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Courses

Religious Studies: REL 103 INTRODUCTION TO RELIGION   Examination of the nature of religion, comparative aspect of religion, and the function of religion as a source of interpretation of life. The "Catholic Option" takes the majority of its perspectives and examples about religious beliefs and practices from the Roman Catholic tradition. The "Scripture Option" takes the majority of its perspectives and examples about religious beliefs and practices from scriptural traditions. REL 198 RELIGIOUS STUDIES SCHOLARS' SEMINAR   Study and seminar discussion of major types of religions in history and some of their practices, values, beliefs, historical development, and theological reflection, including Catholic tradition; review of major theories on the nature, origin, and function of religion in human life. Open by permission only to first-year students in the Berry Scholars Program. REL 210 INTRODUCTION TO SCRIPTURE   An introductory overview of Christian scripture that is foundational for Old and New Testament online courses. REL 211 INTRODUCTION TO OLD TESTAMENT   Study of contemporary Old Testament studies to learn how to read a biblical text in terms of its literary qualities and cultural influences on interpretations. REL 212 INTRODUCTION TO NEW TESTAMENT   Introduction to the New Testament with a focus on the text's cultural contexts, literary composition, theological themes, and pastoral applications. REL 220 MARIANIST STUDIES: FOUNDERS OF THE MARIANIST FAMILY   Historical context and life of Father William Joseph Chaminade and other Marianist founders, especially Adele de Batz de Trenquelleon and Marie Therese de Lamourous. REL 221 MARIANIST STUDIES: COMMUNITY   Exploration of the key theological principles for understanding the meaning and formation of community within the Marianist spirit. REL 222 MARIANIST STUDIES: SPIRITUALITY   Examination of the cultivation of a life of prayer informed by Marianist spiritual traditions, particularly the role of Mary and the commitment to permanent Marianist mission. REL 223 MARIANIST STUDIES-PRAYER   An exploration of Father William Joseph Chaminade's methods and practices of prayer with insights for individual and group prayer. REL 224 MARIANIST STUDIES-SOCIAL JUSTICE   An exploration for integrating the insights of Father William Joseph Chaminade with the realities of modern life in envisioning a Marianist approach to social change for the 21st century. REL 225 MARIANIST STUDIES-LEADERSHIP   Exploration of how to integrate excellent leadership skills with goals and principles of the Marianist mission. Designed for those invited to hold leadership roles in the Marianist family. REL 260A CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING I   The first of two courses that provide background on Catholic social teaching as articulated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and Episcopal documents. REL 260B CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING II   The second of two courses that provide background on Catholic social teaching as articulated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and Episcopal documents. REL 262 SCRIPTURE AND JUSTICE   Exploration of Old and New Testament foundations for Catholic social teaching and social action. REL 263 HISTORY OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL ACTION   An introduction to official Catholic Church documents on social teaching and how Catholic activism around the world has influenced these teachings. REL 264 U.S. AND WORLD POVERTY   Analysis of conditions, causes, and trends of poverty in the U.S. and abroad and responses through the theological lens of Catholic social teaching. REL 265 PARISH AND SOCIAL ACTION   Exploration of the roots of the parish's social mission in Scripture and Catholic social teachings. REL 281 FORUM FOR CATECHETICAL LEADERS I   Study of key themes of The National Directory for Catechesis regarding "The Tasks of Catechesis and Faith Formation". Themes include (a) Introduction to the Catechetical Ministry of the Church, (b) The Vocation of the Catechist, (c) Faith Formation, and (d) Fundamentals for Designing Catechetical Plans. REL 282 FORUM FOR CATECHETICAL LEADERS II   Study of key themes of The National Directory for Catechesis regarding "The Art of Communicating Faith: Scripture and Tradition". Themes include (a) Effective Catechesis, (b) Four Pillars of Our Catholic Faith, (c) Integrating Scripture in Catechetical Ministry, and (d) Integrating Liturgy and Liturgical Experiences in Catechetical Ministry. REL 283 FORUM FOR CATECHETICAL LEADERS III   Study of key themes of The National Directory for Catechesis regarding: "Liturgy, Popular Devotions, Literature and the Religious Imagination". Themes include (a) Storytelling, (b) Popular Devotions and Faith Experiences, (c) Role of Mary in Catechesis, and (d) Diverse Religious Traditions and the Quest for God. REL 284 FORUM FOR CATECHETICAL LEADERS IV   Study of key themes of The National Directory for Catechesis regarding: "Discipleship (Catholic Moral Life), Catholic Social Teachings and Catechetical Planning". Themes include (a) Developing a Pastoral Catechetical Plan, (b) Call and Challenge of Discipleship, (c) Catholic Social Teachings, and (d) Communications Technology and Catechesis. REL 304 HINDUISM   Study of the world's oldest living religion. Examines the historical development of major Hindu teachings, texts, practices and paths from ancient times to present, including forms of Hinduism taking root in the West today. REL 305 EASTERN ORTHODOXY   Exploration of the history and theology of the Eastern Orthodox Church, from the Apostles to Byzantium to Russia and the United States. REL 306 BUDDHISM   Exploration of the 2,500-year-old Buddhist tradition - the life of its founder, development of its teachings, rituals, and meditation techniques. Survey of the spread of Buddhism to the West in the twentieth century. Parallels and contrasts with the Christian tradition. REL 307 JUDAISM   Basic introduction to Judaism: its history, its faith, its worship. REL 308 ISLAM   Exploration of the Islamic religious traditions: the life of Islam's founder, the development of its teaching and ritual, its spread from North Africa into Europe, Asia, Oceania, its influence on culture and its contemporary resurgence. REL 309 AFRO-LATIN RELIGIONS   The study of Voudou, Santeria and other religions which arose when the religious traditions of West Africa were transplanted to the Americas and the Caribbean where practitioners encountered Christianity. These religions' historical and contemporary forms as well as issues of syncretism and church-state relations are considered. REL 310 THE PENTATEUCH   Examination of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, known as the Torah or Pentateuch, emphasizing the traditions that relate primeval beginnings, ancestral history, the exodus, wilderness wanderings, and the legal codes. REL 311 THE PROPHETS   The prophetic texts of the Old Testament studied as reformulations of ancient religious traditions to meet new historical situations. The relevance of the prophets to contemporary life and throughout. REL 312 THE PSALMS AND THE WISDOM LITERATURE   Critical examination of the biblical books of Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, and Ben Sira and of related literature within the historical context in which they arose. The contemporary relevance of this literature. REL 315 THE GOSPELS   With the Gospel of Mark as a point of departure, comparison of the Markan, Matthean, and Lukan narratives for an understanding of the various conceptions of Jesus found in these Gospels. The course includes historical-critical study of the Gospel to John, its text, literary techniques, structure and theology. REL 316 NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGIES   A survey of New Testament writings with a focus on the religious ideas specific to each; special attention to authors' christology, eschatology, and soteriology; exploration of relevance of the New Testament message to Christian faith today. REL 318 STUDIES IN PAUL   Detailed examination of the letters of Paul, stressing the historical circumstances affecting their composition as well as the main religious ideas of Paul that govern their content. REL 319 THE BOOK OF REVELATION   Detailed critical analysis of various biblical apocalyptic texts as found in Judaism and early Christianity. Focus on the Book of Revelation against the background of other biblical and intertestamental apocalyptic texts. REL 323 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY I (100-1100)   Study of important events movements, ideas, and people in the development of Christianity to the year 1100 including the formation of the Canon, early Church councils, Augustine, Gregory the Great, monasticism, the rise of Islam, Eucharistic and other controversies, and the Gregorian Reform. REL 324 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY II (1100-PRESENT)   Study of important events, movements, ideas, and people in the development of Christianity from 1100 to the present, including the separation of the Churches of the East and West, rise of the mendicant orders, Scholasticism, key themes and figures of the Reformation, Vatican I, Modernist crisis, ecumenism, and Vatican II. REL 326 PROTESTANT CHRISTIANITY   Survey of the development of Protestant thought from the Reformation. REL 327 U.S. RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE   A study of a variety of religious traditions in their engagement with and influence within the U.S. social and cultural context including the effects of pluralism, religious liberty, secularization, and consumer capitalism. REL 328 U.S. CATHOLIC EXPERIENCE   The growth and development of Catholic christianity in the U.S.; its interaction with America, its culture, and its people. REL 329 AFRICAN-AMERICAN RELIGION   An exploration of the history and theology of African-American religious traditions and how African-American religion has influenced African-American social, political, economic, and cultural