Previous Years' Course Catalogues

The primary goal of this course is to help us think critically and sensitively about Christian values, norms, and commitments in ways that preserve a Christian orientation while taking into account the non-Christian and pluralistic context of modern society. Such thinking will involve a dialectical process where universal principles, values, and norms will be examined with reference to the particular experiences and realities that constrain human action and interaction. The aim is not to structure a strict formalistic ethical framework but rather to canvall various ethical methodologies, religious and secular, as resources for ethical thinking and praxis.

The primary goal of this course is to help us think critically and sensitively about Christian values, norms, and commitments in ways that preserve a Christian orientation while taking into account the non-Christian and pluralistic context of modern society. Such thinking will involve a dialectical process where universal principles, values, and norms will be examined with reference to the particular experiences and realities that constrain human action and interaction. The aim is not to structure a strict formalistic ethical framework but rather to canvall various ethical methodologies, religious and secular, as resources for ethical thinking and praxis. Method of Evaluation: Critical book response(s), one term paper; class participation.

This course explores the spiritual integration of social activism, aesthetic appreciation, and critical reflection in a secular context. Students identify theological resources and develop a transdisciplinary approach to examining critically the contribution of religion to ecological, social, cultural and ecclesial reconciliation. Students explore an empathetic understanding of the evolution of ecological awareness and the rights of indigenous peoples. Assigned readings draw on authors such as Craig Calhoun, Cynthia Crysdale, John Dadosky, Robert Doran, Bernard Lonergan, Ronald Niezen, Karl Rahner, Thomas Reynolds, Paul Ricoeur, and Charles Taylor. The course includes two practical sessions in the development of social discernment facilitated in collaboration with social change practitioners from the Jesuit Forum for Social Faith and Justice.

This course explores the spiritual integration of social activism, aesthetic appreciation, and critical reflection in a secular context. Students identify theological resources and develop a transdisciplinary approach to examining critically the contribution of religion to ecological, social, cultural and ecclesial reconciliation. Students explore an empathetic understanding of the evolution of ecological awareness and the rights of indigenous peoples. Assigned readings draw on authors such as Craig Calhoun, Cynthia Crysdale, John Dadosky, Robert Doran, Bernard Lonergan, Ronald Niezen, Karl Rahner, Thomas Reynolds, Paul Ricoeur, and Charles Taylor. The course includes two practical sessions in the development of social discernment facilitated in collaboration with social change practitioners from the Jesuit Forum for Social Faith and Justice.

This course explores the essential elements of an Eastern Christian approach to ethics, in terms of its sources, methods and applications. While countenancing an array of specific moral issues-including sexual ethics, embryonic and stem cell research, human cloning, euthanasia, capital punishment, the morality of war, environmental ethics, and social ethics-the course Is focused on meta-ethical reflection, i.e., a consideration of the "first principles  of theological ethics within an Eastern Christian context. Thus systematically attention is given to the specifically ethical significance of such data as Scripture, patristic texts, liturgy, hagiography, canon law and contemporary church teaching. Throughout the course, we will probe the nature of the dialectic between (meta)ethical theory and Individual/communal practice.

This course explores the essential elements of an Eastern Christian approach to ethics, in terms of its sources, methods and applications. While countenancing an array of specific moral issues-including sexual ethics, embryonic and stem cell research, human cloning, euthanasia, capital punishment, the morality of war, environmental ethics, and social ethics-the course Is focused on meta-ethical reflection, i.e., a consideration of the "first principles of theological ethics within an Eastern Christian context. Thus systematically attention is given to the specifically ethical significance of such data as Scripture, patristic texts, liturgy, hagiography, canon law and contemporary church teaching. Throughout the course, we will probe the nature of the dialectic between (meta)ethical theory and Individual/communal practice.

This course explores the essential elements of an Eastern Christian approach to ethics, in terms of its sources, methods and applications. While countenancing an array of specific moral issues-including sexual ethics, embryonic and stem cell research, human cloning, euthanasia, capital punishment, the morality of war, environmental ethics, and social ethics-the course Is focused on meta-ethical reflection, i.e., a consideration of the "first principles  of theological ethics within an Eastern Christian context. Thus systematically attention is given to the specifically ethical significance of such data as Scripture, patristic texts, liturgy, hagiography, canon law and contemporary church teaching. Throughout the course, we will probe the nature of the dialectic between (meta)ethical theory and Individual/communal practice.

This course explores the essential elements of an Eastern Christian approach to ethics, in terms of its sources, methods and applications. While countenancing an array of specific moral issues-including sexual ethics, embryonic and stem cell research, human cloning, euthanasia, capital punishment, the morality of war, environmental ethics, and social ethics-the course Is focused on meta-ethical reflection, i.e., a consideration of the "first principles  of theological ethics within an Eastern Christian context. Thus systematically attention is given to the specifically ethical significance of such data as Scripture, patristic texts, liturgy, hagiography, canon law and contemporary church teaching. Throughout the course, we will probe the nature of the dialectic between (meta)ethical theory and Individual/communal practice.

In Mark 8:28, Jesus asks, "Who do you say that I am?" Christians have answered this question in complex and often conflicting ways, leading to a variety of depictions of Jesus that often bear little resemblance to one another.  This course will examine how Jesus comes to be understood as culturally significant in differing contexts, a "sticky" figure to whom various values and ideals become affixed. More precisely, this course will look at how Jesus is continually re-fashioned to advance specific social interests- how we see in Jesus what we want to see and consequently understand him to be on "our" side of a given debate.

In Mark 8:28, Jesus asks, 'Who do you say that I am?' Christians have answered this question in complex and often conflicting ways, leading to a variety of depictions of Jesus that often bear little resemblance to one another. This course will examine how Jesus comes to be understood as culturally significant in differing contexts, a 'sticky' figure to whom various values and ideals become affixed. More precisely, this course will look at how Jesus is continually re-fashioned to advance specific social interests- how we see in Jesus what we want to see and consequently understand him to be on 'our' side of a given debate.

Because of advances in nutrition, hygiene and medicine, more people are living longer lives than ever before. For individuals to live to old age was once considered a blessing; currently to have population aging of this magnitude - the silver tsunami - is seen as a destructive demographic development. This course will explore issues in aging from an ethical-theological perspective. Topics to include: what it means to age as Individuals and as populations; ageism and elder abuse; the fight against aging; .institutionalization of elders; building age-friendly communities; poverty and aging; aging in a global context; a theology of aging.

Since the 3rd century Egyptian monks developed a fervent ascetic movement that spread across Egypt. Hermits, anchorites and monks, all passionate about dedicating their lives to God, created living spaces responding to their spiritual and material daily needs, from the recluse cave to the most sophisticated monastic complex. The History of Egyptian Monasticism will present a historical overview on the origins of monasticism based on written sources. The comparison of these sources with the outcomes of archaeological excavations will reveal the relation between spiritual and material aspects of monastic life. Samples of published literary sources produced for different monastic orders such as sermons, canons and biographies will be studied.