| TRS101 | INTRODUCTION TO THEOLOGY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES | Introduction to the academic study of theology and religion. Topics include the nature of religion; the human search for meaning; revelation; symbol, myth, and ritual; and faith as it relates to reason, experience, and morality. Introduction to the a... |
| TRS105 | MYTH MATTERS | An introduction to the Bible through its various literary genres (e.g., myth, history, poetry, satire), with comparisons to contemporary literature and other media that follow the same or similar forms. |
| TRS120 | HOW RELIGION WORKS | Explores various understandings of the "how," "what," and "why" of religion as fundamental to human experience, personal and communal; strategies for thoughtfully probing and creating coherent meaning out of manifold life experiences, emotions, and a... |
| TRS125 | RELIGION AND POPULAR CULTURE | Examines the dynamic relationship between religion and popular culture by investigating the role of religion in such “secular” phenomena as mainstream U.S. literature, music, and film |
| TRS130 | WORLD OF GRACE | Exploration of the Christian vision of the entire world as grace-filled, resonant with the Holy. Humanity is innately attuned to this Transcendent Mystery; the hallmark of the Christian spiritual life is finding and honoring "God in all things" (St.... |
| TRS131 | ULTIMATE QUESTIONS | An examination of life's ultimate questions: those profound mysteries and fundamental issues all humans must confront, which demand a personal response; how these questions have been articulated and expressed through the centuries. Within the context... |
| TRS170 | SACRED QUEST | Introduces the academic study of religion by exploring the various ways individuals and communities articulate their experience of the divine. Moves from a general consideration of the nature of religious experience to the ways in which this experien... |
| TRS200 | OLD TESTAMENT / HEBREW BIBLE | Historical and cultural environment of the Jewish Bible (the collection of scriptures in the Torah, Nebi’im, and Kethubim, or “Tanakh,” which Christians call the “Old Testament”), its nature and composition, and its religious and theological developm... |
| TRS205 | EGC: NEW TESTAMENT | Development and composition of the New Testament; the historical, cultural, and religious environments out of which it arose; and the various theological perspectives found within it.Prerequisite: EN 125 or equivalent. |
| TRS210 | INTRODUCTION TO JUDAISM | Historical overview of the development of Judaism from its biblical beginnings through the modern period, including a discussion of the major religious ideas of classical Judaism. |
| TRS222 | AMERICAN CHRISTIANITIES | Development of Christianity in the U.S. from colonial times to today. Emphasis on interaction between Christianity and American culture and on the development of Roman Catholicism in the U.S. Topics include the Puritans, religious liberty, abolition,... |
| TRS223 | AFRICAN-AMERICAN RELIGION | The African-American religious experience, including historical roots of African religion essential to slave Christianity, development of the institutional church, and spiritual expressions influencing African-American worship styles. Important polit... |
| TRS226 | RELIGIONS OF OHIO AND THE WESTERN RESERVE | Investigates the rich religious history of Ohio and the Western Reserve, which has served as an incubator for several well-known religious groups and significant religious modes, from the ancient mound-builders to the present day. Case studies are us... |
| TRS230 | CONTEMPORARY CATHOLIC THEOLOGY | Overview of Roman Catholic theological themes and issues since the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) with attention to selected areas: scripture, grace, sin, redemption, the role of Jesus, the Church, ethical norms and morality, and sacraments. |
| TRS232 | JESUS: HISTORY AND THEOLOGY | The ways Christians have understood the person and work of Jesus. Use of scripture and tradition to illumine how those who confess him as Savior have defined him and to provide means for traditional and creative thinking about the central figure of C... |
| TRS233 | SAINTS AND SOCIETY | The theological significance of saints in the Roman Catholic tradition. Topics include the origins of the cult of the saints, changing models of sanctity, ritual and devotional practices, the process and politics of canonization, and the implications... |
| TRS238 | CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH | Overview of Roman Catholic theology, based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church, as well as a look at various themes and issues since the Second Vatican Council that find their roots and explanation in the Catechism. Emphasis on scripture, grace,... |
| TRS240 | INTRODUCTION TO ISLAM | Surveys the history of Islam, impact of Islamic belief and culture on global social and political development, and fundamental tenets and practices of Islam. Includes a modern interpretation of the Islamic tradition. |
