Course Descriptions
TRS 101 INTRODUCTION TO THE HEBREW BIBLE 3.0 Credit(s)
Literary and historical study of the Old Testament, also known as the Hebrew Bible in Judaism. Relationship of literary form and interpretation in passages from the Pentateuch, historical and prophetic books, and wisdom literature. Comparison and contrast of theological meanings of these writings for Jews and Christians.
Offered: Spring Semester All Years
TRS 102 INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT 3.0 Credit(s)
Literary, historical, and theological study of the New Testament. Included topics: the origin, formation and development of the Gospels and letters, various types of interpretation, and the distinctive views of the New Testament writers about Jesus' life, teachings, death, and resurrection.
Offered: Fall & Spring Semesters All Years
TRS 103 INTRO TO GOSPELS 3.0 Credit(s)
This course is an introduction and examination of the synoptic Gospels and the Gospel of John. The course will explore contemporary methods used by scholars and the Church to interpret these texts.
Offered: Modules Even Semesters All Years
TRS 104 LETTERS OF PAUL 3.0 Credit(s)
Examines the social and religious world of St. Paul, his biography, his writings in the New Testament, and how these influenced the developing Christian church.
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 105 GOSPEL OF LUKE AND ACTS 3.0 Credit(s)
Study of Luke's Gospel and its companion book, the Acts of the Apostles, utilizing the historical, literary, and theological tools.
Offered: Summer Semester All Years
TRS 120 INTRO TO CATHOLIC THEOLOGY 3.0 Credit(s)
Introduces fundamentals of Catholic life and thought. Key doctrines examined are scripture, tradition, God/Trinity, Jesus Christ, sacraments, and the Church in the modern world. Additional topics might include ethics, spirituality, and the saints. Placed in historical context, Catholic theological reasoning about these doctrines are compared to theology in other branches of Christianity.
Offered: Fall & Spring Semesters All Years
TRS 121 UNDERSTANDING THEOLOGY 3.0 Credit(s)
An introduction to the nature and role of theology. Investigates both academic or "public" theology and confessional or "church-centered" theology.
Offered: Fall Semester All Years
TRS 122 FAITH & REASON 3.0 Credit(s)
This course investigates the relationship between faith and reason. In what ways are faith and reason compatible and what is the history of the interaction between theology and academic disciplines such as those in the natural and social sciences?
Offered: Fall Semester All Years
TRS 123 SACRAMENTS 3.0 Credit(s)
Explores the history of the sacraments, the theology behind them, and their role in contemporary Catholic life.
Offered: Spring Semester Odd Academic Years
TRS 130 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY I 3.0 Credit(s)
Traces the history of the Christian faith from the New Testament period to the Middle Ages. Major issues, controversies, and persons from these centuries are studied.
Offered: Fall Semester All Years
TRS 131 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY II 3.0 Credit(s)
Traces the history of the Christian faith from the Middle Ages to the present time. Major issues, controversies, and persons from these centuries are studied.
Offered: Spring Semester All Years
TRS 132 CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALITY 3.0 Credit(s)
Presents spirituality as a topic worthy of study, plumbing its meaning through selections from the writings of great spiritual masters through the centuries-for example, Augustine, John of the Cross, Theresa of Avila, Ignatius Loyola, Teilhard de Chardin, and Thomas Merton.
Offered: Fall & Spring Semesters All Years
TRS 133 CONSTRUCTING CONCEPT OF GOD 3.0 Credit(s)
Imaginative construction of a concept of God appropriate for modern life.
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 134 COMPARATIVE THEOLOGY 3.0 Credit(s)
Comparative theology brings two traditions together in comparison and contrast to learn both deeply without collapsing the two into one. The tradition studied may vary with the semester, but typically Christianity will be compared to another world religion.
Offered: Fall & Spring Semesters All Years
TRS 140 FOUNDATION OF CATHOLIC ETHICS 3.0 Credit(s)
Explores the historical sources and methods of reasoning in the Roman Catholic moral tradition. Critically examines current moral issues in Catholicism.
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 141 HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN ETHICS 3.0 Credit(s)
The ethical reflections of some of the most influential Christian thinkers from the Church Fathers to the present (e.g., Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, and Martin Luther) applied to various important topics of ethical debate in Christian history (e.g., the notion of just war).
