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This course is a historical study of the main philosophers of the Middle Ages. Philosophers studied may include: Christian Neo-Platonists, St. Augustine, Boethius, Pseudo-Dionysius, Scotus Erigena, St. Anselm, Avicenna, Averroes, Maimonides, St. Bonaventure, St. Thomas Aquinas, Duns Scotus, William of Ockham and other Franciscans of the 14th c. Themes and problems covered include: creation ex nihilo, love and creation, free will and predestination, God and evil, faith and reason, natural law and positive law, intellect and will, soul and body, reality of universals.
This course examines Aristotle’s philosophy of nature and its impact on St.Thomas Aquinas’s philosophical anthropology; the course then compares and contrasts the Thomistic-Aristotelian philosophy of nature and man with views propounded in works of Rousseau, Sartre, and Skinner. Concepts, issues and problems to be examined include Aristotelian substances, Aristotle’s four causes, the human person as an Aristotelian substance, the Thomistic account of the soul and its powers, created nature vs. nature as a product of unguided evolution, materialism, mechanism, controversies concerning the meaning of freedom, and philosophy vs. ideology and pseudoscience.
This course examines philosophical accounts of the nature of political community, political authority, and our obligations as citizens. The course introduces students to classical and modern political philosophers such as Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, and Marx and examines ways in which the theories of these political philosophers shape contemporary ideas about society and government, both in the Church and in secular American society.
This course explores some of the viable avenues for a renewed Christian philosophy and metaphysical realism in a post-modern context. The focus of investigation is the phenomenological movement, with its related schools of existentialism and personalism. Due to phenomenology's openness to religious belief, its potential compatibility with traditional pre-modern philosophies, and its depth of influence on contemporary theologies, the study and practice of phenomenology will serve as a bridge to further theological studies.
Online class limits: 15
Jan. 27 - May 9, 2025
This course engages in a systematic theological analysis of the Church. Taking Vatican II’s Lumen Gentium as a guiding document, each class will explore the various mysteries associated with, and constituting, the Church. Furthermore, as the Church is missionary by her very nature, these mysteries of the Church will be explored through a missiological lens, highlighting how the Church’s self-understanding influences her engagement with the world. Included in the Church’s engagement with the world is her commitment to ecumenism. Therefore, this course will also explore the Church’s theology of ecumenism, with a theoretical and practical exploration of the challenges, and opportunities, ecumenical dialogue provides for the Church.
This course provides a theological analysis of the nature of the Church. The course will attend to a variety of ecclesiological issues, such as the relationship between Israel and the Church, the sacramentality of the Church, and the four traditional marks of the Church. The course also highlights the Catholic Church’s commitment to ecumenical dialogue with the Orthodox and Protestant churches, analyzes the historical and contemporary difficulties of these relationships, and looks at hopeful signs of unity.
This course investigates Christian beliefs regarding the origin, nature and destiny of humans and of the universe in which they live. The course explores the creation of the cosmos and humanity; human nature as male and female in the image of God; the experiences of freedom, work and play; the origins of sin and evil; the phenomena of suffering and death; and the hope for life in the world to come. Attention is given to various understandings of God's grace in the human journey from creation through fallenness, redemption and eschatological fulfillment.
This course is envisioned as a historical-critical survey of theologies of the Trinity. Sources from the patristic, medieval and modern eras will be considered in light of their historical contexts. Some practical/pastoral issues related to the Trinity will be considered, including problems of preaching and teaching Trinitarian doctrine. Primary sources will form the core of the reading assignments for the class with appropriate secondary material as supplementary.
Online class limits: 15
Jan. 27 - May 9, 2025
Fundamental Theology is the study of the methods and processes involved in theological investigation. The course begins with an analysis of the characteristics of revelation and faith as the basis for Christian theology. Then, the primary forms for the transmission of revelation, namely, Scripture and tradition, are examined. Next, the ecclesial environment of faith and theology is studied, with attention to the interplay among the believing community, the teaching office of the Church and theologians. Attention is then given to testing the credibility and reasonableness of Christian truth claims. Finally, the nature and mission of theology are examined.
This course looks at one of the most important events of the modern world, the Holocaust. The modern inferno erupted in what should have been one of the most enlightened cultural places in the world. This course looks at the background to the holocaust, its reality during World War II and its aftermath. We will use extensive media, both documentary and fiction to consider the impact of this event for our world today.
