Courses

• STH TT 934: Schleiermacher
  The primary aim of this course is read and understand the theology of Friedrich Daniel Ernst Schleiermacher, one of the most important and influential European intellectuals of the 19th century, and known variously as the Father of Romanticism, the Father of Hermeneutics, the Father of German Plato studies, the Father of Modern Protestant Theology, and the Father of Liberal Christian Theology. The course focuses on The Christian Faith (CF) but also covers some other of his writings particularly On Religion: Speeches to Its Cultured Despisers (OR) and Letters to Locke (LL) and some biographical material. The secondary aim is to help students develop their own theological ideas in detailed conversation with Schleiermacher's, a purpose for which CF is particularly well suited. The class has 800-level and 900-level designations to accommodate both advanced masters and doctoral students, respectively.
• STH TT 940: Ecclesiology
  This course asks the question, ?What is the church?? in dialogue with Christian theological figures and schools representing Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox Christian traditions. While one of the aims of this course is that students be conversant with those voices, it ultimately aims at the student?s ability to articulate the ecclesiology of his or her own community and to bring that to bear on the contemporary situation and particular problems of Christian practice in church and society. Meets with TJ940.
• STH TT 945: Spirituality, Medicine & Health
  The general aim of this science-religion course is to learn about the complex entanglements among religious traditions and spirituality, medical traditions and healing modalities, and norms for physical and mental health. This will involve (i) in Part 1 of the course, gaining a basic grasp on the history of the medical traditions of China, India, the Middle East, and the West, including the metaphysical frameworks that inform those traditions; (ii) in Part 2 of the course, studying the complex controversy over spirituality and health research and attempting to decide whether and how the efficacy of healing modalities is to be evaluated; (iii) in Part 3 of the course, understanding how western biomedicine interacts with the array of medical traditions and spiritually inspired healing modalities that thrive in the West; and (iv) throughout the course, addressing philosophical, theological, and ethical questions about norms for mental and physical health and comparing metaphysical frameworks for health and healing. The class is intended for advanced masters students and doctoral candidates interested in the science-religion dialogue, and particularly in spirituality and health.
• STH TT 946: Advanced Systematic Theology I: God and Creation
  A study of creations as the fundamental religious relation between God and the world, defining both. Develops an adequate Christian theology of God and explores alternate conceptions of God.
• STH TT 947: Advanced Systematic Theology II: The Human Condition
  Study of the theological dimensions of human life, examining the Christian notions of sin and salvation, and some variants and alternatives to these and other religious traditions. Develops a contemporary Christology.
• STH TT 948: Advanced Systematic Theology III: Sanctification and Religious Life
  Study of both personal and communal dimensions of the religious life. Examines the church and the religious practices of ritual, symbol making, and paths of spiritual perfection. Develops a systematic doctrine of the Holy Spirit and the church.
• STH TT 950: The Concept of Revelation in the Twentieth-Century Theology
  The central task of this doctoral-level seminar is to assess the value and meaning of the concept of revelation for contemporary Christian theology. To this end, we will examine the place of this concept within a broad sampling of twentieth-century theological and philosophical writing. Key questions to be considered throughout the course include: Should revelation be understood as a source or norm (or both) for theological construction? Can the concept of revelation be maintained as a distinctively theological category without thereby isolating theology from human efforts to attend faithfully to the ways in which the world reveals itself to us? In what ways do individual, social, and historical context matter in the reception of revelation? Is there such a thing as a non-ideological appropriation of revelation? The work of Karl Barth and the Second Vatican Council led to wide interest in the concept of revelation in the early and middle parts of the century, but the topic languished through the 1970s and early 1980s. With the publication of a variety of new works over the past two decades critically assessing the value of earlier approaches and offering new perspectives, this is a propitious time to take up this central theological topic once again.
• STH TT 956: Atheisms and Theologies
  The general aim of this course is learn about varieties of atheismâ??older â??classic atheism,â?? so-called â??new atheism" of recent years, and theologically inspired forms of atheismâ??and to understand the various theological responses to atheism. Questions of particular importance are: (1) How strong are traditional and new atheistic arguments? (2) Where does or should theology stand in relation to the arguments of atheism? (3) What are the origins of modern atheism? (4) Should postmodern mystical theologies and iconoclastic anti-anthropomorphic theologies that reject a determinate divine being be considered atheistic? If so how does this sort of atheism relate to other types? The class is intended for advanced masters students and doctoral candidates interested in contemporary theology and its conceptual roots in older theological debates. Classes will meet once a week on Wednesdays from 3:00 to 6:00. Each class will be conducted in the seminar discussion format with lectures given by the instructor as needed or requested. The 800-level version of this course counts (1) as an MTS Core Concentration course for Science and Religion, for Theology, and for Area B; and (2) as an MDiv Theology 3 Core Elective. It may also count (3) as a requirement for a BTI Certificate program in science and religion. The main product of the course will be a research paper on some aspect of the course material (50%; 3,000 words for 800-level students, 5,000 words for 900-level students). There will also be several 1,500-word reviews of books and articles presented in class (30%). The remainder of the grade (20%) will be based on the quality of seminar participation, including attendance, timeliness, and discussion. Incompletes are not allowedâ??except when they are; paperwork is necessary. Plagiarism is not allowedâ??ever. Know the rules.
• STH TT 974: Religious Experience
  This seminar is a multidisciplinary study of religious experience, drawing on philosophy, theology, literature, psychology, sociology, the cognitive sciences, and the neurosciences. An advanced research seminar, this course presumes significant background knowledge in theology and philosophy and is designed for doctoral students. Advanced master?s students can participate with the permission of the instructor.
• STH TY 704: Introduction to Pastoral Care and Counseling
  This course introduces a method of pastoral care as practical theology. Students will learn to assess the experiences of loss, violence, and addiction reflected in pastoral care conversations. They will use theological, psychological, and cultural studies to reflect upon these issues of loss or violence, and develop theologically based strategies of care and justice.
• STH TY 803: The Psychology of Religion
  Examining methodological questions and issues in the psychological interpretation of religious matters by considering what is meant by ?religion? and what is involved in interpreting ?religion? psychologically. Also offered as STH TY 903 for doctoral studuents.
• STH TY 804: Contemporary Trends in the Psychology of Religion
  
• STH TY 806: Theories of Human Development
  TY806/906 - Human Development Course Description: The goal of this course is to achieve an understanding of the human developmental process and how that process integrates the growth of faith and the life of the community. We will use a series of theoretical readings, broader lectures by the professor, and selected autobiographies to apply theory. As our experiences provide excellent laboratory data, there will be various opportunities to examine our own life processes as a way of seeing theory in action. Course Objectives: By the end of the class, students should: - know the primary developmental theories, including psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral, social learning, faith development and be able to identity of variety of lesser used theories - be able to critique developmental theories using the insights of feminist theory, studies in racism and sexual identity, and the reality of globalization - be able to apply theory to case material - discuss the relationship of human development and community context
• STH TY 807: Pastoral Psychology of Women
  An exploration of the psychological and theological perspectives on women's experience, using individual and group methods to connect theoretical views with practical implications for minstry.
• STH TY 811: Object Relations and the Study of Religion
  Achieving familiarity with and fluency in a series of psychoanalytic theories of personality/character, development, relationships, motivation, health, and pathology, as a context in which to practice psychoanalytic interpretations of religious matters. Also offered as STH TY911 of doctoral students.
• STH TY 826: Psychodynamics of Marriage and Family
  This is an introductory course that includes a comprehensive overview of the field of family systems and family therapy. This course will serve as an introduction to the theory and techniques of couples and family therapy. An attempt will be made to integrate theory and practice through assignments, class activities, and personal and professional self-reflection. Students will have the opportunity to reflect upon how they might actually use course content professionaly in their respective disciplines.
• STH TY 854: Pastoral Theology and Psychology
  Practical theologians, pastoral theologians, and pastoral psychologists focus on different subject matters, use different methods, and address different audiences. Nonetheless, they share a common purpose: to diagnose, accurately and in-depth, concrete problems of the human condition (e.g., suffering, evil) and, correspondingly, to construct effective ways of addressing those problems (i.e., forms of intervention, strategies of care). This is a reading course that examines contributions of theologians, practical theologians, pastoral theologians, and pastoral psychologists, and provides a context in which students may investigate research problems that are especially relevant to their respective communities and traditions, as well as their particular vocational objectives (e.g., parish ministry, chaplaincy, pastoral care, seminary teaching).
• STH TY 864: Personality Theory, Counseling and Psychology of Religion
  Formulating a model of self that takes into account matters of religion, faith, and spirituality; acknowledges the influence of culture, race, ethnicity, class, and gender; and coordinates the contributions of various traditions of inquiry. Also offered as STH TY 964 for doctoral students.
• STH TY 903: The Psychology of Religion
  Examining methodological questions and issues in the psychological interpretation of religious matters by considering what is meant by ?religion? and what is involved in interpreting ?religion? psychologically. Also offered as STH TY 803 for masters level.
• STH TY 906: Human Development
  TY806/906 - Human Development Course Description: The goal of this course is to achieve an understanding of the human developmental process and how that process integrates the growth of faith and the life of the community. We will use a series of theoretical readings, broader lectures by the professor, and selected autobiographies to apply theory. As our experiences provide excellent laboratory data, there will be various opportunities to examine our own life processes as a way of seeing theory in action. Course Objectives: By the end of the class, students should: - know the primary developmental theories, including psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral, social learning, faith development and be able to identity of variety of lesser used theories - be able to critique developmental theories using the insights of feminist theory, studies in racism and sexual identity, and the reality of globalization - be able to apply theory to case material - discuss the relationship of human development and community context

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