101. INTRODUCTION TO RELIGIOUS STUDIES 3 cr. Introduction to the academic study of religion. Topics include the nature of religion; the human search for meaning; revelation; symbol, myth, and ritual; faith as it relates to reason, experience, and morality. Introduction to the areas of scripture, theology, ethics, and religious traditions. RL 101 is designed to prepare students for courses at the 200 and 300 level.

200. OLD TESTAMENT INTRODUCTION 3 cr. Historical and cultural environment of the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible), its nature and composition, and its religious and theological developments.

205. NEW TESTAMENT INTRODUCTION 3 cr. Development and composition of the New Testament, the historical, cultural, and religious environment out of which it arose, and the various theological perspectives found within it.

220. HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY I 3 cr. Christianity from its origins to 1300: the earliest communities, the encounter with the Roman world, establishment of Christian intellectual and artistic life, conversion of the barbarians, rise of the papacy, the Gothic age.

221. HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY II 3 cr. Christianity from 1300 to the modern era: decline of the Medieval Church, the Reformation and Counter Reformation, challenge of the Enlightenment, extension to the Americas, Africa, and Asia, the American experiment, secularization, ecumenism, churches of the Third World.

222. ECUMENICAL COUNCILS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH 3cr. Historical survey of the twenty-one ecumenical councils of the Catholic Church from the ancient to the modern world. Emphasis on the historical circumstances which occasioned the councils and on the council’s doctrinal and pastoral teachings.

223. AFRICAN AMERICAN RELIGION 3 cr. The African American religious experience, including historical roots of African religion essential to slave Christianity, development of the institutional church, and spiritual expressions influencing African American worship styles. Important political and social foundations of the church from which political and social organizations were created, as well as African American theology.

227. INTRODUCTION TO EASTERN CHRISTIANITY 3 cr. History, spiritualities, iconography, theologies and current practices of the Eastern Christian Churches. Study of the Eastern Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox Churches. Presentations provided by experts from various Eastern Churches.

228. AMERICAN CHRISTIANITY 3 cr. Development of Christianity in the United States from the colonial period to the present. Emphasis on the interaction between Christianity and American culture and on the development of Roman Catholicism in the U.S. Topics include the Puritans, religious liberty, abolition, revivalism, immigration, nativism, the Industrial Revolution, Catholic education, prohibition, fundamentalism, rise of the laity, modern secularism.

231. CONTEMPORARY CATHOLIC THEOLOGY 3 cr. Overview of Roman Catholic theological themes and issues since the Second Vatican Council (1962 65) with attention to selected areas: scripture, grace, sin, redemption, the role of Jesus, the Church, ethical norms and morality, and sacraments.

232. JESUS: PERSON AND SAVIOR 3 cr. Examination of the ways Christians have understood the person and work of Jesus. Use of scripture and tradition to illumine how those who confess him as Savior have defined him and to provide means for traditional and creative thinking about the central figure of Christian faith.

233. THEOLOGY IN THE LIGHT OF VATICAN COUNCIL II 3 cr. How Vatican Council II (1962-65) gave impulses and guidelines to theological thinking: sources witnessing to God’s word, attention to historical context, and bringing good news to the whole human family. Analysis of Vatican II teachings, such as human dignity and freedom, Christ’s salvation and the religions, and Catholic Church’s self-understanding.

234. RELIGION AND PSYCHOLOGY 3 cr. Survey of several works by such psychologists as Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung which treat the topic of religion; a theological response to the works.

236. SACRAMENTS 3cr. Introduction to concept and nature of "sacrament" and to the historical, liturgical, and theological development of the seven sacraments, which are studied in general as well as individually. Emphasis upon sacraments of initiation (baptism, confirmation/chrismation, eucharist) with consideration of sacraments of healing (penance, healing of the sick) and of Church service/government (matrimony, holy orders). The course will also examine the "sacramental imagination" as a way to understand theological assumptions that play a large part in Chatolic spiritual tradition.

237. CONTEMPORARY PROTESTANT THEOLOGY 3 cr. Main ideas and expressions of Protestantism; selected writings of major modern Protestant theologians.

250. INTRODUCTION TO JUDAISM 3 cr. Historical overview of the development of Judaism from its Biblical beginnings through the modern period, together with a discussion of the major religious ideas of classical Judaism.

