Theological Studies

 

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Applicable to the students in the Westchester Campus

Fall  2009 Course descriptions

Level 400 Courses
The Gospel of Mark
Desert Spirituality: Topics in Christian Spirituality
Topics in Theological Ethics
Special Studies: Women in Christian History
Special Studies: Teaching Religion to Youth: A Service-Learning Course

Level 600 Courses
Foundations of New Testament Theology
Christology
Foundations of Christian Moral Life
Foundations of Pastoral Theology
Comparative Mysticism
The Theory and Practice of Spiritual Direction
Practicum and Supervision in Spiritual Direction
Graduate Pro-Seminar
U.S. Latino/a Theology

For the most updated information about class schedule (section days and times) please refer to the REAL TIME SCHEDULE OF CLASSES since the information on this page could have been modified.

COURSE TITLE: The Gospel of Mark
COURSE NUMBER/SECTION: THST 401 01
DAY/TIME: Monday, 4:30-7:00 PM
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. David A. Sánchez 

COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPLE TOPICS:
This course is designed to introduce the advanced student of religion to a comprehensive verse by verse exegesis of the Gospel of Mark. The working thesis of this class is that, “the Gospel of Mark is an acutely apocalyptic text whose adherents fully expected to witness the second coming of Jesus Christ in their lifetime.” Students will be challenged to take a position on this thesis (either in support of or counter to) and asked to articulate their findings and positions in seminar format. Students will also be introduced to modern end-time groups (Heaven’s Gate; People’s Temple; Branch Davidians) through a variety of artistic media (film, art, music, Youtube, etc.) and will assess if the apocalyptic positionings of these groups promote any insight into Mark’s community and movement.  

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The primary learning objective of this course is to introduce that body of religious literature known as the Gospel of Mark through the lens of apocalypticism. The course is also designed to facilitate the critical reading of sacred texts in conversation with theological speculation and/or reflection. Finally, this course is designed to prompt students to evaluate the role biblical interpretation(s) play in promoting an acute sensitivity to living (i.e. interpreting) responsibly in a culturally diverse world thereby promoting justice and service of faith.

PREREQUISITES/RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND:
Majors/Minors Only

REQUIRED TEXTS:
Ched Myers, Binding the Strong Man: A Political Reading of Mark’s Story of Jesus
Wayne Meeks, gen. ed. The Harper Collins Study Bible
John A. Saliba and J. Gordon Melton, Understanding New Religious Movements

REQUIRED TEXTS (LMU LIBRARY RESERVE):
Adela Yarbro-Collins, Mark (Hermeneia: A Critical and Historical Commentary on the
Bible)
Joel Marcus, Mark 1-8: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary
Burton Mack, A Myth of Innocence: Mark and Christian Origins

COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS:
Preparation of all assigned readings
Informed and respectful contributions to class discussions
1 Class Presentation
Completion of one midterm and final exam
Completion of one final paper (10-12 pages)

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COURSE TITLE: Desert Spirituality: Topics in Christian Spirituality
COURSE NUMBER: THST 450 01
SECTION TIMES/DAYS: Tuesday,  4:30-7:00 PM
INSTRUCTOR: Douglas Burton-Christie 

COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPLE TOPICS:
The desert is a central image in the Christian spiritual imagination. As a locus of encounter with the holy, the desert has figured importantly from the time of the Hebrew peoples’ encounter with Yahweh at Sinai, to Jesus’ sojourn in the Judean wilderness, to the upwelling of early Christian monastic life in Egypt, and beyond. As a metaphor evoking the human longing for God, the image of the desert recurs throughout the Christian mystical tradition, in art and in comunities for whom the desert is thecentral image of the spiritual life. This course will examine the significance of the desert for Christian spirituality, employing an interdisciplinary approach to ask: what is at the root of the human longing to enter the desert? Our work will focus on a critical exploration of Athanasius’s Life of Antony  and the early Christian monastic movement as a whole as a way of considering what it is that drew women and men into the desert in the fourth century. Students will also be invited to examine the significance of the desert as it is expressed in Christian mystical texts, in art, in literature and poetry, and in natural history writing. The work of the course will be concentrated around the question of what it might mean to retrieve the image of the desert as a central part of contemporary Christian spirtual life.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
1. To gain a sense of the historical, social, and religious origins and development of early Christian monasticism.
2. To understand how the desert ideal developed and evolved in the history of Christian spirituality.
3. To understand how desert spirituality, in particular a spirituality of the wild, is being expressed in contemporary life and culture.
4. To develop a critical understanding of Christian spirituality as a discipline and an ability to apply this understanding to the interpretation of contemporary and historical expressions of Christian spirituality.