movements from the time of slavery to the present. REL 344 CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE   Analysis of the sanctifying dignity of Christian marriage as a sacrament and commitment to share in the divine creative plan. REL 356 THE CHRISTIAN TRADITION OF PRAYER   Study of several types and forms of Christian prayer from various periods in Church history. The meaning of the act of faith expressed in prayer and its relationship to belief. REL 358 LIBERATION THEOLOGY   A historical-critical analysis and study of the theology of liberation and its specific expression among theologians of the Third World, particularly Latin America. REL 360 CHRISTIAN ETHICS   Introduction to the reflection upon Christian morality; discussion of various approaches in Christian ethics, the elements of ethical judgments, and some specific ethical issues. REL 362 CHRISTIAN FAMILY VALUES AND TELEVISION   Comparative study of the criteria and rationale for family life in various Christian pronouncements with present values and practices in society as reflected in and promoted by current television programming. REL 363 FAITH AND JUSTICE   This course explores the history, development, and basic principles of Catholic social teaching as well as other approaches to faith and justice. Issues of economic justice will receive special emphasis. In addition to church documents, the life and work of religious thinkers and activists will be examined. REL 364 CURRENT MORAL ISSUES   An examination of one or more issues (individual and/or social) in contemporary reflection on Christian moral life. May be repeated when topic changes. REL 365 CHRISTIAN ETHICS AND THE ENVIRONMENT   A Christian ethic of relationality and responsibility. Explores various approaches and related values found in society; elements of ethical judgments; and specific ethical issues resulting from ecofeminist, technological, and ecological awareness. REL 366 THE HOLOCAUST: THEOLOGICAL AND RELIGIOUS RESPONSES   Examination of the religious and theological literature of the Holocaust, focusing especially on Jewish and Christian responses. REL 367 CHRISTIAN ETHICS AND HEALTH CARE ISSUES   Study of, and reflection upon, the principles of Christian ethics as these relate to the health care professions. REL 368 CHRISTIAN ETHICS AND THE BUSINESS WORLD   Study of, and reflection upon, the principles of Christian ethics as these relate to the business world. REL 369 CHRISTIAN ETHICS AND ENGINEERING   Study in applied Christian ethics addressing the moral issues facing engineers. How to make a moral decision, engineering as a profession, codes of ethics, safety, environmental issues, confidentiality, employee rights, whistleblowing, consulting, conflicts, and career choices. REL 372 RELIGION AND FILM   Study of issues common to narrative films and religious thought; the power of various film techniques, dominant models in religious and film reflection, the similar roles imagination plays in film and religious thought. REL 373 RELIGION AND LITERATURE   Joint study of literature and religion, seeking the sacred in the secular, discussing the doctrines of humans and of God in major modern writings, especially those of current collegiate interest. REL 374 RELIGION AND THE ARTS   Investigation of the religious interpretation of various art forms and the process by which the aesthetic experience assists in theological perception and construction. REL 375 RELIGION AND SCIENCE   Surveys of the ways science has affected religion on specific doctrines, methods of knowing what is true, and general world views; study of religious response to these. REL 376 THEOLOGY AND THE SOCIAL SCIENCES   Exploration of developments in Christian theology that have paralleled the rise of the human sciences, in particular of concepts of God, humanity, Church, sacraments, sin, and salvation in the light of history, anthropology, psychology, and sociology. REL 377 THE INNER JOURNEY IN MYTH, BIBLE, AND LITERATURE   Study of stories of heroic figures in the Bible and in other literature as patterns of personal and spiritual development. Throughout, efforts to relate the material to the needs of contemporary persons. REL 383 PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION   An attempt to construct a philosophy of religious education, various contemporary theoretical models, dimensions of teaching religion in a pluralistic society, the polarization generated. REL 399 READINGS IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES   Directed readings in a specific area of interest under the supervision of a staff member. May be taken more than once. By permission only. REL 425 AUGUSTINE   The life and work of Augustine of Hippo (354-430), a major theologian of Western Christianity. His influence is strongly felt in both Protestant and Catholic traditions in areas of sexual ethics, church-state relations, Trinitarian and sacramental theology. REL 429 MODERN CATHOLICISM   An examination of Modern Catholicism based on a close study of the context, process, decisions, implementation, and challenges