251. INTRODUCTION TO ASIAN RELIGIONS 3 cr. Study and interpretation of Asian religions and cultures, including discussion of methods, the problems of cultural biases, and related colonial and racist attitudes in the study of foreign religions and cultures. The course also examines the interactions of cultures and politics with religious institutions and explores the evolution of Asian thought in its context.

255. ISLAM 3 cr. Study of the historical and scriptural foundations of Islam, its theology, and social structures. Topics include study of the Qur’an, the Five Pillars, Muslim lifestyles, the spread of Islam, Muslim contributions to world culture, and different manifestations of Islam.

256. BUDDHISM 3 cr. Buddhist religion from its beginnings to its decline in India. Transmissions to and preservation of Indian traditions in Tibet, East Asia, China, Southeast Asia. Buddhist history, regional variations, philosophical positions, and social/political applications.

257. HINDUISM 3 cr. Brahmanical religions in India from introduction of the Vedas and Upanishads to the modern period. Includes the study of devotional movements, art, brahmanical theologies and philosophies, Indian social and political structures.

260. MORAL DECISION MAKING 3 cr. Examination of contemporary moral issues with a focus on methods for analyzing and evaluating moral problems, as well as the sources from the Christian tradition which form moral identity and inform ethical decisions.

264. AFRICAN AMERICAN CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ETHICS 3 cr. Nature, origins and functions of African American ethical response as related to social, political, and religious belief systems. Emphasis on historical and social translation of values dictated by African American religion and theology. Topics include African American social Christianity; ethical/political issues of religion; womanist ethics; and current ethical dialogues.

272. CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALITY 3 cr. Basic introduction to the centrality of Jesus, the church, social justice, human sexuality, and a life of prayer as essential components for a vital Christian spiritual life for our time.

299. SPECIAL TOPICS 1-3 cr. Selected topics in one of the areas of religious studies. Selected content and number of credits to be announced when offered.

300. HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST (HS 300) 3 cr. History, culture, and religion of Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Syro Palestine.

301. ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE BIBLE 3 cr. Principles and methodologies of archaeology; examination of how archaeology broadens and informs our understanding of the world and events of the Bible.

306. JESUS OF NAZARETH 3 cr. Prerequisite or corequisite: RL 205 or equivalent. Introduction to the historical person Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus’ words and deeds as they would have been understood by his own contemporaries. Comparisons to how Jesus was later understood and portrayed by his followers and in popular media (e.g., art, literature, cinema).

307. SYNOPTIC GOSPELS 3 cr. Prerequisite or corequisite: RL 205 or equivalent. Investigation of the earliest Christian narratives, the “synoptic gospels” of Mark, Matthew, and Luke, analyzed in terms of their new literary genre and of the communities to which they witness, as well as of the different theological perspectives which they convey concerning Jesus (his life, teachings, death, and resurrection) and his community of disciples.

308. THE WORD OF GOD IN CATHOLIC PERSPECTIVE 3 cr. Biblical accounts of God’s revelation to humans through his prophets and in his Son Jesus; official recognition of biblical books as the Church’s authoritative canon of Scripture. Catholic perspective on how Scripture is “inspired by the Holy Spirit.” Consequences for interpreting the Bible as human historical words which bring to us today God’s own Word.

312. CONTEMPORARY JEWISH PRACTICE 3 cr. Survey of customs and ceremonies including holiday observances, Sabbath and daily worship, and life cycle rituals. Historical and traditional origins and development of these practices. Visits to synagogues for worship services and special events optional.

313. MODERN TRENDS IN JUDAISM 3 cr. Nineteenth-century foundations of contemporary Judaism; development of Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform Judaism; Zionism and secularism; influence of the Holocaust and the rebirth of the State of Israel on Jewish thought.

315. THE HOLOCAUST AND ITS MEANING 3 cr. Reaction of Jewish and Christian intellectuals to the Nazi attempt to destroy the Jewish people; analysis of accounts of Holocaust survivors; the singular witness of Elie Wiesel; significance of the Holocaust for Jewish Christian dialogue.

320. HISTORY OF CHRISTMAS 3 cr. Origins of the feast; gospel infancy narratives; apocryphal traditions; Christology; Christmas in Medieval art, music, and drama; the cult of Saint Nicholas; Puritan attack on the feast; the struggle for Christmas in nineteenth century American churches; modern secularization.