| TRS249 | FAITHS OF ABRAHAM: JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY, AND ISLAM | Cross-cultural approach to the study of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, all of which claim Abraham, the Biblical patriarch, as their “father in faith.” Uses American and selected international religious communities as case studies. Involves experie... |
| TRS252 | EGC: RELIGIONS OF INDIA | Study of interpretation of India’s religions and cultures, including the discussion of methods and cultural biases in the study of foreign religions and cultures. Focus on Hinduism and Buddhism in the Indian subcontinent and how these were transmitte... |
| TRS253 | EGC: CHINESE RELIGIONS | Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. Ancient Chinese beliefs and practices, and the introduction and adaptations of Buddhism. Philosophical and cultural manifestations and the gradual development of the major Chinese religious movements up to the mode... |
| TRS254 | JAPANESE RELIGIONS | Ancient Shinto beliefs; importation and modification of Korean and Chinese cultures and religions up to the modern era. Emergence of the Japanese empire in the seventh century CE, and the developments of Tendai, Kegon, Zen, and Shingon beliefs and pr... |
| TRS260 | ISJ: MORAL DECISION-MAKING | Examination of contemporary moral issues with a focus on methods for analyzing and evaluating moral problems; sources from the Christian tradition that form moral identity and ethical decisions. |
| TRS261 | AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ETHICS | Nature, origins, and functions of African-American ethical response as related to social, political, and religious belief systems. Emphasis on historical and social translation of values dictated by African-American religion and theology. Topics incl... |
| TRS262 | RELIGION, FREEDOM, AND LAW | Introduction to issues framed by legal and religious context. How morality and religion contribute to ethical dilemmas for individual lawyers; history of American interface between religion and law; how religion and law address similar questions in d... |
| TRS263 | LINK: ECOLOGY, RELIGION, & JUSTICE | Explores how the Abrahamic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—are addressing the contemporary ecological crisis. Issues of eco-justice are approached through the interplay between faith, scholarship, and activism. Responses are evaluated usin... |
| TRS266 | LINK: CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING IN BUSINESS | Examines the historical context, biblical foundations, theological meanings, and ecclesiastical purposes of the major themes of Catholic Social Teaching (CST). Students learn the CST framework in this class and then apply it in the linked business cl... |
| TRS267 | EGC: TOMB RAIDERS: THREATS TO CULTURAL HERITAGE | Examines cross-cultural issues that impact the preservation and protection of cultural and religious heritage and ways in which global and local communities might be motivated to engage in this process. Case studies identify challenges for diplomacy... |
| TRS271 | CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALITY | The interior life studied from the perspective of spiritual freedom and transformation grounded in the life and teaching of Jesus. Probes the deepest longings of the heart and their relationship to human and spiritual fulfillment. Involves experienti... |
| TRS272 | LINK: SOUL FOOD | African-American spirituality, religion, and identity formation through religious and food experiences within the family and the greater African-American cultural group. History of food availability and preparation. Film portrayals of African-America... |
| TRS299 | SPECIAL TOPICS | Selected topics in one of the areas of theology and religious studies. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic. |
| TRS299A | SPECIAL TOPICS | Selected topics in one of the areas of theology and religious studies. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic. |
| TRS299B | SPECIAL TOPICS | Selected topics in one of the areas of theology and religious studies. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic. |
| TRS299C | SPECIAL TOPICS | Selected topics in one of the areas of theology and religious studies. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic. |
| TRS299D | SPECIAL TOPICS | Selected topics in one of the areas of theology and religious studies. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic. |
| TRS299E | SPECIAL TOPICS | Selected topics in one of the areas of theology and religious studies. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic. |
| TRS300 | HUM: THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST | History, culture, and religions of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Syria, and the Levant.Prerequisite: EN 125 or equivalent. |
| TRS301 | ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE BIBLE | Principles and methodologies of archaeology; examination of how archaeology broadens and informs our understanding of the world and events of the Bible.Prerequisite: EN 125 or equivalent. |
| TRS302 | THE BIBLE THROUGH THE EYES OF THE HUNGRY | Application of a hermeneutic of hunger to various Biblical texts with a view to addressing particular contemporary issues relating to hunger, water shortage, famine, and other challenges to human sustenance and environmental sustainability. Students... |
