Theology and Religious Studies

Introduction to sources and major thinkers that have shaped responses to fundamental human questions that underlie all religions and shape the human search for meaning. Engagement of religious truth claims, themes, values, and witness as resources for analyzing and critically evaluating contemporary cultural challenges.

Critical analysis of Old Testament texts and themes. Historical, archaeological, cultural, and theological foci with attention to theory and practice of exegesis and biblical interpretation. See department website for announcement of particular themes.

Critical analysis of New Testament texts and themes. Structure, meaning, historical development, continuing vitality, theolgy, and application. See department website for announcement of particular themes.

Exploration of biblical perspectives on the environment through a variety of key characters and their relation to the land and other creatures. Attention to historical treatment of the ecology in Christian and Jewish theology and engagement of contemporary ecological issues.

Critical analysis of biblical themes, biblical theology, spirituality and ethics as well as their reception in history and in culture. Attention in theory and practice of exegesis and biblical interpretation. See department website for announcement of particular themes.

Contemporary Christian writings, controversies, and events. See department website for announcement of particular themes.

Historical development of theology by topical or chronological arrangement. See department website for announcement of particular themes.

Exploration of connections between our time and culture and Augustine's time and culture; study of select sermons and letters of St. Augustine; comparison and contrast of 'snapshots' of moments in Augustine's experience with 'snapshots' from the 3rd millennium.

Emergence, growth, and transformation of Christianity from its origins in the eastern Mediterranean to its worldwide expansion. Ways in which Christian symbolism and ritural have shaped the lives of ordinary people. Major writings, controversies, and events. See department website for announcement of particular themes.

Thematic issues in American Catholic experience and Catholic identity in the United States.

Examination of Catholicism in global society. See department website for announcement of particular themes.

The historical Jesus and questions of method; christologies of the early Christian sources and councils; the later tradition of Christological reflection; comtemporary trajectories.

Formulations of the problem and historical attempts to solve it. See department website for announcement of particular themes.

History of Christian sacraments; sacraments as celebrations of life in God; theology of worship as fulfillment of being human; present and future shapes of Christian liturgy; applications to particular sacraments, e.g., baptism, reconciliation, eucharist.

Treatment of theological understanding of the sacrament, anointing of the sick. Examination of primary texts on on pastoral care from the Roman Catholic Church, and spirituality of caregivers. Pastoral-theological exploration of entire range of care provided to the ill and dying.

Theologies emerging from specific struggles for liberation in Latin American, Africa, Asia, and North America; their context, content, and critique. See department website for announcement of particular themes;

Exploration of issues in theology. See department website for announcement of partilar themes.

Contemporary Catholic ethics. Foci include economic justice, solodarity, poverty, racism, environmentalism, technology, agriculture, and Catholic social thought. See department website for announcment of particular themes.

Explorations of selected issues in biomedical ethics (e.g., abortion, euthanasia).

Examine foundational theological issues and major christian thinkers on the environment; in-depth study of synthetic chemical, agriculture, and treatment of animals; and weekly class discussions on various practical topics in environmental ethics.

Development of tools for critical analysis of biomedical ethical issues. Reflection on ethical issues in society and personal lives. Focus on a distinctively Catholic Christian approach to these matters.

Issues in Christian ethics. See department website for announcment of particular themes.

Study of spirituality of Augustine and of Augustinian spiritual writers and traditions.

Exploration of classical Christian teachings on silent prayer and meditation. Focus on both the theoretical understanding of the ancient practice of contemplation and its practice in daily life. Interdisciplinary approach through reading ancient Christian and contemporary authors.

Study of Christian and/or non-Christian spiritual voices, movements, traditions, or themes (western or non-western, local or global) in ancient, medieval, early modern, modern, or contemporary times. Exploration of relationship to theology, faith, culture, and practice. See department website for announcment of particular themes.

Evolution and development of central themes or concepts in the academic study of religion such as visual culture; violence and conflict; politics; law; myth and/or ritual; interreligious dialogue. See department website for announcment of particular themes.

Major seminar. Theism and the atheistic critiques of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries; the problem of God in western culture; contemporary retrieval of the doctrine of God as Trinity.

Major seminar. Christian thinkers from the early church through the twenty-first century.

Investigation of distinctive elements of Catholicism: ecclesiological, historical, sociological, moral, spiritual, theological, biblical, liturgical, among others.

Study of the mutual interplay between theology and culture and the practical ways in which theology and culture interact in various historical, political, social, and economic contexts.

Exploration of non-Christian religions, religions in non-Western regions of the world, religious beliefs and practices in a broader global context, or experiences deemed """religious""""."

Development of the religious tradition of the Jewish people; the Torah, the Talmud and other commentaries; Jewish ideals in ethnic literature. See department website for announcement of particular themes.

History and development of Islam: beliefs, rituals, sects, and intellectual movements.

Sources, development, principles, contribution, and influence of Islamic mysticism.

Islamic relationalism and the crisis of moderate and conservative Muslim theologians; the dialectical struggle between Islamic philosophy and theology.

Integration of Islamic philosophy, religion, political science and history; the state in pre-Islamic Arabia, the Qur'anic concept of the state, the crisis of succession, Muslim theorists, revival and reform.

The history, mind, spirit and life of Russia Orthodoxy; its influence in its adherents in the modern, complex and pluralistic world.

The interaction of science and religion from Galileo to the contemporary period. theological implications of recent developments in the natural sciences. See department website for announcment of particular themes.

Exploration of connection between theology and film and of the ways that filmmakers """do"""" theology. Survey of the literature on the subject and analysis of films and filmmakers that have demonstrated theological sensitivity and/or interest in theological questions and themes."

Religious attitudes and experience in contemporary literature.

Religious thought, institutions, movements, symbols, performances, and lived religious experience in the Americas. See department website for announcment of particular themes.

Examination of principles and practices of academic and non-academic forms of dialogue between religions. See department website for announcement of particular themes.

Exploration of issues in religion or religious studies and theology or theological studies. See department website for announcement of particular themes.

Themes in religious studies taken by Villanova students studying overseas.

Supervised field experience in an approved setting (e.g., social service, teaching).

Supervised field experience in an approved setting (e.g., social service, teaching).

Service or immersion experiences as integral part of select courses. Integration of field experience with academic requirements set by the instructor.

Independent study restricted to TRS majors and minors. Permission of chairperson required.

Assessment of portfolio materials that document students' general, broad knowledge in their specialization.