Offered: Fall Semester All Years
TRS 142 CATHOLIC SOCIAL JUSTICE TRADITION 3.0 Credit(s)
The social-ethical teachings of the Catholic tradition, especially since Pope Leo XIII's letter On the Condition of Labor in 1891. Explores Catholic social teaching that emerges from Church documents, traces its application to many issues of social and political conflict, and considers how this teaching is challenged by the perspectives of women, minorities, and people in developing countries.
Offered: Fall & Spring Semesters All Years
TRS 143 ETHICS IN WORLD RELIGIONS 3.0 Credit(s)
Examination of core ethical teachings and methods in several world religions. These resources guide ethical analysis of conflicted issues in contemporary society, such as economic inequality, racism, violence, sexual ethics, and bioethics.
Offered: Spring Semester Even Academic Years
TRS 144 CONTEMP. AMER. CATH. CHURCH 3.0 Credit(s)
An overview of the challenges and opportunities in pastoral ministry today in the American Catholic Church. The focus will be on demographic, cultural, social and generational changes that are significantly impacting the shape of local Catholic parish life.
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 145 BLACK THEOLOGY AND ETHICS 3.0 Credit(s)
Explores Christian doctrines, ethics, and church life from the vantage of African American history and social experience. Black theology and ethics draw from the Bible and Christian tradition to fathom God's liberating message for all humans and to develop practical responses to all forms of oppression.
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 160 EASTERN RELIGIONS 3.0 Credit(s)
Explores history, beliefs, and practices of Hinduism, Buddhism, and other religions of India, China, and Japan and the emergence of the contemporary New Age movement.
Offered: Fall Semester All Years
TRS 161 ISLAM 3.0 Credit(s)
A theological and phenomenological exploration of beliefs, practices, and symbology of Islam, incorporating extensive readings from the Qur'an, the Hadith and Shari'a, and Sufism. This course analyzes contemporary topics such as religion and gender and religion and politics.
Offered: Spring Semester Even Academic Years
TRS 162 JUDAISM 3.0 Credit(s)
Key components of the complex religion of Judaism including Biblical foundations, historical development, theological considerations, rituals and symbols, calendar and holidays, Jewish mysticism, prayer, denominations, and lifecycle events. Explores the role of God in the life of Jews past and present and compares the meaning of Judaism then and now.
Offered: Fall Semester All Years
TRS 164 ANCIENT CULTS AND RELIGIONS 3.0 Credit(s)
Explores the beliefs, practices, and teachings of ancient world religions including those of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, the mystery cults of the ancient Greco-Roman civilizations, and the religious traditions of pre-Christian northern Europe (Scandinavia) and ancient Iran. Studies sacred writings of theses religions with emphasis on topics such as deities and divine powers, rituals of birth and death, gender studies, and the relationships between ancient faith traditions and the emergence of monotheism.
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 166 UNDERSTANDING RELIGION 3.0 Credit(s)
A critical and constructive study of the nature of religion, its functions in human life, and its various forms and manifestations. The perspectives of influential theorists of religion centuries will be studied.
Offered: Fall & Spring Semesters All Years
TRS 167 INTRODUCTION TO WORLD RELIGIONS 3.0 Credit(s)
A descriptive and comparative study of the beliefs, practices, and sacred texts of several world religions.
Offered: All Semesters All Years
TRS 170 RELIGION IN AMERICA 3.0 Credit(s)
Examines the historical factors responsible for distinctive trends in American religion and identifies common threads that run through the religious history of America from the Puritans to today.
Offered: Fall Semester All Years
TRS 171 CELTIC RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS 3.0 Credit(s)
The mythic history of Ireland and "beginning" of the Irish and the traditions by which the Irish have come to identify themselves and give meaning to their world. Study of the religious function of social institutions; gods, goddesses, and ruling powers; holy places; feasting and sacrifice; spirits and ancestors; and the other world. Also considered is the role of women in these traditions and the continuation of "myth" in modern Ireland.
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 172 RELIGION IN CONTEMPORARY IRELAND 3.0 Credit(s)
Examines complex factors involved in shaping religion in contemporary Ireland. The changing face of Irish religious sensibility is situated within such factors as Irish history, the major role of Catholicism in the culture, and the multicultural dimensions of twenty-first-century Ireland.