| TRS303 | ABRAHAM FATHER OF MANY NATIONS | Three religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all see Abraham as in some way their founder or ancestor. Engages in close readings of Genesis 12-25, which tell the story of this Patriarch, to understand how Abraham was understood in Ancient Israel... |
| TRS306 | JESUS IN FILM AND HISTORY | Introduction to the words and deeds of the historical Jesus of Nazareth, as understood by his contemporaries. Comparisons to how Jesus was later understood and portrayed by his followers (e.g., in the New Testament) and in popular media (art, literat... |
| TRS308 | HEALING IN EARLY CHRISTIANITY AND THE GRECO-ROMAN WORLD | Exploration of the understanding of health and healing in the gospels and other early Christian traditions, and of Jesus’ role as healer, in comparison to other contemporaneous Greco-Roman religious traditions (e.g., Galen, the author of the most inf... |
| TRS309 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN BIBLICAL STUDIES | Selected topics relating to the Bible and biblical archaeology. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic.Prerequisite: EN 125 or equivalent. |
| TRS312 | JEWISH MESSIANISM | Surveys the broad outlines of Messianism throughout Jewish history and how it has changed shape and form, interacted with other belief structures, become secularized and re-enchanted again. Examines its place in modern politics (especially Zionism) a... |
| TRS315 | THE HOLOCAUST AND ITS MEANING | Reaction of Jewish and Christian intellectuals to the Nazi attempt to destroy the Jewish people; analysis of accounts of Holocaust survivors; the singular witness of Elie Wiesel; significance of the Holocaust for Jewish-Christian dialogue.Prerequisit... |
| TRS316 | THE RABBIS ON SEX AND GENDER | Explorations of the legal and narrative sections from Talmudic tractate Kiddushin utilizing a wide variety of reading strategies (e.g., legal, text-and form-critical methods, Feminist criticism, and Queer theory).Prerequisite: EN 125 or equivalent. |
| TRS319 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN JEWISH STUDIES | Selected topics relating to the history, culture, faith, and practice of the Jewish people. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic.Prerequisite: EN 125 or equivalent. |
| TRS320 | CONSTRUCTING RELIGIOUS IDENTITY | Religious people are not born but are made according to context-specific norms. An examination of the various processes of religious socialization by which religious identities are constructed, maintained, transformed, and sometimes discarded through... |
| TRS321 | HISTORY OF THE PAPACY | Origins of the papacy in the Roman world; growth of papal influence in the Early Middle Ages; decline of the papacy and rise of Protestantism; Counter Reformation; the popes and the absolute monarchs; the Enlightenment attacks; responses to European... |
| TRS322 | LINK: RELIGIOUS ENTHUSIASM IN MODERN AMERICA | A sociological inquiry into religious fervor in 20th and 21st-century America. Examines the histories and lived religious experiences of several modern/contemporary “enthusiastic” religious movements, paying particular attention to the discrepancy be... |
| TRS323 | MARTIN, MALCOLM, & BLACK LIVES MATTER | Life, career, and teaching of the civil-rights leader and Christian theologian, Martin Luther King, Jr. Sources of King’s unique theology; analysis of speeches and writings; King’s relationship to other thinker-activists of his time, such as Mohandas... |
| TRS324 | HISTORY OF CHRISTMAS | Origins of the feast; gospel infancy narratives; apocryphal traditions; Christology; Christmas in Medieval art and drama; cult of Saint Nicholas; origins and growth of Christmas music; Puritan attack on the feast; decline of the feast in 18th century... |
| TRS325 | WOMEN WHO SHAPED CHRISTIANITY | Lives and writings of prominent women who have shaped the Christian tradition from its earliest period. Emphasis on the women’s contributions in light of their historical contexts.Prerequisite: EN 125 or equivalent. |
| TRS326 | HISTORY OF THE IDEA OF EVIL | The construction of the idea of evil, from the pre-biblical period up through modern times, examined through various theoretical approaches and applied to specific case studies (e.g., early Christian martyrdom, European witch hunts, Nazi Germany, the... |
| TRS327 | MINORITY RELIGIONS | Examines the histories, traditions, and lived religious practices of select minority religious groups by exploring their interaction and exchange with wider American culture (e.g., through architecture, commerce, food, law, and media). Case studies c... |
| TRS328 | THE FRANCISCAN MOVEMENT | Franciscan movement from its origins with Francis of Assisi to its contemporary manifestations. Historical and spiritual aspects of the Franciscan phenomenon and its import for the Church today. Offered at the Center for Pastoral Leadership.Prerequis... |
| TRS329 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN CHRISTIAN HISTORY | Selected topics relating to the history of the Christian community in its various manifestations. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic.Prerequisite: EN 125 or equivalent. |
