Previous Years' Course Catalogues

This course introduces the student to the Psalms in the history of interpretation. It begins with a description of modern critical reading of the Psalms, including ‘canonical reading’, and then examines in weekly seminars the older history of interpretation, including the School of Antioch, Augustine, Aquinas, Rashi, Luther, Calvin and others.

Ecclesiology embraces the study of the story, nature, self-understanding, hopes, achievements and failings of the church. This class will explore the Inter-relation between ecclesiology, ethics, and community In recent times and our current age. It will focus primarily, but not exclusively on the Roman Catholic Church, although it will examine issues of wider ecclesial relevance, as well.

A study of the historical context, documents, and theology of the Second Vatican Council with special attention to the interpretive and theological principles that permit an analysis of how the council was in continuity with its historical past, a ressourcement, but also a development within the Roman Catholic tradition, aggiomamento, a critical renewal of the church for new times and new contexts.

A study of the historical context, documents, and theology of the Second Vatican Council with special attention to the interpretive and theological principles that permit an analysis of how the council was in continuity with its historical past, a ressourcement, but also a development within the Roman Catholic tradition, aggiomamento, a critical renewal of the church for new times and new contexts.

A study of the historical context, documents, and theology of the Second Vatican Council with special attention to the interpretive and theological principles that permit an analysis of how the council was in continuity with its historical past, a ressourcement, but also a development within the Roman Catholic tradition, aggiomamento, a critical renewal of the church for new times and new contexts.

A study of the historical context, documents, and theology of the Second Vatican Council with special attention to the interpretive and theological principles that permit an analysis of how the council was in continuity with its historical past, a ressourcement, but also a development within the Roman Catholic tradition, aggiomamento, a critical renewal of the church for new times and new contexts.

A study of the historical context, documents, and theology of the Second Vatican Council with special attention to the interpretive and theological principles that permit an analysis of how the council was in continuity with its historical past, a ressourcement, but also a development within the Roman Catholic tradition, aggiomamento, a critical renewal of the church for new times and new contexts.

This course is an examination of contemporary theories of human growth and development, and the contribution that such theories offer to the understanding of religious development and the praxis of religious education.

An awareness of the way Judaism developed in the period between the Maccabean revolt against the Syrian Hellenists (167 BCE) and the revolt against Rome (66-70 CE) is crucial for a proper understanding of both Jesus and the early Christian movement. This course will investigate these developments within Judaism in their political, social and literary contexts, with special attention to their significance for the New Testament.

he Eastern Roman Empire, known today as the Byzantine Empire, survived until 1453, having spread Christianity among the Slavs in the Balkans and Eastern Europe. Among the topics of Byzantine history surveyed here are the seven Ecumenical Councils and their theological and political implications, iconoclasm and Byzantine art, Byzantine relations with the West (especially during the Crusades) as well as with the Slavs — culminating in various attempts to bring them into both the orbit of Greek Christianity and the Empire. This leads to the study of the Christianization of Kievan Rus’.
For the Slavic Churches, the course provides and overview of: Kievan Rus’ Christianity (988-1240) and its decline; the Unions of Florence (1439–1442) and Brest (1596) and their aftermath; the rise of the Church of Moscow, under Patriarch and Synod; the Church in Orthodox Russia and Catholic Austria; and Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches under totalitarian and post-totalitarian rule, especially in Ukraine.
Simultaneously with these Slavic developments, the course will look at the East-West Schism, attempts to heal it, and the struggles and eventual collapse of the Byzantine Empire. The rise of hesychasm and monasticism in both Greek and Slavic Churches will also be examined, delving into theological and political aspects.

This course introduces students to Catholic documents that have both explicit and implicit implications for Catholic education. The objective of the course, therefore is to enable students to read these texts closely with a view to drawing out the implications, particularly he first-principles, cultural context, and the key educational issues. Attention will be paid to the pedagogical, theological, cultural, social and foundational issues contained in these texts. The text will also be read through an applied hermeneutical method. As this is a course in reading primary texts, students will be expected to become very knowledgeable of the texts assigned each week.

This course introduces students to Catholic documents that have both explicit and implicit implications for Catholic education. The objective of the course, therefore is to enable students to read these texts closely with a view to drawing out the implications, particularly he first-principles, cultural context, and the key educational issues. Attention will be paid to the pedagogical, theological, cultural, social and foundational issues contained in these texts. The text will also be read through an applied hermeneutical method. As this is a course in reading primary texts, students will be expected to become very knowledgeable of the texts assigned each week.