Theology (also see REL crses) (THE)

THE 154 Faith, Justice & the Cath Trad (3 credits) This course is designed to introduce students to the values that have shaped the Roman Catholic institution that they have chosen to attend and the ways in which these values are historically grounded in Roman Catholic Doctrine and shaped by its present articulation. It will therefore introduce students to central theological themes (such as the doctrines of Christ, the human person, sin/grace/salvation, and sacramentality) and moral claims (such as the preferential option for the poor, solidarity, and the common good). It is a course concerned with elemental questions of meaning and action and, as such, seeks to give students the skills they need not only to understand and analyze the texts and concepts under consideration but also to put these ideas and texts into dialogue with contemporary issues, their own lives, and the world. This course will also introduce students to the critical, academic study of religion and to the particular problems that such study raises (e.g., historicity, pluralism, faith versus scientific knowledge of the world). Through a critical examination of primary texts, students will investigate the historic grounds of faith and will learn how and why a concern for social, economic and political justice is rooted not only in the Christian Gospel but also in fundamental Christian doctrines and liturgical practices. This is an academic course that requires the student to engage the course material in a critical fashion so as to facilitate her/his mastery of it. Signature Core Course for all Students Attributes: Signature Course (New GEP), Theology Level 1, Undergraduate