PREREQUISITES/RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND:
Must be a Theological Studies Major or Minor. Exceptions may be granted, but only with instructor’s permission.

REQUIRED TEXTS:
Athanasius, The Life of Antony (New York: Harper Collins, 2006).
Susan Brind Morrow, The Names of Things: A Passage in the Egyptian Desert (New York: Riverhead, 1997).
Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild (New York: Anchor, 2007).
Paul Bowles, The Sheltering Sky (New York: Harper Collins, 1949).
Selected Xeroxed readings.

COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS:
1. Active class participation. 10%.
2. Four short papers (one on each of the major texts from the course). 50%.
3. A final paper. 40% 

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COURSE TITLE: Topics in Theological Ethics
COURSE NUMBER & SECTION: THST 470 01
SECTION TIME/DAYS: Tuesday/Thursday 10:50 AM-12:05 PM
Instructor: Dr. Jonathan Rothchild 

COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPLE TOPICS:
This majors/minors course explores central themes, thinkers, methodologies, and topics in Christian ethics principally around the themes of justice and love. We begin with an excursus into the Scriptural themes (e.g., creation, imago dei, sin, imitatio Christi, redemption), experiential dimensions (e.g., freedom, conscience, law, otherness, responsibility) and classic theological articulations (Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Catholic social teaching) that characterize the Christian moral life and illuminate the complex relationships between love and justice. We then will engage in a critical reading of four Christian ethicists: Lisa Sowle Cahill, Margaret Farley, Reinhold Niebuhr, and Samuel Roberts. We explore their central theological loci, normative ethical presuppositions, and commitment to concrete practical moral problems. We will ask of these thinkers: What are the primary tasks of Christian ethics? What are the strengths and weaknesses of their method? How do they address the relationship between love and justice? What theoretical and practical aspects of their approaches would you adopt to develop your own constructive Christian ethics?

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The purpose of the course is to help students to:
-Understand the Scriptural, historical, doctrinal, and experiential dimensions of Christian reflection in the moral life, particularly with respect to justice and love.
-Examine different methodological approaches within Christian theological ethics.
-Engage in a critical analysis of the relationship between foundational frameworks of moral theology and contemporary normative problems.
-Interpret texts critically and articulate self-reflexively their own positions vis-à-vis the values for church, society, and culture.

PREREQUISITES/RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND:
Major/Minor status in Theology.

REQUIRED TEXTS:
Lisa Sowle Cahill. Theological Bioethics: Participation, Justice, and Change.
Georgetown University Press, 2005.
Margaret Farley. Just Love. Continuum, 2006.
Reinhold Niebuhr. Moral Man and Immoral Society: A Study in Ethics and Politics.
Westminster John Knox, 2002.
Samuel K. Roberts. African American Christian Ethics. Pilgrim Press, 2001.

COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS:
Attendance/ Participation:    15%
Midterm Exam:                    25%
Seminar Presentation:          20%
Research Paper:                  40% 

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COURSE TITLE: Special Studies: Women in Christian History 
COURSE NUMBER: 498 01 
SECTION TIME/DAY: Wednesday, 7:15 to 9:45 PM
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Charlotte Radler 

COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPLE TOPICS:
This course examines the changing roles and perceptions of women in Christian history from its incipience to the 21st century. It highlights the impact of women’s voices on the development of Christian theology. This course will put into dialogue historical sources about and by women with contemporary readings and critiques. This conversation will help us gain a greater understanding of the theological, philosophical, gender, social, cultural, and political presuppositions that shape the view of women as well as women’s self-understanding. The themes that will be given special prominence include the notions of imago dei, imitation of Christ, martyrdom, asceticism, sexuality, embodiment, suffering, mysticism, self-transcendence, and authority.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
By virtue of taking the Women in Christian History course, the students will gain an understanding of the changing roles and perceptions of women in Christian history. The students will be able to carry out critical research and construct informed positions on the roles and views of women in Christian history as well as the influence of women on the development of Christian theology. Students are, furthermore, expected to be able to conduct critical and properly contextualized analyses of texts, and write intelligently and persuasively on issues pertaining to women in Christian history. The students will learn about the richness and complexity of the Christian traditions as well as the diverse voices that constitute these traditions.

PREREQUISITES/RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND:
One 100-level theology course

REQUIRED TEXTS:
Course Reader
Elizabeth A. Clark, ed. Women in the Early Church (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1990)
Elizabeth Spearing, ed. Medieval Writings on Female Spirituality (London: Penguin Books, 2002)
Gary Macy, The Hidden History of Women’s Ordination: Female Clergy in the Medieval West (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008)

COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS:
Active class participation:      10% 
1 Presentation:                    15%   
4 Critical Response papers:     40%
1 Research Paper:                 35%

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COURSE TITLE: Special Studies: Teaching Religion to Youth: A Service-Learning Course 
COURSE NUMBER: THST 498 02      
SECTION TIMES/DAYS:  Monday, 7:15-9:45 PM
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Michael G. Lee, S.J. 

COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPLE TOPICS:
This service-learning course requires 30 hours of community-based service as an apprentice working under the supervision of the Director of Religious Education at a local Catholic parish. 

This course is designed for students with a strong interest in teaching religion to youth and who may be considering a career in Religious Education. On-site at a local parish, the apprenticeship will provide regular, supervised opportunities to teach religion to youth enrolled in parish CCD programs.  Apprentices will observe the classroom teaching of Master Catechists, and accompany the Director of Religious Education as they train and supervise religion teachers, etc. The parish will pay for VIRTUS Child Safety Training and fingerprinting which are required of all volunteers, staff, and teachers at a Catholic parish. The local parish will pay your registration fees for a mini-Religious Education Congress that will be held near LMU on October 24, 2009. 

On-campus at LMU, this course presents a justice-oriented, critical approach to U.S. Religious Education theory, teacher education, and Catholic history in Los Angeles. This will include the contemporary situation of Vietnamese-American, Mexican-American, and other threatened Catholic populations. Students will work cooperatively to write lesson plans, practice new teaching methods, and explore appropriate ways of raising social justice issues in a religious education program. This course will provide a systematic overview of Catholic faith and doctrine. Except for LMU vacation periods, plan on 3 hours/week for 10 weeks. The LMU Center for Service &  Action will make the final decisions on student placements and university-based site supervision.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
To research a theological question such as how to make the tradition manifest and accessible to youth at a Catholic parish;
To research an education-related question such as poverty, segregation, disability, cross-cultural issues in teacher supervision, etc.;
To identify, discuss, and interpret the ongoing significance of key figures and movements in the history of U.S. Religious Education, especially Catholic history in the City of Los Angeles;
To work collaboratively with classmates and parish Director of Religious Education to develop lesson plans and instructional units, and to expand your repertoire of teaching methods and classroom management skills;
To experiment with new media in Religious Education and other age-appropriate ways to introduce justice issues in the religious education classroom.

PREREQUISITES/RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND:
Theology major/minor. Others by written permission of the Instructor.

REQUIRED TEXTS:
Two copies of each textbook will be available on Reserve at the LMU Von der Ahe Library.
Boys, Mary C. Educating in Faith: Maps & Visions. Lima, OH: Academic Renewal Press, 1989.
Fernandez, Eduardo C. Mexican-American Catholics. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 2007.
Phan, Peter C. Vietnamese-American Catholics. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 2005.
Rausch, Thomas P. Catholicism in the Third Millennium. [2nd edition] Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2003.

COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS:
Regular attendance at class sessions
Weekly 1-page précis on course readings
Completion of 30 hours of service with verification by parish Director of Religious Education.
Two 8-page research papers.
Compliance with placement and site-supervision decisions made by LMU Center for Service & Action 

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COURSE TITLE: Foundations of New Testament Theology
COURSE NUMBER/SECTION: THST 600 01
COURSE DAY/TIME: Wednesday, 4:30-7:00 PM
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. David A. Sánchez 

COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPLE TOPICS:
The course is designed to introduce students the historical-critical analysis of the New Testament as an entrée to a more textured understanding of the political, historical, social, cultural, and theological/pastoral dimensions of the text. Students will also be challenged to re-think categories of “truth” via the foregrounding of their specific socially-located engagements with Christian Scripture. Students will also be asked to consider the phenomenon of Early Christian diversity and its ramifications in/for the canonical process.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The primary learning objective of this course is to introduce that body of religious literature we have come to know as the New Testament through the lens of historical-criticism and socially-located readings. As a result, students will gain the capacity to engage specific Biblical passages by placing the ancient (texts) in conversation with the modern (readers/interpreters). Finally, this course is designed to prompt students to evaluate the role biblical interpretation(s) play in promoting an acute sensitivity to living (i.e. interpreting) responsibly in a culturally diverse world thereby promoting justice and service of faith.

PREREQUISITES/RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND:
None

REQUIRED TEXTS:
Wayne A. Meeks, Gen Ed.  The Harper-Collins Study Bible
Raymond E. Brown, An Introduction to the New Testament
R. S. Sugirtharajah, Postcolonial Criticism and Biblical Interpretation
Walter Bauer, Orthodoxy and Heresy in Earliest Christianity
James Scott, Domination and the Arts of Resistance: Hidden Transcripts
David A. Sánchez, From Patmos to the Barrio: Subverting Imperial Myths

COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS:
Preparation of all assigned readings
Informed and respectful contributions to class seminars
Successful completion of a midterm and final exam
Class Presentation of an assigned primary and/or secondary reading
Final paper (18-20 pages) 

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COURSE TITLE: Christology
COURSE NUMBER: THST 631 01
SECTION TIME/DAYS Monday, 7:15-9:45 PM
INSTRUCTOR: Rev. Thomas P. Rausch, S.J.

COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPLE TOPICS:
An historical and systematic investigation of the Christian understanding of Jesus Christ and his significance.  Topics include the historical Jesus, the development of the Christology of the New Testament and the early councils in the context of contemporary Christological issues.  There will be special emphasis on recovering the historical Jesus and on writing a research paper.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The student will become familiar with historical critical biblical scholarship, the methods for recovering the historical Jesus, the development of Christology in the New Testament and early Church, and contemporary issues in Christology. 

PREREQUISITES/RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND:
Graduate status

REQUIRED TEXTS:
Haight, Roger, The Future of Christology
Johnson, Elizabeth. Consider Jesus: Waves of Renewal in Christology
Rausch, Thomas P.  Who Is Jesus? An Introduction to Christology
some articles will be assigned

COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS:
The course will be a seminar.  It will involve lectures by the instructor, classroom analysis and discussion of the assigned readings, and a class presentation by each student of his or her research.  Each student's contribution to the seminar process through participation in the seminar and his or her seminar presentation will be an important factor in determining the final grade.  There will be a midterm exam and a research paper.

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COURSE TITLE: Foundations of Christian Moral Life
COURSE NUMBER: THST 660 01
SECTION TIMES/DAYS: Tuesday, 7:15 - 9:45 PM
INSTRUCTOR: Prof. Roberto Dell’Oro

COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPLE TOPICS:
The course will introduce students to the foundations of theological ethics. After a historical introduction dealing with different models of moral theological thinking, the course will look at the following: biblical roots of moral theology, the mediation of faith and moral reason and the relation between philosophical and theological ethics, the ecclesial dimension of Christian morality and the debate between deontological and teleological normative theories, fundamental moral option and action theory. Applications to contemporary issues in the fields of bioethics, social and sexual ethics, as well as pastoral theology will be used to exemplify the meaning and function of the foundational framework and the relation between theory and practice in moral theology.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
To familiarize with basic methodological questions in fundamental moral theology
To relate foundational frameworks and concrete normative problems
To understand how theological themes can inform and shape moral arguments and moral life.

