Theology & Philosophy Courses

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THEPH 347 / Theo.of Spirit:A Panentheistic Exploration of the World - (view)
This course will offer a comparative-theological exploration of Christian/Western thought and North East Asian thought around the notion of spirit. It will include a cross-cultural exploration of some of the metaphysical and anti-metaphysical construals of the phenomenon of creaturely creativity, transcendent freedom, relationality, polycentricity, and solidarity. It will examine the dialogue between Neo-Confucianism and process theology, some Neo-Taoist thinkers, Tonghak thought, Hegel, Tillich, Moltmann, and poststructuralists like Levinas and Derrida.

Basic Courses

THEPH 300 / Philosophical Resources for Theology (3) - (view)
An examination of philosophy as a distinctive way of thinking and as an influence on and resource for theology. Students read primary texts of such figures as Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Spinoza, and Kant, as well as current thinkers. (Required only for those students in the M.Div. program with no previous work in philosophy.) Fall semester annually.
THEPH 301 / Systematic Theology (3) - (view)
Systematic and constructive interpretations of central themes of Christian faith: God, Creation, Providence, Jesus Christ, humanity, evil, discipleship, Holy Spirit, church, eschatology. To be taken by M.Div. students in the first year of study.
THEPH 308 / Challenge of World Religions to Christian Practice (3) - (view)
An examination of the ways in which the reality of other religions and their teachings poses questions for the church's self-understanding, faith, and mission. The focus of the study is on enabling Christian congregations to deal creatively with religious plurality, Same as: THEPH 371.
THEPH 384 / Theological Research and Writing Skills (2) - (view)
This course intends to teach the research and writing skills needed for academic and professional progress in ministry. Students will develop proficiency in the planning of research and in finding and using information sources in theological and related areas; they will also develop written communication skills. Weekly assignments will be hands-on exercises involving the use of these skills. The course is team-taught by a theological librarian and a professional writing instructor.

