Syllabus for Theology 211
WEBSITE:
www.usfca.edu/fac-staff/buckleyf
or www.usfca.edu/GOODNEWS
Includes
syllabus, bibliography. For useful
notes on doing term papers, see:
http://webdev.menlo.edu:8080/~jhiggins/academic/classes/writing.html
Aug.
28 Orientation. Syllabus, strategies of learning. Dialogue of God and Us:
Revelation as a
Process of
Communication. Read Docs. of Vat.
II, Rev., £1-13, 21-26. (Abbott,
pg. 111
ff.); Coventry,
Ch. 1-2. Carmody, Ch. 2-3. Reflection paper on Rev. in your own life.
Sep.
4 Rev. as Process of
Discovery and Interpretation. Bible as Rev., Canon.
Discuss Rev.,
£1-13,
21-26; Coventry, 1-2; Carmody, 2-3. Read
Rev., £14-20; Dialogue: Ch. 1-3, 25.
11 PAPER: "God's
Revelation and Faith Today". Biblical Interpretation.
18 TEST ON REVELATION.
Discussion. Read
Zanzig, Ch. 1-8 . Yahweh. Gender &
cultural diversity. Reflection paper on religious experience in the light
of Christ.
25 Discuss Zanzig, 1-8;
Kingdom. Incarnation & Redemption. Read
Coventry, Ch. 1-7;
Carmody, Ch. 7; Zanzig, Ch. 9-11.
Reflection paper on religious experience in the
light of Christ. Buckley, Growing,
Ch. 9-13.
Oct.
2 Discuss Zanzig, 1-11, Coventry. Resurrection.
Himes videos. Origins of
gospels.
Read
MARK Chapters 1-16. Reflection
paper: Analyze structure of Mark.
9 Discuss
Mark, Ch. 1-16; Reflection paper: Analyze structure of Mark.
16 PAPER
: "How is Jesus Christ God's Revelation to me?" Discuss Mark,
Zanzig,
Coventry. How to write a gospel.
Zeffirelli TEST ON CHRIST AS
REVELATION. 23 Review of Zeffirelli. Discuss
Christology. Read Carmody, Ch. 5; Docs. of Vat. II,
Dogmatic Constitution on Church, [Lumen Gentium] £1-38. (Abbott, pg. 14)
Analyze structure of Chapters 1-4, ##1-38.
Reflection paper: Religious experience & Church
30 Discuss
Church, 1-29: Models, Kingdom, Mission, Marks, Salvation; Triple Mission,
Infallibility;
read £39-68.
Reflection paper: Religious experience & Church
Nov.
6 Discuss 30-68: Laity,
Triple Mission, Holiness, Eschatology; Mary; Gender and
Cultural Diversity issues; read Carmody, Ch. 4 and 6; Docs. of Vat.
II, Pastoral
Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, £1-45.(Abbott, pg. 199)
Paper:
Analyze structure of ##1-45. Read Buckley, Dialogue, Ch. 7-11, 24.
13
Discuss Church in Modern World, ##1-45: World, Person, Christ; Society,
Activity,
Church, Christ. Vatican II Vision 2000 Video #4: Authority & Am.
Catholicism.
Read: Declaration on the
Relationship of Church to non-Christian Religions.
(Abbott, pg. 660) ; Declaration on Religious Freedom £ 1-15; (Abbott, pg.
675)
Reflection paper: Religious experience & Church.
20 PAPER
: "How are Documents of Vatican II being applied at USF or my
Parish?";
Discuss non-Christian Religions, Religious Freedom; Show video
Long Search:
Rome, Leeds, Desert. Read
Constitution on Liturgy £1-58, (Abbott, pg.
137 ff.)
27 Discuss
Constitution on Liturgy £1-58; Dialogue, C. 17. Paper: Rel. exp. &
Church.
Dec.
4 Last Class. Summary and Review.
11 FINAL EXAMINATION: 6:00 PM,
Wednesday
TERM
PAPERS: Follow the standard
form for social sciences or Turabian or Alan Heineman & Hulon Willis,
WRITING TERM PAPERS, Harcourt. Include a bibliography. (Footnotes may be put at
the end.) References to the Bible
should be by version, book, chapter, verse. Papers must be done on computer, BOLD,
checked for spelling and grammar, and at least ten pages long.
Write for publication: indicate two possible journals which might print
it... For term papers due Nov. 20, include a site visit to a church.
How
to write a term paper:
a) Select a topic of interest to you (a problem of self or others,
experience; recent events)
b) Jot down your own ideas, questions, possible outlines.
c) Research: Encyclopedias; Catholic Periodical Index; databases of
books, articles; websites.
d) Summarize your notes.
e) Rearrange according to your own outline; rewrite in your own words.
Mail
weekly papers to course BLACKBOARD Tools Digital Drop Box.
Use boldface.
Gleeson
Library has an excellent collection of materials on all major religions.
Consult the library reference room for bibliographies and
encyclopedia and "dictionary" articles, which also provide
bibliographies. The periodical room has bibliographical tools and
periodicals.
Become
familiar with the University Learning and Writing and Computer Centers.
