Spring 2018 Course Descriptions

COURSE TITLE: Foundations of Old Testament Theology

COURSE NUMBER/SECTION: THST 6000

TIMES/DAYS: W 4:30-7:00

INSTRUCTOR: Jina Kang

CORE AREA:

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COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPAL TOPICS

The graduate seminar on Old Testament Theology is a survey of the Old Testament with particular attention to contemporary issues in Old Testament theology. This course will explore the history of ancient Israelite traditions as well as developments in critical approaches to the study of the Old Testament. Students are encouraged to critically examine biblical texts with particular attention to ancient contexts as well as how these texts have been used to address contemporary concerns.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Having successfully completed this course, students will: 1) acquire basic familiarity with the content and history of interpretation of the Old Testament, 2) acquire basic familiarity with the different genres of Old Testament literature, 3) develop practice in critical approaches to the study of the Old Testament, and 4) acquire basic familiarity with contemporary theological issues in relation to Old Testament studies.

PREREQUISITES/RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND:

Graduate course

REQUIRED TEXTS

Bible - New Revised Standard Version
Coogan, Michael D. and Cynthia R. Chapman. The Old Testament: A Historical and Literary Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures. 4th edition. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018.
Matthews, Victor H. Old Testament Turning Points: The Narratives that Shaped a Nation. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2005.
Additional readings on Brightspace.

COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS

Readings - Students are expected to complete all readings prior to the scheduled class session.
Participation - Students are expected lead and engage in discussion of readings and research.
Writing - Short writing assignments and term paper

COURSE TITLE: THST 6030: Introduction to Systematic Theology

TIMES/DAYS M 4:30-7:00 pm

ISTRUCTOR: Rev. Thomas P. Rausch, S.J.

Office University Hall 3852; 310-338-2931

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course explores classic themes in systematic theology, God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, faith, Christian anthropology, the Church and the sacraments, creation and eschatology. It will seek to place them in their biblical origins, historical development, and contemporary significance in light of the current philosophical, cultural, ecumenical, interreligious, and pastoral concerns.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Know the major themes, methods, and authorities in systematic theology
Facility in speaking and writing about the these themes

Appreciate Roman Catholic and ecumenical approaches
The course will be a seminar, requiring attendance and intelligent participation. Each student's contribution to the seminar process will be an important factor in determining the final grade. Therefore, regular attendance and quality participation is important.

REQUIRED TEXTS:

Thomas P. Rausch, Systematic Theology: A Roman Catholic Approach

Paul Crowley, ed. From Vatican II to Pope Francis: Charting a Catholic Future

Articles and texts from the professor (My LMU Connect)

COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS:

Completion of readings before class discussion
Weekly 2 page reflection on readings

Midterm examination
Research paper, a critical study, 12-15 pages in length, well-documented with footnotes and bibliography, with both analysis and critical evaluation, using appropriate theological sources, of some issue in systematic theology. The topic should be approved by the professor in advance and an outline, showing proposed development and basic bibliography, should be submitted no later than Monday February . First come first serve as to topics.

COURSE TITLE: Practicum and Supervision in Spiritual Direction

COURSE NUMBER/SECTION: THST 688

TIMES/DAYS: Mondays 7:15 – 9:45 PM

INSTRUCTOR: Rev. Jim Clarke Ph.D.

CORE AREA: Spiritual Direction

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COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPAL TOPICS

The art of spiritual Direction is best fostered through practice and reflection of 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

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

PREREQUISITES/RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND

THST 687 Psychological Foundations of Spiritual Direction

THST 685 The Theory and Practice of Spiritual Direction

REQUIRED TEXTS

Au, Wilkie and Noreen Cannon, The Grateful Heart: Living the Christian Message. Paulist Press

Buckley, Suzanne, Sacred is the Call: Formation and Transformation in Spiritual Direction Programs, The Crossroad Pub. Co.