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 173 RELIGION AND SEXUALITY 3.0 Credit(s)
Examines the relationship between religion and sexuality in various world religions. Topics include asceticism versus eroticism, defining normality and deviance, sex as a means to challenge or maintain the social order, and religious responses to the changing sexual morality in contemporary Western society.
Offered: Fall Semester Odd Academic Years
TRS 174 WOMEN IN WORLD RELIGIONS 3.0 Credit(s)
This course will study the role of women in world religions, including Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam. The goal of the course is to understand how interpretation of religious tradition changes over time and the impact this has on individuals and society. To that end, we will explore ancient religious texts as well as case studies of contemporary religious communities. Change in religion is often controversial, so we will examine and both sides of several contemporary debates over women's roles. We will also learn various theories that can help us understand and critically assess gender in religion.
Offered: Fall Semester All Years
TRS 175 CULTS, SECTS, & NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS 3.0 Credit(s)
Explores beliefs and practices of new religions in America, including Mormonism, Unification Church, Christian Science, Scientology, Theosophy, New Age, Neopaganism, and UFO cults. Presents both sociological and theological approaches to understanding new religions.
Offered: Fall Semester All Years
TRS 176 MORTALITY AND ETERNITY 3.0 Credit(s)
This course engages students with texts that raise questions of ultimate concern. How do we make sense of an innate human desire to know that is constrained by our finite natures?
Offered: Fall Semester Even Academic Years
TRS 177 RELIGION IN LATE ANTIQUITY 3.0 Credit(s)
This course seeks to acquaint students with some of the religious perspectives active during what we might call the "Hellenistic-Roman" era. Although Christianity eventually rises to dominate the remains of the Roman Empire, in its infancy it is but one of many options from which ancient adherents could choose. This course examines some of those alternatives. Along the way we will encounter examples such as the various "mystery" religions, Neoplatonism, theurgy, and Gnosticism. By means of engagement with primary source readings we hope to gain some insight into how practitioners of religious perspectives such as these understood the nature of reality and meaning.
Offered: Fall Semester Contact Department
TRS 199 SP FOUNDATIONAL TOPICS IN TRS 3.0 Credit(s)
Designates new or occasional courses that present the opportunity to study a major era, theme, or set of thinkers in theology or religious studies, at the foundations level. Consult the current course schedule for available topics.
Offered: All Semesters All Years
TRS 202 INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT 3.0 Credit(s)
Literary, historical, and theological study of the New Testament. Included topics: the origin, formation and development of the Gospels and letters, various types of interpretation, and the distinctive views of the New Testament writers about Jesus' life, teachings, death, and resurrection.
Offered: Fall & Spring Semesters All Years
TRS 207 JESUS THE CHRIST 3.0 Credit(s)
Examines the theological interpretation of Jesus as the Christ in the history of the Christian tradition. Prerequisite: Take a 3 credit TRS course
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 208 CHURCH: CATHOLIC PERSPECTIVES 3.0 Credit(s)
An investigation of Catholic thinking and teaching about the nature of the Church. Prerequisite: Take a 3 credit TRS course
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 209 THE CHRISTIAN TRINITY 3.0 Credit(s)
Examines the Christian theological conception of God as a trinity of persons. How has this theological understanding of God developed over time? How does theology explain the Christian worship of one God who is also three? Prerequisite: Take a 3 credits TRS course
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 210 THEOLOGY & THE HUMAN PERSON 3.0 Credit(s)
Investigates theological conception of the human person in light of Christian revelation and asks: In what way is a person like God? What do we mean by human nature, sin, grace, and free will? Can the traditional Christian and the modern scientific notions of humanity be reconciled? Prerequisite: Take a 3 credit TRS course
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 211 DEATH, THE FUTURE & ETERNITY 3.0 Credit(s)
Investigates the varied aspects of Christian eschatology-that is, the unfolding of the future in relation to the cosmos and to the individual. When, how, and why does the world end and where does the individual fit into all this? Topics covered include theological discussions of time, the future, the human soul, death, the intermediate stage, and the journey of the Christian community and the human family into the future. Prerequisite: Take a 3 credit TRS course
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 212 FAITH AND SCIENCE 3.0 Credit(s)
Explores history and interaction between Catholic theology and science in the medieval, modern, and contemporary era. The interaction is studied in the context of such topics as cosmology, evolution, ecology, and technology. Prerequisite: Take a 3 credit TRS course
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 213 MONKS, HERMITS & WARRIORS 3.0 Credit(s)
Introduces the dimension of Christian faith often termed "the religious life." Studies the historical development of monasticism in the West and its various manifestations from late antiquity to the modern era. Prerequisite: Take a 3 credit TRS course
Offered: Fall Semester All Years
TRS 214 NARRATIVES OF SOLITUDE 3.0 Credit(s)
To better understand the human condition, students read texts about the nature of solitude and narratives composed by men and women experiencing periods of voluntary or imposed isolation. Prerequisite: Take a 3 credit TRS course
Offered: Spring Semester All Years
TRS 222 FAITH & REASON 3.0 Credit(s)
This course investigates the relationship between faith and reason. In what ways are faith and reason compatible and what is the history of the interaction between theology and academic disciplines such as those in the natural and social sciences?