321. HISTORY OF THE IDEA OF EVIL 3 cr. Problem of evil from its biblical origins to the modern period with emphasis on the interaction between religious notions and cultural forces. Topics include the Book of Job, the rise of Satan, Augustine and original sin, Aquinas, Dante, the Reformation, the Enlightenment, demonic and Gothic, modern theological and scientific approaches.

322. GOD AND RADICAL EVIL IN THE MODERN WORLD 3 cr. Development of the idea of God’s relation to evil from the Renaissance until today; emphasis on the changing notion of evil in response to cultural changes such as the Enlightenment and Darwinism; the demonic and the Gothic in the nineteenth century; modern literary and philosophical theodices; theological responses.

323. AFRICAN AMERICAN THEOLOGY 3 cr. Survey of the theological foundations and systems which dominate African American religious thought; contemporary theological issues relating to Biblical ideals, liberation and justice, Black feminist theology, and concepts from the African American religious experience.

324. LIFE, TIMES, AND THEOLOGY OF MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. 3 cr. Life, career, and teaching of the civil-rights leader and Christian theologian; sources of his unique theology; analysis of speeches and writings; King’s relationship to thinkers such as Tillich and Gandhi; milestones of justice and peace.

325. WOMEN IN CHRISTIAN TRADITION 3 cr. Lives and writings of prominent women within the Christian tradition from the viewpoint of contemporary feminist theology. Emphasis on women’s contribution to theology in light of their historical context.

326. HISTORY OF THE PAPACY 3 cr. Origins of the papacy in the Roman world; growth of papal influence in the Early Middle Ages; decline of the papacy and rise of Protestantism; Counter Reformation; the popes and the absolute monarchs; the Enlightenment attacks; responses to European revolutions; the papacy and European totalitarianism; the papacy and the Third World; the popes and modern democratic trends.

328. THEOLOGY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN SACRED MUSIC 3 cr. Survey of theological issues and constructs in African American sacred music. Musical theology of Negro spirituals as starting point in discovering expressions of biblical and societal musings. Gospel music as well as anthematic presentations present a basic understanding of life and being in the African American experience.

330. CONTEMPORARY APPROACHES TO THEOLOGY 3 cr. Several approaches to important theological issues, such as models of the Church, the feminist critique, ecumenical and interfaith dialogue; which Jesus do Christians proclaim? Among theologians to be read are Dulles, Küng, Ruether, Fiorenza, Knitter, Hick, Gilkey, and Ogden.

331. MODELS OF GOD 3 cr. Comparison of several models for understanding God and God’s relations to the world: personal models (Mother, Friend); soul body model; traditional models (Monarch, Being Itself); process models (Cosmic Lover, Creator Redeemer Liberator); God as Mystery. Among theologians to be read are Aquinas, Kierkegaard, Teilhard de Chardin, Hartshorne, Ogden, and McFague.

332. SIN, GRACE, AND WHOLENESS 3 cr. The human being understood in relation to God and in conflict with evil, as seen in the works of Paul, Augustine, Julian of Norwich, Martin Luther, Karl Rahner, and contemporary liberation and feminist theologians.

333. ECOLOGY AND THEOLOGY 3 cr. Christian doctrine in light of the contemporary ecological crisis. Areas of study include creation, doctrine of God, theological anthropology, christology, and eschatology. Method followed will be that of liberation theology, with the goal of attempting an interpretation of Christianity sensitive to the preservation of the earth and its resources.

334. CHRISTOLOGY. 3 cr. The person and work of Jesus Christ according to the Scriptures, historical theology, and contemporary theology.

335. THEOLOGY OF THE CHURCH 3 cr. Origin, nature, and mission of the Church in light of its evolution from the preaching and mission of Jesus and his disciples, through its developing history, to its current self understanding since Vatican II.

337. THE QUEST FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY 3 cr. Key events in the 20th-century ecumenical movement; principles guiding Catholic participation in the quest for unity; selected theological dialogues between churches seeking communion with each other; Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Ut unum sint (1995); crisis of ecumenism in 21st century.

339. CHRISTIAN WORSHIP 3 cr. Tradition of Christian worship in terms of symbol, ritual, and gesture: the history of Christian rites, and the theologies and circumstances that gave rise to them, from their roots in Judaism through the reforms of the Second Vatican Council; symbols and rites connected with initiation and the Eucharist, or Lord’s Supper, which has shaped Christian faith, life, and worship for 2000 years.