This course examines sacramental initiation and participation in the life of the Savior. We aim to clarify our understanding of sacraments as signs and causes of grace. Our efforts will be informed by historical study and engagement with patristic, medieval, and modern formulations of sacramental theology. We focus on the sacraments of Christian initiation as practiced and interpreted by the church in successive periods of history and in multiple cultural contexts, paying attention to both the unity and the distinctiveness of baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist.
This course introduces students to the sacramental, moral, and pastoral theology of marriage. The first part of this course examines the distinction and union of natural and sacramental marriage. The second part of this course explores the scriptural sources and historical development of the Church’s understanding of marriage. The third part examines contemporary magisterial teaching on marriage.
This course will examine the ascetical and mystical theology of St. John of the Cross (1542-91) within the context of the Spanish mysticism of the "Golden Age." Sanjuanist spirituality is, at times, daunting to the modern reader because of its radical demands and the density of St. John's analysis; but what this great Mystical Doctor of the Church has to offer is ultimately what he calls a "Science of Love." Through class discussion based on a reading of both his poetry and commentaries on the Christian's journey from its first beginnings through the highest mystical states, the course will investigate the perennial insights for Christian spirituality today.
Seminarians should have a desire to be a good pastor. What does that look like? Or, what does that not look like? The history of the evangelical megachurch Mars Hill in Seattle, WA provides an interesting case study that answers both questions. In this class we will listen to and discuss the podcast “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill” as we consider the successes and failures of this congregation as it applies to understanding what it means to be a good pastor. The various episodes will invite us to engage the following subjects: evangelization, sex and gender roles and theology, technology and social media use by pastors, governance structures, deliverance ministry, abuse and accountability, character vs. charisma in leadership, public personhood, the challenge of abuse to faith, and strategies for community healing. The main “text” for the class is the podcast; however, there will be limited supplemental readings.
Jan. 11-12, Feb. 22-23, Mar. 22-23, 2025
This graduate course offers an exploration of Christian bioethics through a Catholic lens, covering foundational theological principles and addressing contemporary moral issues in healthcare. Topics include end-of-life ethics, reproductive technologies, pregnancy complications, personal health (sexual identity, organ donation, genetic modification), and cooperation in medical contexts. Students will learn to apply bioethical principles rooted in Catholic teaching to real-world challenges, fostering critical thinking and compassionate engagement with modern healthcare dilemmas.
This course introduces students to the discipline of moral theology. Students will study the sources and history of Catholic moral theology as well as freedom, natural law, human action, virtue, conscience, and spirituality and morality. These fundamental categories will be applied in regular case study applications.
This course will study the social mission of the Church. Students will analyze the rich and balanced guidance of Catholic social teaching in conversation with cultural tendencies and norms. A central focus for the course will be Catholic social principles, including human dignity, Church and state, the dignity of work, the universal destination of goods, globalization, and peace.Prerequisite: Fundamental Moral Theology.
Feb. 17 - 21, 2025, with online work to follow
This class is in the Spiritual Direction certificate program. By special permission non-certificate students can enroll. Class limit 12.
This course examines major theological themes in both testaments of the Bible. Special focus is given to the spiritual dynamics found in each theme as well as the personal challenges they present. The course is designed especially for those interested in the theory and practice of spiritual direction.
This course will introduce students to Biblical studies, to the Old and New Testaments, and their various textual genres. The faith communities that produced the Bible will also be studied -- the people of Israel and the first Christian communities. The contributions of modern archaeology and critical scholarship will be considered in understanding the history of the scriptural texts and their human authors. Emphasis will be placed on the way in which the scriptural text both reflects and sustains the faith community's self-understanding and relationship to God.
Jan. 11-12, Feb. 22-23, Mar. 22-23, 2025
The Hebrew Bible consists primarily of narrative and poetry. The large story of ancient Judah’s history from creation to exile in the books of Genesis through Kings proceeds through a chain of stories, as do the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, Ruth, Esther, and Chronicles. The books of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Lamentations, and most of the prophets convey their messages through poetry. Though both ancient narrative and ancient poetry bear some analogy to modern Western literary practices, they are also distinctive. Readers of scripture, therefore, boost their own reading enjoyment by learning norms and expectations with which ancient readers approached what they were reading. In this course we will sample a range of narrative and poetic texts from the Hebrew Bible, examining closely their patterns and genres and honing our reading skills, in order to read our faith’s foundational texts with deeper enjoyment and understanding.
This course examines the history and language of prophecy within the theological development of Old Testament while considering questions of poetics, literary criticism and hermeneutics, especially that of Hans-Georg Gadamer. The course deals with these questions concretely by asking students to analyze texts and also to write poetry. Prerequisite: An introductory course in Old Testament.