REQUIRED TEXTS:
A Reader with articles, book chapters, and essays relevant to the course will be provided to students at the beginning of the class.

COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS:
The course is a combination of lectures and student participation through discussion sessions. In addition to regular brief essays, students are expected to write a research paper (15 to 20 pages) by the end of the semester. Criteria for the paper will be provided in due course.

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COURSE TITLE: Foundations of Pastoral Theology
COURSE NUMBER: THST 670 01
SECTION TIMES/DAYS: Tuesday, 4:30 – 7:00 PM
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Michael Horan 

Meets off site on Tuesdays, 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. at
Marywood Center, Diocese of Orange, California.  Open to Orange Cohort Students only.

COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPLE TOPICS:
This course will offer a foundation in pastoral theology by exploring the contemporary “lay ministry explosion” in Catholicism. The course will be grounded in the biblical, historical, and theological sources for constructing a theology of pastoral ministry appropriate to various settings, and through the course we will focus on the nature of pastoral theology as praxis. The relationship between pastoral theology and other branches of theology will be examined as we consider the theological issues beneath the practice of lay pastoral ministry today.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Students who complete this course will be able:

1. To locate the place and narrate the function of pastoral theology in the larger theological matrix, that is, the theological discipline and its various subfields (biblical, historical, etc.);
2. To understand and articulate selected theological issues beneath the practice of lay ministry today, with special attention to the Catholic context for pastoral ministry as practiced in the United States;
3. To analyze these theological issues embedded in the official church documents and the writings of theologians;
4. To name and develop some elements needed to construct a theology of ministry that is faithful to the biblical and historical heritage of ministry, and adequate to the contemporary experience of lay and ordained ministers today;
5. To explain to peers and to the publics they serve select features of the relationship between theology and the pastoral life of the church, with special emphasis on the Catholic church. 
6. To appreciate the symbiotic relationship between pastoral practice and theology/theory by considering the pastoral/ministerial nature of theology and the theological activity implicit in pastoral ministry and in the issues that practitioners face.

COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS:
25%  Active participation in Seminar discussion; this includes leadership for discussions, to be elaborated in the syllabus.
50% The preparation of brief written analyses of the readings, usually in the form of responses to Focus Questions (unless otherwise stipulated).  This includes 5 typewritten papers each three to four pages in length, and weekly handwritten preparation of responses to questions.
25% Final Integrating Essay (Take home exam) 

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COURSE TITLE: Comparative Mysticism
COURSE NUMBER: THST 682 01
SECTION TIMES/DAYS: Monday, 7:15 to 9:45 PM
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Christopher Key Chapple

COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPLE TOPICS:
In this class we will explore the inner or mystical life as articulated in the life and practice of various religious traditions.  We will begin with a study of a modern classic: The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James, the pre-eminent American philosopher and psychologist.  We will then examine the life and writings of three seminal thinkers from the early part of the 20th century: Muhammad Iqbal, Teilhard de Chardin, and Sri Aurobindo.  Each grappled with reconciling science and the challenges of the modern with the interior life of the spirit.  We will look at the Samkhya/Yoga theory of consciousness, the writings of Meister Eckhart on mystical ecstasy, as well as Jewish and Buddhist forms of mysticism.  
 
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Students will be familiar with the terminology of mystical theology from the Chrisitan, Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist traditions.  They will be versant with primary figures. They will also be able to write about and discuss this topic.
 
