Previous Years' Course Catalogues

This course is an introduction to Islamic spirituality with a focus on Sufism, often referred to as the “mystical” tradition of Islam. It offers a historical and topical survey of the tradition’s foundational beliefs, practices, and variegated expressions. The course will examine the rise of Sufi orders, the systematization of Sufi teaching and the evolution of theosophical dimensions of Sufism, and finally, the contribution of Sufism in the Islamic arts and literatures. A main concern is to foster an understanding of some of the stations and states experienced by the wayfarer on the spiritual path, as reflected in Sufi writings. Students will have the opportunity to peruse a variety of Sufi texts in translation from different cultural and linguistic zones.

In this course, students will explore the historical debates and the doctrinal formulations of the seven ecumenical councils (325-787 AD). This course will address the development of fundamental themes in trinity, Christology, ecclesiology, sacramental theology, and the theology of iconography. Students will be introduced to the historical context of these debates and attend to the relationship between the early church and its relationship to secular authority. The course will further examine the theological method of early and late antique Christian thinkers that gave rise to these doctrines as well explore the enduring contribution of these conciliar debates for ecumenical dialogue and contemporary theology.

In this course, students will explore the historical debates and the doctrinal formulations of the seven ecumenical councils (325-787 AD). This course will address the development of fundamental themes in trinity, Christology, ecclesiology, sacramental theology, and the theology of iconography. Students will be introduced to the historical context of these debates and attend to the relationship between the early church and its relationship to secular authority. The course will further examine the theological method of early and late antique Christian thinkers that gave rise to these doctrines as well explore the enduring contribution of these conciliar debates for ecumenical dialogue and contemporary theology.

In this course, students will explore the historical debates and the doctrinal formulations of the seven ecumenical councils (325-787 AD). This course will address the development of fundamental themes in trinity, Christology, ecclesiology, sacramental theology, and the theology of iconography. Students will be introduced to the historical context of these debates and attend to the relationship between the early church and its relationship to secular authority. The course will further examine the theological method of early and late antique Christian thinkers that gave rise to these doctrines as well explore the enduring contribution of these conciliar debates for ecumenical dialogue and contemporary theology.

Feminist theology centers the experiences of women and others who experience oppression and marginalization in the Church and in the world; these experiences then are put into conversation with the teachings and practices of the Church, both locally and globally. For more than a half-century, Catholic feminist theologians have critiqued the gaps in Catholic systematic theologies and have argued for reinterpretations that highlight the flourishing of women. This course will explore a selection of contemporary Catholic theologians who, building on established feminist theologies, are expanding our vision of what the flourishing of marginalized peoples, especially those who identify as women, can look like in the mid-twenty-first century. Readings will concentrate on feminist theological works published in the last ten years. A robust schedule of readings and a seminar conversation about those readings will form the backbone of the course.

Drawing on the distinction between "mondalisation" (transnational cultural pluralism) and "globalisation" (global monocultural hegemony), this course explores the roles of religion and faith in constructing meaning and addressing systemic injustice. While focused through illustrative discussion of regional theologies in Asia and Africa and world-wide indigenous movements, the course also engages interreligious dialogue to heighten awareness of encounter and social reconciliation. The discussion of indigeneity addresses the experience of residential schools in Canada. Interrelations among religion, migration, and racialization of peoples are identified. Authors addressed include Elias Kifon Bongmba, David J. Bosch, Jose Casanova, Edmund Chia, Glenn Sean Coulthard, Robin Dunbar, Pope Francis, Sam George, Jehu Hanciles, Stan Chu llo, Rosella Kinoshameg, Paul V. Kollman, Leo D. Lefebure, Bernard Lonergan, Anselm Min, V. Y. Mudimbe, John Milloy, Richard Neibuhr, Ronald Niezen, ldara Otu, Raimon Panikkar, Peter Phan, Paul Ricoeur, Paul Robson, Robert J. Schreiter, Heather Walton, and David E. Wilhite.

This course investigates the religious grounds for peacemaking today. Each student will be responsible for following and reporting on developments in one location represented by a Tanenbaum "Peacemaker-in-Action" throughout the course. Meanwhile, the evolution of the theological/ecclesial/interfaith discussion of peacemaking will be traced through the 20th century debate between pacifism and just war; conflict resolution and transformation; peacekeeping, peacemaking and peacebuilding; humanitarian aid and development; NGOs and the military. Students will be expected to explore these debates in relation to their "case study" and may write the case study from the perspective of any faith.

Critical examination of issues, methods, and practices in theology focused on the development of the Roman Catholic doctrinal tradition within diverse, secular, multicultural, ecumenical contexts. Students engage and interrelate systematic and narrative discourses to address ecological, social, justice, and cultural issues in the public realm. Principal authors include Bernard Lonergan and Paul Ricoeur. Additional authors include Mary Carruthers, Louis-Marie Chauvet, Anne Clifford, Robert Doran, Stanley Hauerwas, Werner Jeanrond, Sallie McFague, and David Tracy. The course models an approach to theological integration, which will be helpful for students preparing for comprehensive examinations and other capstone activities as they approach the completion of their Master of Divinity or Master of Theological Studies programs.

Critical examination of issues, methods, and practices in theology focused on the development of the Roman Catholic doctrinal tradition within diverse, secular, multicultural, ecumenical contexts. Students engage and interrelate systematic and narrative discourses to address ecological, social, justice, and cultural issues in the public realm. Principal authors include Bernard Lonergan and Paul Ricoeur. Additional authors include Mary Carruthers, Louis-Marie Chauvet, Anne Clifford, Robert Doran, Stanley Hauerwas, Werner Jeanrond, Sallie McFague, and David Tracy. The course models an approach to theological integration, which will be helpful for students preparing for comprehensive examinations and other capstone activities as they approach the completion of their Master of Divinity or Master of Theological Studies programs.

This course examines the interpretation of the parables in the gospels and other early Christian writers. It outlines major trends in the modern analyses of the parables, with special attention to social and economic concerns, in order to assess how they might work as a distinctive form of communication. We will also consider how attention to communicative dynamics and first century contexts can help us to imagine the relevance of parables to our own time.

The course will examine the portrait of Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels as it conveys three themes of justice: 1) the exercise of power, 2) economic issues, and 3) human worth. The course will place Jesus's actions and teachings in the social and political conditions of first century Galilee and Judea while also considering their relevance to contemporary events and circumstances. Special attention will be given to the parables, economic teachings, and the phenomena of healings and exorcisms as responses to the conditions of daily life and political rule in first century Palestine.

The course will examine the portrait of Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels as it conveys three themes of justice: 1) the exercise of power, 2) economic issues, and 3) human worth. The course will place Jesus's actions and teachings in the social and political conditions of first century Galilee and Judea while also considering their relevance to contemporary events and circumstances. Special attention will be given to the parables, economic teachings, and the phenomena of healings and exorcisms as responses to the conditions of daily life and political rule in first century Palestine.