Clarke, Jim, Soul Centered: Spirituality for People on the Go, Paulist Press

Conroy, Maureen, Looking Into the Well: Supervision of Spiritual Directors, Loyola Univ. Press

COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS

COURSE TITLE: Foundations of Theological Ethics

COURSE NUMBER AND SECTION: THST 6060-01

SECTION TIME/DAYS: M 7:15PM-9:45PM

INSTRUCTOR: Prof. Matthew Petrusek

Course Description:

This graduate-level seminar provides an in-depth examination of the central ideas and methodologies that constitute the field of “theological ethics.” The course will identify and evaluate how foundational thinkers in the history of theological ethics respond to the fundamental theological, ontological, anthropological, epistemological, and ethical questions that ground and motivate theological-ethical inquiry. Within this broad interpretive framework—which will include philosophical as well as religious texts—we will also examine and evaluate specific theological-ethical paradigms (e.g., natural law, virtue, agape/caritas, different forms of “sola scriptura,” imago dei, imitatio Christi, mysticism, liberation, etc.), the constitutive components of moral action (e.g., freedom, responsibility, rationality, desire, will, conscience, experience, vulnerability to individual and social sin, etc.), and relevant socio-economic contexts (e.g., persecution, the formation of the early Church, Protestant and Catholic Reformations, modernity, industrialization, post-modernity, globalization, poverty, war, etc.). The course will also ask students to take stands on normative theoretical questions (e.g., Which theological-ethical alternatives seem most justified and why?) and practical moral problems (e.g., How can theological-ethical inquiry help us address concrete economic, legal, political, biomedical, social, etc. issues?). Seeking to tie these strands together, the course’s overarching goal is to establish a conceptual framework for appreciating and evaluating the methodological and substantive unity-in-diversity and diversity-in-unity that constitutes the discipline of theological ethics.

Student Learning Outcomes:

-Establish a broad and sophisticated understanding of some key themes, ideas, and methodologies in the history of theological ethics.

-Appreciate the “dialectical” or “conversational” character of theological ethics by examining how different viewpoints often respond to each other in the form of preserving insights of competing views while seeking to redress their perceived shortcomings.

-Think critically about how theoretical theological-ethical reflection directly relates to various spheres of concrete action, including individual decision-making, the creation and implementation of social and political norms and laws, the role of the “church” both internally (including pastoral issues) and within a religiously-pluralistic society, etc.

-Examine the conditions for the possibility of moral action and how it relates to the human good.

-Explore the relationship between philosophy and theology in an ethical context.

Prerequisites: Graduate status

Required Texts:

-St. Thomas Aquinas. Introduction to Saint Thomas Aquinas, ed. Anton C. Pegis. The Modern Library, 1948.

-Day, Dorothy. Loaves and Fishes: The Story of The Catholic Worker Movement. Orbis Books, 1997.

-Gustavo Gutiérrez. We Drink from Our Own Wells: The Spiritual Journey of a People. Orbis, 2003.

-Martin Luther. Martin Luther: Selections from His Writings, ed. John Dillenberger. Anchor Books, 1962.

-Martin Luther King, Jr. I Have a Dream: Writings and Speeches that Changed the World, ed. James M. Washington. HarperSanFrancisco, 1992.

-John Howard Yoder. The Royal Priesthood: Essays, Ecclesiological and Ecumenical, ed. Michael G. Cartwright. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1994.

-Additional readings will be available through MYLMU Connect, including selections from Plato, Aristotle, Epictetus, St. Augustine, John Calvin, the Radical Reformers, Papal Encyclicals, Reinhold Niebuhr, and John Paul II

Title: Supervised Pastoral Field Education (Contextual Education Seminar)

Course Number: THST 6078-01

Section Times/Days: Tuesdays 4:30-7 pm

Instructor: Dr. Brett C. Hoover

Description: Drawing upon an interdisciplinary framework, this contextual (field) education seminar addresses ministerial leadership aimed at the whole person in the promotion of faith and the service of faith communities for the sake of God’s Reign. It offers foundational concepts and skills required for effectiveness in ministry that is contextual, collaborative, intercultural, and faithful to Christian tradition. In a dialogical classroom context that models collaborative ministry, THST 6078 seeks to engage students in theological reflection and ministry skill development. It helps students reflect on required supervised field education experiences either at their full-time ministry or in some other approved ministry environment. It aims to enable students to weave together theological, ministerial, and educational insights and understandings. As present and future leaders in the church, students learn so that they may also be able to teach and train others in what they learn.