PREREQUISITES/RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND:
Graduate status in Theological Studies
 
REQUIRED TEXTS:
The Human Phenomenon, Teilhard de Chardin; Varieties of Religious Experience, William James; Muhammed Iqbal; The Life Divine, Sri Aurobindo Ghosh; The Problem of Pure Consciousness, Robert K.C. Foreman
 
COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS:
Students will be required to complete two projects.  The first will be a response paper and presentation based on a portion of one of the books listed above.  This will provide students with an opportunity to explore a religious tradition of their choosing, whether Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Islamic, or Buddhist.  The second project will be a research project and presentation pertaining to mysticism and/or spirituality, particularly in its relationship to one or more specific theological traditions.  Suggested topics might include the life and work of various individual mystics (Rumi, Kabir, Lalla, Hildegard of Bingen, George Fox, Al-Junayd, Patanjali, etc.) or a study of the general philosophical and theological issues that surround the study of mysticism, drawing from literature by contemporary writers such as Nasr, Katz, Stace, Underhill, and others.

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COURSE TITLE: The Theory and Practice of Spiritual Direction 
COURSE NUMBER: 685 01 
SECTION TIMES/DAYS: Monday, 4:30 – 7:00 PM
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Wilkie Au

COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPLE TOPICS:
This course seeks to further the student’s understanding of spiritual direction as a form of pastoral care and as a helping relationship. Among the topics to be considered are: various forms of spiritual guidance within the Christian tradition, the distinctive nature of spiritual direction, the qualities, aptitudes and skills required to be an effective spiritual director, dynamics of a spiritual direction relationship, and the role of spiritual direction in facilitating spiritual growth and development.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
• The student will be able to explain the process of spiritual direction, the role of the spiritual director, and the potential benefits of spiritual direction as a spiritual discipline.
• The student will be able to demonstrate the possession of a contemplative attitude towards reality and the ability to facilitate a contemplative attitude in others.
• The student will discern whether s/he has a call to the ministry of spiritual direction

PREREQUISITES/RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND:
It is highly recommended that students be in a spiritual direction relationship while completing the spiritual direction concentration

REQUIRED TEXTS:
--Au, Wilkie. The Enduring Heart: Spirituality for the Long Haul (Mahwah, New Jersey: Paulist Press, 2000). --Bakke, Jeannette. Holy Invitations: Exploring Spiritual Direction (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 2000).
--Barry, William and Connolly, William. The Practice of Spiritual Direction (New York: The Seabury Press, 1982).
--Borysenko, Joan and Dveirin, Gordon. Your Spiritual Compass: What is Spiritual Guidance (New York: Hay House, Inc., 2007).
--Guenther, Margaret. Holy Listening: The Art of Spiritual Direction (Boston: Cowley Publications, 1992).
--Ruffing, Janet. Spiritual Direction: Beyond the Beginnings (Mahwah, New Jersey: Paulist Press, 2000).
--Course Reader (To be purchased at the first class)

COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS:
1) Class Attendance and active participation in class activities and structured exercises.
2) Reading of all assigned materials, noting salient points and questions to be discussed in class.
3) Two short 2-3 page (double-spaced) “Personal Reflection/Awareness” Papers.
4) One eight-page (double-spaced) Final Paper: Listening for People's God Experience

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COURSE TITLE: Practicum and Supervision in Spiritual Direction
COURSE NUMBER:  THST 688 01
SECTION TIMES/DAYS: Tuesday, 4:30-7:00 PM  
INSTRUCTOR:  Dr. Wilkie Au

COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPLE TOPICS:
The art of spiritual direction is best fostered through practice and reflection on that practice in a supervisory setting.  This course will give students an opportunity to grow in spiritual direction skills, self-awareness, and interior freedom under the guidance of an experienced spiritual director.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
1.  Students will demonstrate their awareness of the dynamics of a spiritual direction session by writing and reflecting on a verbatim of each direction session.
2.  Students will demonstrate their ability to notice and articulate  their own inner experience as they listen to the stories of others as spiritual directors. 
3  Students will identify what in their own personality structure and dynamics helps and/or hinders their effective functioning as spiritual directors.
4.  Students will demonstrate their knowledge of various spiritual disciplines and their understanding of how they can facilitate 1he spiritual development of others.

PREREQUISITES/RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND:
--Completion of THST 685, The Theory and Practice of Spiritual Direction
--Completion of THST 687, Psychological Foundations of Spiritual Direction
--While not required as a prerequite, it is highly preferred that THST 686, Ignatian Spirituality and Discernement be completed before taking the practicum and supervision course.