| TRS329A | SP TP: CHRISTIAN HISTORY | Selected topics relating to the history of the Christian community in its various manifestations. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic. |
| TRS329B | SP TP: CHRISTIAN HISTORY | Selected topics relating to the history of the Christian community in its various manifestations. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic. |
| TRS329C | SP TP: CHRISTIAN HISTORY | Selected topics relating to the history of the Christian community in its various manifestations. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic. |
| TRS330 | MODELS OF GOD | Comparison of several models for understanding God and God’s relations to the world.Prerequisite: EN 125 or equivalent. |
| TRS331 | SIN, GRACE, & WHOLENESS | Introduction to theological anthropology, the study of the human being in relation to God and in conflict with evil. Prerequisite: EN 125 or equivalent. |
| TRS332 | CHRIST & THE PASCHAL MYSTERY | Study of the principal developments in theological reflection on the meaning and significance of Jesus Christ in the New Testament and in later church tradition; consideration of how contemporary Christology is both affected by and responds to crucia... |
| TRS333 | UNDERSTANDING CHURCH | Origin, nature, and mission of the Church in light of its evolution from the preaching and mission of Jesus and his disciples, through its developing history, to its current self-understanding since Vatican II.Prerequisite: EN 125 or equivalent. |
| TRS334 | CHURCH & SACRAMENT | Exploration of the church as “sacrament of salvation” through an examination of the sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist), the sacraments of healing (Penance, Anointing of the Sick), and sacraments at the service of communion (M... |
| TRS335 | WHAT HAPPENED AT VATICAN II | The Second Vatican Council as a historical, sociological, and theological event. Explores what happened at Vatican II, in particular its causes and effects in the life of the Roman Catholic Church.Prerequisite: EN 125 or equivalent. |
| TRS336 | FAITH & SCIENCE | Explores the historical controversies and contemporary conversations surrounding the relationship between religious belief and modern science, with particular attention to evolution and ecology. Prerequisite: EN 125, or equivalent. |
| TRS337 | ISJ: GLOBALIZATION, THEOLOGY, AND JUSTICE | Surveys and analyzes contributions of Catholic theology and tradition on issues related to globalization, such as economics, demographic shifts, ecology, consumerism, migration, human trafficking, and interreligious conflict. Approached through the l... |
| TRS338 | CATHOLICISM IN A DIGITAL AGE | The theological significance of the digital revolution for the Catholic experience of faith, focusing on communication technologies and their implications for the church as a global religious institution. Surveys the historical impact of technologica... |
| TRS339 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY | Selected problems or authors in systematic theology. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic.Prerequisite: EN 125 or equivalent. |
| TRS341 | ISLAM IN AMERICA | Introduction to the history of Islam and its arrival in the New World. Focus on the experience of American Muslims, including African-American Muslims, immigrant Muslims, and new American converts. Considers all levels of the Muslim public sphere in... |
| TRS342 | ISLAM & THE ENVIRONMENT | Overview of environmental issues and Islamic approaches to these challenges based on the major sources of Islam: the Qur’an and the Hadith. Islamic principles regarding the natural world and humanity’s place within it, and Islamic legal strictures to... |
| TRS344 | ISLAMIC SPIRITUALITY | An elaboration of the mystical/Sufi tradition of Islam and the emergence of Islamic spirituality. Detailed study of the Qur'anic verses and paradigms from the sayings of the Prophet that constitute the main sources for the spiritual dimensions of Isl... |
| TRS349 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN ISLAMIC STUDIES | Selected topics relating to the Qur’an and/or the history, faith, and practice of the Muslim community. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic.Prerequisite: EN 125 or equivalent. |
| TRS351 | EGC: SILK ROAD RELIGIONS | Focuses on religion, art, and politics on the international trade routes of East, Central, and South Asia, from the second through the twentieth centuries. Representative examples are presented chronologically and carefully situated within their poli... |
| TRS352 | PILGRIMAGE | Examines pilgrimage as a unifying theme in the study of world religions and as a key component of religious life. Treats pilgrimage as a perspective on the unity of spirit, mind, and body as an expression of the inseparability of individuals and larg... |
| TRS359 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN ASIAN RELIGIONS | Selected topics relating to the religions of Asia and/or manifestations of western religions in an Asian context. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic.Prerequisite: EN 125 or equi... |
