Exploring the riches of the Catholic tradition that keep the Church vibrant today. In line with Jesus' exhortation that the best instruction brings from our storeroom both the old and the new (Mt 13:52), we will explore traditional themes such as the Sacraments, the mission and nature of the Church, the Communion of Saints, and normativity of Scripture and Tradition and how these ideas continue to enliven the Catholic imagination and reform the Church in our day. Prerequisites: COR 1 or COR 199 

Liturgy has been called "the synthesis of the arts." For centuries the celebration of Mystery in daily, weekly, and annual celebrations has inspired and, for most of history, financed the creation and performance of music, art, architecture and theater. This course traces the evolution of select ritual celebrations in the Jewish and Christian traditions and the ways that music, art, texts, and architecture give expression to the experience of Mystery and to the theological, political and ecological worldviews of each age. Students will observe/participate in contemporary liturgical celebrations at area synagogues and churches and join in the preparation of liturgical music, art, and celebration. Prerequisites: COR 1 or COR 199 

A detailed exegetical study of specific books or themes of the Christian Scriptures. Course includes new methods for studying the New Testament and new insights from theories of interpretation with emphasis on themes and texts. Prerequisites: Permission of the Instructor

This course seeks to evaluate the implications of artificial intelligence, robotics, and similar modern technologies for their impact on the ways and means by which we flourish.  We will, to be sure, learn to use selected AI tools and to do so ethically.  Among the concrete questions we will consider are how one pursues the truth in an era of deepfakes, whether an algorithm can generate beauty, and how one might evaluate moral responsibility (goodness) in decisions made by AI.  However, we will also challenge ourselves to look beyond materialistic or utilitarian concerns, to reflect on the ways that emerging technologies transform our sense of excellence, create new experiences of harmony and order that resonate with our perceptions, and align our understanding with the way things are. Cross-listed: COR 230M Prerequisite: Completion of COR 1 Offered: Fall, Winterim, Spring

An exploration of the basic concepts and themes of Christianity as taught in the churches, understood by contemporary theologians, and expressed in the lives of believers. What is Faith? How do Christians understand God, creation, human beings, Jesus, sin and evil? How is Christian spirituality practiced today? What is the relationship between Christianity and other religions? To answer these we consider a wide spectrum of theological perspectives, each of which is shaped by the diverse contexts of culture, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and socio-economic location. The course highlights dimensions of faith which all Christians share as well as the beautiful diversity present within the Christian tradition. Prerequisites: COR 1 or COR 199 or permission of the instructor

The Hebrew Bible (aka The Old Testament), is not only foundational for much of Western civilization, but is also an intimate and compelling report of God's relationship with the people of ancient Israel. This God is not a theological abstraction; but instead the Mystery of justice and mercy whose goal is to create a people who see these attributes as complementary rather than antithetical. Far more than a national epic -- the Hebrew Bible is a prayer book for Christianity and Judaism, a wellspring of ancient Wisdoms, and a fearless and perceptive analysis of the problem of human evil. Our initial goal is to read selected sections through lenses drawn from historical, theological, and narrative methodologies. Gradually we will expand from straightforward readings to a deeper engagement with the text as it forms human character and informs human communities. But we do not seek, nor will we find, definitive answers, for the inquires that underlie the Hebrew Bible are the great questions which are resolved only as they are lived.  Prerequisites: COR 1 and COR 199 

An exploration of the place of religious faith in human development, the symbolic elements which landscape the religious imagination, and the ways these find expression in scripture, autobiography, poetry, fiction, drama, contemporary music and/or film. This course explores the themes of grace, ritual and the process of human conversion as depicted in selected literary and cinematic narratives. Participants in the course will investigate the human capacity to hear and tell stories, and will read selected works of fiction and poetry and view films that highlight the role of ritual and narrative in human/religious transformation and self-understanding. Prerequisites: COR 1 or COR 199 

Students choose a topic of interest in Religious Studies or select writings of a major theologian (e.g. Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Tillich, Segundo, Ruether, Johnson, neo-Thomists, Feminists, Liberation Theology). Requires preparation of a paper or public presentation. Prerequisites: consent of instructor.

Topics and credits to be approved by an advisor in the Department of Religious Studies. Prerequisites: (At least two R-tagged courses; normally for RS Majors and Minors only.) consent of instructor.