Campus
Ministry and St. Ignatius Church
provide opportunities to express in prayer and action deepening appreciation of
the example and teaching of Jesus and the Church.
The presence in San Francisco of a variety of liturgical traditions
(African American, Hispanic, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Greek,
Russian, Armenian, Roman, etc.) provides source material for reflection papers
and term papers. Students can also visit many different churches, mosques,
synagogues, and temples for background experiences when treating the Declaration
on the Relationship of the Church to other Religions and the Constitution on the
Sacred Liturgy.
REQUIRED
TEXTS:
1.
THE BIBLE (Buy
just one. The New Jerusalem Bible,
hardcover, is the most useful; some copies are in the reserve room and in the
reference room. Next best is the Catholic Study Bible, Oxford U. Press. The
Oxford Annotated with Apocrypha and New American are good. A bible with good
footnotes, cross-references, introductions will be valuable for life.)
2.
Documents of Vatican II, edited by Abbott, (Library Reserve and
Internet)
3.
John Coventry: Faith in Jesus Christ,
Winston Press. (Library Reserve)
4.
Thomas Zanzig: Jesus Is Lord: A Basic Christology for Adults, 1982
5.
Denise Carmody: Christian Feminist Theology, Blackwell, 1995
6.
F. J. Buckley, S.J., Growing in the Church, University Press of
America, 2000
7.
F. J. Buckley, S.J., The Church in Dialogue, University Press of
America, 2000
OPTIONAL
RECOMMENDED READING:
Dennis Doyle: The Church Emerging from Vatican II, 23rd, 1995
Avery Dulles, S.J.: Models
of the Church, expanded edition, Doubleday, 1987
Joseph Eagan. S.J.: Restoration
and Renewal, Sheed & Ward, 1995
Andrew M. Greeley, American
Catholic, Basic Books, 1977
, The Catholic Myth,
Scribner, 1990
, The Jesus Myth
William O’Malley, S.J., God: The Oldest Question, Loyola, 2001
Karl Rahner, S.J., Shape
of the Church to Come, Seabury,
1974
, Sacramentum Mundi: An Encyclopedia of Theology, 6 vols., Herder, 1970
GRADING
will be based on required regular attendance and quality of participation
in class; on the extent and quality of research, imagination, critical judgment
shown in the term papers and the reflection papers and on the quizzes and
examinations.
A= Outstanding (Beyond a thorough grasp of required texts and lectures,
shows ability to
relate material to life and to other subject areas and to form personal
synthesis; shows
good critical judgment in area and choice of bibliography; very good oral
and written
expression; excellent candidate to do graduate work in the field.)
B= Superior/Good (Accurate grasp of required texts and lectures; shows
critical judgment,
good speaking and writing skills; good candidate to do graduate work in the field.)
C= Satisfactory (Adequate grasp of required texts and lectures in
essentials.)
D= Unsatisfactory/Poor
F= Failure (Course not counted toward degree requirements.)
Attend
all classes. Absence at 20% of classes is grounds for failure.
Course
Description:
Jesus
is God's Word made flesh, incarnate revelation. God still speaks to us through Christ and his Body, the
Church. Essentials of Catholic
Tradition, including gender and cultural diversity.
GOALS:
1)
To help students explore systematically and critically human
experiences to discover
God's revelatory presence and
action embodied in history.
2)
To demonstrate how the Christian traditions
illuminate and interpret these
experiences of God, not only in classic Christian texts, but also in later
developments. This inquiry is best done through dialogue between
scholarly disciplines. At USF this dialogue will be particularly rich because of
the cultural diversity
of students. It will involve the formation of skills of critical analysis
and synthesis.
3)
To encourage students to respond
personally and as a community to
God's revelation in Christ, drawing conclusions from it about human dignity and
rights, about human freedom and responsibility, about the need for both prayer
and action to cooperate effectively with God's plans for the good of the entire
human family and the cosmos in which we live.
COGNITIVE
OBJECTIVES:
. Knowledge of the basic themes and trends in Christology and
Ecclesiology.
. Awareness of the relevance of cultural diversity to theological
expression
. Awareness of the major areas and trends of interdisciplinary
theological dialogue and
critical reflection on significant issues connecting Christology and
Ecclesiology with
other intellectual disciplines.
. Awareness of interreligious and ecumenical dialogue
. Awareness of major issues confronting the Church today
. Familiarity with essential theological resources and tools
. Familiarity with methods and content of theological schools and
traditions
AFFECTIVE
OBJECTIVES:
. sensitivity to religious values
. appreciation of one's own and other religious traditions
. appreciation of the beauty and limits of theological syntheses
. enthusiasm about theology
. appreciation for what belief in God means for human dignity
and responsibility to others and for the environment
. appreciation of self and others as God's children, for whom Jesus died.
BEHAVIORAL
OBJECTIVES:
. ability to apply historical-critical and literary principles of
interpretation to
scripture, church documents, and other theological texts
. ability to do research with critical analysis and judgment
. ability to use creative imagination in forming personal theological
syntheses,
integrating life experience with theological interpretation
and integrating theological principles with action
. ability to write and speak clearly and effectively on theological
topics
. ability to engage fruitfully in theological interdisciplinary dialogue
(Rev.) Francis J. Buckley, S.J.
How
well were the learning objectives achieved, i.e.:
What
did you learn through this course:
-knowledge about Revelation, God, Christ, Church, yourself, others?
-appreciation of Revelation,
God, Christ, Church, yourself, others?
-theological skills?
How
did you change? What brought about the change?
What
ideas did you put into practice? With
what success?
What
were your criteria for measuring success?
How
will this course affect your future?
Spend
no more than 150 minutes in writing this examination on a computer.
You
may prepare for it as long as you wish. Indeed,
the whole semester has been preparing you for it.
Since you will have it on your computer, you may keep it as a summary of
what you have learned.
When
you have finished it. leave it for me at the switchboard at Loyola House
no
later than: December 11 , 7:30 PM.
WEBSITE:
www.usfca.edu/fac-staff/buckleyf
or www.usfca.edu/GOODNEWS
Includes
syllabus, bibliography, photos & descriptions of students/staff, discussion
groups
F.J. Buckley, S.J.
HOW TO READ A BOOK
A.
General Orientation:
Date (Bibliography)
Preface
B.
Structure:
Table of Contents
First & last paragraphs of chapter...headings
Topic sentences of paragraphs
C.
Mark it:
Underline the key themes
Make marginal notes & questions
Circle matters to be explained
D.
Critique it:
1) What are the major issues discussed?
2) Is the approach sound, plausible, acceptable?
Why?
3) What assumptions are made?
How are they justified?
4) How does this fit in with your experience?
5) How does this fit in with other authors?
6) Do you agree or disagree?
Why?
7) What conclusions follow--for you, for others?
8) How will you act on this?
HOW TO STUDY
6.
Discuss the material with friends face to face, via email, via Blackboard
discussion.
NAME
STUDENT
ID #_______________________
ADDRESS
E-mail TELEPHONE
ETHNIC
BACKGROUND
RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND
ADVISOR
MAJOR
YEAR IN COLLEGE
Any
learning problems I should know of?
Groups
which significantly affect your attitudes, values, behaviors:
Books
you read last month:
What
parts of the newspaper do you read? How
often?
Magazines
you read last month:
Movies you saw last month:
TV
programs you saw last month:
Favorite
type of music:
Favorite color:
How
many hours a day do you spend on average:
.
studying?
. in email?
.
on the internet?
. talking with friends?
.
working?
. playing computer games?
.
in other forms of recreation? .
in sports?
What
are your favorite sports?
What
are your other favorite forms of recreation?
What
human problems are you most interested in?
What
religious issues are you most interested in?
What
values do you see in this particular course?
What
can you bring to the community of this class? (What are you good at?)
What
do you want from this community? (What are you looking for?)
Think
about your personality, your relationships with others, your lifetime of
experiences, your hopes, your dreams, your understanding (from this course) of
what life is all about.
On
the other side, list ten things that are important to you that you would like to
work on to improve, to perfect, or to change during your program of study.
QUESTIONS
TO BE EXPLORED IN FALL, 2002
Does
God exist? xx
What
is the Trinity?
How
is God the Father? Could God be
female?
Revelation:
what, when, where, how?
How
recognize genuine revelation? Do I
need faith to have a revelation?
Does
God only speak through the Bible? How
interpret the Bible?
xxx
Does
God love all people equally?
What
of other religions?
Salvation—relation
to revelation, Jesus?
Heaven,
hell, reincarnation?
xxxxx
Why
is God so judgmental, forgiving?
xxxxxxx
Is
God fair in sending so many people to hell if they never heard of Christ?
How
can I strengthen my relationship with God?
Did
Jesus really exist? Did he really
perform miracles? Did he have faith?
What
did he do between age 12 and 30?
How
does Christ affect people?
xx
How
can I be more like Christ day by day?
How
can I grow spiritually?
xxxx
Does
the Church really meet people’s needs?
How
does the Church apply Christ’s teachings to a constantly changing world?
Is
the Church infallible?
Does
the Church accept evolution?
Why
does the Church urge simplicity, while having so many luxuries?
How
does the Church change?
xx
Is
the Church losing influence?
How
can the Church attract young people?
How
choose a Church?
Why
go to Church?
xxxxxxxx
Must
one drink the wine at Mass?
Does
the Church condemn tattoos and body piercing?
Abortion? Stem cell research?
Homosexuality?
How
is the Pope chosen?
Will
there be married priests? Women priests?
Why
do children suffer? Why is there
war? AIDS? Divorce? Teenage pregnancy? Social
injustice?
Apathy? Discrimination? Disease? Death?
Will
the world come to an end? When?
BLACKBOARD Access it at http://blackboard.usfca.edu
1)
Create your account, providing first & last name, your email
address, login name,
password. Click Submit
button at bottom of page. Record
name & password.
2)
Click on Courses button. Click on Your School or Browse Course Catalog.
3)
Click on Christ Today: THEO 308-01.
4)
Click on Announcements, Course Documents, Faculty Information.
Take Quiz.
5)
Become familiar with the site. Bring
questions to class.