| TRS359A | SP TP: ASIAN RELIGIONS | Selected topics relating to the religions of Asia and/or manifestations of western religions in an Asian context. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic. |
| TRS360 | CATHOLIC MORAL THEOLOGY | Methods for making informed and prudential moral decisions, in the interpersonal and social spheres, grounded in experience, Scripture, church teaching, and rational discourse. Addresses such topics as conscience; virtue; individual and social sin; t... |
| TRS361 | THEOLOGIES OF SEX, GENDER, & IDENTITY | An exploration of Christian spirituality, religion, and theology from the LGBTQ+ perspective. Topics include the origin, history and themes of queer theology and its relation to Queer Theory; queering scriptural hermeneutics and theological doctrines... |
| TRS362 | RELIGION, ETHICS, & PUBLIC POLICY | Focuses on debates about the role religion should play in the formulation of public policy in the United States. Considers works of Rawls, Hauerwas, Stout, and others.Prerequisite: EN 125 or equivalent |
| TRS363 | BIOETHICS | Examines the ethical principles and forms of moral reasoning that typically guide decisions in health care and frame public policy debates generated by contemporary biomedicine. Includes materials from both religious and secular traditions of thought... |
| TRS364 | CHRISTIAN SEXUALITY | Study of human sexuality, its meaning and mystery, and ethical issues related to sexual behavior and attitudes, all from a Christian perspective. Christian wisdom and wisdom of the ages in light of human experience and contemporary theories of the me... |
| TRS365 | JUST & UNJUST WAR | Introduces the ethical issues posed by the use of violence. Particular emphasis on the just war tradition, which has significantly shaped contemporary international law and military ethics. Examines some of the canonical texts of just war tradition,... |
| TRS366 | ISJ: SOCIAL JUSTICE & THE ECONOMY: MORALITY & MONEY | Examines the religious, moral and ethical assumptions at the heart of various economic systems, policies and practices, as well as the economic teachings of major religious traditions. Explores the social justice implications of personal, local, nati... |
| TRS367 | ISJ: RELIGION, TERROR, AND CULTURE WARS | Ethical and practical issues regarding the importance of cultural memory and the destruction, recovery, and protection of cultural assets in a politicized global environment. Examination of past and present national and international threats to cultu... |
| TRS369 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN RELIGIOUS ETHICS | Selected issues or authors in religious ethics. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic.Prerequisite: EN 125 or equivalent. |
| TRS369A | SP TP: RELIGIOUS ETHICS | Selected issues or authors in religious ethics. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic. |
| TRS369B | SP TP: RELIGIOUS ETHICS | Selected issues or authors in religious ethics. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic. |
| TRS369C | SP TP: RELIGIOUS ETHICS | Selected issues or authors in religious ethics. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic. |
| TRS371 | IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY | Study of the life and writings of Ignatius Loyola and the spirituality that emerged from his religious experience, the dissemination of Ignatian spirituality through the creation of the Jesuit order, the mission and ministry of the first Jesuits, the... |
| TRS372 | THEOLOGY OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN SACRED MUSIC | Survey of theological issues and constructs in African-American sacred music. Musical theology of Negro spirituals as starting point in discovering expressions of biblical and societal musings. Gospel music and anthematic presentations as expressions... |
| TRS374 | THE TRANSFIGURED BRAIN | Explores intersections of neurology, psychology, philosophy, ritual practice, and the Christian contemplative-mystical life. Brings the Christian understanding of the human person, liturgical ritual, spiritual growth, and mystical experience into con... |
| TRS375 | AUGUSTINE'S SPIRITUAL QUEST | Focuses on Augustine of Hippo as spiritual guide and model of an authentic Christian life. Historical analysis provides the groundwork for spiritual and theological reflection on key works of the early Augustine (especially the Confessions and On Gra... |
| TRS379 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN SPIRITUALITY | Selected topics relating to the work of great spiritual leaders and/or to spiritual practices such as prayer, worship, and meditation. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic.Prerequ... |
| TRS381 | TEACHING THEOLOGY | Introduction to pedagogy for theological educators. Topics include the nature and goals of theological education, the vocation of the theology teacher, the sociological research relevant to religious education, the developmental needs of adolescents... |
| TRS389 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN PRACTICAL THEOLOGY | Selected topics in the area of pastoral theology and ministry. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic.Prerequisite: EN 125 or equivalent. |