Supervised observation and participation in one or more of the following situations: 1) Interning in a Religious Ed or Pastoral Ministry program; 2) interning with a Social Justice organization or ministry; 3) interning with an Ecological organization or ministry. Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.

What about Jesus? Who was he? Who is he? We cannot attend to these questions without a close reading of early Christian literature. This course examines the Gospels and selected documents created by the earliest Christians through lenses drawn from historical, theological, and narrative methodologies. After examining one of the Gospels in detail, we engage a selection of Jesus' moral and ethical teachings and the impacts the Jesus event had on the literary world of early Christianity. Rather than definitive answers, however, we seek relevant questions. We discover the power these documents have to draw us deeply into their world and to see our own with more clarity and precision. Prerequisites: COR 1 or COR 199  or permission of the instructor

In this seminar students select and investigate a theme/problem/issue through academic inquiry, scholarly research, community-based learning, and intellectual reflection. In so doing, they will develop integrative, creative theories and solutions to contemporary human issues and problems; strive to harmonize their own beliefs with their intellectual, critical, and cultural development; and deepen their own spiritualities with a vision toward justice, peace and the common good. Prerequisites: A declared major, Senior standing, completion of COR 1 and COR 2

This course explores some of the spiritual, religious and philosophical approaches to moral responsibility while examining current ethical problems and dilemmas posed by health and health care. Major areas of focus will include ethics in clinical medicine, public health, and the intersection of health ethics with global justice and human rights. Students will learn through lectures, course readings, case studies examined in small groups and class discussion, small group projects, and individual semester projects. Prerequisites: COR 1; junior or senior standing or permission of the instructor

What does religion have to do with sex and gender? Surprisingly, quite a lot.In this course we study the work of mystics, people who have experienced profound spiritual union, across several religious traditions i.e. Christian, Islamic (Sufi), Buddhist and Hindu. We examine the ways individual mystics both conform to and undermine the sexual and gender boundaries of their religious and social contexts i.e. through affectivity, eroticism and spiritual gender-bending. Finally, we explore implications of mystical literature on the contemporary study of religion and gender. Prerequisites: COR 1 and COR 199 

How did the life and death of Jesus alter our world? The earliest indications of the massive changes that would soon transform much of the human community are found in the humble letters, homilies, and histories of the New Testament. These texts document the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem; record the earliest theological reflections on the Jesus event; provide the sordid details of Christian congregations gone badly awry; and predict the great climax of history. Our study is not simply about the past, nor does it seek authoritative answers for the present; instead, we will learn to raise significant questions of these texts as Christians today join with others in building a more just and compassionate world for the future. Prerequisites: COR 1 or COR 199 

An introduction to the theory and practice of Christian ethics in its personal, social and cultural dimensions. Personal identity, moral character and conscience development, and ethical values and choices are explored, and issues of social justice are investigated utilizing case studies grouped around the themes of Catholic social teaching. Participants in the course will discover connections and contrasts between Christian ethical thought and their own perspectives on human persons and communities as moral agents, making decisions and acting on them within the limits of personal, historical, social and cultural contexts. Prerequisites: COR 1 or COR 199 

Preeminent among modern human quests are the disciplines of science and religion. One seeks insight into the natural world; the other looks for value and meaning within this world and the life it sustains. In this course we will explore the relationship between the two from a historical perspective, then move on to an examination of their interaction in the modern world. We seek to identify perspectives on this relationship that will show how one has implications for the other, the places where developments in one may benefit the other, and the possibility that the two can work together to build a just and compassionate world. Prerequisites: COR 2, senior status or permission of the instructor.

Practicum in Religious Education or Christian Ministry according to the goals of the student. Prerequisites: None.

This course is an introduction to research methods in Theological and Religious Studies with an emphasis on understanding and learning to conduct research in various areas within these intellectual domains and becoming a critical consumer of such research. Each student will be required to write a research proposal for an original research project and complete initial research steps. 

An advanced detailed study of specific books or themes in scripture. Prerequisites: RS 210 and RS 310 or RS 314 or equivalent, permission of the instructor.

A study of selected topics in religious thought including theology, scripture, spirituality, interpersonal ethics, social justice, ecology and/or sociology of religion. Prerequisites: None.

A critical examination of spirituality and human nature with a focus on some of the ways persons, groups, and/or particular traditions articulate their experiences of and relationship with mystery, spirit, and community in sacred texts, prayer, meditation, ascetical practices and social interaction. Participants will (a) investigate the writings of one spiritual school or author; (b) be able to place this spirituality in its historical and religious contexts; and (c) consider contemporary expressions of this spirituality in the context of religious pluralism. Prerequisites: Graduate or Special Student Status.