This course will look at the elements of Hebrew poetry, the basic poetic genres of the psalms and wisdom literature and explore the recurring themes and theologies found especially in the Book of Psalm and also in the Book o Proverbs, Job, the Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Solomon and Sirach.
Experience, history, and language are all ingredients that make up the faith tradition encountered in the synoptic gospel tradition. This course focuses on the tools, skills, and background needed to do a close reading of the texts of those gospels-Matthew, Mark, and Luke-and the book of Acts. The important aspects of literary criticism, as well as the sociology of early Christianity, are employed to facilitate the ever-growing task of gospel exegesis.
This course treats the matter of the character of the apostle Paul and his role in the development of early Christianity. The first part of the course examines the Pauline texts, both original and deuteroPauline, as well as related materials in the Acts of the Apostles. The second part analyzes one of the letters as a specific example of Pauline theology.
The NT is filled with imagery and phraseology from the OT. This course is designed to help the student gain an appreciation of the literary and theological connections that lie behind these two divisions of the Christian Bible. Students will actively explore the use of OT texts and imagery that were employed by NT authors, and will gain a more in-depth view of the Church’s understanding of the connection between the two Testaments.
Jan. 11-12, Feb. 22-23, Mar. 22-23, 2025
This course introduces the history, theology, and lived experience of early Christians through the first 600 years. Historically, the course follows the evolution of the Church from its beginnings as a marginal Jewish movement into a worldwide, highly structured and state-sponsored religion in the Roman Empire and beyond. Theologically, the course places special emphasis on how early Christians interpreted scriptural sources as they sought to make sense of the radical experience of the Incarnation and its ongoing presence in the life of the Church, resulting in the major developments of Trinitarian and Christological doctrine that are affirmed in the first four ecumenical councils. In terms of the lived experience of early Christianity, the course introduces students to accounts of martyrdom, asceticism, liturgy, and personal conversion.
This course studies selected early Christian figures and writings on topics such as God, Scripture, prayer, sacraments, works of charity, preaching, and pastoral care. It considers not only what these early leaders taught but how they taught (to quote a former student). The course includes attention to ways Patristic insight can inform and shape pastoral practice in the Church today. Prerequisite: Foundations in Homiletics
This course surveys the history of Christianity from the fifth through the fifteenth centuries. Known as the Middle Ages, this period witnessed the Christianization of Europe and the development of a distinctive Western Christian culture. A profusion of novel forms of religious life, the emergence of universities, and an array of new styles of art, music, and literature took shape against a backdrop of schism between the Eastern and Western churches, corruption, and religious violence against heretics, Jews, and Muslims. This course will combine discussions of primary source material with secondary readings that situate theological developments and devotional culture alongside demographic and institutional change in this period. Students will be asked to historicize and critically re-examine some of their own values and assumptions that ultimately stem from this period.
This course explores the pontificate of St. John Paul II, one of the longest and most significant in the history of the Church. It begins with an examination of the Polish context that shaped the thought and actions of the future pontiff. In addition to the Polish Catholic milieu in which he was raised, we will consider the searing impact of the Nazi occupation of his homeland and the challenges of ministry under Communist rule. Our study of his papacy will unfold thematically, considering John Paul II’s contributions to various aspects of Catholic thought and life, including core teachings, liturgical and devotional practice, priestly formation and identity, and ecumenical outreach. Students will have an opportunity to read a diverse array of the pope’s writings.
Consider the profound impact we could make within our parishes, organizations, and communities if we dedicated ourselves to expanding our capacity to serve others while also empowering our colleagues and coworkers to do the same. The cornerstone of building meaningful connections with others is a well-developed emotional intelligence (EI). This workshop will delve into leadership development, emphasizing a strategic approach to enhancing EI in both ourselves and those we lead, fostering a culture of empathy, understanding, and effective collaboration.
Online class limits: 15
Jan. 27 - May 9, 2025
This course surveys the development of sacred music from the Counter-Reformation in the 16th century to the present. Following the Council of Trent, medieval liturgical traditions, including Gregorian chant, fell under intense scrutiny. New styles and genres were more or less suited to new liturgical principles and changing social values in an expanding global Church, such as social equality and cultural diversity. Students will compare church documents on music with actual historical practice and explore the debates, controversies, challenges, and opportunities that shaped Catholic music in the modern era. We will then apply this historical framework to current liturgical questions facing the Church after the Second Vatican Council, especially in North America. Particular themes include the relationship between past and present, sacred and profane, accessibility and transcendence, unity and diversity, and affectivity versus intellectual sophistication.