| TRS399 | SPECIAL TOPICS | Selected topics in one of the areas of theology and religious studies. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic.Prerequisite: EN 125 or equivalent. |
| TRS400 | SCRIPTURE AND REVELATION | Problems of and approaches to understanding the Jewish and Christian scriptures as “revelatory texts.” Special focus on the methods essential to exegesis, biblical interpretation, and contemporary uses of the scriptures. An I-Core Advanced Writing in... |
| TRS405 | "REJECTED BOOKS" OF THE BIBLE | Introduction to the non-canonical writings of formative Judaism and early Christianity. Intensive study of selections from the intertestamental, apocryphal, and pseudepigraphical literature of the Old and New Testaments; the Mishnaic and later Talmud... |
| TRS406 | NEW TESTAMENT ETHICS FOR CONTEMPORARY CULTURE | Ethical perspectives and prescriptions conveyed by the New Testament. The teaching and praxis of Jesus, including his concern for the poor and solidarity with the marginalized, provide the center of gravity for analysis of a cross-section of the para... |
| TRS408 | LIFE AND LETTERS OF PAUL | Introduction to the cultural and historical background of the life and career of the Apostle Paul, examination of his major writings, writings in the Pauline traditions, their impact in their original historical-cultural settings, and uses of these t... |
| TRS420 | THE RISE OF CHRISTIANITY | Emergence of Christianity into the Greco-Roman world during the first six centuries. Key topics include: establishment of Trinitarian theology and Christology; relations of Church and State; roles of women; origins of monasticism; interaction with pa... |
| TRS422 | AUGUSTINE: LIFE, THEOLOGY, INFLUENCE | Introduction to Augustine of Hippo (CE 354-431), a magisterial figure in the history of Christian thought who remains significant for contemporary Christianity. Topics include Augustine’s views of early church and state, marriage and sexuality, origi... |
| TRS430 | INTRODUCTION TO SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY | Consideration of concepts key to understanding how theology works: faith, revelation, scripture, symbol, tradition, community, and method. Explores how these concepts work in the writings of significant theologians. Places these thinkers within their... |
| TRS461 | CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING | An introduction to Catholic Social Teaching, from its historical origins through today, focusing on its basic principles and norms for discernment and judgment, leading to criteria for action to address contemporary social challenges. Does not satisf... |
| TRS491 | INTERNSHIP | An internship/practicum experience in the field(s) of ministry, religious studies, and/or theology. Involves supervised work at a religiously-affiliated institution or agency engaged in direct service to and/or advocacy in the local community. Each s... |
| TRS492 | INDEPENDENT STUDY | In-depth study on a tutorial basis of a particular problem, approved by the chair and directed by a member of the department. Requires a research paper. Prerequisites: TRS Majors, TRS Minors, Graduate Students (MA or Certificate), or those with permi... |
| TRS492A | INDEPENDENT STUDY | Prerequisites: permission of department chair and instructor. In-depth study on a tutorial basis of a particular problem, approved by the chair and directed by a member of the department. A research paper is required. |
| TRS492B | INDEPENDENT STUDY | Prerequisites: permission of department chair and instructor. In-depth study on a tutorial basis of a particular problem, approved by the chair and directed by a member of the department. A research paper is required. |
| TRS492C | INDEPENDENT STUDY | Prerequisites: permission of department chair and instructor. In-depth study on a tutorial basis of a particular problem, approved by the chair and directed by a member of the department. A research paper is required. |
| TRS493 | SENIOR SEMINAR | Culminating seminar for TRS majors and minors. Meets the Core Capstone requirement for the major. Prerequisite: EN 125 or equivalent; TRS majors, minors, and graduate students; other interested students may seek permission of the department chair. |
| TRS494 | THE CATHOLIC EXPERIENCE | Capstone seminar for students in the Catholic Studies program. Offered: Normally Spring semester. |
| TRS501 | HEBREW BIBLE INTERPRETATION | Detailed exegetical analysis of a major Hebrew Bible text that will be specified when the course is offered. |
| TRS502 | THE BIBLE THROUGH THE EYES OF THE HUNGRY | Application of a hermeneutic of hunger to various Biblical texts with a view to addressing particular contemporary issues relating to hunger, water shortage, famine, and other challenges to human sustenance and environmental sustainability. Students... |
| TRS503 | ABRAHAM: FATHER OF MANY NATIONS | Three religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all see Abraham as in some way their founder or ancestor. Engages in close readings of Genesis 12-25, which tell the story of this Patriarch, to understand how Abraham was understood in Ancient Israel... |