REQUIRED TEXTS:
-- --Conroy, Maureen.  LOOKING INTO THE WELL: SUPERVISION OF SPIRITUAL DIRECTORS
Chicago:  Loyola  University Press, 1995,  ISBN:  0-8294-0827-4
--Buckley, Suzanne,  SACRED IS THE CALL: FORMATION AND TRANSFORMATION IN SPIRITUAL DIRECTION PROGRAMS, New York: The Crossroad Publishing Company, 2005.  ISBN 0-8245-2338-5.
--Xeroxed Journal Articles

COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS:
1. Completion of all assigned readings and active participation in weekly classes.
2.  Ongoing spiritual direction sessions with two spiritual directees, spaced in two-week intervals.
3.  A Contemplative Reflection Form transcript of each spiritual direction session. 
4.  A psychospiritual autobiography that highlights one’s developmental history and its relevance to one’s practice as a spiritual director

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COURSE TITLE: Graduate Pro-Seminar
COURSE NUMBER AND SECTION: THST 692 01
SECTION TIME/DAYS: Tuesday, 7:15-9:45 PM  
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Jonathan Rothchild

COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPLE TOPICS:
This graduate course introduces students to the basic concepts, themes, and methods of Christian theology. We will analyze the concepts and themes of God, Jesus Christ, creation, anthropology, sin, free will, justification, atonement, and eschatology through Scriptural as well as ancient, medieval, and contemporary theological lenses. We will explore debates in theological method, including the interpretation of Scripture and tradition, historical-critical method, pastoral theological/religious education method, methods of correlation, theologies of liberation and critique, and inter-religious dialogue and comparative theology. We will critically and constructively engage these concepts and methods as an orienting touchstone for work in theology and pastoral theology.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The purpose of this course is to help students:
-To gain knowledge of basic concepts and themes of Christian theology.
-To understand the major methodological debates pertaining to Biblical theology, historical theology, pastoral theology/religious education, systematic theology, Christian ethics, and comparative theology.
-To engage the sources of Christian theology, including Scripture, tradition, and experience.
-To value the importance of different theological methods and their implications.
-To learn research skills and to improve critical reading and writing abilities.

PREREQUISITES/RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND:
Graduate status. 

REQUIRED TEXTS:
- Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. Introduction to Christianity. Revised Edition. Translated by
J.R. Foster. With a New Preface translated by Michael J. Miller. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2004.
- Margaret Farley. Just Love: A Framework for Christian Sexual Ethics. New York:
Continuum. 2006
- David Tracy. Plurality and Ambiguity: Hermeneutics, Religion, and Hope. Chicago:
The University of Chicago Press, 1987.
- Catherine LaCugna. God For Us. New York: Harper One, 1993.
- Miroslav Volf. Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity,
Otherness, and Reconciliation. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996.
-Don Browning. A Fundamental Practical Theology: Descriptive and Strategic
Proposals. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1996.

COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS:
Attendance/ Participation:   10%
Presentation:                    10%
4 Critical Response Papers:  20%
Midterm Exam:                   25%
Research Paper:                 35% 

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COURSE TITLE: U.S. Latino/a Theology
COURSE NUMBER: THST 698 01
SECTION TIMES/DAYS: Wednesday, 4:30-7:00 PM
INSTRUCTOR: Cecilia González-Andrieu, Ph.D.

COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPLE TOPICS:
This course examines the diverse origins and theological expressions of Latino/a/Hispanic Christian communities in the U.S. with a special emphasis on the Catholic Tradition.  The course provides an overview of some of the unique contributions to Christian Theology arising out of Latino/a communities of faith such as Teología en Conjunto, Cotidianidad, Mestizaje, accompaniment and aesthetics.  The course also critically engages some of the challenges and opportunities presented to the church by the many communities grouped under the term “Latino/Hispanic” by examining demographic studies, pastoral letters, the work of special commissions on Hispanic Ministry and other “pulse-taking” strategies.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The student will analyze and interpret primary historical texts to carefully contextualize the origins and endurance of U.S. Latino/a communities.
The student will critically examine a range of theological concepts arising out of Latino/a religious practices and experiences and assess their contribution to Christian Theology.
The student will analyze and judge pertinent contemporary studies and data dealing with the community’s demographics and the Church’s response.
The student will formulate and articulate strategies to meet the challenge posed to the church by the needs and gifts of the community through their own particular area of interest (pastoral ministry, ecumenism, ethics, liturgical practices, religious education, etc.)

