navigate between their local context and global economic realities that influence all locales? How does the study of culture, which integrates the various branches of inquiry into human meaning, challenge and invigorate theological reflection?
Professor
Class Day & Time
Dominic F. Doyle
W
10:00AM-12:00
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST8061
Theological Approaches to the Holy Spirit
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
The 20th century has witnessed a renewed interest in the theological understanding of the Holy Spirit (i.e., pneumatology) in Western Christianity. Great theologians, such as Yves Congar, J�rgen Moltmann or Hans Urs von Balthasar, have devoted important works to this enterprise. Unlike Christ, who, as the Image of God, can more easily be represented and grasped, the Holy Spirit remains an elusive�though powerful�figure of God...
Professor
Class Day & Time
Andr� Brouillette, S.J.
W
04:00PM-06:20PM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
Y
Notes
Fundamental Theology; prereq
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST8506
Seminar: Thomas Aquinas on God
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
A close reading and systematic examination of Aquinas' doctrine of God in the prima pars of the Summa theologiae. Concurrent readings from other parts of the Summa theologiae and from other texts of St. Thomas will also be used. In addition, modern interpretations and criticisms will accompany each week�s reading from Aquinas. This seminar is an advanced course intended primarily for students in doctoral, STL, and ThM programs, as well as senior M.Div. and MTS students preparing for further research.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Dominic F. Doyle
T
09:30AM-11:30AM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
Y
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
Y
Notes
One course in Systematic theology; DEPT PERMISSION REQ; DOCTORAL
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST8559
Seminar: The Theology of Elizabeth Johnson
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
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
W
01:00PM-03:50PM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
Y
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
Y
Notes
Foundations or Fundamental prereq; DEPT PERMISSION REQ
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST8571
Theological Aesthetics
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
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.
T
04:00PM-06:00PM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
Y
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
Y
Notes
At least two courses in Systematic Theology; DEPT PERMISSION REQ
School
Boston College Department of Theology
THEO7051-01
Learning from Aquinas to be Virtuous
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
This will be a course where we will dedicate each class to one of 12 texts from Thomas Aquinas'Summa Theologiaethat help us to become virtuous. From questions on what Thomas means by virtue and how virtues are appropriatedor received, to what differentiates each of the seven virtues yet how they are connected, the course will see each class as giving particular attention to selected texts of theSummaas teaching guides to the virtuouslife.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Keenan, James F, SJ
T
2:00 PM - 4:25 PM
Grading Option
Letter/PF/Aud
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N
School
Boston College Department of Theology
THEO7060-01
Symbols and Narratives of Redemption
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
Rethinking the sacramentality lived by the people of God in the context of the 21st century implies reviewing the theoretical framework of signs and symbols of human language, particularly Christian, in the midst of the debris of modern instrumental rationality.Following Wittgenstein and Austin with the linguistic turn, the theory of performativity makes more complex the analysis of the oral, visual and conceptual narratives by which the human condition is celebrated in diverse cultures as the site of divine redemption.This graduate course will explore, from fundamental Christian theology, the symbolism of the good (la symbolique du bien, proposed by Paul Ricoeur), incorporating the lens of critical and decolonial thought to think redemption as performativity of resistance and re-existence experienced by the survivors of systemic violence as a life of the Spirit that emerges from existential and systemic peripheries, with diverse forms of narratives and rituals of combative performativity.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Mendoza-Alvarez, Carlos
T
12:00 PM - 2:25 PM
Grading Option
Letter/PF/Aud
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N
School
Boston University School of Theology
STHTT 862
Theologies of Liberation
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
Liberation theology has been one of the most influential theological movements in contemporary Christian theology. This course surveys some of its main tenets, texts, and practices. We pay particular attention to the development of liberation theologies in light of the experience of oppressed communities and how these experiences shape their theological imagination. In addition to covering some of the pillar texts in the tradition, the course will investigate several developments in liberating theologies: womanism, mujerista theology, queer theology, postcolonial theologies, and ecotheologies.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Maia, Filipe
T
12:30PM-3:15PM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N