The purpose of this elective course is to prepare the Seminary Schola to provide music for the enhancement of the Sacred Liturgy of the Seminary. Schola members will learn the techniques of proper vocal production and articulation;sacred choral literature appropriate for the celebration of the liturgy; music designed to enhance congregational singing at the Liturgy. Attendance at rehearsal and performance is required. Students may take this course for credit a maximum of two times during their MA and/or MDiv studies.
Thurs. eve., Feb 27 - Fri. Feb. 28, 2025
This workshop will examine perspectives on race as heard through sacred music, with attention to historical, cultural, and liturgical contexts. Music-making and music-listening are culturally specific and often politically charged activities. Church documents acknowledge the power of music to nurture faith and enrich the liturgy with the gifts of culture. At the same time, the Church calls music to a standard of universality that moves us toward the goal of Christian unity. In grappling with this paradox, students will be encouraged to cultivate an openness to how music shapes and is shaped by one’s identity. Assignments include critical listening, reading, participant-observation, class discussion, and written response. No previous musical knowledge or skill is required.
The first evening of this seminar will include a concert by the Fisk Jubilee Singers and a panel discussion with the Most Reverend Shelton J. Fabre, Archbishop of Louisville and former chair of the USCCB Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism. Dr. Karen Shadle is a musicologist and Director of the Office of Worship for the Archdiocese of Louisville.
This course provides students with theoretical understandings and practical experience in preaching. The class is guided by Fulfilled in Your Hearing (1982) and Preaching the Mystery of Faith (2013), the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' statements on preaching. Areas covered include methods of preparation, homiletic exegesis, theology of preaching and delivery skills. Each student will preach three to four videotaped homilies that will be discussed with the class members and later with the instructors.
Online class limits: 15
Jan. 27 - May 9, 2025
Since its earliest foundations the Church has been called to be a living witness to the living God through evangelization and catechesis. Using the wisdom and writings of revered missionaries, saints, and the treasury of Scripture and Tradition, this course will examine methods of evangelization and trends of authentic catechesis from the Early Church to the present day. Attention will be paid to historical exemplars from diverse cultural experiences to assist those engaged in this ministry in a world being remade by globalization and technology, as well as to foster a renewal of the sacred nature of Catholic identity within both the ordained and the laity.
Pope Francis reminded the whole Church that “we cannot just say that young people are the future of our world. They are its present; even now, they are helping to enrich it.” (Christus Vivit, 2019, #64). The Church has been blessed through its history with many witnesses of passion and advocacy from its youthful members, who lived a life of Christ’s love in the world. It is essential to continue to offer a holistic formation (body, mind, spirit) for youth today to strengthen their relationship and knowledge of the rich beauty and tradition of the Church. This course will explore some of the beneficial and challenging trends within pastoral ministry for youth, based on historical exemplars, Church documents, and contemporary best practices of the era of the New Evangelization. The course will also offer insights for anyone interested or involved with ministry for youth and young people in the Church.
The Church exists for mission: to bring the light of faith to all the nations is the work of evangelization. (Evangelii Nintiandi, 14) Catechesis is at the service of evangelization. The Directory for Catechesis promulgated in 2020 states that “the priest [. . .] has the responsibility of bringing to life, coordinating and directing the catechetical activity of the community entrusted to him.” (DfC,115) This course considers the various aspects of religious formation in parish life. Basic catechesis, Sacramental preparation, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, and On-going formation for adults will all be considered. The purpose of the course is to assist future priests in not only developing a firm theology of religious formation, but also helping in putting these theories into practice. The course will include practical guidelines for facilitating religious formation in both a parish setting and in the context of the domestic church. This course will be taught during January Interterm.
This course is restricted to seminarians enrolled in the STB Degree Program. It is designed to familiarize students with the craft of research and to provide a context for making substantial progress on individual research projects.
This course is restricted to seminarians enrolled in the STB Degree Program. It is designed to provide a context for making substantial progress on individual research projects. Prerequisite: STB Research Seminar I.
The Pastoral Formation program (Workers Into The Harvest) includes three elements: weekly supervised ministry, theological reflection groups, and formation conferences. Students will engage in a continuous cycle of preparing for ministry, practicing ministry, and reflecting on ministry. Excellence in ministry requires and promotes the integration of all four dimensions of formation (human, intellectual, spiritual, and pastoral). Each year of formation builds a set of essential pastoral skills that addresses the needs of the people of God. First Theology: ministry on the margins of society; Second Theology: pastoral care and presence for the ill and aging; Third Theology: catechesis and evangelization for youth and adults of a parish; Fourth Theology: preaching and pastoring in a parish community.
