Course Catalogue 2026-2027

Sacraments of baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, reconciliation, anointing of the sick, orders, and marriage as symbols of the world, challenge to human existence, life functions of the Church and features of Christology and revelation. Lectures, seminars, mid-term papers and final paper. Short paper on Symbol and Sacrament, total 20%; four short papers on one of the sacraments, 10% each (total 40%); three case study critiques for in-class discussion, total 10%; one final paper, total 30%.

This course is a historical, systematic, and pastoral study of the sacraments of initiation (baptism, confirmation, Eucharist), healing (reconciliation, sacrament of the sick), and vocation (marriage and orders) in Roman Catholic theology and practice. The purpose of this course is to 1) explore the meaning of ritual and symbol in human experience and religious practice, 2) trace the historical development of sacraments in the Christian tradition and 3) identify key issues and challenges in a contemporary sacramental theology.

This course is a biblically grounded, historically conscious, and systematically disciplined exploration of the Sacraments of the Catholic Church and a traditioned introduction to her theology about the sacraments and their implications not just for believing participants but for the salvation of the whole world. The notion of a sacrament is one that is an expression (and continuation) of the central doctrine of our Faith, namely, the incarnation of the Son of God. This indicates that the basic meaning of "sacrament" as employed by the Church is one which is supernaturally derivative (both ontologically and symbolically) from the definitive revelation of God in History and the promulgation and extension of this revelation by the Church down through the ages.

This course is a historical, systematic, and pastoral study of the sacraments of initiation (baptism, confirmation, Eucharist), healing (reconciliation, sacrament of the sick), and vocation (marriage and orders) in Roman Catholic theology and practice. The purpose of this course is to 1) explore the meaning of ritual and symbol in human experience and religious practice, 2) trace the historical development of sacraments in the Christian tradition and 3) identify key issues and challenges in a contemporary sacramental theology.

This course is a historical, systematic, and pastoral study of the sacraments of initiation (baptism, confirmation, Eucharist), healing (reconciliation, sacrament of the sick), and vocation (marriage and orders) in Roman Catholic theology and practice. The purpose of this course is to 1) explore the meaning of ritual and symbol in human experience and religious practice, 2) trace the historical development of sacraments in the Christian tradition and 3) identify key issues and challenges in a contemporary sacramental theology.

The objective of this course is to reflect critically about the ideals and praxis of inclusion in hospitality education. This course will explore how hospitality offers the possibility of transforming the encounter with difference into an occasion for learning and teaching. Hospitality will be envisaged as a reflective and critical tool for educational practitioners and institutions.

Historically, the experiences of Indigenous Christians in the churches have not been honoured or valued. At best, they were marginalized, and this is still the case today. Using Indigenous methodologies of teaching and learning and a storytelling approach, Indigenous Christian elders and teachers offer in this course a different view of Indigenous Christian experiences and highlight their theological, spiritual, and ecclesial contribution to the churches. Learning to honour Indigenous Christian experiences is a gift to the transformation of the churches and an important step on the journey towards reconciliation.

This course explores the key concepts and thinkers of the critical pedagogy movement and how these have informed Christian theology and education. The course is grounded in the writings of Brazilian educator Paulo Freire, exploring his critical pedagogy as a response to situations where human dignity is threatened. The further contributions of scholars of critical and feminist pedagogies will expand the conversation to consider critical pedagogy as a Christian response to suffering and oppression. Centered on Freire’s dialogical approach to education, the course invites students to examine the interconnectedness of love, hope, justice, and dialogue in religious education and pastoral ministry.

The formulation of an Old Testament theology is a summative and integrative task within Old Testament studies, yet no consensus exists on how an Old Testament theology should be conducted. In this course students will begin to develop their own understanding of, and approach to, Old Testament theology in its task, structure, scope, sources, uses, subject matter, and hermeneutical method. Students will engage both the discipline’s history and its critical questions. The course aims to help students shape an Old Testament theology that attends to the historical, literary, and thematic realities of Old Testament texts and how the message of those texts articulates with other canonical texts.

The formulation of an Old Testament theology is a summative and integrative task within Old Testament studies, yet no consensus exists on how an Old Testament theology should be conducted. In this course students will begin to develop their own understanding of, and approach to, Old Testament theology in its task, structure, scope, sources, uses, subject matter, and hermeneutical method. Students will engage both the discipline’s history and its critical questions. The course aims to help students shape an Old Testament theology that attends to the historical, literary, and thematic realities of Old Testament texts and how the message of those texts articulates with other canonical texts.

Many major philosophical figures addressed educational issues and had a significant impact on the theory and practice of education, both in their own immediate contexts and in the longer term. Each time the course is offered, a selection will be made from the writings of two or three of these philosophers (e.g., Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Locke, Rousseau, Kant, Dewey). Particular attention will be given to anthropological and epistemological convictions and the implications of these for an understanding of learning and the conception of an educated person. Participants will be able to focus on the connections between the selected authors’ educational thought and their broader philosophical concerns or on the influence and implications of their writings for the current practice of education. They will be encouraged to discern insights and distortions in the light of a biblically informed view of the person as they develop further their own perspective on education.

This course is designed to enable participants to understand, develop and encourage faithful leadership in Christian schools. The vision of Christian schooling that leaders seek to sustain is not simply their own, but school leaders are a vital link in the translation of parents' priorities into the life of classrooms. Participants will examine leadership and management structures critically in light of: communal and personal educational focus and values; the need to nurture community; the need to sustain a dynamic vision for schooling. This online course employs an extensive Study Guide, a book, book chapters and journal articles, with an online discussion forum and Skype/telephone conferencing. Participation in the forum and a professionally-oriented research paper will provide the basis for evaluation.