Christ Today, Theol. 308, 3 credits Rev. F.J. Buckley, S.J. Spring, 2000
Office hours: T, TH, 11-12, Harney £521, (Phone: 6609) and by appointment
Website: www.usfca.edu/GOODNEWS EMAIL: buckleyf@usfca.edu
Jan 25 Orientation. Syllabus, strategies of learning. Read Docs. of Vat. II, Revelation, £1-13. (Abbott, pg. 111 ff.);
Coventry, Ch. 1-2; Carmody, Ch. 2-3. Dialogue of God and Us: Revelation as a Process of Communication.
Discuss Coventry, 1-2; Rev., £1-13; Carm., 2-3. Read Revelation, £21-26. Reflection paper on Revelation.
Feb. 1 Rev. as Process of Discovery and Interpretation. Discuss Revelation, £21-26. Bible as Revelation. Canon of
Scripture. Read Revelation, £14-20. Reflection paper.
Biblical Interpretation. Reflection paper--How Bible helps us recognize & interpret Revelation
15 PAPER: "God's Revelation in Today's World". TEST ON REVELATION . Discussion. Read Zanzig, Ch. 1-4
Reflection Paper --Jesus & Revelation
22 Discuss Zan, 1-4; Yahweh. Gender & cultural diversity; read Zanzig, Ch. 5-11; Carmody Ch. 7; Reflection
paper: Jesus and Revelation.
29 Discuss Zanzig, 5-11; Carmody, Ch. 7. Incarnation & Redemption. Read Coventry. Reflection paper: Jesus and
Revelation.
March 7 Discuss Zanzig, 1-11, Coventry. Resurrection. Read MARK, Chapters 1-16.
Reflection paper on religious experience in light of Christ.
13-17 Spring Break
21 Origins of gospels; read MARK, Ch. 1-16. Analyze structure of Mark.
Discuss Mark, Zanzig, Coventry. How to write a gospel. Himes videos
28 PAPER: "How is Jesus Christ God's Revelation to me?" Discuss Mark. ZEFFIRELLI, PARTS 1-2
April 4 TEST ON CHRIST AS REVELATION. Flannery-Hyatt Lecture. Read Carmody, ch. 5; Docs. of
Vat. II, Church, #1-38.(Abbott, p 14) Analyze structure of #1-38. Refl. paper: Religious experience & the Church
11 Discuss Church, 1-29: Models, Kingdom, Mission, Marks, Salvation; Triple Mission, Infallibility. Carm. 5. Read
£30-68. Reflection Paper: Religious experience & the Church
18 Discuss 30-68: Laity, Triple Mission, Holiness, Eschatology; Mary; Gender and Cultural Diversity issues; read
Docs. of Vat. II, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, £1-45.(Abbott, pg. 199); Carmody 4
& 6. Paper: Analyze structure of Church in the Modern World, #1-45.
25 Discuss Structure, #1-45 of Pas. Const.; World, Person, Christ; Society, Activity, Church, Christ. Carmody 4 & 6.
Video: Vat. II: #4, Lucker, etc., 60 min. Read: Vat. II, Decl. on Rel. of Chrch to non-Christn Rel. Abb,pg.660),
Decl. on Rel. Freedom £ 1-15; (Abbott, pg. 675) Write Term Paper. [Include a site visit to a parish.]
May 2 PAPER: "How are Documents of Vatican II being applied at USF or my Parish?"; Discussion. Show video
3rd Millenium, Vat. 2, Liturgy; Read Const. on Liturgy £1-58 (Abbott, pg. 137) Paper: Rel. exp. & Church
9 Discuss Const. on Lit. £1-58. Summary of the Course. Videos: Church, Himes;· Church, Weakland;·
CATHOLIC CHARITIES: "WHATSOEVER YOU DO" Social action of Church: food, housing, sick, elderly.
16 Final Examination: 6:30 Turn exams in at Loyola House.
The Gleeson library RESERVE ROOM has copies of some required reading books. The Gleeson library PERIODICAL ROOM has bibliographical tools and periodicals. The library REFERENCE ROOM has bibliographies and encyclopedias and "dictionary" articles. Use the University Learning and Writing and Computer Centers.
TERM PAPERS : Follow the standard form for social sciences or Turabian or Higgins. 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 and checked for spelling and grammar, and should be at least ten pages long. Write for publication: indicate two possible journals which might print it... For term papers due May 2, 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)
b) Jot down your own ideas, questions, possible outlines.
c) Research: Reference: Encyclopedias; Catholic Periodical Index; databases of books, articles
d) Summarize your notes.
e) Rearrange according to your own outline; rewrite in your own words.
Weekly reflection papers may be sent by e-mail: buckleyf@usfca.edu
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, St. Maryâs Press
5. Denise Carmody: Christian Feminist Theology , Blackwell, 1995
OPTIONAL RECOMMENDED READING:
F. J. Buckley, S.J., The Church in Dialogue, (Library Reserve Room)
Dennis Doyle: The Church Emerging from Vatican II , 23rd, 1995
Avery Dulles, S.J.: Models of the Church , revised 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
Karl Rahner, S.J., Shape of the Church to Come, Seabury, 1974
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.)
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
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) can provide source material for student 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.
FINAL EXAMINATION CHRIST TODAY 0128-3098-01 MAY, 2000
(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: May 16, 6:30 PM.
CHRIST TODAY
1. GEC Area VI
2. Course Title: CHRIST TODAY
3. Recommended Course Level: Junior 300
4. Prerequisite Course Number and Title: 100, The Bible or Sacred Quest
5. Detailed Course Description: (for further detail see ##7-8)
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 issues and cultural diversity.
6. General Course Goals and Specific Objectives
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 the methods and content of theological 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 as a child of God, for whom Jesus gave his life.
. appreciation of others as God's children, for whom Jesus gave his life.
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
7. Detailed Description of Topics to be Covered and Suggested Sequence (Cf. Syllabus))
8. Examples of Texts/Readings: (Cf. Syllabus))
All will be expected to have and use a modern translation of THE BIBLE and DOCUMENTS OF VATICAN II . One might also use films, e.g.:
Pier Paolo Pasolini: THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW
Franco Zefirelli: JESUS OF NAZARETH
9. Opportunities to raise and discuss Gender Issues:
These arise in treating both the cultural background of Jesus and the rest of the New Testament and the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church in Vatican II and the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy. Jesus sharply broke with the customary ways of dealing with women in his culture; identification with Christ through baptism implies radical equality of men and women. The role of Mary leads readily to discussion of the role of women in the Church today. Liturgical questions frequently lead to discussion of women's liturgical roles.
10. Opportunities to Exercise Critical Thinking Skills.
Students are required to read primary sources (Scripture, the Documents of Vatican II) critically. Principles of Biblical interpretation are reviewed from the prerequisite course on the Bible, then applied not only to the Bible but also to official Church documents.
Strong emphasis is put on structural analysis, source and redaction criticism.
Students will also do three term papers as well as daily reflection papers to develop their habits of analysis and synthesis.
11. Opportunities to Incorporate Celebration of Cultural Diversity, Pluralism:
These arise in treating both the cultural background of Jesus and the rest of the New Testament and the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church in Vatican II, the Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to other Religions, and the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy.
Jesus sharply broke with the customary ways of dealing with other races in his culture; identification with Christ through baptism implies radical equality of all races. The catholicity of the Church leads readily to discussion of the role of pluralism in the Church today. The Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to other Religions directly discusses the religious values of different cultures. Liturgical questions lead to discussion of liturgical diversity.
12. Opportunities to Raise and Discuss Ethical and Moral Issues.
These flow easily from discussion of the life and teachings of Jesus and from the
documents of Vatican II. Revelation is given by God to evoke a moral response, so the meaning and value of life, love, faith, and how to express these in action are central to this course.
13. Writing Projects.
Students will do three term papers as well as daily reflection papers to develop their habits of analysis and synthesis and to sharpen skills of written expression.
14. Possible Co-curricular Activities.
Campus Ministry and St. Ignatius Church provide opportunities for students to express in prayer and action their 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) can provide source material for student reflection papers and term papers.
15. Possible Ways to use the Community as Resource.
The presence in San Francisco of a variety of liturgical traditions (African American, Hispanic, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Greek, Russian, Armenian, Roman) can provide source material for student 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.
16. Possible On- and Off-Campus Resources for Course Instructors
On Campus lectures and symposia on Liberation Theology, Davies Forum, Cultural Diversity can provide useful supplemental background for class discussions.
Cf. also # 15 above.
Listserve groups for an entire class are very useful in all classes. Students may send me via email a reflection each Tuesday, a listserve message for the whole class on Thursday. Discussions and learning go on through the week.