Requirements for the Theology Major
In addition to the University's GER common courses, students wishing to achieve a major in Theology must take the following courses:
GER University Distribution: fourteen courses, including one of the following:
Social/Behavioral Sciences:
PSY 1341 Psychology of Religion (Social Science GER) or
SOC 2271 Sociology of Religion (Social Science GER)
GER Divisional Distribution: One additional course in Fine Arts (not included in above fourteen courses)
GER Foreign Language: No foreign language unique to the department is required. But it is recommended that students consult with their advisors to fulfill the GER foreign language requirement with a language relevant to their religious or theological interest.
Major Concentration: Ten courses distributed as described below. At least eight must be at the 1500-level or above. GER courses may be used to satisfy the major concentration.
Hebrew Bible, one of the following:
THE 1501 Introduction to the Hebrew Bible
THE 2001 Israelite Religion
THE 2011 Origins of Law and the Bible
THE 2031 Myth and History in the Bible
THE 2051 The Psalms
New Testament, one of the following:
THE 1101 Introduction to the New Testament
THE 2101 Letters of Paul
THE 2111 Synoptic Gospels
History of Christianity, one of the following:
THE 1201 Introduction to the History of the Christian Tradition
THE 1211 Introduction to Systematic Theology*
THE 2201 Jesus through the Centuries
THE 2211 The Uses and Abuses of Jesus in Modernity*
THE 2221 The Early Church
THE 2231 Evil as a Theological Problem*
THE 2241 Feminist Theologies*
THE 2251 Knowledge and Love of God in the Middle Ages
THE 2261 Gender and Christian Spirituality
THE 2271 Sixteenth Century Protestant and Catholic Debates
THE 2291 Rediscovering Mary*
THE 2301 Liberation and Political Theologies*
THE 2381 American Religious Thought
THE 2391 American Catholicism
THE 2621 Theology and Science*
Systematic Theology, one of the following:
THE 1211 Introduction to Systematic Theology
THE 2201 Jesus Through the Centuries
THE 2241 Feminist Theologies
THE 2281 Ignatian Spirituality in the Jesuit Tradition
THE 2301 Liberation and Political Theologies
THE 2311 Theology of the Church
THE 2321 Theology of Salvation
THE 2351 Recent Trends in Roman Catholicism
Ethics, one of the following:
THE 1301 Introduction to Christian Social Ethics
THE 2401 Catholic Social Teaching
THE 2411 Faith and Justice: Scripture and Social Values*
THE 2421 Sexuality and Catholic Morality
THE 2431 Theology of Christian Marriage
THE 2441 Christian Medical Ethics
THE 2451 Suffering and Death: Biblical, Systematic and Ethical Perspectives
THE 2461 Just Health Care in Developing Nations
THE 2471 Ignatius and the City: Jesuit Urban Missiology - SLR only
THE 2481 Technology, Society and Christian Ethics
THE 2501 Economic Ethics
THE 2511 War and Peace
THE 2521 Church and State
THE 2531 Violence, Forgiveness and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland
THE 2551 Economics, Politics and the Ethics of Solidarity
Asian Religions, one of the following:
THE 1801 Religious Experience*
THE 1811 Comparative Religion*
THE 1901 Religions of Ancient India
THE 1911 Hinduism
THE 1921 Indian Buddhism
THE 1931 Mahayanna Buddhism
THE 2631 Spiritual Practices in Comparative Perspective*
Western Non-Christian Religions, one of the following:
THE 1801 Religious Experience*
THE 1811 Comparative Religion*
THE 1891 World Religions and Film
THE 1941 Judaism
THE 1961 Islam
THE 1971 African and Caribbean Religions
THE 2061 Women in Muslim Tradition
THE 2541 Religion, Violence and Terrorism
THE 2631 Spiritual Practices in Comparative Perspective*
Seminars, both of the following:
THE 2971 Theories and Methods in the Study of Religion
THE 2981 Seminar in Theology and Religion (A theology course at the 2000 level or above taught by a visiting faculty member appointed to the MacLean Chair in Jesuit Studies may be substituted for THE 2981).
Theology Elective: Any course in THE at 1500 level or above
* designation means that the student must consult with the department chair to determine which of two possible distribution categories each particular section of this course will satisfy. No one course may be counted more than once for the purposes of the overall student distribution. Departmental advising will be used to designate courses in the GER, major, or elective area to meet the needs of individual students.
Minor In Theology
The minor in theology requires, in addition to the three required GER courses in theology, written permission from major department advisor or chair, three second or third level (1500-2999) theology courses, and written notification to the Theology Department chair.