340. THE CHURCH OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM: THE SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL (1962-1965) AND BEYOND 3 cr. Historical introduction and theological interpretation of the Second Vatican Council with an overview of each of the documents of Vatican II. Attention to the chief elements of continuity and discontinuity in documents on the Church, the Bible, ecumenism, liturgy, and the ecumenical dialogue. Subsequent modifications and alterations in these areas, the effect on lives of Roman Catholics, and the unfinished agenda of the Council.

351. BUDDHISM 3 cr. Buddhist religion from its beginnings to its decline in India. Transmissions to and preservation of Indian traditions in Tibet, East Asia, China, Southeast Asia. Buddhist history, regional variations, philosophical positions, and social/political applications.

353. CHINESE RELIGIONS 3 cr. Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. Ancient Chinese beliefs and practices, and the introduction and adaptations of Buddhism. Philosophical and cultural manifestations and the gradual development of the major Chinese religious movements up to the modern period.

354. JAPANESE RELIGIONS 3 cr. Ancient Shinto beliefs, importation and modification of Korean and Chinese cultures and religions up to the modern era. Emergence of the Japanese empire in the 7th century, and the developments of Tendai, Kegon, Zen, and Shingon beliefs and practices.

356. ISLAM IN AMERICA 3 cr. Islam: the second largest religion in the world and fastest growing religion in the United States today. Outline of the impact of Muslims on American society and the relationship between the United States and the Muslim world.

360. CATHOLIC MORAL THEOLOGY 3 cr. Methods for making informed and prudential moral decisions grounded in experience, Scripture, church teaching, and rational discourse. In light of moral theory within the Catholic tradition, the course addresses contemporary interpersonal and social problems.

363. RELIGION, ETHICS, AND GENETICS 3 cr. Examination of the religious and ethical issues raised by the revolution in biotechnology made possible by contemporary advances in genetics.

364. CHRISTIAN SEXUALITY 3 cr. Symbolic dimension of sexuality as it affects human personal and social life. Examination of both traditional Christian views and contemporary alternatives.

366. HUMAN RIGHTS SINCE VATICAN II 3 cr. Introduction to the international human rights regime as it intersects with Catholic teaching on social justice. Focuses on some of the major international human rights documents and explores various issues raised by these documents.

367. ETHICS OF LIBERATION THEOLOGY 3 cr. Major theological movements of the present day which have as their central focus the themes of human liberation and God the Liberator.

368. CHRISTIAN SOCIAL JUSTICE 3 cr. Writings of significant Catholic and Protestant theologians and Christian social teachings that relate to important sociopolitical and economic contemporary issues. Church state, war and peace, and international economic relations.

371. IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY: ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT 3 cr. Study of the life and writings of Ignatius Loyola and the spirituality that emerged from his religious experience, the dissemination of Ignatian spirituality across the globe through the creation of the Jesuit order, the mission and ministry of the first Jesuits, the development of Ignatian spirituality through the centuries, and a focus on its contemporary relevance.

372. CATHOLIC SPIRITUALITY IN THE UNITED STATES 3 cr. Investigation of three distinct spiritual traditions in the American Catholic Church: the Americanist tradition, devotional Catholicism, and radicalist Catholicism. Prominent figures to be studied include John Carroll, Elizabeth Ann Seton, Isaac Hecker, John Ryan and the labor priests, Dorothy Day, and Thomas Merton.

373. CLASSICS IN SPIRITUALITY 3 cr. Theory and practice of the spiritual life through the works of classic and contemporary religious figures who have significantly influenced the field of spirituality. Thematic approach draws on the writings of Augustine, Catherine of Siena, Ignatius of Loyola, Theresa of Avila, Jonathan Edward, John Wesley, Therese of Lisieux, C.S. Lewis, Thomas Merton, Simone Weil, Henri Nouvwen, and others.

374. DOROTHY DAY AND THOMAS MERTON 3 cr. Day and Merton as influences on the Church’s self understanding and mission, social reform, war and nonviolence, prayer and mysticism, race relations, and inter religious dialogue.

376. THE FRANCISCAN MOVEMENT 3 cr. Franciscan movement from its birth in the life of Francis of Assisi to its contemporary manifestations. Historical and spiritual aspects of the Franciscan phenomenon and its import for the Church today.

385. TUOHY CHAIR 3 cr. Specific content will be announced.

399. SPECIAL TOPICS 1 3 cr. Selected topics in one of the areas of religious studies. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered.

