Course Catalogue 2026-2027

Building upon what is broadly understood as liberation discourses and theologies, this course explores the salient features of emerging decolonial thinking and discourses. We will study the various methodological shifts as articulated by decolonial thinkers and examine how these complex theoretical currents signal a reconfiguration of inherited forms of knowledge, understanding of the world, and the theological task. The focus of this course is to gain insight in the main ideas, specific methodologies, and key authors involved in the development and proliferation of these diverse theoretical currents, and their relevance for the task of theology and ministry.

We hear much about the need for a new evangelization but effective plans to achieve that end are neither common nor easy to design. This course introduces students to the elements of culture and the processes by which a culture is created and preserved.  After reading assigned texts, students will use class time to discuss implications for evangelization in particular situations.  Emphasis is on helping student apply their background knowledge to practical planning and execution. Evaluation is based on class participation, one major paper and a final examination, written or oral according to student preference.

“Radical Orthodoxy” (RO) is a theological movement often associated with British Anglican theologians John Milbank, Catherine Pickstock, and Graham Ward—though as a theological “sensibility” its impact and representatives are much wider.  Characterized by a trenchant critique of modernity, including liberalism and secularism, RO is properly understood as an ecclesial political theology that draws on Augustinian wells.  This course will offer an introduction of RO’s political theology in order to engage one of its most trenchant critics.  In Democracy and Tradition, Jeffrey Stout criticizes RO as a “new traditionalism” that he associates with Alasdair MacIntyre and Stanley Hauerwas.  For Stout, this new traditionalism, because of its “ecclesio-centrism,” effectively encourages Christians to withdraw from the public sphere and abandon the common good.  We will carefully consider Stout’s important critique and then consider a “Radically Orthodox” response, drawing on a re-reading of Augustine’s City of God in a contemporary context.

The course will examine the portrait of Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels as it conveys three themes of justice: 1) the exercise of power, 2) economic issues, and 3) human worth. The course will place Jesus's actions and teachings in the social and political conditions of first century Galilee and Judea while also considering their relevance to contemporary events and circumstances. Special attention will be given to the parables, economic teachings, and the phenomena of healings and exorcisms as responses to the conditions of daily life and political rule in first century Palestine.

The course will examine the portrait of Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels as it conveys three themes of justice: 1) the exercise of power, 2) economic issues, and 3) human worth. The course will place Jesus's actions and teachings in the social and political conditions of first century Galilee and Judea while also considering their relevance to contemporary events and circumstances. Special attention will be given to the parables, economic teachings, and the phenomena of healings and exorcisms as responses to the conditions of daily life and political rule in first century Palestine.

The course will examine the portrait of Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels as it conveys three themes of justice: 1) the exercise of power, 2) economic issues, and 3) human worth. The course will place Jesus's actions and teachings in the social and political conditions of first century Galilee and Judea while also considering their relevance to contemporary events and circumstances. Special attention will be given to the parables, economic teachings, and the phenomena of healings and exorcisms as responses to the conditions of daily life and political rule in first century Palestine.

The course will examine the portrait of Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels as it conveys three themes of justice: 1) the exercise of power, 2) economic issues, and 3) human worth. The course will place Jesus's actions and teachings in the social and political conditions of first century Galilee and Judea while also considering their relevance to contemporary events and circumstances. Special attention will be given to the parables, economic teachings, and the phenomena of healings and exorcisms as responses to the conditions of daily life and political rule in first century Palestine.

With the continuous development of modern science, the study of Jesus' miracles has been subjected to critical discussions ranging from myth to eyewitness testimony. This course we will analyze the various forms of miracle stories in the gospels and study their literary development and theological content, as well as their meaning at different levels of early Christian tradition. Particular consideration will be given to their historical context and content. Theological and practical pastoral implications arising from this study will be discussed.

With the continuous development of modern science, the study of Jesus' miracles has been subjected to critical discussions ranging from myth to eyewitness testimony. This course we will analyze the various forms of miracle stories in the gospels and study their literary development and theological content, as well as their meaning at different levels of early Christian tradition. Particular consideration will be given to their historical context and content. Theological and practical pastoral implications arising from this study will be discussed.

In this course we will analyze the various forms of miracle stories in the gospels and study their meaning at different levels of early Christian tradition. Theological and pastoral implications arising from criticism will be considered.

This course explores the theological, spiritual and pastoral dimensions of the historical encounter between Eastern Christianity and Islam. The focus is on Syriac and Arabic texts (in translation) composed by Christian and Muslim writers living in the region constituted by today's Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Palestine, Syria and Turkey, from the 7-17th centuries. Regarding the interaction of the two faiths and their respective adherents, the primary sources exhibit a range of attitudes and approaches, articulated across a variety of genres. We will seek not only to understand the import of our texts for their original authors and audiences, but also to derive insights for addressing the challenges of religious pluralism in our day.

This course explores the theological, spiritual and pastoral dimensions of the historical encounter between Eastern Christianity and Islam. The focus is on Syriac and Arabic texts (in translation) composed by Christian and Muslim writers living in the region constituted by today's Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Palestine, Syria and Turkey, from the 7-17th centuries. Regarding the interaction of the two faiths and their respective adherents, the primary sources exhibit a range of attitudes and approaches, articulated across a variety of genres. We will seek not only to understand the import of our texts for their original authors and audiences, but also to derive insights for addressing the challenges of religious pluralism in our day.