Learning Outcomes:

As a result of this course, students will be able to:

make use of pastoral theological methodologies in theological reflection on particular ministries and events within those ministries;
articulate with appropriate terminology the connections between their experiences of ministry and the theology they have learned;
articulate key contextual factors—environmental, cultural, psychological, spiritual and ecclesial—that impact the dilemmas and challenges that emerge in ministry;
facilitate work and learning groups in the context of ministry;
integrate Scripture and theological tradition with daily life through pastorally sensitive leadership of prayer and through effective ministry talks or presentations.
compare theological reflection in a Christian context to that of other faith traditions.

Pre-requisites: THST 6090 (Graduate Proseminar) and THST 6070 (Foundations of Pastoral Theology).

Required Texts:

Jeffrey H. Mahan,Barbara B. Troxell, and Carol J. Allen in Shared Wisdom: A Guide to Case Study Reflection in Ministry (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1993).
Marti Jewell and David Ramey, The Changing Face of Church: Emerging Models of Parish Leadership (Chicago: Loyola Press, 2010).
Edward Foley, Theological Reflection Across Religious Traditions: The Turn to Reflective Believing (New York: Rowman and Littlefield, 2015).

Course Work:

Expectations for this class include some form of ministry, regular meetings with a ministry supervisor, keeping a theological journal, an interview with an accomplished minister in an area different from that of the student, an oral presentation including prayer leadership, and a final project.

Yoga Philosophy: Text and Practice YGST 620 Spring 2018

Hinduism: Vedānta and Yoga THST 6083.1

Monday 4:30-7:30 pm

Professor Christopher Chapple

In this course we will explore the foundational teachings of two traditional philosophies of classical India. Vedānta, which includes the study of the Vedas, the Upaniṣads, and later commentarial literature, develops a theology of Brahman that sees an intimate relationship between the inner workings of the human person and the larger rhythms of the cosmos. Yoga, which tends to be less theologically specific, emphasizes practices of ethics, movement, and meditation that have been applied in several religious traditions. We will read and discuss several primary texts and interpretive materials.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Students will learn the major theological categories of the religious traditions of India, including the Vedic approach to multiple deities, Upaniṣadic approaches to embodied spirituality, Yoga’s emphasis on applied asceticism, and the attempt through the Bhagavad Gītā and the Yogavāsiṣṭha to mediate and reconcile these views. Students will acquire a working vocabulary of Sanskrit theological terms and enrich their writing skills through the preparation of two papers.

Required Books:

Meditations through the Ṛg Veda, Antonio T. deNicolas

The Thirteen Principal Upaniṣads, Robert Ernest Hume, tr.

Avatāra: Humanization of Philosophy through the Bhagavad Gītā, Winthrop Sargeant

Yoga and the Luminous, Christopher Key Chapple

The Concise Yogavāsiṣṭha , Swami Venkatesananda, tr.

Classical Sāṃkhya, Gerald Larson

Karma and Creativity, Chapple

The first paper, of about 15 pages, will integrate the student’s understanding of key ideas from the Vedas or Upaniṣads. Topics to be explored may include specific gods and/or goddesses of the Vedas, including research on how these are integrated into the tradition of Hindu household worship; the four “languages” or concept areas of the Vedas; or a close explication of one hymn or a series of hymns. Other themes might include: the concept of Brahman; the role of Self; the “Great Sentences” of the Upaniṣads; the nature of faith; the role of the elements, senses, and body; the significance of food; theories of health and well being; the role of ritual. One could also do a close read of one section of one of the larger Upanisads or devote the paper to a close analysis of one of the shorter texts.