| TRS505 | NEW TESTAMENT INTERPRETATION | Detailed exegetical analysis of a major New Testament book that will be specified when the course is offered. |
| TRS506 | JESUS IN FILM AND HISTORY | Introduction to the words and deeds of the historical Jesus of Nazareth, as understood by his contemporaries. Comparisons to how Jesus was later understood and portrayed by his followers (e.g., in the New Testament) and in popular media (art, literat... |
| TRS507 | SYNOPTIC GOSPELS | In-depth analysis of current research on theories of synoptic relations; the relationship of the Synoptic Gospels to such non-canonical gospels as the Gospel of Peter and Gospel of Thomas; and the literary and theological characteristics of each of t... |
| TRS508 | HEALING IN EARLY CHRISTIANITY AND THE GRECO-ROMAN WORLD | Exploration of understandings of health and healing in the gospels and other early Christian traditions, and of Jesus' role as healer, in comparison to contemporaneous Greco-Roman religious traditions (e.g., Galen, the author of the most influential... |
| TRS509 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN BIBLICAL STUDIES | Selected topics relating to the Bible and biblical archaeology. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic. |
| TRS512 | JEWISH MESSIANISM | Surveys the broad outlines of Messianism throughout Jewish history and how it has changed shape and form, interacted with other belief structures, become secularized and re-enchanted again. Examines its place in modern politics (especially Zionism) a... |
| TRS516 | THE RABBIS ON SEX AND GENDER | Explorations of the legal and narrative sections from Talmudic tractate Kiddushin utilizing a wide variety of reading strategies (e.g., legal, text-and form-critical methods, Feminist criticism, and Queer theory). |
| TRS519 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN JEWISH STUDIES | Selected topics relating to the history, culture, faith, and practice of the Jewish people. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. |
| TRS520 | CONSTRUCTING RELIGIOUS IDENTITY | Religious people are not born but are made according to context-specific norms. An examination of the various processes of religious socialization by which religious identities are constructed, maintained, transformed, and sometimes discarded through... |
| TRS525 | WOMEN WHO SHAPED CHRISTIANITY | Lives and writings of prominent women who have shaped the Christian tradition from its earliest period. Emphasis on the women’s contributions in light of their historical contexts. |
| TRS529 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN CHRISTIAN HISTORY | Selected topics relating to the history of the Christian community in its various manifestations. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic. |
| TRS531 | SIN, GRACE, AND WHOLENESS | Introduction to theological anthropology, the study of the human being in relation to God and in conflict with evil. |
| TRS532 | CHRIST AND THE PASCAL MYSTERY | Study of the principal developments in theological reflection on the meaning and significance of Jesus Christ in the New Testament and in later church tradition; consideration of how contemporary Christology is both affected by and responds to some c... |
| TRS534 | CHURCH AND SACRAMENT | Exploration of the church as “sacrament of salvation” through an examination of the sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist), the sacraments of healing (Penance, Anointing of the Sick), and sacraments at the service of communion (M... |
| TRS535 | WHAT HAPPENED AT VATICAN II | Study of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) as a historical, sociological, and theological event. Exploration of what happened at the Council, paying particular attention to both the causes and the effects of the Council in the life of the Roman... |
| TRS536 | CHURCH AND MINISTRY | Study of the theology of church and ministry. Taking into account the biblical background and historical developments, the course focuses on issues and ideas surrounding ministry today. With an emphasis on the Roman Catholic experience, the course lo... |
| TRS538 | CATHOLICISM IN A DIGITAL AGE | The theological significance of the digital revolution for the Catholic experience of faith, focusing on communication technologies and their implications for the church as a global religious institution. Surveys the historical impact of technologica... |
| TRS539 | SPECIAL TOPICS: SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY | Selected problems or authors in systematic theology. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. |
| TRS541 | ISLAM IN AMERICA | Introduction to the history of Islam and its arrival in the New World. the experience of American Muslims, including African-Americans, immigrants, and new American converts. Considers all levels of the Muslim public sphere in the U.S. and current U.... |
| TRS542 | ISLAM AND THE ENVIRONMENT | Overview of environmental issues and Islamic approaches to these challenges based on the major sources of Islam: the Qur’an and the Hadith. Islamic principles regarding the natural world and humanity’s place within it, and Islamic legal strictures to... |