School
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary-Hamilton
ET/TH693
Augustine, Restlessness, and Belonging
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
Since the advent of smartphones and social media, Silicon Valley and big tech�s influence on individual and societal behavior continues to grow. A return to theological sources for ethical assessment is needed to critically evaluate our social context increasingly defined by persuasive media algorithms that often reduce agency to impulse, objectification, and commodification. Although separated by time and space, the perceptive insights of North African bishop, St. Augustine of Hippo, are relevant for today�s digital challenges. His emphasis on restlessness, desire, vulnerability, power, empire, belonging, love, and humility holds significant impact for Christian theology and ethics. This course will explore the psychological, philosophical, and theological connections between contemporary tech critics and one of Christianity�s seminal patristic authors.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Ridenour, Autumn
R
1:30-4:30pm
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
Y - with live meeting time
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N
School
Harvard Divinity School
HDS 2142
Women in World Christianity
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
Historian Dana Robert famously described World Christianity as a �woman�s movement,� citing the female majority in churches worldwide and gendered reasons for conversion to Christianity throughout history. Drawing from historical and social scientific perspectives, this course investigates the ways in which World Christianity can be considered a �woman�s movement.� This course introduces students to a global history of women's involvement in churches and discusses the centrality of their contributions to World Christianity, both past and present. The course takes a historical approach in discussing Christian women�s roles and responsibilities from roughly the 19th�21st centuries; a geographical approach by focusing on women in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Oceania; as well as a diverse ecclesial approach in discussing trends among Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, and Pentecostal women. Topics covered include, but are not limited to, Christianity and gender-based violence, peacebuilding, theological education, and debates over women�s leadership. All course materials (assignments, announcements, readings, grades, etc.) can be found on Canvas, and students will have the opportunity to write a final research paper.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Gina Zurlo
M
3:00pm - 5:45pm
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
4
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N
School
Harvard Divinity School
HDS 2674
Kant: Seminar
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
A research seminar to engage in a careful reading of selected major works of Kant relevant to theology and philosophy of religion. The seminar will focus on issues such as the nature and limits of reason, the concepts of freedom, morality, faith, and the idea of God. Prerequisite: significant work in theology or philosophy of religion. Permission of the instructor required. To apply for admission to the seminar, consult the Canvas page. Jointly offered as Religion 2542.
Professor
Class Day & Time
David Lamberth
W
3:00pm - 5:45pm
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
4
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N
School
Saint John's Seminary
TH505
God: One and Three
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
The central mystery of Christian faith and life is the revelation that the one God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Seeking to understand the Trinitarian faith requires a consideration both of what is common to the Three Persons, as well as of what is proper to each._We will read selections from the first 43 questions of the first part of the Summa Theologiae of St. Thomas Aquinas, which systematically unfolds the doctrine of God, as well as the Scriptural revelation and the historical development of the Church's understanding of the doctrine of God._We will pay special attention to the spiritual analogy for the processions in God (Augustine and Aquinas), while also exploring the complementary path into the imago Trinitatis emphasized by Vatican II that focuses on the_communion of persons (Richard of St. Victor, John-Paul II)._ We will end with a consideration of Hans Urs von Balthasar�s Trinitarian theology. Throughout the course, discussion will include how the doctrine of the Trinity consolidates and summarizes all the truths of the Faith.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Dr. Franks
TR
10:30-11:45 AM
Grading Option
Letter/PF/Aud
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N
School
Saint John's Seminary
THMT616
Spiritual Theology
BTI Category
Systematic Theology & Philosophy (Western)
Semester
SP25
This course explores the primary ways in which divine grace acts upon human nature as a person experiences deepening union with God. Traversing the purgative, illuminative, and unitive ways, the student will better understand the changing dynamics of prayer, asceticism, virtue, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit within the Christian life. Particular attention will be given to the works of Thomas Aquinas, Teresa of Avila, and John of the Cross.__
Professor
Class Day & Time
Fr. Stamm
TR
9:00-10:15 AM
Grading Option
Letter/PF/Aud
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N
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