PREREQUISITES/RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND:
This course is for Theology and Pastoral Theology Majors in the Theological Studies Graduate Program. 

REQUIRED TEXTS:
- González, Justo L. Mañana: Christian Theology from a Hispanic Perspective. Nashville : Abingdon Press, 1990. ISBN-13: 978-0687230679.
- Matovina, Timothy and Gerald E. Poyo, eds. ¡Presente! U.S. Latino Catholics from Colonial Origins to the Present. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 2000. ISBN-13: 978-1570753282.
- Padilla, Goizueta and Villafañe, eds. Hispanic Christian Thought At the Dawn of 21st Century: Apuntes in Honor of Justo L. González, Abingdon Press, 2005. ISBN-13: 978-0687098132
- Selected articles and other materials in electronic Course Reader.

COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS:
Engagement with course documents evidenced in active participation in class discussions. 
Regular class attendance. 
Weekly short paper/projects. 
Outside research with a Latino/a community of faith.
Final Paper/Project. 

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COURSE TITLE: Foundations of New Testament Theology
COURSE NUMBER: THST 600
SECTION TIMES/DAYS: 02 W 4:30-7:00pm
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Jeffrey S. Siker
COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPAL TOPICS

The course objective is to acquire a working knowledge of and appreciation for the literary, historical, social, and theological dimensions of the biblical writings and their worlds. The course also encourages students to make connections between the New Testament and contemporary issues. The content of the course includes reading of significant portions of the New Testament, as well as broad readings in contemporary study of the New Testament, historical methodology, and various critical and pastoral issues in contemporary interpretation.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
1) Students will know the content of the writings of the New Testament and their various contexts.
2) Students will be able to engage in critical analysis of the New Testament writings.
3) Students will value a variety of interpretations of the New Testament writings and the role they play in contemporary theological and pastoral conversations.

PREREQUISITES/RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND
None

REQUIRED TEXTS
- A modern translation of the Bible (NRSV, NAB, NIV, et al)
- Aland, Synopsis of the Four Gospels (English Ed)
- Dunn, Unity & Diversity in the New Testament
- Brown, An Introduction to the New Testament
- Schneiders, The Revelatory Text

COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS
- Regular reading & seminar participation/presentations
- Two exegetical papers (one on the Gospels and one on Paul)
- A midterm exam and a final paper or a final exam
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This page covers important information for students on the Westchester campus and will affect your financial aid, department grants and registration. 

Please follow the 4 steps below.

1. Between now and April 10, 2009:

You need to contact your Theological Studies faculty advisor to discuss course selection and program progress. At this time please plan to discuss Fall 2009 course selection, because advance planning will aid your program progress. Use the appropriate Checklist for your program (checklists can be found on the forms page, click here and scroll down to find the appropriate checklist).  Keep a copy and give your advisor a copy.  This checklist will be necessary and helpful for future meetings with your advisor.  Course descriptions were sent via e-mail, and are posted in the Theological Studies Office at LMU.

Note that the courses at the 600 level are graduate courses.

Students may take 2 courses during their MA program at the 400 level, and count them as elective courses toward the fulfillment of degree requirements. 

For this the student needs to gain the permission of the course Instructor and the completion of certain forms (see Jennifer Scott; forms available here ).

 2.  Registration Begins on April 13, 2009:

You should register for courses online in the usual way.  For registration instructions, go to our Graduate Theology website http://www.lmu.edu/page24032.aspx click “Current Students,” then click Registration and PROWL Login Guide. Click here to be taken there directly.

The Registrar has set advance registration to begin on April 13, 2009 at 8:00 a.m. 

Please help us to serve you:
Registering on time matters to us; it helps us plan classes and respond to student needs. Timely application for funding sources also helps, as monies are limited.

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