Previous Years' Course Catalogues

An introduction to the foundations and principles of Catholic moral reasoning in bioethics, as well as a selection of issues, including: abortion, reproductive technologies, euthanasia and assisted suicide, treatment decisions at the end of life, determination of death and organ donation, stem cells and genetics.

An introduction to the foundations and principles of Catholic moral reasoning in bioethics, as well as a selection of issues, including: abortion, reproductive technologies, euthanasia and assisted suicide, treatment decisions at the end of life, determination of death and organ donation, stem cells and genetics.

Using contemporary articles from Christian ethics and Magisterial teachings, the biological and medical sciences, and philosophical ethics, the course will develop and apply critical thinking and ethical methods to contemporary issues in biomedical ethics including: issues pertaining to the creation of life (e.g., IV fertilization, reproductive technologies), the preservation of life (e.g., right to care, refusal of care, micro & macroallocation of limited resources, stem cell research), and the end of life (e.g., euthanasia, allowing to die, elder neglect).

The course will consider issues, documents, and ethical methods that will help the student to develop an understanding of the ecological crisis as well as ethical and theological responses to it. The limitations of a human-centered ethics, the need for an ecological justice that incorporates human justice, the implications of climate change, and the various Christian responses to the environmental issues are some of the topics that will be considered in the course. Method: lectures, case studies, informed discussions. Evaluation: reflection paper, integration paper, practical integration.

The course will consider issues, documents, and ethical methods that will help the student to develop an understanding of the ecological crisis as well as ethical and theological responses to it. The limitations of a human-centered ethics, the need for an ecological justice that incorporates human justice, the implications of climate change, and the various Christian responses to the environmental issues are some of the topics that will be considered in the course.

The course will consider issues, documents, and ethical methods that will help the student to develop an understanding of the ecological crisis as well as ethical and theological responses to it. The limitations of a human-centered ethics, the need for an ecological justice that incorporates human justice, the implications of climate change, and the various Christian responses to the environmental issues are some of the topics that will be considered in the course. Method: lectures, case studies, informed discussions. Evaluation: reflection paper, integration paper, practical integration.

This course focuses on Thomas Aquinas? treatment of the theological virtues approaching it in relation to recent work in ?Virtue Ethics?. The course begins with recent philosophical work focusing on the recovery of the virtues for moral reflection and life, and addresses key questions and challenges to this renewed emphasis on the virtues. Aquinas? treatment of the virtues will be read in conjunction with both classic and contemporary commentators and critics.

This course in social and political theology explores the tension between the theological concepts of forgiveness, reconciliation, and justice. How does one, or should one, forgive those who have committed unjust and terrible crimes? To what extent must justice be retributive? This analysis of the difficult work of reconciliation gives particular attention to how the churches in Rwanda, Northern Ireland, and South Africa have wrestled with this issue in their own social and political contexts. Attention is also given to Canada's TRC process with indigenous peoples and the concept of "Restorative Justice." The course will explore the complexity involved in the relationship between violence and forgiveness, particularly as this relates to the concept of Justice in Christian ethics, an understanding of community, and the formation of the moral subject. Some attention will be given to the emotional and spiritual tensions that individuals face when confronted with the complexities involved in living through periods of conflict and reconciliation.

This course in social and political theology explores the tension between the theological concepts of forgiveness, reconciliation, and justice. How does one, or should one, forgive those who have committed unjust and terrible crimes? To what extent must justice be retributive? This analysis of the difficult work of reconciliation gives particular attention to how the churches in Rwanda, Northern Ireland, and South Africa have wrestled with this issue in their own social and political contexts. Attention is also given to Canada's TRC process with indigenous peoples and the concept of "Restorative Justice." The course will explore the complexity involved in the relationship between violence and forgiveness, particularly as this relates to the concept of Justice in Christian ethics, an understanding of community, and the formation of the moral subject. Some attention will be given to the emotional and spiritual tensions that individuals face when confronted with the complexities involved in living through periods of conflict and reconciliation.

This course in social and political theology explores the tension between the theological concepts of forgiveness. reconciliation, and justice. How does one, or should one, forgive those who have committed unjust and terrible crimes? To what extent must justice be retributive? This analysis of the difficult work of reconciliation gives particular attention to how
the churches in Latin America, Northern Ireland, and South Africa have wrestled with this issue in their own social and political contexts. Attention is also given to Canada'a TRC process with its indigenous peoples. The course will explore the complexity involved in the relationship between violence and forgiveness, particularly as this relates to the concept of Justice in Christian ethics, an understanding of €œcommunity,€ and the formation of the moral subject. Some attention will be given to the emotional and spiritual tensions that individuals face when confronted with the complexities involved in living through periods of conflict and reconciliation.

This course in social and political theology explores the tension between the theological concepts of forgiveness. reconciliation, and justice. How does one, or should one, forgive those who have committed unjust and terrible crimes? To what extent must justice be retributive? This analysis of the difficult work of reconciliation gives particular attention to how
the churches in Latin America, Northern Ireland, and South Africa have wrestled with this issue in their own social and political contexts. Attention is also given to Canada'a TRC process with its indigenous peoples. The course will explore the complexity involved in the relationship between violence and forgiveness, particularly as this relates to the concept of Justice in Christian ethics, an understanding of €œcommunity,€ and the formation of the moral subject. Some attention will be given to the emotional and spiritual tensions that individuals face when confronted with the complexities involved in living through periods of conflict and reconciliation.

This course will (1) look at the key texts and themes in the NT on ethical matters; (2) see how the early church (100-450) worked with these but also how it related the NT teaching to that of the OT, Jewish ethics and the classical philosophical ethics, and how it adapted its moral theology to its ever-changing circumstances; (3) assess the question of authority and interpretation of scripture and early Christian writings for church and society today. The course will cover a number of major themes present in the New Testament’s ‘ethical teaching’ across a range of the canon and will continue (in each second half of the session) with how the thinking changed and/or remained constant, was weakened or intensified by the likes of the Apostolic Fathers, the Apologists, Alexandrian and North African theologians, early Byzantine and Latin fathers.