The final paper will explore a topic pertaining to the practice of Yoga, the philosophy of the Bhagavad Gītā, or the story tradition of the Yogavāsiṣṭha. It may include a close exposition of portions of a specific text.

COURSE TITLE: Research and Writing Seminar

COURSE NUMBER/SECTION: THST 6093.01

TIMES/DAYS: W 7:15-9:45

INSTRUCTOR: Tiemeier

CORE AREA: N/A

FLAGGED: N/A

COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPAL TOPICS: This is the required research and writing seminar for MA in Theology students.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will know the basic contours of biblical theology, systematic theology, theological ethics, historical theology, comparative theology, and theological method.

Students will be able to: perform biblical exegesis with attention to historical contexts, the history of interpretation, and contemporary theological developments; engage in critical theological reflection on major systematic themes; demonstrate a clear grasp of significant developments in the history of the church; describe the work of seminal thinkers in the history of Christian ethics and analyze contemporary moral problems; demonstrate familiarity with other (non-Christian) religious traditions; and recognize and employ various theological methods.

Students will value critical fidelity within the Roman Catholic tradition, ecumenical and inter-faith dialogue, and the creative tension between theological unity and diversity.

Students will acquire research skills.

Students will evaluate sources for quality.

Students will demonstrate clear, scholarly, and reflective writing.

PREREQUISITES/RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND

THST 6092.01: Comprehensive Exam Seminar

REQUIRED TEXTS

A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations: Chicago Style for Students & Researchers, 8th ed.

COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS

Revised Proposal from the Comprehensive Exam Seminar (10%)

Annotated Bibliography (10%)

First Draft (20%)

Second Draft (20%)

Final Draft (40%)

COURSE TITLE: THST 6998 Canon Law, Civil Law, and Pastoral Administration

COURSE NUMBER/SECTION: THST 6998 01

TIMES/DAYS: 04:30pm – 07:00pm TUESDAY (UNH 1405)

INSTRUCTOR: Pham, Bryan

CORE AREA: Inter-Disciplinary Connections; Ethics & Justice; Faith & Reason

COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPAL TOPICS

This course introduces the student to the canon law of the Roman Catholic Church. In addition to an examination of the historical and theological foundations of canon law, the course examines certain foundational concepts of the Code of Canon Law as promulgated in 1983. The course examines the general norms, the juridical structure of various institutions of the Catholic Church (e.g., Catholic schools, parishes, religious institutes, etc.) and, in particular, the marriage laws, the annulment process, as well as property law (or temporal goods) in the Canon Law of the Catholic Church. Through case studies and an examination of juris prudence in the American legal system, this course will also adhere to a comparative methodology, stressing areas of Church law throughout the Code of Canon Law that intersect with American law (e.g., incorporation and tax exemption, employment law, conveyance of property, marriage norms). Grades are based upon a final examination. (The Canon Law of the Eastern Churches will be referenced when appropriate).

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

On successful completion of the course students will be able to: 1) demonstrate an understanding of the historical, theological, and philosophical developments of Canon Law (particularly concerning the 1983 Code of Canon Law); 2) demonstrate an understanding of certain core aspects of Canon Law in the current Code and how they regulate dioceses, parishes, religious institutions and the sacramental life of the Church; 3) demonstrate an understanding of a few relevant areas of Civil Law (e.g., employment, property, corporate, family, civil liberty, etc.); 4) anticipate, identify, and suggestion practical resolutions when conflicts arise between Canon Law and Civil Law for Catholic institutions; and 5) through research, development, and presentation of a major project, students should be able to develop a practical procedure in a given pastoral/institutional setting involving the intersection of Canon Law and Civil Law, with attention to potential conflicts of laws.