Advanced Courses

THEPH 310 / Topics in Theology (3) - (view)
An intermediate-level course for Theological School students. Course may be repeated. Prerequisite: THEPH 301.
THEPH 311 / Reformed Theology (3) - (view)
Reformed theology is a conversation carried on by a global family of churches who claim to some degree today the inheritance of the 16th- century Reformation in Switzerland. Important to Reformed faith and practice are a body of historical confessions that have helped give shape to the tradition. What makes it Reformed, however, is a commitment to a way of doing things theologically in the church and in life. Ecclesia reformata semper reformanda--the church reformed and always reforming--is the motto of the movement. This course will provide an opportunity to explore the contours of Reformed theology, paying attention to its historical formations, contemporary expressions, and pastoral implications for church and community. The course is designed to be particularly relevant to those in Presbyterian, Reformed, and United Church of Christ communions who are seeking ordination. Everyone, however, is invited. After all, who doesn't believe the church ought to be always reforming? Prerequisite: THEPH 301.
THEPH 312 / Twentieth-Century Theologies (3) - (view)
A study of several of the most important theological thinkers of the near and recent past. Likely to appear on the syllabus are Barth, Tillich, Moltmann, and representatives from the existentialist, process, feminist, and liberation strands.
THEPH 320 / Constructive Theology (3) - (view)
A cycle of seminars, each examining biblical, historical, and current contributions to a specific Christian doctrine--its implications, deformations and transformations as a contextual practice of theological reconstruction. Course may be repeated. Signature of instructor required for registration.
THEPH 321 / Philosophical Theology (3) - (view)
A cycle of seminars probing into foundational issues in the domain where philosophical inquiry intersects with theological reflection. Same as: COMFE 321.
THEPH 324 / Theology of Mission (3) - (view)
A historical overview of the theology of mission that has undergirded the missionary task of the church with special emphasis on the challenges facing mission theology in our day. Prerequisite: THEPH 301.
THEPH 326 / Authority of Scripture and Tradition: Ecumenical Advances (3) - (view)
Understanding of the "teaching authority of the church" has been one of the most divisive issues in the life of the church. The seminar seeks to study the advances made within the ecumenical movement on the question of the authority of scripture and tradition. Signature of instructor required for registration.
THEPH 329 / The Theology and Ecology of Common Ground (3) - (view)
See CERT 302 for course description. Same as: CERT 302.
THEPH 334 / Process Theology (3) - (view)
An in-depth study of the sources and development of process theology, moving from Whitehead's Process and Reality to representative works by recent thinkers, such as Hartshome, Cobb, Griffin, Brock, and Suchocki.
THEPH 335 / Schleiermacher and Tillich (3) - (view)
An examination of writings of two theologians of the liberal tradition. Schleiermacher (1768--1834) inaugurated the liberal strain in Protestantism with his revolutionary 1799 Speeches in which he shaped the emergent contours of a universal religion. In his 1822 Christian Faith he unfolded a phenomenology of consciousness that fulfilled the Kantian project for religion. Tillich (1886--1965), referring to Schleiermacher as his spiritual grandfather, developed an existential theology in dialogue with contemporary culture and in some respects brought the grand liberal tradition to a high water mark. His major work of 1951-1963, Sytematic Theology Vols. I, II, III, will be the focus of the course's reflections. Signature of instructor required for registration.
THEPH 336 / The Theology of Karl Barth (3) - (view)
Consists of two units: 1) Barth's break with liberal theology, and 2) structure and development in the Church Dogmatics. Readings are concentrated in the commentary on Romans and Church Dogmatics I & II. Throughout, historical context and later criticisms and appropriations are considered. Signature of instructor required for registration.
THEPH 337 / Feminist Theology (3) - (view)
Violations, confrontations, redemptions: studies the unprecedented challenge of the women's movement to Christian discourse, symbolism and practice, through readings in feminist, womanist, mujerista, Asian and other theologies. Prerequisite: THEPH 301.
THEPH 339 / Seminar in Contemporary Theology (3) - (view)
Key current themes and texts in Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish theology. Course may be repeated. Prerequisite: THEPH 301.
THEPH 340 / Liberation Theology (3) - (view)
A critical examination of three major strands of liberation thought: black, feminist, and Third World (Latin American), with attention to common features and notable differences. Focuses on the implications of liberation thought for the transformation of the theological disciplines. Note: This course may be offered in conjunction with the Black Scholars Project and cross-listed with courses in the "God-Talk with Black Thinkers" interdisciplinary series. Signature of instructor required for registration.
THEPH 341 / Interpretation of Christ in Traditions and Cultures (3) - (view)
Who is he, and what do his life, death, and resurrection mean to us? This Christological question is answered in many ways within the New Testament and in the early church, leading to the development of many Christological interpretations in the Church. Other contextual and cultural interpretations of Christ emerged when Christianity moved into Asia, Africa and Latin America . This course attempts to map and critically evaluate these developments.
THEPH 348 / Topics in Spirituality (3) - (view)
This course covers variable topics in the field of spirituality. Course may be repeated.
THEPH 350 / Doctrines of Revelation:How do We Know What We Know About God (3) - (view)
A study of different formulations of the doctrine of revelation by modern and contemporary theologians, formulations that are a part of a larger systematics as well as free-standing contextual, constructive formulations. What are the different ways theologians - modern and postmodern, neo-orthodox to feminist - have interpreted this traditional doctrine of God's self-disclosure as the source of our knowledge of and language for God? And what are the reasons for, and consequences of, those differences, both theologically and ethically? Prerequisite: THEPH 301.
