Theological Explorations

These courses each include four key elements: An introduction to theology as an academic discipline; an examination of some of the theological beliefs that have shaped Christian understandings of the divine, especially in the Catholic Jesuit theological tradition, and a consideration of their implications for life today; an exploration of a key issue, person, or text that has had a formative role in shaping this theological tradition; and an opportunity for students to reflect on their own spiritual life and become more thoughtful and articulate in expressing their own spiritual values.

Sample Sections

Ignatian Spirituality

Faculty: Patrick Kelly, S.J.

This course will introduce students to some of the primary characteristics of Ignatian spirituality and the ways in which this spiritual heritage has shaped the approach of Jesuits and others to education, the arts, issues of social justice, and interreligious dialogue.

The Book of Genesis

Faculty: Wes Howard-Brook

The Bible's first book has been used as authority within countless cultural debates throughout history, including: the social roles of women and men, the nature of sexuality, the relationship between faith and science, relationships among the world religions, and many more. This course will teach students reading tools that will enable them to hear and to interpret Genesis, both within its original cultural contexts and within our own cultural contexts today. It will engage elements of history, literary theory, cultural theory, and other disciplines to provide a wide-ranging set of perspectives on this classic text. Students will be expected to analyze a passage from the book using the tools they've been taught.

Challenges to Religious Faith

Faculty: Donna Teevan

This course is designed for students who are wary about religious faith and self-identify as atheists and agnostics, as well as those of any faith tradition who wish to become more knowledgeable and articulate about why they believe in God. Drawing upon the resources of the Catholic tradition, it will examine the challenges posed by the privileging of the epistemology of the natural sciences and the reality of evil and suffering. The Catholic emphasis on the compatibility of faith and reason explicitly undergirds this exploration.