Offered: Fall Semester All Years
TRS 230 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY I 3.0 Credit(s)
Traces the history of the Christian faith from the New Testament period to the Middle Ages. Major issues, controversies, and persons from these centuries are studied.
Offered: Fall Semester All Years
TRS 237 AMERICAN EVANGELICALISM 3.0 Credit(s)
History and character of evangelicalism, a distinctive variety of Protestant Christianity that has had a major influence on the U.S. Topics include fundamentalism, impact on major social movements, and the political influence of evangelicals today. Prerequisite: Take a 3 credit TRS course
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 238 NORTH AMERICAN CHRISTIANITIES 3.0 Credit(s)
Examines several American Protestant Christian movements that proposed new scriptures and new understandings of Christianity-for instance, the Shakers, Mormons, and Spiritualists. Asks how Christianity has adapted to cultural changes in areas such as work, education, family life, and healthcare. Prerequisite: Take a 3 credit TRS course
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 247 RELIGION AND ART 3.0 Credit(s)
Prerequisite: Take a 3 credit course
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 248 RELIGION AND LITERATURE 3.0 Credit(s)
Explores religious dimensions in the fiction of twentieth-century and contemporary novelists and short-story writers, and possibility in other literary formats such as poetry and memoir. Prerequisite: Take 3 credits TRS course
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 249 RELIGION AND FILM 3.0 Credit(s)
wide range of films, many of which are screened in class and then discussed. The course considers both subject matter and style/techniques. Prerequisite: Take a 3 credit TRS course
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 251 BIOETHICS: RELG APPROACHES 3.0 Credit(s)
Using methods and principles of biomedical ethics, explores several ethical issues in medical practice and healthcare policy. Frameworks employed include religious/ethical perspectives in Christianity and some other religious traditions, as well as philosophical and social theories. Topics may include euthanasia, reproductive technologies, confidentiality, human subjects, and allocation of healthcare resources. Prerequisite: Take a 3 credit TRS course
Offered: Fall & Spring Semesters All Years
TRS 252 THEO & ETHICS OF DEATH & DYING 3.0 Credit(s)
Explores cultural, religious, philosophical, scientific, medical, and literary perceptions of death, dying, and grief. Develops theological and ethical frameworks to guide care and communication in end-of-life situations. Prerequisite: Take 3 credits TRS course
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 253 RELIGION, WAR & PEACE 3.0 Credit(s)
An examination of ethical attitudes toward war and peace embraced by Christianity, Islam, and other religions. Just war theory and pacifism are applied to contemporary problems of violence. Prerequisite: Take a 3 credit TRS course
Offered: Spring Semester Odd Academic Years
TRS 254 RELIGION, HEALTH & HEALING 3.0 Credit(s)
This course explores "alternative" healing modalities such as Yoga, Acupuncture, Reiki, charismatic prayer, healing touch, and other practices rooted in ancient religious and spiritual traditions. It also examines scientific research on connections between religion and health, the mind-body connection, and the efficacy of alternative and spiritual therapies. Prerequisite: Take a 3 credit TRS 100 level course
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 255 HUMAN RIGHTS 3.0 Credit(s)
Investigates philosophical and religious theories of human rights, the modern history of rights, and ways to implement a human rights agenda. Prerequisite: Take a 3 credit TRS course
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 256 VIRTUE ETHICS/THE GOOD SOCIETY 3.0 Credit(s)
The study of moral character. Course investigates the philosophy and theology of virtue throughout history; the value of the social and natural sciences for understanding virtue; and the social dimensions of virtue. Prerequisite: Take a 3 credit TRS course
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 257 RELIGION AND THE ENVIRONMENT 3.0 Credit(s)
Examines how religion has shaped humanity's relationship with nature and explores various religious and ethical responses to contemporary ecological problems. The course also attends to Christianity, which is criticized by some environmentalists but has also given rise to its own environmentalist movement. Prerequisite: Take a 3 credit TRS course
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 271 CELTIC RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS 3.0 Credit(s)
The mythic history of Ireland and "beginning" of the Irish and the traditions by which the Irish have come to identify themselves and give meaning to their world. Study of the religious function of social institutions; gods, goddesses, and ruling powers; holy places; feasting and sacrifice; spirits and ancestors; and the other world. Also considered is the role of women in these traditions and the continuation of "myth" in modern Ireland.