THEPH 351 / Asian Theologies (3) - (view)
A seminar dealing with major themes and figures in Asian theology.
THEPH 353 / Hindu Theologies and Philosophies (3) - (view)
A study of the basic theological and philosophical schools of Hinduism with primary emphasis on Hindu Scriptures.
THEPH 355 / Tao and Logos: A Confucian/ Taoist-Christian Dialogue (3) - (view)
This course consists of an introduction to the basic texts and motifs of the major North East Asian traditions of Confucianism and Daoism, followed by an attempt to bring specific texts, themes, and thinkers into dialogue with Christian theology in order to answer the question: What can Christian theologians learn from Confucianism/Daoism? Students will first read selected primary sources, focusing on the classical figures of Confucius, Mencius, Xunzi, Laozi, and Zhuangzi, and the central themes of Tao, Heaven, ren, ritual, self-cultivation, ziran, and wuwei, and then proceed to examine some examples of Confucian-Christian and/or Daoist-Christian dialogue. Students will also be introduced to methods for the emerging field of comparative theology, notably Robert. C. Neville, Francis X. Clooney, and James Fredericks. Same as: THEPH 762.
THEPH 361 / Kant and Hegel (3) - (view)
A concentrated study of selected texts, with special, but not exclusive, emphasis on philosophy of religion. Same as: COMFE 361.
THEPH 362 / American Philosophy (3) - (view)
Details the rise of a distinctive American philosophy in the 19th and 20th centuries. Figures covered include Emerson, Peirce, James, Royce, Dewey, Santayana, and Buchler. The focus is on the development of pragmatism, idealism, semiotics, naturalism, and systematic metaphysics. Conceptual analyses are correlated with contextual and social studies of the place of Euro-American thought in the larger culture of North America. Same as: COMFE 362.
THEPH 363 / Phenomenology (3) - (view)
Readings in Husserl and others, such as Schuetz, Merleau-Ponty, and Ricoeur.
THEPH 364 / The Spiritual Quest (3) - (view)
This course considers visions of the Divine/Ultimate/Absolute as they are lived out in different traditions and various contexts. Turning to the past as well as the present, we will explore experiences relating to higher consciousness, personal transcendence, and social transformation. We approach these experiences by examining a number of historical and contemporary spiritual writers, ways of being "spiritual," and particular faith communities in their social and religious contexts.
THEPH 368 / Theology of Gi: An East Asian Perspective on God (3) - (view)
This advanced seminar attempts to explore an alternative philosophical framework in which to articulate the Christian doctrine of God. To this end, the course will examine the East Asian philosophical concept of Gi (Qi), translated "material force" or "vital energy." The focus will be on whether the concept of Gi can point beyond the metacosmic/cosmic distinction -- that is, the ontological/cosmological distinction -- that has characterized the classical theism of Christian doctrine of God. The work undertaken in this course will be complementary to the contemporary movements within Christian theology which question the asymmetrically binary constructions of classical Western thought, i.e., of transcendence and immanence, spirit and nature, mind and body, ideal and material, eternity and time, permanence and change etc., with the accompanying political and ecological ramifications. The nature of this course will be comparative theology and comparative philosophy of religion, with Signature of instructor required for registration. Prerequisite: THEPH 301.
THEPH 370 / Topics in World Religions: (3) - (view)
This course offers changing topics related to the study of world religions. May be repeated.
THEPH 379 / Ecumenical Theology/Modern Liturgies (3) - (view)
A cycle of seminars, each examining vital ecumenical concerns. The seminars include Theology of Religions in the Ecumenical Movement; Ecclesiology and Ethics; Justice, Peace, and the Integrity of Creation; Dialogue and Mission; The "Ecumenical" and the "Evangelical"; and History, Development, and Prospects of the Ecumenical Movement. Course may be repeated. Prerequisite: THEPH 301.
THEPH 380 / Studies in the Philosophy of Religion (3) - (view)
Descriptions for each offering are available at the time of registration. Course may be repeated. Signature of instructor required for registration.
THEPH 391 / Major Figures in Philosophical Theology (3) - (view)
A seminar focusing on one major figure from the Western or Eastern traditions. Examples include, but are not limited to, Martin Heidegger, Charles Sanders Peirce, Helena Blavatsky, Sri Aurobindo, Ludwig Wittgenstein, and William James. Signature of instructor required for registration.
THEPH 392 / Nature, God, and the New Cosmology (3) - (view)
An examination of some of the implications of the new cosmology for traditional ideas. The first part of this course looks at several conceptions of nature as they illuminate science and theology. The second part of the course probes into the new sciences of complexity and chaos theory insofar as they, too, illuminate the relationship between God and nature. The final part of the course examines current cosmological theories, with particular attention to those of Hawking. Topics include creation and the Big Bang, the origin of time, the no-boundary proposal, the Anthropic principle, the status of eschatology, and the problem of teleology. Signature of instructor required for registration.
THEPH 393 / Theory for Theology: Postmodern Options (3) - (view)
Postmodern philosophical resources for theology; radical orthodoxy; poststructuralism and negative theology; postcolonial and feminist theology. MDiv students must have signature of the instructor. Same as: THRST 755S.
THEPH 394 / Interfaith Dialogue (3) - (view)
A study of the emergence and development of Interfaith Dialogue, its principles, methods, and theological assumptions as a response to religious plurality within the Ecumenical Movement. The course involves the study of the documents of Vatican II, Word Council of Churches, and Ecumenical Considerations in Christian-Muslim, Christian-Jewish and other relationships. Prerequisite: THEPH 301. Same as: COMFE 394.