Theological Ethics

Restricted to Theology majors and minors.

THE 420 Christian Personal Values

"Who is the good person?" is an ethical question founded on the premise that being a Christian makes one a certain type of person with certain values. This course offers a historical study of various philosophical and theological descriptions of the nature of the good person.

3

Prerequisites

THE 101 or THE 105, THE 205

Cross Listed Courses

THE 320

THE 422 Modern Catholic Ethics

Analysis of several contemporary Catholic ethicists, including Curran, O'Connell, Regan, and McCormick, who have influenced the development of Catholic ethics. A critical examination of natural law, human freedom, conscience, authority, and the moral and rational capacity.

3

Prerequisites

THE 101 or THE 105, THE 205

Cross Listed Courses

THE 322

THE 423 Christian Social Ethics

Contemporary American Christian thought on the nature of morality and society. An attempt to reveal the dynamics of faith that calls us to do justice. Special consideration given to the development of pacifism in American churches.

3

Prerequisites

THE 101 or THE 105, THE 205

Cross Listed Courses

THE 323

THE 424 The Character Project

This course is an introduction to the theological ethics of character as encountered in the Christian tradition. We will systematically consider the topic through a series of guided discussions about values, decisions, conscience, habits, virtues and vices, the role of Christian narrative, and finally, an integrated theory and theology of Christian personal character. Readings will include selections from writings by Richard Gula, Paul J. Waddell, The Catechism of the Catholic Church, James Keenan, Stanley Hauerwas, James Gustafson, and the Gospel of Luke.
3

Prerequisites

THE 101 or THE 105, THE 205

Cross Listed Courses

THE 324

THE 425 Catholic Social Teaching: A Living Tradition of Thought and Action

The issues of justice from a Catholic perspective as they affect society locally, nationally, and internationally.

3

Prerequisites

THE 101 or THE 105, THE 205

Cross Listed Courses

THE 325

THE 426 Christian Marriage: Tradition and the Modern Context

Inquiry into the theological, philosophical, psychological, and social aspects of Christian marriage with specific emphasis on commitment and the bond of love. The moral problems of abortion, divorce, and homosexuality, special to the modern context, will be discussed.

3

Prerequisites

THE 101 or THE 105, THE 205. By instructor permission only.

Cross Listed Courses

THE 326

THE 428 Encountering Grief and Loss

This course explores the human experience of suffering, loss, and grief from the perspective of practical theology, incorporating multi-disciplinary and inter-religious learnings and insights. It seeks to help students understand suffering and prepare them to encounter loss and grief in their personal and professional lives.

3

Prerequisites

THE 105, THE 205

Cross Listed Courses

THE 328

THE 429 Theological Bioethics: Liberationist, Feminist, and Global

Drawing from the Christian/Catholic tradition and from other ethical perspectives, the course addresses the moral dilemmas of abortion, artificial reproductive technologies, genetic technology, organ transplants, physician-assisted suicide, and issues of death and dying with the end goal of forming students as intelligent and critical interlocutors of bio-ethical issues.

3

Prerequisites

THE 101 or THE 105, THE 205

Cross Listed Courses

THE 329

THE 430 Environmental Justice and Interreligious Dialogue

Environmental Justice addresses issues of climate crisis, water justice, environmental racism, human rights, earth solidarity, and earth rights, in a global/cosmic context, in the light of Catholic social teaching and the ecological ethics of Buddhism, Hinduism, and American Indians. Using the paradigm of vision, norm, and choice, the course addresses concrete issues of environmental justice as presented in selected case studies.  

3

Prerequisites

THE 101 or THE 105, THE 205

Cross Listed Courses

THE 330

THE 431 Sexual Ethics

Sexual Ethics begins with a study of the historic evolution of sexual teachings to provide a context to current ethical debates on sexual issues. The course presents diverse perspectives on these issues for critical study, discourse, and discernment.

3

Prerequisites

THE 101 or 105, THE 205

Cross Listed Courses

THE 331 Sexual Ethics

THE 432 Intercultural Feminist Theology

This course takes as a starting point gender violence as a phenomenon across cultures around the globe. With the main premise that gender violence is linked  gender inequity, it studies this inequity's roots in patriarchal traditions, cultural practices, and religious beliefs. It ends with the study of gender resistance through feminist theo-religious reconstruction and liberative activism.

3

Prerequisites

THE 101 or 105 and THE 205

Cross Listed Courses

THE 332

THE 433 Theological Implications of the Holocaust

Explores contemporary Christian and Jewish theological reflections on the Nazi genocide campaign to eliminate the Jews of Europe. Special emphasis on the documents of the churches until now, on the Austrian and German efforts to cope with this part of recent history, and on the relation of early anti-Judaism in Christian cultures to racism and anti-Semitism.

3

Prerequisites

THE 101 or THE 105, THE 205

Cross Listed Courses

THE 333

THE 464 Christianity, Gender, and Sexuality

This course explores gender and sexuality vis-a-vis Christian tradition, covering Biblical literature, developmentof doctrine, and contemporary theologies, incorporating perspectives from feminist theory, critical race theory,and the sciences. We will discuss the tradition's wisdom, its limitations, and potential innovations in relation totopics such as marriage, singleness, the Catholic sex abuse crisis, rape culture, and queer identities.

3

Prerequisites

THE 101 or 105, THE 205

Cross Listed Courses

THE 364