Previous Years' Course Catalogues

This course examines the accounts of the passion and death of Jesus in their original historical and literary contexts. Topics include: Roman and Jewish judicial procedures; crucifixion and burial in the ancient world; the editorial tendencies of the gospel writers; incipient anti-Judaism in the gospels; conceptual trajectories of the passion narratives.

This course examines the accounts of the passion and death of Jesus in their original historical and literary contexts. Topics include: Roman and Jewish judicial procedures; crucifixion and burial in the ancient world; the editorial tendencies of the gospel writers; incipient anti-Judaism in the gospels; conceptual trajectories of the passion narratives.

Mercy has come to prominence through the pontificate of Pope Francis, but what is mercy and how do different denominations and faiths understand the term. This is our starting point, an exploration of the universality of the term particularly as a possible communion across the Abrahamic faiths. Biblical injunctions concerning mercy prefigure a focus on Pope Francis' elevation of the discourse on mercy. A key principle of mercy for this Pope is the use of dialogue and here we see how the work of Romano Guardini is a significant influence. Discernment is named as an operative tool of mercy and we consider the impact of an lgnatian fonmation on the promotion of mercy. Christological lynchpins for mercy emerge from a consideration of 'Evangelii Gadium'; and here we also encounter the Trinitarian horizon for mercy and indeed a possible Trinitarian ontology of mercy. Finally the ecclesiological ramifications and the geo-political impact of mercy conclude our investigation into why mercy is an ecclesiological imperative.

Following a brief history of the ecumenical movement, this course examines the ecumenical documents of the Catholic church outlining the principles, spirituality, and norms governing the practice of ecumenism in the Catholic Church. It then examines the ecumenical processes that developed beginning from the moment in which the churches established contacts among themselves and undertook conversations and identifies the presuppositions and implications of these practices. Various methodologies used in ecumenical dialogue examined in this course include a historical method, the turn to constructive theology, differentiating consensus, and receptive ecumenism. The various kinds of ecumenical documents studied include multi-lateral consensus documents from the World Council of Churches, bi-lateral dialogue statements, and interim convergence documents on Eucharist, church, and ministry. The course ends by examining processes of ecumenical reception. Students may develop projects and papers with respect to their own ecclesial traditions.

Following a brief history of the ecumenical movement, this course examines the ecumenical documents of the Catholic church outlining the principles, spirituality, and norms governing the practice of ecumenism in the Catholic Church. It then examines the ecumenical processes that developed beginning from the moment in which the churches established contacts among themselves and undertook conversations and identifies the presuppositions and implications of these practices. Various methodologies used in ecumenical dialogue examined in this course include a historical method, the turn to constructive theology, differentiating consensus, and receptive ecumenism. The various kinds of ecumenical documents studied include multi-lateral consensus documents from the World Council of Churches, bi-lateral dialogue statements, and interim convergence documents on Eucharist, church, and ministry. The course ends by examining processes of ecumenical reception. Students may develop projects and papers with respect to their own ecclesial traditions.

This course will examine the development of Ecumenical Missional Ecclesiology in the 20th and 21st century with a focus on the dimensions of missional ecclesiology for the North American context. The course will explore the theological origins of ecumenical missional ecclesiology, the biblical and hermeneutical dimension of such theology, the present context and its relationship to such ecclesiology and the direction of ecumenical missional ecclesiology.

This course will examine the development of Ecumenical Missional Ecclesiology in the 20th and 21st century with a focus on the dimensions of missional ecclesiology for the North American context. The course will explore the theological origins of ecumenical missional ecclesiology, the biblical and hermeneutical dimension of such theology, the present context and its relationship to such ecclesiology and the direction of ecumenical missional ecclesiology.

This seminar course reflects on the emergence of one of the key elements of modern thinking, that is, the focus upon the historically concrete. In theology, this was linked to questions about God's providence, evil, and suffering that took on a specific profile by the end of the 16th century in Western Europe, in the face of actual events and experiences. Having looked at treatments of these elements in the early and medieval church, and on challenges from the 16th century, we concentrate on the 17th and 18th century, first looking at discussions of violence, then natural history, and finally circling around the debate over "theodicy" as Leibniz articulated it, and critiques of his scheme by Voltaire and others. The Lisbon Earthquake of 1755 proved a key event crystallizing concerns. After a brief foray into Jewish Hasidism, we end with a contemporary reflection on theology's responsibility to "theodical" challenges. The readings deal with both "natural" and "human-caused" evil, and will try to root discussions in aspects of the historical context of the writers studied. Target students: Those interested in the history of Western theology, especially in its transition into modernity; those seeking to gain an understanding of the intellectual context in which many contemporary ethical concerns about suffering and evil arose; those interested in how key thinkers in the Christian and early modern philosophical tradition engaged questions of historical life.

An examination of the idea of self in Hinduism and Islam through representative contemporary thinkers Rabindranath Tagore and Muhammad Iqbal respectively. How is self understood? What is its relation to the ideas of person and personal identity? What are the philosophical and theological presuppositions of the idea of self? Answers are supplemented by classical and other contemporary writings of the religious tradition in question, thereby accessing the worldview associated with that tradition.

An examination of the idea of self in Hinduism and Islam through representative contemporary thinkers Rabindranath Tagore and Muhammad Iqbal respectively. How is self understood? What is its relation to the ideas of person and personal identity? What are the philosophical and theological presuppositions of the idea of self? Answers are supplemented by classical and other contemporary writings of the religious tradition in question, thereby accessing the worldview associated with that tradition.

An examination of the idea of self in Hinduism and Islam through representative contemporary thinkers Rabindranath Tagore and Muhammad Iqbal respectively. How is self understood? What is its relation to the ideas of person and personal identity? What are the philosophical and theological presuppositions of the idea of self? Answers are supplemented by classical and other contemporary writings of the religious tradition in question, thereby accessing the worldview associated with that tradition.

An examination of the idea of self in Hinduism and Islam through representative contemporary thinkers Rabindranath Tagore and Muhammad Iqbal respectively. How is self understood? What is its relation to the ideas of person and personal identity? What are the philosophical and theological presuppositions of the idea of self? Answers are supplemented by classical and other contemporary writings of the religious tradition in question, thereby accessing the worldview associated with that tradition.