The heart of the program of pastoral formation in I Philosophy is to deepen familiarity of the variety of ministries within the Catholic Church. In particular, seminarians will be exposed to parish, diocesan, classroom and religious community structures. Seminarians will also advance in the knowledge and practice of theological reflection through instruction, weekly journals and group sharing.
Seminarians will receive a further orientation to pastoral activity, basic skills development, and theological reflection. By working with and serving as catechists in the local Church, seminarians will experience and practice the principles, methods, and skills of catechesis. Theological reflection, both personal and group, will be intentionally practiced throughout this year so to solidify and improve upon the process.
This course sets out to examine and rehearse liturgical and homiletic skills for the deacon’s roles in the sacramental rites of the Roman Catholic Church. Specific attention is given to the ministry of the deacon at Mass, presiding over Eucharistic Devotions, Baptism for children, the Order of Matrimony, and the Order of Christian Funerals. It will prepare a transitional deacon to respond confidently to the following promises at their priestly ordination: “Do you resolve to carry out the ministry of the Word worthily and wisely, in the preaching of the Gospel and the teaching of the Catholic faith? “Do you resolve to celebrate the mysteries of Christ reverently and faithfully according to the tradition of the Church, especially in the Sacrifice of the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, for the praise of God and the sanctification of the Christian people?”
The aim of this course is to expand a student writer’s range through imitation of journalistic prose. Students will examine the ways that language is used in professional life in order to broaden their expectations for their own writing. Producing feedback for others and revising drafts will be emphasized in this workshop-style course. Reserved for seminarians.
The goal of this course is to introduce students to the living legacy of the Latin language in the Church, especially the Scriptures, liturgical texts, other prayers, and hymns. This goal is accomplished through survey of grammatical structure and forms, vocabulary, and practice of ecclesiastical pronunciation. Working knowledge of the five declensions and four conjugations forms the core of the semester’s work. At the end of the course, students should be able, with the help of a dictionary and grammar reference, to translate a simple text.
The goal of this course is to introduce students to the living legacy of the Latin language in the Church, especially the Scriptures, liturgical texts, other prayers, and hymns. This goal is accomplished through survey of grammatical structure and forms, vocabulary, and practice of ecclesiastical pronunciation. Working knowledge of the five declensions and four conjugations forms the core of the semester’s work. At the end of the course, students should be able, with the help of a dictionary and grammar reference, to translate a simple text.
Students will read selected materials from the Septuagint, Greek New Testament, and apostolic fathers, while learning how to use various exegetical resources. Prerequisite: Introduction to New Testament Greek. Students will learn additional Greek vocabulary and grammar, building on the previous introductory course. This course fulfills the second semester of Greek study required for enrollment in the STB Degree Program.
This course is a continuation of Intermediate Spanish I. This culturally-based course will strengthen students' ability to communicate in the three different modes of communication-interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational. The course emphasizes practice in oral comprehension, conversation, grammar structures, reading, and composition as a way to continue building cultural competence and communicative skills. Prerequisite: Intermediate Spanish I with C or better, or instructor approval.
This course is a continuation of Beginning Spanish I. This culturally-based course develops students’ ability to communicate in the three different modes of communication—interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational. The course emphasizes practice in oral comprehension, conversation, grammar structures, reading, and composition as a way to continue building cultural competence and communicative skills. Prerequisite: Beginning Spanish I with C or better, or instructor approval.
This seminar seeks to gather the information gained in other courses into a consistent worldview and to allow students to practice the skills of evaluation and analysis modeled throughout the degree program. Students will respond to assigned readings through classroom discussions, a classroom presentation, and a final paper based on the classroom presentation. The paper will take into account the feedback of the other students and the professor to the classroom presentation, as well as related material from other presentations.
This option for the concluding exercise entails writing a 25- to 30-page research paper that demonstrates achievement of theological literacy. For example, you may write on some aspect of sacred Scripture, Church history, the Profession of Faith, the celebration of the Christian Mystery, the life in Christ, Christian prayer or ministerial practice. In addition, your paper must identify how it satisfies at least one other MA(T) or MA(PT) degree outcome. See MA(T) Concluding Exercise Concluding Exercise for a complete description.
See Concluding Exercise page for a complete description.
Students generally register for this essay in the last semester of their MA(T) or MA(PT) degree pursuit, while also notifying the registrar of the intent to graduate. See MA(T) Concluding Exercise Concluding Exercise for a complete description.
Write three 8-10 page essays based on three important theological texts chosen from the approved list. See MA(T) Concluding Exercise page for a complete description.