PREREQUISITES/RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND

A course or two in Church History, the Ecumenical Councils (specifically the Second Vatican Council), and Sacramental Theology would be helpful but not required.

REQUIRED TEXTS

Relevant articles will be distributed to students in class.
Students should have access to (electronically or hard copy):

The 1983 Code of Canon Law (available online and/or on reserve in the library)
The Code of Canon Law of the Eastern Churches (available online and/or on reserve in the library)
The Documents of Vatican II (available online and/or on reserve in the library)
Various Papal decrees (available online)

COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS

One Major Project (which includes a written proposal, a written analysis of findings, a presentation, and a critical reflection)
A Final Exam (pre-determined questions; 15-minutes oral exam)

COURSE TITLE: BIOETHICS AT THE END OF LIFE COURSE NUMBER: BIOE 6300 / THST 6998 03

SECTION TIMES/DAYS: W, 7:15 – 9:45 PM, UNH-4511 (BIOETHICS CONFERENCE ROOM)

INSTRUCTOR: DR. JOSEPH A. RAHO

OFFICE HOURS: W, 6:15 – 7:15 PM AND BY APPOINTMENT COURSE DESCRIPTION:

What does it mean to die—in an ICU? What constitutes a “good death”—for the patient, her family, her physicians, the institution, and society-at-large? What does it mean to suffer in the knowledge that you will soon die? What is the nature of embodiment with a diseased or dying body (e.g., one that houses a failing transplanted organ or ventricular assist device)? What is the physician’s role in the face of death? How ought we to think about treatment goals for an incapable patient with progressive neurologic disease? How can family members help decide for those who are no longer able to choose for themselves? What responsibility do we have—if any— to the dying? Can medicine as a profession remain ethically neutral in the face of death—and should it? At the end of life, can medicine still heal? Is it merely permissible for physicians to refuse to provide certain medical procedures or is it morally obligatory? What should physicians do with “helpless” cases, when a patient is “overmastered” by disease?

These and other questions lie at the heart of contemporary debates about ethics at the end of life. At stake are not only specific issues—e.g., the morality of physician-assisted suicide or the ethics of parental withholding decisions for severely disabled newborns, among others—but also broader ones that concern recovering the soul of medicine as a healing profession and rediscovering the humanity of the ill amidst increased medicalization. The dying process poses such ethical problems to health care professionals and patients alike. This course will examine the bioethical problems that arise in this context, with particular attention placed on moral dilemmas that are encountered in the clinic.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

Describe, critically analyze, and engage bioethical questions at the end of life and articulate their theoretical and practical dimensions;
Reflect on the nature of medicine as a healing enterprise as this applies at the end of life;
Appreciate the complex interplay between theory and praxis;
Assess common ethical challenges with which clinicians, families, and ethicists all

PREREQUISITES:

Undergraduate degree

COURSE TITLE: Methods in Biblical Interpretation

COURSE NUMBER/SECTION: THST 6998.6

TIMES/DAYS: T 7:15-9:45 pm

INSTRUCTOR: David Sanchez

CORE AREA: n/a

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COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPAL TOPICS

Description coming soon.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

PREREQUISITES/RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND

REQUIRED TEXTS

COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS

COURSE TITLE: Elec Topics in Bioethics

COURSE NUMBER/SECTION: BIOE 6500.1 / THST 6998.7

TIMES/DAYS: W 7:15-9:45 pm

INSTRUCTOR: TBD

CORE AREA: n/a

FLAGGED: n/a

COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPAL TOPICS

TBD

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

PREREQUISITES/RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND

REQUIRED TEXTS

COURSE WORK/EXPECTATIONS

COURSE TITLE: African American Religious Experience

COURSE NUMBER/SECTION: THST 6998-08 (3 credits)