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 299 SPECIAL TOPICS IN THEO & RELG ST 1.0-6.0 Credit(s)
Designates new or occasional courses that may or may not become part of the department's permanent offerings. Courses capitalize on a timely topic, a faculty member's particular interest, an experimental alternative to existing courses, etc. Prerequisites established by the department as appropriate for the specific course. Course title is shown on the student's transcript. Consult the current course schedule for available topics and prerequisites. Prerequisite: Take 3 credits from TRS-100 level
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 305 SCRIPTURE IN LIFE OF CHURCH 3.0 Credit(s)
An overview of the entire biblical canon, an introduction to historical-critical study of the Bible, and consideration of the Catholic Church's contemporary methods for study and interpretation of Scripture. This course is offered at Seminary Programs. Prerequisite: Take a 3 credit 200 level TRS course
Offered: Fall Semester Contact Department
TRS 306 NEW TESTAMENT GREEK 3.0 Credit(s)
An introduction to the basics of Koine Greek, including vocabulary, grammar, and syntax. Prerequisite: Take a 3 credit TRS course
Offered: Fall Semester All Years
TRS 307 NEW TESTAMENT GREEK II 3.0 Credit(s)
New Testament Greek II offers a continuation of material undertaken in the first semester -basic elements of the grammar and syntax of Koine Greek, as well as the working vocabulary needed to read Johannine literature. Offered only at Seminary Programs. Prerequisite: Take TRS-306
Offered: Spring Semester All Years
TRS 373 RELIGION, HEALTH & HEALING 3.0 Credit(s)
Explores theories and practices of healing in Eastern, Western, and primal religions. Examines research on connections between religion and health and efficacy of alternative and spiritual therapies. Prerequisite: Take a 3 credit 200 level TRS course
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 384 ELEM ECCLESIASTICAL LATIN I 3.0 Credit(s)
Provides foundation in the vocabulary, morphology, and grammar of Latin as used in Catholic Church documents and liturgies.
Offered: Fall Semester All Years
TRS 385 ELEM ECCLESIASTICAL LATIN II 3.0 Credit(s)
Provides foundation in the vocabulary, morphology, and grammar of Latin as used in Catholic Church documents and liturgies. Prerequisite: Take TRS-384
Offered: Spring Semester All Years
TRS 397 INTERNSHIP 1.0-6.0 Credit(s)
Offers an opportunity for qualified Theology and Religious Studies majors to gain practical experience in an area to which the discipline applies. Internships are arranged in advance of the semester in which they are to be taken.
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS 399 TRS MAJOR CAPSTONE 3.0 Credit(s)
A topical seminar, drawing upon skills and content developed in the Theology and Religious Studies major. The student will write and defend a major research project. For TRS majors only. Prerequisite: Take TRS 265 or TRS 266 or TRS 101
Offered: Fall Semester All Years
TRS ELEC TRS ELECTIVE 1.0-6.0 Credit(s)
Offered: As Needed Contact Department
TRS ELECF TRS FOUNDATIONAL ELECTIVE 1.0-9.0 Credit(s)
Offered: As Needed Contact Department