Degree Requirements

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Study of Luke's Gospel and its companion book, the Acts of the Apostles, utilizing the historical, literary, and theological tools.

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.

An introduction to the nature and role of theology. Investigates both academic or "public" theology and confessional or "church-centered" theology.

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?

Explores the history of the sacraments, the theology behind them, and their role in contemporary Catholic life.

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.

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.

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.

Imaginative construction of a concept of God appropriate for modern life.

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.

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?

Examines the theological interpretation of Jesus as the Christ in the history of the Christian tradition.
Prerequisite: Take a 3 credit TRS course

An investigation of Catholic thinking and teaching about the nature of the Church.
Prerequisite: Take a 3 credit TRS course

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

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

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

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

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

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

Explores the historical sources and methods of reasoning in the Roman Catholic moral tradition. Critically examines current moral issues in Catholicism.

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).

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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