| TRS544 | ISLAMIC SPIRITUALITY | An elaboration of the mystical/Sufi tradition of Islam and the emergence of Islamic spirituality. Detailed study of the Qur'anic verses and paradigms from the sayings of the Prophet that constitute the main sources for the spiritual dimensions of Isl... |
| TRS549 | SPECIAL TOPICS: ISLAMIC STUDIES | SSelected topics relating to the Qur'an and/or the history, faith, and practice of the Muslim community. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. |
| TRS551 | SILK ROAD RELIGIONS | Focuses on religion, art, and politics on the international trade routes of East, Central, and South Asia, from the second through the twentieth centuries. Representative examples are presented chronologically and carefully situated within their poli... |
| TRS552 | PILGRIMAGE | Examines pilgrimage as a unifying theme in the study of world religions and as a key component of religious life. Treats pilgrimage as a perspective on the unity of spirit, mind, and body as an expression of the inseparability of individuals and larg... |
| TRS559 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN ASIAN RELIGIONS | Selected topics relating to the religions of Asia and/or manifestations of western religions in an Asian context. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic. |
| TRS560 | CATHOLIC MORAL THEOLOGY | Methods for making informed and prudential moral decisions, in the interpersonal and social spheres, grounded in experience, Scripture, church teaching, and rational discourse. Addresses such topics as conscience; virtue; individual and social sin; t... |
| TRS562 | RELIGION, ETHICS, AND PUBLIC POLICY | Focuses on debates about the role religion should play in the formulation of public policy in the United States. John Rawls and his theological critics will be examined. |
| TRS563 | BIOETHICS | Examines the ethical principles and forms of moral reasoning that typically guide decisions in health care and frame public policy debates generated by contemporary biomedicine. Includes materials from both religious and secular traditions of thought... |
| TRS569 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN RELIGIOUS ETHICS | Selected issues or authors in religious ethics. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic. |
| TRS579 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN SPIRITUALITY | Selected topics relating to the work of great spiritual leaders and/or to spiritual practices such as prayer, worship, and meditation. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic. |
| TRS581 | TEACHING THEOLOGY | Introduction to pedagogy for theological educators. Topics include the nature and goals of theological education, the vocation of the theology teacher, the sociological research relevant to religious education, the developmental needs of adolescents... |
| TRS589 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN PASTORAL THEOLOGY | Selected topics in the area of pastoral theology and ministry. Specific content and number of credits to be announced when offered. May be repeated with a different topic. |
| TRS592 | INDEPENDENT STUDY | Directed research on a topic selected by the student, in consultation with a Theology and Religious Studies faculty member who will supervise the project, and culminating in one or more papers. The TRS 592 Independent Study Contract form may be obtai... |
| TRS592A | INDEPENDENT STUDY | Independent study on a topic selected by the student, in consultation with a Theology and Religious Studies faculty member who will supervise the project, and culminating in one or more papers. |
| TRS592C | INDEPENDENT RESEARCH | Directed research on a topic selected by the student, in consultation with a Theology and Religious Studies faculty member who will supervise the project, and culminating in one or more papers. The TRS 592 Independent Study Contract form may be obtai... |
| TRS593A | MASTERS ESSAY | Culmination of the work leading to the Master of Arts degree. Takes the form of a research essay or creative project designed to show the student's skills at analysis, organization, and expression. The scope of the research involved is less extensive... |
| TRS593B | CONTINUING ESSAY RESEARCH | Continuation of work on the MA Essay. This course is required if the MA Essay is not completed in the first semester during which the student takes TRS 593A. Students must continue to enroll in TRS 593B each semester until the MA Essay is completed,... |
| TRS599A | MASTERS THESIS I | The first semester of the MA Thesis, which constitutes the culmination of the student's work leading to the Master of Arts degree. As a demonstration of a student's advanced research ability, the thesis is expected to show originality, clarity of tho... |
| TRS599B | CONTINUING THESIS RESEARCH | Continuation of work on the MA Thesis. This course is required if the student anticipates that the Thesis will not be completed by the first semester following TRS 599A. Students must continue to enroll in TRS 599B each semester until the one in whic... |
| TRS599C | MASTERS THESIS II | The last semester of work on the MA Thesis. Permission from the student's Thesis advisor and TRS department chair required.Prerequisite: TRS 599A, minimum grade of C. |