of Vatican II in the Roman Catholic Church. REL 437 SIGNIFICANCE OF JESUS   Emphasis on the identity of Jesus and on the significance that his ministry, death, and resurrection have for the salvation of humankind. REL 440 THE CHURCH   A biblical and theological study of the meaning of the Church which explores the relationship between Christ and the Church, the various models for understanding the Church, and the mission of the Church. REL 441 THEOLOGY OF MARY   Study of the place of the Mother of God in the great truths of faith in the light of chapter eight of the Constitution on the Church. REL 442 GOD AND ATHEISM   Study of some recent contributions made by theology, philosophy, psychology, and the humanities to the current discussion of God's existence, nature, and relationship to humanity. REL 443 THE SACRAMENTS   A study of the meaning of sacramentality. The sacraments in the context of Christ as the sacrament of the human encounter with God and in the context of the Church as the sacrament of Christ. REL 444 GOD IN CHRISTIAN TRADITION   A review of theologies of God in Christian tradition, from biblical through contemporary sources, especially as these theologies have affected overall Catholic thought and spirituality. REL 446 CHRISTIAN LITURGY   Study of the basic principles of liturgy, the development of some of the basic forms of liturgy, and applications of the principles within current rites. REL 447 SELECTED CATHOLIC DOCTRINES   Detailed study of several important current theological questions primarily from a Catholic systematic and historical perspective. REL 449 AQUINAS   Theology of Aquinas including: Trinity, human nature, providence, grace, virtue, Christ, and sacraments. Some attention given to historical context and contemporary interpretation, but the main focus will be reading and understanding the Summa. REL 471 WOMEN AND RELIGION   Examination of the impact of the women's movement on Judaism, Christianity, and other major world religions. Survey of traditional religious attitudes toward women. Relevance of feminist approaches to scripture, ethics, spirituality, and ministry in understanding contemporary global issues. REL 472 ECOLOGY AND RELIGION   Examination of the relationship between religion and ecology; bridges the contributions of traditional theological inquiry and modern scientific insights and offers an enlarged vision of ecological concerns. REL 474 WOMEN AND THE GLOBAL CHURCH   An exploration of the intersection between faith communities, traditional and non-traditional, and particular cultures in the lives of contemporary women. REL 477 HONORS THESIS PROJECT   First of two courses leading to the selection, design, investigation, and completion of an independent, original Honors Thesis project under the guidance of a faculty research advisor. Restricted to students in the University Honors Program with permission of the program director and departmental chairperson. Students pursuing an interdisciplinary thesis topic may register for three semester hours each in two separate disciplines in consultation with the department chairpersons. REL 478 HONORS THESIS PROJECT   Second of two courses leading to the selection, design, investigation, and completion of an independent, original Honors Thesis project under the guidance of a faculty research advisor. Restricted to students in the University Honors Program with permission of the program director and departmental chairperson. Students pursuing an interdisciplinary thesis topic may register for three semester hours each in two separate disciplines in consultation with the department chairpersons. REL 484 PRACTICUM   Supervised in-service experience in an area of religious education chosen by the student. By permission only. REL 485 LAY MINISTRY   A critical examination of lay ministry and its theological basis, in light of Vatican II and recent trends in the world and Church. Special topics: family ministry, ministry in the marketplace, leadership, evangelization, catechesis, women, social justice. REL 487 RELIGIOUS EDUCATION - THEORY AND PRACTICE   Study of theory and practice of religious education for those who will be teaching religion in the school and parish. Various models and methods. Emphasis on process and religious education as developmental. REL 488 SPIRITUALITY AND RELIGIOUS EDUCATION   Exploration of impact of liturgy and spirituality on contemporary models of religious education; study of interrelationship between faith experience and religious content; basic principles for developing practical programs. REL 490 CAPSTONE SEMINAR   Study of a particular topic in religion or theology that draws upon a variety of resources in the fields. This course provides an integrative academic experience. Topic varies from semester to semester. Required of all majors, open to minors. May be repeated. REL 492 SPECIAL TOPICS   Concentrated study of issues and subjects pertinent to religion. May be repeated when topic changes. *All material derived from the current issue of the University of Dayton Bulletin. *Subject to Change