This course explores selected philosophical, spiritual and religious approaches to health and healthcare, including clinical medicine and public health, in an increasingly pluralistic world. Students will become familiar with some important issues in health care ethics, such as physician-assisted death right to refuse treatment and stem cell research.  Topics in spirituality and religion will include ethical challenges associated with conflicting religious convictions, the spiritual complications associated with suffering, religious traditions surrounding significant healthcare life events such as birth, death and coming of age rites and tending to the spiritual needs of patients and their families. Prerequisites: Admission to ADN-MSN program or Consent of instructor

A theoretical and practical exploration of Spirituality and its relationship to inner well-being, the transformation of consciousness, and the development of lifestyles that contribute to building a more just, compassionate, and sustainable world. In addition to examining features of the spiritual journey in diverse religious and secular traditions, students explore the characteristics of their own personal spiritualities as they adopt spiritual practices, visit spiritual sites, and engage in experiential and/or service learning in the community. Required for RS majors who have not taken RS 101   or RS 147   . Prerequisites: COR 1 or COR 199 

Christianity has a rich and complex story to tell. Beginning with the New Testament era, our study then moves to the interaction between Christianity and Rome, sketching the new sect's transition from a small and persecuted Jewish group to the sole legal religion of the Empire. Medieval Christianity features the Holy Roman Empire, the schism between Eastern and Western Christianity, and the encounter with Islam, while Renaissance brings new vitality to Christian thought and artistic expression. Early modern Christianity brings us the Reformations and expansion into Eastern Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and the Americas. Through all of this we trace the intricate interaction between Christians and their larger communities with an eye to the real issue: how does modern Christianity participate in the global community and how can it more effectively promote a just and compassionate world? Prerequisites: COR 1 or COR 199 

Friends, Families and Faith in Early Modern Europe. The study of the religious Reformations that rocked Europe from about 1450-1650 is an essential element in the discovery of who we are and how we got this wayand the "we" is indeed global, for Europe's colonies and trading partners were likewise moved. Beyond fracturing religious identities, this era also gave us ideas about freedom and equality whose limits remain yet undiscovered. It contributed to the rise of capitalism, the rationalism of complex Western societies, and the stirrings of modern science. Here were lit the great fires of social activism, revolution, democracy and secularization, even as the intimate flames of affective relationships began to assume their modern forms. This class, then, is equally concerned with both the reforming events and their consequences, including topics in the historiography of both gender and sexuality. Students will find historical study of this foundational era shocking, amusing, awe-inspiring, depressing and perhaps confusing by turn, for it is one of the best windows through which we learn that the great moments in history are, as Georg W. F. Hegel said, "a convergence of ideal principles and selfish interests, woven together in such a way that those involved often cannot tell one from the other." Prerequisites: COR 1 or COR 199 

A focused study of one or several significant points in the evolution of Christianity. Prerequisites: Completion of COR 1.  ENG 110  or concurrent enrollment

A focused study of selected scripture in its historical context and reception Prerequisites: Completion of COR 1 and ENG 110  or concurrent enrollment

A focused study of selected persons or elements of spirituality in their historical context and modern reception. Prerequisites: Completion of COR 1.  ENG 110  or concurrent enrollment

This course focuses on one or several theological topics in their historical context, expression, and reception. Prerequisites: Completion of COR 1.  ENG 110  or concurrent enrollment.

Special study of selected topics and themes in Religious Studies. Students select topics and share results of research and experiential learning in seminar style papers, projects, and presentations. Prerequisites: None.

How do women theologians from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds understand and discuss God, Jesus, Human Beings, the Bible, Spirituality, Ecology and the Roles of Women in religion and society today? How do North American women "do theology" in their African-American, Latina, Native American, Asian-American, Euro-American and/or socio-economic contexts? What kinds of theology are women theologians in Latin America, Asia and Africa doing? In what ways do race, ethnicity, gender, class, sexuality, and nation shape the formation and development of Christian feminist theologies? From multicultural perspectives, this course explores the questions, experiences, values, concerns, and challenges that women bring to the understanding and practice of Christian faith and its implications for building a more just and compassionate world. Prerequisites: COR 1 or COR 199