Course Catalogue 2026-2027

This seminar course is intended to provide students in the "theological studies program" with a broad understanding of the anthropological conditions that "constrain" all modes of human thought, including primitive religious and "meta-religious'' thought, at various periods in the evolution of Homo sapiens and subsequent historical developments. The intention here is not to sutvey the range of informal or formal methods employed in the various types of theology (whether biblical or narrative; political or prophetic; natural or revealed; historical, systematic, or pastoral; etc.) or of the theologies of particular Christian denominations or theologians. Its objective is to inquire whether it is possible to construct a sound framework or "theory" of method that can justify the knowledge claims of the disciplines (or fields) included under the rubric "Christian Theological Studies" within the framework of the modern Western research university.

This course will examine the historical, religious, political, economic and social contexts of the birth of Christianity in the Holy Lands.  Special attention will be paid to the various relationships of Christian communities’ with Judaism, including the Jews revolts, the Minim and Ebionite controversies, the impact of the development of holy places of worship and pilgrimage, spirituality and monasticism, and the role of Roman and Byzantine emperors in the spread of Christianity.  The course will also deal with the Dead Sea Scrolls and other archaeological discoveries from the period.

This course will explore through classroom lectures and seminar discussions the texts and pastoral practice of the core liturgical rites for the Divine Eucharist in the Byzantine (Orthodox and Eastern Catholic) churches, including the historical evolution and theological meaning of those rites. Guest lectures will also cover the Eucharistic liturgies of the Oriental Orthodox churches, specifically the Coptic and Ethiopian rites. The course will also explore the concept of liturgical theology.

This course will explore through classroom lectures and seminar discussions the texts and pastoral practice of the core liturgical rites for the Divine Eucharist in the Byzantine (Orthodox and Eastern Catholic) churches, including the historical evolution and theological meaning of those rites. Guest lectures will also cover the Eucharistic liturgies of the Oriental Orthodox churches, specifically the Coptic and Ethiopian rites. The course will also explore the concept of liturgical theology.

This course will explore through classroom lectures and seminar discussions the texts and pastoral practice of the daily cycle of the liturgy of the hours and the yearly cycle of feasts, fasts and commemorations of the Byzantine (Orthodox and Eastern Catholic) churches, including the historical evolution and theological meaning of those rites. Some consideration will also be given to the liturgies of the hours and liturgical year of the Oriental Orthodox churches, specifically the Syriac, Coptic and Ethiopian rites. The course will also further develop the concept of liturgical theology and the reflect on pastoral practice in the celebration of daily and festal services.

This course will explore through classroom lectures and seminar discussions the texts and pastoral practice of the daily cycle of the liturgy of the hours and the yearly cycle of feasts, fasts and commemorations of the Byzantine (Orthodox and Eastern Catholic) churches, including the historical evolution and theological meaning of those rites. Some consideration will also be given to the liturgies of the hours and liturgical year of the Oriental Orthodox churches, specifically the Syriac, Coptic and Ethiopian rites. The course will also further develop the concept of liturgical theology and the reflect on pastoral practice in the celebration of daily and festal services.

This course will explore through classroom lectures and seminar discussions the texts and pastoral practice of the daily cycle of the liturgy of the hours and the yearly cycle of feasts, fasts and commemorations of the Byzantine (Orthodox and Eastern Catholic) churches, including the historical evolution and theological meaning of those rites. Some consideration will also be given to the liturgies of the hours and liturgical year of the Oriental Orthodox churches, specifically the Syriac, Coptic and Ethiopian rites. The course will also further develop the concept of liturgical theology and the reflect on pastoral practice in the celebration of daily and festal services.

This course will examine the biblical, theological, spiritual, historical, and liturgical roots of the celebration of the Eucharist in the ordinary form of the Roman Rite and develop a comprehension by the students of the present form of its liturgical celebration. Students will be required to demonstrate an understanding of the course’s content through written assignments and in class presentations. Successful candidates will have the capacity to communicate course content in a ministry setting.

This course will examine the biblical, theological, spiritual, historical, and liturgical roots of the celebration of the Eucharist in the ordinary form of the Roman Rite and develop a comprehension by the students of the present form of its liturgical celebration. Students will be required to demonstrate an understanding of the course’s content through written assignments and in class presentations. Successful candidates will have the capacity to communicate course content in a ministry setting.

In this course, students will explore the origins of theological education in the medieval university.  The course begins with the foundations from monastic theology and will then trace the emergence of "scholastic" theology, with particular attention paid to the development of pastoral theology.  Topics will include the sources of theological work; pedagogical practices; the doctrines of Trinity, Christology, and the sacraments; as well as key figures from the twelfth to the fifteenth centuries.

The course will begin with input and discussion on the themes of Mission and Ethics, as well as an introduction to Acts. Each week there will be a consideration of a passage from Acts in light of the joint topic of ‘Mission and Ethics’-how do they relate within these texts? The passages from Acts will be chosen according to their featuring this question and will be examined in light of modern commentaries and linguistic and historical aids, before moving to consider a range of selected commentators on Acts through the centuries: all these will be made available in English translation as basic. Reading of primary sources (commentaries both pre-modern and modern) will be emphasised, along with their interpretive and creative moves, but there will also be the opportunity and responsibility of getting familiar with some of the major recent scholarship on the book, not least the theological and ideological tendencies of Luke and the question of how this biblical book serves to offer an apology for the church of Paul and the other Apostles. The matters of theological interpretation, theology of history, missio Dei, communal and ‘evangelistic’ ecclesial ethics and reception-history as an appropriate method.

The course will begin with input and discussion on the themes of Mission and Ethics, as well as an introduction to Acts. Each week there will be a consideration of a passage from Acts in light of the joint topic of ‘Mission and Ethics’-how do they relate within these texts? The passages from Acts will be chosen according to their featuring this question and will be examined in light of modern commentaries and linguistic and historical aids, before moving to consider a range of selected commentators on Acts through the centuries: all these will be made available in English translation as basic. Reading of primary sources (commentaries both pre-modern and modern) will be emphasised, along with their interpretive and creative moves, but there will also be the opportunity and responsibility of getting familiar with some of the major recent scholarship on the book, not least the theological and ideological tendencies of Luke and the question of how this biblical book serves to offer an apology for the church of Paul and the other Apostles. The matters of theological interpretation, theology of history, missio Dei, communal and ‘evangelistic’ ecclesial ethics and reception-history as an appropriate method.