TIMES/DAY: Wednesday 7:15-9:45 PM University Hall 1222

INSTRUCTOR: Kim R. Harris Ph.D. Kim.harris@lmu.edu

Office: University Hall 3721

Office phone: 310-568-6622

COURSE DESCRIPTION/PRINCIPAL TOPICS:

This course will acquaint students with the history of African-American religious practices from before and during slavery to the present. We will discuss the influences on these practices including African culture, the culture of free and enslaved people in colonial and post-revolutionary America, anti-bellum, emancipation, migration, the Civil Rights Movement and contemporary social issues and development. This course follows the struggles and triumphs of African-Americans through various theological developments and contributions of selected African-American religious leaders and intellectuals. We will explore the ways in which religious thought, practices and experiences become critical modes of resistance and liberation when confronting oppressive cultural, economic and socio-political structures.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

- Demonstrate knowledge of the historical trajectory of African-American religious practices

- Articulate in clear manner the influences of specific intellectuals and religious leaders upon African-American religious development

-Demonstrate an appreciation of African-American religious diversity

REQUIRED TEXTS:

James Cone, A Black Theology of Liberation (40^th anniversary edition)

Albert Raboteau, Slave Religion

M. Shawn Copeland, Uncommon Faithfulness: The Black catholic Experience

Bryan Massingale, Racial Justice and the Catholic Church

Stacey Floyd-Thomas, Black Church Studies: An Introduction

Stephanie Mitchem, Introducing Womanist Theologies

Julius Lester, On Becoming A Jew

Amir Hussain: Muslims in the Making of America

Jan Willis: Dreaming Me Black, Baptist, Buddhist

COURSE EXPECTATIONS: Careful preparation of the required readings. Thoughtful and energetic class participation. Attendance at a worship service or other faith-based event or a personal interview with an African-American faith leader. Journal reflections. Final paper.

Course Title: FORMING SPIRITUALLY MATURE DISCIPLES

A. in Orange Cohort -- Spring 2018
Identify and explore best practices for promoting adult faith in parishes, among school faculties and with peers in various expressions of faith communities;

Michael P. Horan, Ph.D.

Professor’s Office Phone: 310-338-2755

E-mail: michael.horan@lmu.edu

Class meets Tuesdays at 4:30 p.m. in Orange

Office conference hours Tuesdays by appointment on site in Orange, by appointment at Westchester campus, also by e-mail and phone.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

How do leaders take the initiative to influence and enhance the formation of a genuinely adult faith community, one that fosters individual and collective spiritual maturity? What contexts, theories, practices and approaches effectively promote adult discipleship in churches, among school faculties and ministry teams, and within small Christian communities? What wisdom can select spiritual schools of thought from the Christian tradition, considered alongside contemporary theoretical constructs of spiritual development, contribute to mature adult spiritual practices in large, small or individualized settings? Through readings, seminar discussion, professor’s and guests’ presentations, these questions are explored. Students will design a pastoral plan for enhancing adult spiritual development in their particular setting.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Students who successfully complete this course will:

Analyze selected theories of faith formation that can ground and provide perspectives on these practices;
Observe and analyze approaches to fostering spiritual adulthood in one’s parish or pastoral setting and;

Write an analysis of the present practices and anticipated plans for one’s pastoral setting in light of the approaches to formation treated in the course.
January 23
February 20
March 20
April 10

MODES OF ASSESSING STUDENT LEARNING:

Active preparation and participation in seminars – See separate criteria for seminar participation (20%)

Written essays that analyze the assigned readings - 5 papers, each 3 pages in length

Group Project on readings and approaches to faith formation

Individual final project (functions as the take home final examination)

REQUIRED READINGS TBD

Pastoral Integration Component

This component will take place on some Tuesdays, it will include presentations by parish or diocesan leaders of adult faith formation, youth ministry, young adult ministry, and other select parish ministries, with a view to bridging the theories treated in the syllabus with best practices in the parish and diocese. Later sessions conclude by 8 p.m. The Integration Sessions will take place on the following Tuesdays: