| STHO 1801 | Catholic Identity and
Belief An introduction to Catholic systematic and dogmatic theology, designed primarily for students in the pretheology program entering upon priesthood studies. Undergraduate credit only. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6201 | Contemporary
Foundations for Theology An examination of contemporary attempts to establish the identity of Christian doctrine through a multiplicity of expressions. Philosophical theologies discussed include: existentialism; process thought; linguistic analysis; transcendental Thomism; liberation/praxis thought; and hermeneutical theory. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6202 | Revelation and Faith An historical and systematic examination of the Catholic understanding of God's Self-Communication and humanity's correlative response in faith. On revelation: transmission of revelation; natural and supernatural revelation; Reformation and sola Scriptura; Trent and tradition; Newman on doctrinal development; and la nouvelle theologie and Vatican II. On faith: grace and faith; faith and scholasticism; Luther and sola fides; Trent on fides fiducialis; Vatican I and rational preparation for the act of faith; Blondel and the apologetics of immanence; and contemporary attempts (e.g., Rahner, Tracy, Metz) to ground the act of faith. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6203 | Christology The faith response to the Mystery of Jesus Christ, God's gift to us, in Scripture and Church Tradition. It attempts to answer the question "Who do you say I am?" [Mt 16:15] in light of contemporary concerns. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6204 | Trinity A systematic and historical examination of the doctrine of the Triune God: dialectical nature of God as both hidden and revealed, immanent and transcendent; attributes and perfections of God; Patristic and Conciliar debates about the nature of the Trinity; persons, processions, relations and missions within the Godhead; speculation relation to the "economic" and "immanent" Trinity as well as contemporary retrievals of psychological analogies. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6205 | Christian Anthropology
Beginning with the Scriptural understanding of human origins, an examination of the human condition from the viewpoint of Christian revelation. The relationship of God with humanity; sin and redemption; the significance of grace, brokenness and healing; and the meaning of death and resurrection. Particular and general eschatology are considered in developing a theological anthropology. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6206 | Christian Eschatology An historical and systematic study of central eschatological themes: the Christian understanding of death; the relationship between resurrection and "immortality"; intermediate eschatology and its underlying anthropology; particular and final judgments; the final states in Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant thought; apocatastasis, universalism and conditional immortality; purgatory and the efficacy of suffrages for the dead; nature of eschatological language. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6207 | Ecclesiology The mystery of the Church in its various human incarnations throughout history. The Church's foundation, nature and fundamental structure. Themes: pluralism and the development of ecclesial life; "models" of the Church; the importance of Mary in the life of the Christian community. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6208 | Mission and Ministry
The mission of Christ and His Church as it unfolded in human history with the hope of arriving at a contemporary understanding of Christian mission; the nature, functions and structures of Christian ministry from an historical perspective to appreciate the Spirit-filled forms of ministry present in the contemporary Church: lay and ordained ministries; the Petrine Office in an ecumenical age; authority in the Church; and the gift of women in the service of Christ and His Church. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6209 | Christology of the
Paschal Triduum An extended examination of the historical development and current expression of the various liturgies of the Paschal Triduum, applying the principle lex orandi, lex credendi, to discover the various Christologies expressed in those rites. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6213 | Fundamental Theology
Today The traditional task of fundamental theology and apologetics was justification and vindication of the truth-claims of theological statements. This course examines several contemporary attempts to illuminate the intelligibility of theological language in writers such as Lonergan, Rahner, Pannenberg, Metz, Tracy, and Farley, using their writings on theological epistemology. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6215 | Karl Rahner's Theology Major themes in Rahner's transcendental theology are examined, starting with his philosophical presuppositions from Geist im Welt and then examining the fundamental axes on which his thought turns: (i) theology is anthropology and (ii) anthropology is Christology. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6217 | History and Theology
of Ecumenism A study of the ecumenical movement and Catholic participation in it: its origins; development; the World Council of Churches; Faith and Order meetings; the Lima Statement; Catholic approaches to ecumenism grounded in Magisterial documents, especially since Vatican II; John Paul II on ecumenism. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6223 | Magisterium A study of the origins, development and role of the teaching office in the Catholic Church; forms of exercise of the Magisterium; contemporary theological speculation regarding the Magisterium. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6233 | Theology and Preaching A study of preaching as found in Scripture, in the writings of the Fathers and in Church tradition so as to arrive at a comprehensive theology of the Word. A focus on this background, together with contemporary theological/pastoral resources, as a context for promoting the ministry of preaching. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6237 | Introduction to Newman
An historical introduction to Newman's life and thought; readings in his sermons; his theology of doctrinal development; his idea of a university; his analysis of faith and the human mentality; and his other theological writings. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6240 | Theology of Priesthood
A study of the notion of priesthood in its Biblical roots and subsequent development; Catholic theology of priesthood as it has developed up through contemporary theological expressions; development of the sacrament of Orders; relationship of the royal priesthood of all Christians to the ordained priesthood and the issue of ordination of women. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6242 | Theology of von
Balthasar An introduction to the systematic thought of Hans Urs von Balthasar, focusing on selected readings from his major works as well as occasional pieces; an evaluation of the place of von Balthasar in contemporary Catholic systematic theology. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6501 | Worship of the Church An introduction to the theology of liturgy and the historical development of liturgy in the Catholic Church, focusing on the Roman Rite; an introduction to the history and theological development of the Mass, the Liturgy of the Hours and the Roman Calendar. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6503 | Sacraments of
Initiation A Biblical, historical, theological and liturgical treatment of the sacraments of Christian initiation: the theologically normative adult initiation with restored catechumenate and its pastoral adaptation to infant baptism, confirmation and first Eucharist of children; anthropological, Christological and ecclesial dimensions of sacramentology as well as questions common to the seven sacraments. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6505 | Eucharist A Biblical, historical, systematic, liturgical and pastoral treatment of the Eucharist and the development of the Mass. Questions relating to institution, Real Presence, sacred meal, sacrifice, eschatology and ecumenism. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6507 | Reconciliation and
Anointing of the Sick The sacrament of Penance in its systematic, moral, pastoral and liturgical aspects with special attention to the ministry of the priest-confessor. The Sacrament of the Sick in its Biblical roots, historical evolution, systematic theology and contemporary liturgical celebration. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6509 | Christian Marriage The Biblical, historical, systematic and liturgical development of Christian marriage from Biblical origins, Patristic thought, medieval synthesis, Reformation issues and Tridentine responses, to its contemporary theology. Issues related to the theology of marriage, e.g., sacramentality of marriage, divorce and remarriage, faith and marriage, and the pastoral care of Christian marriage. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6515 | Feasts and Seasons A study of the development of the Christian celebration of time, historically considered and in its contemporary expression, as regards the day (Liturgy of the Hours), the week (with the primacy of Sunday) and the year (in the Roman Calendar). Attention given to Marian devotions and the sanctoral cycle, the origins of various feasts, issues related to their proper liturgical celebration and related issues. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6575 | Ministry of the Laity New Testament origins of ministry; the history of ministry through the centuries; an exploration of contemporary developments in the ministry of the laity; the teachings of Vatican II which have given rise both to an expansion of ministry in the Church and a focus on ministry in the world; recent developments, both in the teaching of Pope John Paul II and grassroots initiatives. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6576 | Marian Spirituality
The Biblical image of Mary; devotion to Mary as it developed through the ages and its effect on contemporaneous spiritualities; Vatican II on Mary; post-Conciliar developments in Mariology and their implications for a Marian spirituality today. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6577 | Mariology A study of Church doctrine, teaching and tradition on the Blessed Virgin Mary from biblical times to the present, including selected readings in key Mariological authors; Vatican II on Mary; post-Conciliar developments in Mariology; ecumenical issues. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6728 | Theology of
Spirituality See PTHO 6728. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6872 | Catholic Identity,
Ethos and Culture See PTHO 6872. 3 credits. |
| STHO 6999 | M.A. Seminar Capstone course required for all M.A. in Theology general format students, to be taken near the end of course work. Integration of the various theological perspectives gleaned from the student's study of the several concentrations in the degree. Seminar topic to be established by the professor and student. 3 credits. |