NOTE: REGISTRATION IN ALL 400 LEVEL COURSES REQUIRES PRIOR PERMISSION FROM THE INSTRUCTOR AND FROM THE CHAIR, EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF RL MAJORS AND GRADUATE STUDENTS.

400. INTRODUCTION TO BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION 3 cr. Problems of and approaches to understanding Scripture. Special focus on the methods essential for doing exegesis, biblical interpretation, and application.

404. PROPHECY IN ISRAEL AND THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST 3 cr. Study of prophecy and prophets in ancient Israel and its ancient Near Eastern context. Specific focus on such biblical prophets as Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, and Jeremiah.

405. "REJECTED" BOOKS OF THE BIBLE 3 cr. Introduction to the non-biblical writings of formative Judaism and earliest Christianity. Intensive study of selections from intertestamental, apocryphal, and pseudepigraphal literature of the Old and New Testaments, such as 1-3 Enoch, Gospel of Judas, Acts of Pilate; Mishnai and later Talmudic literature; writings of early Christian authors, such as Barnabas, Clement, and Justin Martyr.

406. NEW TESTAMENT ETHICS 3 cr. Seminar on ethical prescriptions and perspectives conveyed by the New Testament. Teaching and praxis of Jesus, including his concern for the poor and his solidarity with the marginalized, as bases for analyzing a cross-section of ethical traditions in the New Testament. Students will hone skills at reading these texts in light of their literary, historical, socioeconomics, and political contexts, as well as their applicability to contemporary ethical debates.

408. PAUL AND HIS WRITINGS 3 cr. Introduction to the cultural and historical background of the Apostle Paul’s life and career, an examination of his major writings, and a discussion of their impact.

420. EARLY CHRISTIANITY 3 cr. Emergence of Christianity into the Greek and Roman world from the first to the sixth centuries. Trinitarian theology and Christology, church and state, the role of women, monasticism, the interaction with pagan culture, the establishment of ecclesiastical structures, early Christian arts, and the Church's growing self-understanding.

430. INTRODUCTION TO SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY 3 cr. Nature, method, and content of systematic theology, with emphasis on the influence of history and culture on the articulation of doctrine. Readings and discussions centered on significant contributors to Christian systematic theology.

437. READINGS IN FEMINIST THEOLOGY 1-3 cr. Various topics in feminist theory and its impact on religion and theology. Specific content and number of credits announced when the course is offered.

452. BIBLICAL ELEMENTS IN THE QUR'AN 3 cr. Seminar on Islam as an Abrahmic religion coming from the same tradition as Judaism and Christianity. Introduces the Qur'an and then focuses on biblical figures in the Qur'an (Jesus, Abraham, and Moses, among others) in comparison to their appearances in the Bible. Comparison of biblical themes such as God, prophecy, afterlife, Satan, and evil, with their presentations in the Qur'an.

453. SUFISM 3 cr. Overview of the Sufi orders and their role in Muslim communities from early Islam until the present. Particular attention to the readings of prominent figures such as al-Muhasibi, Jalaladdin Rumi, al-Ghazzali, Ahmat Sarhandi, and some contemporary unattached Sufi traditions and their main figures.

466. JUSTICE AND THE ECONOMY 3 cr. Team-taught interdisciplinary seminar. Interrelationship between economic and ethical choices and their ethical and economic implications. Basic economic and theological ethical frameworks for decision making. Case studies.

480. INTRODUCTION TO CANON LAW 1 3 cr. Introduction to the 1983 Code in its historical context, with a view to its pastoral application. Special attention to canons on sacraments of baptism, Eucharist, and marriage.

489. NEW COVENANT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE: A PRAXIS APPROACH 4 cr. Links theological theory and religious and pastoral practice. Minimum of 20-25 hours engagement in concrete community service project combined with background research on topic, seminar discussion, and written reflection in light of the essential gospel message.

490. RESEARCH METHODS IN THEOLOGY 0 cr. Orientation to the master’s program in Religious Studies and an introduction to basic resources and methods for research in theology.

492. INDEPENDENT STUDY 1-3 cr. Prerequisite: consent of the chair and the instructor. In-depth study on a tutorial basis of a particular problem, approved by the chair and directed by a member of the department. A paper is required.

496. BORROMEO SENIOR SEMINAR 3 cr. Synthesis of four years of collegiate priestly formation.

499. SPECIAL TOPICS 1-3 cr. Selected topics in one of the areas of religious studies. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered.