REL NT 322—Homer and the New Testament, D. MacDonald

Designed to introduce students to the study of the influence of the Homeric epics on early Christian literature, especially the Gospel of Mark and Luke-Acts.  By the end of the course the student will have read much of the Iliad the entire Odyssey, two Homeric Hymns, and two plays of Euripides in translation.

REL NT 328—Jesus Outside the New Testament, D. MacDonald

Designed to introduce intermediate and advanced students to Christian apocryphal texts relevant to the expansion of Jesus’ memory in the church.  For the most part, these texts are on-canonical Gospels and Acts.  At several points along the way we will ask what one can learn about Jesus and his memory in antiquity from these materials.

REL EC 330—Religion & Sexuality: The Problem of the Erotic, L. Ruprecht

Beginning with such influential texts as Plato’s “Symposium” and “Phaedrus,” as well as several Eurpidean tragedies, this course will attempt to situate discussions of the erotic life first in a foreign culture, a culture with different religious institutions, several of which often assigned a prominent place to the erotics of worship.  We will endeavor to explore how much of that culture—an alternately Greek-and Roman-culture—Judaism and Christianity altered or displaced.  The course will present the history of such categories as asceticism, celibacy, marriage, same-sex sexuality, and marriage, then will conclude with a survey of several contemporary reflections on these Classico-Chrisitan themes (for example, Freud, Carson, Foucault).

REL TH 335—Process Theology: Feminism and Gender, J. Sweeney

REL HB 362—Wisdom and Fear of God in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, K. De Troyer

Comparative study of differing characterizations of wisdom and fear of God in the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.

REL TH 363—Major Interpreters in the Study of Religion, R. Ramal

This course will provide an introduction to methodological issues in the study of religion through readings of classical theories of religion (e.g., Hume, Feuerbach, Durkheim, Freud) revealing the rise of the human sciences in the post-Enlightenment West.

REL TH 369—Theology & Science in Dialogue: A Hermeneutic of Humility, S. Kim

A study of history, method, and meaning of interaction between science and theology in nineteenth century and twentieth century Europe and North America.  Main focus is on discerning the dialogical aspects of the interaction as a new way of understanding and relating science and theology in common search for the intelligibility and meaning of faith.

REL NT 385—Greek II, M. Schufer

Continuing study of biblical Greek.

REL HC 401—Orthodox Theology & Spirituality, M. Najim

A survey of Orthodox Theology and Spirituality, outlining significant issues affecting Christian faith, practice and teaching.  It introduces the student to an authentic perception of spirituality as the source of theology in both the past and the present.  Orthodox theology is understood at all times as a spirituality of the union of humanity with God.  The purpose of this course is to help the learner discern Orthodox theology and Spirituality as was formulated by both Patristic Literature and modern Orthodox writers.

REL HC 403—Whitehead’s Philosophy and Its Religious Relevance, J. Cobb

REL HB 407—Introduction to Akkadian, T. Schneider

REL EC 409—The Niebuhrs, E. Marshall

Introduces students to the sources, forms and criteria for moral decision-making related to the Christian tradition.  It also offers an introduction to some of the major figures and ongoing debates in the field of Christian ethics.

REL HC 414—Bishops & Orthodoxy, K. Torjesen

The evolution of Christian institiutions and Christian doctrines did not evolve in separate spheres.  By the 4^th century Christianity was clearly the church of the bishops and the church of orthodoxy.  The evolution of the episcopacy and the coalescence of Christian teachings into a single orthodoxy were related processes.  In this course we will analyze these larger processes and the interplay between them by studying the politics and theologies of the churches in the great cities of the Mediterranean—Rome, Alexandria, Carthage, Milan and Antioch.  The major theological controversies that shaped orthodoxy began as local disputes between local teacher, bishops and teachers, presbyters and bishops, bishops and monks.  Through Episcopal letters canons of church councils, ordination liturgies and biographies of famous bishops we will investigate the politics of theology in the formation of orthodoxy and the theology of politics in the evolution of orthodoxy.

REL HB—420  History of the Ancient Near East, T. Schneider

A history of the Near East including Mesopotamia, Turkey, Syro-Palestine, Egypt, Cyprus and the Aegean from the forth millennium down to the first.

REL RE 430—The Liberative Pedagogy of Paulo Freire, C. Hess

Appreciatively and critically examines Freier’s major works.  Attention will be given to the cultural context in which his pedagogy arose, its extension to North America (including educators who are indebted to Freire), and its use in religious education.

REL EC 430—The Idea and Ideals of Trajedy, L Ruprecht

REL TH 432—Religion & Wittgenstein’s “Tractatus,” P. Horn

This course will investigate the sense and purpose of Wittgenstein's Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus.  The latter part of the course will consider Wittgenstein's apparent pronouncement in the Tractatus that we must remain silent in matters of religion and ethics.  Some attention will be given to secondary sources but most of the course will focus on the primary text.

REL TH 442—Metaphysics & Ontology, D.Z. Phillips

In what sense does philosophy investigate reality?  Some have said that its purpose is to provide a metaphysical account of reality, an ultimate ontology that explains and gives a foundation to the nature of things.  This course examines the implications of this claim for our understanding of empirical matters, ethics, and religion.

REL NT 445—Paul and the Pauline School, G. Riley

Study of the letters and literature under the name of Pual.  Includes both New Testament and non-canonical literature.

REL TH 446—Eschatology, A. Min

This will be a survey with some depth of the representative eschatologies of the 20^th century such as those of Paul Tillich, Karl Rahner, Jurgen Moltmann, and Wolfhart Pannenberg.

REL NT 457—New Testament Seminar/Graeca, D. MacDonald

REL HB 457—Textual Criticism & Hermeneutics,  Esther, K. De Troyer

Doctoral seminar dedicated to textual criticism of the Septuagint of Esther and to problems of translation technique.

REL TH 460—Wittgenstein’s “On Certainty,” DZ Phillips

This course concentrates on what is now regarded as Wittgenstein’s third masterpiece, On Certainty.  Reading this work will be combined with Rush Rhees’ Wittgenstein’s ‘On Uncertainty’.  References may also be made to two other collections edited by Daniele Moyal-Sharrock: The Third Wittgenstein and Understanding ‘On Certainty’.

REL WS 464—Feminist and Queer Theories, L. Harris

This course examines feminist and queer theories with a specific focus on how sexuality shapes the content and form of both.  The course concerns itself with the development of relationship between late twentieth-century feminist and queer canons, and attendant issues of class, race, economics, gender, reproduction, pornography, academic, activist, and artistic communities.  Employing a variety of cultural documents such as theory, fiction,  music, art, and popular medial, students acquire a critical understanding of feminist and queer theories as media-rich, multiple, and conflicting narratives and cultural productions.

REL HB 470—Redaction-critical Method, M. Sweeney

A study of Redaction-Critical Theory and its application in biblical exegesis, with special attention to the Book of Isaiah.  Prerequisites: Doctoral study or permission of the instructor; knowledge of Hebrew, German and French.

REL TH 472—Life, Death & Meaning, DZ Phillips

People, in various circumstances, have asked whether their lives have a meaning.  Philosophers have also asked this question, often, in a general way.  In both cases, the fact of death has loomed large.  How do these questions bear on each other?